Li Xiangli was truly struggling with the bumpy ride. It was uncomfortable, but she reminded herself that her children were waiting for her at home. She was their only source of support, and being away too long would surely make them worry. Wanting to return as quickly as possible, and not wishing to waste Dazhu's time, she gritted her teeth and said, "No need, Brother Dazhu, let's keep going quickly."
The donkey cart moved swiftly, reaching the town in about half an hour. By then, Li Xiangli felt as if her whole body might fall apart, but she endured the soreness, thanked Dazhu, and prepared to leave with her basket.
Dazhu called after her, "Should I wait for you here?"
Li Xiangli waved her hand. "No need, Dazhu. Go ahead and take care of your own business. I'll figure out my way back later."
Dazhu frowned and insisted, "That won't do. My mother specifically told me I had to bring you back. If I leave you now, she'll scold me to death!"
Seeing how serious he was, Li Xiangli smiled and suggested, "How about this? You mentioned you had a delivery to make. Let's meet back here in an hour."
Dazhu nodded. "Alright, see you then!"
As Li Xiangli walked, she stretched her limbs to ease the soreness. The streets were bustling, with vendors loudly hawking their wares. Seeing the lively market, she had a thought: Perhaps I could make and sell something here in the future. The bamboo shoots at home could become a valuable resource!
With her spirits lifted, she approached a vendor to inquire about the rules for setting up a stall.
The vendor, a kind-hearted person, explained, "You need to claim a spot yourself. The good ones get taken early in the morning, so you must arrive early if you want a decent place."
Li Xiangli nodded. "I see. Thank you!"
Relieved that she wouldn't need to register with the authorities—only store owners had to do that—she realized it was simply a matter of getting up early to secure a spot.
With her mind now on selling bamboo shoots in the future, she made her way to a pharmacy to sell the herbs she'd gathered.
After asking for directions, she arrived at a shop named Jirentang. She stepped inside, where a young clerk approached her.
"Miss, what seems to be the problem? If you're feeling unwell, you'll need to take a number. We're quite busy today."
Li Xiangli raised an eyebrow, surprised by the bustling business of the shop. Without beating around the bush, she replied, "I'm not here for treatment. I have some herbs to sell. Do you buy them here?"
The clerk's demeanor immediately turned cold. "Herbs aren't something just anyone can identify. Our pharmacy has a reputation to uphold and doesn't deal with random, dubious goods. You'd better leave."
Judging by her simple clothes, the clerk assumed she was a poor villager who knew nothing about herbs and was trying to scam the shop.
Li Xiangli stood her ground. "You haven't even looked at the herbs I brought. How can you dismiss me like that? I'm just trying to do honest business—why make this difficult?"
"Enough! I've seen plenty like you—desperate people picking random weeds to sell as medicine, thinking we're easy to fool. Leave now, or I'll throw you out!"
"You…"
Before Li Xiangli could respond, an elderly man walked out from the back. "Ah Fu, what's going on here?"
The clerk quickly turned to him. "Sir, why are you out here? This woman's trying to scam us. I was just about to send her away."
The old man glanced at Li Xiangli, noticing her calm and resolute expression. She wasn't the least bit intimidated. "Whether she's a scammer or not, let me take a look," he said.
Though the clerk wanted to argue, the old man silenced him with a gesture. Li Xiangli calmly took off her basket, pulled out several carefully sorted bundles of herbs, and presented them.
"Sir, here are plantain, white pigweed, and starfruit herbs—commonly used medicinal plants. Please look."
The old man examined them and nodded. "These are indeed the correct herbs." Turning to the clerk, he added, "Ah Fu, apologize to her."
The clerk's face turned red. Embarrassed, he mumbled, "I'm sorry."
Li Xiangli waved it off. "It's fine. I just want to do business. May I ask if you're willing to purchase these herbs?"
Though the shop had regular suppliers and wasn't in dire need, the old man noticed her urgency—likely needing the money for an immediate need. Something about her also caught his attention. Despite her modest appearance, her eyes held a dignity and determination that didn't match her circumstances.
Perhaps it was just a matter of personal liking, but he decided to help. "Very well. I'll take them. I'll pay 30 coins per bundle for the plantain and 40 coins per bundle for the white pigweed and starfruit herbs. How does that sound?"
Li Xiangli's eyes lit up. The price was far better than she'd expected. "Thank you, sir! That works perfectly."
She had brought plenty—five bundles of plantain and seven each of the other two herbs, totaling 710 coins.
It wasn't even a full tael of silver, but it was more than enough to alleviate her current struggles.
The clerk fetched the payment and handed it to her. "Count it, miss."
"No need," Li Xiangli said with a smile. "I trust the gentleman's honesty. If I have more herbs, I'll bring them here again."
The old man nodded. "Young lady, have you studied before? You don't seem like an ordinary village girl."
Li Xiangli smiled faintly. "Studied? Hardly. My family can barely afford food."
The old man gave her a sympathetic look. "You've had it tough for someone so young."
Li Xiangli nearly laughed—she wasn't as young as he thought. She was already a mother, but she didn't elaborate. She didn't want to answer unnecessary questions about her children or husband to a stranger.
"Thank you, sir. I'll take my leave now," she said, bowing politely.
With her first earnings in this ancient world safely tucked away, Li Xiangli felt a sense of satisfaction. Though it wasn't much, it was enough to solve her immediate problems.
Disclaimer:
I am not the original author of this work. This is a translated version of the original text, shared for reading and reference purposes only. All rights to the original content belong to the original author. I do not claim ownership of the original work or its characters. This translation is intended solely for informational and entertainment purposes.