Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Update.
"That's right. Actually, I didn't ask Mom to go to the dock because I was worried about this. There are often foreign ships coming in there, and you never know who might be carrying the disease. My daughter wants to buy some anti-epidemic herbs and store them at home. She might need them later."
Tian also agreed with what she said. No wonder Wufu and Liugu, who used to follow Master Yangcheng to do hard work, were told not to go anymore yesterday. Wufu stayed at the gatehouse at home to guard the door, while Liugu stayed in the backyard of the restaurant to look after it.
"But we don't have much money left. We spent three taels on a dinner yesterday, and now there are only seventeen taels left in the money box.
Even with all this, we still have to save some for the restaurant's opening capital and our family's living expenses. If we can't open for a while, we still have to pay more than 200 taels of tax in September, and I don't know where the money will come from."
My family used to sell wool and had several hundred taels of savings in the Wuyan Bank. However, once all the stalls in my family were closed, as early as the beginning of July, the pawnbroker of the Wuyan Bank came to my house and said that my family's situation was not as good as before and I was afraid that the debts would be bad, so I had to pay off the loan in advance.
Therefore, the money that was originally intended for emergencies was used to repay the loan for buying a house. Although a large debt was settled, when something serious happened, there was no money left for emergencies.
After Tian said this, she felt regretful. If she had known there was an example of plague, she should have agreed to what Supervisor Lin said.
How could Ji Xu not know what she was thinking? If he told her first, the restaurant would have to postpone its opening, and it would be even harder to persuade her to fly to the pier. So he said it now.
"Hua'er from Yangcheng said she's willing to pay forty taels of silver for my horse. Come and get it today. With the money, I can buy some medicinal herbs and get by for a while."
"not good."
Tian still refused.
"Well, I'd better sell my sable coat. It's useless even in the hottest days of summer. It's just sitting there for nothing. And that piece of gauze, sell half of it and keep the other half for you sisters to make cool summer clothes."
Tian originally planned to sell these two items.
"If you're selling your beloved horse, it's better to sell these two dead things. Now the guy at the cloth shop won't dare to lower our price anymore."
Just like Jindou said:
"Hua'er is here to give money and get a horse."
"Ask her to come in."
Ji Xu said, but Tian asked her to go back:
"Just say we're not selling it anymore."
Jindou went to tell Huaer, which was exactly what Huaer expected.
"Your family had a distinguished guest yesterday, and once everything is open, you won't need the money. But my master really likes the horse, so he sent me to inquire about it. So, I'll go and tell him."
"I can't sell the horse. Good horses are hard to come by. That horse has such a good temper, and you're used to riding it. When you open a restaurant in the future, you'll definitely need a horse. Mother listened to you about the dock, so you have to listen to her on this matter too."
As he spoke, he took out the sable fur and the square-mesh gauze from the wall. He still couldn't let go of the sable and touched it. He ordered Jindou to take it outside and pawn it. Then he said:
"My dear Ah Jiao, if you are filial, please buy me a nice dress this winter. When I go out wearing it, I will be proud to hear people call me a rich man."
"Okay, my daughter promises mother."
Ji Xu knew that Tian was worried about her, so he responded with a soft heart.
These two items were about the same as what the mother and daughter had estimated, and they were pawned for forty taels in total. Yindou was asked to go to various cities to inquire about medicinal materials.
"If you want Baizhu, there are also places where it's called just "Shu"."
The mercenary Zhang Erlang said that there are no ships from foreign medicine dealers recently, so we can only go to the pharmacy to ask, but it is more expensive.
"I don't know what the price is at the pharmacy. Find out where you can get it cheaper. Come back and tell me, and I'll buy it today."
Leaving Xiaozhu at home, the rest went to Gao City and cleaned up Ping'an Restaurant.
"Mom, it's time to go."
While the carriage was being harnessed, Tian started chatting with people in the alley, and the topic was exactly about the plague.
"Have you heard about the epidemic at Hangu Pass? Is it scary?"
"My husband is building a house in Hongnong County and he also heard about this. He came back and told me yesterday that they were all slaves from Lingnan. They were said to have been discovered outside Hangu Pass, which is more than 700 miles away from us. The people in Hongnong County are not afraid, so why should we be afraid?" said Xiao Gu.
"Is the epidemic serious? Will it kill people?" asked Aunt Liu.
"Some died, some didn't. There was one who didn't die and was begging outside the pass when he was caught by Yulin Lang. Now the inspections at the border gates are stricter. I haven't heard of any such people inside the pass. I guess they've been subdued."
When she heard her daughter calling, Tian got on the carriage and went to Gao City with her, saying:
"Since it's not dangerous, we don't need to spend money to buy Atractylodes macrocephala. All medicines are expensive."
"If someone here in Wuling also gets the plague, I'm afraid the medicine will be even more expensive and harder to find. Buying it now is a good idea to be prepared. If you don't need it, that's the best way. This means the restaurant can open and make money. Even if I have to sell the medicine at a discount in the end, it's worth it for peace of mind."
Tian thought what she heard made sense, so she left it to her to decide. Yindou went out to various pharmacies and inquired about Atractylodes macrocephala as instructed.
According to the guys, this medicine grows in the valley. Boiling it in water can cure arthritis, clear away heat and disinfect, and strengthen the body. People also burn Atractylodes macrocephala to fumigate houses to ward off epidemics.
The price is naturally expensive. One pound of finished Atractylodes macrocephala costs three taels of silver. Depending on how it looks, the price fluctuates around three taels, which is pretty much the same.
"Yindou, what medicine can I get? Is anyone sick at home?"
The shop assistant changed his expression and spoke to her in a nice and gentle manner.
"We've all heard that your family is back in the food business. I heard it was an old friend of your daughter's who helped. I hope you can take good care of our business in the future."
She was invited in, but an old man from the countryside who came in later was not treated the same way. He was dressed in old coarse clothes and had a load of firewood outside. He looked around and asked at the counter:
"Xiao Lang, Xiao Lang, I heard that this herb is called Atractylodes macrocephala. Can you harvest it here?"
He called out for a while, and then the clerk who was busy flattering Yindou went to deal with the ignorant old man. He took a look at what he was holding. Although the leaves were wilted by the sun, the roots were swollen and covered with mud. It must be an excellent white atractylodes. He said:
"receive."
It must have been dug up while collecting firewood. There are often some firewood collectors here who dig wild ginseng to sell, and most people recognize it.
This Atractylodes macrocephala is different. Many people mistake it for wild chrysanthemum grass, not knowing that the rhizome underneath can be used as medicine. Because they can see that this is an old mountain man who doesn't know the value of it and is deliberately fooling people,
"But this plant is not good-looking and worthless. We'll charge you one hundred coins per catty. In fact, if a specialized medicine dealer outside the Great Wall sent it to us, it would be worth at least one or two taels of silver per catty. For this one, I'll only give you ten coins."
The guy weighed it and said.
The old man took the money, counted it twice, and carefully put it in his clothes. Then he asked:
"I always come across this when I'm collecting firewood. If I dig it up and bring it to you, will you still charge me this?"
This grass was actually worth a load of firewood. The old man thought he had met good people one after another. This grass could be sold for money. A girl kindly told him yesterday that it could be sold for money.
The guy chuckled and said:
"I'll still take this money from you."
Yindou saw it all. She had been asking about Atractylodes macrocephala all the way to this pharmacy, so how could she not know its value? However, it was other people's business and she didn't want to meddle in other people's business.
When she heard the old man say that there was still more to dig, she was moved and, ignoring the call of the guy behind her, she chased after the old man.
"Old man, how much of this grass can you dig up in a day? Sell it to my family, and I dare say it will be more expensive than what you get at that herbalist's shop."
"There are only my wife and I at home. Her back is not good, so she can't dig. I won't collect firewood all day, but just dig this grass. I should be able to dig a pound. If I go deeper the next day, I can find more."
"I heard there was a plague at Hangu Pass, and my daughter needs it urgently. If you keep digging a little bit every day, how long will it take you to finish it?
I have a large family, so if you take us with you to look for it, we can dig it up in a day. Regardless of the amount, we can consider it as buying it from you. This way, we can rest assured and it will be cheaper for you. How do you think it is?"
The old man immediately frowned.
"You little brat! You're deliberately trying to trick an old mountain man like me! I brought you some grass, and you dug it up. Do you think you can pay me? I won't be able to dig any more in the future."
Old Man Yan thought that this girl must have come up with this evil idea because she was jealous of the money he made from selling herbs at the pharmacy just now.
He sold the firewood for ten coins. Seeing Yindou still following him, he hurriedly said,
"Go, and don't follow me anymore."
I deliberately took the opposite route, fearing that she would go to the mountain near my home to dig white atractylodes grass. Yindou advised:
"Who wants to deceive you? If you don't believe me, follow me and meet our young lady. Maybe she will make the decision and give you a deposit in advance, and then you will believe it."
When Ji Xu and his party returned from Gao City, the restaurants there were open to welcome customers as usual.
Shopkeeper Hu thought they had packed up the Ping An Restaurant and were about to open the door to welcome customers, but the whole carload of people went back. He was just beginning to feel suspicious when a strategist said:
"I heard there have been two or three cases of plague outside Hangu Pass. Boss, our shop is busy with customers coming and going every day. Do you want to stay away?"
Shopkeeper Hu scolded him, "Hangu Pass is far away from here, why are you in such a hurry?"
Passing by those shops along the way, Tian was envious and muttered:
"Haven't they heard about the plague? They're still operating. I don't think it can spread to us. If they stop operating for a day, that's how much money they'll have to pay."
"Mother, what you said is not true. Now that the seals on our three properties have been removed, we won't have to worry about not having money in the future. There are still two months before the tax payment in September. There is no need to rush. If the situation is good after this period, it won't be too late to open it again.
"Also, my mother has heard that the infected person had been begging outside the Great Wall, and I think he had come into contact with many people's breath and noses. We should stock up on herbs as a precaution. Once the medicine is bought, our family should go out less and be cautious."
When we arrived at Sangshu Lane, we saw an old man in coarse clothes and straw sandals sitting on a shoulder pole on the ground in front of the door.
Yindou, who was waiting at the entrance of the alley, pointed to Jixu from a distance, explained the reason, and said:
"This old man is very stubborn. He thinks that people like us must be taking advantage of our wealth to bully others. He refused to go in and just waited outside."
"Old man?"
Ji Xu felt that he looked familiar. Old Man Yan recognized him and said with a smile:
"It's you, girl! Thanks to you for telling me yesterday that the grass could be sold for money. My trip today wasn't in vain. I really made some money from it."
Only then did he go in and sit down, drink some water, and Ji Xu said:
"Old man, I heard what the maid said. I want to buy some Atractylodes macrocephala. To be honest, I asked the nearby vendors this morning. Atractylodes macrocephala from outside the Great Wall can be sold for one or two taels of silver per catty in Guanzhong. However, it has to be transported from there for a long distance and a customs duty is collected, so the price is naturally higher.
I'm thinking of buying from an old man nearby for eight hundred coins per catty. Is that okay? Here's two taels of silver as a deposit. I hope you can take our family to dig, so we don't have to waste so much time."
Now is the period when the rhizomes of Atractylodes macrocephala are swelling, so it is time to dig them up. It will probably take some time for the medicine dealers outside the Great Wall to collect and transport them, and the price will be a little higher.
If she went to a pharmacy to buy the dried Atractylodes macrocephala, it would cost as much as three taels of silver per pound, so she wanted to buy the old man's and dry it herself, which would save her a lot of money. If it was not enough, she could buy ready-made ones from a pharmacy at a higher price.
"Yes, yes, I believe what you say, girl."
How could Old Man Yan refuse this price? Moreover, he had only known from her instructions that this was Atractylodes macrocephala, so he believed it and immediately took his family and servants there.
Except for Liu Gu who stayed at home to guard the door, everyone else took their tools to dig herbs and went out.
This group drove two ox carts, one driven by Tian and one by Wufu.
The trip was to a remote mountain area sixty miles away, so we were prepared to return the next day and even brought dry food and water.
It is said that some time ago, Yang Liu and his lover Wang'er moved to Mapo Street in the north of the city. After divorcing Qiu Gu, they continued to do some small business selling goods.
That day, Yang Liu came to an abandoned dock outside Hangu Pass, where there were some rotten sampans and wooden boats.
However, there is a canal boat that looks to be in good condition, but it is also parked at this dilapidated old dock.
"You said you had some good stuff to sell me, but this place is in such a state of desolation, where is the stuff?"
Yang Liu said to the clerk in charge of the dock.
The clerk took him into the grain boat. The further he went, the more unpleasant fishy smell he smelled. He also saw that a small cabin somewhere at the bottom was filled with silk cloth.
Yang Liu touched them and found them to be of the best quality.
"You're from Lingnan, right?"
The clerk said, "You know what's good. Two hundred taels, and you can take all of this away."
"Two hundred taels?"
Yang Liu felt something was wrong, so he took it and looked at it carefully. It turned out to be good material that had not been damaged by insects or water. Even if he paid ten times the price, he could not buy so much. So he said,
"Didn't you steal the official property?"
The clerk replied, "How could I have stolen it? My superiors ordered me to burn the ship and the goods. If I hadn't thought it was good material and thought it would be a pity to burn it, I wouldn't have come looking for you."
"Why is it burning when it's fine?"
"How would I know? If you don't want it, I'll find someone else."
"Yes, I want it."
Of course he wants it since it's a free deal.
He thought that the silk cloth must have come from an illegal source and must have been seized by a petty official. He did not try to expose the truth and instead brought his family's carriage and horses to gradually take the goods away.
But when they moved to a corner, they found it was grimy and sticky, with an extremely strong stench, worse than the smell of dead fish and rotten shrimps. The silk cloths were also covered with a layer of unknown color.
"What a damn old charm! No wonder you sold it to me so cheaply."
Since he had paid the money, there was no reason for him to refuse it, so all the bad ones were moved out and brought into his home on Mapo Street.
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