Chapter 40: A prosperous family, a prosperous house, and prosperous descendants
"Is that Black Wind Township ahead?" Su Ying saw houses and flags of wine shops and restaurants in the distance, hidden among the green trees.
They had been walking for an hour and a half, and it was almost noon, the most active time for agricultural trade.
"Yes!" Yang Dalang looked into the distance, "It seems that today is the market day in Black Wind Township."
At the intersection, many people were carrying baskets on their backs and walking towards the countryside, carrying small vegetables, mountain products, eggs, cloth, etc. The closer to the market town, the more people there were.
"Let's go and see if we can sell some of it first." Su Ying suggested.
This place is remote, sparsely populated, and the town is not big. Except for the bustle on market days, there are not many people here on weekdays.
So at the beginning they only thought about selling wild boars in the county town. Even if the county town was not good, there were still many officials and a large permanent population base, so the meat was easy to sell. But it was difficult to sell in the towns and villages.
Today happens to be market day in Heifeng Township, so I might as well try my luck and sell some of my goods.
I am worried about not having enough goods, and I am also worried about having too much and too heavy goods.
"Okay!" The people carrying the wild boar were all wet and exhausted.
"Uncle Yang, is there a meat stall here?" Su Ying asked Yang Dalang.
"Yes! There is a meat stall." Yang Dalang said.
"You guys take a rest first, we'll go in and take a look." Su Ying asked everyone to wait at the edge of the market and walked in with Yang Dalang, his father and brother.
It is called a town, but there is only one street running through it, with some shops on both sides, including restaurants, wine shops, tea shops, and starch shops with flags fluttering in the wind. There is also a grain and oil shop, a grocery store, and a small clinic.
There is a high stool at the door of the small clinic, which is used to write letters.
People who come to the market set up the things they want to sell on both sides of the road, waiting for customers to buy them. It looks quite lively.
People who go to the market dress differently. In addition to their attire, there are many clothes with piping patterns, and their hair buns and hair accessories are also different.
"Be careful, these are natives! Don't provoke them, otherwise they will attract siege from their tribesmen." Yang Dalang whispered.
Su Ying smiled and nodded. Thousands of years later, they would be a big nation, and perhaps they would have exchanges with them soon.
"My lady, my gentleman, would you like to buy some taro? They're freshly dug this morning!"
Seeing that Su Ying was dressed decently, the stall owners thought she was there to buy something and greeted her warmly.
Su Ying and the others didn't bother to take a closer look and went straight to the meat stall.
"Hey, fresh mutton, just slaughtered! Come and buy it!" Before I got close, I heard a woman's voice shouting.
When I squeezed in, I saw a strong woman with a headscarf, rolled up sleeves, and neatly dressed. She was removing bones, cutting meat, and weighing it with a knife. There was a man next to her collecting money and giving change.
They seem to be a husband and wife duo, and they work together very well.
There is not much mutton left on the chopping board, and most people buy it in batches of one or half a pound to satisfy their cravings.
Mutton was the mainstream meat in the Tang Dynasty.
Cattle are important production tools and horses are military strategic materials. They cannot be slaughtered at will and are rarely sold on the market.
Because pork has a strong smell, the rich and nobles rarely eat it.
Poultry such as chicken, duck, and goose are not classified as meat.
Pork became the mainstream meat in the Song Dynasty. People found that castrated pigs did not have that strong smell, so people began to raise pork in large quantities, and it gradually replaced mutton.
"Madam, which piece of meat do you like?" The butcher woman saw Su Ying staring at her meat stall in a daze, and she became curious and took the initiative to greet her.
"Oh, beautiful sister, I don't want to buy meat." Su Ying shook her head, lost in thought, and hadn't done anything important yet.
"Hey, girl, considering my age, I can be your mother, why are you still calling me sister?" The woman said with a smile in her eyes.
"Ah? Really? But my sister looks so young, with a rosy complexion, white teeth, and skin as white as cream. She looks no more than eighteen or nineteen!"
Su Ying pretended to be ignorant. Which woman doesn’t like to hear words from young and beautiful women?
"Hahaha, it's really pleasing to hear what you said, girl!" The female butcher was pleased and laughed heartily, her laughter as loud as a bell.
Su Bucheng and his son, as well as Yang Dalang, were blushing with embarrassment. Su Ying was very good at telling lies with her eyes open.
The burly, thick-shouldered and fat-waisted female butcher was described by her as a beautiful fairy who looked like Diao Chan.
Su Ying's words made the man who collected the money and gave the change smile from ear to ear.
"Dong Lang, what are you laughing at?" The female butcher said coquettishly to her husband.
"Haha, you are absolutely right, my dear. Your complexion is rosy, your teeth are white, and your skin is as white as cream!" The husband smiled innocently, his eyes full of his wife.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the two exchanged glances, showing how affectionate they are.
"I say, Mr. Dong, you are so lucky! You met such a capable girl like Yu Jiaoniang!" an acquaintance joked.
"Yes, I think so too. I am lucky to be saved by a beautiful woman and to marry her." The husband agreed.
"Dong Lang!" The female butcher Yu Jiaoniang blushed rarely.
"Um, sister!" Su Ying interrupted the two people's sweet love.
"Oh, by the way, you haven't told me what you want yet." Yu Jiaoniang said in a friendly manner.
"Sister, do you take wild boars here?" Su Ying asked. "It's a big wild boar. I hunted it in the mountains last night."
"Wild boar?" A hint of joy flashed in Yu Jiaoniang's eyes. "Where is it? Let me take a look."
Business is good today. I have been selling out a sheep for only half an hour.
"It's too heavy on the roadside outside, and it's troublesome to carry it around." Su Ying explained.
"Please wait a moment, young lady. I'll go and call her!" Yang Dalang said hurriedly without waiting for Yu Jiaoniang to speak.
After saying that, he strode back, found his companions waiting by the roadside, and carried the heaviest one over.
"Wow, it's so big?" Yu Jiaoniang thought it weighed one or two hundred pounds, but this one must weigh at least three hundred pounds.
"Sister, your business is booming. This one is not enough for you to sell in the whole morning!" Su Ying praised the female butcher.
"Girls, please stop being my fan!" Yu Jiaoniang was overjoyed when she heard this.
This girl is so talkative, she only says things that she likes to hear. But it is really enjoyable to listen to her, and it makes me feel happy.
"How could that be? Who wouldn't praise Sister for her good fortune? She's a blessing for the family, the house, and the descendants! Who wouldn't want to buy some meat from Sister's shop? Who wouldn't want to share in Sister's blessings?"
Su Ying praised the female butcher to her heart's content.
"Hey, girl, you are right. Yu Jiaoniang is really blessed with such a beautiful face! Mr. Dong has become a better person since he married Yu Jiaoniang, and their life is so harmonious!" The old neighbor praised after hearing this.
When Mr. Dong was exiled here, he fell ill and died on the street. Yu Jiaoniang felt sorry for him and saved him.
He sought medical treatment, but the doctors in the clinic all thought he was beyond saving and that they couldn't get any medicine to work. They could only prescribe some medicine and leave the rest to fate.
However, Yu Jiao Niang actually gave the medicine to Dong Langjun, and after a few days, he was able to get up and walk, and then he miraculously recovered.
He settled down in the town, lived with Yu Jiaoniang, and made a living by slaughtering and selling mutton.
Life got better day by day, and Yu Jiaoniang looked more and more blessed.
Business is booming every market day.
"Of course! Jiao Niang is a blessed person!" Most of the butchers are regular customers, and it is true when you think about it.
Seeing that the wild boar was very fresh, he urged, "Jiao Niang, hurry up, I'll weigh two pounds!"
"Yes, I'll weigh two pounds too!" Some people who had no intention of buying meat also joined in the fun.
"Don't be anxious, don't be anxious, the price hasn't been negotiated yet!" Yu Jiaoniang, who was still hesitant, immediately decided to buy the whole pig.
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