Chapter 273: Why don’t You Eat Lamb

Chapter 273

Yao Siqing paused her chopsticks while picking up food.

She knew what she should be supporting, but the words she wanted to say got stuck in her teeth and came out as a question instead. "Do you want the Jiang family's power and status and become the Jiang family's legitimate daughter?"

Jiang Sheng shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum.

Although power and status would be nice, she was not lacking now either. She had her brothers with her and was already living a good life.

"Then you want... family love," Yao Siqing put down her chopsticks. "But Jiang Sheng, I have to tell you, the people who truly care about you will come looking for you."

You don't need to go back, you don't need to face the prominent Jiang family with your frail body, you don't need to wander around aimlessly exploring, and certainly don't need to cautiously curry favor.

The people who care about you will clear all obstacles, smooth the path for you, and welcome you back.

But has anyone in the Jiang family done that?

Old Madam Jiang couldn't do it, which is why she respects Jiang Sheng's choice.

Who else is there?

Jiang Sheng wasn't stupid. After going through all the ups and downs, her heart had long become clear as crystal. She just occasionally had midnight dreams about grabbing her mother's hand. She still wanted to be a little girl protected by her parents.

But it wasn't easy to make up for those missing times. Once a life got off track from the very beginning, it could never get back on the right path.

The little girl's round face turned a bit pale. Her lips tightened as if trying to force a smile, but it quickly turned into constrained endurance. When she finally couldn't hold it in any longer, a tear slid down the corner of her mouth.

"I understand now, Sis Yao," Jiang Sheng said softly, before breaking into a radiant smile.

It would have been better not to smile.

Yao Siqing turned around sadly and dabbed her tears away with a handkerchief before turning back with a blithe expression. "There's so much meat! Jiang Sheng, hurry up and eat. It'd be a waste not to eat it."

"Okay, I'll eat!" Jiang Sheng picked up her chopsticks and started nibbling away earnestly.

The lamb meat really did smell amazing, it was a flavor she had never tasted before.

The soft beef was even more delicious than pork elbow. It was a pity Auntie was too frugal to buy it often.

The two girls swiftly cleared half the dishes on the table between just the two of them.

It was fine though. The famous water fetcher had another idea. "When Eldest Brother comes back, let's cook lamb stew and let him have a taste too."

Zhang Xianglian nearly dropped her dishes and bowls as she was clearing the table.

The young miss truly didn't understand the value of money. Pork cost over a dozen or twenty copper coins per catty. Lamb meat was astronomically expensive in comparison. Choice rib cuts like this could even reach one or two taels of silver per catty!

To make an entire pot with at least three to five catties meant spending three to five taels of silver. To Zhang Xianglian, this was akin to burning money.

"Why is lamb so expensive?" Jiang Sheng wondered aloud. "I know beef is expensive because oxen are needed to plow fields, and laws prohibit slaughtering oxen for meat."

The Yuanran Restaurant was able to source beef because eventually oxen grew old or died from illness. Skinning them for meat at that point made sense, so beef prices fluctuated around 100 coins and were considered pricy but still affordable.

In contrast, lamb prices were outright outrageous.

"The Central Plains focus mainly on grain production with extensive farmland and little pastoral or grazing areas," Chang Yan closed his book, taking on the responsibility that should have fallen to Eldest Brother. "Only when production rises can prices fall accordingly."

Throughout history, rarity determined value time and again.

Jiang Sheng nodded thoughtfully before another new idea popped into her little head. "Lamb is so expensive. Can't we raise sheep too and earn money that way?"

Wen Zhiyun looked up from his medicine box, astonishment written all over his face. Even Zhang Xianglian who was holding dishes paused to stare.

The little miss was growing up. Not only could she adeptly handle partnerships with the Yuanran Restaurant and develop highly profitable desserts using the family name for the Jiuzhen Shop, she even thought about raising sheep and cattle now.

If Mr. Zheng Ruqian heard about this, he would surely laugh heartily with approval before picking Jiang Sheng up and spinning her around.

That is, if he could still pick her up.

Unfortunately, every idea that occurred to them had occurred to their ancestors already.

Chang Yan tapped the back of his left palm with two fingers on his right hand as he slowly explained, "Whether in the Central Plains or in Fengjing, there simply isn't enough open grassland to raise large herds of livestock."

"Even if land weren't an issue, the gamey taste of our lamb is unpalatable to most people here." He narrowed his eyes as if an idea struck him. "In terms of sweet, tender meat, only certain northern border regions can raise sheep like that."

But those were the war-torn northern border regions. Who would risk their life for the sake of meat?

Jiang Sheng instantly deflated.

Zhang Xianglian had finished cleaning up and came over to tease her. "Little Jiang Sheng, who did you sell the white water noodles to? Was it the Yuanran Restaurant or some other restaurant?"