Chapter 25: The Glass Cup Sold for a Sky-High Price

The shopkeeper nodded. He truly believed her. He had never seen such a fine glass cup in the entire Great Dynasty. He believed that it was brought from another country.

Moreover, the little girl’s attire was indeed poor, but after a few exchanges, her expression was neither humble nor arrogant, and her speech was calm and collected.

Her tone was confident, with a hint of authority. It seemed that even if her family was now in decline, it must have happened only in the past two years.

The little girl looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, but she spoke so calmly and collectedly. She must have seen the world.

The shopkeeper completely retracted his condescending attitude and put on a friendly smile.

He gritted his teeth and said to Yun Nian’an, “Five thousand taels of silver, what do you think?”

Yun Nian’an was overjoyed. Normal laborers earned 30 to 50 wen a day, and 1000 wen was equal to one tael of silver.

A normal farming family, with five or six people, could live frugally for a year on just two taels of silver.

The shopkeeper offered five thousand taels of silver, enough for their whole family to live on for a lifetime.

Yun Lao San, who was standing beside her, heard the shopkeeper say that a glass cup could sell for five thousand taels, and his eyes widened in shock.

But he quickly regained his composure. He couldn’t hold his daughter back.

He saw his daughter frowning, and he thought that she must be dissatisfied with the price. He thought that his daughter would try to haggle.

Yun Nian’an coughed lightly and looked at the shopkeeper, “Shopkeeper, your price is not good.

If you’re not sincere, I’ll go to another shop. I’m sure there are more than just your pawn shop in the city.

Although everyone is fleeing famine now, this kind of top-grade treasure can be sold for a sky-high price.

If you give it to those important people, the benefits you get won’t be comparable to this price.”

She looked at the shopkeeper steadily.

The shopkeeper’s face turned red and white as he was looked at by the little girl. Five thousand taels of silver was all the cash he had in his entire pawn shop, and yet the little girl wasn’t satisfied.

He sighed and said to Yun Nian’an, “Miss, five thousand taels of silver is all the cash I have in my shop.

I can try to raise another thousand taels. If you think six thousand taels is still not enough, you can go to another shop.

I really want your item, but this is a small town. I don’t think anyone can offer a higher price than me.”

Yun Nian’an heard the shopkeeper say this and thought that he couldn’t offer more.

She sighed, “Alright, alright, shopkeeper, give me the money. We’ll pay in person, and I’ll give you the treasure.”

The shopkeeper nodded quickly and called his son, who was packing things in the backyard, to bring over the thousand taels of silver from the house.

After waiting for a cup of tea, the shopkeeper brought over a bag and counted out all the silver notes. It was exactly six thousand taels of silver notes. He then handed the silver notes to Yun Nian’an.

Yun Nian’an saw that they were silver notes and frowned. She looked at her father and said, “Father, are silver notes used throughout the Great Dynasty?”

Yun Lao San heard his daughter say this and looked at the seal. He nodded, “Daughter, they are used throughout the Great Dynasty. Even if we go to the capital, we can exchange the silver notes for silver at a money house.”

Yun Lao San had worked before and knew what silver notes looked like. He also knew what the common silver notes looked like.

Yun Nian’an heard her father say this and nodded in relief.

She handed the glass cup to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper held the glass cup in his hand, reluctant to let go.

Yun Nian’an took the silver notes and pulled Yun Lao San away quickly. When the shopkeeper finally looked up from admiring the treasure, the little girl and the man were gone.

But it didn’t matter. Such a good treasure, if sold in the capital, would fetch more than ten thousand taels, he was sure.

But the shopkeeper had a better use for it in mind.

Yun Lao San was pulled out of the pawn shop by his daughter. He felt lightheaded. His daughter had sold a glass cup for six thousand taels of silver!

He had never heard of such a sum. Even the wealthy families, he was sure, would be considered very well-off if they had one or two thousand taels.

After all, in his town, a house could be bought for only a few dozen taels of silver.

If you bought a maid or a servant from a human trafficker, it would only cost three or four taels of silver.

His daughter had just gotten six thousand taels! My goodness.

Yun Lao San trembled.

Yun Nian’an saw her father’s expression and covered her mouth and chuckled, “Father, what are you trembling for? The silver notes aren’t on you, so why are you trembling?”

Yun Lao San waved his hand when he heard his daughter say this, “Daughter, you don’t understand.

Your father has never heard of so much money, let alone getting six thousand taels at once.

We’ve struck it rich!”

Yun Nian’an nodded repeatedly when she heard Yun Lao San say this, “Of course! You’ll eat and drink the best with your daughter. There will be more silver coming in the future.”

Yun Nian’an finished speaking, and Yun Lao San nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes, yes, our dear one is a lucky star, hehehe.”

He chuckled and let his daughter pull him forward.

Yun Nian’an had only walked a few steps when she saw a bun shop. She said to Yun Lao San, “Father, I want to eat buns.”

Yun Lao San waved his hand, “Buy! Buy as many as you want.”

Yun Lao San thought that his older brother would definitely buy buns, but even if he did, he would probably only buy one for each of the boys in the family.

He would give his dear one two, and the others wouldn’t get any buns.

Since his dear one had gotten so much money, it was all hers.

It should be fine to buy some buns for the family to eat.

Yun Lao San looked at Yun Nian’an and said, “Dear one, father and mother will keep this money for you. Save it for your dowry.”

Yun Lao San thought clearly. The treasure was given to his daughter by her master, so it was her treasure.

The silver she got in exchange was hers.

When his daughter got married, he would turn it all into a dowry, and her husband wouldn’t look down on her.

He felt happy thinking about it. Before, his little daughter was silly and he had never thought about getting her married.

He thought it would be fine if she stayed at home her whole life. He was willing to support her for the rest of her life.

When he and his wife got old, Nian’an’s brother would support these little ones, and she would live a peaceful and happy life.

Who knew that his little daughter would fall for Wang’s rascal. The family saved their little treats for her to nourish her body.

But Wang’s rascal tricked her out of them. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.