What does this mean?
Zhang Anan did not understand the meaning behind Xu Milu's words; he simply paused briefly:
"Madam Xu just said that this fruit is not a 'divine fruit,' but merely a rumor spread by common people. Why are there two ways to sell it? That sounds rather strange."
"Of course, the world is full of wonders, and there is a story behind my fruit as well."
Xu Milu gestured for Chen Xiang to fetch a basket of tomatoes from the back, then explained with a smile:
"This fruit is called 'Big Tomato,' and it only grows in the frigid far north. Unlike fruits that grow on trees, the colder the weather, the faster this fruit ripens and the better it tastes. If you are in a hurry to buy it, then we can make it cheaper, fifty taels of silver per catty."
Upon hearing the price, the two attendants following Zhang Anan immediately gasped, looking at Xu Milu as if she were a fraud.
Fifty taels of silver is fifty strings of cash. What kind of fruit is worth fifty strings of cash per catty?
You should know that a dou of rice only costs four qian right now, millet is even cheaper at three wen a dou, a bolt of silk costs two hundred qian, and brocade is more expensive at six hundred qian a bolt.
This fifty strings of cash is the salary of the magistrate of Chang'an County for two years. It is enough for an ordinary family to live on for many years, enough for a slightly wealthy family to buy a dozen acres of fertile land, enough for a rich family to host a banquet for two months, and enough for a noble lady in the palace to eat bird's nest for a month!
But in this small eatery, you can only buy a pound of fruit?
This young lady must be obsessed with money!
Xu Milu wasn't surprised by their reaction, but simply pretended not to see it:
"What I just mentioned was the first way to buy it. If you are willing to wait a few days, new tomatoes will soon arrive in Chang'an. Although they cannot compare to my spiritual fruit, they are of superior taste compared to other fruits and vegetables, and the price is much cheaper, only three coins per pound, which ordinary people can afford."
The price drop from fifty strings of cash to three coins was quite significant. Unlike his attendants, Zhang Anan didn't show any surprise. He simply pondered for a moment and then asked:
"So, it seems that Madam Xu's fruits are for different people. May I ask what the difference is between these two kinds of fruits?"
“Master Zhang should know that oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, while those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges. Even ordinary fruits are divided into high and low quality, and my fruit is no exception.”
The first type of tomato grows in a place rich in spiritual energy, so it naturally has abundant spiritual energy. Eating it regularly is not only good for the spleen and stomach, but also has beauty and skin-nourishing effects. Cultivators gain a mouthful of spiritual energy from every bite they eat, so it is not sold to ordinary people, and its price is naturally higher. The second type of tomato, besides being delicious and larger, is just useless to cultivators, so it is specially supplied to the common people, and therefore much cheaper.
Xu Milu took a fast-growing polar tomato, about the size of a human head, from the basket and presented it to Zhang Anan:
"The spiritual fruit is beneficial to the health of the elderly and women. Taking it can warm and nourish the body. I dare to guarantee that I am the only place in the entire Chang'an city that sells it. It depends on whether you want to buy it now or buy it at the market later."
Zhang Anan found the fruit truly peculiar. Its bright red skin encased thick, plump flesh, about the size of a pumpkin, and it had a delicate fragrance. However, he couldn't discern any "spiritual energy" in it.
not to mention……
How could someone who cultivates the Tao engage in such commercial activities?
He glanced at the smiling Xu Milu, noticing her beautiful black hair and composed demeanor, and seeing that she didn't seem like someone who would put on airs, he cupped his hands in greeting and said:
"Please forgive my poor eyesight, Madam Xu. I am but a mortal and cannot discern anything. But how could a master like you deceive me? I will take this whole basket of tomatoes. Once those ordinary tomatoes arrive in Chang'an, I will buy several more cartloads."
After saying that, he reached out and weighed the full basket of tomatoes, then expertly gave the weight:
"A total of 172 catties and 8 taels, that's 8,640 taels of silver. Haha, don't let my appearance fool you, I used to carry live pigs and corpses when I was young. I can tell the weight just by feeling it. But I don't have that much cash on me. If Madam Xu trusts me, I'll bring the money tomorrow, okay?"
There were no silver notes in the Tang Dynasty, and Zhang Anan was not like a demon or ghost who could use magic to move things in his sleeve, so he could only honestly bear the burden of the more than eight thousand taels.
“What is there to distrust? Lord Zhang serves the Emperor and is the head of the eunuchs. It’s just some silver. Do you think I’m afraid you’ll run away in fear?”
Xu Milu said it casually, then called to the three of them:
"I've made some new flower-shaped glutinous rice balls with the design of the Five Poisons these past few days. They're sweet, soft, and chewy. Since we're here today, why don't you buy some to take home, Mr. Zhang?"
While she was smiling, cold sweat broke out on the backs of Zhang Anan's two attendants.
It should be noted that they left the palace today by imperial decree, and traveled by carriage all the way. From Xuanwu Gate across the main street to Huasheng Temple, they did not see anyone else. It can be said that apart from the emperor, no one knew that the Left Gatekeeper General had left the palace.
Could it be that this old lady really has the supernatural ability to see a thousand miles?
In broad daylight, the two attendants broke out in a layer of white sweat.
Zhang Anan, as expected of the head eunuch, showed no displeasure at having his identity exposed; he simply laughed it off.
"Madam Xu is amazing! I once heard people say that a real immortal appeared outside Huasheng Temple, but I didn't believe it. Now that I see it, it turns out to be a little immortal who can predict the future. It just so happens that I'm hungry. I wonder how much Madam Xu's 'Touhua Ci' costs? Surely it can't be one string of cash a piece?"
He winked at himself in a slightly quirky way, looking nothing like the affected, high-pitched eunuchs in later TV dramas, but more like a carefree martial artist.
"No need for that. These snacks were made to treat the children in the family. They cost one coin each. I'll wrap them up for you, Master Zhang."
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