Chapter 31

“If we take the ducks to town to sell; they can sell for a maximum of 12 or 13 copper coins per pound. However, the price in our village has always been 11 copper coins per pound if someone is buying from the same village. I won’t lower the price, so let’s go with that. If you agree, I can give you the money right now.”

Aunt Shen replied, “Of course, it’s unreasonable to sell it cheap to outsiders and expensive to villagers.” 

“Alright then, I have a contract prepared. I’ll read it to you, and if there are no issues, you can just put your thumbprint on it.” 

Aunt Shen was so shocked that her mouth could fit a large egg. “Shen Mo, you can actually read?”

Shen Mo nodded and said, “Zhou Jing has been practicing writing these days. My little brother and I are learning from him as well. Although I don’t recognize most characters yet, I do know the commonly used ones.” 

Aunt Shen was so astonished that she could hardly speak. This was such a waste; wasn’t it just burning money?

They were actually teaching a little ger to read! Did Zhou Jing dig for some treasures? Or was it true, as the villagers had said, that he had made money from doing business in town?

After Shen Mo read the contract and Aunt Shen had no objections, he paid her 1 silver coin and 300 copper coins. Aunt Shen then placed her thumbprint on the contract. 

Holding the money with delight, Aunt Shen said, “I’ll go catch the ducks for you right now; you wait here!” 

Eighteen plump ducks were tied by their feet, and to prevent them from pecking Shen Mo again, Aunt Shen even tied their beaks shut.

—o—o—o—

That evening, when Wang Dali returned, Aunt Shen spoke about the matter of selling ducks. She specifically mentioned that Shen Mo and Shen Lin were actually following Zhou Jing to practice calligraphy. She shook her head and said, “What is that Zhou Jing thinking? Is having one ger not enough for his family that he has to raise two? Could it be that, as the rumors in the village suggest, Shen Lin is actually his mistress? Otherwise, why would he provide food and clothing and even pay for calligraphy lessons? Look at the materials those two gers brought over; they are quite good. Even the coarse clothes meant for working are something that only the wealthy families in the village can afford to wear. Indeed, there’s no smoke without fire; Shen Lin and Zhou Jing probably have some unclear relationship!”

“Mother, I finished eating. I’m going to lie down in the house for a while; today was too exhausting.”

“Go on, hurry up and get some sleep!” Aunt Shen looked at the weary Wang Dali with concern. She felt that her son was so good—handsome and of good character—yet she couldn’t understand why he fell short compared to Zhou Jing.

Why did that good-for-nothing have such good luck while her son had to suffer like this?

—o—o—o—

(Lucia: I don’t like this Aunt Shen, she’s up to no good for sure…)

Shen Mo and Shen Lin returned to the Zhou family carrying the ducks. The three of them killed all the ducks, leaving the feathers to dry and process, which could be used to make quilts or clothes in the winter.

The duck heads, feet, and intestines were all cooked separately, each pot of soup seasoned differently. There was also a lot of duck blood; Zhou Jing didn’t plan to sell it, so he prepared a dish of duck blood vermicelli soup for them.

Shen Mo and Shen Lin ate with shining eyes, having never known that duck blood could be enjoyed like this!

When the duck dishes were ready, Shen Mo and Shen Lin got to try them first.

Shen Mo loved spicy food, while Shen Lin didn’t eat anything spicy, making the two brothers perfect representatives of their respective sides.

However, no matter which side they belonged to, both ended up nodding in agreement, believing that this dish could definitely be profitable.

Shen Mo gave a thumbs up and praised it nonstop.

“Brother Jing, the duck heads are delicious too! When we used to eat ducks, the meat on the duck heads was so little that no one wanted to chew on them. But the duck heads you made are amazing; it was so addictive! After finishing one, I want to eat a second one. If you give a few to those wine-loving men, they’ll definitely drink until tomorrow morning!”

Zhou Jing knew that Shen Mo was exaggerating, but he still felt incredibly happy inside.

Shen Mo held a completely unusual importance for him. Even the smallest matters, which wouldn’t be considered significant at all, gained special meaning simply because Shen Mo offered his approval.

Zhou Jing felt that everything transformed into something meaningful when Shen Mo acknowledged it.

“Tomorrow, our duck dishes will definitely sell well!” Zhou Jing confidently patted his chest to assure everyone.

Shen Mo had considered the clothing work done, so the next day, he generously stayed home to make clothes, while Zhou Jing took Shen Lin out to conduct business.

On that day, Shen Mo who was staying at home couldn’t calm himself down; he felt restless, worried that their sales would not go smoothly.

It wasn’t until after the farmers had finished their lunch that Zhou Jing and his little brother finally returned.

When Shen Mo heard the sound of their mule cart clattering as they approached, he rushed over to flip through the small basket of goods and then looked at the small drawer on the counter, finding it completely empty.

He realized that they had made sales, but still, he anxiously asked, “Did you sell everything?”

Zhou Jing laughed and replied, “We sold it all!”

Shen Lin grinned widely, exposing his bright white teeth, his face flushed with excitement.

“Big Brother, it was such a pity that you didn’t come today. You have no idea; our duck dishes are truly one of a kind. There’s nothing like it in town! Do you remember that old man we met on the first day when we sold sausages, who took the children to buy sausages? He came back today. Hearing that we had launched duck dishes, he didn’t even taste it; he bought all the ducks with the most meat!”

“That’s not all. After he went home and got hooked on the deliciousness of our duck, he recommended us to his neighbors. Those gentlemen who wanted to drink came by, and when they saw there were no more meaty parts, they blamed us for not making more. In the end, they could only buy something else.”

“I knew this kind of food would definitely be popular; it really caters to the tastes of those who enjoy good wine!”

Shen Lin agreed: “It’s true! They bought like money was no object, and many small items had to be snatched up! An old man and a woman almost got into a fight just because we had so few duck feet. She wanted to buy them, and he wanted them too. The two of them argued in front of the stall for a long time, leaving the vendors nearby in shock, asking me if our goods were free!”

Shen Mo smiled dreamily for a moment, then suddenly thought of something and got up to reach into Zhou Jing’s arms, pulling out a large money pouch.

Inside the pouch were silver coins and copper coins. He and Shen Lin worked together to count for quite a while before finishing.

” A string of 850 copper coins. My goodness, there are so many! Our net profit for the day is actually 855 copper coins. I could hardly believe it. In the past, earning just 1 copper coin had been so hard, yet now we could earn over 855 copper coins in a single day—almost a whole string!

Zhou Jing smiled and said, “This is just the beginning. We haven’t gotten familiar with the market yet, so we didn’t dare to do too much. After a while, we will definitely increase the volume, and maybe we can earn 1 silver in just one day!”

“A 1 silver?” Shen Mo felt a bit dizzy, thinking that he wouldn’t even dare to dream of such a thing.

“We will earn even more in the future. Trust that your husband is capable,”

Zhou Jing leaned close to Shen Mo’s ear and spoke in a volume meant only for the two of them. “Believe in your own judgment. I am the man you picked up; if I didn’t have any skills, how could I be worthy of you?”

Shen Mo glanced nervously at Shen Lin and saw that Shen Lin was completely focused on the money, not paying any attention to their whispered conversation. Only then did he feel relieved.

After dinner, Shen Mo and Shen Lin continued to visit the villagers to collect ducks.

They chose families who had never bullied Shen Mo when Wang Jing was still a local thug, families with good character.

Since they paid cash for the ducks, there was no chance of failure; they were all treated to sugared water.

In the village, there was no tea; a bowl of sugared water was reserved for entertaining honored guests.

The Zhou family’s days were clearly improving day by day.

Even the two-meter-high walls couldn’t contain the thriving situation inside, especially after Zhou’s family had collected ducks on such a large scale for several days, which led to renewed rumors about them in the village.

—o—o—o—

As early summer arrived, the weather began to gradually lengthen. The idle farmers, having nothing to do, moved their stools to sit along the small path in the village, chatting about this family and that family.

“Did you hear that the Zhou family started a duck business in town? They need 30 to 40 ducks every couple of days and have already bought from several families in our village?”

“Is that true or not?” Wang Fen didn’t believe it.

She knew exactly what kind of person Zhou Jing was; that little thug had grown up right under her nose. Running a business? He would lose so much that he wouldn’t even be able to afford his fur pants.

The person at the front said, “Really, it’s true! I saw those two ger from the Zhou family collecting ducks from Mrs. Shen’s house on the first day. At that time, I found it strange that they had so many ducks, but I didn’t think much of it. It was only a few days ago that my cousin from my aunt’s side told me he saw Zhou Jing leading Shen Lin to set up a stall in town, selling sausages and something called duck goods. They were all fine delicacies, and quite expensive! Even that shriveled-up duck head, which had hardly any meat, somehow became so valuable at their stall that it sold for dozens of coins per pound. And the people in town still lined up to buy them! When there were a lot of people, the scene looked as if the food was free!”

Wang Fen said, “You are exaggerating too much! How could so many people buy them? If business in town was that good, then the little vegetables from our field wouldn’t still be there every day when I went to sell them!”

“I’m not exaggerating; you just didn’t see it. There was an old man and a lady who almost got into a fight over who would buy the last pound of duck goods!”

Shen Wen interjected, “I don’t understand what the wealthy people in town are thinking. Even if that duck head tastes good, it’s still mostly bones; how could it be that delicious? A pound of meat, with a mix of fat and lean, only costs twenty coins. If they bought it, they could use it for frying and cooking; it’s so practical!”

“People like us don’t think like those wealthy gentlemen in town. They care about the taste of the food! They say that duck goods are a delicacy when paired with wine! Many people are buying them!”

Wang Fen said with a hint of jealousy, “Oh dear, the Zhou family must have struck it rich this time, right? I wonder if they bought that piece of land they live on; it must be about 270 or 280 square meters in size. That would cost at least 25 silver coins, wouldn’t it?”

Before anyone could respond to her, an old woman walked over.

What was remarkable was not her presence but the several pieces of clothing in her hands. Among those clothes were fine cotton fabrics, the colors of which were elegant and soft, clearly different from the bright reds and greens typical of the villagers. Such styles could only be seen in the young masters of wealthy families in town.

“Oh my, Aunt Shen, where did you get such fine fabric? Did you go out and pick up some gold bricks?” Wang Fen said as she reached out to grab the clothes.

Aunt Shen, though old, was sharp and had long been on guard against her.

She lightly dodged to the side, avoiding Wang Fen’s grasp.

“Don’t touch this carelessly; this fabric is expensive! If you damage or soil it, who will be responsible? Neither of us can afford to pay for it!”

Wang Fen pursed her lips and clicked her tongue twice.

“Isn’t this from your family? It’s made for the young masters in town. When did you get to know people from the town?”

Aunt Shen replied, “It’s not from the wealthy families in town; it’s made for those two gers from the Zhou family! They asked me to make it.”

“What? It’s actually for those two gers?” Wang Fen’s eyes widened in shock, nearly popping out of her head.

The clothes, made from such good material, meant that the Zhou family had made money in town.

Wang Fen, feeling displeased, said, “I’m not saying this to upset you, Aunt Shen, but Zhou Jing has been buying ducks from your family for a while now. Why don’t you think about letting the villagers know about this good news?”

Aunt Shen, feeling impatient, replied, “What is there to announce? It’s the Zhou family’s own business. They can buy from whoever they want. Even if I told you, it wouldn’t change anything!”

Wang Fen, filled with mysterious confidence, casually replied, “That’s not necessarily true.”

“Alright, I won’t discuss it with you anymore. I have to hurry and deliver this. The clothes have been ready for several days now.”

At that time, most of the village houses had wooden doors, which were usually left unlatched and could be opened with a gentle push. However, the Zhou family’s entrance was a tall, grand double door made of iron sheeting, adorned with silver studs and painted red. It was usually shut tight, and to enter, one had to first knock on the ring held by the beast’s head.

Uncertain if it was the imposing iron door that evoked such feelings, she felt a sense of awe when standing before it. Even though she knew that the people inside were farmers like her, she couldn’t help but hesitate and, after knocking a few times, found herself too intimidated to continue.

After a short while, someone approached the door and asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Aunt Shen. I’m here to deliver the clothes,” she responded.

The large door slowly creaked open, and Shen Lin poked his head out, and said: “Aunt Shen, please come in!”

This was Aunt Shen’s first visit to the Zhou family.

Upon entering the courtyard and seeing the empty space with not a single vegetable growing, she didn’t think much of it at first; she merely felt it was a pity for such a large courtyard to be left unused.

However, when she looked up and saw the intricately carved eaves, the two vividly sculpted guardian beasts perched on the roof, and the exquisitely carved window screens, Aunt Shen felt as though she had not entered the Zhou household but had mistakenly wandered into the home of some wealthy noble in town.

For a moment, she was so taken aback that she dared not make a sound as her feet touched the ground.

Shen Lin led her into the guest room. Zhou Jing’s guest room was spacious and bright, with large windows that, while not considering issues like winter warmth, allowed the setting sun’s rays to pour in, casting a golden glow throughout the room.

Zhou Jing stood quietly in the room, dressed in a light blue long gown, and his demeanor instantly transformed him into a figure of authority.

“Aunt Shen, you’re here. Please, take a seat.” Shen Mo said as he came down from the platform and sat in the chair opposite her.

“This must be Zhou Jing. When wearing this long gown, you certainly look impressive; I can hardly recognize you,” Aunt Shen said, feeling a bit awkward and fidgeting in her seat.

Zhou Jing smiled and replied, “This was made by my husband himself. His skills are so good that they make me look spirited.”

Back when they were in the Shen Family, all the needlework for the seven members of the family, including the Shen brothers, was done by Shen Mo, while Wang Chunhua didn’t even touch a needle.

However, Aunt Shen was, after all, a woman who had spent her entire life doing needlework, and her skills were certainly much better than Shen Mo’s. If she were to look at the garments that Shen Mo had made, there would still be many flaws to point out.

But Aunt Shen had also been young once and understood the sweet, cloying feelings of youth.

“Shen Mo’s skills are good, and Zhou is handsome; together, they make a perfect match.”

Just then, Shen Lin rushed back with the water. Aunt Shen took a sip and found it deliciously sweet.

Other families usually added just a little bit of sugar to their sugared water, just enough to hint at the flavor. But the sugared water from the Zhou family was genuinely sweet; in such a small bowl, they must have put in a large spoonful of sugar!

“Aunt Shen, you sit here. I still have some accounts to settle in my room, so I’ll go in to check the accounts first.”

Men and women avoided each other, even for farmers. Even though Aunt Shen was already an old woman, a generation older than Zhou Jing, it was still inappropriate for a woman to talk to a man while he sat with her.

Aunt Shen understood that Zhou Jing was trying to avoid any suspicion and did not dare to stay. She quickly stood up and said, “You go ahead with your work. I’m just an old woman sitting here, talking is enough for me.”

Once Zhou Jing left, Aunt Shen felt the air became lighter, and the oppressive feeling vanished. She thought to herself that when a person became wealthy, their demeanor changed.

In the past, whenever she saw Zhou Jing, there was something about him that she found unpleasant; just one glance was enough to make her not want to look again. But now, seeing Zhou Jing gave her a sense of being intimidated as if she were facing a person of high authority.

Shen Mo flipped through the clothes that Aunt Shen had made and said with satisfaction, “Aunt Shen’s skills are excellent; the stitching is very tight. Little brother, try it on so I can see if it fits.”

Indeed, a person relied on their clothing just as a horse depended on its saddle.

When Shen Lin came out in the new clothes, even though they were made of coarse cloth, the absence of patches transformed him completely into a different person. He looked particularly vibrant and full of spirit.

Shen Mo nodded with satisfaction and said, “No wonder Brother Jing suggested that you wear bright colors; it really does look good. Tomorrow, wear this to town so everyone can see that our little brother is quite handsome. Who knows, maybe a family with a spirited and hardworking young man will take notice of him and come to propose!”

Shen Lin felt embarrassed by the compliment and, annoyed, called out to his elder brother.