PCJ – Chapter 225 A Group of Foodies

The pigpen had been prepared in advance. The floor was cemented, and the walls were coated with cement, making them resistant to the sharp teeth and claws of the wild boars. The wild boar couple was placed into a large pen, originally intended for raising several pigs. One pen could hold seven or eight pigs, and it was just right for the wild boar couple. The male wild boar weighed around 300 pounds, significantly larger than a regular domestic pig, naturally taking up more space. The female boar was also quite large, and the couple seemed very comfortable in the big pen.

The pen had been lined with straw beforehand. Surprisingly, the wild boar couple did not cause any trouble after entering the pen. They lay quietly on the straw, behaving more like domestic pigs than wild ones.

“Oh no, I forgot!” Zhang Jiaohua smacked his forehead. Everything had been prepared, except for one crucial thing.

There was no pig feed ready! Feeding so many wild boars at once would quickly deplete the family’s grain storage.

Zhang Jiwang immediately guessed the problem. “Jiaohua, are you worried about the pig feed?”

Zhang Jiaohua nodded. “Don’t worry about it for now. Your grandfather had already thought of this and went back to get some corn. He should be back soon.”

Indeed, not long after, Zhang Manyin came carrying a load of cornmeal.

“Jiaohua, look, Manyin is here.” Zhang Jiwang pointed at Zhang Manyin, who was approaching the pig farm’s storage area.

There was a pot left over from the last time the villagers cooked together, which was perfect for cooking a large pot of cornmeal. Zhang Dechun and some others brought over a few troughs.

“Jiaohua, the whole village supports you in raising pigs. Whatever you need, whether it’s pig grass or corn, the villagers will provide. Some items, you can buy at market prices, and some the villagers will give for free. If you succeed in raising wild boars, you should help the villagers get rich too,” Zhang Dechun expressed his thoughts.

“Yes, Jiaohua, our village lacks a path to prosperity. You might be young, but you’re a capable young person in the village. We adults need your help to get rich,” Zhang Jiwang added.

“Right, right. If you need any help here in the future, just call on the villagers. We don’t want a penny for our labor, and we won’t even take a bite of your food. Just give us a cup of tea,” Zhang Xingwang said.

“Xingwang, don’t say that. We still need to eat, drink, and enjoy some cured wild boar meat,” Zhang Jiwang joked.

Everyone knew Zhang Jiwang was half-joking. It wasn’t customary in Meizi’ao to help someone without at least being offered a meal.

“My Jiaohua isn’t that inconsiderate. Everyone has worked hard today, so stay for a meal. There will be plenty of wild boar meat, but I’ll need help cooking it; otherwise, we’ll be eating dinner late,” Zhang Manyin said, pleased with his grandson’s success and full of energy.

While it’s okay for people to go hungry, letting the wild boars starve is unacceptable as they represent the village’s future hope. So, they cooked the pig feed first.

Jiaohua was a bit overwhelmed by the adults. An entire village of adults relying on a child under ten to get rich didn’t make much sense.

Ignoring the adults, Zhang Jiaohua focused on treating the few wild boar boar litters injured by the mountain dogs. If their wounds got infected, it could be fatal. Once they entered the pig farm, they became Jiaohua’s responsibility.

The six injured boar litters were the first caught and excluded by the wild boar couple, clearly not their offspring. Severely wounded, the boar litters lay huddled in the straw, watching Jiaohua approach with fearful eyes.

“Be careful. They may be boar litters, but they’re still wild and can bite,” Zhang Manyin cautioned as Zhang Jiaohua entered the pen.

Holding a bowl of water, Zhang Jiaohua made gestures and chanted a spell: “Invoking the great master Hua Tuo, manifesting divine power, showing miracles. Pain, retreat with water; bleeding, stop with this charm. Cut off bleeding; blood, do not flow. Disciple seals the knife and blood; swelling subsides, heat cools, pain ceases. By the command of master Hua Tuo, so it shall be.”

After the incantation, Jiaohua dipped his fingers in the water and sprinkled it on the boar litters. Initially fearful, the boar litters gradually became confused and then more docile. Jiaohua then applied the water directly to their wounds, causing them to squeal softly, seemingly comforted.

The water had a miraculous effect, quickly healing the boar litters’ wounds. After applying the water to all their injuries, the boar litters stood and nuzzled Jiaohua affectionately.

“These boar litters are quite intelligent,” Zhang Manyin sighed in relief, worried his grandson might get bitten.

Although initially captured, the wild boar couple and their offspring found the pig farm’s food quite satisfactory. The cornmeal, mixed with rice bran, was a luxury compared to the village pigs’ diet of pig grass mixed with rice bran and occasional leftovers. The wild boar family enjoyed their first meal, feasting heartily, a stark contrast to their struggle for food in the wild.

“They eat a lot!” Zhang Manyin remarked, seeing the empty trough and the chewed wooden plank.

“Isn’t that good? Eating well means they’ll grow fast and have more boar litters,” Jiaohua said cheerfully.

“What do you know? Feeding them so much now means we’ll need a lot more grain every day,” Zhang Manyin worried.

Jiaohua scratched his head, realizing that while the tea leaves hadn’t been sold yet, they now had another potential money pit.