Chapter 76: Catching Chicks
Ying Kongtu’s online shop had always done good business. This time, the sour plum soup ingredient packs also sold very well as soon as they were listed.
That day, when Ying Kongtu went to the shop, the female pharmacist watching the store, Zhuang Qinglan, said as soon as she saw him, “Kongtu, the sour plum soup packs are almost out of stock. We need to restock.”
“So fast?” Ying Kongtu was surprised. “Let me see.”
Zhuang Qinglan took out the account book and showed him. “The main thing is that the dried hawthorn is almost used up. That one goes quickly.”
Ying Kongtu had long since discovered that selling single ingredients alone did not really fit modern people’s shopping habits.
This time, when they sold sour plum soup packs, they were directly pre-mixed.
One pack contained eight smoked plums, a handful of dried hawthorn slices, two pieces of licorice root, two pieces of dried tangerine peel, and a handful of rock sugar. They were wrapped directly in oil paper, then sealed in airtight bags before being shipped.
After customers received them, they only had to add water and boil them to get a delicious sour plum soup.
In this ingredient pack, only the smoked plums were produced by their family. The other materials all had to be purchased from other stores.
Right now, the shop’s dried hawthorn slices were almost used up, so they had to contact the pharmacy and order another batch.
Ying Kongtu checked it over. After confirming there were no problems with the accounts, he said, “I’ll call and have them deliver some.”
Their shop’s sour plum soup packs were selling far too well. Besides dried hawthorn, they needed to restock the other ingredients as well.
Fortunately, their warehouse had enough space, so they did not have to worry about having nowhere to put everything.
When Ying Kongtu returned home, he sighed to Wen Zhongshan, “The modern internet really is something. It amplifies the good, and it amplifies the bad too.”
“It relies more on customers’ word of mouth.”
“Yes, exactly that. This afternoon, Zhuang Qinglan told me that recently, several online shops selling sour plum soup have become popular. But after customers buy from other shops, they’re actually more likely to become repeat customers of ours.”
“Then this batch of smoked plums will sell out very quickly, won’t it?”
“Pretty much. I estimate they’ll sell out in a little over a month. After that, we’ll mainly sell mushrooms, peaches, plums, and other summer mountain goods.”
The smoked plums selling well meant they would have another sum of money coming in.
Together with their other income, he would definitely have no problem paying next year’s second installment for Qianzhongcui Mountain.
Thinking of this, Ying Kongtu’s mood relaxed.
He took Wen Zhongshan to patrol the mountain, first visiting Bibi Mountain, then Qianzhongcui Mountain.
“Last year, I said that after the saplings on Bibi Mountain grew a little larger, we could raise some chickens there.”
Ying Kongtu sat halfway up Qianzhongcui Mountain, feeling the wind and looking out at the kiwi orchard.
“Now, I think raising chickens on Qianzhongcui Mountain might be more suitable. What do you think?”
“I think the same. Raising them in the kiwi orchard would be pretty suitable,” Wen Zhongshan said. “The kiwi vines have already grown up and climbed onto the trellises. If the chickens are raised underneath, they won’t be exposed to sun and rain.”
Ying Kongtu said, “That’s what I was thinking too. The orchard already has fencing, so we can pen the chicks in and keep them from running everywhere.”
The kiwis in the orchard were growing quite well, but they were not overly dense.
When Yue Chengji’s family had planted the kiwis, they had left spacing between each small patch of fruit trees to make it convenient for carts and machinery to enter.
Now, those empty spaces were covered in weeds.
If they raised chickens, the flock would eat some of the weeds, saving them the effort of weeding again.
In addition, the chickens could peck at fallen kiwi flowers, fallen fruit, and little insects.
Insects were also part of an orchard. Even Ying Kongtu had no way to completely eliminate the insects on the vines.
If the chickens could peck away the insects, they would help with pest prevention, and chickens raised on insects would also have good meat quality. It would be killing two birds with one stone.
After discussing it, the two decided to raise chickens in the kiwi orchard.
For this, the two inspected and repaired the orchard again. They also used the cement posts inside the orchard to build several semi-enclosed chicken sheds over two meters tall.
“Strong enough, right?” Ying Kongtu reached out and shook the shed.
“Enough.” Wen Zhongshan also checked it over. “With cement posts as supports, there definitely won’t be a problem.”
“I’m mostly worried that wind and rain will blow in,” Ying Kongtu said. “I hope this time, when we raise chickens, we won’t have to rush out in the rain in the middle of the night to collect chickens again.”
Wen Zhongshan exchanged a smile with him. “We definitely won’t.”
“Then let’s start preparing to buy chicks.” Ying Kongtu looked back at the sturdy chicken sheds and the orchard. “After we buy them, I’ll use divine power to restrict their range a little and keep them from pecking at the kiwis on the trellises.”
“For buying chicks, do we contact a chick farm?”
“Let’s first look at some small chicken farms. Their chicks will be better.”
In the towns under Changchuan County, villagers were used to buying chickens around this time.
If they bought chicks now and raised them for a little over a month, then once the chicks were half-grown and the early rice in the paddies was harvested in July, they could release them into the rice fields.
The chickens would peck at insects and fallen grains in the mud. That would save feed, and also give the chickens enough activity, making the meat better.
At this time, many small chicken farms would hatch local native chickens to sell. It was basically the time of year with the most chicks available, and also when they had the most choices.
Ying Kongtu and Wen Zhongshan went to the small chicken farms below to choose chicks.
They visited one chicken farm after another and personally picked them. Chicks selected this way cost a little more, but they could choose the best and healthiest ones.
“The sunlight is really nice these days.”
Ying Kongtu drove the small agricultural three-wheeler into the village, parked by the roadside, and went up the mountain with Wen Zhongshan to the chicken farm halfway up the slope to choose chicks.
At this moment, they walked upward along the field ridge. The sunlight was brilliant, and the breeze was gentle.
Rice fields, villages, rivers, mountain forests… a vast painting unfolded directly before their eyes, beautiful beyond words.
Wen Zhongshan said, “It’s rare that it isn’t too hot today.”
“Yes. This kind of weather is the most comfortable. But rain in a few days would also be comfortable.”
Very soon, they reached the chicken farm they had arranged to visit.
The owner of the chicken farm took them to select chicks.
Wen Zhongshan was not very good at choosing chicks, but Ying Kongtu was an expert.
He mostly picked strong little hens. Only when he saw an especially good little rooster would he pick it too, to use for breeding later.
When the chicken farm owners saw Ying Kongtu’s practiced movements, they often admired his skill in selecting chicks.
His eyes were too sharp. With one glance, he could pick out the best few chicks.
Even the farm owners who had raised chickens for years might not necessarily have his level of skill.
Since this was the first year they were raising chickens on a larger scale, Ying Kongtu did not have much confidence and ultimately only picked five hundred chicks.
This number was enough for them to eat.
As for the portion they might sell, they would just let it happen naturally.
Ying Kongtu was not especially anxious now.
They spent two days selecting this year’s batch of chicks.
When they placed the chicks on Qianzhongcui Mountain, Ying Kongtu specially greeted the furry ones at home. “These are the family’s chickens. This year’s chicken meat and eggs will all depend on them.”
The furry ones all had serious faces and nodded earnestly.
Even Dart followed along solemnly. “Meow.”
Ying Kongtu felt comforted. “When autumn comes and we go up the mountain to pick mushrooms, we won’t have to buy chicken outside anymore. We’ll use our own chickens to stew.”
Last year, they had drunk a lot of chicken soup and eaten plenty of chicken.
The free-range native chickens bought outside were already quite delicious. This year, they would raise their own, and the taste would definitely be even better.
Thinking of this, Ying Kongtu and the furry ones all looked at the little chicks in unison, their faces carrying the same expectation.
Jingwei and Dart looked at the chicks until they were practically drooling.
They placed the chicks in the orchard to raise them. The orchard environment was slightly simpler than a chicken coop.
Ying Kongtu was worried that the chicks might fall ill, so he specially cast a mountain god’s blessing on them and nourished them slightly with divine power.
With divine power supporting them, the chicks adapted very well to the orchard. As soon as day broke, they ran all over the orchard, scratching the ground with their tender little claws and catching bugs to eat.
Since the chicks had just been bought, Ying Kongtu did not directly change their feed. He first let them continue eating chick feed.
After they adapted to the environment a little, they could add grains to their chicken feed.
They would spend a little under a month slowly reducing the feed and increasing the grains until the replacement was complete, giving the chicks enough time to adapt.
This method was good in every way, except that it was a little troublesome.
Every morning after waking up, they had to first go up the mountain to feed the chickens and observe the flock’s condition.
That day, they also went up the mountain to feed the chickens.
Ying Kongtu kept staring at one chicken.
After Wen Zhongshan finished feeding the chickens beside him, he came over and asked, “What is it?”
Ying Kongtu said, “These two chickens don’t seem to be ones we picked.”
Wen Zhongshan stared at the chickens, but really could not see how the two chickens Ying Kongtu mentioned were different. “They seem to all look about the same?”
“They’re still not quite the same.” Ying Kongtu reached out and grabbed one of the chickens. “Look—”
The chick was frightened and pecked his hand, making him even more certain. “The beak and claws are different.”
“Where did these chickens come from? Someone else’s?”
“Hard to say. But all of Qianzhongcui Mountain is our territory. It’s unlikely that an outsider would release chickens here.” Ying Kongtu put down the chick in his hand. “Wait, let me count.”
There were too many chickens. Ying Kongtu had not registered the chicks in the divine household, because that would scatter his attention.
However, he could distinguish different chickens.
Taking advantage of feeding time, he counted them simply.
“Five hundred and twenty-six.” Ying Kongtu looked up and exchanged glances with Wen Zhongshan. “There are twenty-six extra.”
Wen Zhongshan did not suspect he had counted wrong. He was just completely puzzled. “Where did these chickens come from?”
Ying Kongtu could not guess either. “There aren’t many rice fields nearby. Even if someone is raising chickens, they shouldn’t run all the way up the mountain, and then fly in from outside the fence—”
“Wait!” When he mentioned the word “fly,” Ying Kongtu suddenly realized something and looked at Wen Zhongshan.
Wen Zhongshan had thought of the same issue. “Shuangzhong.”
Shuangzhong was a golden eagle, one of the birds commonly called “hawks” by ordinary people.
Catching chickens was practically its instinctive hunting behavior.
If, among the furry ones at home, one had to say who was most likely to catch chickens, it would basically be it.
“Let’s observe first. It wouldn’t be good if we misunderstood.” Ying Kongtu said.
Wen Zhongshan agreed. “So we don’t hurt its feelings.”
Ying Kongtu could roughly understand what the little mountain gods meant, and the little mountain gods could basically understand his words.
But communicating about more complex matters was still relatively difficult.
Ying Kongtu could not directly ask Shuangzhong whether it was the one bringing chickens, where it was getting the chickens from, and why it was bringing them.
They still had to investigate behind its back.
The two paid attention and observed. Soon, while patrolling the mountain, they saw from afar that Shuangzhong was clutching a chick in its claws and flying toward the orchard on Qianzhongcui Mountain.
“It really is it.” Seeing the guess confirmed, Ying Kongtu felt a bit of a headache. “Where is it catching these chicks?”
“They probably aren’t someone’s chickens.” Ying Kongtu looked at the chicken under Shuangzhong’s claws and added, “There are no households in that direction, and they have a sense of propriety. They wouldn’t disturb humans.”
Wen Zhongshan asked, “Would there be chickens in the wild? Could chickens be its prey?”
Ying Kongtu thought for a moment. “Some hens secretly go off into the wild to brood. They hatch the eggs they’ve chosen. Those kinds of chicks have no owner, so they can count as wild chickens.”
Seeing the chick Shuangzhong had brought back, Ying Kongtu said softly, “Shuangzhong really is worthy of being an eagle. Its eye for choosing chicks is pretty good. The chicks it brings back are all very tenacious and healthy.”
Wen Zhongshan said, “It’s like it’s playing a strange version of ‘eagle catches chicks.’”
Ying Kongtu said, “When you put it that way, it really does seem a little like that.”
Shuangzhong did not notice them, or rather, Shuangzhong saw them but did not have any special reaction.
They basically patrolled the mountain every day. Shuangzhong, flying in the air and looking down, could also see their figures every day.
Shuangzhong did not pay attention to them, but they observed Shuangzhong and could clearly see that after it placed the chick into the orchard, its expression was a little proud and its eyes were bright.
It landed on the fence, observed for a while, then flapped its wings and flew up again.
“Looking at the direction it’s flying, it’s probably going to continue catching chicks.”
“Should we follow it?”
“Let’s go. We’ll quietly follow and see exactly where the chicks are coming from.”
For Ying Kongtu and Wen Zhongshan, tracking a young golden eagle was not too difficult.
Very soon, they saw from afar that Shuangzhong flew to a mountain, grabbed a chick from under the shade of a tree on the slope, and flew into the sky.
The mother hen had guarded against everything, yet still failed to guard against it. All the feathers on her neck stood up. Only after quite some time did she come back to her senses and cluck threateningly at Shuangzhong, but it had already flown far away.
Ying Kongtu observed the hen from a distance. “It really is a runaway hen. It looks a little different from domestic chickens now.”
Wen Zhongshan let out a breath of relief. “That’s good.”
Ying Kongtu said, “Shuangzhong and the others still know what they’re doing. They won’t disturb humans.”
After putting down the big stone in his heart, Ying Kongtu also relaxed and pulled Wen Zhongshan along. “Let’s go. We’ll go back too. Later, we’ll talk to Shuangzhong.”
Very soon, the two blocked Shuangzhong in the kiwi orchard.
Seeing them, Shuangzhong cried out in confusion. “Kiki?”
“Come down.” Ying Kongtu stretched out his arm, letting it land on his forearm. He stared at it and asked, “Where did you go just now?”
Shuangzhong tilted its head in confusion. “Ki?”
Ying Kongtu reached out and touched its head. “You went to the wild to carry off chicks, didn’t you?”
Hearing this, Shuangzhong immediately became nervous. Its eyes looked at Ying Kongtu, then at Wen Zhongshan.
Ying Kongtu remained calm. “We saw it all.”
“Ki.” Shuangzhong felt guilty.
Ying Kongtu gently held its head, not letting it avoid his gaze. “The chickens you carried off before can be left at that. From now on, you’re not allowed to steal a hen’s chicks anymore. Do you understand?”
Shuangzhong looked at Ying Kongtu. After a long while, it answered dejectedly. “Ki.”
Ying Kongtu stroked it again. “Stealing a mother hen’s chicks isn’t very good. We already have enough chickens. There’s no need to catch more.”
Shuangzhong did not make a sound. It only rubbed its head against Ying Kongtu’s palm.
Ying Kongtu said, “But thank you for thinking about the family.”
Wen Zhongshan also reached out and touched it. “Thank you, Shuangzhong.”
Shuangzhong sensed their gratitude and became happy again, looking at them with bright eyes. “Kikike!”
Author’s Note:
People often think Dart’s name means “Fatty Meat.”
As Dart gradually came to understand human speech, it felt very depressed.
That was until it learned that the majestic stray cat with the torn ear on the street was called Dange—“Egg Cut”—and that the especially fierce tabby cat in the back alley was called Beiqi—“Got Ridden.”
Only then did it feel much better.
Some humans really have wicked tastes when naming cats.
Dart thought gloomily.
