Chapter 61: The Wolf Pack

Chapter 61: The Wolf Pack

Seeing Qiu Huanian carrying some items into the kitchen, Meng Wudong donned his thick coat, grabbed a machete, and announced he was heading to the back mountain.

Chun Sheng wanted to follow, but winter was not like summer or autumn; it was freezing cold, and there was still snow on the ground. Qiu Huanian, worried, stopped him.

Chun Sheng was a little miffed, so Qiu Huanian gave him a new task: to go to Yun Kang's house and ask Hu Qiuyan if she had any extra small baskets to spare.

If not, he was to ask her to weave a few on the spot.

Hearing that he could go play with Yun Kang, Chun Sheng happily left.

Qiu Huanian sorted the materials and prepared to start making popcorn.

Modern DIY popcorn typically uses pre-packaged, semi-processed corn kernels, which come in a package that you tear open and put in the microwave for a few minutes.

Natural corn kernels can also make popcorn, though the process is a bit more involved.

Qiu Huanian grabbed a few ears of corn he had stashed away in the fall, split them in half, inserted scissors vertically into the cob, gave it a twist, and the corn broke into several pieces, making it easy to strip off the kernels.

For popcorn, it's best to select plump, round kernels, and it's preferable to hand-shell them rather than using a machine, as this increases the popping rate.

Qiu Huanian had handpicked the best corn during the harvest, ideal for popcorn.

He tossed the kernels into a pot, heated them over medium heat, and stirred them evenly until they were piping hot. Then he added a spoonful of salt and half a bowl of soybean oil to the mix.

Soon, the kernels started popping in the pot, some eagerly bursting open, revealing fluffy white blossoms.

Qiu Huanian gave the kernels a quick stir, then placed a thick wooden lid on the pot to keep the kernels from splattering and causing burns.

The fire in the stove roared, and the popping sounds under the lid were like a downpour, creating a symphony of crackles.

Every minute or so, Qiu Huanian carefully lifted the lid a crack and used a spatula to stir the kernels, ensuring even heat distribution, boosting the popping rate, and preventing scorching.

After a few minutes, the popping slowed to an occasional pop every few seconds.

Qiu Huanian killed the heat and lifted the lid. The kernels, which had barely covered the pot's bottom, had now swollen to fill it.

The pot brimmed with fluffy, pale yellow popcorn, resembling clusters of soft clouds.

Unable to resist, he plucked a few pieces with his fingers, despite the heat, and popped them into his mouth. The familiar light, crispy texture made him squint with delight, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Being able to enjoy popcorn even in ancient times was deeply satisfying.

However, the popcorn at this stage was just naturally sweet and not yet the final product.

Qiu Huanian covered the pot again to keep the popcorn from turning soggy.

He lit the stove on the other side, poured in a bowl of water and an equal amount of sugar, and stirred slowly over a low flame.

This step was caramel-making, requiring great care and precise heat control. If the heat was too low, the caramel would be too thin and wouldn't coat; if too high, it would dry out and turn bitter.

Caramel can be made with either water or oil, with the latter being faster but the former easier to control.

To be safe, Qiu Huanian chose to use water.

Gradually, the colorless sugar water turned into a thick, reddish-brown syrup, with tiny bubbles constantly rolling, filling the kitchen with the aroma of caramel.

Jiu Jiu, holding a jar, hurriedly ran in from outside.

"Brother Hua, I got the water buffalo milk you wanted."

Only one family in Du Village raises water buffalo, and the production of water buffalo milk is limited. They usually keep it for themselves.

When Jiu Jiu went to buy it, the family was pretty surprised.

Qiu Huanian grabbed the jar of water buffalo milk and poured half a bowl into the pot of syrup. The caramel mixed with the milk, adding a creamy scent to the original aroma.

Jiu Jiu sniffed and couldn't help saying, "It really smells so good."

Qiu Huanian smiled and said, "Hold on, it'll be ready in a sec."

He kept the heat on. While the syrup and milk mixture was still runny, he added the popcorn from another pot and gently stirred it so each piece was evenly coated with caramel.

Regular popcorn gets stale and gross once it cools, but caramel-coated popcorn stays crispy even when cold, without affecting its flavor.

Once Qiu Huanian finished making the popcorn, Chun Sheng came back. Though he wanted to hang out with Yun Kang a little longer, he knew Qiu Huanian was waiting for the baskets, so he didn't dawdle.

This season, there weren’t any willow branches around, so the small baskets Hu Qiuyan gave were made of bamboo, each holding about a liter. They came in different styles, all made by her in her free time as house decorations.

Qiu Huanian packed the baskets with popcorn. The popcorn from just a few ears of corn filled six baskets.

Chun Sheng stared at the caramel-coated popcorn, practically drooling.

"Go wash up, then you can dig in," Qiu Huanian called to them.

Washing hands with river water in winter was way too cold, so Qiu Huanian set up a big insulated bucket in the kitchen, wrapped in layers of straw. After meals, he’d use the leftover heat from the pot to warm up half a bucket of water for the family to wash with.

Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng grabbed some water and went to wash up. Qiu Huanian picked up a small basket and went to the study.

Du Yunse was sitting at the desk, deeply engrossed in his studies. His jet-black hair was casually tied back, with a few strands falling over his shoulders and onto the snow-white paper.

His brow was sharp, his lips thin and pale, and his appearance was as beautiful as a painting.

Qiu Huanian entered the room quietly, not disturbing him.

He stood by the door, admiring the scene of the handsome man reading in silence for a while, then deliberately raised his hand to knock on the door.

Du Yunse looked up, startled, and saw Qiu Huanian smiling at him, bringing him back from the sea of books.

"Du Yunse, it's time for a break. Would you like some snacks?"

Du Yunse had already caught the scent of caramel and milk. He looked at Qiu Huanian's hands behind his back and asked, "Brother Hua, have you finished making it?"

Qiu Huanian walked briskly to the desk and suddenly held up the small basket hidden behind his back to Du Yunse's eyes.

"Ta-da!"

Qiu Huanian peeked out from behind the basket, "Quick, guess what this is."

"..."

Du Yunse couldn't help but chuckle. Brother Hua was truly adorable like this.

He cooperatively took a piece of popcorn, examined it carefully, and noticed traces of the corn husk.

"Is this made from corn?"

"Yes, I plan to call it popcorn. I haven't seen it around Zhang County, so I'm not sure if it exists elsewhere."

Du Yunse thought for a moment and shook his head, "I haven't seen it during my travels."

Qiu Huanian felt relieved. After all, the Yu Dynasty was a parallel timeline, and many details were different from the historical development of the modern world.

Corn is also a kind of "grain," so calling it "popcorn" wasn't an issue.

"Making popcorn is harder than making Sorghum Candy. Since no one saw me making it, it won't be easy for others to copy this time."

"At least selling it this winter shouldn't be a problem."

Qiu Huanian spoke with confidence. So what if Wei Dexing used sneaky tricks to steal the Sorghum Candy recipe? He was determined to win back the market!

"Yun Se, try it while it's hot. Although it still tastes good when cooled with caramel, it's best when warm."

Du Yunse's hands were clean. Before entering the study to read, he always washed them carefully to avoid dirtying the books.

Qiu Huanian held the small basket as Du Yunse picked up a few pieces of popcorn and ate them. Under Qiu Huanian's eager gaze, he nodded, "It tastes amazing."

Qiu Huanian placed the basket aside, "You can keep these to enjoy slowly. People tend to feel lazy in winter, so make sure to rest. Balancing work and rest will make you more efficient."

He grabbed some paper from a nearby shelf, "Come on, write two invitations for me before you get back to reading."

Du Yunse grinned, "So this popcorn isn't just a 'snack,' it's a 'bribe.'"

Qiu Huanian deliberately raised an eyebrow and tapped the table, "Just say whether you ate it or not, and whether you'll write or not."

Du Yunse obediently nodded, "I rely on Brother Hua for food and shelter now, so naturally, I'll do whatever Brother Hua says."

Qiu Huanian held back a smile and cleared his throat, "That's more like it. One invitation is for Song Juren's family, and the other is for Magistrate Wang. Tell them we've come up with a new treat called 'popcorn' during our winter downtime, and invite them to give it a try."

Du Yunse picked up the brush and pondered the wording, "Should I also subtly ask for their praise?"

"You know me well, Yun Se," Qiu Huanian said with a smile. "It would be even better if they could try it in front of guests and praise it publicly."

His eyes curved, and his lips lifted into a cheerful smile, like a clever and adorable little fox.

Du Yunse couldn't resist reaching out to gently brush away a tiny crumb of popcorn from the corner of Qiu Huanian's lips, then, as if enchanted, brought it to his own lips.

It was a sweet, milky flavor.

...

About half an hour later, Meng Wudong returned from the back mountain, carrying no prey but only half a bundle of firewood.

"The animals in the mountains are all hiding in winter. The small ones get eaten by the big ones, and the big ones are tough to catch..." he said as he unloaded the firewood. "By the way, I spotted wolf tracks on the mountain. Brother Hua, you need to be careful. If the wolves get desperate and come into the village, we could lose livestock—or worse, people could get hurt."

In the original host's memory, once a wolf pack entered the village in winter, casualties were inevitable. Qiu Huanian's heart tightened.

"Your courtyard walls are high and sturdy. As long as you stay indoors and don't go out, the wolves won't get in," Meng Wudong reassured. "Just remember not to go out after dark."

Qiu Huanian nodded, planning to beef up the courtyard walls later.

Meng Wudong tasted the popcorn Qiu Huanian had made and was immediately amazed. Such a high-fat, high-sugar snack would be hard to resist even in modern times, let alone in ancient times when food variety was limited.

The moment the popcorn entered his mouth, it was, in modern terms, no less thrilling than Columbus discovering the New World!

"Brother Hua, how are you planning to sell this popcorn?" Meng Wudong asked eagerly. He couldn't believe anyone with money would resist buying it!

"Making popcorn is troublesome, and the ingredients are expensive, so it won't be as cheap as Sorghum Candy," Qiu Huanian had already calculated. "For a one-liter portion of popcorn, I plan to sell it for sixty coins."

One sheng of popcorn requires two ears of corn, one liang of sugar, one liang of oil, three liang of water buffalo milk, and a small amount of salt, almost negligible, with a cost price of around thirty wen. With a fifty percent profit margin typical in the food industry, Qiu Huanian set the price at sixty wen.

"Sixty wen? That's as much as mutton!" Meng Wudong exclaimed. "This is quite pricey."

"It's made with sugar, oil, and milk—no wonder it's expensive," Qiu Huanian laughed. "And it's not intended for everyone to afford. Our aim is to pressure the shops in the county town to continue buying sorghum candy from us in order to get their hands on popcorn."

Wei Dexing's reach doesn't extend to the village and town, so the main impact on sales is on the pastry shops and eateries in the county town.

Once popcorn makes its debut and creates a buzz in Zhang County, these businesses, eager to profit and keep their customers from being poached, will definitely find ways to stock popcorn.

At that time, sorry, but without purchasing the required amount of sorghum candy, they won't get any popcorn.

"Brother Hua, I'm truly amazed!" Meng Wudong felt like he had opened a door to a new world. So this is Brother Hua's idea of 'bundled sales.'

What a clever strategy. Meng Wudong vaguely felt that, following this line of thinking, he could come up with many more ideas.

"But Brother Hua, how do we initially spread the word about popcorn?"

"Don't worry, I've already taken care of it."

Previously, sorghum candy gained popularity in Zhang County thanks to the Peach Blossom Banquet. This time, popcorn can adopt the same approach, using celebrity endorsements for promotion.

Given their family connections and Du Yunse's potential, Song Juren and Magistrate Wang are likely to be happy to help after receiving the invitations.

Selling popcorn can also boost sorghum candy sales. Since Qiu Huanian has almost entirely arranged the sales channels for popcorn, Meng Wudong voluntarily declined a share and offered to assist Qiu Huanian with the task.

Qiu Huanian prepared more popcorn and, along with the invitations, sent them to Song Juren and Magistrate Wang. Within a few days, Meng Wudong returned with good news: several shops had already approached him to discuss business.

"I estimated how much sorghum candy they could sell and set the conditions accordingly, not asking for too much. Business is about harmony and prosperity, after all. As long as Wei Dexing's products don't sell, that's fine."

When Meng Wudong arrived, Qiu Huanian was directing Du Yunse to move the water buffalo milk jars. Seeing this, Meng Wudong came over to lend a hand.

The water buffalo in the village didn't produce enough milk, so Qiu Huanian sourced more from nearby villages to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation and raising prices. After all, it's winter, and water buffalo milk can last a long time without spoiling.

Meng Wudong had no professional training, but he was naturally good at dealing with people and keen on observing and learning. He had a real talent for business. Soon, popcorn started selling like hotcakes, and the sales of sorghum candy returned to their usual winter levels.

Popcorn, with a wholesale price of sixty wen per sheng, retailed in shops for seventy-five wen, more expensive than mutton, making it unaffordable for many.

But this high-fat, high-sugar treat wasn't just loved by children; adults craved it too. It was light and crispy, easy to finish a whole basket without realizing it. Wealthy households in the county town often bought a sheng a day.

The sales of popcorn exceeded Qiu Huanian's expectations, with twenty to thirty sheng sold daily, netting a profit from the wealthy.

In a month, the income exceeded twenty taels!

However, this was due to the cold winter weather, which made high-fat, high-sugar foods more popular, and the novelty of popcorn. Over time, sales would naturally decline.

To keep warm and for lighting, Qiu Huanian had spent a lot of money. Now, with a significant income, Qiu Huanian counted the silver again, wrapped up a total of one hundred and twenty taels, and stored it deep in the cabinet, planning to use it when going to the prefecture city.

Future earnings would be reserved for New Year preparations, buying supplementary ingredients for the medicine formula, lamp oil for lighting, and charcoal for the hand warmer. After all these expenses, there probably wouldn't be much left.

As the New Year approached, the weather grew colder day by day. In the mornings and evenings, a ladle of water thrown outside would form a thin layer of ice on the ground within a few breaths.

In Zhang County, the residence of Wei Dexing, the manager of Wei's Spice Shop, was shrouded in gloom.

The back room of the second courtyard had another pile of tea dregs dumped at its entrance. Zirong, leaning lazily against the chair back with her snow-white arm, was combing her hair in front of a shiny bronze mirror. Yuchuan, pouting, walked around the tea dregs and entered the room.

"The lady in the main house had her maid dump stuff again. If she wants to make a scene, she should do it openly. What's the point of sneaking around!"

Zirong, wearing only a thin garment that revealed her graceful figure, lounged comfortably in the warm room with the charcoal fire burning brightly.

"She knows she's past her prime, and her son left, causing the master to suffer. She won't get any benefits from me," Zirong said nonchalantly. "Keep an eye on Lansheng these days, don't stir up trouble with the main house. The master is troubled by the sorghum candy and popcorn issues, don't let him recall our involvement, lest he vents his anger on us."

Yuchuan pursed her lips in dissatisfaction but reluctantly took Zirong's words to heart.

She disliked the Wei family, though it was ten times better than Widow Zhuang's household, it was still far from the life she used to have. In the Bai mansion in the capital, such a room would only be for some higher-ranking servants.

More importantly, in the Bai family, although she was a concubine's daughter, she was still a young lady respected and feared by the servants. Her stepmother, with her distant connection to the second prince's consort, also had to show them some respect.

In the Wei family, she was a stepchild who didn't carry the Wei surname, and the Wei family servants didn't give her any face. The old hag in the main house, past her prime, made life difficult for them every day.

The only thing that comforted Yuchuan was that in the Bai family, her status and reputation largely came from her brother. Now in the Wei family, Wei Dexing valued her more than Lansheng.

This barely eased her fragile self-esteem, but it was still far from enough.

"How did your inquiries in the front yard go? When will the master come tonight?" Zirong asked Yuchuan.

From being a wealthy concubine of a merchant under the second prince in the capital to a privately kept concubine of a spice shop owner in Zhang County, Zirong was naturally resentful, but to avoid a hard life in the countryside, she was willing to do anything.

Yuchuan shared the news she had diligently gathered, "It's almost the New Year. It's said that a group of people from Zhang County who were conscripted for corvée labor have been pardoned and returned. Some of them have made achievements, and the county magistrate is very happy, planning to hold a banquet. The master has been occupied with this all day, so he'll likely return very late tonight."

"I see," Zirong nodded and looked at her daughter.

Yuchuan took after her, with a delicate and pretty appearance. At her age, she already had captivating peach blossom eyes and a pointed chin that made people want to pinch and toy with it.

Zirong recalled some of Wei Dexing's subtle hints.

"Yuchuan, come here."

Zirong selected a red begonia velvet flower from her jewelry box and pinned it on Yuchuan's dark bun. She then took out some rouge, scooped a bit with her long nail, and rubbed it on Yuchuan's cheeks and lips.

Yuchuan gazed into the bronze mirror. With this mature makeup, she suddenly appeared a few years older, like a young beauty.

Zirong squinted and watched for a while, "Go play, keep an eye on Lansheng, and don't cause any trouble."

Yuchuan happily left, and Zirong watched her back disappear behind the door, then turned around to continue combing her hair.

...

As New Year's Eve approached, marking the end of the year, the village began to take on a festive atmosphere.

Qiu Huanian purchased a dozen red papers, cut them, and had Du Yunse inscribe couplets and the character "Fu" (fortune). He himself took scissors to cut window decorations, decorating the main house beautifully, even the stable and chicken coop had miniature couplets pasted on them.

One read, "A mule is not a horse but worth a thousand gold, a man without it can still travel ten thousand miles," and the other, "Don't say farmers have no colorful phoenixes, a bountiful year leaves guests with plenty of eggs." (Note 1)

When Qiu Huanian read them, Du Yunse almost dropped his brush, but in the end, he carefully wrote them as instructed and pasted them in the backyard.

The bold and ancient calligraphy paired with the humorous couplets made Qiu Huanian chuckle every time he saw them in the backyard.

Few people in the village were literate, but the custom of pasting couplets was observed by every household. Many came to Du Yunse to write couplets. Du Yunse and Yun Cheng, who had returned from the county school, discussed and decided to spare an afternoon, writing couplets for all the villagers who came to their study.

The red paper was self-funded, and everything else was free.

The weather grew colder, and the prey in the mountains was almost all hunted. Wolf packs began to move towards human settlements, and traces of wolf activity appeared within a few hundred meters of Du Village, growing more frequent and closer.

After learning of this, the clan leader sent his two sons and Yun Cheng to visit each household, reminding them and checking their courtyard walls. If there were any gaps, they would immediately gather people to fix them, to avoid any regrets later.

Bao Ren came to Qiu Huanian's house and marveled at the courtyard wall.

"Brother Hua, what are these things you've placed around here?"

"I bought some broken tiles from the pottery kiln in the county town and secured them with mud along the top of the courtyard wall to keep the wolves away."

In many modern rural houses, glass shards are placed on the courtyard walls to deter thieves. Since Qiu Huanian couldn't obtain glass, broken tiles served as a good substitute.

"Uncle Bao Ren, please check if there are any other weak spots, and I'll fix them."

"There's no need to change anything; you've already made it as solid as a fortress," Bao Ren shook his head repeatedly. "Not only can wolves not jump over this height, but even if they did, their paws would be shredded by the dense array of sharp edges you've set up."

Qiu Huanian's tile wall inspired other villagers, and some households, led by the clan leader's family, followed suit and built similar walls.

However, although the tile wall is effective, not every household can afford it. Some families can't even afford to build a courtyard wall and have to wait for financial aid from the clan leader, making it impossible for them to buy broken tiles.

After Bao Ren and his team hurriedly checked all the village walls, within two days, Qiu Huanian suddenly heard strange noises outside after he had gone to bed.

He hurriedly got up, put on his clothes, and peeked out from behind the door curtain. Du Yunse was still reading in the study and came outside upon hearing the noise, ushering Qiu Huanian back inside.

"Get dressed properly, I'll go check the courtyard gate."

Qiu Huanian, anxious, quickly bundled up in layers of thick clothing, put on his small leather boots, and rushed out.

Du Yunse stood behind the tightly closed ornate Ruyi gate, symbolizing good fortune, the dim moonlight casting shadows on his serious face.

"What's going on? What's happening outside?" Qiu Huanian asked in a low voice.

"A pack of wolves has entered the village."

Author's Note:

Note 1: The first couplet is made up, and the second is a modified version (you can likely guess which line was tweaked, right? Haha).