TPGA - 51

Chapter 51: Wu Laosan

Wu Laosan hastily said, “How could that be? Just the other day, I ran into your wife, and she said the musk deer meat sold very well—an entire morning’s worth was gone! She told me to bring more next time I had some.”

Hearing this, the butcher’s face flushed with embarrassment, and he scolded, “What does that woman know? She spends all day gossiping outside.” Then he waved his hand dismissively and said, “In any case, I’m not taking this musk deer this time. You’ll have to find another way to sell it yourself.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Laosan’s face fell. Of course, he wanted to sell it himself—he could earn a few more coins that way. But this butcher, Feng Cheng, was the local tyrant of this street, monopolizing the private meat trade here. Without his permission, no one dared sell any meat on this street—not even wild game hunted from the mountains. If Feng Cheng found out, at best, he’d send people to smash your goods; at worst, he’d come to your door and beat you up.

Wu Laosan had secretly sold wild game once before, but somehow Feng Cheng found out. That very night, Feng sent a few of his men to Wu’s house and beat him up as a warning. They threatened to break his legs if he ever dared to do it again, ensuring he’d never be able to hunt for the rest of his life. At the time, Meixue was still young and had witnessed her father being beaten until he was black and blue. She was so frightened that she didn’t dare speak for several days.

After that incident, Wu Laosan never dared to sell wild meat privately again. Whenever he hunted something, aside from keeping a portion for himself, he would bring the rest to Feng Cheng to sell on consignment, enduring Feng’s exploitation.

Helplessly, Wu Laosan pleaded, “Brother Feng, please help me out this time. I’m the only one at home, and I can’t possibly eat an entire musk deer by myself. Otherwise...” He steeled himself and said, “Let’s split it sixty-forty, with you taking an extra ten percent?”

Feng Cheng waved his hand dismissively and said, “Alright, alright. For the sake of our long acquaintance, I’ll help you out one more time—sixty-forty, but I take sixty, and you take forty.”

Hearing this, Wu Laosan immediately grew flustered and stuttered, “Th-this... how can this be?” This musk deer was something he had spent half a day hunting in the mountains. Feng Cheng didn’t lift a finger—he just had to sell it—and yet he wanted to take sixty percent. That meant Wu would get less than half. It was simply too ruthless.

Feng Cheng frowned impatiently and said, “If you want to sell, then sell. If not, take it away. Don’t block my business here. Chunxiu might come back today, so I need to finish selling the meat early.” As he spoke, the workers in the butcher shop began shooing Wu Laosan away.

Wu Laosan truly didn’t want to sell, but if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have money to buy the things his daughter liked. Thinking of his long-unseen daughter, Wu Laosan reluctantly agreed, “Fine, sixty it is. I’ll...”

“Father!” A crisp and familiar voice interrupted Wu Laosan. He quickly turned around and saw his beloved daughter standing not far away. He hurried over, his gaunt face breaking into a rare joyful smile. “You’ve finally come back! Why didn’t you go home? Why did you come here instead?”

Yunyi smiled and replied, “I haven’t seen Father in such a long time. I wanted to buy some things and happened to see you here by chance.”

The surname Wu, a hunter by trade, and a daughter whose name included “Mei”—this could only be Meixue’s father. As it turned out, her guess was correct.

“No need to buy anything. I have everything,” Wu Laosan said. Then, realizing he was still holding the musk deer, he quickly added, “Wait a moment. Let me sell this musk deer to your Uncle Feng first, and then I’ll buy you the osmanthus cakes and white sugar cakes you like.”

Yunyi glanced at Feng Cheng and smiled, saying, “Since Uncle Feng says this musk deer meat is hard to sell, let’s not trouble him. Let’s take it back. Coincidentally, I’ve been craving musk deer meat lately.”

Wu Laosan was surprised and asked, “Musk deer meat? Didn’t you always say it was too gamey and inedible? Why do you suddenly want to eat it now?”

Yunyi’s eyes flickered slightly as she replied, “I don’t know why, but after being away for a while, I’ve developed a craving for the game Father hunts. As for the gaminess, adding more vinegar and radishes should fix it.”

Hearing this, Wu Laosan nodded happily. “Alright, I’ll cook it for you when we get home. You can eat as much as you want.” As he spoke, he stuffed the musk deer into a sack.

Seeing this, Feng Cheng grew anxious. Musk deer hunted by Wu Laosan had always been a hot commodity in his shop, selling for several times the price of pork. This musk deer alone weighed at least several dozen catties. Sixty percent of that would amount to over a hundred copper coins.

Suppressing his anxiety, Feng Cheng scowled and said, “Wu Laosan, are you mocking me? First, you say you’ll sell, and then you say you won’t?”

Wu Laosan didn’t dare offend him and forced a smile. “Brother Feng, please don’t misunderstand. My daughter said she likes it, so... please forgive me.” Seeing Feng Cheng’s displeased expression, he took out his hunting knife, cut off a hind leg of the musk deer, and offered it to Feng Cheng, saying ingratiatingly, “This leg is for you, Brother Feng. Please don’t refuse.”

Yunyi frowned and said, “Father, didn’t Uncle Feng just say this musk deer meat is hard to sell? He probably doesn’t like it either. Don’t force him.”

Her words caused Feng Cheng’s hand, which had been reaching for the musk deer leg, to freeze mid-air. His face flushed red and then turned pale, leaving him in an awkward position.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Wu Laosan scolded Yunyi quietly, then forced a smile and said, “This little girl doesn’t understand. Brother Feng, please don’t take offense. When we get home, I’ll discipline her properly. Next time I hunt a musk deer, I’ll bring it straight to you and split it sixty-forty as you said.”

Feng Cheng snorted coldly and ignored him. Wu Laosan awkwardly placed the musk deer leg on the counter and then pulled Yunyi away. After walking a few steps, they heard Feng Cheng cursing loudly behind them, using extremely vulgar language that made Yunyi feel deeply disgusted. She wanted to go back and argue with him, but Wu Laosan tightly held her hand and whispered, “Don’t say anything more. Let’s hurry home!”

After winding through several twists and turns, Yunyi finally saw the sign for “Changshi Lane.” After walking a little further, Wu Laosan stopped in front of a rather old osmanthus tree, took out his keys, and unlocked the door to the house.

After putting down the sack containing the musk deer and his bow and arrows, Wu Laosan chattered on, “Rest for a bit, child. After I skin the musk deer, I’ll make my best braised musk deer meat for you. You always thought it was too gamey and refused to eat it, but let me tell you, musk deer meat is much tastier than ordinary pork or chicken. That’s why so many people buy it. You’ll know once you try it.”

“If Father knows that musk deer meat sells well, why agree to such harsh terms?” Yunyi’s question caused Wu Laosan to pause in the middle of starting the fire. He looked up and asked, “You mean Feng Cheng?”

Yunyi picked up a piece of firewood and handed it to him. “Yes. He deliberately says the musk deer meat is hard to sell, clearly using it as an excuse to lower your price and take sixty percent for himself.”