"Yes, those medicines were made by the women. They came to the city for medicine too!"
Jiang Zhi explained her deal with the Huo family: "The Huo family paid for the formula and agreed to sell the medicine on their behalf."
Magistrate Zhang, every family in the village needs to repair their houses and settle down. Once I make medicine, they can help me gather the herbs.
When the villagers' lives improve, they will be able to pay more taxes to the government.
There aren't many raw materials available now, but it's the perfect time to harvest herbs like dandelion and viola in the mountains and fields.
Even if only a small amount of pharmaceuticals are produced, allowing the villagers to earn some income, they can safely get through the months of famine before the harvest.
Jiang Zhi said all this to explain why she had temporarily given up the county government office.
Although Zhang Zheng only conveyed this message to Xiang Dejin, he didn't say it outright, and it was irrelevant what he wanted to do.
But this is a powerful backer, so we can't really afford to offend him.
When dealing with officials, one should say some righteous and awe-inspiring things: "I can wait, but the other villagers can't." Hold up the high-sounding label of moral exemplar, and you can slap it on them at the slightest disagreement.
Sure enough, Zhang Zheng pondered for a moment and nodded: "This is a matter that benefits the people!"
He had previously considered having the county government handle the pharmaceutical production, but promoting a new product is not easy, especially since pharmaceuticals, operations, management, and sales are all complex processes.
The county government is short of funds, especially now that public sentiment is unstable and external unrest is still ongoing. The government's focus is still on maintaining stability and ensuring the safety of the people.
The Huo family originally owned a pharmacy, so selling medicines was much easier for them.
Zhang Zheng is not young anymore, and he has been worrying and working hard these days. Compared to when Jiang Zhi first met him, he has aged considerably.
But when people talk about people's livelihood, he becomes very energetic.
Zhang Zhengdao said, "The contract between the Huo family and you is fair. As the village chief, you should naturally prioritize the villagers' interests. You just said that the Huo family wanted to see me... so let them come!"
Jiang Zhi felt a great weight lifted off her shoulders. Since the Huo family harbored suspicions, she would use their influence to her advantage.
Compared to drug sales, Zhang Zheng's mind is now focused on ensuring people's basic needs are met. He is very interested in the "manure ball making," "transplanting," and "intercropping" methods that Jiang Zhi mentioned.
"Jiang and Xu Errui, when you go back, you must learn to read and write more, and record these farming techniques so that you can submit them to the county government after the autumn harvest!"
Zhang Zheng felt that these agricultural techniques were very important.
"Okay!" Jiang Zhi agreed.
Xu Errui, who had been silent all along, was suddenly called upon. His face immediately turned red as he was asked to write the characters himself... Sigh! I'll have to ask Xia Xiucai for help when I get back.
Leaving Zhang Zheng's study, Jiang Zhi felt confident. Although the contract she had signed with the Huo family was already perfect, with the county magistrate's secret support, things would be much smoother in the future.
Xu Errui, who was following behind, was very worried. He was already trying to learn to read, but after the county magistrate's words, he felt immense pressure.
Outside the study, Wu Hongmao and the others were still peeking around, wondering what Aunt Jiang wanted to ask the magistrate.
At this time, the rice market alley in the county town was bustling with people.
This place is called Rice Market, so naturally it's a place where grain shops are concentrated.
Various agricultural products are also sold here.
Today is market day in the county, and people from all the surrounding villages and towns have gathered on the street centered around Rice Market Lane.
As expected of a county town, it was much more lively than the market in Lihua Town. The crowds of people buying and selling things were so dense that the wide street was so crowded that you couldn't even pass sideways.
Although Xiaoman and Li Laoshi stayed in the city at night and arrived at Rice Market Lane early, the limited spaces in these streets and alleys had long been secretly divided up by the old vendors, who occupied them with various bamboo baskets and crates.
Their stall was chased away several times before they finally found a place to stand in a corner.
Business here is so good! Before the goods are even laid out, someone grabs your basket and asks, "Young man, what are you selling? Let me see!" and starts taking things out.
The man was middle-aged and had a strong grip on the basket; he almost snatched the straw sandals and hemp thread from Xiaoman's hands.
Li Laoshi had been around the streets before, and he could tell from this scene that the person asking about the goods was not an ordinary person, but a secondhand dealer from the city.
He quickly grabbed his basket and repeatedly said to the vendor, "I won't sell, I won't sell!"
The so-called secondhand dealers are those who buy goods at low prices from farmers who have just arrived in the city, and then resell them to street vendors, making a profit from the price difference.
The problem is that farmers are new to the area and don't know the market prices. They're easily fooled by a few words, and by the time they realize what's going on and find out the prices, it's too late to regret it.
Xiaoman was just thinking that someone had taken a liking to her things and hadn't even had time to be happy when she saw Li Laoshi shoving the guests aside and pushing them away forcefully...
What does that mean?
Xiaoman was stunned!
Is Uncle Li no longer interested in doing business?
In Lihua Town, people always try to attract customers, afraid that others won't buy. You've never seen anyone push people away.
But the man seemed oblivious to Li Laoshi's rudeness and continued to hold onto the basket, saying, "It's all the same no matter who you sell to, just take a look!"
Nearby, another person came up, grabbed the basket, and asked the same question: "How much? How much? I'll buy it!"
They don't even look at the items before talking about buying them.
This scene wasn't limited to Xiaoman; whenever those carrying baskets or shoulder poles appeared, they would be surrounded by a crowd.
Bargaining and hesitating for even a moment can lead to the goods selling out in the blink of an eye, leaving you with significantly less money in your pocket.
With Li Laoshi blocking Xiaoman's way and pushing aside several vendors who surrounded her, she was finally able to place her goods on the ground.
Li Laoshi was quick on his feet; he ran around the street once and got a pretty good idea of the prices.
"Xiaoman, these straw sandals of ours will sell for twenty coins, so ask for a higher price. Also, these linen cloths..." Li Laoshi excitedly whispered.
They used to sell straw sandals in Pear Blossom Town. After Aunt Jiang shouted out 15 coins the first time, but actually sold them for 10 or 8 coins, the second time they could only sell them for 5 coins a pair.
Money in the city is different now. Li Laoshi heard many people shouting "twenty coins," and people were still crowding around to choose.
Xiaoman got excited too. The city is great! She can bring things here to sell all the time.
But just as he sold a roll of linen for fifty coins and had no time to rejoice, the market tax official arrived.
No matter how many goods are sold, each stall has to pay taxes.
Looking at the tax official, Li Laoshi blinked and said, "Sir, this is our first time setting up a stall here. Could we pay less?"
The clerk tapped Li Laoshi on the head with his stick and said irritably, "When you used to have to pay taxes on half of your goods, why didn't you complain about paying less? Now I'm charging you two coins, which is too much."
"If we don't collect taxes, who will provide you with grain seeds? You think you're some kind of money-grubbing creature that only takes in money and never gives it back? I'll have people worshipping you in this market!"
The people around burst into laughter.
Pixiu is a legendary mythical beast with a special body, a large mouth, and the food it eats cannot be excreted.
Because it feeds on gold and silver treasures and only eats without excreting, it has become a symbol of wealth and prosperity in people's minds and is known as the wealth-bringing mythical beast.
Li Laoshi chuckled, rubbing his sore head. "Sir, I didn't know it would only cost two coins. Of course, I'll pay!"
Xiaoman took out two coins without hesitation: "This tax isn't high!"
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