Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

Fan Changyu used a bamboo colander to scoop out the richly fragrant braised offal, letting the excess liquid drain. The blend of spices and meat aroma was just right, and the glazed color from the braising was exceptionally appealing—far superior to the braised food she'd seen at the deli earlier that day.

Changning stood on tiptoe by the stove, peering eagerly, but her face fell when she saw it was all offal. "No pig ears..." She loved pig ears.

Fan Changyu gently poked the pig intestines and stomach with chopsticks—they were so tender they yielded easily, thoroughly infused with flavor.

"We'll have fat intestine noodles tonight," she said. "Tomorrow I'll braise pig ears."

Only then did Changning's eyes brighten again.

With the stove fire still blazing, Fan Changyu ladled out the braising broth, cleaned the pot, and boiled fresh water, adding enough noodles for five servings.

"Go tell Aunt Zhao's family not to make supper tonight," she instructed Changning. "We'll all eat fat intestine noodles together later."

Changning obediently agreed and scampered off to deliver the message next door.

Noodles didn't take long to cook. Fan Changyu prepared four large bowls and one small bowl with seasonings in advance. For extra richness, she added a spoonful of rendered lard to each. When she poured the boiling noodle water over them, the lard and seasonings melted instantly, releasing an irresistible aroma.

Her preparation was simple—noodles topped with tender chunks of braised intestine and a sprinkle of chopped scallions.

Had her mother been cooking, she would've simmered a pot of broth to use instead of plain noodle water—that would've been truly fragrant.

She set her younger sister's bowl on the table for her to eat first, then carried the three large bowls of fat intestine noodles next door—

The wooden stairs connecting the attic to the ground floor creaked under steady, light footsteps, rousing Xie Zheng from his rest.

Moments later, the woman's voice came from outside: "Are you awake?"

"The door's unlatched," Xie Zheng replied. His voice remained hoarse but had improved since yesterday.

Fan Changyu nudged the door open with her elbow, carrying an oil lamp in one hand and a steaming bowl of noodles in the other. "Aunt Zhao just told me—this morning, a huge falcon came crashing down from the sky and smashed straight through the window downstairs. What a bizarre occurrence."

Xie Zheng pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

He hadn't anticipated that gyrfalcon would be so foolish—hearing his whistle, it had plunged headlong downward.

Fan Changyu glanced at his face. Though still pale, his complexion had improved since yesterday.

Accustomed to his reticence, she set the oil lamp on the table. "Luckily the bird didn't hurt anyone. The broken window will have to wait until Uncle has time to fix it. This attic may be cramped, but it's quiet at least."

Xie Zheng finally gave a faint "Mm" in acknowledgment.

She handed him the noodles. "Made you some noodles—hope it's alright."

The aroma had already reached him. The unfamiliar topping blanketing the noodles emitted the same meaty fragrance that had wafted through the entire alley earlier.

After days of unbearably bitter medicine and plain congee, the scent intensified his hunger—this bowl might as well be a feast.

"Thank you," he said, accepting the bowl and immediately taking a bite.The noodles were smooth, the broth rich. Though the flour used wasn't of the finest quality, at this moment it tasted better than any noodles he'd ever had before. The meat topping the noodles was tender yet springy, releasing an exceptionally savory flavor with each bite.

Despite having prided himself on sampling many delicacies, he couldn't identify what this was.

Xie Zheng asked, "What is this?"

Fan Changyu was about to hurry back to eat her own bowl of fat intestine noodles when he inquired. She answered plainly, "Pork intestines."

Xie Zheng's chopsticks paused mid-air. Just hearing the word "intestines" gave him an ominous premonition.

Seeing his confusion, Fan Changyu explained more bluntly, "It's pig's large intestine."

His face instantly changed color.

Fan Changyu had seen people who disliked offal before, but this man hadn't shown any distaste while eating earlier. His current grim expression puzzled her. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing."

The reply came with difficulty.

Xie Zheng discreetly took several deep breaths to suppress his nausea.

Fan Changyu, still concerned about her cooling noodles, said, "I'll head back then. Just leave the bowl on the side cabinet when you're done—the old lady will collect it later."

The door closed softly, followed by the sound of footsteps descending the stairs.

Xie Zheng stared at the bowl in his hands, brows furrowed in hesitation. He wasn't pampered—during difficult marches, he'd eaten tree bark and roots—but never an animal's intestines.

Pig's large intestine? Wasn't that where pig waste was stored?

The mere thought made his stomach churn.

Yet considering his injuries and how this was the most substantial meal he'd been given in days, Xie Zheng wrestled with himself before finally lifting another bite to his mouth, movements stiff.

When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man, it will first temper his heart and mind...

It was actually quite flavorful—

That night, Xie Zheng—who rarely dreamed—was haunted by visions of the woman who'd saved him. In the dream, she cheerfully herded a pig before suddenly drawing a large cleaver, slicing open its belly and pulling out a long intestine. "This is fat intestine," she declared, "I'll cook it for you."

The dream pig's squeals merged with real ones, jolting Xie Zheng awake to find himself still in bed.

Next door, the pig continued screeching. Dawn had barely broken outside his window.

But activity already stirred downstairs—likely the elderly couple rising to help the woman slaughter pigs.

Recalling his dream, Xie Zheng's expression darkened.

Herding pigs, slaughtering pigs, pig intestines... everything about that woman seemed pig-related.

He pressed his fingers to his brow and shut his eyes, trying to block out the piercing squeals.

Just a few more days. His gyrfalcon had already carried his message—his former subordinates would come for him soon. He wouldn't have to endure this much longer.

He'd leave generous compensation for the woman and the elderly couple—

In the Fan family's backyard, Fan Changyu had already tied the pig to the slaughtering bench with thick rope. Like her father, she possessed extraordinary strength—what took several men to restrain, she could pin down alone.

Their slaughtering bench wasn't wooden, but a stone one specially commissioned by her father.

Once secured, no amount of struggling could budge the pig, eliminating the need to hold its tail.The long, sharp bleeding knife plunged straight into the base of the pig's neck, nearly burying the hilt. The piercing squeals ceased instantly as blood gushed from the wound, filling the wooden basin beneath the stone stool to the brim.

In pig slaughtering, a single fatal strike was considered auspicious, and the more blood drained, the better.

Aunt Zhao, who had come to help, beamed at the basin of blood. "This'll last us several days' worth of meals."

Fan Changyu remained silent as she withdrew the knife, her expression uncharacteristically stern, with flecks of blood spotting her face and sleeves.

Whenever she delivered the killing blow, she seemed transformed—a presence so intimidating that others instinctively kept their distance, perhaps due to that peculiar ferocity unique to those who took lives.

After draining the blood, Changyu untied the ropes and dragged the carcass to the large pot of boiling water. She scalded the hide with ladles of hot water before scraping off the bristles with a skinning knife.

At the doorway, Changning peeked curiously into the yard. Aunt Zhao shooed her away: "Go play outside, child. This isn't for young eyes—you'll have nightmares."

"I'm not scared," Changning muttered, but shuffled reluctantly away.

Changyu rinsed the scraped carcass thoroughly, then hoisted it onto the iron hook on the courtyard post with minimal assistance from Zhao Mu Jiang and Aunt Zhao. With her skinning knife, she split the pig cleanly in two.

One half remained on the hook while she shouldered the other onto a door plank straddling two benches for butchering. The elderly Zhao couple gaped, murmuring, "This girl truly takes after her father..."

After portioning the meat, Changyu hurried to haul it to the market by cart. She entrusted Zhao Mu Jiang with delivering Chef Li's twenty-pound order to Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion from yesterday.

On impulse, she included some braised offal—not to court future business for her braised food (a master chef at such an establishment would hardly need her amateur efforts), but simply to thank him for his patronage.

Arriving early at the meat market, Changyu found only a handful of stalls open, where butchers were arranging their daily cuts.

An acquaintance spotted her and exclaimed, "Oh? Changyu reopening your family's stall?"

She answered briskly in the affirmative.

Unlocking the shop door sealed for over a month, she found everything meticulously arranged just as her father had left it, though veiled in a thin layer of dust.

The memory tugged at her heart, but she quickly steadied herself. After scrubbing the shop inside out, she displayed that morning's fresh cuts alongside last night's braised offal on the chopping block.

By mid-morning, scattered shoppers began appearing.

The prime location of Changyu's stall, combined with her standing there alone—a young woman amidst burly male butchers and matronly vendors—made bargain-hunting aunties gravitate toward her, assuming easier haggling.

With a cheerful smile, Changyu quoted prices and announced her reopening special: one tael of free braised meat with every pound of pork purchased, for good fortune.

Tempted by the offer of free braised meat with fresh pork, most aunties ended up purchasing from her.The market had just opened, and Fan Changyu's stall was the only one among the nearby pork shops to have already closed several deals.

The butcher from the opposite stall watched with envy and shouted, "Fan Er's girl, you can't break the rules in business! Everyone in this market sells meat at the same price. What's the meaning of giving away freebies?"

Fan Changyu knew this man had never gotten along with her father. Unfazed, she retorted sharply, "Uncle Guo, you're wronging me. Isn't the meat in my stall priced the same as everyone else's? How is that breaking the rules? The giveaway is just for good luck since my family's stall reopened today. Which guild rule says that's not allowed? Or is Uncle Guo picking on me just because I'm an orphan with no parents?"

The man couldn't argue back, his sallow face flushing red. "What a sharp tongue! I can't out-talk you!"

A butcher friendly with the Fan family chimed in, "Enough, Old Guo. Changyu is only selling one pig today. Why fuss over such a small thing with a junior?"

Not wanting to be known as a bully, Guo Butcher snapped, "Fine! Keep giving away your freebies today, but it won't be allowed tomorrow!"

Fan Changyu had only planned to offer the giveaway for one day anyway—tomorrow, the braised food would be for sale. She replied coolly, "Naturally."

Only then did Guo Butcher back down.

Simply waiting for customers to approach made sales slow. Though Guo Butcher opposite her was nearly fuming with rage, those who had considered asking about his prices took one look at his fierce expression and didn’t dare approach.

Since the giveaway was only for today, Fan Changyu wanted to make the most of it to build her reputation.

As the market grew busier, she decisively began calling out, "Fresh pork for sale—buy a pound of pork and get an ounce of braised offal free!"

The call was effective—many immediately gathered to ask about the pork prices.

Fan Changyu haggled while deftly chopping meat, occasionally putting on a pained expression to knock off a few coins. Before the morning market was even half over, the pork in her stall had been snatched up—far better than she’d expected.

Guo Butcher’s face across the way had turned as sour as the plank in his outhouse.

Fan Changyu ignored him. After tidying her stall, she packed her knives into a shoulder bag, locked up, and set off for the livestock market with a bulging money pouch to buy two more pigs.

As she passed Guo Butcher’s stall, he snarled, "If you dare give away any damn freebies tomorrow, don’t blame me for bullying an orphan girl!"

Fan Changyu scoffed coldly through her nose and walked on without a word.

Tomorrow, she wouldn’t be giving anything away—she’d be selling!

As she walked, she quickly calculated the day’s earnings. The ninety-pound pig, minus the head and offal, had yielded about seventy pounds of meat, all sold at fresh meat prices. The gross profit for the day came to over two strings of cash.

Tomorrow, the pig’s head and offal would be braised and sold—another income stream!

After deducting the cost of the pig, she’d netted over a string of cash in profit!

Feeling the satisfying weight of the money pouch against her chest, her steps lightened, and Guo Butcher’s earlier provocation was completely forgotten.

But just as she left the meat market and before entering the livestock market, she heard someone urgently calling her name from behind: "Changyu! Changyu!"

Turning, she saw it was Zhao Mu Jiang, running toward her with a face full of panic.Fan Changyu quickly asked, "What happened, Uncle Zhao?"

Zhao Mu Jiang was so out of breath he could barely speak: "Hurry home and take a look! Your uncle brought people from the gambling den to smash your door. They're ransacking the place looking for the land deed. Your aunt and I, these old bones of ours, couldn't stop them at all!"