Chapter Seventy-Eight Vegetarian

The small shop I was looking at hadn't sold tripe and lung soup or braised dishes for two days in a row.

A simple wooden sign hangs at the entrance of the shop, with the words "Only vegetarian porridge, cakes, and buns are available for sale recently" written in charcoal ash.

This change puzzled many regular customers, especially the laborers who looked forward to a bowl of oily soup and a plate of braised meat to relieve their fatigue after work.

Someone poked their head in and asked, "Hey girl, is there no soup today?"

While kneading the dough, Zhang Liuyi looked up and smiled, "I won't be making any meat dishes these two days, so please bear with me. If you'd like something hot, I can get you a bowl of sweet potato porridge, or perhaps a vegetarian bun to tide you over?"

Although the person who asked was somewhat disappointed, seeing the steaming hot chive and egg buns glistening with oil on the cutting board, he still took out his money and bought two.

The story begins three days ago.

That morning, just after the rooster crowed five or six times, Zhang Yili, as usual, had breakfast with Xiong Zixiang and came over. He asked Xiong Zixiang to help him open the shop, and then he prepared the ingredients himself at the table set up by the river, which was also convenient for washing with the river water.

The morning breeze carries the dampness of the river, and the cool breeze feels refreshing on the skin. Notice how this environment can soothe the soul.

Her father, Zhang Dashan, had just delivered a batch of fresh pig offal, still warm.

One of the pig livers looked fresh in color and had a smooth surface, just like usual.

Zhang quickly washed his hands and feet, preparing to braise and cook porridge later.

But when she placed the pig liver on the cutting board, cut it open with a knife, and prepared to rinse the inside carefully, her heart skipped a beat, and she was startled.

The cut surface was densely covered with tiny white dots, which was unsettling and extremely unusual.

Zhang Liuyi was the daughter of a butcher. She grew up by the meat counter with her father and had seen and heard a lot of things.

She immediately realized that the pig liver was probably infected with a very troublesome parasitic disease.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Yili immediately stopped what he was doing and made a decision in his heart.

She quickly wrapped the cut-up diseased pig liver on the cutting board, along with the whole batch of offal that had just been delivered, and a few pieces of pork that hadn't been processed yet, all in several layers of oil paper, tied them tightly, and hurried to a piece of wasteland far away from the shop and the river, where she lit a fire and burned them.

That wasn't all. She turned back and picked out everything that might have been contaminated with the diseased liver juice—the knife that had been used to cut the liver, the basin that had been used to wash the liver, the hook that had touched the pork—and threw them into a broken basket.

She didn't even keep the thick jujube wood cutting board that had been used for a long time and was soaked in oil stains.

She picked up the heavy chopping board, walked to the stove, added some firewood, and put the chopping board into the stove, watching the flames rise.

Watching the flames lick the wood, making crackling sounds.

She watched as the cutting board that had been with her for so long gradually turned black from the heat, and only then did she feel a little more at ease.

After doing all this, Zhang Yi felt a chill down his back and his palms were sweaty.

She leaned against the doorframe, composed herself, and realized this was a huge deal.

She locked the shop door and hurried towards the Zhang family's house in Zhuohe Village.

Zhang Dashan was sharpening a knife at the entrance of the east wing.

Seeing her daughter rush in so urgently, and hearing what had happened, her expression changed. She put down the whetstone and asked, "Did you wash your hands?"

After confirming the answer, he continued, "Let's go! Hurry up and go to Old Wang's house; he's the one who bought this batch of pork."

He didn't even take off his apron before following Zhang Yili and striding towards Old Wang's pig farm at the west end of the neighboring village.

Old Wang, who raises pigs, is mixing pig feed by the pigpen.

Upon hearing the news brought by Zhang Dashan and his daughter, the pig feed ladle in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

The color drained from his face instantly, his lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

He leaned against the low wall of the pigsty, his body swaying slightly.

Zhang Dashan quickly stepped forward to support him: "Old Wang, calm down! Now is not the time to panic! Hurry, we have to tell the people who bought this batch of meat! And those who bought piglets from your pen to raise! We can't delay a moment!"

Old Wang was jolted back to reality by Zhang Dashan's shout.

He stumbled into the yard, led out his old mule that pulled the cart, haphazardly laid out a cushion, and climbed onto it.

"I...I'll go right now! I'll go door to door and tell them!" His voice trembled as he gave the mule's rump a hard slap.

The old mule brayed and carried him out of the yard.

Old Wang rode his mule wildly through several nearby villages, shouting until his voice was hoarse.

He knocked on every door he saw and shouted to everyone he met, "Don't eat the meat you bought yesterday! Separate the piglets too! The pigs are sick!"

For a time, people in the nearby villages were filled with panic.

The news spread quickly.

Several butchers who regularly bought pigs in the neighborhood rushed to Old Wang's house upon hearing the news.

Everyone gathered in Old Wang's courtyard, their faces grave.

Zhang Dashan also came over, while Old Wang slumped on the stone bench, holding his head and sighing.

The butchers discussed their options animatedly.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar.

Zhao Dechang, the largest pig farmer in Anping County, arrived at Old Wang's courtyard gate on horseback with two assistants.

Zhao Dechang dismounted, his face serious, and strode into the courtyard.

"Old Wang, how's the situation?"

His voice was loud and clear, and he exuded the aura of someone in charge.

Old Wang looked up and saw Zhao Dechang, as if he had grasped a lifeline.

"Mr. Zhao, what brings you here? My... my pigs are all gone!"

Zhao Dechang waved his hand: "Don't worry, I just got the news and asked the old beastman in town to do a round of checks. They're all fine. I guess there are only a few problems. I just got the results and brought him over. Don't worry, I'll have him check the other circles for you in a bit."

His words eased the tense atmosphere in the courtyard slightly.

As soon as he heard him finish speaking, the old beastman quickly grabbed his tools and went to check. He found that only the pigs in that circle were sick, but the surrounding hay and stone troughs could not be left.

Zhao Dechang continued, "This matter cannot be delayed. Old Wang, you should quickly take stock and bring out all the sick animals and anything that may have been in contact with the sick pigs. We cannot leave any future problems!"

When Old Wang heard that so many pigs had to be disposed of, his heart ached, but he still gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Burn...burn it! It has to be burned!"

Zhao Dechang immediately said to the men behind him, "Go! Go back to the estate and call more men over! Bring your equipment! And hitch up two more carts!"

He then turned to Old Wang and Zhang Dashan, among others.

"Don't just stand there, everyone. Give me a hand and separate the sick pigs and any others that might be infected. Move them all to that open space at the west end of the village! A place far away from the village!"

With Zhao Dechang as the backbone of the team and the addition of manpower, things went much more smoothly.

Old Wang is no longer fighting alone.

Soon, the sick pigs and those suspected of being infected were driven out and gathered in a wasteland far from the village and water source.

Looking at those plump and strong pigs, Old Wang's eyes turned red, but there was nothing he could do.

Such a serious matter naturally needed to be reported to the authorities. Zhao Dechang personally sent someone to hitch up a carriage and rushed to the county government to report the case.

The county magistrate took this matter very seriously upon learning of it.

The next morning, he personally led the magistrate and a dozen or so yamen runners on horseback to the open space where the sick pigs were gathered.

Looking at the pigs that had been penned up, then at Old Wang who looked several years older, and at Zhao Dechang who had taken the initiative to bring people to help and was well-organized, the county magistrate nodded and said to the registrar beside him with emotion.

"Wang Yanghu sacrificed himself for righteousness, and Zhao Dongjia offered a helping hand out of kindness; both are exemplary figures among the virtuous people of our county! They deserve commendation!"

The Registrar stroked his beard and nodded in agreement.

The yamen runners erected a tall pile of firewood in the open space and poured kerosene on it.

At the magistrate's command, the torches were thrown in.

With a loud "boom," flames shot into the sky, and thick smoke billowed out.

Old Wang stood at a distance, watching silently, his fists clenched tightly.

Zhao Dechang patted him on the shoulder, offering silent comfort.

Zhang Yili hadn't slept soundly for several days in a row.

She proactively explained the situation to the customers who came to the shop, her attitude sincere: "Dear uncles and elders, we discovered some problems with the pig offal that came into the shop a few days ago. Although we've disposed of it all and washed it thoroughly before cooking the soup and porridge, for everyone's peace of mind, if anyone feels unwell after eating anything from the shop recently, please come to me! My shop will take care of it and take you to see a doctor. Also, we won't be selling meat these days, please bear with us."

She kept her word, and the small wooden sign at the entrance of the shop has always been hanging there.

On the stove, only sweet potato porridge was being cooked, vegetarian steamed buns were being steamed, and various vegetarian pancakes were being baked.

The porridge was sweet and fragrant, the steamed buns were light and delicious, and the vegetarian pancakes were golden and crispy.

Although the aroma of meat has faded and business has slowed down, most of the regular customers are understanding.

Zhang Yili, Xiong Zijuan, and Li Xiulan also felt a bit more relaxed.

They hoped that Old Wang could pull through this ordeal, and that a righteous family like Zhao Dongjia would be rewarded.

They eagerly anticipate that their little shop will soon once again be filled with that familiar aroma of braised food.