The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 233 Stirred

Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Stirred

Although there was a hint of flattery hidden within, Old Granny Zhang took the words to heart.

She didn’t show it on her face, though, and changed the subject, "Alright, enough of that, come, help me taste this. Has the meat absorbed the flavor?"

With that, she deftly shifted the conversation.

With many women and plenty of ingredients at hand, dinner was quickly prepared with everyone lending a hand.

Wang Laozhu could now sit up, and aside from his speech still being a bit slurred and slow, which became clearer with time, and a slight tremor in his hands and feet, he wasn’t much different from an ordinary person.

He even came out to sit at the table, unable to drink alcohol, he simply sipped plain water.

Because there were many people, two large tables were set up, with the most eye-catching dish being two large bowls of red braised wolf meat on the table, shining with oil and emitting a tantalizing aroma, instantly whetting everyone’s appetite.

Men at one table, women at the other.

The men drank alcohol, while the women enjoyed the wolf meat, eating until their stomachs were round and full, looking at Wang Yongzhu with increasingly eager eyes.

This girl, who was usually idle and fond of eating, had her moment to shine when something happened to the Wang family.

Hearing Old Granny Zhang’s boasting over the past few days, they learned that her daughter had taken on some business dealing with mountain goods. Initially, they were skeptical, but seeing Wang Yongzhu return from the mountain after killing a wolf, it seemed there must be some truth to her business with mountain goods, right?

Taking advantage of the men still drinking, the women gathered around Wang Yongzhu and started inquiring about the mountain goods business.

Wang Yongzhu was waiting for this opportunity and explained everything in detail to them, especially regarding the pricing issues.

Upon hearing that Wang Yongzhu would offer a higher price than the mountain goods peddlers, the women became interested.

Higher by ten or twenty percent—come winter, they could buy a few pounds of meat for their children to enjoy, or a few pounds of cotton to make their children thick jackets...

Their minds whirred as they rapidly did the math, with several showing signs of being tempted.

"Niece, that mountain goods business—people get paid in silver on the spot with them. As for you..." asked one with a steady voice.

Wang Yongzhu readily promised that if the quality of the mountain goods was good and they passed the inspection, she would settle with silver on the spot.

At this news, even the most timid were bright-eyed with interest.

Immediate payment in silver, a higher price, and dealing with someone from their own clan—who else would they sell to if not to her family?

Moreover, not having to trek miles of mountain roads and saving time suited most of them fine.

After the men had their fill of drink and food, the women made plans together, not only to bring their own family’s mountain goods to sell but also to spread the word for her.

The Clan Leader hadn’t drunk much and vaguely overheard what was discussed at the women’s table.

He patted Wang Laozhu on the shoulder, "Brother Laozhu, you’re blessed indeed! Although your household faces challenges now, I see that your children are all capable. You have many days of enjoying the blessings of your children ahead!"

A while back, the incident with the Wang family had dealt a considerable blow to the Wang Family Patriarch. The Wang family’s equal footing with the Li and Song families was due to the numerous family members and Scholar Master Wang Yongan.

After Wang Yongan’s misdeed, the shame fell upon the Wang family. Though no one spoke of it aloud, who knew how they were laughed at behind closed doors?

He had thought that after this incident, the Wang family’s fortunes might decline, but surprisigly, Brother Laozhu was lucky with children who could both step up to support the family.

The son, after such an incident, had a daughter who would cover for him!

Such luck was truly enviable.

Thinking it over, he still voiced a reminder, "Has that person from the Wu Family who bought your land shown up yet? How was the sale contract for the land drawn up? Is it to take over the land after autumn harvest, or do they want it now?" There were two types of land sales - one where the land and its produce were packaged together.

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There’s another method where the produce of the season is harvested before the land is transferred to someone else.

It’s just unknown which type of agreement Wang Yongan made with that Wu Family person.

This reminds the Wang Family, when they first heard that Wang Yongan had sold the land, everyone knew the land was gone, but what about the crops on it?

In a few more days, it’ll be time to dig channels, store water, weed, and fertilize the field; if any step is not done well, the yield will decrease.

For peasant families, witnessing their fields go to waste and their crops yield reduced is absolutely unacceptable.

Having heard the Clan Leader mention this, Wang Laozhu suddenly remembered this issue, "The Wu Family hasn’t sent anyone either; we don’t even know what the contract stipulates."

The Clan Leader simply reminded them and said no more, considering it was someone else’s private matter. It wasn’t right to interfere too much. He wanted them to be aware, and that was all.

However, he thought to himself that in the future, he should take extra care to look after Old Laozhu’s family, fostering a bond of fellowship. After all, if the Wang Family daughter really makes a success of her business, the benefits would naturally go without saying.

It’s not just about anything else, but the girl’s strength alone, being able to fight wolves alongside men. Whether she actually killed a wolf isn’t the issue; it’s her sheer courage. Perhaps this maid is destined for great fortune in the future.

After dinner, as dusk turned to darkness, the last of the people who came to help left, each of them very satisfied with their visit.

Song Chongjin walked out last, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately, he left without uttering a word.

Just as he was about to step out of the gate, Wang Yongzhu suddenly remembered something important and hurriedly called out to stop him.

Under the concerned gazes of Old Granny Zhang and the Wang Family, she dragged Song Chongjin outside the main gate, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered a reminder about something.

Song Chongjin looked intense, "Why are you asking me?"

"A life-saving favor—" Wang Yongzhu slowly drew out her words.

The muscles in Song Chongjin’s cheek twitched, and he nodded briskly, "I got it!"

Wang Yongzhu, knowing the kind of person Song Chongjin was, felt reassured that he would keep his word, and thus she turned around and went back into the courtyard.

Song Chongjin stood alone, watching Wang Yongzhu’s decisive turn and the closing of the courtyard door, which also shut in the lively and warm atmosphere of the Wang Family.

The bustle and warmth inside the courtyard and the stillness outside were like two different worlds.

Song Chongjin stood for a moment then disappeared into the night.

Wang Yongzhu thought that pulling Song Chongjin aside for a private talk would raise questions when she went inside, especially from Old Granny Zhang, who was sure to have a couple of words to say.

But unexpectedly, by the time she lay down on the kang bed, Old Granny Zhang hadn’t asked a single question.

The next day, the Wang Family members all became busy.

The wolf meat that had been pickled for a day and two nights was scooped up, boiled, and then slowly dried over a small fire ignited with pine and cypress branches until it turned into strips of jerky.

This type of jerky not only had a unique flavor but could also last a long time without spoiling.

The children went to the mountains every day to cut down pine and cypress branches, while Old Granny Zhang and Lady Jiang were in charge of smoking the meat in the kitchen.

In the courtyard filled with the smoky aroma of pine and cypress and the scent of meat, Wang Yongzhu started to work on the dye recipe.

To obtain the indigo dye, she had to first soak the Persicaria tinctoria leaves in water. If the weather were warm, one night would suffice, but in colder weather, it would take two nights.

Wang Yongzhu found an unused small jar, cleaned it, and placed the Persicaria tinctoria leaves inside, then added water until the leaves were submerged. She then found some stones to weigh down the leaves and prevent them from floating.

She also cleaned a clay jar, went to the kitchen to secure a spot for roasting the jerky, and placed the clay jar over the fire.

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