Chapter 231 Let's Go to the Market
As the year draws to a close, Jiang Ling's shop is closed today, but lively sounds can still be heard outside.
Today is the grand market day in Ping'an Town, and one of the last few bustling markets before the Lunar New Year.
Before dawn, the village was already bustling with activity.
"Old Zhou, is your chicken tied up securely? Don't let it flutter away on the road."
"Aunt Qian, your dried vegetables are dried so well, they're sure to fetch a good price!"
"Oh my! Xiu Niang, this cloth is woven so well! No wonder you're a new bride, your hands are so skillful!"
Several oxcarts and donkey carts were already harnessed, and villagers were carefully loading their own chickens, ducks, mountain produce, and dried vegetables onto the carts, preparing to take them to town to sell.
Then use the money from selling to buy some grain, oil, rice, and flour, or to buy a couple of bolts of cloth to prepare for the New Year.
Zhao Yin's family was no exception.
Zhao Yin had saved up several rabbit pelts and one fox pelt at the beginning of the year. They were in excellent condition and he originally planned to save them for winter and then sell them.
Now Xiao Ran works as a shop assistant in Jiang Ling's shop, where she can not only learn new skills but also earn one tael of silver a month.
They were reluctant to sell these hides easily, keeping them until the end of the year, hoping to get a better price for them.
A while ago, Xiao Ran returned from the capital and brought back several pieces of cloth.
Now the family has no shortage of fabric, and there's still money left over to make a new set of clothes for everyone.
There was a famine during the autumn harvest, so they kept all their grain instead of selling it.
There's enough food to last until spring.
There was no shortage of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar; Miss Jiang would send some over from time to time.
Zhao Yin's wife had already planned ahead. She would save the money from selling the leather and build another room in the yard after the ground thawed in the spring.
Xiao Ran is growing up and needs her own room.
Also, Xiao Qi has grown up, and now he watches Xiao Ran reading and learning to read with Mr. Fu every day, and he is very envious.
The couple had long planned to send him to school in the spring.
Life should always get better and better; at least don't let your children follow in their footsteps.
The villagers boarded oxcarts in groups and headed towards the town as the sun rose.
Xiao Ran's parents also rode in their own oxcart.
Only Xiao Ran, Xiao Qi, and Xiao Yi were sitting in the carriage.
Xiao Ran, dressed in a clean cotton-padded jacket and wearing a cloak, sat in the front driving the carriage.
The carriage was covered with soft cushions that Jiang Ling had added later, which also provided shelter from the wind and rain, making it much more comfortable than the bumpy oxcart.
Xiao Qi and Xiao Yi sat inside, peering out the window at the moving scenery, their faces filled with excitement and wonder.
The wheels crunched over the snow, leaving a clear trail.
Today is market day in Ping'an County. Despite the disaster year, it is still much busier than usual as the year draws to a close.
It's the same West Market as last time. Today, there's no snow, the temperature is relatively warm, and it's market day, so it's especially lively.
The market entrance was bustling with people, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and bargaining filled the air.
Xiao Ran led the villagers to the area where they usually set up their stalls.
The security guard at the entrance registered them and then let them in.
"Put the mountain produce over here, and the cloth a little further in so it doesn't get dirty. Put the chickens and ducks on the side for ventilation. Clean them up yourself before you can leave, or you'll be fined!"
The villagers who brought their goods had already gone to reserve their spots, so Zhao Yin and his wife quickly grabbed their things and squeezed in with the villagers to set up their stall.
The sun had already risen, and the market was bustling with people, many of whom were asking about prices.
"Auntie, these dried mushrooms were picked in the back mountain in the fall. They taste delicious and are perfect for making soup."
"Grandpa, look at this fabric, it's very thick. It's perfect for making a cotton-padded coat in winter. This price is the lowest I can go."
"I'm sorry, sir, our mountain products are priced at this market price, no bargaining."
The three teenagers had nothing to do while they stayed there, so Zhao Yin's wife took out a small, coarse cloth money bag from her bosom and stuffed it into Xiao Ran's hand.
"Here, take your younger brothers out for a good look around. Don't be stingy with money if they see anything they want to eat or play with."
She then instructed Xiaoqi and Xiaoyi, "Stay with your brother and don't run around, understand?"
Before the Lunar New Year, she didn't dare let Xiao Ran take her younger brother running around town, but things are different now. In the past few months, she could clearly feel that Xiao Ran had grown up and could stand on her own.
Xiao Ran will be thirteen years old after the New Year. He has seen more of the world than the adults in the village. Now, he and his father discuss all the family matters.
Xiao Ran gripped the still-warm purse tightly and nodded solemnly:
"Father, Mother, don't worry. I will take good care of them."
The three of them left the West Market, got back into the carriage, and were instantly engulfed by the clamor of the crowd.
As the year draws to a close, the town is becoming more and more lively every day.
Before long, the carriage arrived at the busiest street in town.
Along both sides of the road, rows of large red lanterns were hung under the eaves of the shops, and various festive window decorations and New Year pictures were also pasted up.
It was spread out completely, a bright red expanse that dazzled the eyes.
"Sugar painting! A dragon-shaped one!"
"Fresh Spring Festival couplets and New Year pictures, two for one penny!"
"The fried dough cakes are fresh out of the pan and still warm!"
Xiao Ran is already a thirteen-year-old girl, and her recent experiences have made her much more mature.
However, Xiao Qi and Xiao Yi, who are eleven and seven years old respectively, are still children at heart, and they couldn't move when they saw such a lively scene.
"Brother! Sugar painting! It's sugar painting!" Xiao Qi pointed at the stall with various shapes drawn with golden syrup, his mouth practically watering.
"Look at that! It's a little wooden horse!" Xiao Yi pointed at the stall selling wooden horse carvings, her eyes sparkling.
Although it hadn't snowed, the breath we exhaled condensed into white mist.
Xiao Ran first bought a freshly baked sesame seed cake for each of her two younger brothers, so they could cover their hands and fill their stomachs.
Then, Xiao Ran led them to a sugar painting stall.
Watching the old artist create lifelike fish and rabbits with just a spoonful of syrup, Xiao Yi's eyes practically glued shut.
Xiao Ran took out two coins and asked the old artist to paint two small ones. Xiao Qi chose a fish, and Xiao Yi asked for a little rabbit. They held it in their hands and carefully licked it, their eyes squinting with sweetness.
Xiao Ran held the silver in his hand, his eyes scanning around, and finally saw what he was looking for.
A jewelry stall!
Xiao Ran led them to a stall in front of which were displayed many exquisite pieces of jewelry and hairpins.
Xiao Ran took out one tael of silver from her hand. She originally wanted a pair of bracelets, but they were beyond her budget. In the end, she took a fancy to a silver hairpin carved with an exquisite plum blossom.
"Boss, how much?"
"Young master has excellent taste. This silver hairpin is elegant and unique. I'll sell it for one tael of silver."
After agreeing on the price, he carefully counted out the copper coins, then took the hairpin wrapped in red paper and carefully put it away close to his body.
"Brother, why are you buying a hairpin? Isn't that something for girls?" Xiao Qi asked curiously.
Xiao Ran held up her finger: "This is for Mom. Don't tell her yet, I want to give her a surprise."
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