"Sister Tao, please don't mind me telling you the truth, how old are you again?"
"I'm thirty-six," Tao Wanniang replied directly. This Hu family had quite a few fancy clothes, but she still tried to choose two that looked like they wouldn't get dirty.
"I'm thirty-eight, but I look much younger than you. Hey, young lady, women, no matter what age you are, you can't lose face!"
Tao Wanniang glanced at Hu Shi's face, where there was still some makeup residue. She hadn't removed her makeup thoroughly; she was just waiting for pimples to appear on her face.
"Don't let my age fool you, I used to be the top courtesan. Countless men would spend a fortune just to spend the night with me!" Mrs. Hu exclaimed. "I've pawned everything of value. Look at these, is there anything you want?"
Indeed, they were just some jewelry that didn't look very valuable. Tao Wanniang's gaze fell on a comb, and she reached out and picked it up.
"This comb is... made of cow horn, isn't it!"
"Why did you take this comb? It's not worth much. This comb is supposed to be a cow horn comb, which you can buy anywhere. I just like this one."
Madam Hu picked up the comb she usually used to comb her hair. "A sandalwood comb, these are inlaid with gold thread, and there's a glass bead too. Look, this comb is beautiful. It was a gift from a guest long ago. What a pity, why didn't I go with him!"
"Since that's something you cherish, of course I won't take it. As for this comb, my hair is as dry as straw, so it's only fit for this comb."
"Alright, I've been leaving that comb lying around anyway. It's all bare, without any decoration. The pawnshop wouldn't even take it before."
Ms. Hu said with a hint of helplessness, "Sister Tao, how about you cook me some noodles with an egg tomorrow morning?"
Having stayed in someone's house, and even received two sets of clothes and a comb, Tao Wanniang generously said, "Sure, I'll make sure you eat your fill of noodles." Hu Shi seemed to have not had anyone to talk to in a long time, reminiscing about her glorious past and then feeling sorry for herself for being old and faded and abandoned.
"This is the house I own. I bought it myself. That heartless man gave me nothing. Sister Tao, all men are ungrateful. Luckily you have two sons!"
Hu Shi pulled Tao Wan Niang and cried, finally wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Sister Tao, I really envy you. You have two obedient sons, and you're already a grandmother at the same age. It's a pity that I'm destined to be all alone for the rest of my life!"
Tao Wanniang's lips twitched. If it weren't for this family, she would have been living a carefree life long ago!
"Sister Hu, it's getting late, you should wash up and go to bed."
Tao Wanniang rose to take her leave.
"Alright, alright, then take care, Miss Tao. It's such a rare treat to feel so full. I'll savor the memory a little longer."
Tao Wanniang smiled and walked away.
[White buffalo horn comb, compared across the entire internet, highest bid is five taels.]
Tao Wanniang was overjoyed. What Hu Shi didn't like was actually being offered a high price in the trading system. Of course, she would sell it!
Very quickly, Tao Wan's little treasury gained another five taels of silver.
The son and daughter-in-law were still awake, and they were both surprised to see Tao Wan's mother bring back two sets of clothes.
"What are you looking at? They gave me two sets of clothes, can't I take them?"
Tao Wanniang said deliberately in an annoyed tone, as she didn't want her son and daughter-in-law to be staring at what she was holding.
"Mother, that's not what we meant. So... can we go to sleep now? The children are all asleep."
"You guys go to sleep first. I'll go check the kitchen. We should put all the noodles away tonight. I'll be furious if the mice mess them up."
As soon as Tao Wanniang finished speaking, her eldest daughter-in-law, Wang Hongyu, immediately interjected:
"Mom, I'll go. You've worked hard, get some rest."
"Yes, yes, Mom, you've worked so hard for us. You go to sleep first, we're going!"
Ling Dahu immediately echoed his sentiments, and Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun quickly followed suit, speaking in a fawning manner:
"Mother, you should rest. If anything happens, just call us."
"Alright, go ahead!" Tao Wanniang said without ceremony, picking up the clothes and looking around the house. "Which room will I sleep in?"
"Sister Tao, this way, you're in the same room as me and Xiao Qiao'er, um... you don't mind, do you?"
Aunt Liang said somewhat embarrassedly that she had been living off Tao Wan's group, and now she not only had food but also a house to stay in.
“It’s no big deal, go to sleep!” Tao Wanniang said simply, without being coy.
The next morning, Tao Wanniang cooked noodles for everyone again. After eating, she changed into the clothes given to her by Hu Shi and prepared to go for a stroll in the city.
"Mother, we're worried about you going out alone!" Ling Dahu said immediately with concern.
“Heh, I’m perfectly safe going out alone, but you guys…” Tao Wan’s mother gave her son a quick, unceremonious look, “If the city doesn’t allow refugees to come in, you lot will be the most in danger.”
"So, Mother changed her clothes?"
Ling Dahu suddenly realized something, "Mother, then... what if something happens to you..."
"Pah! If you can't speak properly, then don't speak at all. You guys, just stay here and behave yourselves. I'm better at watching what's going on outside!"
After Tao Wanniang finished speaking, she walked straight out, and Hu Shi called out behind her.
"Sister Tao, wait, wait for me. It's not good for you to go out without someone with you."
Hu hurriedly ran to Tao Wanniang's side, "I know the city well, if there's anything you don't understand, I can explain it to you."
"Okay, let's go for a walk and take a look together."
Tao Wanniang anticipated what might happen in Caofeng County today, given the arrival of the imperial inspector yesterday.
"Sister Tao, how long do you plan to stay in the city?"
On the way, Madam Hu asked, somewhat tentatively and somewhat ingratiatingly, how worthwhile it was for her to receive one tael of silver. These days, one tael of silver is far from enough to buy two bowls of hot egg noodles outside.
"Judging from the situation, our family has no relatives or friends in Caofeng County, and we don't have any business to make a living. If we stay in Caofeng County, aren't we just waiting to die?"
Tao Wanniang stated bluntly, "We are going to the provincial capital."
Hu was somewhat disappointed; wouldn't that mean there would be no food left? But she couldn't bring herself to ask Tao Wanniang to stay.
"Hey, why are these people in such a hurry?"
Seeing several neighbors running forward with bags in their hands, Mrs. Hu was somewhat surprised and hurriedly stopped one of them, saying, "What's the rush for you all!"
"The county government is distributing grain; if you're late, it'll be gone!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Hu's face lit up with joy, and she quickly grabbed Tao Wanniang, saying, "Sister Tao, let's hurry home and get our bags. Has the county government suddenly changed its mind this time? We can't miss this opportunity."
"No need to go back, I'm already prepared!"
As Tao Wanniang spoke, she took the cloth bag that she had tied to her waist earlier. And here it was, just as she had been thinking. With the arrival of the imperial inspector, how could the county government not distribute grain?
"Tao Da Meizi, you're really something!"
Madam Hu took a cloth bag and grinned from ear to ear. A row of yamen runners came up and suddenly stopped a poorly dressed person in the crowd.
"They're not from this city, yet they dare to take the grain. Take them away immediately!"
Hu was startled and looked at Tao Wanniang, suddenly feeling that Tao Wanniang seemed to have some kind of precognitive ability!
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