The acquisition of the southern ridge deed was a victory, but deeds were just paper. To turn two hundred mu of rocky hillside into productive pasture, Li Shun needed fences. And for fences, he needed posts, wire (or copious amounts of wood), and labor.
All of that required one thing: Silver.
The jerky contract with the Chen family was a steady trickle, but Li Shun needed a river of cash. He needed a splash. He needed to break into the high-value market of the Qingzhou Prefecture capital.
"The Spring Fair is in three days," Li Shun announced at the morning meeting. "It's the largest gathering of merchants and nobles before the summer heat. If we want to establish the Westland brand, this is our chance."
"We don't have enough finished cattle for a mass market," Han Qiang noted, scratching his chin. "The calves are too young. Hei Bao is the sire. That leaves..."
"The 'finishing' steers," Li Shun said. "The red ones from Old Ma's herd. They've had three months of premium ryegrass. They aren't Angus, but they are the proof of concept. They've eaten the same grass, lived in the same conditions."
He looked at the team.
"I'm taking one to the capital. Not live. Processed. We're going to sell cuts."
---
Two days later, the processing shed was a blur of activity.
Li Shun had selected the largest of the red steers. He had supervised the slaughter personally, ensuring minimal stress to preserve the meat quality.
Now, he stood before the hanging carcass. It had been dry-aging for 48 hours in the cool spring air. The meat had turned a deep, dark purple-red, the fat a creamy white.
"Time to break it down," Li Shun said, gripping his butcher's knife.
He didn't cut it the traditional way—hacking it into indiscrimistent chunks. He cut with surgical precision.
"The Tenderloin," he murmured, sliding the knife along the spine. "The Ribeye. The Strip. The Brisket."
He separated the cuts, trimming the excess fat but leaving the marbling intact. He wrapped the premium cuts in clean, bleached muslin cloth, and packed them in a bed of crushed ice in a reinforced wooden chest.
"Where are we setting up?" Li Ming asked, helping load the chest onto the cart.
"We aren't setting up a stall," Li Shun said. "Stalls are for farmers. We are going to the 'Pavilion of Ten Thousand Tastes'."
Han Qiang raised an eyebrow. "The high-end restaurant district? The rent there is astronomical."
"We aren't renting," Li Shun grinned. "We're partnering."
---
The streets of Qingzhou were packed.
The Spring Fair brought merchants from all over the province. The air was thick with the scent of frying dough, spices, and the press of bodies.
Li Shun walked through the crowd, wearing his best clothes—still the ranch style, but clean and pressed. Han Qiang followed, a burly presence that cleared a path effortlessly.
They arrived at the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Tastes. It was a three-story building of carved wood and red lacquer, the smell of expensive wine and roasting ducks wafting from within. This was where the wealthy merchants and visiting officials dined.
Li Shun approached the manager, a sharp-eyed man in silk robes named Manager Liu.
"I have an appointment with the Chef," Li Shun said.
Manager Liu looked Li Shun up and down, noting the callused hands and the sun-weathered skin. "You are the supplier for the Chen family jerky?"
"I am Li Shun, owner of the Westland Ranch."
"Ah. The 'Beef Man'." Manager Liu smirked slightly. "Chef Zhang is busy. But you can leave your samples with the kitchen staff."
"I don't leave samples," Li Shun said calmly. "I cook them. Tell Chef Zhang I have something that will make his roast duck taste like boiled shoe leather."
Manager Liu's eyes narrowed. "That is a bold claim."
"Tell him."
After a long, tense moment, Manager Liu waved a hand. "Follow me. But if you waste the Chef's time, I will have my men toss you into the street."
---
The kitchen of the Pavilion was a chaotic symphony of fire and steel. A dozen cooks worked at stations, chopping, frying, and steaming.
In the center stood Chef Zhang, a heavyset man with a mustache that rivaled the size of his ego. He was tasting a soup, frowning deeply.
"What is it?" Chef Zhang barked without looking up. "Manager Liu says you have a new ingredient."
"I have a new ingredient," Li Shun said, setting his wooden chest on a prep table. "And a new cooking method."
He opened the chest. The cold air drifted out.
Chef Zhang turned. His eyes landed on the dark, velvet-red meat inside. "What cut is that? It looks like beef, but... darker. Drier."
"It's been dry-aged," Li Shun explained. "Concentrates the flavor."
He pulled out the ribeye he had prepared. It was thick, well-marbled.
"I need a hot pan. Cast iron if you have it. Oil. Salt. Pepper. That is all."
Chef Zhang scoffed. "Just salt and pepper? You cannot mask the gamey taste of beef with just that. We usually stew it for hours with star anise and ginger."
"If you stew this," Li Shun said, his voice hard, "you ruin it. Give me the pan."
The kitchen staff watched, intrigued. The hierarchy in a professional kitchen was strict, but Li Shun moved with such authority that Chef Zhang found himself nodding to a line cook.
"Give him the pan. Let's see this 'cowboy' magic."
Li Shun heated the pan until it was smoking hot. He rubbed the steak with a light layer of lard and a heavy crust of coarse salt and crushed black pepper.
He dropped the steak.
*SSSSSSSS-CRACK!*
The sound was explosive. A savory, buttery aroma immediately filled the kitchen. It wasn't the smell of boiled meat; it was the smell of roasted nuts and caramelized fat. It cut through the smell of ginger and garlic in the room.
Chef Zhang stopped chewing his lip. He inhaled deeply.
Li Shun seared the sides, rendering the fat cap until it was crispy. He checked the doneness with a finger press—medium-rare.
"Rest it," Li Shun said, plating the steak.
He let it sit for two minutes. Then, he sliced it.
The kitchen fell silent as the pink, juicy center was revealed.
Li Shun plated a slice and handed it to Chef Zhang on a small tasting fork.
"Taste."
Chef Zhang looked at the piece of meat. He took it, skeptical. He popped it into his mouth.
He chewed.
His eyes widened. He chewed slower. His eyebrows, previously furrowed in skepticism, shot up. He reached for another slice without asking.
"The... the texture," Chef Zhang mumbled. "It is tender. It cuts like butter. And the juice... it explodes in the mouth."
He looked at Li Shun with new eyes.
"There is no gamey taste. It is... rich. Meaty. Complex."
"The marbling," Li Shun said. "The fat melts at a lower temperature. It cooks inside the meat."
Chef Zhang turned to Manager Liu, who had been watching from the doorway.
"Manager! Clear the special table in the VIP room. We are serving this tonight."
He turned back to Li Shun. "Name your price."
---
The setup was simple but effective.
Li Shun had no intention of running a restaurant. He wanted to be a supplier.
He agreed to sell the Pavilion the entire carcass—but at a price that made Manager Liu choke on his tea.
"300 Copper Coins per *Jin*?" Manager Liu gasped. "Pork is 40 coins! Chicken is 20! Even mutton is only 80!"
"This is not mutton," Li Shun said, leaning back in the chair. "This is 'Westland Prime'. You tasted it. Can you sell a dish of this for 2 Silver Taels?"
Chef Zhang nodded vigorously. "Easily. The rich merchants will pay for novelty. If we market it as 'The Barbarian King's Meat' or something exotic... they will line up."
"Then the price stands," Li Shun said. "300 coins. And I can only supply one steer a week right now. You have exclusivity for the month of April. After that, we renegotiate."
Manager Liu calculated the margins. He would make a killing. The exclusivity alone was worth the marketing.
"Done," Manager Liu said, slapping the table. "But you must deliver it fresh every Wednesday."
"Agreed."
Li Shun stood up and extended his hand. Manager Liu looked at the hand, then shook it firmly.
As Li Shun and Han Qiang left the restaurant, the sun was setting. The streets were still busy.
"Boss," Han Qiang said, patting the heavy pouch of silver—the advance payment. "That was... impressive. You didn't blink."
"It's just business," Li Shun smiled. "But the hard part is coming. Now that we have a market, we have to protect it."
He had barely taken ten steps when a group of men blocked his path.
They wore leather aprons and carried thick wooden staffs. Their leader was a scar-faced man with a pig butcher's build.
"You must be the 'Beef Man'," the leader sneered. "I am Master Gao of the Meat Guild."
Li Shun stopped. He adjusted his hat.
"Master Gao. I've heard of you. You control the pork and mutton trade in the district."
"We control all meat," Gao said, stepping closer. "You think you can walk into the Pavilion and sell beef without paying the Guild tax? Without getting our approval?"
Li Shun sighed. He had expected this. The Guilds were a cartel, designed to stifle competition.
"I am selling beef," Li Shun said. "Not pork. The Guild rules don't apply to new categories."
"The Guild rules apply to *anything* that bleeds," Gao growled. "You pay 20% of your earnings, or you don't sell in this city."
Han Qiang shifted his weight, his hand dropping to his side. The atmosphere grew tense. Passersby began to scatter.
Li Shun looked at Gao. He didn't reach for a weapon. He just smiled.
"Master Gao. I just signed a contract with the Pavilion. If my supply stops, they lose money. If they lose money, they complain to the Magistrate. The Magistrate likes taxes. He doesn't like cartels interrupting his revenue stream."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"And more importantly... do you really want to start a war with a man who has an army of ex-soldiers and a bull that can crush a fence post with a nudge?"
Gao looked at Han Qiang. He looked at Li Shun's calm demeanor. He hesitated.
"This isn't over," Gao spat. "The Guild has a long memory."
"Remember the taste of my steak," Li Shun replied. "It might be the only thing that saves you from starving when we take over the market."
He walked past them, shoulder checking Gao just enough to unsettle him.
Han Qiang followed, his eyes on the thugs until they turned the corner.
---
Back at the ranch, Li Shun sat in the cabin, counting the silver.
The advance payment from the Pavilion was substantial. Combined with the jerky money, he had enough to buy the posts and hire the extra hands for the southern ridge expansion.
But the encounter with the Meat Guild weighed on his mind.
"We need legitimacy," Li Shun said to Han Qiang. "We need protection. The Guild will try to sabotage our supply lines or bribe the inspectors."
"We have the Magistrate's backing," Han Qiang said.
"That's family. For business, we need something bigger." Li Shun looked at the wall map. "I'm going to write to Merchant Chen. We need to expand the jerky deal. I want his caravan guards protecting our transport routes."
He looked at the system.
**[QUEST COMPLETE: ENTER THE MARKET]**
**[REWARD: 500 GOLD]**
**[NEW UNLOCK: WAGON BLUEPRINT (HEAVY DUTY)]**
**[RANCH LEVEL: 5]**
*Ranch Level 5.*
**[NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: RANCH TERRITORY MAP]**
Li Shun pulled up the map. It showed the Westland, but now, the surrounding areas were lit up with faint details. The wolf den to the north. The village to the east. And the Meat Guild's warehouse in the city.
*It's a strategy game now,* Li Shun thought. *And I intend to win.*