Zhuyu/Chasing Jade
zhuyu-chapter 1 the beautiful butcher
Snow was falling in the twelfth lunar month as a large cauldron of boiling water sat in the courtyard. The snowflakes melted before they could even reach the pot, vaporized by the rising steam. The accumulated snow on the ground had been trampled into a muddy slush. Next to the cauldron, a wooden door panel was propped up on benches, with half a pig carcass laid out on top.
Fan Changyu brought her cleaver down with a swift chop, severing a hind leg from the pig. The makeshift table shuddered, sending bone fragments and bits of meat flying. The cleaver in her hand had a thick, broad back and was entirely black except for its gleaming snow-white edge, which looked frighteningly sharp at a glance. A skinning knife and a boning knife lay beside the chopping board, their dark iron bodies and bright white blades part of a set with her cleaver.
Today, the Chen family in town was slaughtering their New Year’s pig and had invited neighbors and clan relatives to join in the festivities. It was quite a lively affair. The guests huddled around the fire pit inside, stealing glances at Fan Changyu busying herself in the courtyard, and began to whisper among themselves:
“The Fan family just finished their mourning period. Why did the Chens invite that slip of a girl, Changyu, to butcher their pig?”
“The Chens are on good terms with Second Brother Fan’s family. They’re not so superstitious…” The speaker’s voice trailed off, perhaps remembering the Fan family’s tragic circumstances, and glanced outside.
Snowflakes drifted like cotton in the air. In the courtyard, the young woman wielding the cleaver wore a plain, slightly worn jacket and skirt. She was tall and slender, with her black hair pulled back, revealing half of her fair and delicate profile. Though she looked thin, she worked with remarkable efficiency.
When Second Brother Fan’s wife first arrived in Linan Town with her husband, she caught the eye of many admirers. Some jealous women even privately speculated that she must have come from a brothel, a testament to her striking beauty. Both of her daughters had inherited her good looks and were exceptionally attractive.
The younger one was only five and hadn’t yet grown into her looks, but if the elder daughter hadn’t been betrothed to the Song family’s son from a young age, suitors would likely have worn down the Fan family’s doorstep these past few years.
Someone sighed, “Second Brother Fan and his wife were killed by mountain bandits, leaving only two young girls behind. And Big Brother Fan is heartless, only thinking about seizing his brother’s property. Changyu and her sister have had it rough! We thought Changyu’s life would improve once Song Yan passed the provincial exams and she married into their family, but who knew that engagement would fall through too?
Following in her father’s footsteps as a butcher to support the family. She’s managed to keep the Fan household afloat. The Chen family hiring her to slaughter their pig is a way of looking after her business.”
Hearing these hidden stories, the crowd couldn’t help but sigh. However, one voice, barely above a whisper, added, “I heard that the Fan family’s elder daughter is cursed and caused her parents’ deaths. Even her younger sister was born sickly because of her bad luck. The Song family had their fortunes read and found out she was born under an ill-fated star, which is why they hurriedly broke off the engagement…”
The previous speaker scoffed, “Do you know where the Song family had those fortunes read?”
The sighs from the crowd grew louder. Everyone could see through the Song family’s intentions in breaking off the engagement at this time.
There was an old saying that when a man is promoted or strikes it rich, his wife dies. Song Yan had passed the provincial exams and was destined for an official career. How could he still marry a butcher’s daughter?
The chopping board in the courtyard was not far from the main house, forcing Fan Changyu to overhear the gossip about herself. However, her face betrayed no emotion. Her parents had passed away over a month ago, and she had long since come to terms with it.
Her story with Song Yan was nothing more than a tale of Qin Xianglian and Chen Shimei.
Years ago, when the Song family couldn’t even afford a coffin, Madam Song knelt in the street with Song Yan, kowtowing to passersby and begging for help to buy a thin coffin to bury her husband. Even with her forehead bloodied from kowtowing, no one had offered assistance. It was Fan Changyu’s parents who, unable to bear the sight, had helped buy a coffin for the burial.
Madam Song had been overwhelmed with gratitude and voluntarily proposed betrothing Song Yan to Fan Changyu, promising that once Song Yan achieved a high rank in the imperial examinations, he would marry her and give her a life of comfort.
Later, the two families became neighbors, and Fan Changyu’s parents often helped the widowed mother and her orphaned son. Madam Song was determined to have her son take the imperial examinations, but couldn’t afford the tuition fees. Before Song Yan was admitted to the county school, much of his tuition had been covered by Fan Changyu’s father.
Song Yan did prove to be talented. A few years ago, he had already passed the county-level examinations, and this autumn, he achieved the rank of Juren in the provincial exams. Many local gentry were now eager to curry favor with him, and even the county magistrate showed him preferential treatment, reportedly intending to take him as a son-in-law.
Madam Song’s attitude had become noticeably ambiguous. She seemed to feel that a butcher’s daughter was no longer a suitable match for her son, now a Juren.
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