"This? You've asked the right person, young lady. We have three pharmacies here: Baicaotang, Huichuntang, and Renshoutang."
"Baicaotang is in the east of the city. The owner's surname is Qian, Qian Silin. The owner of Baicaotang is Qin Haoming, from a century-old medical family. His doctor is Guan Feng, who has expertise in treating both common and difficult ailments. Many dignitaries seek him out. The consultation fees and medicine are quite expensive, so many ordinary people can't afford it."
"Huichuntang is in the south of the city. The owner's surname is Zhao, Zhao Qi'an. The owner of Huichuntang is a retired imperial physician named Pan Mingxuan. He retired from the Imperial Hospital and has superb medical skills. Many dignitaries and powerful people travel thousands of miles to see him. His medicine is very expensive, and he rarely treats ordinary people."
"Renshoutang is in the south of the city, across from Huichuntang. The owner's surname is Han, Han Yidong. His boss is Ge Shangwu, the son of Marquis Huairen of the capital. He has Renshoutangs throughout Daliang. He sells herbal medicine fairly, never passing off inferior goods as good ones. He treats the common people with sincerity."
"If you want to see a doctor, I suggest you go to Renshoutang. They won't charge exorbitant prices and their fees are reasonable."
The officers and soldiers introduced three pharmacies in Liangzhou, as well as the owners and doctors of the three pharmacies, thinking that some of them needed medical treatment.
Knowing the charging standards of the three pharmacies and the character of the owners, Gao Zhijun knew which pharmacy to go to to sell herbal medicine: "Thank you, sir, I know which pharmacy to go to."
"No need to thank me. Now that I've brought you here, I'm leaving."
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the officers and soldiers wanted to go home early.
"Sir, take care!"
Gao Zhijun, Huo Jinqian, the village head said politely and respectfully.
After the officers and soldiers left, Gao Zhijun, Huo Jinqian, and the village head went to find Manager Tong.
"Manager Tong, how much is a room in the large bunk bed?"
Huo Jinqian saluted Manager Tong with a smile and asked politely.
"Sir, the big bunk bed costs 100 coins a day."
The shopkeeper also answered with a smile.
One hundred wen a day is not expensive. A large bunk bed can accommodate twenty people, which means five wen per person a day. There is hot water, so it is indeed not expensive.
"Shopkeeper Tong, we need ten large bunk beds. Do you have any?"
The village head thought of the villagers. There were not many of them, and some of them wanted to live in an ordinary room with their family, while ten rooms with large dormitories would be enough.
"Yes, yes! We wouldn't have it normally. This year there's been a severe drought, so not many people are staying at the inn."
Shopkeeper Tong was so happy that he was grinning from ear to ear. It had been a long time since he had such a big business deal, and he finally had enough money to buy rice.
"Manager Tong, how much is an ordinary room?"
The head of the village asked the shopkeeper Tong again, he only needed an ordinary room to live in his home!
"Ordinary rooms are thirty cents a room."
Shopkeeper Tong saw that the answer was quick.
"Okay, give me five ordinary rooms."
Including his family, there are five families living in ordinary rooms.
"Okay, since you want so many rooms, I'll give you a discount.
The charge for a large bunk bed is 97 wen per room, and for a regular room it's 28 wen per room. What do you think?"
When Manager Tong saw that there was a big business, he immediately gave them a discount.
"Okay, okay, thank you, boss."
The head of the village smiled and thanked the shopkeeper Tong.
"Shopkeeper Tong, how much is your medium-sized room per day?"
Gao Zhijun chose a medium-sized room for herself and the Huo family so that everyone could sleep comfortably.
"A medium-sized room costs fifty cents a day. How many would you like, young lady?"
Shopkeeper Tong said excitedly.
This is really a big guest. He is so lucky today that he met someone from the village who is so rich that he can afford to stay in an inn during a famine.
You know, there is a prefect outside who is giving out porridge and there are greenhouses for people to live in, and all of these things don't cost any money.
Gao Zhijun calculated and said, "Give us eleven rooms.
Calculate how much silver is needed in total."
Gao Zhijun planned to advance the money to the villagers first and then collect the money after selling the herbs.
"Okay, okay, I'll give you a discount for the medium-sized rooms. I'll charge you 47 cents per room."
"Wait a moment, I'll calculate how much silver it will cost for you."
Shopkeeper Tong really didn't know how to express his current mood. He was simply too happy and excited.
This month, there are almost no people staying at the inn. If there is no business anymore, he will have to close it down.
Unexpectedly, a big customer came today and he earned enough money to cover his living expenses for this month.
Isn’t this the same as the old saying “If you don’t open the market for three years, you will make money for three years after you open it”?
Soon, Shopkeeper Tong used an abacus to calculate: "Miss, for ten large bunk beds, you will be charged ninety-seven wen per room, which is nine hundred and seventy wen. For five ordinary rooms, you will be charged twenty-eight wen per room, which is one hundred and forty-six. For eleven medium-sized rooms, you will be charged for forty-seven wen per room, which is five hundred and seventeen wen. The total is one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven wen, which is one tael, six hundred and twenty-seven wen. Do you think that is correct?"
Gao Zhijun did some mental math and realized it was indeed the number, so she said, "Shopkeeper, that's it. We'll stay for two days. If we need to stay longer, we'll resupply then. One tael a day is six hundred and twenty-seven wen, so two taels is three taels, two hundred and fifty-four wen."
Gao Zhijun took out three taels of silver from her sleeve, and then took out a dozen copper coins, and counted out two hundred and fifty-four copper coins to give to Manager Tong.
Shopkeeper Tong collected the silver and began to register the villagers of Huojia Village. He also asked them to go to the kitchen to boil water for bathing and cooking.
Because there are many people in Huojia Village and few people in the inn, they are unable to be responsible for boiling water and cooking.
Therefore, Manager Tong gave each room an extra two cents discount, allowing them to cook their own meals and boil their own water.
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