Chapter 27: Even Killing Pigs Gets A Small Reward

Li Chaosheng got up, washed, broke yesterday’s leftover steamed buns into small pieces and threw them on the bed. Turtle Son would regain consciousness in a bit and would be hungry, so it was just right for him to eat.

After preparing food for Turtle Son, Li Chaosheng wrapped his ghost-head blade in cloth, slung it on his back, and on his way out stopped at the breakfast stall at the door to eat ten dough sticks and a bowl of tofu pudding.

Full and satisfied, carrying his blade, he headed out of town toward the Zheng Family Village.

The Zheng Family Village was ten miles from the city and fairly prosperous. The wealthiest was butcher Zheng, who could be considered the village’s top rich man. He lived in a two-compound courtyard. Behind the courtyard was a large pig farm with many fat pigs.

The village kept many idle hands. These men were not Zheng family servants but local farmers who helped Zheng’s place when not busy with their own fields. Their main job was watching the pig farm to prevent theft, and Zheng’s family paid them a monthly wage, which counted as income.

When Li Chaosheng arrived, he met the house steward of the Zheng estate, a chubby middle-aged man who clearly ate a lot of pork.

“Hello, I come from the county magistrate’s office, and I heard your family is hiring pig butchers. I’m free right now and thought I could help,” Li Chaosheng said.

The steward said, “Oh, are you planning to work permanently or as a casual hand?”

“Casual hand.”

Being a casual hand meant odd jobs and part-time work. He had his main job but was free these days, so he could come help for a few days to earn some extra money.

“Casual hand, huh. Fine, come with me to the pig farm. One hundred big coins a day, food and lodging provided,” the steward said.

“Alright. Should I meet the master?” Li Chaosheng followed the steward and asked.

The steward waved his hand and said, “No need. The master has no time to see you now. The old master just died, and the young master has taken in Third Madam and Second Madam and is busy with that.”

Hearing that, Li Chaosheng secretly gave a thumbs up. Fine, Young Master Zheng really kept his word. He said he’d marry his stepmother and he really did it. Trustworthy fellow!

At the pig farm, Li Chaosheng saw an old man directing four idle hands to catch a pig. The big black pig weighed over three hundred jin, strong and sturdy. The four men had trouble holding it down. When one finally managed to pin it, the others rushed up with ropes to tie it. Halfway through tying it, they slipped, and the big black pig broke free, dragging the ropes as it ran out of the pen.

Oink oink…

The big black pig squealed and ran, the rope trailing and wrapping around one of the men. People in this age were generally undernourished and rarely ate meat, so they were thin and weak. That explained why four of them could not hold one pig.

“Ah, help, help!” the man cried.

The man was dragged on the ground, making a noise louder than the pig’s. The ground was full of gravel, and if he was dragged any further he could die. Seeing this, people shouted and rushed to help, but they could not catch up.

The big black pig charged toward the steward and Li Chaosheng. The steward was alarmed. He was fat and slow. If the pig rammed him, he would surely be injured.

“Quick, stop him!” The steward shouted at the top of his lungs.

At that moment, Li Chaosheng stepped in front of the steward to face the pig head-on. The pig charged at the two like a mad thing. Li Chaosheng reached for the ghost-head blade on his back. The moment he held the ghost-head blade, his aura changed abruptly. The big black pig was startled and immediately squealed and turned to run.

Li Chaosheng closed in in a flash, grabbed the rope from the ground, and in a couple of swift motions wrapped it around his right arm. He silently strained, thinking, s**top right there!

Oink oink…

The big black pig screamed madly but found it could not run. The other end of the rope seemed tied to a mountain. No matter how hard it pulled, it could not budge.

“Come here!” Li Chaosheng commanded.

Li Chaosheng hauled the rope inch by inch toward himself. The pig used all its strength but could only step backward, completely controlled.

Pulled up close, Li Chaosheng bound the pig with a complex five-pattern tie, the basic method executioners used to bind prisoners. In an instant the pig was tied to the ground and could only emit helpless grunts.

“Good! Truly a brave man!” the steward exclaimed.

The steward praised him loudly and the other idle hands all gave impressed exclaims, casting admiring looks.

Li Chaosheng bowed slightly with his fists and said, “No need to praise.”

At that moment an old man came over from a distance. He looked at Li Chaosheng with a smile and said, “Good young man, you sure look sturdy. Do you serve at the county magistrate’s office?”

Seeing the old man, Li Chaosheng immediately knew who he was because the man resembled Wang Er’s wife. He guessed this was Wang Er’s old father-in-law, Butcher Fan.

Li Chaosheng thought for a moment and then cupped his hands toward the old man, saying, “Old Uncle Fan, I am a colleague of Wang Er. I am an executioner at the county magistrate’s office, Li Chaosheng.”

An executioner?

Hearing that, the steward was taken aback. Although executioners were unpopular, they were not people ordinary folks could provoke. After all, they were officials in the public eye, and if one did not treat them well trouble could follow. Which common family would dare hire a runner working for the government to do work? If there were disputes later, they might retaliate. For now, it was best to pay him off.

“Ah, so he is a colleague of my admirable son-in-law. How has he been lately?” the old man asked.

“Everything is fine. Please rest assured,” Li Chaosheng replied.

After exchanging a few words with Old Uncle Fan, the steward hurried over with a forced smile and said, “Brother Li, may I have a word?”

“Oh, what is it?” Li Chaosheng asked.

Li Chaosheng looked at the steward and asked. The steward, still smiling, said, “Brother Li, here’s one tael of silver. Enjoy some tea with it and don’t do the pig butcher work.”

“What do you mean? You don’t want to hire me?”

“No, no, it’s just that our household is too small to support a dragon with great dreams like you. You should…”

The steward had not finished when Old Fan nearby cleared his throat and said, “Ahem… There are two days until delivery. There are still fifteen or sixteen pigs that haven’t been slaughtered. Besides, other meat shops need pigs these days and they haven’t been slaughtered either. There’s a pile of work I cannot handle alone.”

The steward’s expression froze at those words because Old Fan was right. At that moment the man who had been dragged earlier also spoke up, “Steward Zhou, this Brother Li is righteous and skilled. He will surely help a lot. Keep him.”

Once this man spoke, the others echoed him, and the steward found himself in an awkward spot. Li Chaosheng then smiled and said, “Steward, do not worry. I am not here to make trouble. I came because my brother Wang Er is worried about his father-in-law. He says Old Uncle Fan is getting on in years and has been overworked these days. I’m free and came to help.”

Li Chaosheng directly credited Wang Er. After all, promoting others’ family happiness was what every helpful executioner should do.

“Well, all right. But Brother Li, if you get tired or do not want to continue, do not force yourself. Tell me and I will offer you a cup of tea in thanks!” the steward said.

The steward pushed the one tael of silver to Li Chaosheng, but Li Chaosheng pushed it back, saying, “A hundred wen a day. That’s the agreed price. Do not change it.”

The steward had no choice and agreed to hire Li Chaosheng. Old Fan waved his hand and the idle hands immediately used poles to place the tied big black pig onto the butcher’s block. Old Fan looked at Li Chaosheng and said, “Brother Li, show us the knife work of a professional executioner!”

Hearing that, Li Chaosheng reached for the ghost-head blade on his back. When Old Fan saw it he was terrified and hurried to stop him, saying, “No, no, quickly put that blade away. An executioner’s knife used on a pig? Who would dare eat that pork? Use mine.”

Old Fan handed over a boning knife. Li Chaosheng took the knife, performed a flourish, and plunged it into the pig’s neck.

“Get a basin, get a basin,” Old Fan called.

The workers quickly brought a large basin. The pig’s blood went into the basin. This was perfect for making blood sausages. In these days of scarce meat, pig’s blood was a sought-after commodity and should not be wasted.

Blood gushed. When the blood had been largely collected and the pig stopped thrashing, Li Chaosheng felt the pig’s neck bone and quickly removed the pig’s head. The big black pig was instantly dead.

At the same time Li Chaosheng felt the Killing Scripture in his Sea of Consciousness stir, granting him a small reward.