The roe deer was shot dead, so the immediate task was to process it.
In the kitchen, Zhao Jiaqi helped him. As he detached a hind leg of the roe deer, he smiled and handed it to her. "Let's stir-fry some meat tonight, and boil the bones for soup. How does that sound?"
Zhao Jiaqi thought about it. If they ate one leg and sold the rest, there would still be a good amount of silver. So she agreed, "Okay!"
Hearing her answer, Fan Zehao smiled foolishly. He was afraid his wife would be stubborn and insist on selling it. Now that she was willing to eat it, it was a good thing.
"I need to deal with the innards. It's too bloody, so you don't need to look. Go and cook. I can handle this alone!"
With that, Zhao Jiaqi busied herself. Outside, the adult deer tied to the tree lay on the ground. Half an hour later, the meal was ready, and Fan Zehao had already begun butchering the game he had brought back.
Looking at the meat, there wasn't much. Including the bones, it was probably around thirty catties. This was unlike pork, and common folk didn't recognize it. If sold to restaurants, it would only fetch ten-odd wen per catty.
During the meal, he discussed with his wife, "This roe deer meat isn't fatty. The bones weigh about ten catties, and the remaining meat is about twenty catties. I've calculated, and it won't sell for much silver. Why don't we keep it and stir-fry it to eat? What do you think?"
Zhao Jiaqi picked up a piece of lean meat and put it in his bowl. "We can't eat it!"
Fan Zehao lowered his head silently. "But your body needs nourishment. Then, from now on, all the chickens I catch, we'll keep them, alright!"
She knew her own body best. Although she was anemic, it wasn't as severe as he described. However, it was acceptable for them to eat some meat in moderation.
Looking at the lean meat, it indeed didn't taste particularly good, but they could sell it in different ways!
"How about we make the roe deer into jerky to sell?"
Fan Zehao looked up at her. "You've done that before. It's sold outside!"
Zhao Jiaqi said "oh" softly. She had indeed forgotten about that. Then, the two fell silent.
Fan Zehao pointed outside to her. "There's still an adult deer. This is a treasure. Antler, deer blood, deer penis, and deer meat are all high-grade medicinal ingredients. I estimate this one could sell for thirty to fifty taels!"
Zhao Jiaqi also thought for a moment. "About right. But Auntie said not to sell it in town, as we might get swindled. We should take it to the prefectural city to sell."
This way, they might be able to sell it for more. With money in their pockets, they wouldn't be anxious. They could also buy some grain and vegetables. If they could buy seeds, she would sprout some bean sprouts. This way, they could still have fresh vegetables.
In any case, they would do whatever was most economical. Having lived as a princess for so many years, she never expected to live such a life one day.
Seeing his wife speak a string of words, he immediately perked up. "Then let's keep this meat, how about it?"
He had asked the same question twice. If she didn't agree this time, Zhao Jiaqi thought he might continue asking.
They said she was stubborn, but he was equally so.
"Then let's keep it. I'll think of a way to make delicious food for you later!" Zhao Jiaqi reluctantly compromised.
Since they could sell the deer for some silver, they at least had a glimmer of hope.
After dinner, Fan Zehao put all the meat into a water bucket, then covered the bucket and placed it outside. The meat would definitely freeze by midnight.
Before going to bed, he brought the deer into the house again. Fan Zehao was very afraid it would be lost, and almost covered it with a quilt.
The lights were out. The two on the bed had spent a full day in the village. Fan Zehao felt very fulfilled all day. Suddenly, he felt that this kind of life wasn't bad.
His rough hand reached out from under the quilt and fumbled around for a moment before finding his wife's hand. He held it tightly in his palm, refusing to let go no matter how she struggled.
Zhao Jiaqi turned her head to look at the person beside her who was pretending to be asleep. This man was utterly shameless. He had promised not to touch her without her permission, but he had agreed readily while actually having his own plans.
Fine, considering his hard work today, she would let him hold her hand while they slept.
The man who was pushing his luck saw that his wife was no longer struggling and clearly had given up resisting. He was secretly overjoyed, a smile on his lips, and slowly drifted into dreamland.
He had good dreams all night long. When he woke up, the smile on his lips was frozen.
As the sky was still dark, Fan Zehao tiptoed out of bed, covered her with the quilt, and added more firewood to the stove.
In winter, the first thing to do upon waking was to make a fire; other matters came second.
After finishing his preparations, Fan Zehao, in the dark, went to the yard to get his hunting gear and then went out.
When he left, the sky was not yet bright. The person on the bed was fast asleep. When the sun had just begun to show, the person on the bed was woken by the heat of the kang beneath her. Looking around, she saw that Fan Zehao was gone. After getting up, she searched and saw that the hunting tools on the wall were gone. Only then did she realize her husband had gone into the mountains.
After washing up, the front door opened. She thought it was him returning, but instead saw the village head's wife holding two cabbages.
As soon as she entered the yard, she saw Mrs. Fan pouring water and knew she had just woken up.
"Auntie, welcome. Please come inside!" Zhao Jiaqi called out to her guest.
Liu Qinshi waved her hand at her. "I won't come in. These are vegetables my auntie grew herself. This is a frozen napa cabbage. It's definitely not spoiled. Blanching this cabbage in boiling water and eating it with sauce is delicious. I'll just leave it in the kitchen for you!"
Zhao Jiaqi, having grown up in the countryside, naturally knew that frozen cabbage could still be eaten. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Auntie, for remembering to bring me vegetables!"
Liu Qinshi smiled. "We live in the same village, no need for thanks. If you run out, just come find me again!"
Saying that, she brushed off some cabbage leaf debris from her clothes and was about to leave.
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and asked, "Why the hurry to go back? Come in and sit for a while to warm up."
"No, no. Today my son and daughter-in-law are coming back, and your uncle is overjoyed. He's been telling me to cook since this morning!" Liu Qinshi sounded a bit complaining about the trouble, but the joy on her face was uncontainable.
Upon learning that her son had returned, Zhao Jiaqi no longer insisted that she come inside.
Watching Liu Qinshi leave the yard, her legs in their fifties swinging, she trotted back with small steps, looking hurried. It was clear how much this mother longed for her children to return.
As soon as she turned around, she saw Fan Zehao with a chicken in his left hand, a duck in his right, and several dead chickens on his back. Even a plump duck was among them.
Fan Zehao saw her and said, "Everyone's gone, and you're still standing here foolishly, aren't you cold? Go back inside!"
She briefly explained the situation and, taking a piece of roe deer meat from the water bucket, packed it into a basket, preparing to take it to the village head's family.
He understood what was happening and took the basket. "Alright, after we eat, I'll take a detour to deliver this meat to the village head. Whether it's for his grandson or for the old couple themselves, we won't pry."
Zhao Jiaqi nodded. That was her intention too. This meat was a small gesture from them as a couple, a return gift. It was mainly for the village head's family to decide how to handle it.
They stopped at the village head's door. Zhao Jiaqi didn't get off the cart, and Fan Zehao didn't go in. He just called out to the people inside.
The village head saw the newcomers and smiled, greeting them, "If you have something to say, let's talk inside. It's too cold out here!"
Fan Zehao was touched by this concern. He quickly refused, "Uncle, I won't come in to sit. I have to go to the prefectural city!"
When the village head heard he was going far away, he didn't say anything else. He didn't ask what he was going to the prefectural city for, but looked at him curiously, "Then, nephew, did you come to see uncle for something?"