Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

Leaving the meat market, Li Chunsheng walked down the bustling street. Although Zheng the butcher's secret operation could solve the immediate problem, it was not a long-term solution.

The truth will out. Sun Dehai, that old fox, will definitely send people to keep an eye on things once he's gone to such lengths to cut off Zheng's supplies. Once Zheng the butcher's secret supply is exposed, not only will Li's business suffer, but Zheng the butcher's entire family will also be implicated.

This can't go on forever; we have to find a solution.

Li Chunsheng narrowed his eyes, looking at the imposing golden signboard of Dongxinglou in the distance, and snorted coldly in his heart.

"Trying to monopolize my business? Trying to strangle my supply chain?"

As a time traveler, Li Chunsheng was least afraid of this kind of business competition.

He opened the system panel.

Current Reputation Points: 3500

The system's online store is filled with a dazzling array of goods.

He had previously been reluctant to use reputation points to exchange for ingredients because he felt it wasn't worthwhile and he couldn't explain their origin, but now, the situation is different.

Li Chunsheng didn't rush back to the shop. Instead, he went to the carriage shop and rented a donkey cart with a canopy.

"Boss, you're back?" Old Wu's expression changed slightly when he saw Li Chunsheng return empty-handed. He asked in a low voice, "How did it go?"

Li Chunsheng waved his hand, gesturing for him to come into the backyard to talk.

There was no one in the backyard.

Li Chunsheng repeated Zheng the butcher's words to Lao Wu.

After listening, Old Wu sighed, "This Butcher Zheng is a man of integrity and loyalty. But boss, this method is risky and not a long-term solution. Since Dongxinglou has taken action, they certainly won't give up easily."

"I know." Li Chunsheng nodded. "So, we need to be prepared. I'll go get the goods tonight to tide us over for the next couple of days. I'll go out of town first thing tomorrow morning."

"Out of the city?" Old Wu was taken aback. "Where to?"

"Let's go to the countryside," Li Chunsheng said. "They can't possibly control the surrounding villages, can they? I refuse to believe that every pig in the entire Beiping area is surnamed Sun!"

At midnight, when all is quiet.

At this time of year, the nights in Beiping are still very cold.

Li Chunsheng, wearing a thick cotton-padded overcoat, pulled the rented donkey cart, the wheels wrapped in thick rags to try to make as little noise as possible.

Following Zheng the butcher's instructions, he bypassed the main street, passed through several narrow alleys, and arrived at the back door of Zheng the butcher's house.

The back door faces a stinking ditch, and nobody ever walks through it.

"Knock knock, knock knock knock".

Li Chunsheng gently knocked on the door knocker, two short knocks followed by three long knocks—this was the agreed-upon code.

"Squeak."

The door opened a crack, revealing Butcher Zheng's tense face.

"Quick! Come in!" Butcher Zheng whispered, pulling Li Chunsheng inside.

The courtyard was completely dark, with only a faint candlelight shining from the cellar entrance.

Butcher Zheng led Li Chunsheng to the cellar and lifted the thick straw curtain.

A chill swept over us, and in the corner of the ice cellar, dozens of kilograms of high-quality pork belly and tenderloin were neatly stacked. The meat had just been slaughtered, and it was bright red with clear marbling.

"It's all here," Butcher Zheng said, panting. "All the best cuts. The guy Sun Dehai sent was an amateur; he only knew how to count weights. I mixed in some inferior meat and offal to fool him."

"Brother Zheng, thank you." Without saying a word, Li Chunsheng took out the money bag he had prepared in advance from his pocket. In addition to the money for the meat, he also put in a few extra silver dollars.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Butcher Zheng knew something was wrong the moment he felt the weight of the money bag, and hurriedly tried to return it. "We agreed on the original price!"

"Take it!" Li Chunsheng pressed his hand down. "This money isn't for you, it's for your sister-in-law and the children. They took such a big risk; if I don't even get a little compensation for my hard work, how can I, Li Chunsheng, face anyone in the future?"

Butcher Zheng couldn't refuse, so he had to accept it, his eyes getting a little wet: "Brother, you're a man of principle, but this really can't last long. You have to think of something quickly."

"Don't worry, Brother Zheng, I have a plan."

The two quickly loaded the meat onto the donkey cart, covered it with straw and tattered cotton, and disguised it as a haul of miscellaneous goods.

Li Chunsheng pulled the cart and disappeared into the night once again.

Back at the restaurant, Lao Wu and Xiao Wu deliberately didn't go inside, but waited in the backyard.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Li Chunsheng return safely.

"Quickly! Unload!"

The three of them worked together to move the meat into the kitchen and hide it in the cellar.

Looking at the meat, Li Chunsheng did not feel relieved. This amount could only last for two or three days. What about after that?

Li Chunsheng opened the system store and searched for a long time before finally finding his target.

[Superior Breeding Pigs: Fast growth rate, high lean meat percentage, strong disease resistance. Price: 500 reputation points/pair.]

[Growth feed formula: Significantly shortens the time to market for pigs, improves meat quality, and has no side effects. Price: 1000 reputation points.]

The local pigs of this era had a long growth cycle, more fat and less lean meat, and their meat quality was not top-notch.

The superior breeds provided by the system, which have been improved over countless generations, are far superior to modern pork in both taste and yield.

He not only needs to solve the problem of supply, but also needs to establish his own breeding base!

"Mr. Wu," Li Chunsheng suddenly spoke up, "Tomorrow morning, you stay at the shop and keep an eye on things. Da Hu, you're coming out of town with me."

"Where to?" Xiao Wu asked.

"Go to Nanyuan."

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Li Chunsheng, along with Da Hu, drove the donkey cart out of Yongding Gate.

The area of ​​Nanyuan was once a royal hunting ground during the Qing Dynasty, but it was later abandoned. Now it is inhabited by many farmers and refugees who fled from other places.

The land here is barren, and apart from growing some crops, most people rely on raising a few pigs and chickens to make a living.

Li Chunsheng chose this place not only because it was close to the city, but also because it was poor.

The two walked and asked around, eventually stopping at a village called Zhao Family Village.

The village looked dilapidated, and there wasn't even a decent big tree at the entrance.

"Boss, what are we doing in this godforsaken place?" Da Hu asked, puzzled. "The people here all look like they're starving. Where are we going to get any pork?"

"Who said I came here to buy meat?" Li Chunsheng jumped out of the car and dusted himself off.

He walked straight to the largest dilapidated house at the entrance of the village, which was the home of the village chief, Jia Laonian.

Old Jia was squatting by the door smoking a pipe when he saw two young men dressed like city dwellers approaching. He stood up warily and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"Village Chief Jia, right?" Li Chunsheng stepped forward, not minding the dirt, and sat down directly on the stone by the door, offering him a cigarette. "I'm the owner of Li's Restaurant in the city. I've come today to discuss a business deal with you."

"Business?" Jia Laonian took the cigarette, sniffed it, and said, "What business can we possibly discuss in this poor, remote place?"

"Pig farming".

"Raising pigs?" Old Jia chuckled. "Manager Li, please don't make fun of me. These days, people can't even get enough to eat, let alone feed pigs. The few pigs in the village are already as thin as dogs."

"What if I provide piglets, feed, and pay you wages?"

"What did you say?" Old Jia dropped his cigarette. "Provide piglets? Feed? Money?"

"That's right." Li Chunsheng pulled out a pre-prepared contract from his pocket. "As long as you raise them the way I do, I'll pay you!"

"Moreover," Li Chunsheng pulled a silver dollar from his pocket, "this silver dollar is advance payment for the wages, as long as the contract is signed. I'll give it to every household that's willing to support us!"

Old Zhao stared at the silver dollar, his eyes wide with disbelief.

In this impoverished village, a single silver dollar could save a family's life!

"Manager Li, you...you're not lying?"

What good would it do me to lie to you?

Meanwhile, at Dongxinglou.

Sun Dehai was listening to his colleague's report.

"Boss, that butcher Zheng is honest; he hasn't dared to deliver any good meat to Li's these past two days. But I heard that before dawn today, that kid from Li's shop seemed to have already taken a cart out of town."

"They went out?" Sun Dehai frowned. "Where did they go?"

"I don't know, but I just saw that Li's Restaurant was still open as usual."

"Hmph, a desperate struggle." Sun Dehai sneered. "He must have gone to the black market or other small butcher shops to buy up meat, but the meat there is scarce and of poor quality. Let's see how long he can last! Keep an eye on him! As long as Butcher Zheng stops supplying him, he won't be able to keep up this stunt for long!"

PS: There will definitely be problems with this pig farming project later on.