Chapter 116: Work Points, Let’s Get Them Rolling

Speed is of the essence!

As soon as the leader of Cloud-Piercing Stronghold returns, he will discover that his lair has been completely wiped out, looted down to the last scrap.

They must hurry over.

This time, Yan Huaiwen mobilized even more people. Aside from a few left behind to guard, even Yan Lao’er, who usually had no part in such affairs, was allowed to join.

A closer look would reveal that those left behind this time were either involved in the destruction of Laosong Mountain or had participated in the raid on Cloud-Piercing Stronghold.

In reality, Yan Huaiwen was deliberately rotating everyone out to experience bloodshed.

Yan Lao’er was excited. He handed over the temporary butcher stall to his wife.

Pig intestines don’t keep well, so he entrusted their handling to his daughter. He had no worries about whether such a young girl could manage—his daughter was reliable in every way, even more so than himself.

The three Qi brothers naturally followed Yan Lao’er.

After hearing that Yan Lao’er had treated them to meat, soup, and mantou outside, the Qi brothers’ mother secretly wiped her tears for a long time. After that, she became even more diligent in teaching her three simple-minded sons. Her most frequent advice was: “Your brains aren’t enough, so listen to Yan Lao’er.”

Luo San was among those left behind.

As soon as Li Xuemei arrived, he greeted her smartly, calling her “Second Sister-in-law” and sending Si Tie to fetch a stool for her to sit.

“Sis, should we separate the meat, or just let folks pick what they need like Yan Lao’er did?”

Even now, Luo San wasn’t entirely sure.

Previously, Yan Lao’er had always cut meat on demand.

Li Xuemei glanced at the fairly intact strips of meat and the dwindling supply of offal, then smiled. “Do it like your Yan Lao’er.”

If they could get rid of the pig offal, that would be ideal. The rest of the meat could be made into jerky for better preservation.

Luo San agreed readily.

Noticing the three pig heads, he sighed, “What a pity. Pig heads used to sell best—offering them for sacrifices was always in high demand.”

Li Xuemei had no interest in looking at them. Wild boar heads were nowhere near as plump and tender as those of farm-raised pigs.

However, she did have opinions on how to eat pig head meat.

“Didn’t we already sell the pig brains? Let’s divide up the heads too and see if anyone wants them. I’ve heard some people love eating pig tongues.”

Luo San chuckled. “Brain, tongue, ears, snout—pig head meat is nice and chewy. No matter the pig, every part is useful, except for a small section of the neck. Just now, someone specifically wanted pig trotters, saying they could clean them up themselves. Yan Lao’er heard that and gave them a good deal. Wild boar trotters are hard to process—too much trouble for us. Yan Lao’er is really something, generous, easygoing, and fair. Everyone in and outside the village praises him!”

Li Xuemei cast him an amused glance. Luo San continued cutting meat with a grin, as if the pork was his true passion and his earlier words were just casual chatter.

She could read between the lines.

Generous, easygoing, and fair—Luo San had put Yan Lao’er on a pedestal. If she acted stingy, wouldn’t that ruin Yan Lao’er’s newly earned reputation?

Alright, she’d remember this Luo San!

Meanwhile, Luo San kept working while calling out, “Still got pig trotters! One pig tail left! Not much offal left—trade for what you need!”

The refugees holding bags of goods stirred.

They whispered among themselves.

“What do we do? Not much left.”

“Should’ve come earlier to pick.”

“Pick what? I can’t afford to trade for meat. Anything with even a bit of meat flavor will do.”

“This village is really something. They were selling horse meat before, and now they’ve brought back three wild boars!”

“If they weren’t so capable, could they have saved us? Could they have had the guts to take down bandits? We’re lucky. Those the bandits took before us weren’t so fortunate—who knows where they were sold, or if they even survived.”

“Ugh, don’t talk about it. Just thinking about it makes my heart race!”

The mood grew somber.

Then Luo San’s loud voice rang out again, “Pig heads will be divided soon! If you know how to cook them, wait here. We’ll clean them up for you—no sense in ruining good food!”

The refugees immediately shifted topics, chatting excitedly.

“Pig ears are crispy—so good!”

“Snouts are the tastiest!”

“Pig head meat has the perfect mix of fat and lean—so delicious!”

“Hey, save me a pig tongue, will you?”

Luo San shouted back, “Pig tail’s gone!”

Si Tie and Wu Tie, the two youngest, were busy running errands for their Third Uncle.

Luo San had already scorched the pig heads while preparing the pig brains earlier. Now, he wanted to clean them more thoroughly.

After soaking them in boiling water for fifteen minutes, he used a small hair-plucking tool. Despite his short time in the butchering trade, he was serious about making a career of it and had all the right tools.

Si Tie and Wu Tie, with their sharp eyes and fear of their pig-killing Third Uncle, plucked the hairs with great focus.

Luo San was quick at portioning the meat and firm on pricing.

For standard trades, he followed precedent. When unsure, he asked Second Sister-in-law Yan, who was watching over the stall.

Li Xuemei focused on weighing and packing grain.

As Luo San’s calls continued, the pig offal was all gone.

Only the pork remained unsold.

Luo San, still busy, glanced at Li Xuemei and reassured her, “Sis, pork has always been expensive. Aside from special occasions, who buys a whole jin just to eat? Some who crave it just shave off three or four liang at most. This is all good meat—if we make jerky, it’ll keep for a long time.”

“Heh, let your Yan Lao’er worry about that when he’s back,” Li Xuemei said warmly.

Playing the role of a woman who relies on her husband once in a while—why not?

Just accounting for these three pigs would take a while. She had no interest in getting involved.

Her daughter and her daughter’s father loved this kind of thing.

—

Yan Yu gathered the children’s squad for a meeting.

Ahem, at least, that’s how she saw it.

She explained how their group’s defenses were now thin, with many adults gone, so they needed to be more vigilant.

Then she shifted gears. “It’s time to make more scented soap!”

Those willing to help could bring plant ash or fragrant flowers, and she’d keep track of their contributions. They could later exchange points at her place for goods.

Then, she enthusiastically introduced the available rewards.

The villagers were familiar with charcoal, scented soap, jerky, and seasonings—everyone knew the Yan family had plenty.

Yan Yu added bundles of cloth and fabric scraps to the list.

She also introduced a new item—copybooks for learning to write.

“What’s a copybook for?” the kids asked curiously.

Yan Yu pointed at herself. “Why do I know so much? Because my eldest uncle taught me to read and write. In our kids’ squad, we have small teams. In the future, we’ll need team leaders. Several small teams will form a big team, and we’ll need a commander. How do we choose? By who knows the most words, learns the best, and writes the best!”