Small Tan Village is even closer to the County Town than Hehepingzi, with one of the villages lying north of the County Town, and the other to the south.
Kang He and Fan Jing were coming to this village for the first time; unless it was necessary, they rarely went to villages beyond the County Town.
The two arrived early. The old man’s household hadn’t even boiled water yet, and only two of the men who handled the pigs had arrived. Instead, several women and young men from the neighborhood had come to watch the commotion.
The old man greeted Kang He and Fan Jing, asking them to sit and relax for a while. He brought out two bowls of hot tea and a plate of tangerines for them to peel and eat.
“Really, it’s quite embarrassing. I didn’t expect you two to come this early to do business and have delayed you.” The old man was apologetic as he led Kang He to take a look at the pigs in the pen.
Kang He followed him inside. “It just so happened that business was good this morning and we sold out of pork early. Otherwise, it would have been too late to come over now. It’s my fault for not letting you know the exact time in advance.”
Fan Jing didn’t follow them in. He took a couple of sips of hot tea, sat in a corner of the courtyard peeling tangerines. The stir-fried dishes from lunch had been reheated after sitting overnight and were a bit salty, making him thirsty.
At the edge of the courtyard, a young man poked his head around, having heard in the fields that Gan Old Man was going to sell pigs this morning. He hadn’t made it in time to negotiate a price. Then he saw a donkey cart entering the village road, driven by two strangers—surely here to buy pigs.
He followed along from a distance, wanting to ask about pig prices, but when he saw Kang He—a tall, robust stranger—he became nervous and didn’t dare approach.
Seeing Kang He follow the old man into the pigsty, he hurried over to the one sitting down and asked, “Are you the pig slaughterers Gan Old Man invited? Was that man just now your husband?”
Fan Jing heard the question and lifted his eyes to glance at the person in front of him.
This young man wore a headscarf that covered half his face, showing only his eyes, which were quite attractive.
He found the person a bit odd, but still answered with a simple “Mm.”
“What price are you offering for the pigs?”
Fan Jing replied, “Eight coins.”
The young man then quietly asked, “No other discounts? This is the first time I’ve seen you in the village, you look like outsiders. Gan Old Man raises a lot of pigs. Usually, the butcher who comes to buy from him is named Bao.”
He meant that since Gan Old Man, an old pig farmer, had invited strangers instead of his old acquaintance, there should be some special discount that old acquaintances wouldn’t get.
Fan Jing was a bit overwhelmed by the questions and cleared his throat.
In the past, Kang He had always handled business matters, and people naturally sought him out. It was rare for someone to come and ask Fan Jing directly.
He felt his words were not particularly smooth, so he unconsciously glanced toward the pig shed.
“There is.”
Seeing that Kang He hadn’t come out yet, Fan Jing had no choice but to answer.
The young man’s eyes lit up, thinking there must be some discount.
He eagerly waited for Fan Jing to elaborate, but Fan Jing didn’t say anything for a long while.
The two stared at each other.
Fan Jing finally said, “No slaughtering fee, and we also give twenty-eight copper coins as a bonus.”
The young man was taken aback. “No slaughtering fee, but you still give out copper coins? Isn’t that still paying? But twenty-eight copper coins is indeed a better deal than other pig slaughterers.”
Fan Jing saw he misunderstood and explained, “We give the pig farmer twenty-eight copper coins. The pig farmer doesn’t need to pay the slaughtering fee.”
“Really?!” The young man said, “You don’t charge a slaughtering fee and even give money?”
“New Shop.”
“A New Shop isn’t supposed to be making money? Why are you doing things at a loss?”
Fan Jing pursed his lips, taking a deep breath.
He looked at the man and said, “If you don’t believe me, you can wait until my husband comes out and have him explain it to you.”
“No, no!” The young man waved his hands and tugged at his headscarf, saying to Fan Jing, “I’m afraid of men, I don’t dare talk to strangers, I just want to talk to you.”
“……..”
Fan Jing was speechless for a moment, then said, “Anyway, it’s just as I said.”
“I still don’t quite understand. With such a good deal, it can’t be a trick, right? Is this discount only for Gan Old Man, or is it for anyone who calls you to slaughter pigs?”
Kang He finished inspecting the pigs and came out of the shed with Gan Old Man.
Gan Old Man had over ten pigs, four of which were ready for market. During the holidays, he’d already sold three for a good price, but during the busy slaughtering season, he couldn’t get all the big pigs sold. Now that prices had dropped, keeping four large pigs was a burden, especially with a new litter of piglets. Too many animals to feed, so even at a low price, he had to sell.
Kang He picked a fat, robust pig. In spring, pork keeps well for a couple of days, so there was no fear of not selling it quickly.
He was about to tell Fan Jing when he saw him talking to a young man.
It was a bit unusual. Before Kang He could approach, Fan Jing looked over with a pleading glance for help.
He walked over.
The young man, seeing Kang He stride over, immediately fell silent and quickly scurried out of the courtyard.
“What’s going on?”
Seeing Kang He arrive, Fan Jing seemed relieved. “Just someone asking about the price.”
Kang He wondered why someone asking about price would run away.
He walked a couple of steps toward the courtyard gate. “Do you have several pigs to sell?”
The young man, seeing Kang He approach, shrank back and shook his head repeatedly, absolutely refusing to say another word.
Gan Old Man went to the kitchen and came out, saying the water was boiling. Seeing that Kang He had scared He Xiaoqiu away, he went over and said, “Qiu-ge’er, this is the owner of Dou Huifang Fan Family Pork Shop. Are you selling pigs or not?”
The young man, named He Xiaoqiu, just waved his hand and stood outside, not responding to Gan Old Man.
Gan Old Man knew his temperament and didn’t say more, instead calling Kang He inside to prepare for the slaughter.
“What’s with that young man?”
Gan Old Man lowered his voice and said to Kang He, “He’s a widower, afraid of men, doesn’t like talking to men, and rarely speaks to strangers. Don’t mind him.”
Kang He was curious. “If he’s afraid of men, how did he get married?”
“He was fine before, but after his first husband died, he became afraid and hasn’t remarried.”
Kang He found it odd, but it wasn’t his place to pry into people’s private matters, so he let it go.
They got ready to slaughter the pig. Fan Jing, coming out of his earlier, somewhat awkward conversation, opened the knife box and got ready to work.
Gan Old Man was surprised. “Your husband slaughters pigs?”
“Yeah.” Kang He said, “He’s skilled. Learned from the old Hu butcher at the Meat Market.”
Gan Old Man had never hired Hu Dasan to slaughter pigs, but as an experienced pig farmer, he knew who he was.
He couldn’t help sizing up Fan Jing, finding him more capable than most young men.
He’d thought Kang He was the butcher, but now realized it was his husband. It made sense—if Kang He could slaughter pigs himself, why bother coming with someone else?
So, a pig-slaughtering husband who married in—well, it seemed plausible.
Either way, it wasn’t a New Year’s pig, so there was no fear of a bad job. If things didn’t turn out well, it would be the butcher’s responsibility.
So they got ready to drag out the pig for slaughter.
He Xiaoqiu, hiding outside, watched as Fan Jing calmly wielded the cold, sharp butcher’s knife and, in one swift motion, dispatched the pig that had taken four strong men to hold down. He was so shocked he nearly crashed into the fence.
How could a young man have such nerve!
Thinking back to having tried to speak with him earlier, He Xiaoqiu couldn’t help swallowing nervously.
After seeing Fan Jing slaughter a fierce pig, his eyes unconsciously changed, shining as he watched Fan Jing calmly wipe the blood from the knife, as if he hadn’t just killed the pig.
He found Fan Jing even more impressive, his eyes growing bright.
With the pig slaughtered, the courtyard filled with praise for Fan Jing’s skill.
Kang He took the opportunity to promote their Shop.
Fan Jing quietly scraped the pig’s bristles, quickly and skillfully butchering the meat.
Nowadays, weighing methods were limited. When trading such large livestock, if you didn’t set a price per head, you had to butcher and weigh the parts.
Each part was butchered and weighed separately; even the intestines, pig heart, and liver were included.
Only the pig blood, since it was mixed with water, was hard to measure. Usually, the slaughterer was invited to eat a meal, and the pig blood was kept for the household.
But Kang He wanted to buy the pig blood for customers, so he paid twenty coins for a basin of pig blood.
After all the work, the meat weighed in at two hundred and twelve jin.
Gan Old Man agreed, and Kang He calculated one string and six hundred ninety-six copper coins for the pork, plus twenty-eight coins as a New Shop bonus.
Gan Old Man saw that they kept their word, had good slaughtering skills, and didn’t haggle or cheat. He felt he could do business with them and said he’d call them again if he had more pigs.
Kang He thanked him and asked Gan Old Man to help spread the word about their Shop in the village. While Fan Jing finished butchering, the pig blood had set, so they borrowed Gan Old Man’s pot to boil it into cubes of Pork Blood Tofu.
That way, even if it got jostled on the way back, it wouldn’t spill, and pig blood kept longer after being cooked.
By the time they finished, it was already late.
Kang He and Fan Jing packed up the cart, ready to leave.
Fan Jing got on the donkey cart and drove it out. Unexpectedly, He Xiaoqiu, who had left earlier, suddenly reappeared.
He hunched his back, careful not to let Kang He see him, and spoke to Fan Jing on the cart:
“I overheard your husband talking outside earlier and learned about the discounts at your Shop.”
Fan Jing saw him and pulled the cart to a stop, frowning slightly. “You haven’t left yet?”
“I think you’re amazing at slaughtering pigs.”
Kang He poked his head out. “He Xiaoqiu, are you selling pigs?”
He Xiaoqiu, seeing Kang He looking at him, shrank back in fright, crouched down by Fan Jing’s feet, and didn’t say a word.
Kang He: “…….”
Remembering what Gan Old Man had said, Kang He figured there was no point trying to talk. Since the man trusted Fan Jing, he might as well let him handle it.
Kang He leaned over and whispered in Fan Jing’s ear, “I’m going to the woods for a bit. You talk to him.”
He was about to get off the cart when Fan Jing grabbed his sleeve.
Fan Jing wouldn’t let him go. “I can’t explain it well, and he doesn’t understand me anyway.”
Kang He: “…….”
A moment later, Kang He still sat beside Fan Jing, but turned his head far away.
“I don’t see anyone else around now.”
“Jing, ask him if he wants to sell pigs.”
Fan Jing repeated the question, “Do you want to sell pigs?”
He Xiaoqiu straightened up and nodded. “I want to call you to slaughter pigs. Our family also has two fat pigs ready for market.”
“All right, but it’ll be a day or two before we can come. We need to sell the pork we just bought from Gan Old Man first.”
Fan Jing relayed this to Kang He, then looked at He Xiaoqiu, who also looked at Fan Jing.
“…….”
Fan Jing thought, We’re so close, how could he not understand?
Kang He tugged Fan Jing’s sleeve, so Fan Jing patiently repeated what he’d just said to He Xiaoqiu.
He Xiaoqiu finally replied, “Okay. Is the discount the same as Gan Old Man’s?”
Kang He said, “The same. No slaughtering fee, plus twenty-eight copper coins as a bonus.”
Fan Jing repeated it again.
After asking He Xiaoqiu for his address, and confirming whether the donkey cart could reach the yard, the three of them, exhausted, finally settled the matter. He Xiaoqiu bid farewell and went home.
After he left, Kang He still hadn’t gotten a good look at He Xiaoqiu’s face.
On the way back, Kang He couldn’t help teasing Fan Jing.
“Now you’re popular—someone only wants to talk to you and won’t even give me a word. Next time, you’ll have to handle these negotiations.”
Fan Jing replied, “You were right there, and it still happened.”
Kang He joked, “Aren’t you afraid people will think the three of us are a bit dim? Who will want to do business with us in the future?”
“We’ve never been that bright anyway.”
Kang He was left speechless, unable to argue, feeling like Fan Jing had caught him at a weak point.
This time, they collected nearly two hundred jin of pork. Kang He and Fan Jing sold it over the course of two days, making more than a string of cash in profit from one pig—more than they’d made from two of their own pigs before.
But their own pigs hadn’t counted the cost of feed, so the profit seemed higher. If they calculated every expense, the cost wasn’t low.
Making this much profit in just a few days was already quite good.
After the morning market, Kang He and Fan Jing went to Small Tan Village again to slaughter pigs.
They headed to He Xiaoqiu’s house.
They hadn’t expected He Xiaoqiu’s family to be relatively well-off, living in a tiled house.
As they drove the donkey cart over, a flock of white geese resting in the grassy field were startled and flapped their wings, honking as they ran off.
Kang He eyed the big goose—broad feet, round and plump, much larger than a duck, truly fat and fine-looking.
“Not many people in our area raise such big geese.”
As they spoke, someone from He Xiaoqiu’s house came out.
A woman bustled out, her face full of warmth and joy.
Kang He and Fan Jing were a little surprised at how friendly she was, then He Xiaoqiu came out and exchanged a couple of gestures with the woman, who nodded and went back inside.
Only then did they realize she was mute.
He Xiaoqiu looked the same as before, still wearing a headscarf, though a different color from last time.
He greeted Fan Jing with delight, inviting him into the house.
He glanced at Kang He and quietly said to Fan Jing, “You should call your husband inside for tea. We’ve already boiled the water.”
Fan Jing said, “He’s already seen me.”
Then, seeing there was no one else in the courtyard, he asked, “The men to hold down the pig haven’t come yet?”
“When you arrived, my mother went to call them. They’re all nearby. Won’t take more than a quarter of an hour.”
Fan Jing said no more.
Inside the house, not only was the roof tiled, but the floor was paved with Qingshi.
On the table were plates of pears and preserved fruits.
He Xiaoqiu poured them tea, then went to the kitchen and brought out four boiled eggs.
The eggs were as big as fists.
“You’ll need strength for slaughtering pigs later. Eat a couple of goose eggs to fill your stomach first,” He Xiaoqiu said to Fan Jing. “Your husband should have some too.”
Kang He asked, “Ask He Xiaoqiu if those geese in the field are theirs.”
Fan Jing, peeling a goose egg, asked, “You raise geese?”
“We have over thirty. We get plenty of eggs every day. Try them—if you like the taste, I’ll pick some for you to take home for your family to try.”
Kang He thought, though He Xiaoqiu was a bit different from most people, he was generous and warm-hearted.
“Ge’er, has the pig slaughterer arrived?” came a hoarse voice from inside.
He Xiaoqiu said to Fan Jing, “That’s my father. You two have tea first.”
He went inside and soon came out, supporting a man about the same age as Fan Jing’s father.
He Father wore a thick cotton coat, clearly just up from bed, slightly stooped, with a sallow face and pale lips.
He looked sickly, and there was a faint smell of herbs about him.
He Xiaoqiu helped him to a chair.
Kang He greeted him and exchanged a few words.
He Father said, “I’ve had this old illness for years. Looks serious, but it’s not too bad.”
“Our hospitality isn’t the best. I’ve been unwell these days, my wife is mute, and my son isn’t sociable. Thanks to you for not minding and coming to slaughter pigs for us.”
Kang He thought, At least someone here is easy to talk to. Otherwise, it really would have been hard to say a word.
At other houses, he had always done the talking, with Fan Jing handling the work. They made a good team, but this was the first time they’d dealt with a family like this.
Kang He said, “It’s thanks to He Xiaoqiu talking to my husband. Otherwise, our New Shop wouldn’t have gotten this business.”
He praised the He Family for being capable—raising pigs and such big geese, no wonder they lived in a brick and tile house.
He Father, finding Kang He affable, chatted with him.
“I’m not much use. My son and wife have done all this. When I was healthy, I ran a small food business in the City, and we’d slaughter and stew the geese for sale. There were always a few customers. Life was decent.”
“But now I’m sick, can’t work, and still need medicine. It’s a burden. To pay for my treatment, we’re selling the pigs to free up some cash.”
Kang He knew it wasn’t easy and comforted him. “Have you seen the City Da Fu?”
He Father said, “We’ve tried several Da Fu. The medical bills aren’t cheap, but nothing helps. There was a Zhu Doctor who was very kind—his medicine helped me. But unfortunately, the Zhu Clinic closed last year.”
Kang He asked, “Was it the Zhu Clinic at Biaorfang, run by Zhu Ping Zhu Doctor?”
“You know him too?”
Kang He said, “Of course. Zhu Doctor now lives in our village.”
He Father was overjoyed. “Really? When the clinic closed suddenly last year, I finished my medicine and went to get more, but they said it had shut down and he’d left the County. I was so upset.”
Kang He said, “Last year, Zhu Doctor got into a lawsuit and was bullied by those in power. He wanted to leave for another place, but our village’s gentry invited him to stay. Now he treats everyone in our area.”
“If you want Zhu Doctor to see you, I’ll tell him when I get back, and tomorrow bring him to the City and hire a cart to bring him here.”
“That’s too much trouble for you!”
“It’s no trouble. I have to go back anyway. If you went to find Zhu Doctor yourself, the early spring weather is cold, and if your illness got worse, Zhu Doctor would worry. He’s kind-hearted. If an old patient asks for him, he’ll be happy to come. Everyone in our village praises him.”
“Just relax and wait for Zhu Doctor to come tomorrow.”
He Father was deeply grateful for Kang He’s kindness.
The He Family, hearing that Zhu Doctor could be invited, was overjoyed.
Fan Jing watched silently, seeing how Kang He quickly became close with the family through a few words, and thought, It really does take that mouth of his.
Soon the men arrived to hold down the pig. They slaughtered it, weighed it—about one hundred fifty jin. The He Family’s geese were well raised, but their pigs weren’t quite as good as Gan Old Man’s.
“That comes to one thousand two hundred thirty-eight copper coins.”
Kang He took out the money and had Fan Jing hand it to He Xiaoqiu.
“Jing-ge’er, you’ve helped our family so much, and we’re lucky to have met such good pig slaughterers. I can’t take your bonus money,” He Xiaoqiu said to Fan Jing. “You should at least take the slaughtering fee for your trouble.”
“No need. Whatever’s fair is fair,” Fan Jing refused.
“He Family, our Shop makes friends with pig farmers. We treat everyone the same. If we took more from you, it would break our rules.”
He Xiaoqiu, having heard Kang He promise to bring Zhu Doctor, felt more at ease and wasn’t as afraid of him as before.
He understood what was said and didn’t ask Fan Jing to repeat it, but still didn’t talk to Kang He directly.
He said to Fan Jing, “If you won’t take the money, then take a Luwei Goose home to eat. I made it myself, and it’s not bad. Please don’t refuse.”
Fan Jing, rarely treated so kindly by another young man, felt a bit awkward but still agreed.
He Xiaoqiu was delighted, and carefully butchered the pork, boiled water for Pork Blood Tofu.
Kang He said to Fan Jing, “This He-ge’er really admires you, treats us so warmly.”
Later, when Kang He and Fan Jing packed up to leave, He Xiaoqiu gave them a wrapped goose and a basket of goose eggs.
Kang He felt a bit embarrassed to accept, but He Mother insisted on stuffing the basket into the cart.
After much pushing, they had no choice but to accept.
Back in the City, they unloaded the pork at the Shop, then drove home.
They first went to the Xu Family and told Zhu Doctor about the He Family’s situation.
Mentioning the He Family from Small Tan Village, Zhu Doctor remembered them even among all his patients, praising their Luwei Goose as a real specialty.
Every time He Father came for medicine, he’d bring some, and both master and apprentice loved it.
Hearing this, Kang He couldn’t help wanting to try the Luwei Goose himself.
Since only one person needed to go, Kang He let Fan Jing take the cart and goose home first, while he stayed to chat with Zhu Doctor.
At home, Chen Sanfang had already seen the Luwei Goose and goose eggs. She asked Fan Jing, who only said they were gifts from the slaughtered pig’s family, so she waited to ask Kang He.
“How generous! They gave us so much. There are twenty goose eggs, and this Luwei Goose weighs four or five jin. Wouldn’t that fetch a whole string of cash in the City?!”
Kang He said, “That family’s young man likes our Jing, insisted we accept it.”
Chen Sanfang looked over at Fan Jing by the stove. “Is that true?”
“The stuff is right here. How could it be fake?”
That night, instead of the bacon and scallion stir-fry she’d planned, Chen Sanfang put away the smoked meat and served the Luwei Goose.
Peeling off the oiled paper, even though the goose was cold, the aroma immediately filled the room.
The skin was a rich, saucy yellow, glistening with oil. Chen Sanfang almost drooled while chopping it.
When she broke the skin, the meat inside was still juicy and looked very tender.
Half a goose filled a whole bowl.
He Xiaoqiu was truly thoughtful, even sending the stewed goose intestines and liver.
Chen Sanfang even sliced up the offal for a plate.
Before it even hit the table, the whole family snatched pieces to taste.
The Luwei sauce was salty, fragrant, and fresh, the goose meat tender and flavorful—better than it smelled!
Qiao’er licked her fingers in delight.
“Sanlang, not to brag, but this Luwei Goose is even tastier than your stewed pig’s head.”
Kang He had to admit, He Family’s goose was better than his own stewed dishes.
He picked a piece from the bowl and fed it to Fan Jing. “No wonder Zhu Doctor praised it. It’s really good.”
With a family like theirs, it was clear they’d made money selling this Luwei Goose. The flavor alone was enough to make a living.
Only, they didn’t know that this very skill had caused a feud with their in-laws.
That night, the whole family enjoyed a feast of Luwei Goose.