Chapter 25: To the County Town

After returning home, the elderly woman didn’t believe that Song Liangzuo could clean the pig intestines properly. She thought he just wanted to play, so she handed him the wood ash he needed and sent him off to clean the intestines far away from her.

She had no intention of eating that.

In the kitchen, she fried the meat with plenty of salt, then packed half of it into a small earthen jar. Next, she went to the backyard to pick some eggplants and made a dish of stir-fried eggplant with sliced meat, followed by a stir-fry of long green beans coated in oil, and a refreshing cucumber salad.

At that moment, Song Liangzuo proudly entered the kitchen with the freshly cleaned intestines and said, “Grandma, look! I really didn’t hear wrong—it’s so clean! Not a hint of odor!”

He struck a pose, clearly seeking praise.

The elderly woman looked at the pinkish-white intestines, bent down to smell them, and surprisingly found there was no foul odor. She asked incredulously, “How did you wash them so clean?”

Song Liangzuo grinned, “I used wood ash! Grandma, you can cook it now.”

Even though the elderly woman had never cooked this before, she knew how to prepare food, and with Song Liangzuo guiding her, the unique aroma of the intestines soon filled the kitchen.

He couldn’t help but drool.

At lunch, Wang Chunlan looked at her bowl and, while she had her suspicions, still asked, “Mom, what’s this?”

“Pig intestines.”

“…”

Even though peasants couldn’t afford to eat meat, they wouldn’t eat this either—the stink was just too strong. Not only did the intestines smell when they were cooked, but even the pot would retain a foul smell for days.

Cooking with it carried an odious quality.

With their family making good money from selling herbs over the past few days, why would they buy this?

Wang Chunlan was not one to speak her mind directly. After pondering for a while, she again asked, “Mom, how do we cook this? This thing… this thing…”

“Are you trying to say it stinks too much? Just look—it doesn’t smell at all! Grandma cooks it so well,” Song Liangzuo interjected, grabbing a piece with his chopsticks and tossing it into his mouth.

Seeing him enjoying it without hesitation made Wang Chunlan’s throat tighten. It felt as if her saliva was not going down but rather a piece of flavored intestines.

Finally, seeing Song Liangzuo swallow it whole, Wang Chunlan couldn’t believe her eyes, “Is it edible?”

Song Liangzuo nodded enthusiastically and added, “It’s really good!”

Seeing how much he enjoyed it, and with some anxiety, Wang Chunlan took a piece for herself. First, she sniffed it and, finding no unpleasant odor, she put it in her mouth.

Her eyes widened with surprise as she chewed, and she quickly urged the elderly woman, “Mom, you have to try it! It’s really delicious!”

The conversation faded into silence, replaced by the sound of chewing.

Once everyone finished their meals and put down their bowls and chopsticks, they continued to gaze at the empty bowls longingly.

At this point, the elderly woman finally mentioned their plan to collect herbs in the village.

Wang Chunlan felt incredibly happy that day; they had enjoyed a rich meal, and now their family was about to start gathering herbs. However, still somewhat skeptical, she asked, “Mom, do you really think this will work? Can the county even look upon our goods favorably?”

“There’s nothing they wouldn’t want! The shopkeeper said our herbs are good, and he’s already talked to them; we just need to deliver them,” the elderly woman reassured.

“Don’t worry, we’ll dry them today, and tomorrow we’ll send over as many herbs as we can to see how it goes,” Song Liangzuo chimed in.

Wang Chunlan smiled with a hint of incredulity, “I feel like I’ve been in a dream these days.”

“Exactly! Who would have thought these could be sold for money? We had a good meal today, and in the afternoon, let’s all work hard. The more money we earn, the better I can go to school, and we’ll have a better life.”

As the elderly woman spoke, the family enthusiastically set out to gather herbs once again.

In the blink of an eye, a day and a half had passed.

The night before their trip to the county, Song Liangzuo obediently sat on a stool, watching his mother and grandmother squabble over who should go to the county.

“Mom, why don’t I go? I’m young and strong; I can carry Liangzuo back if he gets tired,” Wang Chunlan suggested.

“What do you mean go? Tomorrow, I’ll let him ride in a bull cart. The fare is just four wens round trip,” the elderly woman dismissed. She didn’t think it wise for Wang Chunlan to go; with her timid temperament, she wouldn’t be of much help in town if anything happened.

“Mom, I’ve been to the county two times with Wang Shan, and I remember some of the routes. You’ve never been what if you get lost?” Wang Chunlan countered.

This argument struck a chord with the elderly woman. The furthest she had ever traveled was to town; the thought of going to the county made her feel uncertain.

She wanted to go, but there were so many chores at home, bringing so many people along would be a waste.

The elderly woman hesitated and turned to her obedient grandson, asking, “Little one, do you want Grandma to go with you or would you prefer to go with your mom?”

Song Liangzuo grinned at her, then, with a pitiful look, suggested, “Grandma, why don’t you let Mom go this time? Once I’m familiar with the route, I can then bring you along later.”

“Chunlan, since you’re going tomorrow, firm up your resolve and don’t be so hesitant. If my grandson faces any trouble in the county, you better not come back,” the elderly woman firmly declared, ultimately agreeing to let Wang Chunlan go instead.

The reason Song Liangzuo wanted his mother to accompany him was quite strategic. Grandma was somewhat aware of what he had learned at the herbal shop in town, while his mother had no inkling.

By going to the county with his mother, he could mention things he learned there later in front of his grandmother, using it as an excuse to explain any new knowledge that might arise.

That night, after preparing the half-dried herbs in bamboo baskets, the whole family went to bed early.

The next morning, Song Liangzuo woke up early, had some noodles for breakfast, and his grandmother, still worried, packed two boiled eggs for him to take. Finally, they set out.

Their village didn’t have a direct route to the county, so they needed to walk about a quarter of an hour along the main road towards town to catch a cart from another village.

This was Song Liangzuo’s first time riding in a bull cart; he found it quite a novelty. Especially after passing through town, the sun gently rose over the distant horizon, illuminating the fields on either side of the road, filled with fresh vitality in the golden morning light.

In the distance, the mountains connected with the sky, creating a breathtaking view.

However, after an hour of bumping along in the cart, the excitement wore off, and he started to feel fatigue.

What’s more, at first, it was just him and his mother in the cart, but as they traveled, more people and goods piled in, making the small bull cart crowded with both cargo and passengers.

Among the cargo was also a basket full of squawking chickens.

The bull cart stopped just outside the city gate, and each passenger began unloading their belongings.

As Song Liangzuo hopped off the cart and looked up, he was greeted by the towering blue brick walls and the engraved characters “Zhengyang County” above the gate.

The sturdy dirt road was wider and cleaner than those in his village. A patch of open ground to one side was filled with many marketplace vendors, and judging by the dirt on their pant legs, they were likely from nearby villages.

Meanwhile, those coming to buy vegetables were the residents of the county.