Chapter 23: Getting Rich by Selling Wild Boar

“Normally, a bit of friction is to be expected. Breaking off the engagement was their family’s lack of integrity, but it’s not the kind of thing that would make us enemies for life or a feud over killing one’s father.”

If she had stood by and done nothing, and something had happened to Xiao Dashan, she would have felt guilty.

But now everything was fine. Xiao Dashan was saved, and she had the wild boar.

She had originally thought about sharing half of the wild boar with Xiao Dashan since he had spotted it first.

But neither Xiao Dashan nor his son had wanted it. They even reminded her not to let Zhao Shi know, so that no unnecessary trouble would arise later.

“Alright, enough talking. I need to get the wild boar to the kitchen so it doesn’t freeze to death. I’ll feed it a bit more, and before dawn tomorrow, I’ll take it to sell.”

This was a live wild boar with no external injuries. Once the rope was untied, it would jump around, making it worth a good price.

“Mother, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve,” Daya reminded her.

“It’s alright, I’ll go to the Zhuangyuan Lou and ask. If they don’t take it, I’ll try somewhere else. With so many wealthy families around, someone will surely be willing to buy it.”

She had also spent time in wealthy households before.

The masters and young masters, once they were well-fed and had nothing else to do, liked to collect rare and curious things.

If any family had a live wild boar of this size, it was likely they would invite friends and relatives to come and witness the spectacle.

And it just so happened that the New Year was coming, with relatives visiting frequently.

“Why don’t you try Yunque?” Daya glanced at Xiao Yan.

“Yunque? That works,” Lu Qiniang said, immersed in the joy of getting rich by selling the wild boar. She didn’t notice Daya’s gaze.

Xiao Yan, on the other hand, remained calm.

The letter that had not been written seemed to be forgotten just like that.

But Daya firmly remembered the place—Yun Guogong’s residence.

“I’m starving. I need something to eat.”

“Mother, I’ll make you some noodles. It’ll be ready soon,” Daya said quickly.

She cooked a large bowl of noodles for Lu Qiniang with beef bone broth.

Sanya, feeling hungry as well, was given some, and the mother and daughter ate together.

Lu Qiniang slurped up the noodles, still thinking about the trap she had set.

“Today, I saw the traps they dug. They have to be that deep, and then they pour water over them. When the water freezes, the wild boar can’t jump or climb out.”

These were secrets that the hunters never shared, and she was pleased to have learned a new trick today.

“This big wild boar, I estimate it can be exchanged for at least five liang of silver.”

If luck was on her side and she found a wealthy buyer, it could go for eight or even ten liang.

But for now, she didn’t dare to estimate too much, fearing she might end up disappointed.

“Mother, I’ll go with you tomorrow,” Erya muttered.

“What are you going for?” Lu Qiniang asked.

“I’ll go and collect the silver for you, so you don’t end up buying another father,” Erya said.

Lu Qiniang frowned. “…Who would buy so many fathers for you?”

“If I leave it with you, it’s hard to say. I’m worried that one day we’ll have a big father, a second father, a third father… and a fourth father…”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Lu Qiniang’s face turned red, and she glanced at Xiao Yan with some unease.

But Erya kept on grumbling, “My late father was from the first wife’s side, the second wife sleeps on the kang. Who knows, maybe we’ll have a third or fourth wife later…”

“Shut up!” Lu Qiniang scolded. “Go to bed already, we’ll be busy tomorrow.”

“I don’t care, I’m going with you,” Erya insisted.

Lu Qiniang didn’t respond to her.

When it was time to sleep that night, she finally noticed something was off with Xiao Yan.

—He was lying too still.

Completely motionless, like a corpse.

Could it be the aftermath of the “begging for a father’s funeral” from the other day?

Sigh, enough of this. I won’t let you embarrass yourself again, Lu Qiniang thought to herself.

“Can you really sleep like this?” she asked, her voice a bit awkward.

“Oh.”

Lu Qiniang turned over, facing away from him, and almost immediately fell asleep, completely unaware of the clenched teeth of Xiao Yan.

As she slept, Xiao Yan listened to her steady breathing, and a sharp pang of pain shot through him, causing him to suck in a breath.

If he hadn’t judged incorrectly, his ribs were probably broken.

He just didn’t know how many.

It was truly the case of misfortune piling up—just when things couldn’t get worse.

But Lu Qiniang returned safely without harm, which was a relief.

In just a few short days, Xiao Yan had already come to feel that this household could not do without Lu Qiniang.

Lu Qiniang lived a life of hardship, yet she was also full of joy.

She was fiery and direct, keeping nothing in her heart. She would jump into work as soon as her eyes opened, and once her head hit the pillow, she’d fall asleep immediately.

It took a heart full of openness to live so passionately amidst such suffering.

Lu Qiniang didn’t have the habit of sleeping in. She got up earlier than the rooster, full of energy, without a trace of morning grouchiness.

Just by looking at her, Xiao Yan felt energized.

“It’s still early. Why are you looking at me? Close your eyes and go back to sleep,” Lu Qiniang said as she noticed him still lying there like a corpse. She thought to herself, Has he been possessed?

“Take the wild boar and try your luck at Yunque, at the Yun Guogong’s residence,” Xiao Yan said.

“Yun Guogong’s residence, sure. What, do you know something about their situation?”

“Go try. If the person in charge doesn’t accept it, you can mention that the third young master might like it.”

“The third young master, huh? Alright, I got it. I’ll go right now!”

Xiao Yan was definitely more familiar with the wealthy families in the capital than she was.

Wherever he said to go, she would try. After all, trade was free, and if it didn’t work out, they couldn’t just beat her up.

“Remember, at least twenty taels of silver. Don’t let go of the price.”

“Ah? Oh, okay.”

Lu Qiniang was handed a hot boiled egg by Daya and set off with the wild boar on the flat cart.

Listening to the creaking sound of the cart wheels on the snow, Xiao Yan silently calculated that if all went smoothly, the round trip would likely take about two hours.

Lu Qiniang pushed the wild boar to the back gate of the Yun Guogong’s residence.

Although it was still early, the back gate was bustling with activity. After all, today was the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, and with the New Year approaching, nothing could go wrong. The servants were all tense and busy.

There was shopping to be done today—fresh fish and shrimp, as the masters of the household only ate fresh ingredients.

When Lu Qiniang appeared with the wild boar, one of the stewards in charge of procurement immediately took notice.

Without Lu Qiniang needing to start a conversation, he approached her first to ask the price.

Lu Qiniang’s heart lifted with joy, and gathering her courage, she began to pitch the boar. “You see, this wild boar is about the same size as two regular ones, and it’s still alive. There are no wounds from knives or swords, though I did knock it out a bit… If you let it go, it could charge straight through a southern wall…”

“Stop the nonsense, I know how to judge,” the steward said, looking down from a higher position. “Just give me a price.”

“Twenty taels of silver.”

“Twenty taels?” The steward scoffed. “You really have the audacity to ask for such a high price. Do you think I’ve never bought a wild boar before? I’ve bought them for as little as three taels of silver.”

But remembering Xiao Yan’s instructions, Lu Qiniang held firm, secretly cursing herself for not asking for five taels more earlier, leaving room for negotiation.

“Alright, fine. It’s the New Year, so I’ll give you ten taels of silver,” the steward said, showing his impatience. “Sell it, or leave.”

Ten taels of silver?

That meant the steward truly wanted it.

“I would like to give you a better price, but I’m afraid my husband will beat me if I do,” Lu Qiniang lied, spinning a story. “He said that if it’s for the third young master of the house, it can’t be less than twenty taels of silver.”

“He certainly knows what he’s doing,” the steward laughed, and surprisingly, he didn’t haggle any further. “Go to the accounts room and get the silver.”

“Twenty taels, right?” Lu Qiniang could hardly believe it.

“Yes, yes. Go on,” the steward waved his hand dismissively.

Lu Qiniang looked up at the overcast sky, feeling as though her luck was finally starting to turn around!