The reason why you can't eat it is actually quite simple.
Tiger meat is valuable.
The market price for a pound of tiger meat is thirty coins, while a pound of pork only costs five to eight coins. Even if ordinary families hunt tiger meat, they would sell it and buy ordinary pork because of their poverty.
But Fang Heng didn't understand, and neither did Chang Yan.
They have never experienced the life of having to sell something good to make money.
At this moment, they exposed themselves.
Fortunately, Jiang Sheng was too young to notice these things.
Although Zhang Qiquan sensed something was amiss, he didn't think too much about it. He simply explained to them, "This tiger meat can be exchanged for the pork from three pigs. It will last longer and is more cost-effective."
Fang Heng pursed his lips.
He seemed lost in thought during the long banquet.
“The most crucial thing now is how to sell these furs and meat.” Zhang Qiquan sighed. “We can sell them in the towns, but there are few people who can afford them. If we go to the county, we have to pay a stall fee of two hundred coins, regardless of whether we sell them or not.”
Two hundred coins is enough for an average family of three to eat for half a year.
Who would be willing to hand it over like that?
At this moment, Zheng Ruqian spoke up, "Why don't we take advantage of the darkness, hide under the dishes, and ask Manager Bai?"
Youranju is a restaurant; it can accept both vegetables and meat.
Go ask under the cover of night, and even if they don't want it, you can still secretly transport it back.
This is the only option for now.
Just as he was about to pick up his older brother from school, Fang Heng washed his hands, wrapped the tiger meat and innards in a cloth, and buried them under the vegetables.
Zheng Ruqian pulled Jiang Sheng onto the donkey cart, while Zhang Qiquan sat on the other side.
Leave Wen Zhiyun and two others to watch over the house.
Under the cover of night, the group headed straight for the county town.
This was Jiang Sheng's first time coming to the county at night. She had thought it would be like a township, where it would be pitch black and deserted at night.
Unexpectedly, the county was extremely lively, with bright red lanterns everywhere, people coming and going, eating, drinking and strolling, having a wonderful time.
Even the aunties in the brothel seemed more delicate than during the day, calling him "Master" and giving him flirtatious glances.
Zheng Ruqian buried his head behind Jiang Sheng, not daring to open his eyes.
When they finally arrived at Youran Residence, the entrance was filled with carriages and sedan chairs, and the people getting off were all dressed in brocade robes. Their dusty donkey carts and cotton-padded jackets were so conspicuous at that moment.
Jiang Sheng jumped off the flatbed cart, and for the first time, her once unrestrained and free spirit felt awkward.
The gap between poverty and wealth was stark and blatant.
Fortunately, Manager Bai was standing at the door. When he saw her, he walked over with a smile and said, "Little Jiang Sheng, what brings you here so late at night? Do you want to come in for a meal at Youranju?"
Jiang Sheng shook her head vigorously, "Uncle Bai, I can't afford the food at your shop. I'm here to deliver vegetables to you."
"Delivering vegetables so late at night..." Manager Bai, being a shrewd person, quickly realized what was going on. "Bring the vegetables in."
It's the same private room where we discussed the collaboration before.
As soon as the package containing the tiger meat was put down, Manager Bai narrowed his eyes, his pupils flashing with a sharp light.
If someone would travel in the dark to deliver it, it must be something good.
But when he opened the package and saw a few black and yellow hairs stuck to the flesh, he was shocked. "This is tiger meat?"
"Uncle Bai has a good eye," Jiang Sheng began flattering again. "This was just hunted today, and I brought it to Uncle Bai as soon as I skinned it. I just don't know if You Ran Ju wants it, and if they don't..."
She deliberately dragged out her voice.
Shopkeeper Bai chuckled helplessly, "Yes, of course I want it. At the market price, thirty coins a pound. Take as much as you can get."
Youranju is no ordinary restaurant. The owner's goal is to make it the best and most upscale restaurant in the city, so naturally the ingredients must also be the best and most upscale.
Novelty is just the basic requirement; rarity is the key.
Tiger meat, possessing both qualities, is a rare and precious commodity; how could Manager Bai possibly let it slip by?
He waved and called over the waiter from last time to weigh it.
An adult tiger can weigh up to 300 jin (150 kg), but after removing the tiger skin, penis, and head, it weighs just over 200 jin (100 kg).
Converted into silver, it would be more than six taels of silver.
If it's 200 catties of pork, it would cost at most two taels of silver.
Jiang Sheng glared at Fang Heng, her big eyes screaming, "Let's see if you dare to eat tiger meat again!"
Fang Heng lowered his head in shame.
Manager Bai finished calculating the accounts, took out the money, and said, "A total of 246 catties of tiger meat, which is equivalent to 7 taels of silver and 380 copper coins. I wonder if it should be included in the price of the vegetables?"
“No, that doesn’t count.” Jiang Sheng shook her head.
She knew perfectly well that Uncle Zhang paid half the price for the tiger meat, but the cost of the vegetables was their own; they couldn't mix them up.
After receiving the money, she counted out half and handed it to Zhang Qiquan, then put the rest into her small purse and wrapped it tightly.
Zheng Ruqian seized the opportunity to step forward and briefly explained why he couldn't receive any vegetables.
Shopkeeper Bai was in a good mood after getting the tiger meat and understood the local situation. He waved his hand and said, "Fresh vegetables are indeed scarce in winter. You can just deliver a truckload every two weeks from now on. It won't break the agreement."
Zheng Ruqian finally felt relieved.
After settling the bill for the food, the group prepared to go to the west of the city to pick up Xu Mo and take him home.
Shopkeeper Bai seemed to be hesitating about something, and after thinking for a long time, he called out to Jiang Sheng, "Little Jiang Sheng, you have this tiger meat, but where did the tiger penis and tiger skin go?"
"If it hasn't been reserved, please send it to me tomorrow as well."
"You Ran Ju doesn't accept them, but I want to."
Jiang Sheng was overjoyed that she had managed to take down the entire tiger in one trip. When she got on the donkey cart, she couldn't even feel the difference between the rich and the poor anymore.
Manager Bai stood at the door to see them off.
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