armyinform Chapter 11: What can I do to make money?
Chapter 11: What can I do to make money?
"Auntie, this is my first time going to town. I wonder when Uncle Yu's oxcart will be back? Where do you usually wait for him?" Song Jiaojiao asked, touching her nose.
"The oxcart usually returns at the end of the 11 PM to the beginning of the 3 PM, so don't miss it. Just wait where you're supposed to get off."
"Oh, I remember, thank you, Auntie."
Song Jiaojiao thought it was probably around three o'clock in the afternoon.
As the sun rose higher, and the oxcart swayed and bounced, they finally saw the town gate. If they hadn't come any closer, Song Jiaojiao's bottom would have been shaken in two.
Song Jiaojiao slung her basket over her shoulder, greeted Aunt Lin, and went into town.
As you walk, you see faces in front of you that are either aged, elegant, fresh, or worldly. Carriages and horses are everywhere, and people are everywhere. In the distance, you can faintly hear the penetrating shouts of vendors, and occasionally a horse neighs.
Looking at the scene before her, Song Jiaojiao exclaimed, "So ancient markets really were just like those on TV!"
Song Jiaojiao randomly asked an older woman for directions and learned that Nanshan Hall was farther than Huichun Hall, and it was already past 10 o'clock. Song Jiaojiao thought for a moment and decided to go to Nanshan Hall on the south side of the town first. It was far away, and if they didn't accept her, she could come back, so it wouldn't take too much time.
Fifteen minutes later, Song Jiaojiao stood at the entrance of the pharmacy. Nanshan Hall, this is it.
Song Jiaojiao stepped inside. The pharmacy apprentice leaned casually against the counter. Seeing Song Jiaojiao enter, he first looked her up and down, then said impatiently, "Seeing a doctor or getting medicine?"
"Is your manager here?" Seeing his attitude, Song Jiaojiao knew that the shop probably wouldn't take it, but since she was already here, she asked.
"The shopkeeper isn't here. If you're not here for treatment or medicine, don't block the way. This isn't a place for poor people like you," the apprentice said impatiently, waving his hand.
When Song Jiaojiao heard this, she didn't argue with him too much. After all, clothes make the man, and my patched clothes wouldn't be well received.
Song Jiaojiao glanced at him, then turned to leave. Before she could even step out the door, she heard a voice behind her: "You poor wretch!"
Song Jiaojiao shook her head, thinking to herself, "With a medicine apprentice like this, even if this pharmacy wants to take him in, they probably won't offer a high price, and he might even get ripped off."
The he shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum) hadn't sold, and they still needed to buy other things; the family was lacking everything. Song Jiaojiao unknowingly arrived at the steamed bun shop. Remembering she had left early that morning, and that it was almost noon, her stomach was growling with hunger.
"Boss, how much are the steamed buns?"
"Hey, sir, meat buns are three coins each, vegetable buns are two coins, and steamed buns are three coins for two. What would you like?" The bun shop owner opened the steamer and introduced the buns enthusiastically.
Steaming hot buns, about the size of a fist, appeared before her. Song Jiaojiao thought of her family and spoke up.
"Eight meat buns, four steamed buns, and four vegetable buns, please wrap them up for me. How much is it in total?"
While deftly packing the buns, the shopkeeper calculated, "Alright, eight buns for twenty-four coins, four steamed buns for six coins, and four vegetable buns for eight coins, totaling thirty-eight coins."
Song Jiaojiao counted out thirty-eight coins and handed them to the steamed bun shop owner.
"Alright, sir, that's exactly thirty-eight coins. Here's your steamed bun. Take it and have a good day." The steamed bun shop owner took the money, counted it, and handed the steamed bun to Song Jiaojiao with a smile.
Song Jiaojiao took out a meat bun and took a bite. It wasn't made of pure flour, so the texture wasn't great. The meat filling had cabbage in it, so it wasn't too bad.
As they ate and walked, they came to the only cloth shop in town. Song Jiaojiao looked at her clothes and thought about how the weather was getting colder and how the clothes for her children at home were full of patches. It was time to start preparing. Song Jiaojiao finished her steamed buns in two bites and went inside.
"Please come in, sir. What would you like to order?" The shopkeeper greeted her warmly, showing no displeasure at Song Jiaojiao's inappropriate attire.
"Young man, how much does your cloth cost?" Song Jiaojiao looked inside and decided to ask the cloth vendor first.
"Hehe, sir, you've come to the right person. We have linen, cotton, and fine flour, which cost twenty, thirty, and fifty coins per foot respectively. Which one would you like, sir?"
The waiter smiled and introduced the fabric to Song Jiaojiao. "Oh? What's the difference?" Song Jiaojiao asked, touching the fabric.
"Linen is dirty, so farmers usually buy a lot of it. Cotton and fine cotton are softer and more absorbent, so they're mostly used for undergarments. Cotton also comes in a wide variety of colors. Colors like grass green, pale yellow, and peach pink, which women love to wear, are our best-selling items. For men, mountain green and lake blue are perfect for making robes," the shopkeeper said, pointing to the fabrics displayed in the most prominent spot in the shop.
"Um, do you have cotton in your store? How much do you charge?"
"Cotton is fifty coins a pound. Sir, a discount is available if you buy in bulk," the waiter replied, rubbing his hands together.
Song Jiaojiao thought for a moment that three catties of cotton could make a set of clothes. If four people made two sets, it would take twenty-four catties. A cotton quilt would take eight catties. Old ones could be used as padding, which would also take twenty-four catties. In total, the cotton would take forty-eight catties. Five feet of cloth could make a set of clothes. Four people would need forty feet. Seven feet of cloth could make a quilt cover. Three quilt covers would take about twenty-one feet.
"I need fifty catties of cotton, twenty feet of grass-green, ten feet of pale yellow, five feet of mountain green, five feet of lake blue, plus twenty-one feet of white, all in cotton cloth. Can you deliver it?"
The waiter was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Of course, sir! Please leave your address, and we'll deliver it to your door tomorrow. Is there anything else you need?" His tone became increasingly respectful; this was a big customer after all.
"Let's buy these for now and calculate how much it will cost?" Song Jiaojiao thought for a moment and decided to buy these for now.
"Alright, sir, the cotton is 48 coins per catty, which is 2 liang and 4 qian. The cloth is 61 feet long, and the cotton cloth is 30 coins per foot, which is 1 liang and 8 qian and 30 coins. So, the total is 4 liang and 2 qian and 30 coins. You can give me 4 liang and 2 qian." The waiter said while calculating with an abacus.
Song Jiaojiao took out ten taels of silver and handed it to the waiter, saying, "Deliver it to Qingshui Village. Walk from the edge of the village all the way to the house at the foot of Qingshui Mountain. My surname is Song."
"Yes, yes, sir. It will be delivered to you on time tomorrow. Here is your change of five taels and eight mace. Please keep it safe." The waiter respectfully handed the money to Song Jiaojiao and quickly wrote down the address.
Song Jiaojiao took the money and left, thinking to herself, "The cost of food and lodging in this dynasty is too high. I haven't even bought anything yet, and half of my money is already gone. I need to think of a way to make money. What can I do to earn money?"
As Song Jiaojiao walked and pondered, she unknowingly arrived at the Huichuntang pharmacy on the east side of the town.
Well, there's always a way out. Let's take it one step at a time. At least we have some space so we won't starve. I'll go ask this shop if they buy medicinal herbs first.