"I bought kelp once in our town from a passing merchant. He also taught us how to process kelp and how to use it to cook. At that time, I bought 30 kilograms and took it home. After processing it, I made it into dishes, and the taste was really good." said Yun the butcher.
"It seems that your town is not far from the official road and is quite large, otherwise merchants would not go there." The young man said in surprise.
"Yes, our town is indeed very close to the official road. We often see merchants passing by. Moreover, our town is quite large and has a large population." said Yun the Butcher.
"The big trading company I followed last year only went to larger towns and never went to smaller towns. My master said that smaller towns have smaller populations and are not as wealthy. The trading company couldn't sell much even if they went there. The routes are all traveled by big merchants, and they know where to stop," the young man explained.
"Let's do this, young man. I want 20 kilograms of kelp, four salted fish, and two kilograms of dried shrimps. Can you calculate how much they are?" asked Yun the butcher.
"Uncle, if you want 20 jin of kelp, I'll charge you 250 wen per jin. The four salted fish will be charged 2,500 wen, so each salted fish will be 625 wen. I'll give you the same price for the dried shrimp." The young man quoted the price readily.
"Brother, you gave us such a big discount. You won't lose money, right?" Yun Yiyi asked worriedly.
"No, little sister. These seafood products were indeed cheap when I bought them. The expensive part was the shipping cost. I just bought them on the side. Whatever I earned is mine, and I don't have to share it with others. My master bought more than me.
However, his products were all sold out. He used to buy local specialties elsewhere, and over time, he built up a clientele, so when he came back, he sold them faster than I did. My master wanted me to take them over, so he could help me sell them and give me a share of the profits. My parents didn't agree, thinking they'd give me some training, so when I had some time off, I'd set up my own stall.
"It sells the fastest during the Chinese New Year period. It sells slowly during this period. Especially with more and more refugees at the city gate, fewer people in the city come to buy it. Even if they do buy it, they don't buy much. After you finish buying it, I won't have much left. I won't sell it anymore. I will take it home and save it for later." The young man answered while weighing the kelp.
"Thank you so much, brother." Yun Yiyi said happily.
"You're welcome, little sister. My parents don't want the money from my sales, and asked me to keep it as my pocket money. So, it doesn't matter whether it's more or less. Besides, your family wants a lot, so I don't have to set up a stall here. The weather is so hot, I really don't want to set up a stall anymore." The young man said happily.
The young man weighed the kelp and placed it in a basket. He also wrapped the salted fish in dried lotus leaves. He used a small cloth bag for the dried shrimp. Yun the Butcher wrapped the dried shrimp separately in oilcloth. A basket, also a gift from the young man, barely contained all the items. This was a huge help for Yun the Butcher and his crew. Yun the Butcher hadn't brought a basket with him when he went to town, and the scattered items he bought were difficult to load onto his cart.
The young man finished his account, and Yun the butcher paid. Finally, the young man helped put the basket on the cart and secured it. As usual, it was covered with oilcloth and tied with rope. This way, it would be safe and avoid any trouble.
After saying goodbye to the young man, Yun the Butcher and Yun Yiyi continued their stroll. However, they couldn't buy much. The donkey cart was too full.
"Yiyi, let's walk along one more street and then go back. It's getting late. When we came here, we were riding on a donkey cart, which was quite fast. If we go back, we have to follow the donkey cart slowly, which is quite slow and will take a long time. We must save time. Once it gets dark, we will be in danger before we even get out of the city." Yun the Butcher said seriously.
"Okay, Dad. This street is almost at the end. Let's turn to the next street and walk around for a while. Then we can go back." Yun Yiyi replied.
"Yiyi is really sensible. You really can't stay in the city for too long this time. Later, when we settle down, I will take you to the city to play." Yun the Butcher coaxed Yun Yiyi.
"Then you must remember, Dad. When the time comes, bring my brothers along. They can help carry things."
"Haha, your idea is good. When the time comes, let your brother follow behind and carry the things." Yun the Butcher agreed immediately.
Butcher Yun and Yiyi quickly turned onto the next street. It wasn't crowded. Judging by the items displayed in front of the shops, they guessed this street was dominated by cosmetics, pawnshops, jewelry stores, and restaurants. Butcher Yun and Yiyi took a quick look around. Finding nothing to buy, they headed back.
The sun was about to set. The pedestrians on the street hurried along. The shops along the street began to roll down their wooden boards, preparing to close. Butcher Yun and Yiyi also quickened their pace.
Soon, Yun the Butcher and Yun Yiyi arrived at the street where they had separated from Li Xiucai and Zhang the Hunter. They were not far from the city gate.
At this moment, Yun Yiyi spotted a few people gathered in a small alley off the street, seemingly selling something. It was a bit far away, so she couldn't clearly see what was in their baskets. Yun Yiyi's mind raced. This was a good opportunity. She could use this opportunity to smuggle some of the cotton and potatoes from the space. However, she had to think carefully and not leave any loopholes. Yun the Butcher was quite clever, and not someone she could easily fool.
"Dad, I saw someone selling something in that small alley. I'll go see what they're selling. I need to sell it secretly. Dad, you wait here for me. The alley is too small and the donkey cart can't pass through." Yun Yiyi shouted as she ran over.
Before Butcher Yun could say anything, Yun Yiyi ran over. Fortunately, they were not far away and could see them from where they were standing. However, she could not hear them talking. Butcher Yun waited there anxiously.
Yun Yiyi quickly ran to the alley, fearing she'd be stopped by Yun the Butcher. There was really no other way. If she didn't get the cotton and potatoes out of the space, it would be even harder to find an excuse later.
Yun Yiyi ran over and found three baskets in front of them. The first basket contained several large pumpkins, the second contained a hen with its legs tied up, and the third contained a small cloth bag, but she couldn't see what was inside.
The three vendors glanced at Yun Yiyi but remained silent. They continued to greet the curious customers. Yun Yiyi watched for a few minutes and realized that the third basket contained a variety of vegetable seeds. The three vendors had come from outside the city to seek refuge with relatives in the city. They were three brothers. Their relatives in the city had provided them with a deposit, arranged for them to stay, and even provided them with enough food to last them a while.
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