Chapter 26 : Don’t Show Your Wealth

When Mother Xiao received the nod from her daughter-in-law, she felt relieved. She was reassured that her fourth daughter-in-law was indeed a capable woman.

She gave her name to the manager, who then signed it in the space where she had placed her fingerprint.

But before finalizing the transaction, the manager needed to ask one more question.

“Where are you from? Where do you live? At Jishantang, we need to know these details. It’s better to be safe than sorry. This way, we’ll be able to find you in the future if necessary.”

Medicinal herbs are no different from anything else, if taken carelessly they can truly cause death. There can be no ambiguity everything must be clearly verified. This is also a matter of responsibility.

“Manager, me and her are mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. We’re from Xianhe Village, Baima Town, Huaxi County. My husband’s surname is Xiao, and we’re the only family with the surname Xiao in the village. I have four sons just ask around, and you’ll find us easily.” Mother Xiao was very pleased that the deal had gone through. The manager of Jishan Hall also seemed to be a sensible person, so she felt like she’d met someone trustworthy. She readily gave a detailed address.

Especially when she mentioned her four sons, she couldn’t hide the pride on her face.

The manager took note of everything carefully and added a few polite words

“Oh, you are truly blessed to have four sons! You will live a long and happy life. And your daughter-in-law is just as wonderful!” He gave Jiang Sui a thumbs-up.

Jiang Sui, caught off guard by the compliment, smiled shyly.

Mother Xiao reacted differently. As soon as she heard the praise for her daughter-in-law, she warmly took Jiang Sui’s hand and said affectionately

“That’s right. This is my fourth daughter-in-law. She’s smart and very knowledgeable.”

The manager nodded in agreement, thinking to himself that it was rare to see such harmony between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. As someone with life experience, he wished his own wife, children, and mother could get along this well.

Soon, the accountant came over with the silver two ten-tael silver ingots and five taels in smaller coins. They weighed it on a small scale in front of them, and not a single tael was missing.

But when Jiang Sui saw the two ten-tael silver ingots, she was puzzled and spoke directly

“Manager, could you please exchange these two silver ingots for smaller denominations?”

The manager frowned in confusion upon hearing this

“Change them all into small change? What for?”

Mother Xiao didn’t quite understand either, but she trusted that Jiang Sui must have her reasons.

Then they heard Jiang Sui’s explanation

“Manager, we’re just farmers, and our home is far from the county. If we carry this silver ingot in a single pouch, it’ll draw too much attention. My mother-in-law and I are both women, and we couldn’t even fight off a chicken, let alone a thief. It’s always better to be cautious. That’s why I thought if we exchanged the silver for smaller coins, it would be easier to carry. You know the saying: ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If it breaks, it shouldn’t all break at once.’ Plus, smaller coins are easier to use for daily expenses and making change.”

You can’t blame her for being overly cautious, it’s better to be safe.

The manager realized she had a point. It made perfect sense. They had come from a faraway village, and this wasn’t their home turf. Just a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law on their own, there were always idle troublemakers lurking about. They needed to avoid drawing attention.

“No problem at all. I’ll change them for you. You’re very thoughtful and meticulous,” he said, clearly seeing that Jiang Sui was someone fit to manage a household.

Upon hearing this, Mother Xiao slapped her forehead and thought, That’s right! The silver ingots are so large, and they’d be far too conspicuous in a purse. If they exchanged them for small coins, each of them could carry some on their person so even if something were lost, not everything would be.

In the end, Jiang Sui got a pile of silver coins just as she had wanted. She and Mother Xiao split them evenly and each tucked half into their purse. It was heavy, yes, but it felt satisfying.

After the transaction was completed, the manager politely asked a servant to escort the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law out of the shop.

This gesture left an even better impression on the two women, no wonder Jishantang did such good business. There was a reason behind its success.

Just as they stepped down from the shop’s front steps, a carriage pulled up in front of Jishantang.

The carriage wasn’t large, and the fabric covering it was simple in color, but it had a soft, lustrous sheen under the sunlight, clearly high-quality silk. The wooden frame was made of fragrant rosewood, showing that the owner of the carriage, though low-key in appearance, was of high status.

A young man stepped out of the carriage. He wore a light blue brocade robe embroidered with bamboo at the cuffs and hem elegant, fresh, and refined. A jade pendant and a fragrant sachet hung at his waist, and a jade crown adorned his head. He was clearly a nobleman.

Not only that, he was a very handsome nobleman. His face was smooth and refined like carved jade, his presence as bright and clean as a clear moon and gentle breeze.

When the staff at Jishantang saw him, they immediately greeted him warmly

“Second Master, what brings you here? Please come in, I’ll go notify the steward right away!”

“I was just passing through Huaxi County and thought I’d stop by. Has anything minor happened at the shop recently?” the young man asked gently, his voice as soft and refined as his demeanor.

But Jiang Sui and Mother Xiao simply watched with mild curiosity, not taking it to heart. When it came to appearances, Jiang Sui still preferred Xiao Hechuan, his looks tugged at her heartstrings and better matched her own sense of beauty.

Though Mother Xiao and Jiang Sui were a bit nervous about suddenly carrying so much money, that didn’t stop them from feeling joy.

“Come on, let’s buy some peach cakes for Hechuan, and then pick out some flowered cloth to make you two new sets of clothes. Oh…and don’t forget, i promised to buy embroidered shoes for your sisters-in-law, including the soles and the lining.”

Then she added quickly, “But don’t worry, I won’t spend your money on those things. I’ll use my own. You earned this silver, so it rightfully belongs to you.”

Mother Xiao had no intention of touching that money.

She had a very clear and proper view of things. The silver came from the Ganoderma and ginseng that Jiang Sui had gathered, so it was her rightful earnings. It wouldn’t be appropriate to spend it on others, especially not her sisters-in-law.

“Oh, Mother, what’s yours is mine. Spend it however you want. But I think we should just buy the peach cakes today, and leave the other things for another day in town. The journey is long, and it’s inconvenient to carry too many things and it’s not like I need the new clothes right away.”

“Also, everything here in the county is more expensive than in town, so it’s better to shop there later. Let’s head back early today. And you know what they say: wealth should not be flaunted. We’re dressed in such shabby clothes and carrying a bunch of bags aren’t we just inviting trouble?”

Jiang Sui had many concerns. Carrying a large sum of money in an unfamiliar place made her uneasy. Better to return home early.

Mother Xiao thought it over carefully and nodded in agreement, realizing Jiang Sui made a lot of sense.

“Alright, I’ll listen to you. We’ll just buy peach cakes today. Make sure to get enough so we can all enjoy them together.”

“Okay, let’s go buy some peach cakes then.” Jiang Sui carried a basket in one hand and held Mother Xiao’s hand with the other, and the two happily made their way to find a pastry shop.