Hearing Qin Sang say this, Widow Xia no longer declined. She only thought that once the work in the fields was finished, she would immediately dig up plenty of herbs for Qin Sang to repay her then.
The villagers who had carried Widow Xia over saw so many fruits and herbs in Qin Sang's back basket and asked curiously:
"Widow Tian, you've let others harvest your fields, so why are you still going up the mountain to dig for herbs?"
Qin Sang was only afraid that no one would ask:
"Isn't it because herbs can be sold for money? How many catties of grain can the fields yield this year? But these herbs are different. Look, for this solomons seal rhizome, the Pharmacy will give ten copper coins per catty, and for this isatis root, it's five coins per catty."
Someone with sharp eyes pointed at one of the plants and said, "Isn't this just a wild vegetable from the roadside? It grows right by the ditch in front of my house."
Qin Sang took a look and said, "Oh, that's Plantain. It's also a medicine, but the price isn't high; ten catties only fetch two copper coins."
Everyone's minds began to race:
"Qin Sang, are you telling the truth? These weeds by the road can actually be exchanged for money?"
Qin Sang spoke with great earnestness: "Of course. If you don't believe me, you can sell the herbs you find to me. You can have copper coins or white rice. For this solomons seal rhizome, one catty of herbs for one catty of rice. For isatis root, two catties for one catty of rice. Plantain is everywhere, so fifty catties for one catty of rice. As long as you can find them, I'll take them all."
As she spoke, she laid out several types of herb specimens she had brought back before everyone so they could distinguish them more clearly.
Widow Xia was stunned. Looking at the herbs in her own hands, she never imagined these plants could be worth so much money.
It made sense, though—how could medicine not be valuable? When her Younger Brother-in-law first returned injured, a single dose of medicine cost over ten or twenty coins. He had to take a dose every day for over half a year just to save his life.
If these herbs really could be exchanged for money and grain...
A glimmer of light gradually appeared in her weary eyes. She gripped the herbs and fruit in her hands tightly and walked away.
The others rummaged through the herbs on the ground and questioned Qin Sang several times before leaving.
None of them intended to spread the word. With a way to make money like this, if they didn't keep it to themselves and instead told everyone, wouldn't they be breaking their own rice bowls?
So that afternoon, many people saw others digging up weeds in the fields. When asked why they were digging wild vegetables when it wasn't even a month of famine yet, they only said it was to feed the chickens at home, which left people feeling quite strange.
Qin Sang knew nothing of this. At home, she divided the fruit. Eldest Girl held a large Pomegranate, not knowing how to eat it.
Qin Sang peeled one open, picked out the Pomegranate seeds into her hand, and fed them to Eldest Girl. With just a light bite, the sweet juice exploded in her mouth, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled:
"Grandma, it's so sweet."
Qin Sang took a bite herself, having craved it: "Sweet, right? Eat them all. The weather is hot, so they won't last more than two days. Don't let them go to waste."
Si Jin held a Pomegranate and an Orange: "Mother, are there really so many fruits on the mountain? I've never seen these fruits before."
"You've only been up the mountain a few times. There are plenty of good things in the mountains. Look at this."
Qin Sang pulled out a potato: "I dug this up while looking for herbs. I ate it once when I was little; it's delicious when roasted."
Third Brothers Wife was already eating a Pomegranate and couldn't stop: "Mother, this fruit is really delicious, it's just that there are too many seeds."
Eldest Brothers Wife thought of something: "Mother, can we keep the seeds of this fruit and see if we can plant them next year?"
Qin Sang had never grown Pomegranates. In the modern era, people usually bought saplings directly, but she could buy saplings from the Mall: "Then keep the seeds and we'll try."
Tian Sangui was peeling an Orange: "I didn't expect there to be so many good things on the mountain."
Tian Wenmo held the fruit but didn't eat it; he was preoccupied with something else: "Mother, if those villagers bring herbs, are you really going to use grain to trade with them?"
How much money would that cost? Did the family have that much money?
Why didn't Mother save the money for his studies?
Qin Sang explained: "Yes, we'll trade. Once we've collected enough herbs, we'll go to the county seat to sell them. I've heard the prices for medicinal materials in the county are much higher than in town."
Tian Wenmo grew happy: "Mother, you mean doing this won't be a loss, and there's even a profit to be made?"
Qin Sang nodded: "This is buying low and selling high. We are essentially middle-men, making it convenient for the villagers while earning a small commission."
Tian Sangui looked up: "Then does that mean the more people who bring medicinal materials to our house, the more money we'll make?"
Qin Sang nodded.
Third Brothers Wife blurted out: "Then our family can just specialize in the medicinal herb and mosquito coil business from now on. We can lease the fields to others to farm. Wouldn't that make us just like those wealthy landlords?"
Eating delicious fruit, having dry rice with meat and eggs for every meal, and having money come in while sitting at home—Third Brothers Wife felt that life in a landlord's household must be exactly like this.
Seeing the joy written all over her family's faces, Qin Sang was truly worried they would get carried away. They were this happy over such a small amount of money? Madam Huang had handed over twenty taels of silver in one go, yet her current remaining cash was less than ten taels, and they already wanted to be landlords?
It was still far too early.
Qin Sang heartlessly punctured their fantasy: "What are you thinking? The herbs on the mountain are limited, and mosquito coils can only be sold for a few months during summer and autumn. If you want to sit and count money as a landlord's wife, you all... still need to keep working hard."
After Qin Sang finished speaking, she went into her room, leaving the family staring at each other. Although their beautiful hopes had been doused by a bucket of cold water, the speed at which they worked became even faster.
As long as they worked hard, they would sooner or later lead a life free from worry about food and clothing.
...
By evening, Qin Sang had Da Zhuang and San Gui clear a space outside the courtyard. The courtyard was full of mosquito coils drying, and there was no room for the herbs.
The first ones to arrive at Qin Sang's house were not the villagers coming to trade for grain, but rather the Tian Yuanshan brothers. Behind them followed five or six men from the village; four of them were from the morning's Patrol Team, and the others were likely called over by the brothers.
"Widow Tian, I heard you plan to use white rice to trade for weeds. Is that true or not?"
Tian Dazhuang stood before Qin Sang and was about to speak when he was stopped by her:
"Don't pay him any mind."
The brothers heard this clearly and immediately became somewhat displeased:
"Da Zhuang, where are your manners? You won't even call us 'Uncle' anymore?"
Tian Yuanshan's branch of the family was the youngest among the elders. The two of them actually just had a high seniority; they weren't much older than Da Zhuang and weren't even as tall as him. However, they were always full of bad intentions, insisting the two sons call them 'Uncle.'
Qin Sang would not indulge them: "You don't even call me 'Sister-in-law,' so it doesn't matter if my son doesn't address you properly.
Furthermore, what are you smelly men doing blocking my front door?
If my chickens don't lay eggs today, believe it or not, I'll go to your houses to demand grain?"
Tian Dazhuang was dazed for a moment. Had that familiar Mother returned?
The Tian Yuanshan brothers subconsciously took half a step back and looked at each other:
Something feels off!
The two of them stiffened their necks and said:
"What does your chickens laying eggs have to do with us? We haven't even entered your courtyard. We just came to see if you've gone mad, actually trading grain for weeds."
"Right, if your family really has this much grain, why don't you provide relief to us relatives who can't even afford to eat?"