The town was vibrant, the air thick with smoke, the hawker's loud voices as they peddle each louder than the other, the enticing aroma of food from nearby stalls drifting to their noses. The environment in front of them was alive with customers bargaining, children crying for sweets, and the enthusiastic chattering of the vendors talking among themselves and words swirling.
Mei never witnessed such a beautiful scene before, for she had been to this town in modern times and the place was filled with skyscrapers and human beings walking past each other with nothing short of eye contact, She loved this type of interactive atmosphere but since she was in a hurry; she asked for any pawn shop nearby, guided by friendly locals to a modest storefront built not too far away.
The shopkeeper greeted them with a smile, looking at them eagerly, not hiding his curiosity. Mei carefully removed a shining hairpin from her sleeve, its elegant design attracting the shopkeeper's attention immediately. Mei asked how much she could get for the hairpin, her heart beating fast. The shopkeeper took the hairpin into his hands, examining it.
The shopkeeper admitted the hairpin was an elegant one, finally meeting her gaze. He told her he could offer her one tael of silver for it. Mei was relieved she knew little about the currency of this era, but she would learn and manage it. She also knew it could also sustain them for a while, she looked carefully at the shopkeeper's expression and, seeing the honesty in his eyes and his calm demeanor, nodded firmly. She handed over the hairpin, accepted the shiny and heavy coins hiding on her sleeves, and stepped out into the bustling street once more, her brother by her side.
Mingde asked her why she was selling the hairpin, as she told him before it was the last hairpin from their mother and the one she had used during her hairpin ceremony. He pointed out that she had hidden them, even after the royal guards confiscated their belongings. She understood the hairpin might have had significant importance to the original host, but it didn't to her. She told him she could buy a hairpin later, but now they need the money. They needed the seeds to plant and some clothes and food, and since they had at least ten month to harvest, who knew what could happen in ten months, so now she had to sell it.
Mingde nodded in agreement, realizing his sister had changed, but it was for the better, so he did not question it, and they set off on their shopping spree. They bought ten kilograms of wheat flour for eighty coins and ten kilograms of millet rice for seventy coins, two jins of sesame oil costing one hundred and twenty-five coins, and two jins of coarse salt for sixty coins. After buying the provisions required, they visited the seed shop and bought millet seeds, tuber seeds and rice seeds. She also chose a variety of herbs as she wanted her garden to be diverse.
At the butchery, she opted for bones to simmer and make a warm and nourishing soup with meat spoiling fast. She just bought some to cook tonight. She also bought some spices and herbs to flavor their foods and some greens and decided she would cook stir-fried meat with rice ,soup and vegetables. With their shopping nearly complete, they realized the day was almost over, and they were both starving. So she led her brother to a nearby stall, where they eat two richly flavored steaming bowls of noodles, which filled their bellies.
After lunch, they went to a fabric store, where Mei chose colorful clothes to make new garments for herself and Mingde. She found she spent more than half of the coins earned from the hairpin's sale, startling her brother with her generosity.
With the bag full and the weight of their goods being heavy, without hesitation, a burly man from the shop offered his help, carrying the goods with effortless strength. Mei led him back to the waiting carriage. They returned to their original drop-off point that morning.
Upon arrival, the carriage stood patiently; the driver prepared to assist them. Mei whispered a thanks to the driver as he loaded their items into the carriage. With Mingde lending a hand, she entered the carriage and then realized that without the help of the man, they would have had to hire a cart, which would have been more expense for them. She had to keep every cent at this moment in case of an emergency, and she needed money. She was that grateful to the man and will have to send him a gift.
She set off to their home with Mingde, feeling happy and accomplished with how the day went today.
Once home, the driver helped carry their goods inside, and though Mei had little to offer him, she gave him a cup of water before he took his leave and in the quiet of their home; she collected the seeds and soaked them overnight, looking forward to the moment they would grow.
With the seeds soaked in water, she turned to the kitchen, where she set the bones to till simmer till the soup was white and fragrant soup. As the smell of food filled the air, she prepared rice and stir-fried the vegetables and the meat she had purchased. When dinner was ready, Mingde arrived attracted by the aroma of the food. He looked over as she served him and swallowed loudly. Mei laughed and handed him the food.
The delicious food shocked Mingde. His sister knew how to cook, but her food was never this delicious. He did not even remember the last time he had meat for a meal or even felt felt full, but today, he did both, and at least he was now hopeful and looking forward to the future.
Afterwards, Mei looked around for something to send as a gift to the Duke's residence. Her eyes landed on a magnificent purple orchid, flourishing her bedroom window. The shiny petals evidence great care and affection. Recognizing its potential significance, she gently transferred it into a more elegant pot, deciding it would be the perfect gift, and she would have Mingde to deliver tomorrow to the Duke's manor.
With the day ending Mei retired for the night, her heart content, ready to face the challenges that awaited her tomorrow.