The Mid-Autumn Festival was one of the four great festivals of the Great Liang Dynasty. It was a time for mooncakes, osmanthus wine, and family reunions. In the bustling city of Clearwater, lanterns were being hung in the streets, and the scent of roasting nuts and sweet pastries filled the air.
But for Li Shun, the festival meant market day.
He stood in the curing shed, inspecting the inventory. Hanging from the rafters were sides of beef, dry-aging in the cool autumn air. This was the first real harvest of meat from the ranch—not the tough steers from the hills, but animals that had been finished on his improved ryegrass.
He selected a rib section from a young steer. It was well-marbled, the fat white and firm, the meat a deep, rich red.
"This one," Li Shun told Han Qiang. "We take this to the manor."
Han Qiang nodded, wrapping the meat in layers of clean cheesecloth. "It's heavy. A good ten pounds."
"It's not just meat," Li Shun corrected, picking up a cloth bag filled with bundles of dried herbs and a small jar of his special rub. "It's a statement."
They loaded the cart. Li Ming stayed behind to watch the ranch with the other workers, armed with crossbows and the fierce dog they had adopted from a passing trader.
Li Shun climbed onto the driver's seat of the cart. He was dressed in his now-signature style: clean leather boots, canvas trousers, a thick cotton shirt, and a wool vest. His hat sat on the seat beside him—he would put it on only when they left the city limits, as wearing it inside a noble's home might be seen as an insult.
"Let's go," Li Shun said, snapping the reins.
---
The Zhao Manor was ablaze with light.
Lanterns shaped like rabbits and lotus flowers hung from the eaves, casting a warm, festive glow over the courtyard. The noise of chatter and laughter spilled out into the street.
Li Shun's arrival caused a stir.
The guards at the gate recognized him, but the cart—loaded with a strange canvas-wrapped bundle and smelling faintly of smoke and cattle—looked out of place among the sleek carriages of the other guests.
"Young Master Li," the head guard greeted, his tone unsure whether to be respectful or mocking. "You... brought a cart?"
"I brought dinner," Li Shun replied calmly. "Where should I set up?"
"Set up? The kitchen is inside..."
"I need an open flame," Li Shun interrupted. "A grill. In the garden. Tell the kitchen staff to clear the rear courtyard."
The guard blinked, confused, but a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Let him through."
Steward Wang stood at the inner gate. He looked thinner than the last time they met, and his face was pale. He had been suffering ever since Li Shun's jerky deal with the Chen family turned out to be highly profitable, earning the Magistrate's praise while Wang had looked like a fool for doubting him.
"Young Master," Wang said, his voice tight. "The Magistrate is expecting you. He said... you have a demonstration?"
"I do," Li Shun said, jumping down from the cart. He tossed the reins to Han Qiang. "Sergeant, bring the meat. We're cooking."
---
The rear courtyard of the Zhao Manor was usually a place of quiet contemplation, featuring a rock garden and a small pond.
Tonight, it was a construction site.
Under Li Shun's direction, servants had moved a large iron brazier to the center of the yard. They had filled it with high-quality charcoal, which was now glowing red.
The family was gathered on the veranda overlooking the courtyard. Magistrate Zhao sat in the center, wearing his formal robes. Beside him was Madam Zhao, looking regal but curious. To their left sat Zhao Lian, breathtaking in a gown of crimson silk embroidered with silver moons. Her younger sister, Zhao Yu, sat nearby, bouncing with excitement.
And to the Magistrate's right sat a guest Li Shun hadn't expected.
The man was middle-aged, portly, and dressed in silk robes that screamed wealth. He wore a jade ring on every finger.
"This is Merchant Chen," Magistrate Zhao introduced, gesturing to the portly man. "He handles much of the grain trade in the prefecture. He heard about your... beef... from his nephew."
Merchant Chen looked Li Shun up and down, his gaze lingering on the leather vest and the rolled-up sleeves.
"So this is the son-in-law who plays cowboy," Chen chuckled, his voice oily. "I've heard the rumors. You raise cows for meat? Barbaric. But... profitable, I hear."
Li Shun bowed politely. "Merchant Chen. A pleasure. I hope you have an appetite."
"I am always hungry for profit," Chen laughed. "But for beef? I prefer pork. Beef is tough. It sits in the stomach like a stone."
"That is because you have never eaten it correctly," Li Shun said simply.
He walked over to the prep table he had set up. He unwrapped the rib section.
The crowd gasped.
Even raw, the meat looked different. The fat cap was thick and white. The muscle was dense and red.
Li Shun pulled a knife from his belt. It was a butcher's knife, sharp enough to split a hair. He began to cut.
He didn't hack the meat into chunks. He sliced along the bone, carving out two massive, thick steaks—each nearly two inches thick. They were 'Tomahawk' style, with the bone left long for a handle.
"Tomahawk steaks," Li Shun announced, holding one up. "The prime cut of the animal."
He rubbed the meat with oil, then sprinkled his special mix of coarse salt, crushed black pepper, and wild spices.
"Fire," he commanded.
Han Qiang dumped the steaks onto the grill.
*SSSSSSSSSS.*
The sound was deafening. A cloud of aromatic steam exploded upward. The smell was instant—searing fat, caramelizing protein, and the sharp bite of pepper.
"Gods above," Zhao Yu whispered, clutching her stomach. "That smell."
Merchant Chen sniffed the air, his eyebrows rising. "That... is strong."
Li Shun watched the steaks carefully. He was using the "hand test" to check doneness, pressing the meat to feel the firmness.
"Rare," he muttered. "Medium-rare. Perfect."
He flipped the steaks. The underside was a deep, crusty brown, marked by the grill grates.
After a few more minutes, he pulled them off the fire and placed them on a wooden platter.
"Let them rest," he said, holding up a hand as Zhao Yu lunged forward. "If we cut now, the juices run out. Patience."
The three minutes of waiting were the longest of the evening. Finally, Li Shun sliced into the steak, cutting thick strips that revealed a perfect pink interior, glistening with juices.
He plated the strips and handed them out.
"Father. Mother. Wife." He handed a plate to Merchant Chen last. "And our guest."
---
Merchant Chen picked up a piece of the steak with his chopsticks. He eyed it suspiciously.
"It is... pink," he noted. "Is it raw?"
"It is medium-rare," Li Shun corrected. "Cooked enough to be safe, rare enough to be tender. Try it."
Chen hesitated, then took a bite.
His eyes widened.
He chewed slowly. The shear force required to bite through the meat was minimal. The juices flooded his mouth—rich, beefy, salty, with a metallic tang of iron that spoke of freshness.
He swallowed.
He took another bite, larger this time.
"This..." Chen mumbled around the food. "This is not tough. It is... soft. It melts."
"The fat dissolves," Li Shun explained. "My cattle are bred and fed to store fat inside the muscle. That fat lubricates the meat as you chew."
Magistrate Zhao was eating with more decorum, but his pace was fast. "This is excellent, Shun'er. It has the strength of beef, but the elegance of... well, it is a new experience."
Madam Zhao nodded, wiping her mouth with a silk handkerchief. "It is rich. Very rich. But I see why the caravans like your jerky. This flavor is... intense."
Li Shun looked at his wife.
Zhao Lian was holding a strip of meat. She took a bite. Her eyes closed for a moment. When she opened them, she looked at Li Shun.
"Husband," she said softly. "You have created something unique."
"It is our legacy," Li Shun said.
Merchant Chen finished his plate in record time. He wiped his greasy hands on a napkin, his eyes gleaming with a different kind of hunger.
"Young Master Li," Chen said, leaning forward. "How many of these... steaks... can you produce?"
"I have a herd of twenty head now," Li Shun said. "Growing every month. I have a bull of superior stock."
"Twenty?" Chen scoffed, but he looked calculating. "That is nothing. But if the quality is consistent..."
"I can supply ten head a month for slaughter once the herd reaches fifty," Li Shun projected. "But I need investment to reach that number."
"Investment?" Madam Zhao asked sharply.
"I need to buy the southern ridge," Li Shun addressed the table. "To expand the pasture. I have the technique. I have the bull. I need the land."
Merchant Chen tapped his jade rings on the table. "I might be interested in a partnership. I have the distribution. I can get this beef into the capital, onto the tables of the nobles. They love 'exotic' foods. If you call this... 'Snowflake Beef' or some such nonsense... they will pay ten times the price of pork."
Li Shun smiled internally. *Snowflake Beef. The Japanese term. He knows his marketing.*
"I am not looking for a partner who just takes the meat," Li Shun said slowly. "I need someone who can bring resources. Winter feed. Grain. Labor."
"I can provide that," Chen nodded. "I have grain stores rotting in warehouses because the harvest was too good this year. I can sell it to you cheap."
"I will consider it," Li Shun said, playing hard to get. "But first, let us see if you can sell the first batch."
---
After the meal, the family gathered in the main hall to admire the moon.
Li Shun stood on the balcony, looking up at the full, bright orb. It was the same moon he had looked at in his old life, from his tiny apartment window.
But the air here was sweeter.
Footsteps approached behind him.
"It is a beautiful night," Zhao Lian said, stepping up beside him. She held a cup of osmanthus wine.
"It is," Li Shun agreed. "Are you enjoying the festival?"
"I am." She paused. "The meat... it was impressive. Even Merchant Chen was drooling. You have a talent, Husband."
"Thank you."
She turned to him. "My father spoke to me earlier. He said he regrets underestimating you. He said... the Zhao family might need to rely on you in the future."
Li Shun looked at her. In the moonlight, she looked less like the cold, distant wife and more like a partner.
"You can rely on me, Lian'er," he said, using her intimate name. "I know I was a disappointment before. But I am building something real now. And when I succeed, you succeed. Your status rises with mine."
She lowered her eyes, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I... I would like to visit the ranch again. Not just for festivals. Perhaps... to see the account books? I am good with numbers."
Li Shun blinked, surprised. She wanted to work?
"Are you sure? It is dusty work. And the smell..."
"I can handle a little dust," she smiled, a rare, genuine expression. "If the result is... that steak."
"Then you are hired," Li Shun laughed. "We start next week."
---
The Mid-Autumn Festival ended late into the night.
As Li Shun and Han Qiang drove the empty cart back to the Westland, Li Shun felt a lightness in his chest.
He had won over the family. He had impressed a merchant. And he had finally connected with his wife.
"How did it go, Boss?" Han Qiang asked, navigating the dark road.
"Better than expected, Han Qiang. Much better."
Li Shun leaned back against the seat, looking at the stars.
*The foundation is laid. Now, we build the walls.*
**[QUEST COMPLETE: MID-AUTUMN FEAST]**
**[REWARD: REPUTATION BOOST (MERCHANT CIRCLES)]**
**[NEW UNLOCK: PARTNERSHIP OPTION WITH CHEN FAMILY]**