Chapter 45 Catching a Big Fish
When returning, they did not enter the alley. Butcher Huang led the way directly to the backyard to unload the goods.
Butcher Huang's brother brought a large scale and several people carried it to weigh it.
One weighed 302 jin, the other 287 jin. It took a while to calculate, and the total was 6,479 wen.
After the transaction was completed, Su Bucheng and his companions said goodbye.
"Goodbye, my dear!" Butcher Huang smiled.
Looking at the two fat wild boars, Butcher Huang breathed a sigh of relief, feeling safe.
After cleaning it up and sending one to the county magistrate's house, it would be at least 18 wen per pound. After deducting the loss of offal and pig hair, the net profit would be at least 600 to 700 wen.
On the other hand, if we sell it in retail tomorrow at 20 wen per pound, we can make a net profit of almost 1,000 wen.
"Thank you!" Su Bucheng took the money and left happily.
The gloomy look on their faces was gone, and they were all beaming with joy, with the money packed into two backpacks!
Zhang San was envious. He wished he could hunt a wild boar himself! Why would he have to drive a cart every day and work hard for a year to earn only a few cents?
"My dear, are we rich again?" Yang Dalang stroked the strings of copper coins, his voice trembling.
Oh my god! Six strings of cash!
"Well! It can buy two thousand kilograms of aged rice!" Su Bucheng said with a smile.
"Oh, yes! We still have to buy rice! Let's go! Go back quickly!" Yang Dalang spoke incoherently.
Take off your coat and cover the backpack, don't show off your wealth!
"Don't worry, let's go to the clinic first. We haven't bought what Aying wants yet!" Su Bucheng remembered his daughter's instructions.
"Oh, yes, yes! The girl specifically instructed me to do so!" Yang Dalang patted his head.
What a waste of my own achievements! Back then, I spent thousands of dollars without blinking an eye!
The ox cart carried a few people to a nearby medical clinic. Before they entered, they heard the sound of drums in the distance, which was the drum for closing the city.
"Da Lang, go to the grain and oil shop to buy some soy sauce!" Su Bucheng stuffed a string of money into Su Boyan's hand and went to buy spices himself.
The guy in the clinic came out with a power strip and was about to close the door when he bumped into Su Bucheng head-on.
"Ouch!" The guy stepped back, holding the board. "Are you guys here to get some medicine?"
"We don't want medicine, we want some spices." Su Bucheng said.
"What is it? How much do you want?" The shopkeeper came forward hurriedly to greet them, as time was running out.
"Well, half a liang or one liang is fine, including hawthorn, star anise, cinnamon, tangerine peel, hawthorn, bay leaves, cardamom, galangal, tsaoko, and Sichuan peppercorns." Su Bucheng listed all the spices he could remember.
"What do you want for it, sir?" It was the first time the shopkeeper heard someone want so many varieties of spices, whether half an ounce or one ounce.
"I don't know either. My daughter wants it. The shopkeeper can weigh it. The cheaper ones are one or two taels, and the more expensive ones are half a tael." Su Bucheng said slowly.
The shopkeeper quickly grabbed the spices, packed them up, and tied them up. "A total of one hundred and fifty-eight coins!"
Su Bucheng took out the change, counted it, and paid.
Yang Dalang looked at the bunch of paper bags with a pang of heartache. He wondered what the Su family girl wanted with them. This was more than fifty kilograms of old rice!
"Let's go!" After taking the spice bags, several people left the clinic.
Su Boyan bought a small can of soy sauce and held it carefully in his arms.
I returned the remaining money to my father. It was just a small jar of soy sauce, which cost me fifty cents.
"So expensive?" In Su Bucheng's memory, soy sauce was expensive, but it didn't cost that much.
"Thirty cents, and the jar is twenty cents." Su Boyan explained. He couldn't hold the soy sauce in his hands, right?
This can of soy sauce weighs two or three pounds, including the can. When you calculate it, fifty cents is not expensive, but not cheap either.
"Gee!" Zhang San whipped the bull and the old bull ran towards the south gate with all its might.
The drumbeats became more and more frequent, and as it neared its end, the police had already taken to the streets.
Constable Niu Er, with a knife slung over his waist, stood at the intersection and coldly watched the passers-by hurrying by.
In ancient yamen, the runners were divided into three groups: the jailers, the constables, and the strong group.
A jailer was someone who held a water or fire stick and shouted in a mighty manner in the court, and was responsible for clerical work such as standing in court and arresting people.
A constable, also known as a quick detective, is responsible for arresting criminals, summoning defendants and witnesses, collecting evidence, etc. He also participates in interrogations, criminal supervision and other work.
Sometimes they also have to perform special tasks, such as pursuing tax evasion, collecting taxes, and conveying military orders.
The Zhuangban is the main force responsible for maintaining public security. They are responsible for guarding important locations such as warehouses and prisons, and guarding and escorting prisoners.
Su Bucheng and his ox cart drove past Niu Er, shouting, "Hurry, hurry!"
Niu Er thought these people were strange. Several strong men were squeezed into one car, nervously protecting two backpacks. The teenage boy was holding something in his arms and looking around.
Especially since Su Bucheng and his son had tie straps on their trouser legs and cuffs, it looked even weirder.
"Stop!" Niu Er shouted coldly.
The constables behind him quickly drew their swords and shouted, "Beep, stop the oxcart in front!"
When Su Bucheng and the others heard this, their faces turned pale and they became even more panicked.
"Where are you from?" The detectives surrounded the ox cart, their swords flashing.
"Don't misunderstand, sir. We are from Huanggou Village, Heifeng Township." Su Bucheng forced himself to remain calm.
Having been a county magistrate myself, I know that I cannot panic at this time. The more panicked I am, the more likely it is to cause misunderstandings.
"Are you from Huanggou Village, Heifeng Township? Why are you running so far?" Niu Er stepped forward and examined the few people.
Judging from his attire, he is not a native, but most likely a fugitive.
Although the convicts could move freely in their place of exile, it seemed too far for them to run to the county town.
"We are here to sell goods!" Su Bucheng replied.
"Selling goods? What goods are you selling?" Niu Er stared at Su Boyan's arms, "What are you holding?"
"Soy sauce!" Su Boyan showed the jar in his arms.
Niu Er recognized that it was the high-quality soy sauce from the grain and oil shop, and he became even more suspicious. How could the fugitives eat so well?
There were no more pedestrians on the road, the city gate began to close slowly, and Su Boyan looked more and more anxious.
"Open it!" Niu Ergeng felt that something was wrong.
"Sir, the drums are about to stop!" Su Boyan said anxiously.
"Stop talking nonsense! Open it!" Niu Er shouted.
"Bo Yan, just let the official take a look!" Su Bucheng said helplessly. It was useless to argue at this time.
Su Boyan had no choice but to untie the hemp rope, open the paper and show it to Niu Er.
Niu Er leaned over to the jar and sniffed it. The strong aroma of soy sauce filled the air! His brows furrowed.
"Sir, please do me a favor! The city gates are about to close! We still have to hurry!" Su Bucheng had no choice but to grab a handful of copper coins and stuff them into Niu Er's hands.
"Where did the money come from?" Niu Er didn't take it, and suddenly smelled something.
"The money from selling wild boars!" Su Bucheng looked at Niu Er who kept talking and explained patiently.
"Selling wild boars?" Niu Er opened the backpack covered by his coat, revealing the windfall.
"Hiss!" the detectives exclaimed, almost blinding their eyes.
Wow! Caught a big fish!
"Shua!" Niu Er put his waist knife on Su Bucheng's neck and said coldly, "Tell me! Where did you get it from?"
"Sir, this is really the money from selling the wild boar!" Su Bucheng broke out in a cold sweat.
"Catch him!" Seeing that Su Bucheng was not telling the truth, Niu Er gave an order.
"Sir, it's a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! It's really the money from selling the wild boar! It was collected by the butcher Huang in the south of the city. If you don't believe me, go and ask!" Su Bucheng shouted.
The detectives ignored him and arrested several people. They looked at the seized wealth with excited and greedy eyes.
Zhang San was so frightened that he dared not make a sound and wanted to sneak away quietly.
"You are an accomplice! Don't even think about leaving! Take him away!"
Niu Er gave a look and the constables understood immediately. They drew their knives and came over. Zhang San didn't dare to move and could only follow obediently.
Boom, boom, boom, the drums stopped and the city gates closed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
