Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Xingbao felt relieved upon hearing this and quickly said, "That's perfect. I'll go back now and pack up the freshly milled white rice for you. It's freshly milled a few days ago, and the rice is clean, but there's not much—only one load to take. We still have quite a bit of grain left at home. If it's convenient to grind it in the city, I can also share some with the caravan and have it taken up with you."

Upon hearing this, the senior apprentice gently waved his hand to dissuade him: "There's no need to take the grain. The regulations for grain management are extremely strict during wartime. Taking the rice to the mill is too conspicuous. If someone sees it, it's easy to give them something to say and cause trouble. You don't need to go through all that trouble. We'll set off together later and wait for the convoy in front of your supply shop. It'll also be a good opportunity for the driver to get familiar with the place, making it more convenient and safer for him to bring things back in the future."

"Okay, then I'll listen to my senior brother."

A moment later, Master's wife came out with Guixiang. Guixiang looked relaxed, so it seemed she had already told Master's wife about the thief! Having been there for so long without seeing Master, Xingbao couldn't help but ask, "Master's wife, where did Master go to treat patients?"

"They went to Old Zhao's house. They called me there before dawn! You two get things ready, Gui Xiang and I will be right back." With that, he led Gui Xiang toward the house next door.

Old Zhao was nearly eighty, his life hanging by a thread. Xingbao knew in his heart that the old man was nearing the end of his life. In the past, whenever Old Zhao was seriously ill and on the verge of death, Xingbao would secretly add a drop of spiritual spring water to his medicine, barely keeping him alive. This caused Old Zhao's condition to fluctuate, sometimes better and sometimes worse, and to drag on and on. But this forced prolongation of life was ultimately only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. The intervals between his attacks became shorter and shorter, and his body grew weaker day by day. Only by continuously nourishing him with spiritual spring water every day could he barely stabilize his life.

Today, his master had rushed out to make house calls, and he and Guixiang were unable to accompany him due to unforeseen circumstances. He couldn't help but feel a pang of worry, wondering if Old Zhao could pull through this ordeal. He wanted to visit him, but couldn't find a suitable excuse, and dared not reveal the secret of the spiritual spring water. This repeated, forced prolongation of life, this constant tug-of-war, was an endless ordeal for the aging Old Zhao. Xingbao silently pondered; perhaps this forced sustenance wasn't the best outcome…

With a heavy heart weighing on his mind, Xingbao composed himself and silently helped his senior brother tie the pickled vegetable jar and cloth bundle securely to Heitan's back.

Not long after, Master's wife returned with Guixiang. Master's wife was all smiles, her expression relaxed, and Guixiang was carrying two strips of glistening cured pork. From afar, Master's wife called out, "Xingbao, quickly find two clean sheets of paper, carefully wrap these two strips of cured pork, and put them in the cloth bag that holds dried mushrooms. With the two smoked rabbits you brought, plus these two strips of cured pork, it'll be enough for Changjian and Changxi to enjoy for a while."

"Yes, Master's wife." Xingbao responded immediately, instantly understanding that his master's wife had taken Guixiang to the neighbor's house to borrow cured meat for his senior brother to take into the city. He quickly turned around and ran into the main room to get a few clean sheets of medicine wrapping paper, then hurried back out to prepare to wrap the cured meat.

In a short while, all the jars, ingredients, and packages were neatly tied and securely fastened to the donkey's back, and the time for departure was just right. The senior apprentice slung his coarse cloth bag over his shoulder, turned, bowed to his master's wife, and said goodbye: "Mother, I'm leaving now. Once I'm settled in the city, I'll send a message back immediately. If Father returns from his medical mission, please inform him for me."

"I know." His wife gently patted his sleeve, her eyes filled with a mother's concern and admonition. "Be careful on the road. Once you enter the city, act cautiously and safely. Never take risks or put yourself in danger for the sake of food. If you lack food or supplies in the city, send a message home. Although supplies are also scarce in the countryside now, they are more resourceful than in the city and can always find a way to gather some to send to you."

After bidding farewell to their master's wife, the three set off together. Xingbao led the way, holding Heitan's hand, while their second senior brother walked alongside him. Guixiang stood guard on the other side of the donkey, carefully protecting the tightly bound jars and cloth bags on either side. Heitan walked steadily, his steps treading on the morning dew along the country road, heading towards Song's shop.

A cool mountain breeze blew, and the fields were quiet. Xingbao pondered silently the whole way. In the city, food and meat were scarce, and prices were soaring. Even government employees' families didn't have enough food, let alone ordinary people. In contrast, a few more households in the village had started raising pigs in the past two years, but the market in the countryside was narrow, and few people bought meat on ordinary days. Everyone was hoping to slaughter their pigs as soon as possible to earn money. However, the number of pig slaughtering slots was limited each year, and arguments and resentments between neighbors over these slots were commonplace.

If the village's pigs could be sold in the city, it would not only alleviate the city's urgent need for supplies but also provide the villagers with a stable sales channel, completely eliminating the chaos of competing for quotas every year. It would be a win-win situation.

With this in mind, Xingbao took the initiative to ask, "Senior brother, I have a question. Does the county and government still accept live pigs?"

Upon hearing this, the senior brother glanced at him slightly and said, "You've already bought them. Why are you suddenly asking this? Do you raise pigs at home? There's just been a battle on the front lines, and the troops and staff in the city are facing a huge shortage of meat. Most of the fat pigs around the county that are ready for market have already been bought up, and the county is going to the countryside to buy them."

Xingbao quickly explained, "Senior brother, what are you thinking? Even if we wanted to feed the pigs, we wouldn't have anything to give them. It's just that our village has a lot of pigs. You know, in the countryside, we only slaughter pigs for meat during festivals. Each family in the village can only afford to buy a few ounces to satisfy their cravings. On ordinary days, the meat is hard to sell, and the market is extremely poor. Now that we've raised a few more pigs, there aren't enough slaughtering quotas to go around, and the neighbors are constantly arguing about it, accumulating a lot of resentment. I was thinking that the city is short of meat right now. If we could sell it in the county, it would not only supplement the city's military and civilian supplies but also help resolve the disputes in the village. Everyone wouldn't have to argue about the quotas anymore, which would be a win-win situation."

Upon hearing this, the second senior brother paused slightly, pondered for a moment, and then showed a hint of approval in his eyes: "Your idea is indeed insightful and comprehensive. Currently, wartime supplies are scarce, and the county government is indeed requisitioning live pigs at designated locations, prioritizing supplies for the garrison and public officials in the city. However, our village has little farmland, and in the past, people often went hungry, so naturally, not many people raised pigs, and therefore no one paid attention. But if the pigs are sold directly to the government, the price will be driven down to the lowest possible level. If you have any pigs, give them to me; I'll buy them at market price, guaranteeing that the villagers won't suffer losses."

"Senior brother, you have to pay a pig donation when you slaughter a pig. Won't you lose money doing this?" Xingbao frowned slightly, a concern arising in his heart.

The senior apprentice hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice and saying, "We won't lose money. There are many tricks involved, and if this gets out, it will offend people. I'll go find the village head later and say that he was sent by the county to buy pigs. I'll just pay him some money to issue a receipt and stamp it with his seal."