Chapter 34: Selling Geese and Stumbling Upon a Secret

"That's simple enough," Grandma Zhao said with a smile. "Aren't you clever with your hands? Tonight, when you go back, use your sweet potatoes and flour to make a fish-shaped pancake, fry it up, and serve it."

Jiang Li burst into laughter. Grandma Zhao added, "We live near the mountains here, so fish are scarce. Every family does this when they move into a new place."

"That really is a clever method."

Instead of going to town to buy fish, Jiang Li bought a few catties of wheat and sweet potatoes from Grandma Zhao. She had to insist for a long time before Grandma Zhao would accept the copper coins. As she was leaving, the old woman gave her six stalks of rice.

With no vegetables at home, Jiang Li decided to wander through the village to buy some dried produce. Some families would dry bamboo shoots and long beans to store for later.

Zhao Qingzhu accompanied her as they walked through the village. Some families had some but refused to sell, wanting to save them for their own consumption. Eventually, they found two families with a surplus and bought two winnowing baskets' worth for Jiang Li.

It cost six coins.

Zhao Qingzhu and Jiang Li each carried a basket, walking home happily. As they navigated the winding alleys and were about to exit, a screaming goose blocked their path, stretching its neck and bristling its feathers.

It was clearly agitated. Before Zhao Qingzhu could dodge, the goose knocked her over. Jiang Li stumbled as well, and the long beans and dried bamboo shoots they were carrying spilled all over the ground.

The person chasing the goose came running from behind, cursing. He froze when he saw the mess of vegetables and Zhao Qingzhu lying on the ground.

"I’ll have to slaughter and eat you for sure!" he grumbled viciously.

Jiang Li looked up at the familiar voice and realized it was Zhao Jiahe. When he saw Jiang Li, he turned bright red, embarrassed to be seen by an acquaintance.

"Auntie, I am so sorry," he stammered. "This wretched goose runs wild when it gets angry. Did it bite you?"

Zhao Qingzhu was fuming. Regardless of who he was, she snapped back, "It didn't bite me, but can't you see it knocked me over?"

Zhao Jiahe apologized repeatedly and stepped forward as if to help her up, but hesitated, mindful of the social boundaries between men and women.

Jiang Li, sensing his hesitation, said, "Help us pick up the dried vegetables. I’ll help her up."

Zhao Jiahe hurriedly crouched down to gather the produce. Jiang Li watched him; he was a silent, hardworking lad who had been diligent and efficient while building her house over the past few days.

"Is that goose yours?" she asked.

"Yes. I brought it with me when we fled the famine. It’s very fierce, so it can guard the house."

Jiang Li pursed her lips. She had wanted to buy the big white goose, but hearing that it had been with them for years and served as a guard dog, she felt hesitant to ask.

"You must be very attached to it, then?" she probed.

Zhao Jiahe blushed, and Zhao Qingzhu let out a soft laugh.

"A-Li, you’re too funny," Zhao Qingzhu said. "How much attachment can one have for a goose? His family has eight of them! You have no idea; those eight geese are local tyrants in this village. They’re such a nuisance!"

Zhao Qingzhu spoke without thinking, but Zhao Jiahe’s family was already in a difficult position in the village because of his father, and they were generally disliked. After she spoke, she glanced at Zhao Jiahe and saw his expression darken. He quietly finished picking up the vegetables and left after apologizing to Jiang Li again.

Jiang Li, usually oblivious, didn't notice much. Zhao Qingzhu carried her basket and watched Zhao Jiahe’s retreating figure. "A-Li, I think I said the wrong thing."

"What do you mean?" Jiang Li asked, puzzled.

Zhao Qingzhu just pursed her lips and shook her head. It was as if nothing had happened.

The two of them carried the vegetables home. After putting them away, Jiang Li told her she could stay and play, but Zhao Qingzhu said she had to go back to help Grandma Zhao, so she left.

Jiang Li’s mind was occupied by the eight geese at Zhao Jiahe’s house. If there were eight, surely she could buy two.

She pondered that when she invited people for dinner, she only had pork, and the vegetables were sparse. She couldn't afford chicken, duck, or mutton, but a goose was large. Stewing a whole goose would surely make for a hearty meal.

Action followed thought. Jiang Li grabbed her copper coins and set off. Zhao Jiahe’s house wasn't far; it was on the left side of the village center. Having walked the village paths several times, she was familiar with the route and took the alleys instead of the main road.

"Are you angry about what I said earlier?"

A familiar voice—it was Zhao Qingzhu, who had supposedly gone home to help her mother! She was here.

Jiang Li froze and leaned against the wall. Then, she heard Zhao Jiahe’s voice.

"Why would I be angry? You weren't wrong; they are a nuisance."

Zhao Qingzhu pouted, glancing around nervously to ensure no one was passing by, then reached out and gently tugged at Zhao Jiahe’s hand. "Look at you, still saying you're not angry? I was talking about the geese, not you. Look at those geese squatting in your yard—who would dare enter? I don't even dare to walk past your gate."

Zhao Jiahe gently pulled his hand away and whispered, "Don't, someone might see us."

"If they see us, then we’ll just get married."

"That wouldn't be good for you. Grandma is saving up the bride price; she’ll have enough soon, and then I’ll go to your house to propose."

They were saving, but he feared that even if they had the money, Grandma Zhao wouldn't want Zhao Qingzhu to marry into his family. But since he loved her, he had to keep trying.

The two whispered a few more sweet nothings before parting. Jiang Li slowly stepped out from behind the wall. Her heart was racing; it felt as exciting as catching a best friend in a secret romance.

She decided to pretend she knew nothing and wait to see when Zhao Qingzhu would tell her. Hmph! And here she was, claiming just a few days ago that they would be sworn sisters and live together. She didn't even tell her she was dating!

When she arrived at Zhao Jiahe’s gate, she remembered what Zhao Qingzhu had said about the geese being fierce. Jiang Li didn't dare enter blindly, fearing she might stumble into a goose nest and not be able to handle it.

"Grandma Jiahe, are you home?"

The old woman heard the call and hurried to open the door. Her face lit up when she saw Jiang Li. "Oh, it's Mistress Jiang. Please, come in."

Jiang Li followed her inside and saw the geese locked in bamboo cages, their heads poking through the gaps, their neck feathers standing on end. They were definitely fierce.

Grandma Zhao led her toward the house. Jiang Li looked at the geese in the yard and got straight to the point. "Grandma Jiahe, are you selling these geese?"

The old woman hesitated for a moment, then replied, "I am. I’ve caught them and locked them up, thinking of taking them to the county town to sell."

Jiang Li hadn't been to the county town since arriving here. Based on the original owner's memories, it was far, and since she could buy small necessities at the town market, she hadn't bothered to go. She was curious to hear about the county. "Is there no one in town to buy geese?"

The old woman smiled. "There are, but people buy them to eat or guard the house, so they don't fetch a high price. In the county town, there are young masters from wealthy families who like to pit geese and chickens against each other. I have a few that are fierce as can be; they should fetch a good price."

"Are you looking to buy one to guard your house, Mistress?"

Jiang Li pursed her lips. She felt it might be a waste. These geese had real talent; was it a pity to eat them? Still, she decided to be honest. "I actually wanted to buy one to stew."

As she spoke, two geese in the cage shrank their necks. Jiang Li couldn't help but laugh.

The old woman looked at her and said, "That's fine. Pick one. Which one do you like?"

Jiang Li didn't know anything about geese, and since the fierce ones were valuable, she couldn't just pick at random. "Grandma, could you help me pick one that’s a bit more gentle? One that doesn't bite?"

The old woman pointed to one, the very one that was hanging its head low and stretching its neck—the fiercest-looking one of the lot. Jiang Li was skeptical. "Isn't this one fierce? That one inside, the one standing quietly—that one looks very gentle to me."

The old woman smiled. Zhao Jiahe, who was standing under the eaves drinking water, heard this and hurriedly interjected, "That one is the fiercest of the whole lot!"

Jiang Li frowned. "How can that be?"

"It’s already bitten three chickens to death," he added.

Jiang Li hissed. Truly, one could not judge a goose by its appearance. "Then I'll take that one."

Zhao Jiahe grabbed the goose and tied its feet with straw. It immediately went limp. Jiang Li found its "life is meaningless" expression amusing.

She asked for the price, and the old woman said sixty-five coins. Jiang Li thought it might be too low. It wasn't that sixty-five coins wasn't a fair amount, but a laying hen cost fifty coins, and geese were usually more expensive. It seemed unlikely the difference was only fifteen coins.

Jiang Li glanced at Zhao Jiahe, remembering the secret she had overheard. They were likely saving for the bride price by selling these geese in the county. While everyone liked a bargain, Jiang Li wasn't someone who took advantage of others. If the grain merchant said ten coins a peck, she would empty the shop overnight. Plus, after the incident with Zhao Dachun, the old woman had even given her ten eggs.

"Grandma, aren't these geese worth more than that?"

The old woman smiled. "If you're eating it, this is a male goose; it won't lay eggs. And it’s a bit slow at guarding the house, so it’s only good for stewing. If it were a female that could lay eggs, you certainly couldn't buy it for sixty-five coins; it would be at least a hundred."

"Is there such a big price difference between male and female?"

The old woman nodded. "The male is only good for eating or guarding, but a female can guard, lay eggs, and bring in a bit of income. Besides the one in your hand, there’s one more male in the cage. I’m keeping that one for breeding, just in case I want to hatch more goslings later."

"I see. When my parents were alive, they handled these things, so I don't know much about it."

Mentioning her parents, the old woman couldn't help but ask, "Mistress, your parents are..."

"We got separated on the road while fleeing the famine. I don't know if they are alive or dead."

The old woman sighed deeply, reached out to pat her back gently, and said, "These are difficult times. As long as those who are alive remain well, that is enough."

Jiang Li smiled and counted out sixty-five copper coins. The old woman accepted them readily. As she left with the goose, Jiang Li reminded the old woman to come over for dinner the next evening. Looking at Zhao Jiahe, she added, "Jiahe, bring your father along, too."

Zhao Jiahe agreed and offered to help her carry it back, as the goose, while not as fierce as the others, was quite heavy.

Jiang Li weighed it in her hand and waved him off. "No need for the trouble."

When Jiang Li returned with the goose, Xue Man retreated in terror. "Mother, are you going to raise a goose? Is this one of the ones Zhao Jiahe keeps?"

Jiang Li’s brows twitched. "I'm not raising it. Why are you so scared?"

A-Ning teased Xue Man, telling Jiang Li, "Brother was once surrounded by these geese and bitten all over. He cried for a long time."