Meng Tao thought that maybe there were still a lot of tigers in the 1970s, so she asked, "Did they sell them?"
"It's being sold over there. A large group of people are gathered around to see the rare sight. Someone has bought the tiger skin. There's also some meat and bones. Miss Tao, would you like to try some tiger meat? I'll weigh a few pounds for you. It's free!"
"You have to pay. I want tiger bones. I heard they have medicinal uses."
"Hey, Miss Tao, you're right! Tiger bones and tendons can be soaked in wine to treat rheumatism and bone pain, it's very good! I also kept some, there are still a lot, how many do you want?"
"If you are in a hurry to go home for the New Year, I will pack both the meat and the bones."
"Hey, there are still more than 200 kilograms. Today is the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month. Don't... lose it?"
“No, I have sales.”
"Okay! I'll ask them to install it for you right now!"
When Ma Fengnian's cousins heard that the boss had taken full responsibility, they were of course very happy and they were anxious to go home.
When he heard Ma Fengnian say that the man was a favor to him, he took the initiative to lower the original price by another 30 cents. After all, this was considered wholesale, and the payment and goods were settled on the spot. He helped Meng Tao carry the two large sacks out of the black market alley and put them on the curb, and then they left.
In front of everyone, Meng Tao certainly couldn't just put it away, so she found a passing tricycle and transported it back to her home in Xingzi Lane.
It was a busy time and there were only children running and playing in the alley. No adults noticed her big sack, otherwise it would have attracted a group of people to join in the fun.
Meng Tao closed the courtyard door, untied the sack and rearranged it, putting the tiger meat, tiger bones and tiger tendons separately and storing them in the space.
Xiao Wangcai is a very self-disciplined little kid. He raised his nose, stared at the tiger meat, but squatted aside obediently and did not come close without Meng Tao's permission.
In the evening, Meng Tao cut a piece of tiger meat and stewed it. Xiao Wangcai and she tasted it and it tasted pretty good.
She didn't know what to do with the more than 100 kilograms of tiger meat, so she stored it first. If she couldn't find any other solution, she would cut it up and preserve it as jerky.
Tiger bones and tendons are used to make medicinal wine, but Meng Tao doesn't know the specific method. She plans to go back to Xingyang County to ask Zhang Fu, who works at the winery and might understand.
Early the next morning, Meng Tao cleaned up the house, locked the door, and took Xiao Wangcai to the bus station and took the earliest bus back to Xingyang County.
Arriving in Xingyang County at ten o'clock, Meng Tao first bought a ticket to Yanchong Commune. Seeing that the bus would not leave for another forty minutes, she ran to the post office. Zhang Fu had given her two phone numbers, one of his uncle's office and the other of Zhang Ma's factory. Meng Tao called the clothing factory directly, found Zhang Ma, and said that she was at the post office and wanted to meet Zhang Fu.
The small county town was not very big, and ten minutes later, Zhang Fu came riding a bicycle.
"My aunt, why are you here on New Year's Eve? Are you here to celebrate the New Year with me?" Zhang Fu said with a smile.
"Go. I just came back from Mengzhou and I have something serious to tell you."
"Oh good, there's business?" Zhang Fu was cheered up.
"Do you know who can make tiger bone wine and tiger tendon wine?"
"There is an old master in our factory who knows how to make it. He learned it when he was young. Our factory's medicinal wine is selling very well."
"Then you will be responsible for finding him, offering him some benefits or more wages, and asking him to help us make tiger bone wine and tiger tendon wine."
"I brought it from Mengzhou. My boss gave it to me. He said the last batch of wine was very good and we should use that wine to make medicinal wine. I'll leave this matter to you. I'm going home for the New Year."
Zhang Fu patted his chest and said, "As long as I have the materials, I can do it."
Meng Tao counted out five hundred yuan and gave it to Zhang Fu: "Take these first, make the tiger bone wine and tiger tendon wine, and then ask your uncle for another batch of wine, the same amount as last time, and store it in that small warehouse together with the medicinal wine. I will come to inspect it when I am free, and then send it to the boss - you have to watch from the side, and you must not cut corners on the tiger bone wine and tiger tendon wine. If the boss finds out, it will not be a joke, he will come after us!"
Zhang Fu took the money and said, "Don't worry, I can definitely get it done! What about the tiger bones and tendons?"
"It's stored at the bus station. Come with me to get it."
Meng Tao rode Zhang Fu's bicycle to the bus station and asked him to wait outside. She went into the waiting room and came out with a large travel bag after a while. She opened it and showed it to Zhang Fu. In addition to tiger bones and tendons, there was also about five or six pounds of tiger meat for him.
"Tiger bones and tendons should be soaked as soon as possible while they are fresh."
"I know, I know. You don't understand this better than I do. Anyway, I will do it!"
Zhang Fu was very happy, as he could finally taste tiger meat.
He tied the large travel bag to the rear rack of the bicycle and walked away with a smile on his face.
Meng Tao took the bus back to the commune.
I returned to Yanchong Commune at around 2:00 p.m. and saw that the post office was still open, so I went in and called the provincial capital, the Shen family at the Qianjin Steel Plant, but no one answered.
She tried to call Meng Zhehan again, but still no one answered. Meng Tao thought that he might have gone to a relative's house for a party. Well, then, we can celebrate the New Year separately. I wish you a happy New Year and all the best! At this time, Shen Yu, Shen Heping and Meng Zhehan had already returned to the capital, and were indeed preparing to meet up with their relatives.
Liu Yongsheng and his party passed through the provincial capital and stayed there for a day and a night. They first visited relatives and friends living in the provincial capital, and then met Shen Heping.
Shen Heping did not approve of this marriage at first, but for the sake of his son, he prepared himself mentally and showed enough sincerity to entertain Liu Yongsheng.
Liu Yongsheng, on the other hand, invited Shen Heping to a private room in the hotel for talks. There were three or five old comrades at the table. Shen Heping had met them before when he attended meetings in the city.
Liu Yongsheng went straight to the point and pointed out bluntly that Shen Heping was wrong in handling the matter of Tian Zhigao, and said that Tian Zhigao must not stay in the steel plant anymore. If Shen Heping was in a difficult situation, then he, Liu Yongsheng, would do it.
As for Taohua and Shen Yu dating, it is the freedom of young people. They can talk slowly and make sure they know each other well enough. No one knows what the final result will be. It is too early to talk about marriage, so we, as elders, are not in a hurry.
The attitude that was neither soft nor hard caught Shen Heping off guard.
Shen Heping was a little disappointed: If he had known that the Tian Zhigao incident would eventually be related to him, he would definitely have taken it seriously.
He thought the marriage was a sure thing and there was no way it would fail, but now... he dared not take it lightly.
His son said that he would not marry anyone but Meng Taohua. Shen Heping thought about it and decided to put aside the work at hand and go to Beijing with Shen Yu and Meng Zhehan. In previous years, he followed the rules and visited his parents-in-law on the second or third day of the Lunar New Year, but this year he went early and mentioned his son's marriage in passing.
After getting off the plane at the airport, the father and son got into the car sent by the Xu family to pick them up. They didn't notice Meng Zhehan and thought he had gone home directly to celebrate the New Year. However, they didn't know that Meng Zhehan made a phone call at the airport, then took a helicopter to the provincial capital of H Province and flew away again.
(End of this chapter)