Chapter 54: Selling Ginseng

By the end of si hour (around 9 a.m.), the wild-vegetable-digging five-person team reached the foot of the mountain.

Without stopping for a rest, they headed straight for home.

At the gate, Zhang Jinlan glanced around to make sure no one was watching.

She stepped over the threshold into the courtyard, carefully set down her back basket, and told her eldest daughter-in-law to shut the gate.

“What’s this now—shutting the door in broad daylight? What are you up to, sneaking around like a thief?”

Jiang Shoujia had already come back from the fields and was resting in the yard. Seeing his wife rushing about in a fluster, he was utterly baffled.

“Husband, quick, come look—is this ginseng?!”

Zhang Jinlan didn’t even lift her head as she carefully unwrapped the cloth bundle layer by layer.

At last, she cradled it in her palms, trembling with excitement.

“What? Ginseng? Where on earth did you dig that up? Let me see!”

At the word ginseng, Jiang Shoujia shot up so fast his chair toppled backward and hit the ground with a bang.

Striding over, he took the root from her with trembling hands.

“Yes—this is ginseng! And it’s over ten years old! Wife, where did you find it? Our family’s going to strike it rich!”

Jiang Shoujia only needed a glance to be sure it was genuine.

Years ago, someone in Jiangjia Village had dug up ginseng. He had seen it with his own eyes.

But those were tiny roots, only two or three years old, worth no more than a couple of taels.

This one, though, was at least ten years old—worth ten taels easily.

The thought made his voice shake with excitement.

“What are we waiting for? Where’s Dahe? Tell him to run it to town and sell it quick. We don’t know how to process it—if it spoils, we’ll lose the value!”

Hearing it was real and worth a fortune, Zhang Jinlan was overjoyed.

Her heart was thumping like a drum as her eyes darted around the courtyard, searching for her eldest son.

“Grandma silly, didn’t Uncle go to town this morning?”

Little Fubao finally spoke up.

She’d wanted to remind them back on the mountain, but her grandmother and mother had been too worked up to let her get a word in.

“Oh heavens, that’s right—Dahe and Eryong both went to town this morning. What about Siyin?”

Realizing her mistake, Zhang Jinlan slapped her forehead in annoyance.

Both elder sons were away—but her youngest was still at home.

Right on cue, Jiang Siyin walked out from the backyard.

“Mother, what’s going on? I heard all the noise from the privy just now.”

“We went up the mountain to dig wild greens. Fubao spotted a ginseng root, so I dug it up. We were so excited we dropped everything and rushed back. Your father says it’s over ten years old, worth a lot. I want you to take it to town and sell it.”

Zhang Yanzi explained quickly on behalf of her overly excited mother-in-law.

“Ginseng? Fubao found it? My clever girl! Fubao, how did you know it was ginseng?”

Jiang Siyin scooped up his daughter and pinched her cheeks affectionately, beaming.

“Grandpa Doctor said so!”

Fubao puffed herself up and answered firmly, though her little heart was pounding.

Thank goodness that wandering physician had once visited the village, or she’d have had no excuse at all.

“No wonder—Fubao’s truly smart. She’ll be the most accomplished in our family one day. Mother, should I go right now? How much should I sell it for? To the apothecary or the medicine shop?”

Siyin’s eyes sparkled with pride as he looked at his daughter, but a cough from his parents reminded him of the real matter.

“First compare prices. Sell it to whichever shop pays the most. And listen—guard it carefully. Don’t break a single root-hair. Snap even one, and the price drops steeply.”

Jiang Shoujia was deadly serious as he gave his instructions.

“Yes, I understand. I’ll go now.”

Siyin set his daughter down, wrapped the ginseng snugly against his chest, opened the gate, and stepped out.

He’d barely gone a few paces when Zhang Jinlan suddenly remembered something.

“Siyin! When you come back, rent a bullock cart—don’t walk!”

It wasn’t her son’s exhaustion she worried about, but the silver.

After selling ginseng, he’d be carrying a heavy purse. Walking home would be dangerous.

Better to spend a few coins for safety.

Compared to what they’d earn, it was nothing.

“Got it, Mother—!”

Siyin’s long legs carried him swiftly down the road, his voice echoing as he vanished in seconds.

Returning villagers shot curious glances his way.

“Grandma, I’m hungry,” Fubao’s belly growled once her father was out of sight.

“All right, Grandma will cook.”

Jinlan bustled into the kitchen, this time leaving the gate unlatched.

At noon, the family feasted in celebration.

They had rice porridge, scrambled eggs, and stir-fried wild sprouts.

The eggs alone—eight of them—were fried in pork lard, filling the air with rich fragrance.

The porridge was thick and plentiful, with seconds for anyone still hungry.

By the end, everyone’s bellies were round and tight.

“Mother, why does it seem like the rice jar never goes down? We’ve eaten so much these days, and I even gave a whole dou to my sister-in-law yesterday. But when I cooked today, the jar looked just as full as before. Strange…”

Zhu Yingqiu leaned back and burped, puzzled.

“Bah, you remembered wrong. Now clean up the table, wash the bowls, and then go lie down.”

Jinlan waved her off, not taking it seriously.

But little Fubao’s eyes flickered.

Of course it wasn’t the jar being “endless.”

Every night, while pretending to feed the chickens, she secretly topped up the rice jar—first with polished white rice, then with millet, and lastly with coarse brown rice.

The porridge had grown softer and tastier bit by bit, but her family hadn’t noticed.

After all, she never added much at once.

Sent to nap by her mother, Fubao woke later to the sound of commotion in the courtyard.

She hurriedly dressed and padded out.

Her uncles and father had returned.

Everyone was gathered around her grandmother—

who was clutching a heavy purse.

“Mother, here’s the money. Eighteen taels in all. I compared prices at five shops before selling. The shopkeeper said this ginseng was close to twenty years old, so he gave me a high price. I was worried carrying so much silver, so I rented a bullock cart. On the way back, I ran into Eldest Brother and Second Brother, so we came home together.”

Siyin handed over the purse, his face glowing with excitement.

“What? Eighteen taels?! Good heavens above, our family is truly on the rise!”