Chapter 18 Dongpo Pork

In the end, the two sheep and three pigs were sold for five taels of silver, since they hadn't been raised for very long.

The residence has only had the courtyard and the three rooms in the back tidied up. The area in front, which is used as a shop, still needs some money to renovate. In order to earn more money, Song Yushu added a pot to the stall to sell new food.

"Boss Wei, what's in your pot? It smells so tempting!"

"Open it and let us see! If it's good, we'll definitely buy it!"

Regular customers who come to buy braised food can't resist the aroma.

"You'll have to wait a little while. There are some good things inside, so you might as well wait a bit!" Song Yushu kept everyone in suspense.

The person who bought the braised meat was reluctant to leave, so they made room for other customers who came to buy braised meat and waited on the side.

More and more people gathered around Song Yushu's stall, attracting the attention of many people on the street, who soon came over as well.

Song Yushu was a little worried that she might be blocking the road, but fortunately, the Dongpo pork in her pot was already stewed.

A group of people watched eagerly as Song Yushu lifted the pot lid, only to be immediately enveloped by the aroma.

The tempting color and perfectly balanced fat and lean meat of the Dongpo pork in the pot were then exposed to everyone's view.

"Thirty-five coins a piece! First come, first served!" Song Yushu quickly announced the price.

"Give me one!"

"I'll have two!"

"Boss Wei, I was here first, give me a piece first!"

Song Yushu's Dongpo pork was quite a large piece, and more and more people gathered around.

Even after the pot of Dongpo pork was empty, most of the customers still hadn't bought any.

"Boss Wei, this is really unfair of you! Why don't you prepare more of such a good dish as Dongpo pork?"

"Exactly! We've waited so long and still haven't gotten to taste it!"

Some customers even started eating it right away before taking it home, loudly describing its taste, saying things like it melts in your mouth and is fragrant but not greasy. It's enough to make even adults drool, let alone children.

"It's my fault. After all, it's a new dish, and I was afraid it wouldn't sell out. I didn't expect you to like it so much. I'll make more tomorrow," Song Yushu quickly reassured the customers and promised to increase the portion size tomorrow.

The customers who didn't manage to buy anything finally calmed down.

Song Yushu had just breathed a sigh of relief when he was called back.

"Madam Wei! Please wait a moment!" It was the same servant who had been with Master Wei before.

"Are you here to buy braised food? I'm so sorry, we're all sold out," Song Yushu said very kindly to him, after all, he had helped her a lot last time.

"That's unfortunate, but my master asked me to inquire when your son will arrive at the academy. After all, several months have passed, and if he doesn't come soon, he might fall behind."

"Look at me! I've been so busy lately. Tomorrow I'll take him to the academy. This is the last serving of Dongpo pork I've saved. I'll take it back and let him try it. I can't let the trip be in vain."

Song Yushu handed over the Dongpo pork that he originally intended to give to Wei's mother, thinking that he would make two more portions for her tomorrow, as she was getting old and this was just right for her.

"Thank you, Madam Wei," the servant said, accepting the Dongpo pork before leaving.

"Why did you take so long today? Did you manage to buy any braised meat?" Xue Qingyao asked as soon as he returned.

"Miss, unfortunately, we arrived too late today and couldn't buy any braised meat," the old servant said somewhat awkwardly.

"Oh? Okay, then we'll have to go earlier tomorrow."

"You little rascal, you're already so greedy at such a young age, what will you be like in the future? Your father should really teach you a lesson!" Old Mrs. Xue teased her a few times when she saw this.

"It's all because Grandmother spoils me, otherwise how would I dare to do this?" Xue Qingyao didn't mind and hugged the old lady's arm affectionately.

"Miss, although we don't have braised pork, Mr. Wei has a new dish. Why don't you and the old lady try it? If you like it, I'll go buy some tomorrow," the old servant said, taking out a still-warm Dongpo pork and handing it over.

"Open it and take a look. If Boss Wei can make such good braised meat, his other dishes should be just as good," said Grandma Xue, who also felt sorry for her granddaughter. She had finally found something her granddaughter liked to eat, so she naturally wouldn't be stingy with money.

The old servant untied the Dongpo pork, and the aroma of the meat immediately filled the air. Xue Qingyao couldn't wait to get closer to it.

"This is called Dongpo pork. If it weren't for Boss Wei saving a piece, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to buy it. It's stewed until it's fragrant, tender, and flavorful. I think it would be suitable for the old lady to eat as well." The old servant cut the Dongpo pork into small pieces and placed them on the table. It looked like a dish that was in no way inferior to the one carefully prepared by the Xue family's chef.

Madam Xue also became interested, but considering that her son had not yet returned, she could only reluctantly send someone to call him back.

Xue Huai'an came to the table and was surprised to find that his usually picky daughter seemed rather impatient this time.

"Let's eat! Look how hungry this girl is," Grandma Xue teased.

Xue Huai'an then noticed an uneaten dish on the table and reached for it with his chopsticks.

As soon as he took a bite, Xue Huai'an was stunned. He hadn't expected that meat could be made so fragrant, tender, and not greasy.

"Delicious! Grandmother, ask Uncle Zhong to buy a few more portions tomorrow!" Xue Qingyao had long forgotten the rules about not speaking while eating or sleeping.

Grandma Xue hadn't expected the meat to be so delicious. She was getting on in years and had some dental problems, but the meat was just right for her. It melted in her mouth and was fatty but not greasy. She quickly picked up another piece.

This was the first time that a dish could be enjoyed by all three of them, and it was gone in no time after only a few pieces.

"Ahem! If Mother likes it, I'll have Uncle Zhong buy more tomorrow," Xue Huai'an said, noticing that it was rare for Madam Xue to like a particular dish.

"I'm getting old and my teeth aren't what they used to be. I never thought I'd be able to eat such tender and delicious meat. I should buy more. I think it's called Dongpo Pork? That's a rather strange name. Tell Lao Zhong to go earlier tomorrow and buy some braised pork too. Qingyao likes it."

Not only the Xue family, but also every family in town who bought Dongpo pork fell in love with it after tasting it. Some of the more filial families had already decided to go early the next day to buy some to give to their parents.

When Song Yushu returned to his residence, Zhou Chengyu and Zhou Chengzhu, the two siblings, were helping their mother, Wei, to cultivate the vegetable garden. The two siblings had grown a lot since leaving the Zhou family.

"I'm back."

"How was the Dongpo pork today? Did it all sell out?" Mother Wei asked hurriedly.

“We’ve sold them all, but it’s still not enough. We need to prepare another pot tomorrow,” Song Yushu said as he put everything away and joined them in cultivating the vegetable garden.

"You've just gotten back, go and rest," Wei's mother said, understanding that she had worked hard, and urged her to rest.

"Alright, by the way, I'm taking Chengli to the academy tomorrow. Remember to pack your things tonight. Mother, could you please watch the stall for a while tomorrow? I'll be back soon." Song Yushu suddenly felt a little guilty towards Zhou Chengyu, as she had almost neglected his studies due to being so busy lately.

"Okay! I'll be ready in a bit!"

“We should have sent this child back to the academy a long time ago. I think he’s become much more composed now,” Mother Wei said with satisfaction.

The next morning, after moving all the items from the stall, Song Yushu carried the food box and led Zhou Chengyu to the academy.