Chapter 28
Early the next day, since there were many herbs, Yu Ying needed to take Fu An with her to Yu County as she couldn’t manage alone.
But with Fu An going, Mrs. Luo being blind, Fu Ning still young, and Fu Wei unable to leave the house, Yu Ying had to prepare the midday porridge in advance.
In addition to the herbs, there was also jelly.
This jelly was made under her guidance by Fu Wei the previous afternoon.
Yu Ying and Fu An didn’t eat, but carried the items and left the house.
Since there were indeed many herbs, Yu Ying asked Fu An to wait at the village entrance with the items, and she made several trips to bring the herbs.
Observing the bundles of herbs being moved out of the Fu household, some villagers made snide remarks.
"What's the use of gathering so many herbs? They might not even earn much silver."
"Exactly, those people at the medical hall are so picky, always complaining that I bring them useless weeds. In the end, for such a big basket of herbs, I only got one coin." Glancing at the barely recognizable bundles of herbs, they sourly added, "I don't believe she can sell them for a good price, maybe just five coins at most."
Yu Ying recognized the voice as Auntie Cui Lan from the other day.
She turned and smiled, "Whether I earn silver or not, it's not for Auntie Cui Lan to spend. Why is she so concerned about how much I make?"
Remembering her previous threats, Auntie Cui Lan shrank back, but still trying to save face, retorted, "I wouldn't care for your few coins. Do you think everyone lives like your family, unable to afford a proper meal and eating only coarse grains and wild vegetables?"
Yu Ying nodded with a smile, "Indeed, we can’t even afford a proper meal, unlike Auntie Cui Lan's family who can enjoy lavish meals every day. You must be very happy."
Although Yu Ying acknowledged her family’s hardships, for some reason, Auntie Cui Lan felt even more upset hearing her words.
No family in Ling Shui Village could afford lavish meals every day. Wasn't Mrs. Yu just mocking her?
Auntie Cui Lan found it embarrassing to retort immediately and when she finally thought of a comeback, Yu Ying had already walked away.
Meanwhile, a woman working nearby said, "But then again, we used to see the two Fu kids picking wild vegetables everywhere, but we haven’t seen them doing that much recently..."
Continuing, she mused, "Could it be that Mrs. Yu actually made a fortune?"
Hearing this, Auntie Cui Lan frowned, "Impossible. Even if Mrs. Yu did make money, she’d only hoard it for herself. Why would she share it with the Fu family?"
Another woman commented, "But I feel like Fu An and Fu Ning seem different from before."
Auntie Cui Lan scoffed, "That must be your poor eyesight."
The woman rolled her eyes at this comment.
Speaking of the Fu family, the woman couldn’t help but remark, "The Fu family really has had its share of misfortune. It was bad enough that they got the wrong child, but then the child taken by Mrs. Luo’s sister-in-law to continue the family line didn’t even live to be a year old. That child grew up with no affection for Mrs. Luo and now harbors resentment."
The Fu family had two branches, and all the adult men were executed; the elder branch was Mrs. Luo's.
Mrs. Luo had two sons, while the second wife of the second branch had two daughters and no sons.
The second wife always resented the elder branch for her husband's death, and since she had no sons to continue the family line, she took the child mistakenly brought to the Fu family to raise as her own after moving to Lingnan.
Every time Mrs. Luo tried to take the child back, she was driven away with a broom.
Later, when the second wife often claimed the child would starve with Mrs. Luo and only she could provide, and this seemed to be true, Mrs. Luo gradually compromised.
Auntie Cui Lan, recalling the fierce nature of the second wife, shuddered and said, "Their family has gone to Wuling County to rely on their adopted son, probably living the high life now, and won’t come back."
The woman shook her head, "Who knows? They didn’t treat the previous Second Master Fu well either, they might be driven back."
……
On her final trip moving the herbs, Yu Ying arrived at the village entrance just as Chen Da Ye's ox cart was almost there.
Yu Ying said to Fu Ning, "Auntie is very busy today, and your brother is going to help, so we can’t take you to the county. You must be good and help grandma and your little uncle at home, okay?"
The little girl was disappointed, but perked up when she felt trusted with an important task, nodding her head firmly.
Seeing her obedient and sensible, Yu Ying thought if she really earned some money today, she would bring her back a string of candied hawthorns.
Patting the little girl's head gently, she said, “Go back with grandma.”
After watching them leave, Yu Ying and Fu An loaded all the herbs onto the cart.
Yesterday, when she was at the village entrance, Chen Da Ye had brought her a pound of lychees, asking her to continue making lychee jelly.
The lychee jelly, obviously due to her “starvation marketing,” was selling quite well.
Chen Da Ye’s timing was perfect yesterday, and Yu Ying had arranged with him to take up most of the space in his ox cart today, so she asked him not to take any passengers, promising to compensate him.
Chen Da Ye was still hoping she would sell the jelly at Wu Ji’s eatery, so when Yu Ying gave him six coins, he refused to accept it.
Yu Ying insisted several times, but he still refused, so she let it be, but she knew she needed to repay this favor in another way.
Throughout the journey, Fu An, who had never ridden in an ox cart nor left Ling Shui Village, was curious about everything.
Even though the journey was just through mountains and waters, and they passed villages similar to Ling Shui, he found it all fascinating, peering over the cart's railing at the surroundings.
Upon entering Yu County, Fu An, who had seen little of the world, stared wide-eyed at what he thought to be "bustling."
People bustled about, brushing past each other. Small stalls and vendors lined both sides of the street, some with carts, some with mats laid on the ground, and others setting up shop right there, creating a lively scene that captivated him.
Yu Ying planned to first visit Wu Ji's eatery, then ask Chen Da Ye to transport the herbs to the inn.
Soon they arrived at Wu Ji's eatery, and Yu Ying carried a wooden bucket inside, only to find Fu An hesitating at the entrance.
He gazed at the eatery, nervously twisting the hem of his clothes.
Fu An, conscious of his patched and worn clothes, feared being despised or driven out, so he dared not enter the tidy establishment.
The usually fearless and protective Fu An of Ling Shui Village, who seemed so grown-up when defending his family, now showed unease and insecurity in his eyes.
Yu Ying, seeing his embarrassment and timidity, knew that calling him to join her inside would only make him more uncomfortable. But recalling a chapter from a book where he was kidnapped, she called out, "The bucket's a bit heavy, come and lend a hand."
Hearing this, Fu An instantly forgot his concerns and hurried over, grasping the other side of the handle.
Entering the eatery, the server approached with curiosity at the sight of the boy beside her, to which Yu Ying said, "He’s my nephew."
The server nodded and smiled, "Give me the jelly, I'll take it to the kitchen."
So, Yu Ying handed over the ice cream to him.
Shopkeeper Chen called her over.
As Yu Ying walked away, Fu An hurriedly followed her.
In a strange place, Fu An felt uneasy and insecure; only by staying close to Yu Ying did he feel at ease.
Shopkeeper Chen didn't pay much attention to Fu An. He smiled and talked to Yu Ying about the lychee ice cream.
"Your method turned out to be quite effective. I was worried that selling it for four coins was too expensive, and that people would be put off, but it seems there are plenty of wealthy patrons."
"Many people love lychees, so anything with a lychee flavor piques their interest. But the price made them hesitant at first. Only two people ordered it at noon, and I was worried it wouldn't sell. But unexpectedly, in the afternoon, some servants from the gentry bought it. They didn't haggle and bought four bowls straight away. In the evening, diners also ordered the remaining three bowls."
Yu Ying was startled and asked in confusion, "I remember there was only enough for seven bowls, how did it turn into nine?"
Chen, the manager, glanced around and lowered his voice to Yu Ying, "I’ve started adopting the practices of those big restaurants. They serve small portions, but their presentation is eye-catching."
He continued with a smile, "I chose a few exquisite but small porcelain bowls for the ice cream, and then added a few bright peony petals to the lychee ice cream. It looks expensive and impressive. Who would care about the quantity being a little more or less?"
Yu Ying couldn’t help but admire Chen's business acumen, no wonder such a modest eatery employed a manager.
Who would dare to hire one without some skills?
Yu Ying glanced at the slightly worn tables and chairs of the eatery and then commented, "It's only a temporary solution. After all, what people seek in restaurants is the ambience."
Chen agreed, nodding, "The eatery is indeed a bit small, but it shouldn’t be a problem for about ten days or so, without much impact."
Yu Ying smiled, "Manager Chen, there’s no need to be modest. Good food will always attract customers, even in the most hidden places. With the chef’s good skills, anyone who comes in is likely to return."
Chen’s eyes lit up with joy at her words, "What a lovely saying, 'Good food needs no bells and whistles.' Thanks for your auspicious words, Madam Yu. I’ll be waiting for the business to come in."
After exchanging more pleasantries, Chen settled the account with Yu Ying.
Since Yu Ying also needed to use the eatery’s facilities, her labor costs were not included in the calculations. Therefore, the cost of the lychee jelly was only based on the sugar water and lychees, recalculating the profit.
Seventeen coins, plus the sales from the past two days, amounted to fifty-five coins.
After settling the account, Yu Ying said, "Since lychees can’t be stored for long, and it’s inconvenient for me to carry so much stuff to the county, I was thinking of discussing something with Manager Chen."
Chen asked, "What is it?"
Yu Ying proposed, "In the future, when I bring the materials to the county, I’d like to borrow your kitchen for about a quarter of an hour each afternoon to make ice cream. Would that be convenient?"
Chen, surprised, said, "Borrowing the kitchen is not an issue, but are you sure a quarter of an hour is enough?"
Yu Ying nodded, "Since the materials were prepared at home and only the final step is needed, it should be enough."
In the end, it would also be convenient for the shop to sell, so Manager Chen agreed.
After the agreement, Yu Ying entrusted Uncle Chen to deliver them to the Penglai Inn.
Upon reaching the inn, given its mixed crowd, Yu Ying led Fu An inside.
Fu An glanced at the hand holding his and quietly gripped it tighter.
Yu Ying felt the calloused little hand grip hers, and when she turned to look at Fu An, he quickly averted his gaze elsewhere.
His ears turned a shade of red, clearly feeling awkward.
Yu Ying said nothing and continued to lead him to the inn's front desk, repeating what the pharmacist had said earlier.
Perhaps the innkeeper recognized her, so he quickly sent a servant to call someone.
Soon, the person arrived, the same middle-aged man as last time.
Seeing that she had a considerable amount of medicinal herbs, he instructed a worker to help bring them in.
The middle-aged man didn't say much, just methodically inspected the herbs.
The quality of the herbs was better than those collected at the medical hall; although the middle-aged man didn't say anything, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
After weighing the herbs, there were twenty-two jin and seven liang of common herbs, ten jin and four liang of the ordinary kind, and two jin and eight liang of the rarer ones, totaling 749 wen.
The man rounded up the amount and gave her 750 wen.
With the medicinal herbs settled, Yu Ying inquired, "May I know how to address this gentleman?"
The middle-aged man responded indifferently, "No need for formalities, just call me Manager Luo."
Yu Ying called out "Manager Luo," then softly added, "I have some fine items to show you, Manager Luo. May I have a word in private?"
Manager Luo's eyebrows slightly raised in contemplation.
The quality and variety of the herbs she brought were superior to those at the medical hall, showing her genuine skill. Thus, he became somewhat interested in her "fine items" and nodded in agreement.
Yu Ying asked Fu An to wait for her and walked with Manager Luo to the other end of the courtyard.
Lifting the white cloth in her basket, Yu Ying revealed the He Shou Wu underneath, stating, "This size and weight indicate it's at least ten years old."
Shopkeeper Luo, having seen fine items before, wasn't overly surprised, but he did show some astonishment at the rarity of the Polygonum multiflorum (He Shou Wu).
Yu Ying suggested, "Shopkeeper Luo, perhaps you should verify its authenticity."
Luo pondered for a moment, reached into the basket, and carefully examined the vine of the He Shou Wu, then took out a smaller piece of the rootstock to identify, and finally, he sniffed it.
After a while, Luo nodded, "Indeed, this is Polygonum multiflorum."
Yu Ying inquired, "I wonder, what price would Shopkeeper Luo offer?"
Luo thought deeply for a moment before quoting, "Eight taels."
Yu Ying, after a pause, said, "I know He Shou Wu outside is valuable. I also know without connections in Jade County, I can't ask for a high price. I'm also aware that selling it elsewhere isn't entirely safe, so I didn't expect Shopkeeper Luo to offer much, but I hoped for a sincere price."
Luo calmly replied, "As you said, the herb business is highly profitable. Without such profit, no one would risk traveling thousands of miles to Lingnan to buy herbs. The perils along the way to Lingnan are numerous and unpredictable, as you can imagine."
Pausing, he added, "Moreover, if someone less knowledgeable had brought this, I would have offered six taels. But since you are well-informed, I am willing to offer two more."
Yu Ying knew there was room for negotiation, so she responded, "I'm not greedy and won't haggle much with Shopkeeper Luo, so I hope you could raise the offer a bit more, and let's settle on a final price."
After hearing her words, Luo pondered for a moment.
After a while, he said, "Wait here, I'll consult Zhao Dong, who oversees these matters."
Saying this, he turned and left the courtyard.
As Yu Ying watched him leave, she turned to Fu An and called out, "We'll have to wait a bit longer."
Fu An nodded, indicating his understanding.
Soon, Luo returned, "Zhao Dong suggests adding another 800 wen for a good omen."
Hearing the price, Yu Ying felt somewhat disappointed.
She had hoped to round up the deal to ten taels, but clearly, she had been overly optimistic.
Shopkeeper Luo continued, "However, Zhao Dong stated that since you are honest and the herbs are well-prepared, the price for each grade will be increased by one wen, and in the future, when you bring herbs to Jade County, they will be purchased at this rate."
Yu Ying, intrigued, yet not showing it, asked, "Does Zhao Dong plan to continue buying my herbs in the future?"
Luo nodded, "Every year around this time, and before winter starts, in early October, we'll come to collect herbs, mainly those for treating common colds and other winter ailments. You can bring any amount of herbs then."
Yu Ying hesitantly said, "If Zhao Dong will consistently buy my herbs, I won't argue over the price of the He Shou Wu. But what if I spend months preparing hundreds of pounds of herbs and then you don't buy them, or don't come at all? Where would I stand then?"
Luo assured, "There are many buyers in Lingnan, not just us. If we don't buy, others will, given the quality of your herbs."
Yu Ying knew this was possible but realized connections were key.
After thinking, she said, "If Zhao Dong and Shopkeeper Luo deal fairly, I'd like to continue doing business with you. But verbal agreements are uncertain; a written contract would be better."
Luo smiled at her words, recalling what Zhao Dong had said.
Zhao Dong had mentioned that the herbs she brought were better than many collected by other dispensaries, and he would prefer to buy from her next time in Jade County.
After considering, Luo said, "Please wait while I discuss this further with the boss."
After a while, Luo returned with a man in his early thirties, the same merchant Yu Ying had seen at Wu's restaurant.
Zhao Dong asked, "I hear you want a written contract. That's fine, but can you assure the quality of future herbs will match today's?"
Yu Ying confidently replied, "Nothing is perfect. I can only assure that ninety-five percent will be of high quality."
Zhao Dong smiled, "Had you promised perfection, I'd have doubted you. This reassures me."
He turned to Luo, "Write a contract for up to five hundred pounds of herbs, with no minimum. Include the collection dates, and if we fail to buy, we'll compensate with five taels. Also, discuss with her which herbs are preferred."
Concluding, he asked, "Does this work for you?"
Yu Ying nodded, "This is indeed best."
Agreeing, Manager Luo fetched pen and ink to write two documents.
Zhao Dongjia left his signature, pressed his entire palm into the inkpad, and then stamped his palm print on both papers.
Yu Ying did the same, recalling the handwriting of Yu Liuniang, but her memory was vague, so she wrote based on her intuition.
Trained in calligraphy by her grandfather since childhood, Yu Ying had no worries about her writing being illegible.
After stamping, a worker brought water for her to clean her hands.
Once the contract was secured, it didn't take long before Manager Luo led her to collect the silver.
Concerned about leaving Fu An out of her sight, Yu Ying decided to bring him along.
Inside the room, seeing the silver brought out by Manager Luo, Fu An's eyes widened in shock, his heart unable to settle for a long time.
Manager Luo placed five strings of cash on the table, saying, "Here is five thousand wen. I will also weigh out some small silver pieces for you, and if there's any shortfall, I will make it up with copper coins."
Yu Ying had some understanding of the circulation of silver in ancient times.
In ancient times, common folk mainly used copper coins for transactions, rarely using small silver pieces, not to mention silver ingots. Some people might never see a silver ingot in their lifetime, so it was normal for Manager Luo to give mostly copper coins.
Manager Luo began weighing the small silver pieces, supplementing them with about twenty copper coins.
Yu Ying put the small silver and copper coins into her homemade purse, then received a dark cloth bundle from Manager Luo, containing what seemed like dozens of jins of copper coins.
She placed a bundle of silver into her basket, feeling both secure and uneasy with its heavy weight.
The former was relief at not having to worry about money for redeeming Fu An and Fu Ning's parents; the latter was anxiety about carrying a large sum of money with her.
After leaving the inn, Yu Ying quietly instructed Fu An, "Don’t tell anyone what you saw or heard at the inn, not even your grandmother. We can't risk the news leaking and being robbed. Understand?"
Fu An, who had been stunned for a long time, finally came back to his senses, took several deep breaths to calm himself, and replied, "I understand. People steal even food, let alone..." He paused, then added in a soft yet firm voice, "I won't tell anyone."
Yu Ying was pleased with his reaction and let out a small sigh of relief.
Although she now had money, Yu Ying was even more cautious about spending it.
She only purchased three pounds of rice and ten eggs, along with candied hawthorns for Fu Ning.
She bought two skewers.
One for Fu An and the other for Fu Ning.
Although there were many needs at home, she dared only buy these few items, mindful that displaying wealth attracts attention and could lead to robbery.
For now, she planned to wait until the silver was safely stored at home before buying other necessities, ensuring a safer shopping experience.
Chapter 28
Early the next day, since there were many herbs, Yu Ying needed to take Fu An with her to Yu County as she couldn’t manage alone.
But with Fu An going, Mrs. Luo being blind, Fu Ning still young, and Fu Wei unable to leave the house, Yu Ying had to prepare the midday porridge in advance.
In addition to the herbs, there was also jelly.
This jelly was made under her guidance by Fu Wei the previous afternoon.
Yu Ying and Fu An didn’t eat, but carried the items and left the house.
Since there were indeed many herbs, Yu Ying asked Fu An to wait at the village entrance with the items, and she made several trips to bring the herbs.
Observing the bundles of herbs being moved out of the Fu household, some villagers made snide remarks.
"What's the use of gathering so many herbs? They might not even earn much silver."
"Exactly, those people at the medical hall are so picky, always complaining that I bring them useless weeds. In the end, for such a big basket of herbs, I only got one coin." Glancing at the barely recognizable bundles of herbs, they sourly added, "I don't believe she can sell them for a good price, maybe just five coins at most."
Yu Ying recognized the voice as Auntie Cui Lan from the other day.
She turned and smiled, "Whether I earn silver or not, it's not for Auntie Cui Lan to spend. Why is she so concerned about how much I make?"
Remembering her previous threats, Auntie Cui Lan shrank back, but still trying to save face, retorted, "I wouldn't care for your few coins. Do you think everyone lives like your family, unable to afford a proper meal and eating only coarse grains and wild vegetables?"
Yu Ying nodded with a smile, "Indeed, we can’t even afford a proper meal, unlike Auntie Cui Lan's family who can enjoy lavish meals every day. You must be very happy."
Although Yu Ying acknowledged her family’s hardships, for some reason, Auntie Cui Lan felt even more upset hearing her words.
No family in Ling Shui Village could afford lavish meals every day. Wasn't Mrs. Yu just mocking her?
Auntie Cui Lan found it embarrassing to retort immediately and when she finally thought of a comeback, Yu Ying had already walked away.
Meanwhile, a woman working nearby said, "But then again, we used to see the two Fu kids picking wild vegetables everywhere, but we haven’t seen them doing that much recently..."
Continuing, she mused, "Could it be that Mrs. Yu actually made a fortune?"
Hearing this, Auntie Cui Lan frowned, "Impossible. Even if Mrs. Yu did make money, she’d only hoard it for herself. Why would she share it with the Fu family?"
Another woman commented, "But I feel like Fu An and Fu Ning seem different from before."
Auntie Cui Lan scoffed, "That must be your poor eyesight."
The woman rolled her eyes at this comment.
Speaking of the Fu family, the woman couldn’t help but remark, "The Fu family really has had its share of misfortune. It was bad enough that they got the wrong child, but then the child taken by Mrs. Luo’s sister-in-law to continue the family line didn’t even live to be a year old. That child grew up with no affection for Mrs. Luo and now harbors resentment."
The Fu family had two branches, and all the adult men were executed; the elder branch was Mrs. Luo's.
Mrs. Luo had two sons, while the second wife of the second branch had two daughters and no sons.
The second wife always resented the elder branch for her husband's death, and since she had no sons to continue the family line, she took the child mistakenly brought to the Fu family to raise as her own after moving to Lingnan.
Every time Mrs. Luo tried to take the child back, she was driven away with a broom.
Later, when the second wife often claimed the child would starve with Mrs. Luo and only she could provide, and this seemed to be true, Mrs. Luo gradually compromised.
Auntie Cui Lan, recalling the fierce nature of the second wife, shuddered and said, "Their family has gone to Wuling County to rely on their adopted son, probably living the high life now, and won’t come back."
The woman shook her head, "Who knows? They didn’t treat the previous Second Master Fu well either, they might be driven back."
……
On her final trip moving the herbs, Yu Ying arrived at the village entrance just as Chen Da Ye's ox cart was almost there.
Yu Ying said to Fu Ning, "Auntie is very busy today, and your brother is going to help, so we can’t take you to the county. You must be good and help grandma and your little uncle at home, okay?"
The little girl was disappointed, but perked up when she felt trusted with an important task, nodding her head firmly.
Seeing her obedient and sensible, Yu Ying thought if she really earned some money today, she would bring her back a string of candied hawthorns.
Patting the little girl's head gently, she said, “Go back with grandma.”
After watching them leave, Yu Ying and Fu An loaded all the herbs onto the cart.
Yesterday, when she was at the village entrance, Chen Da Ye had brought her a pound of lychees, asking her to continue making lychee jelly.
The lychee jelly, obviously due to her “starvation marketing,” was selling quite well.
Chen Da Ye’s timing was perfect yesterday, and Yu Ying had arranged with him to take up most of the space in his ox cart today, so she asked him not to take any passengers, promising to compensate him.
Chen Da Ye was still hoping she would sell the jelly at Wu Ji’s eatery, so when Yu Ying gave him six coins, he refused to accept it.
Yu Ying insisted several times, but he still refused, so she let it be, but she knew she needed to repay this favor in another way.
Throughout the journey, Fu An, who had never ridden in an ox cart nor left Ling Shui Village, was curious about everything.
Even though the journey was just through mountains and waters, and they passed villages similar to Ling Shui, he found it all fascinating, peering over the cart's railing at the surroundings.
Upon entering Yu County, Fu An, who had seen little of the world, stared wide-eyed at what he thought to be "bustling."
People bustled about, brushing past each other. Small stalls and vendors lined both sides of the street, some with carts, some with mats laid on the ground, and others setting up shop right there, creating a lively scene that captivated him.
Yu Ying planned to first visit Wu Ji's eatery, then ask Chen Da Ye to transport the herbs to the inn.
Soon they arrived at Wu Ji's eatery, and Yu Ying carried a wooden bucket inside, only to find Fu An hesitating at the entrance.
He gazed at the eatery, nervously twisting the hem of his clothes.
Fu An, conscious of his patched and worn clothes, feared being despised or driven out, so he dared not enter the tidy establishment.
The usually fearless and protective Fu An of Ling Shui Village, who seemed so grown-up when defending his family, now showed unease and insecurity in his eyes.
Yu Ying, seeing his embarrassment and timidity, knew that calling him to join her inside would only make him more uncomfortable. But recalling a chapter from a book where he was kidnapped, she called out, "The bucket's a bit heavy, come and lend a hand."
Hearing this, Fu An instantly forgot his concerns and hurried over, grasping the other side of the handle.
Entering the eatery, the server approached with curiosity at the sight of the boy beside her, to which Yu Ying said, "He’s my nephew."
The server nodded and smiled, "Give me the jelly, I'll take it to the kitchen."
So, Yu Ying handed over the ice cream to him.
Shopkeeper Chen called her over.
As Yu Ying walked away, Fu An hurriedly followed her.
In a strange place, Fu An felt uneasy and insecure; only by staying close to Yu Ying did he feel at ease.
Shopkeeper Chen didn't pay much attention to Fu An. He smiled and talked to Yu Ying about the lychee ice cream.
"Your method turned out to be quite effective. I was worried that selling it for four coins was too expensive, and that people would be put off, but it seems there are plenty of wealthy patrons."
"Many people love lychees, so anything with a lychee flavor piques their interest. But the price made them hesitant at first. Only two people ordered it at noon, and I was worried it wouldn't sell. But unexpectedly, in the afternoon, some servants from the gentry bought it. They didn't haggle and bought four bowls straight away. In the evening, diners also ordered the remaining three bowls."
Yu Ying was startled and asked in confusion, "I remember there was only enough for seven bowls, how did it turn into nine?"
Chen, the manager, glanced around and lowered his voice to Yu Ying, "I’ve started adopting the practices of those big restaurants. They serve small portions, but their presentation is eye-catching."
He continued with a smile, "I chose a few exquisite but small porcelain bowls for the ice cream, and then added a few bright peony petals to the lychee ice cream. It looks expensive and impressive. Who would care about the quantity being a little more or less?"
Yu Ying couldn’t help but admire Chen's business acumen, no wonder such a modest eatery employed a manager.
Who would dare to hire one without some skills?
Yu Ying glanced at the slightly worn tables and chairs of the eatery and then commented, "It's only a temporary solution. After all, what people seek in restaurants is the ambience."
Chen agreed, nodding, "The eatery is indeed a bit small, but it shouldn’t be a problem for about ten days or so, without much impact."
Yu Ying smiled, "Manager Chen, there’s no need to be modest. Good food will always attract customers, even in the most hidden places. With the chef’s good skills, anyone who comes in is likely to return."
Chen’s eyes lit up with joy at her words, "What a lovely saying, 'Good food needs no bells and whistles.' Thanks for your auspicious words, Madam Yu. I’ll be waiting for the business to come in."
After exchanging more pleasantries, Chen settled the account with Yu Ying.
Since Yu Ying also needed to use the eatery’s facilities, her labor costs were not included in the calculations. Therefore, the cost of the lychee jelly was only based on the sugar water and lychees, recalculating the profit.
Seventeen coins, plus the sales from the past two days, amounted to fifty-five coins.
After settling the account, Yu Ying said, "Since lychees can’t be stored for long, and it’s inconvenient for me to carry so much stuff to the county, I was thinking of discussing something with Manager Chen."
Chen asked, "What is it?"
Yu Ying proposed, "In the future, when I bring the materials to the county, I’d like to borrow your kitchen for about a quarter of an hour each afternoon to make ice cream. Would that be convenient?"
Chen, surprised, said, "Borrowing the kitchen is not an issue, but are you sure a quarter of an hour is enough?"
Yu Ying nodded, "Since the materials were prepared at home and only the final step is needed, it should be enough."
In the end, it would also be convenient for the shop to sell, so Manager Chen agreed.
After the agreement, Yu Ying entrusted Uncle Chen to deliver them to the Penglai Inn.
Upon reaching the inn, given its mixed crowd, Yu Ying led Fu An inside.
Fu An glanced at the hand holding his and quietly gripped it tighter.
Yu Ying felt the calloused little hand grip hers, and when she turned to look at Fu An, he quickly averted his gaze elsewhere.
His ears turned a shade of red, clearly feeling awkward.
Yu Ying said nothing and continued to lead him to the inn's front desk, repeating what the pharmacist had said earlier.
Perhaps the innkeeper recognized her, so he quickly sent a servant to call someone.
Soon, the person arrived, the same middle-aged man as last time.
Seeing that she had a considerable amount of medicinal herbs, he instructed a worker to help bring them in.
The middle-aged man didn't say much, just methodically inspected the herbs.
The quality of the herbs was better than those collected at the medical hall; although the middle-aged man didn't say anything, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
After weighing the herbs, there were twenty-two jin and seven liang of common herbs, ten jin and four liang of the ordinary kind, and two jin and eight liang of the rarer ones, totaling 749 wen.
The man rounded up the amount and gave her 750 wen.
With the medicinal herbs settled, Yu Ying inquired, "May I know how to address this gentleman?"
The middle-aged man responded indifferently, "No need for formalities, just call me Manager Luo."
Yu Ying called out "Manager Luo," then softly added, "I have some fine items to show you, Manager Luo. May I have a word in private?"
Manager Luo's eyebrows slightly raised in contemplation.
The quality and variety of the herbs she brought were superior to those at the medical hall, showing her genuine skill. Thus, he became somewhat interested in her "fine items" and nodded in agreement.
Yu Ying asked Fu An to wait for her and walked with Manager Luo to the other end of the courtyard.
Lifting the white cloth in her basket, Yu Ying revealed the He Shou Wu underneath, stating, "This size and weight indicate it's at least ten years old."
Shopkeeper Luo, having seen fine items before, wasn't overly surprised, but he did show some astonishment at the rarity of the Polygonum multiflorum (He Shou Wu).
Yu Ying suggested, "Shopkeeper Luo, perhaps you should verify its authenticity."
Luo pondered for a moment, reached into the basket, and carefully examined the vine of the He Shou Wu, then took out a smaller piece of the rootstock to identify, and finally, he sniffed it.
After a while, Luo nodded, "Indeed, this is Polygonum multiflorum."
Yu Ying inquired, "I wonder, what price would Shopkeeper Luo offer?"
Luo thought deeply for a moment before quoting, "Eight taels."
Yu Ying, after a pause, said, "I know He Shou Wu outside is valuable. I also know without connections in Jade County, I can't ask for a high price. I'm also aware that selling it elsewhere isn't entirely safe, so I didn't expect Shopkeeper Luo to offer much, but I hoped for a sincere price."
Luo calmly replied, "As you said, the herb business is highly profitable. Without such profit, no one would risk traveling thousands of miles to Lingnan to buy herbs. The perils along the way to Lingnan are numerous and unpredictable, as you can imagine."
Pausing, he added, "Moreover, if someone less knowledgeable had brought this, I would have offered six taels. But since you are well-informed, I am willing to offer two more."
Yu Ying knew there was room for negotiation, so she responded, "I'm not greedy and won't haggle much with Shopkeeper Luo, so I hope you could raise the offer a bit more, and let's settle on a final price."
After hearing her words, Luo pondered for a moment.
After a while, he said, "Wait here, I'll consult Zhao Dong, who oversees these matters."
Saying this, he turned and left the courtyard.
As Yu Ying watched him leave, she turned to Fu An and called out, "We'll have to wait a bit longer."
Fu An nodded, indicating his understanding.
Soon, Luo returned, "Zhao Dong suggests adding another 800 wen for a good omen."
Hearing the price, Yu Ying felt somewhat disappointed.
She had hoped to round up the deal to ten taels, but clearly, she had been overly optimistic.
Shopkeeper Luo continued, "However, Zhao Dong stated that since you are honest and the herbs are well-prepared, the price for each grade will be increased by one wen, and in the future, when you bring herbs to Jade County, they will be purchased at this rate."
Yu Ying, intrigued, yet not showing it, asked, "Does Zhao Dong plan to continue buying my herbs in the future?"
Luo nodded, "Every year around this time, and before winter starts, in early October, we'll come to collect herbs, mainly those for treating common colds and other winter ailments. You can bring any amount of herbs then."
Yu Ying hesitantly said, "If Zhao Dong will consistently buy my herbs, I won't argue over the price of the He Shou Wu. But what if I spend months preparing hundreds of pounds of herbs and then you don't buy them, or don't come at all? Where would I stand then?"
Luo assured, "There are many buyers in Lingnan, not just us. If we don't buy, others will, given the quality of your herbs."
Yu Ying knew this was possible but realized connections were key.
After thinking, she said, "If Zhao Dong and Shopkeeper Luo deal fairly, I'd like to continue doing business with you. But verbal agreements are uncertain; a written contract would be better."
Luo smiled at her words, recalling what Zhao Dong had said.
Zhao Dong had mentioned that the herbs she brought were better than many collected by other dispensaries, and he would prefer to buy from her next time in Jade County.
After considering, Luo said, "Please wait while I discuss this further with the boss."
After a while, Luo returned with a man in his early thirties, the same merchant Yu Ying had seen at Wu's restaurant.
Zhao Dong asked, "I hear you want a written contract. That's fine, but can you assure the quality of future herbs will match today's?"
Yu Ying confidently replied, "Nothing is perfect. I can only assure that ninety-five percent will be of high quality."
Zhao Dong smiled, "Had you promised perfection, I'd have doubted you. This reassures me."
He turned to Luo, "Write a contract for up to five hundred pounds of herbs, with no minimum. Include the collection dates, and if we fail to buy, we'll compensate with five taels. Also, discuss with her which herbs are preferred."
Concluding, he asked, "Does this work for you?"
Yu Ying nodded, "This is indeed best."
Agreeing, Manager Luo fetched pen and ink to write two documents.
Zhao Dongjia left his signature, pressed his entire palm into the inkpad, and then stamped his palm print on both papers.
Yu Ying did the same, recalling the handwriting of Yu Liuniang, but her memory was vague, so she wrote based on her intuition.
Trained in calligraphy by her grandfather since childhood, Yu Ying had no worries about her writing being illegible.
After stamping, a worker brought water for her to clean her hands.
Once the contract was secured, it didn't take long before Manager Luo led her to collect the silver.
Concerned about leaving Fu An out of her sight, Yu Ying decided to bring him along.
Inside the room, seeing the silver brought out by Manager Luo, Fu An's eyes widened in shock, his heart unable to settle for a long time.
Manager Luo placed five strings of cash on the table, saying, "Here is five thousand wen. I will also weigh out some small silver pieces for you, and if there's any shortfall, I will make it up with copper coins."
Yu Ying had some understanding of the circulation of silver in ancient times.
In ancient times, common folk mainly used copper coins for transactions, rarely using small silver pieces, not to mention silver ingots. Some people might never see a silver ingot in their lifetime, so it was normal for Manager Luo to give mostly copper coins.
Manager Luo began weighing the small silver pieces, supplementing them with about twenty copper coins.
Yu Ying put the small silver and copper coins into her homemade purse, then received a dark cloth bundle from Manager Luo, containing what seemed like dozens of jins of copper coins.
She placed a bundle of silver into her basket, feeling both secure and uneasy with its heavy weight.
The former was relief at not having to worry about money for redeeming Fu An and Fu Ning's parents; the latter was anxiety about carrying a large sum of money with her.
After leaving the inn, Yu Ying quietly instructed Fu An, "Don’t tell anyone what you saw or heard at the inn, not even your grandmother. We can't risk the news leaking and being robbed. Understand?"
Fu An, who had been stunned for a long time, finally came back to his senses, took several deep breaths to calm himself, and replied, "I understand. People steal even food, let alone..." He paused, then added in a soft yet firm voice, "I won't tell anyone."
Yu Ying was pleased with his reaction and let out a small sigh of relief.
Although she now had money, Yu Ying was even more cautious about spending it.
She only purchased three pounds of rice and ten eggs, along with candied hawthorns for Fu Ning.
She bought two skewers.
One for Fu An and the other for Fu Ning.
Although there were many needs at home, she dared only buy these few items, mindful that displaying wealth attracts attention and could lead to robbery.
For now, she planned to wait until the silver was safely stored at home before buying other necessities, ensuring a safer shopping experience.
