Chapter 30: You Want to Buy Qingping County

Meng Liang continued, “Including the 948 wen left from last time, we now have a total of 2,601 wen.”

When Meng Shiqiao heard the family actually had this much money, the first thing that came to his mind was to buy food.

“Dad, are we really this rich? Then from now on, we can eat meat every day.”

Meng Liang glanced at his son, thinking he still had no real concept of money.

Hearing this, he laughed. “What are you thinking? This money isn’t enough to eat meat every day. At most, we can eat meat once in a while.”

In the past, the only time they could eat some meat was when the family slaughtered a pig. The good meat was always sold. The family’s expenses basically depended on the money earned from selling pigs.

“If you want to buy anything or want to eat something, just say it out loud. Everyone will remember. When the snow melts, we’ll all go to the city. Then you can buy whatever you want.”

With money now, Meng Liang’s tone was different. Before, every single wen had to be carefully budgeted.

Meng Shiqiao was delighted to hear he could buy whatever he wanted, and his little mouth wouldn’t stop.

“Dad, I want to buy some arrows, I want to eat meat, I want candied fruit, and fragrant big meat buns, and…”

“Stop, stop!”

“What else, what else!”

“You want to buy the whole Qingping County?”

Meng Liang hurriedly interrupted him. If he kept going, this money wouldn’t be enough for just him alone. Even a rich family couldn’t afford to spend like that, not to mention they weren’t wealthy yet.

Meng Shiqiao pouted. “Dad, you said we could buy whatever we wanted…”

Meng Liang just said that casually; he didn’t really mean it. “Okay, I take back what I said. Think it over carefully and say it again.”

Meng Shiqiao reluctantly said, “I want to buy some arrows and meat buns.”

Meng Liang nodded, “That’s more like it.”

Meng Ling laughed nearby. This kid was really bold—if he weren’t the one managing the family, he wouldn’t understand the value of daily necessities.

Meng Shiqiao saw his sister laughing at him and made a funny face at her, then told his dad, “Dad, let’s hear what sis wants to buy.”

Hearing that, everyone’s attention focused on Meng Ling.

What she wanted most right now was some seasonings, though she wasn’t sure if they could find any.

There were many things she wanted to buy; this little money wouldn’t be nearly enough.

She wanted bricks and tiles, wanted to build a new house. After the last big snow, the crack on the wall got wider—now about as wide as a finger.

She also wanted to have toilet paper…

She said, “We’ll see when we go to the city. I haven’t decided yet.”

Meng Liang nodded, “Okay, we’ll talk about it then!”

They continued discussing, and Meng Ling stared blankly at the money on the table, thinking, is it really convenient to bring this much cash to the market?

When spending silver coins, they had to use scales; most people didn’t have them and had to borrow from the village chief.

Outside, moonlight flowed like water. After discussing for a long time, the family finally rested.

In just two days, the snow on the ground melted completely. Now it was bright and sunny, and the ground steamed slightly.

The snow in the yard had been cleared early, and the ground was almost dry.

Meng Ling was sharpening the edge of a hoe with a whetstone. She planned to dig some winter bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest behind the mountain. After the ground thawed, the soil was looser and easier to dig.

Meng Liang and his wife were weaving bamboo baskets in the yard, preparing to take them to the county town to sell in a few days.

“Sis, why are you sharpening the hoe?” Meng Shiqiao, bored, came to ask.

Meng Ling paused her work and answered, “Going to dig winter bamboo shoots!”

“I’m coming too!”

Meng Shiqiao grabbed a hoe and started sharpening it like his sister.

After sharpening, the two set off. Some snow remained in the bamboo forest. Bamboo stalks were bent from the snow; some had split open, others knocked down.

The forest floor was full of fallen leaves. Meng Ling first used the hoe to pry open the soil, then looked for raised, cracked spots on the ground.

Her grandfather often made winter bamboo shoots with cured pork for her. She learned how to find bamboo shoots from him.

“There must be one here!” Meng Shiqiao shouted.

Meng Ling had just told him how to find bamboo shoots on the way up, so he quickly used it.

“Clang!”

One hoe strike split a bamboo shoot, half on the hoe, half still in the ground.

“Oh no, I broke it!” Meng Shiqiao said regretfully.

Meng Ling guessed this would happen. When she first learned, she often made the same mistake.

“You need to dig lightly with the first few strokes. See where the shoot is, then dig beside it. When the whole shoot is exposed, cut the root. That’s the right way.”

Meng Shiqiao listened carefully and soon found another shoot.

“Sis, I found another one!”

His voice echoed through the bamboo forest often; Meng Ling was used to it.

He kept shouting, but every shoot he hit with his hoe was broken.

Meng Ling had already dug four shoots. The golden-yellow, shiny shoots were delicious. Bigger ones with fuzzy shells were less tasty.

Meng Shiqiao was still fumbling around alone, and soon his voice was heard again.

“Sis, the hoe handle broke!”

“If it’s broken, let’s go home. We have enough to eat.”

Meng Ling’s basket already had five bamboo shoots, not very big but just enough for a meal.

Soon Meng Shiqiao came over with the broken hoe handle, holding two broken shoots, covered in mud on his hands, shoes, and pants.

Meng Ling only had some mud on her shoes and was clean otherwise.

Seeing his messy state, Meng Ling laughed, “Go home and fix your hoe yourself!”

Meng Shiqiao sighed helplessly and followed his sister down the mountain.

As soon as they entered the house, Meng Liang noticed the broken hoe in Meng Shiqiao’s hand and the mud all over him.

“Did you go to dig bamboo shoots or play in the mud? You broke the hoe!”

Seeing him like this, Meng Liang laughed. “Hurry and change.”

After changing clothes, Meng Shiqiao started a fire while Meng Ling cut the cured pork.

After slicing the pork, she prepared the bamboo shoots by scoring the shells with a knife tip, then breaking the shell open easily to get the shoot core out.

With bamboo shoots ready, the water in the pot boiled. She blanched the shoots, then drained them.

She heated oil in the pot, stir-fried garlic and cured pork until fragrant, then added the bamboo shoots and quickly stir-fried them.

She added a little water and various seasonings, simmered a while, then stir-fried again before serving in a bowl.

“Mm, smells so good! Sis, I want to try some!”

Meng Shiqiao grabbed chopsticks and took some.

“Mm, delicious! Sis, you try some too.” She gave some to Meng Ling.

The cured pork was salty, fragrant, and rich, while the bamboo shoots were tender and sweet. Together, they created a unique and perfect flavor.

After lunch, the family moved chairs outside to bask in the warm winter sun.

The bright sunlight shone over the land as the Meng family walked on the road to the county town, laughing all the way.

Meng Shiqiao was excited and talkative, “Mom, what’s the county town like? Are there lots of food and fun?”

Shen Shi smiled, “Yes, there’s food and fun everywhere.”

As the sun rose higher, Meng Shiqiao’s excitement gave way to fatigue.

Near noon, they finally arrived at the county town.

“This is the county town!” Meng Shiqiao suddenly brightened, eyes looking around everywhere. Anyone could tell it was his first time in a city.

“Let’s go, everyone’s tired. Let’s find a place to eat,” Meng Liang said.

After climbing mountains and crossing hills, they were very hungry. “Dad, I want to eat meat buns, three of them!”

Meng Shiqiao still remembered the taste of meat buns from last time.

“Sugar-coated hawthorn! Get your sugar-coated hawthorn! Sour ones, sweet ones…”

“Steamed cakes! Delicious steamed cakes, passed down from the Wu family…”

“Dad, I want a sugar-coated hawthorn and a steamed cake.” Hearing the food sellers, Meng Shiqiao was reluctant to walk, wanting everything.

“All right, one each!” Meng Liang laughed and agreed. Now they had money, they could afford it.

“Mm, delicious.”

Meng Shiqiao’s mouth was full, holding a steamed cake in one hand and a sugar-coated hawthorn in the other, biting alternately.

They walked and ate, Meng Liang found a spot and set up his bamboo baskets.

He brought twelve in total. As New Year approached, more people were coming to the city, so selling them wouldn’t be a problem.

There were more vendors than usual, and the streets were crowded with people.

After setting up the stall, Meng Shiqiao said, “Dad, I’ll go look for bow and arrow sellers first. Give me some money.”

Meng Liang nodded, took out his money pouch, and counted out dozens of copper coins for him.

Meng Shiqiao took the money and ran off.

“You little rascal, remember to come back here!” Meng Liang called out.

Before he finished speaking, Meng Shiqiao was already out of sight.