Edward Brooks always felt a sense of disappointment in his heart. The things he had learned seemed to have no use at all. If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have studied vocal music back then—even studying something like economics or finance would be better than his current situation!

But on his face, he still had to keep a smile.

After all, Jack Ross was helping him—how could he not remember this favor?

And so, under Jack Ross’s guidance, Edward Brooks finally mastered the skill of butchering pigs. According to Jack Ross, Edward Brooks was extremely talented and would surely become the best butcher in the future.

Thank you so much!

Edward Brooks muttered to himself...

Who would want to be a butcher for their whole life?

However, there really was a famous butcher in the Song Dynasty, well-known even in later generations. That was Zheng the Butcher from Water Margin, who was beaten to death by Lu Zhishen with three punches. But although Zheng the Butcher died, he had lived a merry life. Before his death, he even enjoyed Jin Qiaolian’s body—truly, “better to die under the peony flower, even as a ghost one remains romantic.”

Damn it...

※※※

As the fourth watch passed, the three of them left Wulidian.

Two pigs, over three hundred jin of meat. If sales went well, they could earn at least two or three guan more today. After all, these privately slaughtered pigs were cheaper than those bought from the shops. If business was good and they could sell three pigs a day, after fifty days, they could make up to three hundred guan.

The problem was, could business really be booming every day?

Edward Brooks wasn’t sure, and could only hope for Heaven’s favor.

Before coming up with any other ideas, this seemed to be the only way to make money. Heaven hadn’t treated Edward Brooks too badly, after all. At least he wasn’t reborn into an utterly destitute family, unable to fill his stomach each day. For this, Edward Brooks still felt a bit of gratitude deep down...

At the fifth watch, the gates of Kaifeng Prefecture swung open.

Edward Brooks and his two companions followed the crowd, pouring into Kaifeng Prefecture to begin another busy day.

As the saying goes, “The plan of the day lies in the morning.”

Mornings in Kaifeng Prefecture were especially lively. The 19 districts and 135 wards, after a night of quiet, were once again full of vitality. Many inns lit their lamps and candles early to sell breakfast. Breakfast in Kaifeng wasn’t too expensive—sold by portion, each one cost twenty wen, economical and convenient.

After entering the city, Jack Ross parted ways with Edward Brooks and his wife.

He went home, while Edward Brooks and his wife pushed their cart straight to the Yu family shop...

“Brother Xiao Yi, wait a moment.”

As they walked, Nancy Johnson suddenly called out to Edward Brooks.

She stopped a vendor pushing a cart, took out a few Xuanhe coins, and brought back two cups of clear water and a washbasin. By the roadside ditch, Nancy dipped a willow twig into some powdery substance and handed it to Edward Brooks.

“What’s this?”

“Brother Xiao Yi, for rinsing your mouth.”

Nancy shot Edward Brooks a look, as if to say: Don’t be ridiculous!

Rinsing the mouth...

The service in Kaifeng Prefecture was really attentive—even mouthwash was sold? Edward Brooks took the willow twig and rinsed his mouth. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something... Right, toothbrushes!

It seemed that toothbrushes hadn’t appeared in this era yet.

In a time when even mouthwash could be sold, he wondered if toothbrushes could be sold too?

Wait, how are toothbrushes made again?

Pig bristles... and a bone handle. Making this thing wasn’t hard at all! And pig bristles and bone handles—he’d have plenty from butchering pigs every day. Could he sell these things?

“Brother Xiao Yi, hurry up.”

Seeing Edward Brooks suddenly stop, Nancy didn’t know what he was thinking and urged him on. At the same time, she handed him a wet towel and returned the washbasin to the vendor. Edward Brooks wiped his face and immediately felt much more clear-headed.

Hmm, he could look into how to make toothbrushes later!

Pushing the cart to the Yu family shop, Steven Howard was already waiting inside, cleaning the meat counter.

“Brother Xiao Yi, why did you go buy meat yourself? Doesn’t James Foster usually deliver it?”

Steven Howard clearly didn’t know that the meat vendors in Kaifeng Prefecture were joining forces to boycott Edward Brooks.

Edward Brooks’s heart was pounding, but on the surface he acted as if nothing was wrong. “It’s nothing, just went myself to save a bit. You know, our shop is going through a tough time, so we have to save wherever we can.”

“Heh, Brother Xiao Yi is really a careful person.”

Steven Howard clearly didn’t take this matter to heart.

Besides, he would never have guessed that Edward Brooks would actually go and slaughter pigs and sheep himself.

While helping Edward Brooks unload the goods, Steven Howard chattered on, “Brother Xiao Yi, when I went home yesterday, I remembered something I wanted to discuss with you.”

“What is it?”

“A new family just moved in next door to me, from Tangyin in Xiangzhou, surname Yang. The couple is very honest. I heard they fled here because of a flood in Xiangzhou. But as you know, it’s not easy to find work in Kaifeng Prefecture these days... Old Yang found a job as a dyer, but it’s not even enough to cover the rent. However, his wife is really good at cooking meat. Now that Chef Ma is gone, our shop just happens to be short of someone to make cooked food. I was thinking, if we invite Mrs. Yang over, it wouldn’t cost much, but we’d have an extra helping hand. It’s better than having Sister Jiu’er show her face in the shop every day.”