Chapter Six, Zheng Tu
Generally, dogs used for selling meat can be bought for three to five coins, but if they are of better quality, such as those that can be trained as hunting dogs, they can be quite expensive, costing over a hundred coins each, which is far from the low value mentioned by the village head.
"Good eye!" Zheng Tu laughed heartily. If such words were spoken by an adult like Uncle Wang, he might consider them mere pleasantries. However, when a child of Chen Mo's age says it, it carries significant weight. Without further ado, he found a piece of skin and wrapped the meat in it, saying, "This is for you!"
"Uncle Wang, is this dog really a meat dog?" After leaving the slaughterhouse, Chen Mo ultimately asked with some reluctance.
"Meat is easy to discuss. Here, I have pork, dog meat, and mutton. Since it was brought by Brother Wang, I will give you a discount." Zheng the butcher grinned, his pale teeth resembling a fierce wild boar baring its fangs at him
"My mother said... one must not take advantage of others." Chen Mo remembered that his mother did not say it this way at the beginning; that statement sounded very imposing, but Chen Mo had forgotten it and could only refer to his own words.
This is a child from the countryside. This time he came to the city to handle goods, and the village head is worried about him, so he asked me to accompany him
Zheng Tu looked at the dog, then at Chen Mo, and suddenly laughed, saying: "You only need to give ten coins, considering it a meat dog, but its quality is quite good"
Zheng Tu indeed has a fierce appearance. The moment Chen Mo saw Zheng Tu, he suddenly understood a saying: "Birds of a feather flock together; like attracts like." Perhaps this is what it means
"Uncle Zheng, I want to buy some meat and..." Chen Mo gritted his teeth and said: "I want to buy a puppy"
"That's easy to say!" Zheng Tu lifted his bone-cutting knife, made a swift cut, and Chen Mo only felt a flash of white light before a piece of meat had already fallen onto the cutting board
"Impressive!" Chen Mo looked at the meat on the cutting board, his face filled with shock. He hadn't even seen how the other party moved, and the meat was already cut off. If this were to fall on a person, who would still have their life?
However, after experiencing the previous events, Chen Mo found that the fear in his heart had somehow diminished significantly. Perhaps those who appear fierce are not necessarily bad people? Just like Uncle Wang, he obediently bowed to Zheng Tu and said: "I have met you, Uncle Zheng"
I would like three jin of lamb meat. Chen Mo hesitated for a moment and said, it is too much to finish, and moreover, it is currently late summer, the weather is hot, and it cannot be stored.
Hound. Chen Mo held the money pouch with a tinge of heartache, yet in his heart, there was a thought that since he had to raise it, he might as well raise it for a lifetime
"Brother Wang, you're here!" Just as Chen Mo was feeling conflicted, his ears were suddenly struck as if by a heavy hammer. When he looked up, he saw a fierce-looking muscular man greeting Uncle Wang.
Uncle Wang?" Chen Mo turned around and looked at Uncle Wang
Come, I will take you to choose one! Zheng the butcher called over his assistant to help watch the butcher shop and personally took the two of them to select a puppy
Hound? Chen Mo was taken aback: "Then why..."
In the end, Chen Mo bought 10 chicks, spending 20 coins. The remaining meat and puppies were taken to Zheng Tu. Chen Mo felt somewhat hesitant, as Uncle Wang had mentioned that puppies are also categorized by quality.
"Qingzhou fine dog, a good hunting dog." Wang Shu glanced at the puppy frolicking in Chen Mo's arms, a rare smile appearing on his face
This child appears to be quite well-behaved. Zheng Tu observed Chen Mo a few times; there was indeed a good affinity, as he looked endearing and evoked a sense of closeness, perhaps all children are like this, especially a child who is not troublesome
Zheng the butcher led the two individuals to the courtyard behind the slaughterhouse, where several puppies were frolicking. They were not afraid of strangers and even approached to nuzzle. Zheng the butcher opened several cages and said to the two, "Go ahead and choose."
Chen Mo was counting on his fingers to calculate what he could do with the money in his hands. He earned three hundred from selling grain and five hundred from embroidery, making a total of eight hundred, which seemed like a considerable amount. However, after the autumn harvest, Chen Mo still wanted to acquire a few more acres of land. If he were to buy land, according to the local prices, it would cost between two thousand to three thousand for one acre. Additionally, he often wanted to buy some eggs to eat, so he definitely needed to be frugal.
There is still some time until the hour of Shen, but he has already completed his tasks. He originally thought about seeking out the immortals, but he felt it would not be appropriate to ask Uncle Wang to accompany him. Instead, he considered gathering with the village head and others, hoping to return home early if possible. He wanted to help the dog and the chick build a nest, fearing that if it got too late, he would not have enough time.
"I came here today to handle some goods and thought I would stop by to take a look." Uncle Wang seemed to be quite familiar with the other party. After greeting him, he turned to Chen Mo and said: "This is Zheng Tu, you can just call him Uncle Zheng."
"This is for you," Uncle Wang sighed and said, "You shouldn't go back either. Although Brother Zheng has a fierce appearance, he is actually a good person. It's a pity... the butcher's profession brings misfortune. Three of his sons died young, and he lost two wives. Later, he became disheartened and chose not to remarry. However, he has a great fondness for children like you. This dog truly wants to give you something; otherwise, with his temperament, he wouldn't act this way. You, young man, have a face that can deceive people."
One pound of lamb costs twenty cents, and a chick costs two cents
Is it a meat dog
"Uncle Zheng, how much is this?" Chen Mo asked with some delight, holding it in his arms as he inquired of the butcher Zheng.
"When did you have a child?" Zheng Tu looked at Uncle Wang in surprise
"Hmm." Chen Mo nodded and said
"Young man, dogs are very spiritual beings. If you decide to raise one, do not let it down; for it, this is a lifelong commitment."
"I mean, your face is quite likable." Uncle Wang said with a smile as he rubbed Chen Mo's head, "Come on, if you truly feel guilty, then when you come to the city in the future, make sure to visit him more often. He likes children, but there is no one in the entire Xiaqiu who is willing to talk to him like you do."
However, if it is an ordinary dog, Chen Mo is not very fond of it. Uncle Wang had a hunting dog that died in the mountains a year ago, but before that, Chen Mo really liked it. At that time, Chen Mo was afraid of Uncle Wang but still loved to get close to him, and a large part of the reason was that hunting dog. When he learned of the hunting dog's death in battle, Chen Mo was sad for quite a long time.
Let me help you choose, what kind of dog do you want? Uncle Wang said with a smile
"It was said to be a gift for you, so why are you asking for money?" Zheng Tu frowned as he looked at Chen Mo
Uncle Wang picked a lively black puppy for Chen Mo. The puppy was entirely black, with only two white patches resembling eyebrows above its eyes. Its eyes were bright and lively, making it very adorable, and Chen Mo clearly liked it a lot.
Chen Mo did not quite understand, took the meat, and was unsure if it weighed three jin. After some thought, he still took out sixty coins from his money pouch and placed them on the table.
Chen Mo listened and nodded silently, but inwardly he felt some disdain. Words spoken from the mouth of a dog killer seemed to lack any persuasive power. However, at this moment, he could not afford to think too much about it. Looking at the lively puppies all around, of various colors yet looking quite similar, he was momentarily at a loss as to how to choose.
Chen Mo was somewhat reluctant, but seeing the little dog, he found it quite endearing. In the end, he still handed over ten coins to Zheng Tu, happily carrying the chicken cage, tying the money pouch around his waist, and after bidding farewell to Zheng Tu with the dog in his arms, he followed Uncle Wang back home
No! Chen Mo was somewhat annoyed, as he was clearly very sincere.
I am growing fonder of this kid," Zheng Tu looked at Uncle Wang and laughed, "You said you wanted a paparazzo?