Chapter 17 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

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"Well, how is it? Does it taste good?" Wu Bai eagerly asked the family members gathered around him.

 

Father Wu savored the flavor of the braised meat, his face lighting up with delight. "Delicious! I've never tasted meat this good in my life!"

 

"Who would've thought that with Bai ger's touch, it would turn out this tasty," Wu fulang added, full of praise.

 

The eldest son of the Wu family gave a thumbs-up. "Bai ger, I never imagined you had such talent!"

 

Wu Erfulang chimed in, "You've even put me and my older sister's cooking skills to shame!"

 

Hearing this, the eldest sister-in-law nodded in agreement, his face full of approval.

 

"Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Sisters, what do you think—if our family sold something like this in town, do you think people would buy it?" Wu Bai asked, looking at them intently.

 

"Of course people would buy it!" his eldest brother replied enthusiastically.

 

After a moment's pause, Wu Village Head finally spoke up. "Bai ger, where did you learn this recipe?"

 

Realizing this was their main concern, Wu Bai quickly explained, "It's a method I learned from Xiao gongzi when we were in the provincial city." Technically true—it just hadn't been this lifetime's Xiao Zimo who taught him.

 

"Why would Xiao gongzi share such a profitable method with you?" Father Wu seemed skeptical.

 

"Father, you're underestimating Xiao gongzi. His family deals in high-end jade and jewelry—he wouldn't bother with food sales. For him, cooking methods are just a small enjoyment in life."

 

"Wait, which Xiao gongzi are you talking about?" Wu fulang and the others looked confused.

 

Father Wu suddenly remembered he hadn't mentioned Xiao Zimo to the family before. "Just a gongzi we met during our trip to the provincial city. His surname is Xiao, but we didn't have much interaction, so I forgot to mention him."

 

"Not much interaction? Yet he'd share a cooking method with Bai ger?" Wu fulang looked incredulously at him, thinking he was trying to make a fool out of them all.

 

Wu Bai quickly stepped in to clarify, "Mother, Father's right—he really only met Xiao Zimo once. When Xiao gongzi taught me this recipe, Father wasn't around, so he truly didn't know about it."

 

"But why would this Xiao gongzi share such a recipe with you?" Wu fulang pressed, undeterred.

 

Seeing that he couldn't divert the topic, Wu Bai had no choice but to put on a shy expression.

 

Seeing this, everyone immediately understood what might have motivated Xiao gongzi to teach Bai ger this. A complex mix of emotions surfaced among them.

 

But Wu fulang, looking quite annoyed, reached over and tugged Father Wu's ear. "You actually allowed Bai ger to be alone with a man? Were you trying to ruin his reputation?"

 

"Mother, you're mistaken! I just happened to bump into Xiao gongzi while out on a walk. Father didn't know I'd run into anyone. Besides, Xiao gongzi is a truly kind person—otherwise, he wouldn't have taught me this recipe, right?" Wu Bai quickly rescued Father Wu from further ear-pulling.

 

"Wait, wait… Could it be that Xiao gongzi has some ulterior motive toward you?" Wu fulang asked suspiciously.

 

"No, no, he's already returned to the capital—miles and miles away from here. He's just a good person, that's all, Mother. You really don't need to overthink this," Wu Bai assured him, silently apologizing to Xiao Zimo in his heart for just bestowing him with the good guy card.

 

At last, Wu fulang relaxed, understanding the vast difference in status between their families and knowing nothing would come of it. His vigilance had only been out of concern for Bai ger, wanting to shield him from any potential harm.

 

"All right then," Wu Bai said, eager to steer the conversation in a new direction. "Let's focus on discussing how we might sell this food. Should we start with a small stall, or rent a storefront in town?"

 

"I think we should start with a small stall and see if it sells. We can make bigger plans afterward," suggested the eldest sister-in-law.

 

The second sister-in-law nodded. "Exactly. Even if we're confident about this, we don't know the townspeople's tastes yet. They're our main customers, and if they don't take to it, renting a shop would be a waste of money."

 

Wu Bai wanted to assure them that the townsfolk would love the braised meat, but he held his tongue, deciding it would be better to let the product speak for itself. This way, when the stall proved successful, the family's confidence would naturally grow.

 

Everyone agreed to the idea of starting with a small stall.

 

Since Wu Bai had already stocked up on spices, all they needed was some meat. However, being a farming family, they didn't keep large amounts of meat at home, nor could they afford it, so they headed to the village butcher to seek their supply.

 

With everything finally prepared, Wu Bai taught Wu fulang and his two sisters-in-law how to prepare the braised meat. They began early, braising a large pot of meat and letting it cool, ready to sell at the town market the next day.

 

The following morning, eager to see how the business would fare, the whole family set off to town together.

 

Each family member had a role: Wu Village Head set up the table, while the Wu Family's eldest son carefully placed the large pot of braised meat on it. Wu Bai and the others arranged the plates, bowls, and chopsticks around the table.

 

Even though the meat had cooled, the rich aroma still filled the air, attracting many passersby and making their mouths water.

 

Before long, someone approached, asking, "What's this called, and how much does it cost?"

 

Seizing the opportunity, Father Wu replied with the price they'd discussed, "This is braised meat—fifty coins per jin*."

 

[T/N: The jin (斤) is a traditional Chinese unit of weight, commonly used to measure food and other goods. In modern China, one jin equals 500 grams or approximately 1.1 pounds. Historically, its weight varied.]

 

"Fifty coins! Are you kidding? Fresh pork costs only thirty coins per jin!" A wave of disbelief rippled through the crowd.

 

"Uncle, that's not the same!" Wu Bai stepped in smoothly, eager to dispel their doubts. "Can ordinary pork match this fragrance? Take a closer whiff! Besides the cost of the meat itself, we used over ten different spices, each expensive in its own right. Quality comes at a price. This isn't just flavorful—it's crafted with quality, and that's why it's worth every penny. Now, if we were to sell this at just one coin per jin, would you feel confident eating it?"

 

After hearing this, one customer, though somewhat convinced, still hesitated. "It does sound reasonable, but fifty coins per jin is still a lot."

 

"Oh, no problem there! We can cut half a jin if you like," Wu Bai replied with a grin, pointing to the cutting board on the table. "Just let us know how much you want, and we'll slice it fresh for you."

 

Satisfied, the customer nodded. "All right, give me half a jin. I'll taste it first."

 

"Sure thing!" Wu Bai responded cheerfully, signaling the Wu Family's eldest son to slice a half-jin portion of the braised meat.

 

Though the family hadn't considered selling in smaller portions, they were thrilled at this first sale. The eldest brother placed the meat on a plate, and Wu Bai handed over a pair of chopsticks. "Uncle, here are your chopsticks. The plate and chopsticks aren't for sale, so please just leave them on the table when you're done."

 

The customer picked up the chopsticks, took a bite, and his eyes lit up instantly. "This is incredible! I've never tasted anything this good. Can I get some to take with me?"

 

"Of course! We can wrap it up for you."

 

"Give me another half a jin—no, make it a full jin, please," the customer decided, holding up a finger.

 

"Coming right up!" Wu Bai quickly grabbed some oiled paper and wrapped up a full jin of braised meat, which had already been sliced by Wu Kangping, and handed it to the customer.

 

The delighted customer placed his empty plate back, took out 75 copper coins, handed them to Wu Bai, and left with his packaged braised meat, a satisfied smile on his face.

 

With the first sale made and word of the flavor spreading quickly, more people gathered around. Seeing the customer's pleasant reaction, others stopped hesitating.

 

"Give me half a jin!"

 

"I'll take a full jin to go!"

 

In no time, the Wu family's stall was bustling with business, keeping everyone busy and excited.

 

Before noon, every last bit of braised meat had sold out. Once they packed up, Father Wu left the tables and other items in a storage shop at the market—a place where street vendors could leave their equipment for a fee of just one copper coin a day. It was a convenient arrangement, as higher rates would make people prefer taking their things home.

 

Exhausted and too hungry to wait until they returned, the family ate at a small restaurant in town before heading back.

 

Once home, Father Wu poured the day's earnings onto the table, and they all counted eagerly. After deducting the costs, they had made a net profit of 624 copper coins.

 

If they could earn this much each day, they'd be looking at 18 taels* a month—an income beyond anything they had ever imagined. The family was elated, gazing at the copper coins on the table as if envisioning a brighter future.

 

[T/N: A tael (liang, 两) of silver was typically worth around 1,000 copper coins (or wen, 文) in historical Chinese currency systems.]

 

Wu fulang took some of the coins and distributed them among the younger family members. He then strung the remaining coins together with a hemp rope* and tucked them into his pocket.

 

[T/N: Stringing copper coins was a common practice in ancient China to make them easier to carry and store. The coins, often round with a square hole in the center, were strung together by threading a cord or string through the hole in the middle. This method allowed merchants, traders, and individuals to organize large amounts of coins in a manageable way, facilitating easier transport for transactions.]

 

Since they'd already had lunch in town, everyone had a free afternoon. Father Wu returned to the butcher and bought more meat than before, which he handed over to Wu fulang and the sisters.

 

In the kitchen, the sisters looked at the fresh meat not just as food but as coins waiting to be earned. Their hands moved faster, even though the meat wouldn't be sold until the next day.

 

At dinner, Wu Bai suggested they enjoy some of the braised meat themselves. Wu fulang, seeing no objections, went to the kitchen and brought out a plateful.

 

As they ate, the family chatted happily about the next day's business, and even began discussing the idea of renting a permanent shop.

 

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