Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Starting with Four Hundred Taels of Spending Money

However, Shen Ningning wasn't paying full attention to his words.

Because she was wondering whether to give the remaining red fruits she had to the old man.

The red fruits are grown in the magical realm, watered by the spirit spring.

They can strengthen and improve health.

After some thought, the little girl decided to place the red fruits in his hand.

"Old man, keep this for yourself and eat it if you feel unwell! I have to go, I can't stay with you."

She needed to hurry; her grandmother and brother were waiting for her.

Shen Ningning walked away with small, determined steps.

The old man struggled to see her clearly, but his blurred vision prevented him from making out any details.

After walking for nearly an hour, Shen Ningning gradually began to see more people.

Delighted, she quickened her pace.

The tall and broad gates of the capital city appeared in the distance.

Obediently, she made her way there, following the bustling crowd and queuing up to enter the city.

As Shen Ningning looked around, she noticed many ragged, pale-faced people not far from the city gates.

Some were lying down, others sitting.

There were even some motionless, with flies buzzing around them, emitting a foul stench.

Each of them was gaunt, their cheeks sunken and eyes devoid of light.

Shen Ningning paused, taken aback.

These must be the refugees Grandma had mentioned.

Suddenly!

A luxurious carriage approached from outside the city.

The bells at the four corners of the carriage jingled melodiously.

The refugees, who looked like the "dead," suddenly sprang to life.

A noble in the carriage threw a few date cakes out of the window. They fell to the ground, covered in dirt, but the refugees, desperate for food, swarmed over them.

Anyone who managed to grab a piece of food immediately stuffed it into their mouth, with some even fighting over a single bite.

A group of soldiers came out, shouting angrily to stop them, using their sticks to beat the refugees, who resisted, causing quite a commotion.

The scene quickly became chaotic.

Shen Ningning, frightened, clutched her small cloth bag tightly and ran towards the city amidst the chaos.

Compared to the chaos outside the city.

Inside the city was relatively calm, but beggars could be seen huddled against the walls everywhere.

A vendor, pushing a water cart with six guards in tow, was selling, "One bucket of clean water, ten taels!"

The beggars eyed it greedily but dared not approach to snatch it.

Ten taels!

Shen Ningning counted on her small fingers.

She remembered Aunt Qin saying that a barrel of rice for their home would cost twenty taels outside.

Ten taels for a bucket of water, enough for only three days.

She glanced at a cloth shoe shop.

A decent pair of shoes was priced at three taels, and those shiny, beautiful silk fabrics were marked up to fifty taels.

Shen Ningning hesitantly stepped out of the shop.

Looking down at her shoes with toes poking out, she decided to head to the herbal shop first to see how much silver she could get for her herbs.

After some effort, she found a shop marked with the character "药" (medicine).

Inside, many well-dressed servants and maids were queuing to get medicine.

The shop assistants were extremely respectful towards them.

When it was Shen Ningning's turn, the assistant barely glanced at her.

He waved dismissively, "Scram, little beggar, there's no food for you here!"

Pushed several times by him, Shen Ningning immediately clung to a nearby pillar, "I'm not here to beg, I... I have herbs to sell!"

The assistant paused, looked at her again with scorn in his eyes, "You? What herbs are you selling? Let me warn you, we don't accept goods of unknown origin."

"And if the quality is poor, our Hui Chun Tang definitely won't buy them!"

Shen Ningning unwrapped her tattered cloth bag and carefully took out the Purple Lingzhi.

"Will you buy this?"

The assistant's jaw nearly dropped.

He stared wide-eyed at the dew-covered Purple Lingzhi in the little girl's hand.

Palm-sized, with excellent quality, such a specimen was rare to find in fifty years, especially in a drought year like this!

"You, you wait a moment," the assistant stammered, "I'll ask the shopkeeper!"

With that, he took the Purple Lingzhi and went into the back room.

Soon, there were sounds of surprise coming from inside.

Shortly after, a tall and thin shopkeeper emerged, and the assistant pointed out Shen Ningning, who was sitting obediently on a stool.

The little girl, full of curiosity, was looking around the shop, clutching her tattered cloth bag tightly.

"Little girl, is this Purple Lingzhi yours?" the shopkeeper approached, asking cheerfully.

Shen Ningning nodded, "Do you want it?"

The shopkeeper replied, "Let's not rush. Let's go to the back room and have a good talk."

Hesitating for a moment, Shen Ningning still hopped off the stool and followed him on her small feet.

Once in the back room, the shopkeeper offered her a cup of tea, which Shen Ningning didn't drink.

"Shopkeeper grandpa, do you want it?" she urged.

"Certainly, if the price is right. But first, I need to ask, where did you get this Purple Lingzhi from?"

Such high-quality herbs couldn't possibly be wild.

"I grew it myself," said Shen Ningning.

The shopkeeper was taken aback.

Most herbalists have their own herb gardens.

But in this drought year, with only two rains in the capital city, it was nearly impossible for Lingzhi to grow.

Where on earth did this girl get such a specimen?

The shopkeeper squinted his eyes.

Feeling uneasy, Shen Ningning said, "Shopkeeper grandpa, if you don't want it, I'll ask elsewhere. Sorry to bother you."

She picked up the Purple Lingzhi from the table, intending to leave.

"Wait!" The shopkeeper quickly grabbed her small hand, smiling, "Of course, I want it."

"For this Purple Lingzhi, I'll give you eighty taels each. How does that sound?"

In fact, based on the market price, Purple Lingzhi is sold by weight!

Even a hundred taels per jin (half kilogram) wouldn't be too much!

But he wanted to test this little one, to see if she understood the business.

Shen Ningning thought for a moment.

Eighty taels could buy a lot of things!

She nodded promptly, "Sold! Five pieces, for a total of four hundred taels!"

The shopkeeper couldn't remain seated any longer and stood up abruptly, "Five pieces?!"

Shen Ningning spread open her tattered cloth bag, revealing four more Purple Lingzhis of the same quality.

The shopkeeper almost lost his balance in shock.

This little girl, she was a medicinal herb tycoon!

At such a young age, she casually produced five Purple Lingzhis!

"You... you..." The shopkeeper's lips trembled, at a loss for words.

Shen Ningning, with her bright, clear eyes, asked clearly, "Shopkeeper grandpa, what's the most expensive thing here? I'll grow it and bring it to you."

Could it be that she could produce herbs as easily as ordering dishes, anything she wanted?!

The shopkeeper said, "Ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum (He Shou Wu). If you have them, I'll buy those too."

Shen Ningning nodded gently, making a mental note.

Shortly after, the assistant came in with a banknote worth four hundred taels.

The little girl had only seen silver coins before, not this kind of thing.

She hesitated, "Can this be used? I need to buy things."

The shopkeeper chuckled, "Of course, you can use it. If it's inconvenient, I can exchange it for a bag of silver coins, but it will be heavy. Make sure you can carry it."

Shen Ningning nodded, "Silver coins are more convenient for me!"

Half an incense stick later.

She left the herbal shop with the silver coins.

Shen Ningning hadn't forgotten she needed to find a doctor, but first, she needed to buy some things to take back with her!

The little girl headed straight for the cloth shop she had passed earlier.

Carrying the weighty silver coins on her back, she walked with her head held high, full of confidence!

Upon entering the cloth shop, before the shopkeeper could urge her to leave.

The little girl already spoke up softly, "I want to buy this piece of clothing!"

She pointed with her small hand at a set of men's robes hanging on the wall, clearly priced at eighty taels.