Once Uncle Hong returned to feed the sheep, Yang Haiyan and the others set off.

Accompanying them was Aunt Hong, who brought her child along.

When they reached the county town, Aunt Hong stayed with Yang Haiyan to explore, while Uncle Hong looked after the child.

Both Aunt Hong and Aunt Fan were efficient in their tasks, but Aunt Hong found it less convenient to manage the shop with a child compared to Aunt Fan.

Additionally, Aunt Hong was a local, making her more suited to navigating the county town.

Although the common language was used across the country, accents differed, giving a local accent an advantage over a foreign one.

The county town was much more bustling than the town.

Not only was it lively, but entry to the county was quite strict.

The county town was a critical border area; if the military camp was the first line of defense, the county’s defenses were the second line, manned by a dedicated city guard general.

Thus, this county town was unlike others; while a county magistrate might be seen as a local tyrant elsewhere, here, he didn’t hold much power.

The Yonghe Duke’s household was the true authority in the county, along with various military officials, each more influential than the magistrate.

At the county gate, everyone needed to present their identity documents to enter. In reality, the identity documents in ancient times had many flaws, akin to the introduction letters used in China during the 1960s and 70s.

Even if the documents were authentic, how could they prove that they corresponded to the individual?

However, this was unavoidable; there was no way around it.

Yang Dahua and Yang Haiyan were military dependents, so their entry into the county was convenient.

Once inside, Uncle Hong found a spot to park their donkey cart.

Yang Haiyan and the others got down from the cart. “Sister Dahua, let’s part ways here. We’ll explore, and we’ll come back by the time of Weishi (1 PM). If you get back first, please wait for us by the cart,” she said, planning to dine at a restaurant in the county town to try the local dishes.

Yang Dahua replied, “Okay.”

After that, they split up.

Yang Dahua went to set up a stall while Yang Haiyan, accompanied by Aunt Hong, went out to explore.

Aunt Hong led the way.

Aunt Hong had come to the county town for the first time when she and Uncle Hong had just gotten married.

At that time, Uncle Hong’s leg was not injured, and their finances were a bit more comfortable.

After getting married, Uncle Hong had taken her to the county town to broaden her horizons, especially since he would bring back game to sell at a good price, also taking it to the county’s restaurants.

Thus, Aunt Hong was somewhat familiar with the county.

Yang Haiyan suggested, “Aunt Hong, let’s check out the busiest street first.”

Aunt Hong replied, “The liveliest place in the morning is the vegetable market. Shall we head there first?”

“Sure, lead the way,” Yang Haiyan said.

As they walked, Aunt Hong hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Ma’am, should we consider digging a cellar for our snack shop?”

“A cellar?” Yang Haiyan asked.

“Yes, it’s already early October. By mid-November, the weather at the border will turn cold quickly. Not only will it become dry, but there could also be storms, sandstorms, hail, and even snow. Once it snows, we might be stuck for four or five days. Such weather can last for two months, during which the market will be deserted and the shops closed. Every November, people around here store food in cellars—vegetables and meat, we stock up quite a bit.”

Aunt Hong’s words triggered a memory for Yang Haiyan; there was indeed a similar plot point in the novel.

For the locals, such hardships were customary, and they endured it.

However, for the protagonist, Yang Dahua, it was particularly difficult.

Although she worked as a maid in the Yang household, Beijing was the wealthiest and most prosperous place in the country, so Yang Dahua did not suffer there.

But here, due to insufficient preparation, she faced hardships.

At the same time, she also became pregnant during this period, and her nutrition fell short.

To remedy this, the male lead hunted for game to help her regain her health, which rapidly deepened their relationship.

Overall, this was a lighthearted romance.

In truth, after crossing into the book, Yang Haiyan rarely thought about the plot anymore because the storyline belonging to the male and female leads had nothing to do with Qin Fang, and the plot related to Qin Fang had already changed.

Moreover, she had no intention of competing with the female lead for her fortune, so she didn’t need to constantly reflect on the novel.

That said, preparing a cellar was indeed necessary.

“Can Uncle Hong dig a cellar?” Yang Haiyan asked.

“Yes, yes. He dug the cellar in our previous home. But now… we don’t have a home anymore. He got injured, and I suffered during childbirth, so we sold our house. Eventually, we couldn’t scrape together enough money, and that’s why he sold himself,” Aunt Hong explained.

Yang Haiyan was taken aback, not knowing this.

Uncle Hong had never elaborated on it. “So after he sold himself, where did you and the child live?”

“I lived in the haunted house in the village. It’s unoccupied, so I could stay there without anyone chasing me away.” She recalled her misfortunes—her parents were unkind, preferring her husband to sell himself rather than help her.

Yet now, she felt her suffering was over, having found such a good mistress.

Yang Haiyan sighed, unsure of what to say.

The vegetable market in the county was indeed livelier than in the town, with a wider variety of goods.

The town mostly sold vegetables and meat, with fish occasionally available.

But the county town was different; while vegetables and meat were plentiful, there were also many stalls selling river and seafood.

Yongzhou had no sea, only a long river, where fishermen made their living catching fish.

Thus, the vegetable market had plenty of river delicacies.

Before crossing into the book, Yang Haiyan was from a southern coastal city in China, so she loved seafood—whether it was fresh braised or pickled, she enjoyed it all.

Seeing a variety of river seafood now, Yang Haiyan’s eyes lit up at the sight of the little river shrimp and yellow fish on display.

Yang Haiyan asked, “Aunt Hong, why are there so many river delicacies?”

Aunt Hong replied, “Because winter is coming, fishermen need to exchange their catches for money to buy vegetables and meat. They don’t have fields; all their grain and vegetables are bought.”

“I see,” Yang Haiyan responded.

They reached a stall selling river shrimp, and Yang Haiyan inquired, “How much for these little river shrimp?”

The vendor replied, “Four wen per pound, or seven wen for two pounds.”

Yang Haiyan was startled; was that too cheap?

While it was more expensive than vegetables, it was significantly cheaper than meat.

In fact, she didn’t realize that locals didn’t prefer river shrimp because they were small and had little meat.

For ordinary people, spending four wen on a pound of troublesome shrimp wasn’t as worthwhile as buying two meat buns.

Thus, river shrimp weren’t valued highly.

Yang Haiyan asked, “How many pounds are in this bucket, and what’s the price?”

The vendor was taken aback. “You want a whole bucket?”

Yang Haiyan said, “If the price is right, I’ll take more.”

She imagined the various dishes she could make with the shrimp: dried shrimp, drunken shrimp, and shrimp in rice wine. Just thinking about it made her mouth water.

The vendor quickly brightened up, “This bucket has thirty pounds of river shrimp. If you take them all, I can give them to you for ninety wen. That’s the best price; I can’t go lower.”

Yang Haiyan thought the price was reasonable, considering how hard fishermen worked.

Within her budget, she decided not to haggle: “I’ll take them, but you’ll have to lend me a bucket to carry them. I live in the town and don’t have a bucket on me.”

The vendor agreed, “Sure! See that shop over there? The river delicacy shop? That’s from our fishing village. Just return the bucket there later.”

“Great, thank you,” Yang Haiyan said.

She turned to Aunt Hong, “You take the shrimp to the donkey cart; I’ll wait for you here at the market.”

“Okay,” Aunt Hong replied.

Being a daughter of a poor family, she had done plenty of heavy work, so she was quite strong.

Now, working with Yang Haiyan, she could enjoy sheep’s milk and meat daily, which helped her recover well.

Carrying thirty pounds of river shrimp was no problem for her. “I’m off; please be careful, ma’am.”

Yang Haiyan nodded.

At the river shrimp stall, the surrounding stalls sold various river delicacies.

After buying the river shrimp, Yang Haiyan went to check out the yellow fish.

This yellow fish wasn’t the type people commonly thought of; it was river yellow fish, also called yellow gaga, which was different from the larger sea yellow fish.

Whether braised or cooked with tofu soup, yellow gaga was exceptionally delicious.

“What’s the price for these yellow gagas?” Yang Haiyan asked.

The fish vendor immediately recognized her as knowledgeable. “I don’t weigh them; it’s three wen per fish. You can choose the size yourself.”

The fish vendor and the river shrimp vendor were from the same area; they were part of the same group but sold their goods by type.

Having seen Yang Haiyan buy up all the river shrimp, the fish vendor added, “Ma’am, if you buy all of them, I’ll give you a discount.”

Yang Haiyan shook her head.

The yellow gaga wouldn’t taste great if dried.

If it were large yellow fish, that would be different, so she only wanted to cook them in soup.

However, yellow gaga being freshwater fish, it wouldn’t matter if she kept them for a few more days.

So she said, “I’ll buy ten fish; can you provide a bucket to carry them? I’ll return it tomorrow. If that works, please catch me ten big ones.”

The fish vendor readily agreed, “Sure! Just leave the bucket at the river delicacy shop when you return.”

He caught ten big yellow gagas and placed them in a small wooden bucket, covering it with a lid.

Once Aunt Hong returned, she’d need to carry those ten fish back as well.

Next, Yang Haiyan also bought river clams and yellow eyebrows.

Compared to yellow gaga, yellow eyebrows were already dead and could be cooked that evening.

They were smaller than yellow gaga, roughly as wide as Yang Haiyan’s two hands.

Steamed, they were delicious and could also be dried. If braised, they required careful cooking as their bones were very soft, and some people would even swallow the bones whole.

Aside from seafood, Yang Haiyan didn’t buy anything else, as vegetables and meat were readily available in the town.

After exploring the market, she noticed a lack of fruits, which left her feeling a bit regretful.

They then wandered through various shops and ended up in a fur shop.

Yang Haiyan recalled Aunt Hong mentioning that winters here were cold, and for two months, the weather wouldn’t be very pleasant, so she thought about cotton jackets, down jackets, and furs.

Down jackets weren’t practical, but furs could work.

However, after looking at the furs in the shop, she lost interest.

The furs were too roughly processed in ancient times; they felt unsanitary to her.

However, furs made excellent boots.

Plus, they could also be made into an outer garment for Qin Fang, which he could wear from home to the military camp to keep warm.

After making up her mind, she bought some well-processed, easy-to-care-for sheep fur.

The sheep fur came from merchants from the grasslands outside the pass.

These merchants had specialized methods for processing fur, so the hides looked shiny and intact.

Yang Haiyan calculated and purchased two hides.

After that, Yang Haiyan didn’t find anything else she liked.

Having strolled around for the entire morning, she felt a bit tired and decided to find a restaurant for lunch.

While waiting for their meal, she asked Aunt Hong to deliver a bowl of noodles to Uncle Hong.

After finishing their meal, Yang Haiyan, aiming to digest her food, took Aunt Hong to browse a jewelry store.

The store was called Zhenbao Pavilion, the best jewelry shop in the county.

Upon seeing customers, the shopkeeper approached enthusiastically, “Good day, ma’am! What would you like to buy?”

Yang Haiyan looked around and said, “Do you have jade ornaments? I’m looking for a nice jade bracelet.”

A good one could fetch a good price on the market.

Suddenly, Yang Haiyan had found another way to make money.

The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up. “Yes, yes! Please come this way. Our jade ornaments are all right here. Since you have slender wrists, we have these five models that would fit you. Please take a look and see which one you like.”

Of course, if she included the cheaper ones, there would be more than five, but the customer had asked for something nicer.

Yang Haiyan had some knowledge about jade.

In her previous life, as a girl her age started earning well, her taste for life had also improved.

While others bought luxury brands like Cartier watches and Chanel bags, she loved jade bracelets.

She once got a glass-type bracelet for 790,000 and remembered a time when a customer at a jade store offered one million for it.

Finding a suitable jade bracelet at her wrist size and desired quality was indeed rare.

Noticing that Yang Haiyan was drawn to two of the options, the shopkeeper said, “Both of these are perfect for you, ma’am. This one will make you look elegant and understated, while the other will give you a luxurious and noble air.”

The shopkeeper was perceptive; even though Yang Haiyan’s clothes were simple, her aura was undeniable.

Even without jewelry, her presence spoke volumes.

Yang Haiyan smiled, “The Hetian jade reflects cultural heritage, while the glass-type jade is transparent and bright. Both options are indeed excellent. May I try them on?”

She liked both, but Hetian jade was considered a noble piece, and its value had dropped in the modern market.

“Of course,” the shopkeeper replied.

Yang Haiyan first tried on the Hetian jade.

Once on her wrist, her whole demeanor changed; she exuded warmth and sophistication.

Then she switched to the glass-type jade bracelet, and immediately she appeared both noble and commanding, a stark contrast to her earlier look.

“Both are suitable for you,” the shopkeeper remarked.

“What’s the price if I take both?” Yang Haiyan asked.

The shopkeeper was thrilled; this was a big customer. “The Hetian jade is eight hundred taels of silver, and the other is slightly more expensive at twelve hundred taels(1.2k tales).”

Aunt Hong, listening nearby, was shocked; those prices were astronomical for her.

Yang Haiyan glanced around again and moved to the hairpin section.

She selected a simple gold hairpin for women and a black hair crown for men.

The women’s hairpin was minimalist, with just a single pin topped with a hollow gold ball containing a white pearl.

The men’s crown was similar, featuring a black jade ring and black jade pin.

Qin Fang, being tall and ruggedly handsome, would suit the stability of black better than the more flamboyant white.

Yang Haiyan said, “I won’t haggle. Including these two items, that’ll be two thousand taels of silver.”

The shopkeeper calculated quickly, “Alright.”

At Zhenbao Pavilion, haggling wasn’t typical, but they were flexible with promotions.

The shopkeeper recognized that Yang Haiyan had a keen eye; the two bracelets she chose were of exceptional quality, brought from outside the pass and polished locally.

If they were sent to the capital, they could fetch an even higher price.

“I don’t have that much silver on me. Can you send someone with me to fetch it?” Yang Haiyan asked.

The shopkeeper replied, “May I ask where your residence is?”

“In the military family quarters.”

“Not a problem,” he said.

In Yongzhou, there was only one military family quarters.

After purchasing the two items, Yang Haiyan returned home, her spirits high.

She knew that these items would yield even more profit when sold on the market.

Two thousand taels of silver equated to 500,000 platform coins, about 30 taels of gold.

The bracelets’ resale value on the market would surely exceed one million, meaning a solid profit.

Yang Haiyan wore the Hetian jade bracelet out of Zhenbao Pavilion and had the remaining items wrapped up, then left with the shop’s staff.

On the donkey cart, Yang Dahua was already waiting.

Upon seeing Yang Haiyan return, she exclaimed, “Haiyan, you bought so much!”

Feeling a bit self-conscious, she was still struggling to make ends meet with a few wen, while Yang Haiyan had spent several taels of silver in an instant.

The sheep fur on the cart must have cost a few taels as well.

Yang Haiyan smiled, “I’m back! Were you waiting long? We’re heading home now.”

“Not at all! Haiyan, I’d like some small cakes and cookies tomorrow, okay?” Yang Dahua had done well in her business today, selling two pounds each of small cakes and cookies for a total profit of 20 wen, more than she earned from selling cloth.

If she ordered more and came every two to three days, earning one or two taels a month wouldn’t be a problem.

“Of course, no problem!” Yang Haiyan replied.

With the river delicacies in the back, the ladies sat inside, while Uncle Hong drove the donkey cart at the front and Zhenbao Pavilion’s staff followed in a horse-drawn cart behind.

As a result, Yang Dahua didn’t realize anyone was trailing them.