The Sweet Litte Fulang (SLF)

Chapter 14 - Visit to the Doctor

Rich people don't mind spending 12 taels to eat fresh game; for them, it's about the rarity and the delicious, tender, and nourishing quality of venison. The price is really not high—in fact, if it were in the provincial capital, it would likely go for at least 10 taels.

On the way here, Shen Xuanqing had thought about his bottom line: as long as the price wasn't pushed below five taels, he'd be satisfied. With five taels, he could pay off at least half of their debt.

As for the middle-aged man who bought the deer, he was greedy, but he didn't dare push it too far. Skimming two taels from a sale price of ten might be manageable, but he wouldn't dare claim eight taels were actually sixteen—that would risk getting him dismissed as a steward.

At the rice shop, Shen Xuanqing returned the scale borrowed from the shopkeeper to weigh loose silver. The rice shop was not far from where he and Lu Gu had set up their stall, so Lu Gu was waiting there alone while Shen Xuanqing went inside.

He thanked the shopkeeper and was about to leave when the shopkeeper stopped him to ask about the rabbits. Since he had borrowed the shopkeeper's help, Shen Xuanqing offered a fair price, even a bit lower than usual. Today, he'd made a good profit, so earning a little less on the rabbits didn't matter much.

Ever since Shen Xuanqing had gone into the rice shop, Lu Gu had been glancing over there anxiously. Now, seeing him come out, he felt relieved.

"The shopkeeper wants to take a look at the rabbits. Let's finish up here and head back soon," Shen Xuanqing said as he came over, gathering up the bamboo basket and the goods on the ground.

Lu Gu nodded obediently and followed him into the rice shop.

In the end, they sold the two small rabbits for fifty copper coins. On an ordinary day, they could have fetched seventy or eighty coins, since wild-caught game isn't as common as chickens and ducks. Still, even at this price, selling the pair brought them a total of one hundred copper coins.

The rice shop owner, pleased with the bargain, smiled even more warmly. He mentioned that if they ever had more game to sell, even if he didn't buy it himself, he could introduce them to other shopkeepers who might be interested. And, if they needed rice, he would consider offering them a discount.

Shen Xuanqing knew how to make small talk and keep up appearances; both he and the shopkeeper saw each other as potential future business partners, and building a good relationship didn't hurt.

With a full eight taels of silver tucked away, Shen Xuanqing felt a wave of relief wash over him. Only now did he truly feel at ease, and a sense of joy bubbled up inside him. This was the first time in his life he'd made so much money at once—even his family had never seen such a large sum all at once.

When he'd first picked up the young deer in the mountains, he knew he'd been blessed with good luck this time, but he hadn't yet received the money back then.

Because of an experience he'd had when he was around eleven or twelve, Shen Xuanqing had learned not to celebrate too early. He kept tight-lipped and even kept his mood in check until the money was safely in his hands.

For most people, finding something valuable and selling it would bring great excitement. Even if they knew the importance of keeping quiet about money, they would still feel elated privately. Shen Xuanqing had once been the same.

Back then, he was young, not as strong as he is now, and had been learning hunting skills from an old hunter for a year and a half. One day, he wandered the mountain alone without a dog and managed to shoot his first rabbit with a bow and arrow.

At that age, hitting a target with a bow for the first time was exhilarating. He ran to show his master, the old hunter, who was a warm and kind man with red cheeks. The old hunter praised him for his skill.