heavy pouch of silver sat on the table in the main hall like a stone idol, commanding the attention of everyone who walked by. Fifty taels. It was a sum that could buy a respectable courtyard house in the prefecture city, or a lifetime of rice for a common family.
For the Li family, it represented something intangible: *Security.*
But Li Wei knew that silver was a coward. It ran away if you didn't give it a job. Leaving it in a pouch was an invitation for inflation, thieves, or greedy relatives.
"We eat breakfast, then we work," Li Wei announced at the morning table, breaking the spell of the money. "The silver stays in the chest. We spend the *interest*."
"Interest?" Li Jun asked, stuffing a bun into his mouth. "We haven't lent it out yet."
"The interest is the ranch," Li Wei corrected. "We invest it into the next phase. The General's feast gave us a reputation for meat. Now, we need a reputation for *sustainability*. We need the Dairy Unit."
He turned to his sisters. Li Mei and Li Hua were quietly eating their porridge. They were used to the men talking business while they handled the domestic sphere—the cooking, the cleaning, the sewing. But Li Wei had other plans.
"Mei, Hua," Li Wei said. "Put down your bowls."
They looked up, startled.
"I didn't send you to the hills to just pick vegetables yesterday for nothing," Li Wei said. "I'm buying goats today. Ten of them. And I'm not putting Da Niu or Jun in charge of them. I'm putting you in charge."
"Us?" Li Hua pointed at herself, her eyes wide. "In charge of goats?"
"Goats are delicate," Li Wei said. "They need clean udders, fresh straw, and a gentle hand. Da Niu is too rough. Jun is too lazy. You, Hua, have a sharp eye—you'll spot a sick goat before it drops. You, Mei, have a gentle hand—you'll handle the milking without spooking them."
He pushed a small stack of copper coins across the table.
"This is your operating budget. You buy the brushes, the buckets, and the feed troughs. You set up the shed on the rocky outcrop. I want it clean enough to eat off the floor. Understand?"
Li Hua stared at the money, then at her brother. A spark of pride lit up in her eyes. She wasn't just a sister to be married off anymore; she was a manager.
"We won't let you down, Third Brother," Li Hua said, grabbing the coins. "Come on, Mei. Let's go clean that shed until it shines."
***
**The Goat Market**
Later that morning, Li Wei and Li Jun arrived at the livestock market. The atmosphere was rowdy. The success of the "General's Feast" had spread through the merchant grapevine, and several sellers immediately tried to corner Li Wei.
"Li Wei! Over here! I have the finest goats! Look at this beard!"
Li Wei ignored the hawkers. He walked to the back of the goat section, where a disheveled herder sat with a mixed flock. The man looked tired, his clothes dusty from the road.
"You're from the northern hills?" Li Wei asked, crouching down.
"Yeah," the herder grunted. "Drought's bad up there. Had to sell the herd before they starved. These are the last of my good ones."
Li Wei scanned the flock. Most were scraggly, but a few stood out.
**[System Scan: Alpine Goat (Variant).]**
**[Trait: High Milk Yield.]**
**[Trait: Good Forager.]**
He pointed to a white doe with a calm demeanor, and a black-and-white doe that looked particularly hardy. He picked out eight does and two bucks—one massive, arrogant-looking fellow with curled horns.
"How much for the ten?"
"Four hundred coins."
"Three hundred fifty. And you tell me what they've been eating."
"Deal. Grass, mostly. Some bean stalks."
Li Wei counted out the money. He watched as the herder's hands shook with relief.
"Load them up," Li Wei told Li Jun. "Walk them back slowly. Don't rush them. They're stressed."
"Got it, Boss."
***
**The First Milking**
By afternoon, the goats were installed in their new shed. The Li sisters had been busy. The floor was swept, fresh straw was laid down, and the wooden troughs were scrubbed clean.
"Wow," Li Jun said, looking at the shed. "It's cleaner than our house."
"Shut up and bring the feed," Li Hua snapped, though she was clearly pleased with the compliment.
The goats were restless, bleating at their new surroundings. The big billy goat, whom Da Niu had immediately named "General" due to his horns, paced the fence like a sentinel.
"Alright," Li Wei said, rolling up his sleeves. "Lesson one. Milking."
He entered the pen with the sisters. The white doe, whom they decided to call "Cloudy", seemed the calmest. Li Wei sat on a low stool beside her.
"You have to be gentle," Li Wei instructed. "Don't yank. You squeeze from the top down. Like this."
He demonstrated. A thin stream of white milk pinged into the wooden bucket.
"See? You try, Mei."
Li Mei sat down nervously. She reached out, her hands trembling slightly. She mimicked Li Wei's motion.
*Squirt.*
A small amount hit the bucket. Then *squirt*... a jet went wide, hitting Li Hua in the shin.
"Hey!" Li Hua yelped, jumping back.
Laughter erupted in the shed. Even Li Wei chuckled.
"It's harder than it looks," Li Wei said. "Keep practicing. You need to empty the udder completely, or she gets mastitis. And cleanliness is key. Wipe the udder with a warm cloth before you start. Every time."
He watched them work. Within an hour, they had filled half a bucket. It was slow, messy work, but they were learning.
"What do we do with it?" Mei asked, wiping sweat from her brow. "We can't drink it all."
"We process it," Li Wei said. "Milk spoils in a day in this heat. We turn it into something that lasts. Yogurt. Cheese. Butter."
"Cheese?" Li Jun asked, poking his head in. "That's for foreigners. We eat tofu."
"Cheese is concentrated nutrition," Li Wei said. "It's portable. It doesn't spoil. And if we make it right, it tastes better than tofu. Tonight, we boil the milk and add a bit of vinegar. We make *paneer*—farmer's cheese. Simple. Tomorrow, we try aging."
***
**The Yogurt Experiment**
That evening, the kitchen was a laboratory.
Li Wei had taken the fresh milk and boiled it to kill any bacteria (pasteurization). He let it cool until it was just warm to the touch.
"We need a starter," Li Wei explained. "A little bit of old yogurt to introduce the good bacteria. We don't have old yogurt, so we use a wild method. A few drops of sheep's bile or... we wait for the natural culture from the air, but that's risky. Actually, I bought this."
He pulled out a small clay pot from the town herbalist.
"Fermented bean curd water," Li Wei said. "It has the right kind of bacteria. Or... actually, let's use the system."
**[System Store: Yogurt Starter Culture.]**
**[Cost: 10 Copper Coins.]**
Li Wei blinked. The System store was open? He had been so focused on the rewards he hadn't noticed the shop tab. He instantly bought the culture. A small packet of white powder appeared in his hand (invisible to others).
"This is a special spice from the West," Li Wei lied smoothly, sprinkling the powder into the warm milk. "Stir it gently. Then we cover it and keep it warm."
He placed the pot in a box lined with straw to insulate it.
"By morning, it will be thick and sour. We mix it with honey. It's good for the stomach. It keeps the doctors away."
He looked at his family. Mother was watching with a skeptical eye, but she was intrigued.
"And the cheese?"
"Tomorrow," Li Wei promised. "We need a press. We need cheese cloth. We are building a dairy, step by step."
***
**The Market Test**
Three days later, the first batch of "Cloud Hill Yogurt" was ready.
Li Wei took a small jar to the Fragrant Pavilion. Chef Luo was busy, but he waved Li Wei into the kitchen.
"I have more beef orders coming in," Luo said, not looking up. "The General's entourage left, but his staff talked. Everyone wants the 'Iron Spit Beef'."
"That's good," Li Wei said. "But I have something else today."
He opened the jar. The yogurt was white, thick, and creamy. He had mixed a generous amount of wild honey into it, swirling it into a marble pattern.
"Dessert," Li Wei said. "Or breakfast. It cools the body in the summer heat."
Chef Luo took a spoon. He sniffed it. "Sour milk?"
"Just try it."
Luo took a bite. The sourness of the fermented milk hit his tongue first, sharp and refreshing, followed immediately by the cloying sweetness of the honey. It was a contrast he hadn't experienced before. Usually, desserts were heavy pastries or sugary soups. This was light, creamy, and tart.
"It cleans the palate," Luo mused, taking another spoonful. "It's… unique. Very refreshing after a heavy meal of beef."
"I can supply ten jars a day," Li Wei said. "The goats are producing well."
"Five copper coins a jar," Luo offered.
"Seven," Li Wei countered. "It's fresh, and the honey is high quality."
"Six."
"Done."
Luo scraped the jar clean. "Bring more tomorrow. I'll serve it to the merchants who come for lunch. They need something light."
***
**Family Ties**
That evening, the Li family gathered in the courtyard. The summer air was warm, and the smell of roasting corn filled the space.
Li Wei sat with his sisters. Li Hua was counting the copper coins from the yogurt sales they had made directly to neighbors (at a lower price, but still profit).
"We made forty coins today," Hua said, her eyes shining. "From milk. Just milk."
"This is our money," Mei added softly. "We did this."
Li Wei looked at them. In the village, girls were often seen as economic burdens until they married. They cost money for dowries. But here, on the West Slope, Mei and Hua were assets. They were producers.
"Save the money," Li Wei said. "When you get married—"
"I'm not marrying," Hua interrupted fiercely. "I'm buying a share of the ranch."
Li Wei laughed. "You have the spirit, Hua. But seriously, this money is for your dowry, or for you to start your own business if you want. You've earned it."
He leaned back, looking at the stars.
"Mother," Li Wei called out. "Are the cheese presses ready?"
"Ready," Mother Zhao Lan called back from the porch. "We start pressing tomorrow."
The ranch was diversifying. Beef for the rich, yogurt for the merchants, cheese for the winter stores. Every animal had a purpose. Every member of the family had a role.
**[Ranch Update:]**
**[Livestock: Cattle (Growing), Goats (10 - Producing).]**
**[New Product: Yogurt (Tier 1).]**
**[Revenue Stream: +210 Coins/Day (Dairy).]**
**[Sisters' Affection: High.]**
Li Wei felt a sense of peace. The violence of the bandit attack, the stress of the General's banquet—it was fading. This was what he wanted. Not just survival, but prosperity. A life where his sisters could count coins they earned themselves, and where the smell of the kitchen was filled with the scent of hope.
"Li Wei!" A voice came from the gate.
It was the village runner.
"Letter! Urgent! From the Prefecture!"
Li Wei stood up. His heart tightened. It was from Chen. Or Mo Lie.
He took the letter. He broke the seal.
He read it quickly.
"What is it?" Li Jun asked, running over. "Did he pass? Did he get robbed?"
Li Wei's face went pale, then slowly broke into a wide, incredulous grin.
"He didn't just pass the preliminaries," Li Wei said, his voice trembling. "He ranked First in the Prefecture. He's the *Xieyuan* (Top Scholar)."
The courtyard fell silent. Top Scholar in the Prefecture.
"He's coming home next week to prepare for the capital," Li Wei said. "He's bringing Mo Lie. And… he's bringing a fiancée."
"A fiancée?" Mother shrieked. "From where?"
"The Magistrate's niece," Li Wei read. "She saw him at the poetry gathering. She liked his essay on drainage."
Li Wei looked at the letter. The Li family was no longer just rising. They were flying.
"Prepare the house," Li Wei ordered, his voice booming with joy. "We have a Top Scholar and a wedding to plan!"