Chapter 193
Early the next morning, Shen Xuanqing went to Wang Mutou’s house. A squeaky table wouldn’t do for chopping meat, so he specifically picked out a good plank from the pile of timber in Wang Mutou’s yard.
The table needed to be made larger, and two meat-chopping blocks were also required, along with at least four wooden racks for hanging meat. To be safe, he directly ordered six, better to have more than not enough. These things had to be prepared properly so that after opening shop, they wouldn’t find themselves short of one thing today and lacking another tomorrow.
He explained everything carefully to Wang Mutou. If four racks were finished first, they could be delivered, and the remaining two could be made at a slower pace. Wang Mutou had worked with wood his entire life, and things like tables and racks weren’t intricate craftsmanship. He nodded and promised to do a proper job, reassuring Shen Xuanqing.
After paying the deposit, Shen Xuanqing said, “Uncle Mutou, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright, alright.” Wang Mutou tucked the broken silver into his pocket and saw him out, saying, “Once they’re ready, I’ll have Chengzi deliver them to your place.”
“Sounds good.” Shen Xuanqing agreed and left.
After settling with the carpenter, he still had to visit the blacksmith’s shop. Selling rabbits, chickens, and ducks was one thing, butchering larger animals like pigs and sheep required large iron hooks to hang the meat, as ropes wouldn't be strong enough. Along with the hooks, he also needed new knives - a butcher’s cleaver and a bone-chopping blade, at least two or three new ones.
As Shen Xuanqing walked home, he calculated in his mind that there would still be quite a bit of spending before the shop opened. But once everything was in order, the money would slowly be earned back.
It wasn’t yet spring plowing season, and remnants of ice could still be seen on the river. The wild grass along the banks hadn’t yet sprouted green tips, so it wasn’t yet time for cutting grass or digging up wild vegetables. He first headed to the main house.
Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, he, Shen Yaoqing, Wei Lanxiang, and Ji Qiuyue had already tended to the livestock and cleaned what needed cleaning. Now, Shen Yaoqing was shoveling manure in the backyard, Ji Qiuyue was basking in the sun with the newly awakened Zhao’er in her arms, and Wei Lanxiang was carefully tying dried bamboo twigs into brooms.
The brooms were for the shop. Since they’d be selling meat and living there, they’d need to sweep and clean daily. As for feather dusters, their household had plenty, they could just take one along.
Wei Lanxiang, sitting there, heard movement and looked up, saying, “I’ve already had Guzi air out the bedding to take along. Your eldest brother mentioned there’s a small yard behind the shop. If there’s enough space to wash and air clothes, that’ll be fine. If not, we can always go to your master and shiniang’s place to dry them.”
Shops rarely hung laundry in front, it would block the entrance and interfere with business.
“Understood, Mother.” Shen Xuanqing agreed, then took Zhao’er into his arms and gently squeezed one of the little chubby hands. The plump little paw was so amusing that he couldn’t help but smile.
“Mother, next month when the weather warms up, I reckon there’ll be spring chicks for sale at the market. This year is different from before. Aside from Brother Yang’s needs, we’ll need fewer chickens and ducks, but the brothel will require a steady supply, and the shop will also need stock. We’ll need to raise more this year, fifty or sixty won’t be enough. We should aim for a hundred or so each. If I’m not home, you and Eldest Brother can buy some chicks and ducklings. Our yard is big enough, we won’t have trouble raising them. Buy as many as possible.”
Wei Lanxiang paused at her work. After hearing him out, she couldn’t help clicking her tongue. Their family already had a considerable number of chickens and ducks, yet now they needed even more. But then she reconsidered—nowadays, they had to deliver rabbits, chickens, and ducks to the brothel at least twice a month. The rabbits ranged from seven or eight to thirteen or fourteen, while the chickens and ducks could total over ten each per month. They really did need to raise more.
Earlier in the winter, they had kept twenty chickens and ducks unsold to lay eggs in spring and hatch chicks and ducklings. Last month, they had only delivered rabbits to the brothel.
“Even if we raise more than the brothel can take, it’s fine. We can just keep them in the backyard.” Shen Xuanqing finished speaking and bounced Zhao’er a couple of times, making the child giggle.
Chickens and ducks could be raised for two or three years without issue, old hens and ducks were precisely what made the best soups.
Shen Xuanqing lifted Zhao’er high into the air, pretending to toss him before quickly catching him again, delighting the child, who laughed without a trace of fear.
Tossing a child high required strength, those without it wouldn’t dare. Zhao’er, now a bit older and well-fed even in the womb, was chubby and sturdy, unlike other frail childs, so they could play like this without worry.
After playing for a while, Shen Xuanqing returned the child to Ji Qiuyue and said, “Later, I’ll pick ten more pairs of the larger young rabbits as breeding stock. Every two months, they’ll produce thirty or forty more. If the older breeding rabbits start declining, Eldest Brother can replace them as needed. During winter, we didn’t breed them for three months. Of the hundred or so remaining adult rabbits, we’ll reserve sixty for the brothel, that’ll cover the next three months’ deliveries. The remaining fifty or sixty will be more than enough for the shop.”
There were still twenty-six young rabbits, born from five mother rabbits in early winter. In another three months, they’d be just half a year old, plenty old enough to supply the brothel’s demand. To protect these twenty-some rabbits during winter, they had been kept in the woodshed with a brazier for warmth, lest they freeze to death.
Besides, rabbits weren’t like chickens and ducks, brothel patrons ate fewer of them. Keeping twenty in reserve each month sometimes wasn’t even fully used up, so this number was sufficient.
“If Brother Yang needs rabbits, we can send him a few. If the shop runs short, I can always take the dogs up the mountain to hunt more.” As he spoke, Shen Xuanqing rolled up his sleeves and headed to the backyard to pick out breeding rabbits.
Shen Yaoqing emerged from the rabbit shed carrying a manure basket and asked, “All settled?”
“Yes. Once they’re ready, Chengzi will deliver them.” Shen Xuanqing then added, “Right now, there are still empty rabbit hutches and cages. I’ll pick ten more pairs as breeding stock, better to have more than less.”
“True.” Shen Yaoqing nodded, then paused before asking, “In that case, we’ll need to build two more rows of hutches.”
Shen Xuanqing smiled. “Exactly. The weather’s been good these past few days, and we’re not too busy. After I pick the breeding rabbits, I’ll saw some wood.”
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