Chapter 9: Quietly Making a Fortune
In the afternoon, before long, the remaining meat and offal were all taken up eagerly by a group of bustling women from the neighboring village. They were preparing for a wedding and had been worried about finding good meat!
“Shopkeeper, can you throw in the leftover marrow bones too? We’ll make some soup on the way home!”
The leading woman’s voice was loud and clear as she glanced at the few bare large bones lying in the corner of the cutting board.
Wang the butcher was in a good mood today! The meat had sold out completely, and the medicinal herbs had been exchanged for seven qian of silver! With a grand sweep of his hand, he was generous: “Sure! Take them all! Bring some good luck!”
He casually stuffed the few meaty-less marrow bones into their meat basket.
Wang Sanniu stared at the suddenly bare cutting board and rack, silently lighting a candle for the two little gluttons back home.
Tiger Girl and Dog Boy had been complaining since yesterday about hoping to get some leftover meat scraps from today’s market. Now, not even a bone was left!
He could already picture their little dark faces scrunching up in disappointment.
Old man Wang Jinbao didn’t care about that; he was basking in a double joy.
Soon, the family tidied up and pushed their wheelbarrow, ready to head home.
Passing by the town’s snack shop, Wang the butcher suddenly stopped.
“Wait here!” he called out, then plunged into the shop. After a short while, he came out carrying two rough paper packages—one full of cheap snack crumbs, the other of dark-colored malt sugar chunks.
“Here, take these!” Wang Jinbao pulled out a few pieces of malt sugar and handed them to Wang Sanniu, who was sitting on the cart.
Wang Sanniu was momentarily stunned as he looked at the sugar in his hand. In the future, such treats might be worthless, but at this time, for farm children, they were precious little luxuries.
Was his father... secretly spoiling him a little?
A warm feeling welled up inside him. Sure, his father often grumbled about his weak health and how he wasn’t like the rest of the Wang family. Yet over the years, with Wang Sanniu falling ill every few days and money flowing out like water for medicine, his parents had never given up on him.
The scolding was real, but so was the money spent on healing. Perhaps this was his father’s way of showing care?
The road home shimmered under the blazing sun. Second brother Wang Ernniu pushed the cart with long strides. From afar, before even reaching the gate, two small dark shadows shot out of the yard like cannonballs!
“Dad! Second brother! Third uncle! Where’s the meat? The leftover meat?” Tiger Girl ran ahead, her braids almost flying, eyes scanning the empty cart and rack.
Dog Boy, slower, clung to the cart’s shaft, standing on tiptoe to peer into the wooden bucket that once held the meat—empty! Not even a trace of grease remained!
Their little faces visibly sagged. Disappointment and hurt quickly painted their expressions. Tiger Girl pouted, eyes beginning to redden. Dog Boy was more direct; his mouth curled, and just as a wail threatened to escape,—
“Wailing, huh?!” their mother Zhao burst out from the yard, her eyes sweeping the empty cart but her face breaking into a smile.
“Oh my! The market was good today! Not a scrap left!”
Seeing Dog Boy’s almost-crying, timid look, Zhao raised her large fan-like hand threateningly.
“Dog Boy! If you dare let out a cry, I’ll give you a big slap to taste the saltiness right now!”
Startled, Dog Boy shivered and swallowed the wail back down, pressing his little hands over his mouth, his face flushed red, tears welling but refusing to fall. His pitiful yet comical look made even Wang Jinbao chuckle, his beard twitching.
“Two little gluttons!”
He pulled a rough paper package from his pocket and handed it to Zhao.
“Here, wife, share these with the little greedy ones. Keep their mouths busy.”
Zhao weighed the package in her hands, instantly recognizing its contents. She gave Wang Jinbao a sideways glance but deftly untied the string.
The sweet, sticky scent of malt sugar immediately captivated the two little ones, wiping away all their disappointment and hurt in the blink of an eye.
“Candy! Candy!” Tiger Girl squealed in delight.
“Candy! Candy!” Dog Boy forgot about crying, drooling with shining eyes.
The two instantly turned into little sticky toffees, clinging tightly to Zhao’s legs, looking up with eager black eyes at the sugar, murmuring nonstop:
“Mom! Mom! Candy! I want candy!”
Zhao laughed and scolded, calling them “two debt collectors” as she carefully broke off two small pieces of the sticky sugar and fed them to the eagerly open mouths.
“Mmm! Sweet!” Tiger Girl closed her eyes in satisfaction, her little tongue licking the sugary piece with care.
Dog Boy was even more exaggerated, scrunching his whole face as if trying to squeeze every bit of sweetness out, humming contentedly without chewing.
With candy in hand, the two became lively little monkeys, happily running off to find a spot to enjoy their treat.
Zhao carefully wrapped the remaining sugar and put it away with the snacks in the inner room.
Watching this, Wang Sanniu’s memories stirred of similar scenes. Although his parents were frugal, when it came to food—especially treats for the children—they never spared a copper coin. The family was poor, but in terms of eating, no one was ever left hungry.
Not long after their return, while the sun was still high, eldest brother Wang Danniu and sister-in-law Liu came back from the fields, carrying hoes. Their clothes were soaked with sweat, faces smudged with dirt, but their spirits looked good.
With everyone gathered and the two little ones wild and missing, Wang Jinbao cleared his throat and cast a glance around before lowering his voice.
“Erniu, go shut the gate tight.”
He then told the others, “Those two will run wild and won’t be back anytime soon. I have something to discuss.”
Wang Ernniu guessed what his father meant and hurried to close the worn-out gate, securing the latch.
The atmosphere in the yard changed subtly.
The family quickly gathered around small wooden stools and the grinding stone base. Even usually restless sister-in-law Liu held her breath, focusing on Wang the butcher.
Wang Jinbao’s voice dropped lower, carrying a solemn weight.
“Today, besides selling meat, there’s another matter.”
He paused, eyes scanning everyone.
“Sanlang and his second brother brought back seven qian of silver from selling herbs at the Benevolent Heart Hall.”
“Seven qian?!” Sister-in-law Liu gasped sharply, almost popping her eyes out!
She instinctively wanted to shout, but eldest brother Wang Danniu grabbed her arm.
She realized and quickly covered her mouth, but the shock and joy still leaked out, her voice high and thin.
“Dad! Is it really from the pigweed I found? Oh heavens! That’s almost as much as the pure profit from selling our biggest pig, right?”
Though silent, Wang Danniu’s burly frame tensed noticeably. His rough hands rubbed the muddy prints on his knees, eyes shining fiercely.
Wang Jinbao nodded heavily.
“Yes! Doctor Wang at Benevolent Heart Hall said so himself. The herbs are good, but this work…”
His voice grew serious, tinged with the cautiousness of a farmer.
“We must keep it quiet! Work quietly, gather a little each day, and don’t be greedy! If those nosy, scheming villagers find out, jealousy will stir trouble, and this source of income will dry up!”
Usually taciturn, Wang Danniu suddenly spoke in a muffled voice, his thoughts unusually clear.
“Dad, then tomorrow we should bring back a few more half-grown piglets to raise. Tell others we have many pigs and need more pigweed! Then Cuihua, Ernniu, and I can all go up the hills and fields to gather pigweed!”
He deliberately emphasized “gather pigweed.”
Wang Sanniu was slightly surprised, looking twice at his eldest brother. Usually a silent type, his mind was quick in crucial moments. This plan to raise pigs as cover for harvesting herbs was simple and practical!
It seemed that the “Black Bear’s Den” was not just strong because of their father and eldest brother’s muscles, but they were far from being brainless brutes!
Wang Jinbao clearly liked the idea and approved.
“Alright! Let’s do that! Eldest son’s idea is solid!”
He thought a moment more and added,
“Erniu, before it gets fully dark, you and I will visit a few neighboring villages to see if we can find suitable piglets to bring back.”
“All right, Dad!” Wang Ernniu responded immediately and went to push the cart.
Wang Jinbao turned to Wang Sanniu.
“Sanlang, your eldest brother and sister-in-law, and your mother don’t really know these herbs yet. Take this chance to teach them well—how to identify them, which ones to keep, which to discard. Ernniu overheard a bit at the pharmacy today. If he doesn’t understand something tonight, you explain it to him carefully.”
“Got it, Dad!” Wang Sanniu nodded quickly.
Without further words, Wang Jinbao and Wang Ernniu stepped out briskly.
The rest gathered immediately around Wang Sanniu.
Zhao’s eyes gleamed eagerly.
“Sanlang, tell me about the dandelion! Does it have serrated edges? Is plantain grass shaped like a small spoon around a long stalk?”
Sister-in-law Liu joined in, her face still full of incredulous excitement.
“Third brother, tell me carefully. I never paid attention when cutting grass—so those weeds really can be exchanged for money?”
Even eldest brother Wang Danniu squatted down, picking up a small twig to draw in the dirt.
“Sanlang, draw for me what the valuable rhubarb looks like. Does it have particularly large leaves and thorns on the stalk?”
Wang Sanniu looked at these three eager, hopeful faces and felt warmth in his heart.
He picked up a twig and drew in the soil as he spoke.
“Mother, you’re right—the dandelion leaves look like claws with serrated edges and white sap when broken... Eldest brother, rhubarb leaves are large and thick, with small thorns on the backs and stalks, and the roots are yellow...”
The sunset’s last light poured into the small courtyard, and in each pair of eyes burned a small flame—that light of hope, of strength gathered to push forward.