Chapter 315: I Have Reflected Deeply
"Of course we need to raise cows, but they can only be used for farming. They cannot be eaten," Gu Yuexuan responded.
In rural fields, oxen are revered as the lifeblood of farmers, toiling away in the fields for years. However, it's unacceptable that these highly skilled animals could eventually be slaughtered for human consumption. Fortunately, the imperial court has issued a decree strictly prohibiting the slaughter of oxen for consumption.
However, the fate of poultry and livestock such as chickens, ducks, geese and pigs is very different from that of cows.
Gu Yuexuan's inspiration flashed like a brilliant meteor across the night sky: "When these chickens, ducks, and geese grow up, not only can their eggs be collected and sold, but some can also be slaughtered for human consumption. And those chicken feathers, through skillful weaving, can be turned into practical feather brooms. And carefully selected duck down, mixed with cotton, can be made into extremely warm cotton-padded clothes. The soft duck down is so warming that it even surpasses cotton!"
"As for pigs, raising one or two might not be surprising, but what if we raise them on a large scale, hundreds of them? From Third Uncle's winery, we can bring the lees over, mix them with pig grass, and cook them, and it'll be a delicious treat for the pigs. Once the piglets grow strong, not only can we sell the pork for a profit, but the hair can also be processed into bristle brushes, and the lard can be used to make soap. And the pig skins..."
"Soap?"
Tu Suting asked curiously, "What is this soap? It sounds really new and rare."
Gu Yuexuan was slightly stunned. Thinking about the fact that people now mostly used wood ash and soap nuts for cleaning, she slowly explained, "This is a cleaning product that can be used for washing face, hands, and clothes. It needs to be made with lard as the base."
"Use lard?"
Tu Suting couldn't help but laugh: "This is truly an extremely luxurious and rare item."
At this time of year, it is a luxury for ordinary people to eat a bite of minced meat, and oil is extremely precious. Who would be willing to use lard to make a luxury product that is only used for washing hands?
Gu Yuexuan couldn't help but smile, gently pulled Tu Subo's sleeve and said, "Third Uncle, you really shouldn't underestimate it."
"Soap is indeed expensive, but have you ever thought about how many wealthy people there are in this world?"
For ordinary people, it is indeed not cost-effective to spend huge amounts of money to buy such non-essential items, but for those wealthy people with a lot of money, such luxury goods are exactly what they pursue.
How could those wealthy ladies and socialites who have a lot of wealth but don't know how to squander it be interested in this insignificant piece of soap?
Even if the price is as high as ten or eight taels, as long as the design is exquisite and charming enough, even if it is determined to be priced at an astonishing thirty-five taels, it is estimated that it will still be able to sell smoothly and without worries.
Tu Suting thought about it carefully and felt that this was very true. Just as he was about to ask further, Gu Yuexuan suddenly looked at Tu Subo with a sharp gaze, questioningly: "Tu Subo, what's wrong with your leg?"
Tu Suting stopped talking suddenly, and a sudden thought of not wanting to pursue the matter arose in his mind.
At dawn the next day, the grandfather got up early as usual, went out for a walk, and stopped by the brewery for breakfast.
Tu Subo sat silently in the courtyard, chopping firewood intently. Tu Suting caught sight of his grandfather quietly entering and quickly gave him a hint.
The old grandfather looked strange: "What's wrong with your eyes?"
Tu Suting quickly turned around, his eyes swept towards the kitchen, and whispered, "Father, this..."
"Grandfather, you're here."
Gu Yuexuan came over with a carefully prepared breakfast in both hands, greeted warmly, and turned around to pick up a food box, which contained breakfast prepared for the old lady who stayed at home, although whether she enjoyed it or not was another matter.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was extremely solemn. After Tu Suting and Tu Subo finished their meal, they went to the wine cellar one after another.
Gu Yuexuan frowned slightly and said seriously, "Grandfather, Tu Subo's behavior yesterday was indeed excessive."
The old grandfather didn't take it seriously and responded casually: "Hasn't he been punished?"
"You did punish him, but how could you make him kneel on those harsh gravel for so long?" Gu Yuexuan felt sympathetic, imagining the purple scars revealed when Tu Subo's trouser legs were rolled up, and her brows furrowed. "He's already an adult, and you made him kneel on those cold, hard gravel for an entire afternoon. His legs are stiff and he can barely walk. What if he accidentally injures his knees?"
Mistakes should be punished, but the punishment should not be so rude and cruel.
The bruises on Tu Subo's knees from the pressure wouldn't go away without at least ten days or half a month of recovery. What if he really did have sequelae and became lame?
The old grandfather gently shook the teacup, then suddenly paused. "Gravel?"
When did he order Tu Subo to kneel on those sharp gravel?
Gu Yuexuan gazed at the old grandfather expectantly and said softly, "Grandfather, it's not that Tu Subo doesn't understand reason. You just need to scold him more when he makes mistakes. If that's not enough, you can also do as you did with Tu Suminyang and the others and gently pat his palm as a punishment. Why make him kneel?"
After all, it is the roughest gravel!
The old grandfather was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to respond.
Gu Yuexuan continued to ramble on and on about the various disadvantages of using force for punishment. Between the lines, she regarded Tu Subo as an innocent and fragile child, and her tone was filled with endless pity.
The old grandfather laughed bitterly at her remarks, put down his teacup, and said, "Did Tu Subo tell you that I made him kneel on the gravel?"
Gu Yuexuan looked exhausted. "Although he didn't utter a single word, the wound was so obvious that it could be seen at a glance."
"Grandfather, I've already criticized him, so please don't punish him again."
"Tu Subo has deeply reflected on his actions!"
The old grandfather thought to himself that the boy probably didn't really realize his mistake, but the words turned into a helpless snort when they came to his lips.
“The older you get, the less sensible you become.”
I remember that last time he was just a young child. Even when punished and scolded, that little figure never lowered his head.
Now that he's an adult, his behavior has become even more outrageous. Even when he's been whipped, forced to kneel, or even beaten with a stick, his skin peeling, he never frowns. Now, he's even learned to complain to his wife?
Gu Yuexuan was worried that her grandfather would wield the whip of family law again, so she quickly added, "Tu Subo didn't ask me to say this, but I spontaneously feel that the disadvantages of using force far outweigh the advantages. Grandfather, I..."
"Then why didn't you say that when you were spanked for your poor handwriting?"
Gu Yuexuan gently touched the tip of her nose and muttered softly, "That's because Grandfather was gentle and didn't cause me any pain."
She always thought that her grandfather was all talk and no action, but she never expected that he would use such harsh methods on Tu Subo!
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