Chapter 33: Every Item Has Its Match

Old Tan scratched the back of his head and laughed when he heard this. “He’s been thinking lately about how to sell his big lingzhi mushroom.”

“Big lingzhi?!” Shopkeeper Bai’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Old Tan nodded. “Yes, that’s right. We found it on the mountain, though there’s not much—just one.”

Shopkeeper Bai stepped closer and smiled. “Old Tan, how about this: you sell the big lingzhi to me, and I’ll give you twenty taels of silver. Then, you let your son come to work as an apprentice in my shop. I’ll take care of his food and lodging, and I’ll give him fifty copper coins a month. What do you think?”

Old Tan was surprised. “Is there really such a good deal? Shopkeeper, are you serious, or are you joking?”

Shopkeeper Bai shook his head. “I have no children of my own, and now that I’m getting older, I’m stretched thin. Besides this pawn shop, I also have a pharmacy, three rice shops, and two fabric stores in Pingyang County. I really can’t handle everything on my own. It just so happens that your son could come and help me.”

Old Tan was both surprised and honored. “But my second son is only twelve! He used to be a little slow, and he doesn’t know many characters.”

Shopkeeper Bai smiled. “That’s not a problem. If he doesn’t understand something, I can teach him. Here’s what we’ll do: have him come by tomorrow and meet me at the herb shop. If I’m not at the pawn shop, I’ll be there.”

Seeing the shopkeeper’s genuine enthusiasm, Old Tan didn’t want to refuse. “Alright, I’ll have him come by tomorrow to give it a try. But if he doesn’t do well, please don’t be disappointed.”

Shopkeeper Bai nodded with a smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t be disappointed. Just remember to bring the big lingzhi along as well.”

Old Tan nodded and thanked Shopkeeper Bai before turning to leave.

Though he hadn’t uncovered much this time, Old Tan was even more certain that his third son’s identity was far from ordinary.

Though clearly of significant status, his son had ended up in this remote, poor village—this was no case of abandonment. Given the circumstances, this could either be the child of a wealthy family who got lost or a child being pursued by enemies.

For the sake of safety, Old Tan decided that until he encountered someone trustworthy, he would keep quiet about Tan Sanyuan’s origins. No matter what, he would protect his son’s secret.

With that thought, he hid the jade pendant even more carefully.

On his way back, Old Tan made a special stop at Shopkeeper Bai’s herb shop.

As he arrived at the door of the herb shop, Old Tan suddenly remembered that Aunt Chen’s eldest son was also apprenticing at this very shop.

What was the name again? Ah, yes—Yao Wan Tang.

“Yes, that’s right, this is the place,” Old Tan murmured, nodding lightly to himself with a smile on his face. In the past, Aunt Chen had always boasted about how great her son was, saying that the shopkeeper here really liked him. Her son was certain to become an assistant at the herb shop and maybe even a doctor one day.

Never would he have imagined that his own second son, Erqian, would also be starting as an apprentice here—it really was fate.

At this moment, a sharp voice of scolding came from the back door of the herb shop.

A woman’s harsh voice, enough to make one’s scalp tingle, echoed: “Damn old woman, who told you to come to the shop? Get out, get out! It’s filthy here!”

This voice belonged to Aunt Chen’s eldest daughter-in-law. The eldest daughter-in-law of the Chen family was the daughter of an old worker at the herb shop. Though not wealthy, she had grown up in the county town and had a high opinion of herself. She looked down on her mother-in-law, who came from a poor, remote village.

Now, Aunt Chen no longer had the proud and arrogant demeanor she once did. In front of her daughter-in-law, she looked like a helpless chick, allowing herself to be scolded without saying a word.

“What’s wrong, eldest? I came here to bring you some soup,” Aunt Chen said meekly.

“Sod off with your soup! This isn’t soup, this is something even dogs wouldn’t eat!” the daughter-in-law sneered.

Aunt Chen bent her back and kept responding, “Yes, yes, Next time I will bring something else!”

“Go, go, get out of here! Go wash your clothes first,” the daughter-in-law snapped.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Aunt Chen replied, bowing her back as she hurriedly agreed.

Old Tan watched from a distance, smiling without saying a word, before turning and leaving.

Before heading home, the most important task was buying salt. He had spent most of the remaining silver in his pocket on just a small amount of salt. For an ordinary family, this amount would last for several months, but he planned to use it all to make pickled vegetables.

It was a rather large expense, but once the pickles were ready, they could last for a year or more—at least they wouldn’t go hungry.