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Su Zhi felt delighted when she noticed the well-dressed and imposing middle-aged man approaching to inspect the ginseng. The more interest the ginseng garnered, the higher the potential price. Understanding that the ginseng wouldn’t fetch its true value in this small town, she aimed for the best possible price. Even with the spiritual spring at hand, relying solely on ginseng sales wasn’t sustainable. Getting a good deal now would be ideal!
“You both have a good eye. This ginseng may not be a thousand years old, but it’s close. It can be considered the king of ginseng. If the shopkeeper is interested, feel free to make an offer!” Su Zhi suggested, refraining from disclosing the encounter with the White Wolf. While mentioning it could potentially raise the ginseng’s value, it might also bring unwanted complications. Money in hand was paramount, and she was content as long as the price reflected the ginseng’s inherent value. It’s essential to be content with what one has.
Manager Li showed great admiration for the ginseng, stroked his beard, and asked, “This ginseng is ancient, in excellent condition, and recently unearthed. It’s a treasure. I am willing to purchase it for three hundred Taels. What do you say?”
In Su Zhi’s mind, the price offered by Manager Li might seem significant to most rural folks, but she didn’t consider it much.
Three hundred taels was equivalent to around three to four hundred thousand RMB.
While this price might be considered high for a ginseng plant of around a hundred years old, for a thousand-year-old ginseng, especially one nurtured by her spiritual spring, it was quite low.
Su Zhi recalled from her past life that an auction for a thousand-year-old ginseng could reach millions. That was the auction price, which could go even higher if there were interested buyers. Selling in a small ancient county town wouldn’t fetch that much, but it shouldn’t be too low either.
“Manager, this thousand-year-old ginseng is rare, and your offer of three hundred taels is too low. I am certain that the profits you make from this ginseng will multiply several times,” Su Zhi remarked with a smile, making a gesture. “I won’t ask for more. How about eight hundred taels? Consider it a half-sale, half-gift. What do you think?”
Glancing at Su Zhi, Manager Li thought that this village woman didn’t appear to be greedily demanding an exorbitant price. She seemed to know that her offered price was a compromise. He had to admit that her price wasn’t the highest. Even if he bought it and sold it again, he could make a decent profit. Businesspeople often preferred to buy at lower prices, and he, initially hoping for a better deal, now respected Su Zhi for her approach.
“Young lady, your price is a bit high. How about five hundred taels?” Manager Li proposed.
“Manager Li, are you not sincere in your offer?” Su Zhi blinked, looking at the slender middle-aged man who remained silent. Addressing Manager Li, she continued, “Manager, I see that this gentleman also desires the ginseng. If you decline, I will sell it to him instead.”
Manager Li’s face contorted slightly, realizing how crafty this woman was!
“Alright, I’ll take the ginseng for eight hundred taels!” Manager Li conceded, deciding not to haggle further. If he declined now, the man beside him might just buy it himself, jeopardizing their arrangement. That wouldn’t do!
Su Zhi felt pleased. “Then, please bring the money, Manager. Let’s do a simultaneous exchange of payment and goods. Honestly, we are in need of money at home! Give us five one-hundred taels silver notes, one thousand taels in copper coins, nine pieces of silver, and the rest in ten-taels silver ingots.”
Both Manager Li and the slender middle-aged man observed Su Zhi, impressed by her quick and meticulous thinking.
Manager Li instructed someone to bring the money. The transaction unfolded with the exchange of money and goods. Su Zhi scrutinized the silver notes, unsure of their authenticity. However, she trusted Manager Li and believed the notes appeared genuine. Still, she passed them to Shen Zi’an for inspection since he was a man and would naturally handle the money.
“Manager Li, sir, you seem busy. We’ll take our leave,” Shen Zi’an bowed, preparing to depart.
“As you go, feel free to bring any good medicinal herbs to me here or to the Jiren Pharmacy in town, which I also own. If they are unsure, ask them to invite me,” Manager Li offered, thinking that this fortunate couple had stumbled upon a thousand-year-old ginseng. Perhaps they might find other valuable herbs in the future. It was best to establish a good relationship now.
Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi agreed and left.
Back at the pharmacy, Shen Zi’an wanted to get some medicine for Su Zhi. She couldn’t object, knowing he believed her condition improved due to the herbal remedies. Although she couldn’t tell him those remedies only had a slight effect, at most alleviating itching, and her recovery was actually due to the treasure she possessed. Thus, he purchased the medicine without any protest. Seeing his determination made her happy.
After leaving the pharmacy, they visited a bank in town to verify the authenticity of the silver notes. They decided not to wander around the county town, despite its size and variety of shops, as things were expensive, and they didn’t want to splurge. Hiring a carriage, they headed back to the town. Upon arrival at noon, the bustling market scene was vibrant and lively, creating a more engaging atmosphere than the county town.
Sitting in the carriage, Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an discussed what items they wanted to buy. Their list grew extensive, making it clear they couldn’t carry everything themselves. They would need another carriage to transport their purchases back home.
“Zi’an, let’s go buy a carriage and get a cow! We’ll need it for transporting things when we return this time and start building our house. It’s better to have our own carriage for moving things rather than relying on others and owing favors. Now that we have money, we can afford to keep a cow. I also want to keep horses in the future. A horse-drawn carriage will be much faster. We can even make a carriage with a shed, so we won’t feel cold in the winter,” Su Zhi suggested, her face lighting up with a smile. In reality, she longed to ride horses again. Before falling ill in her previous life, she frequented the equestrian club and cherished the exhilarating feeling of riding freely. Unfortunately, after falling ill, she had to give up riding.
“Great, let’s go buy a cow and a carriage,” Shen Zi’an agreed wholeheartedly, simply seeing Su Zhi’s joyful expression was enough to convince him. As long as she was happy, he wouldn’t hesitate to spend all the money they had earned. He thought about working harder in the future, ensuring that his wife could enjoy a grand carriage, live in a big house, and have someone to attend to her, freeing her from labor.
It was market day, with more livestock vendors than usual. After discussing, the couple decided to purchase a cow, making spring farming easier next year.
Shen Zi’an seemed adept at everything and effortlessly selected a robust, newly grown cow. He also bought a new ox cart from the cattle traders, which was originally intended for those purchasing both cattle and a cart. Everything was new, right down to the whip for driving the cart.
Sitting in the cart, Su Zhi watched Shen Zi’an drive the ox cart, feeling content. This kind of life was what she considered true living.
***Eight hundred wen, took me a while to settle on this number. Please don’t judge me. Thanks for the support😊