Tian Sangui hurriedly said:
"Sister-in-law, don't misunderstand. My mother said that business is
business, and we can't let Father-in-law suffer a loss. Each drying
rack is two hundred copper coins. We'll start with five, and if we
need more later, we'll add more at the same price."
Zhao Huan glanced at her sister-in-law. Seeing her stunned
expression, she curled her lips, took a cloth bundle from her bosom,
opened it, and said:
"If Father agrees to this price, these one hundred coins will be the
deposit. We need to start making them immediately today."
Now, even Old Mrs. Zhao, who had been somewhat skeptical, was
speechless.
Zhao Huan's father had originally intended not to take any money,
treating it as helping his daughter. Now, seeing it was two hundred
coins each and with a deposit given, how could he refuse?
"There's no need for two hundred coins; one hundred each is
enough. We have timber ready at home. I'll start working on them
with your brothers right now. By the time you head back this
afternoon, you can take one with you."
Hearing her father lower the price himself, Zhao Huan's heart
thumped.
Her mother-in-law had said three hundred and fifty coins, but now
her father only wanted one hundred. For five drying racks, she could
pocket over one tael of silver!
But seeing her father and brothers starting to work in the yard, Zhao
Huan clenched her fists and said:
"Father, two hundred coins it is. Our mosquito coils business is
profitable; we can't have you constantly subsidizing us."
One hundred coins barely covered the labor, meaning the materials
were essentially free. In the past, Zhao Huan wouldn't have said a
word, but now that her family's situation had improved, she couldn't
take so much advantage of her maiden home.
As for the extra one hundred and fifty coins, that was what she
earned from her mother-in-law, so it didn't count.
...
After Third Brother and his Wife set off, Qin Sang and Tian
Dazhuang also left to deliver mosquito coils.
Once they reached the town, Qin Sang told Da Zhuang to deliver the
mosquito coils by himself while she went to buy some things.
Tian Dazhuang was a bit nervous; after all, there were thirty tubes
of mosquito coils this time, worth a full fifteen taels of silver.
Since he was a child, he had never handled so much money.
Qin Sang insisted:
"You are the eldest in the family; the household will rely on you to
support it in the future.
Do you really plan on having Mother accompany you this far every
time you deliver mosquito coils?"
Only Da Zhuang was this honest; if it were San Gui and he knew he
was going to handle the transaction and the money, who knows how
thrilled he'd be.
Tian Dazhuang had always been filial. The most rebellious thing he
had ever done was when he was forced to sell his daughter and
proposed to split the family.
It indirectly proved the saying "either perish in silence or erupt in it."
Usually, he didn't dare to resist, but once he did, he gave his mother
a real shock.
He gripped his carrying pole tightly:
"Alright, Mother, I'll do as you say."
Seeing his solemn expression, as if he were heading to a battlefield
with no return, Qin Sang smiled:
"Good. After the transaction is finished, wait for me at the town
gate. Be safe."
Qin Sang needed to buy things from the Mall, and it wouldn't do to
have Da Zhuang following her the whole time.
After finishing her instructions, Qin Sang found a secluded alleyway.
She wanted to buy a dog. She could have chosen one at the market,
but that would cost silver. She had very little cash but plenty of mall
coins, so she decided to buy from the Mall instead.
The Mall indeed had many choices, even retired police dogs, but
they were too expensive and not something Qin Sang could afford.
She heard Border Collies were also very smart, but boy, they were
even more expensive than the retired police dogs.
A Husky?
No, no. She wanted to buy a dog to guard the house, not one to
tear it apart.
A Teddy?
No, no. She was afraid it would set a bad example for the children.
After looking around, Qin Sang chose a half-grown Chinese Rural
Dog.
The ancestors' choice: cheap, loyal, and cost-effective. It only cost
one hundred and fifty mall coins.
The dog seemed to know Qin Sang was its owner; as soon as it
appeared, it circled around her, wagging its tail incessantly.
"Your name will be Da Huang from now on, okay?"
Da Huang had golden-yellow fur and was about knee-high to Qin
Sang. With its dark, round eyes, it tilted its head and sat obediently
as Qin Sang petted it.
Qin Sang exchanged for a leash and gently looped it around its neck.
Pets must be leashed; I am a civilized person.
After giving Da Huang some water, Qin Sang took it to a general
store.
Her youngest son had mentioned buying brushes, ink, paper, and
inkstones, and she indeed needed to. Da Zhuang, San Gui, and her
two daughters-in-law were all illiterate, so it would be better for
them to learn some basic knowledge.
As soon as she asked about the price, Qin Sang was discouraged.
The cheapest writing brush was three hundred coins, and ten sheets
of paper cost three coins. How many characters could one even
write on that? Ink, inkstones... none of it was cheap.
No wonder the Original Body had drained the family's savings to
support her youngest son's education, and he'd only been studying
for a few years.
In ancient times, one tael of silver was enough for a family of three
to live for a year, yet fifty taels had just vanished into his schooling.
While grumbling internally, Qin Sang still paid for a set. Then, she
quietly added several more brushes and stacks of draft paper into
her basket, which only cost twenty mall coins.
This would last a long time. When it ran low, she could just secretly
add more and never have to buy any again.
She also bought several clay jars and porcelain bottles so that she
could exchange for medicine or condiments at any time. The items
from the Mall were too exquisite and would look out of place in their
mud-brick house.
She also bought some seasonings. Honestly, seasonings in ancient
times were even more expensive than oil and salt.
But she only needed to buy them once; she could exchange for
more from the Mall in the future.
She got a small jar of tea seed oil. It was truly authentic and smelled
much better than the bottled oil of later generations.
She had the shopkeeper seal it before carefully placing it in her
basket.
She also needed a waterskin. Bamboo tubes were ultimately
inconvenient; not only did they often wet one's clothes, but they
were also heavy.
A waterskin was much more convenient, but Qin Sang only bought
two, planning to get the rest from the Mall.
Just as Qin Sang was about to buy a few more things, she heard Da
Zhuang's shout:
"Mother, Mother..."
Turning around, she saw Da Zhuang jumping down from a carriage
and running into the general store with an anxious look on his face.
"Mother, the shopkeeper is looking for you."
Qin Sang looked at the carriage and thought it looked a bit familiar.
Seeing the shopkeeper step down, she walked over.
"Shopkeeper, is there a problem with the goods?"
The shopkeeper lifted his robe's hem, a look of joy on his face.
"Oh, Sister-in-law Qin, don't worry. Today's goods are fine, and the
payment has already been settled with your son."
"There's a big business deal that needs to be discussed with you in
person. Let's get in the carriage."
"A big business deal?"
Qin Sang was still a bit puzzled. The shopkeeper explained:
"This is a carriage from Steward Huangs Residence. Today, just as
your Da Zhuang came to deliver the goods, Steward Huang
happened to see him, and well..."
"Steward Huang also wants to do business with your family, so he
specifically asked me to bring Da Zhuang to pick you up for a
discussion."
No wonder the carriage looked familiar; it belonged to Steward
Huangs Residence.
Getting into the carriage, Da Zhuang sat on the shaft holding Da
Huang.
In no time, they reached the Tongfu Inn. Upon entering, they saw a
middle-aged man in a silk shirt drinking tea in the lobby, and sitting
next to him was none other than Madam Huang.
Madam Huang hadn't seen Qin Sang yet; she was teasing Young
Master Huang, who was being held by a wet nurse.
The shopkeeper entered first:
"Steward Huang, this is Madam Qin. These mosquito coils are made
by her family."
Steward Huang held his teacup while sizing up the woman who
entered. Madam Huang turned her head, saw her, and was stunned.
"Doctor Qin? Doctor Qin, it's actually you? What a coincidence!"