However, in the city, money is counted in mo, with seventy-seven wen to one mo, but when calculated as a hundred wen, this is similar to a wholesale price. Yet, due to the different types of goods, there are different calculation methods. For example, in the marketplace, seventy-five wen make one mo, while for meat and vegetables, it’s seventy-four wen to a mo. Over by the Zhuque Gate, they mostly use the marketplace numbers, while in the Donghua Gate and Mahang Street area, they use the official mo calculation.

In this way, for fifty portions of lamb white sausage, Edward Brooks could still make a profit of 75 wen.

After deducting some expenses, not only would he not lose money, but he’d actually earn twenty wen...

Once the accounts were calculated this way, it turned out to be worthwhile. Upon hearing this, Little Steven immediately understood and praised him repeatedly.

“Brother Xiao Yi truly deserves to be the Jade Flood Dragon of our Mahang Street—he came up with an idea so quickly.”

“All right, hurry over to Zhuque Gate... I still need to make a trip to Yinan Bridge to talk to James Foster and see if I can get some more fresh meat. Also, there’s one more thing: later, take some fresh meat from the shop to my house and have Sister Julia figure out a way to cook it. No matter what, we have to get through today. As for the future... heh, could a living person really be suffocated by urine?”

“Exactly, exactly!”

Edward Brooks left, heading straight for Yinan Bridge.

Meanwhile, the two butchers started whispering to each other...

“Ever since Brother Xiao Yi got better, he’s really different from before.”

“Yeah, he seems much steadier!” The butcher nodded repeatedly. “And his mind seems a lot sharper too. At least in the past, Brother Xiao Yi would never have come up with such an idea.”

“I’ll take thirty jin of fresh meat to Brother Xiao Yi’s house first.

Brother, help keep an eye on things here for now—I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks for your hard work, brother!”

After a few polite words, one of the butchers cut off thirty jin of fresh meat and carried it toward Edward Brooks’s house.

At the same time, Edward Brooks arrived at Yinan Bridge.

But just as he had guessed, James Foster refused to increase the supply. Not only did he refuse to increase it, he even wanted to stop supplying Edward Brooks altogether. Edward Brooks didn’t argue with James Foster; he knew that George Harris was behind this. George Harris had a promissory note in his hand, which gave him the upper hand. Many pork vendors were afraid of offending George Harris, so they didn’t dare supply fresh meat.

He visited several shops in a row, but got the same answer everywhere.

Edward Brooks couldn’t help but complain inwardly, feeling gloomy as he walked back toward Mahang Street along the way he’d come. However, when he arrived at the Yu family shop, he found that Nancy was actually busy working inside.

The stove was already lit, the marinade was in the pot, bubbling away and giving off a rich aroma.

“Sister Julia, why are you here?”

He saw Nancy wearing a coarse cloth vest, with an apron tied around her waist. Sometimes she busied herself around the braised pot, sometimes she helped at the meat counter. The sunlight shone on her delicate face, her cheeks rosy like ripe apples, her forehead beaded with fine sweat, giving her a unique charm.

Nancy said, “I heard from Brother Little Steven that the shop was short-handed, so I came to help.

Though I’m a bit clumsy, I do know a thing or two about cooking. When my father was alive, his favorite dish was my little braised specialties.”

As she spoke, a bright smile appeared on Nancy’s face, making Edward Brooks stare in a daze...

“By the way, Brother Xiao Yi, did you settle things with James Foster?”

“That guy refused, and even wants to stop supplying fresh meat. Not just James Foster—I went to several shops, and it’s the same everywhere. I figure Sammy Harris must have threatened them in private, which is why this is happening... I’m just wondering what to do tomorrow.”

Nancy didn’t look surprised.

Clearly, she had already guessed this possibility.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have urged Edward Brooks to go to Yinan Bridge to find James Foster; in truth, it was just a test.

“I knew it—Sammy Harris would definitely use such dirty tricks.

Good thing we found out early, or else if James Foster suddenly cut off the fresh meat tomorrow, that would be real trouble.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

Nancy’s bright eyes sparkled, her pupils darting around.

She suddenly pulled Edward Brooks out of the shop, stopped in a quiet spot, and said, “Brother Xiao Yi, with Sammy Harris cutting off our fresh meat, it’s always going to be a problem. But I’ve thought of an idea, though it’s a bit risky. Since James Foster and the others won’t sell to us, why don’t we do it ourselves?”

“You mean...”

Nancy lowered her voice, “We slaughter the pigs ourselves!”

As soon as she said this, Edward Brooks was stunned... He looked at Nancy, and after a moment gritted his teeth and nodded, “There’s no other way now. If we’re going to slaughter ourselves, we just have to be careful.”

---

Volume One, Sixth Year of Xuanhe, Chapter 007: Pig Slaughtering (Part One)

Pork is pig meat.

In ancient times, high officials and nobles considered eating beef and mutton a mark of status, but that didn’t mean pork was unacceptable.

In fact, during the Tang dynasty, pork had already become a delicacy on the dining table. For ordinary people, being able to eat pork daily was definitely a great thing, a blessing. Especially in Dongjing Bianliang, the daily consumption of pork was beyond counting—an astonishing amount. That’s why Kaifeng city was filled with meat stalls...

But every country has its laws, and every trade its rules.

The selling of pork and the slaughtering of live pigs were strictly separated.