The young apprentice was stunned, not expecting that a scholar in a long robe would come to sell medicinal herbs.
In the past, herb gatherers wore short clothes and straw sandals.
Seeing that his servants remained silent, the shopkeeper approached with a smile and asked tactfully, "What kind of medicinal herb is it?"
"We've already stocked enough of the most common herbs for this year, and we're afraid we won't be able to buy any more."
Fan Jin didn't bring any medicinal herbs, which put me slightly at ease.
He took off his basket, brushed away the top layer of grass covering it, and revealed the dark, lumpy things inside.
"Good, good, good! It's actually He Shou Wu!" the shopkeeper exclaimed in surprise.
His smile gradually widened as he squatted down in front of the basket, picked up a piece of Polygonum multiflorum, and examined it carefully.
He gently placed it aside, then picked up another bamboo stick from the basket. After examining all of them, he stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Fan Jin, and asked, "Since you brought it to Renjitang, you must have great trust in our pharmacy."
"I always pay cash on the purchase of medicinal herbs, and I never shortchange you or quote arbitrary prices. Please rest assured, young master."
Fan Jin chose Renjitang precisely because of its good reputation among villagers—it was known for its patients of all ages.
He bowed to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, you are too kind. Of course, I am trustworthy."
Seeing that Fan Jin was speaking politely, Manager Qin pointed to the two piles of He Shou Wu on the ground and said straightforwardly, "When I checked just now, I had already divided them into two piles according to their quality."
The larger ones were older and in better condition, and Renjitang offered 450 coins per catty.
The smaller ones are less mature and less effective; they can only fetch a maximum of 210 coins per pound. If you're worried I'll try to lower the price, you can always ask at other pharmacies before making a decision.”
Fan Jin had never sold anything before, and he was even less skilled at bargaining. In addition, the price offered by Manager Qin was not much different from what he had heard in the village before, so he was already somewhat reassured when he heard the price.
Seeing that Manager Qin was sincere and gentle, he said, "I trust you, so I won't go elsewhere to inquire."
Being able to receive Polygonum multiflorum, and even several dozen kilograms of it, coupled with Fan Jin being a straightforward and easy-going person, made Manager Qin very happy. He waved to signal the young medicine boy to weigh it.
The young medicine boy quickly reported the weight: "Twelve catties of high-quality Polygonum multiflorum, four hundred and fifty coins per catty, totaling five thousand four hundred coins."
"15 catties of young Polygonum multiflorum, 210 wen per catty, totaling 3,150 wen."
When Fan Jin heard the young apprentice announce the same weight as the one Shui Qing had bought the night before, he knew that Renjitang had not shortchanged anyone.
Upon hearing about the money he had earned, his eyes widened in surprise, and his lips parted slightly.
Eight thousand five hundred and fifty coins, more than eight taels of silver. He could only earn that much by copying books for half a year!
Shui Qing is amazing!
Shopkeeper Qin asked with a smile, "Would you like to exchange it for silver or copper coins?"
Fan Jin lowered his head to suppress his joy, then looked up and replied, "Eight taels of silver and five hundred and fifty copper coins."
After carefully wrapping the silver and putting it inside his clothes, Fan Jin thanked Manager Qin and the young medicine boy before leaving.
Last night, Shuiqing and I estimated the price based on the good ones being over two hundred coins and the bad ones over one hundred coins. Now the price has doubled, and the extra money can buy a lot of things. I was overjoyed.
With a budget that was more than four taels of silver extra, he began to plan how to spend it.
It costs 25 coins a day to build a thatched hut. Five or six people can build it in about three days. The labor cost is about 400 coins. There are pillars and thatch on the back mountain, so there is no need to spend money. Half a tael of silver is enough.
Rice, flour, cooking oil, and other ingredients are readily available at Shuiqing; there's no need to buy them.
However, I promised some kids yesterday that I would buy them pork to make pork lard rice, and I can't go back on my word.
Pork costs 35 coins per pound, but if it's mostly fat and not much lean, it might cost 38 coins per pound.
There are seven people in my family. Half a jin (250 grams) is barely enough for each person to eat two or three slices of pork, while a jin (500 grams) can feed the children six or seven slices...
The three boys were alright; during festivals, their mother would at least give them a piece of meat because they were boys. But Yanqiu and Xinghui, being girls, could only get a taste of meat when they went to their maternal grandfather's house.
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