Chapter 141

Chapter 141

The two strings of coins the old woman gave amounted to exactly 150 cash. Gu Lanshi had kept the money from selling eggs in bits and pieces in his money pouch. This time, he handed the strings over to Pei Yan. In the bustling alleyway, many eyes were on them, but without a word exchanged, Pei Yan naturally reached out to take the money, tucking it into his own bosom.

It was early autumn, and they hadn't donned their thick winter clothes yet. The clothing inevitably showed some bulges from the coins, but as a tall and sturdy man, with the money close to his body, there weren't any pickpockets daring enough to approach him.

Having sold so many eggs at once, Gu Lanshi was delighted. Seeing that this alley had quite a few residents, he extended his voice as he walked out, calling out, "Eggs—selling eggs—"

An elderly man sitting on his doorstep, watching over his grandchildren, looked over. Their eyes met, and he smiled, asking, "Grandma, would you like to see the eggs? They're from our own chickens, big eggs, choose as you please."

The old man didn't say anything, just glanced at them both before slowly getting up, leaning against the wall. Seeing this, Gu Lanshi took a couple of steps forward, carrying the basket of eggs.

He set down the bamboo basket, lifted the cover on top, and pushed aside the straw covering the eggs, looking up with a smile. "Grandma, feel free to look."

The two children, drawn by the sight of goods being sold, came over, heads bowed low to take a peek.

The boy was young, around two or three years old. Upon seeing the round eggs, his hands couldn't help but reach out, grabbing one and clutching it happily as he shouted to his grandmother, "Egg!"

"Little rascal, put it back quickly, be careful not to drop it!" the old man scolded. He actually didn't want to buy any; he was just looking. If it broke, he'd have to pay for the egg without even getting to eat it, which he certainly wasn't happy about.

The little girl beside him was well-behaved. Hearing her grandmother's words, she tried to take the egg from her brother's hand, but the boy hid it behind his back, unwilling to give it to her.

The old man stepped forward and forcibly retrieved the egg from his grandson's hand. Before he could hand it back to Gu Lanshi, the boy burst into tears right where he stood.

The child's crying carried a sharp edge, drawing the attention of those around them.

"It's all your fault, hurry up and leave, don't let him see you anymore." The old man waved his hand outward twice, signaling for them to leave quickly, clearly unhappy. Then he turned to scold his grandson again: "You lawless brat, wanting everything you see, have we ever skipped a meal for you?"

Being chased away himself didn't bother Gu Lanshi much, but he had only come over because of the old man's invitation, and now it seemed like it was their fault. Pei Yan's brows furrowed, ready to step forward to argue, but Gu Lanshi suddenly grabbed his right forearm.

"Let's go," Gu Lanshi looked up at him, his eyes slightly curved with a smile. "It's nothing, let's sell them somewhere else."

The child behind them was hit a few times, making his crying even louder. It wasn't until they left the alley that the sound gradually faded away.

Gu Lanshi glanced at Pei Yan's unhappy expression and spoke with a smile, "He's an old man, a bit muddled. Why should we take it personally? Besides, we've had good luck today, we should be happy."

There were many people around, so it wasn't appropriate to hold hands. He tugged on Pei Yan's sleeve instead. Seeing a pastry shop ahead, he said, "We've been out for a while, didn't eat much for breakfast. Let's go buy a few sweet cakes to fill our stomachs."

"Hmm." Hearing that he was hungry, Pei Yan responded.

Upon entering the shop, various pastries were displayed on wooden plates, each with different patterns and colors, filling the air with a sweet aroma.

Seeing the red hawthorn cakes, Gu Lanshi immediately recalled their sweet and sour taste, swallowing unconsciously. He pointed towards them and asked, "How about hawthorn cakes? I haven't had them in a long time."

"Good," Pei Yan agreed, telling the shopkeeper, "Wrap up a pack."

His gaze swept over the pastry tray, and he added, "Also, a pack of plum blossom cakes."

"Alright," the shopkeeper was quick and efficient, grabbing the pastries with both hands, wrapping them neatly and tying them with hemp rope. The two packs of pastries were beautifully presented.

Seeing how fast he wrapped them, and considering it would be troublesome to untie the ropes on the road, Pei Yan said while taking out the money from his bosom, "Take two more pieces of each, no need to tie them, just wrap them in oil paper."

"Sure thing," the shopkeeper followed his instructions, using a piece of oil paper to wrap two hawthorn cakes and two plum blossom cakes.

Gu Lanshi placed the two wrapped packages of pastries in the basket he was carrying, then picked up the loose oil paper package. After Pei Yan paid, the two of them walked out together.

As soon as they stepped outside, Gu Lanshi eagerly opened the oil paper, taking a bite of the red hawthorn cake.

Unlike other sweet pastries, its texture was different, and the sweet and sour taste of the hawthorn cake was indeed delightful, with its beautiful color. A smile appeared on his face, and he hurriedly offered the oil paper in his hand to Pei Yan.

Pei Yan also took a piece of hawthorn cake to taste, finding it indeed delicious.

The pastries weren't large. After each of them ate another plum blossom cake, when they finished, Gu Lanshi neatly folded the oil paper. There were five or six cracked eggs in the basket. He conveniently placed the oil paper inside, so it could be used at home if they needed to wrap something.

"Let's go," Pei Yan said, then suddenly remembering something, he took two steps back and turned around, asking at the entrance of the pastry shop, "Shopkeeper, do you need eggs?"

Some pastries required eggs, and he had forgotten to ask upon entering earlier.

"Selling eggs?" The same shopkeeper recognized him, turning to look at the boss behind the counter. The boss was busy with his abacus and accounts, not lifting his head when he heard the question, merely waving his hand dismissively.

"No need," the shopkeeper called out immediately.

Pei Yan nodded at him and walked away.

Gu Lanshi was a few steps ahead, waiting for him to catch up before they continued walking towards the street, calling out as they went, "Eggs, selling eggs."

It wasn't easy bringing the eggs to town, especially as the sun grew stronger, reaching mid-morning. Gu Lanshi and Pei Yan moved slowly due to the weight of the eggs on their backs, but despite this, they had arrived early and had already covered most of Ning Shui Town by this point.

*

Business had been decent today. Apart from selling fifty eggs in Blue Fish Lane, the rest were sold in smaller quantities of ten or twenty, and they even encountered customers who only wanted two or three eggs, or even just one. Gu Lanshi and Pei Yan didn't mind the small sales; they believed every egg sold was a gain.

Now, out of the original 220 eggs, only about sixty remained, plus a dozen or so that had accidentally cracked and were kept in the basket.

Their calls were loud and clear. As they walked, the gate of a nearby house opened, and a man came out, following the sound of their calls. He waved at them and asked, "Selling eggs, what's the price?"

"Three cash per egg, market price," Pei Yan replied.

Since the customer was a man, Gu Lanshi remained silent, simply standing by.

The thin man turned and called out, and his wife soon emerged, carrying an egg basket.

Gu Lanshi and Pei Yan placed the bamboo basket on the ground, pushing aside the straw on top, allowing them to choose freely.

The woman, wearing a skirt apron, picked up an egg from the basket and casually asked, "Are there eggs in this basket too?"

Gu Lanshi smiled and said, "Those inside are cracked, with seams. If you want them, they're one cash per egg."

Hearing such a cheap price, the woman immediately removed the oil paper and a layer of straw covering the basket, asking, "They're not rotten, right?"

Gu Lanshi hurriedly spoke, "No, I carefully selected them from home this morning and carried them over. They cracked because the journey was long, but they're not bad eggs. Smell them if you don't believe me; there's no odor."

The woman was cautious, picking up one of the cracked ones to sniff first. Even at a discount, she would be spending money, so she couldn't afford to buy bad eggs.

After smelling it and finding no foul smell, she placed that egg into the bamboo basket and then picked up another one to sniff.

Gu Lanshi didn't stop her. Cracked eggs were difficult to transport anyway, so if they could be sold, that was for the best. There was an egg in the basket with a large crack where the egg white had leaked out. That one definitely wouldn't sell and could only be taken home for the dog.

In the past, lacking eggs to eat, they would have consumed even the broken ones. But things were different now. Eggs were abundant at home, and they weren't short of one or two.

Moreover, the dog, which guarded the house without fail, deserved its share of the spoils. Keeping it well-fed and robust ensured it looked intimidating enough to deter any thief eyeing their numerous hens.

"Alright, four should be enough for a stir-fry," the woman said, then turned her attention to the good eggs in the basket, selecting twenty of the larger ones.

Gu Lanshi smiled and said, "Sister, the total is sixty-four coins."

As the woman stood up with the egg basket, she glanced at her husband. The thin man reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a pouch. Together, they counted the coins.

Sixty-four copper coins wasn't a small amount. Pei Yan directly picked up the bamboo basket on the ground, gesturing for the man to toss the counted coins straight into it.

The thin man was happy to do so, counting aloud as he dropped each coin in until he reached sixty-four.

After finishing the count, the woman mentally checked the number again, ensuring there were no mistakes before heading home with the egg basket.

Gu Lanshi hoisted the basket onto his back. There were only thirteen eggs left in his basket, while Pei Yan still had two or three dozen in his. He squinted up at the sky and said, "It's not early anymore. Let's go back after selling these."

Pei Yan took out his money bag, scooped the coins from the basket into it, the clinking of the coins audible. Finally, he tightened the bag's opening and tucked it into his chest pocket. With all the sales in copper coins, the weight in his pocket was noticeable, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Let's turn the corner and head to the street. I remember there's a tavern there. We should ask around."

"Alright," Gu Lanshi agreed.

The tavern's sign swayed in the wind, and a waiter stood at the entrance, beckoning customers. Seeing the two men approach, he warmly greeted them twice.

Pei Yan asked, "Waiter, does the inn need eggs?"

The tavern was located on the street, with a few steps leading up to it. In a corner sat an old man with white hair, smoking a pipe. Before the waiter could speak, he called out, "What's the price for eggs?"

Pei Yan replied, "Market price, three coins each."

The waiter smiled and said, "This is our boss's mother. Ask Grandma for anything you need."

He was just a messenger, unable to make decisions regarding purchases. Speaking too much might earn him a scolding for being lazy, so he stepped back and resumed calling out to potential customers at the entrance.

The two men walked toward the corner, and as Grandma peered into the baskets of eggs, Pei Yan continued, "We have many chickens at home, laying plenty of eggs. If Grandma wants convenience, we can deliver during the egg-laying season. Any eggs that crack or break on the way will be our responsibility; you can pick the good ones."

These words pleased Grandma. Sometimes, when they encountered vendors shouting about selling eggs on the road, they could select the ones they wanted. However, if the chef went out to buy eggs, there was bound to be some damage during transportation. Although the eggs were still edible, they couldn't be stored for long, which was truly a pity.

"Are these the ones others have picked through?" After examining both baskets, Grandma noticed only the bottom layer remained and pursed her lips, slightly displeased.

Gu Lanshi chuckled and took out two eggs. "Grandma, take a look. Before leaving, we picked the larger ones, leaving the smaller ones behind. These are all decent-sized."

Pei Yan added truthfully, "We entered the town from the east and have indeed sold some by the time we got here. But as my husband mentioned, they are all good eggs of considerable size."

Grandma scrutinized them for a while, took a couple more puffs of her pipe, and, seeing that the eggs were indeed not small, stretched her neck to call into the tavern, "Wenjun! Wenjun! Bring out the egg basket and buy twenty eggs."

Someone inside responded, and soon a young man emerged carrying an egg basket. Upon raising his eyes, he was startled to see the tall man selling eggs, who also had a menacing scarred face.

Gu Lanshi laughed and said, "There are eggs in both baskets; feel free to choose."

Seeing his amiable demeanor, the man named Wenjun approached and, together with Grandma, carefully selected twenty eggs to place in the basket.

It wasn't yet mealtime, and only a few people were scattered throughout the tavern, drinking and nibbling on small dishes. The waiter worked hard to attract customers at the entrance, finally managing to lure two inside. Bowing and smiling, he led them to the best seats.

After settling the egg payment, Wu Wenjun heard someone ordering dishes inside and quickly entered with the basket to attend to them. Pei Yan and Gu Lanshi were about to leave when Grandma called out to them.

She took a puff of her pipe, letting the smoke escape her mouth, and glanced at the pleasant-looking Gu Lanshi. "In five or six days, if you come to sell eggs, drop by here first. If the inn runs out of eggs, we'll buy them from you."

"Deal," Pei Yan and Gu Lanshi almost simultaneously agreed.

Pei Yan asked, "Grandma, what time does the tavern open? I leave early in the morning, so if I arrive early, I'll let you pick the eggs first."

Grandma was quite satisfied upon hearing this and said, "We also serve breakfast, so we open early. If you come before we open, go to the back door of the tavern and knock. The chefs and waiters live in the back courtyard, and I'll inform them."

She leaned forward and pointed to the corner of the street. "It's in the alley behind us. Two small red-painted doors. You'll know it immediately; no one else's back door looks as nice as ours."

Pei Yan noted her instructions and said, "Alright, I understand, Grandma. We'll be on our way now."

*

When the sun was nearly overhead, the two men wandered through several alleys and streets, selling the remaining twenty-odd eggs. Their baskets were now completely empty, except for eight cracked eggs left in the basket.

Gu Lanshi was delighted. Today, they had sold two hundred good eggs and only eight or nine bad ones. Counting only the two hundred, they had earned a substantial six hundred coins. Not only was Pei Yan's money bag heavy, but even his own felt hefty.

"Hungry? How about a bowl of noodles?" Pei Yan looked at the various food stalls on the street.

"Good idea. Let's eat our fill before going back, so we won't have to bother cooking. If there's nothing to do in the afternoon, we can rest for a while," Gu Lanshi said with a smile.

Just ahead was a noodle stall, steam rising from the pot. There were quite a few people around it, indicating it was likely good. The two men headed in that direction.

At the pot, an elderly woman and a younger one were busy preparing noodles. A man was rolling out the dough, while the stall owner, also a man, was kneading dough and greeting passersby. Beside him was an older man wearing an apron, chopping various vegetable strips, meat slices, and tofu cubes on a cutting board, creating a rhythmic sound.

Outside the stall, a girl around ten years old was taking care of her seven or eight-year-old brother. They were squatting in front of a large wooden basin, sleeves rolled up, washing used bowls and chopsticks skillfully.

It was clear they were a family. Seeing that the pots, stoves, and utensils were clean, Pei Yan approached and asked, "What types of noodles do you have?"

The stall owner had a quick tongue. "We have meat noodle soup, vegetable noodle soup, clear broth noodles, spring noodles, egg noodles, and braised meat or vegetable noodles. Adding extra noodles costs only one additional coin, and the noodle soup is free."

Pei Yan looked at Gu Lanshi and asked, "Meat noodle soup?"

Gu Lanshi glanced at the countertop in front of the stall. If they wanted to eat meat noodle soup, they had meat at home. Observing the technique of the person scooping the noodles, he knew how to prepare them. At home, they rarely ate braised sauce, but seeing the two wooden basins—one containing braised meat sauce and the other vegetable sauce, both steaming hot and fragrant—he said, "I want a bowl of braised meat sauce."

"Okay." Pei Yan then turned to the stall owner and said, "One bowl of braised meat sauce noodles and one bowl of spring noodles. Add extra noodles to the spring noodles."

He asked again, "I have some eggs here; could you cook us two poached eggs?"

The stall owner grinned, wrinkles deep on his sun-tanned face, and readily agreed, "Sure, no charge for that. Just leave the eggs on the table, find yourselves a seat."

Pei Yan took out two eggs from his basket and placed them on the table, noticing they were cracked. The stall owner quickly remarked, "These eggs are broken."

"I know, just crack them in anyway," Pei Yan replied.

"Alright." The stall owner covered the kneaded dough with a clean cloth, reassured that this comment would prevent any suspicion that he had broken the eggs himself. Now he was at ease.

They found a spot to sit down, and the stall owner promptly served each of them a bowl of noodle soup. Gu Lanshi picked up his bowl and took a sip.

They had filled a bamboo tube with water when they left in the morning, which by now had cooled down. Sipping the warm noodle broth now brought much comfort to both their hearts and stomachs.

Seated beside him, Pei Yan kept the bamboo basket on his lap instead of placing it on the ground with the other baskets. Besides a few eggs, the basket also held a large portion covered with oiled paper and straw, concealing the copper coins they had earned from selling eggs beneath.

The eggs were sold individually, and the earnings were all in copper coins. With six hundred coins, it was quite a sum, too much to fit in his pocket and not convenient to string together in public amidst the bustling street. So, they temporarily stored them in the basket.

Business was good at the noodle stall today, with six or seven tables quickly filling up. Soon, two steaming bowls of noodles were served, each topped with a poached egg.

Gu Lanshi stirred the minced meat sauce on top of his noodles. Though called meat sauce, it contained diced vegetables as well, with not many meat chunks. However, the sauce was rich and fragrant, emitting an inviting aroma.

Both were hungry, so when the noodles arrived, they said nothing, simply picked up their chopsticks, blew on the noodles twice, and sent them into their mouths, slurping contentedly.