Chapter 7, Silver Prices

Is it difficult...? Is it that soybeans are particularly precious in this world? No wonder this guy can eat three bowls in one go

I stared blankly at his flat belly for a long time, touched my little purse, and announced that I was ready to settle the bill

I watched the small figure disappearing over the wall amidst the sound of barking dogs, and my heart was filled with a few more wicked schemes

"Useless fellow." The stone, in high spirits, complained a bit but still stopped and pulled me to find a place to rest

"With your kind of insight..." The stone looked at me with distrust a couple of times, then ran away

To soothe his gloomy mood, I invited him to the nearby tofu pudding stall and waved my hand generously, saying, "Eat whatever you like! It's on me!"

I finally sensed something was amiss, and quietly pulled over a stone: "Why don't they use copper coins for tips?"

I continued to shake my head: "No, no! Girls love beauty the most."

The stone said unhappily: "Are you not here today to bring food in order to please your future husband?"

Uncle Ironhead struck him on the head and said: "She can't walk, can't you find a place for her to rest? Drink some sweet water, eat a rice ball! Look at the peach blossoms, anything is fine! Just jumping around like that is not appropriate?"

"Don't get lost." Shitou held my hand tightly, refusing to let go, and then wriggled around like a loach nearby. He first watched a performance of smashing stones on the chest and a monkey show, then observed the making of dough figurines and sugar paintings. He stood outside a roast duck shop, inhaling the aroma for a long time, and occasionally returned to check in with his father. Before long, I could no longer move.

I feel like I'm going crazy, I immediately shook off his hand, rushed out of the teahouse, and dashed into the market, asking about the prices of everything that happened.

I returned to my room and tucked the silver and that large banknote into my small pouch, hiding it close to me. Joyfully, I boarded Uncle Ironhead's cart, sitting together with Shitou among the pile of ironware. With the crisp sound of the horse bells, we bumped along the post road, slowly heading west.

Are you full? I am a bit worried

... ...

More importantly, his name and background have no connection whatsoever with the male protagonist of the light novel! He is simply the epitome of an economically suitable man from ancient times! If he is nurtured well for a few years, in the future, he could marry and become a housebound farmer's wife, embroidering flowers, weaving cloth, taking care of children, and with a bit of modern knowledge, earning some extra money, raising a few pigs, and acquiring a few acres of land. Wouldn't that be delightful!

The more he spoke, the more frustrated he became, unsure whether he found me ugly or deemed me insufficiently virtuous

Silver replaced copper coins as the circulating currency, while gold took the place of silver. Various gold and silver notes circulated widely, and the market was equally prosperous

"Two taels?" I screamed, half a tael of silver for a bowl of tofu pudding is almost equivalent to two hundred yuan, she might as well go rob a bank!

Stone rubbed his head in rebuttal: "I don't like watching flowers! That's something only women enjoy! I'd rather watch monkeys!"

The ways of filial piety in ancient and modern times differ; disobedience is a serious crime. In ordinary families, both major and minor matters are decided by the parents-in-law, and there are many rules to follow. Daughters-in-law must endure beatings and scoldings. Shitou, having lost his mother at a young age and being an only child, does not have to endure the anger of his mother-in-law or the disdain of his sisters-in-law after marrying. Although his father has a fierce appearance, he has never laid a finger on his mother. He is usually a taciturn person, drinking a little during the farming off-season, and when drunk, he simply sleeps. There have been no reports of any misconduct, making him a rare good husband in ancient times. Shitou has been somewhat influenced by his father's upbringing; even when I anger him greatly, he only utters a few harsh words and never resorts to violence. His father, despite his fierce appearance, has never struck his mother. He is generally a quiet person, drinks a little during the farming off-season, and when drunk, he just sleeps. There have been no reports of any misconduct, making him a rare good husband in ancient times. Shitou has been somewhat influenced by his father's upbringing; even when I anger him greatly, he only utters a few harsh words and never resorts to violence.

I shook my head like a rattle drum

Every antique on this shelf is worth over ten thousand taels of silver! Get out of here, little girl! If you break anything, you won't be able to afford the compensation!

After walking along the post road for more than an hour, the number of travelers increased. Those carrying burdens, those with baskets on their backs, those leading children, and those shouldering cloth bags... all headed in the same direction. After the city guards searched the carts, we entered the gates of Jinshui Town. The buildings inside were mostly made of wood and stone, interspersed with two-story small houses painted in red and adorned with colors. The alleys concealed several large courtyards with multiple entrances and exits, and everywhere there were willows dripping with green and peach blossoms in full bloom. After the city guards searched the carts, we entered the gates of Jinshui Town. The buildings inside were mostly made of wood and stone, interspersed with two-story small houses painted in red and adorned with colors. The alleys concealed several large courtyards with multiple entrances and exits, and everywhere there were willows dripping with green and peach blossoms in full bloom.

Street performers, vendors of dog-skin plaster, fortune tellers, painters, and various snack stalls are neatly arranged on both sides of the road, mixed with the deafening sounds of gongs and drums, and the incessant clamor of excitement fills the air, making it difficult for me to take it all in. When I encounter something unfamiliar, I pull at Shitou and humbly ask for clarification.

I went to the teahouse to listen to storytelling in a gloomy mood. Shi Tou was puzzled as to why my spirits had suddenly declined. A beggar approached, singing "Lotus Flower Falls," with a limp, holding a broken bowl and a bamboo pole, asking for alms from everyone. Noticing that his words were beautifully composed and feeling pity for him, a middle-aged man dressed like a merchant casually took out a piece of silver and tossed it into the bowl. Several young travelers also generously opened their wallets, and various coins fell into the bowl, among which was a ten-tael silver note.

I finally remembered that in the original novel, the male protagonist spends hundreds or thousands of taels of silver when buying things

The young man selling cosmetics set down his burden in front of the silver shop and went inside to exchange a large bag of small silver coins for silver notes

I nodded vigorously like a garlic pounder

Candied hawthorn, two sticks for one tael of silver! Little sister, would you like one?

The stone was so angry that his wheat-colored skin turned red. Suddenly, he remembered something and suspiciously asked, "You wouldn't be foolish enough to deliberately let the wound not heal, forcing me to marry you, would you?!"

Everything seems very unreasonable, yet everything also seems very reasonable

You don't know? Stone was a bit surprised

"Hey, kid, you really can eat; no wonder you’ve grown so strong!" The woman selling tofu pudding waddled over with her plump backside, collected the four bowls from our table, and her face blossomed with a smile, "That will be a total of 2 taels of silver."

A clay doll costs six coins of silver to make

Girls are all trouble! They complain of exhaustion after just a few steps; what will they do when they can no longer walk? Hmm... the filling of the dumplings tastes quite good, though the skin is a bit thick. That little brat's skills are not bad at all. " Shi and Tu, while eating the buns I brought, looked down on my stamina.

What happened? The old lady was very confused

daughter-in-law

The food in ancient times was green and completely natural, the taste of the tofu pudding was rich and fragrant, and the portion was generous. Unfortunately, the children's stomachs were not big enough, and coupled with the candied hawthorn they had just eaten, after finishing one bowl, I patted my round belly, calling out that I was full... Meanwhile, Shitou had already quietly eaten three bowls...

What happened? Stone was also very confused, but he quickly came to his senses, looking at me warily, and asked in a low voice, "You didn't forget to bring money, did you? You aren't trying to make me pay for your meal, are you?"

I have long studied the pricing errors in historical television dramas and novels on forums, mocking the female protagonists in low-quality literature who casually pull out thousands of taels of silver to throw at others. Today, however, I was harshly played by reality. My proud historical knowledge and logical reasoning instantly collapsed

Stone put down the bowl, looked at the sky, and with satisfaction licked his lips, saying: "Forget it, I'll leave half a stomach for lunch later"

He is serious, I have been too unkind

It seemed that the expression of suppressing laughter was too obvious, and Shi Tou finally became angry. He stood up, climbed out of the window, and while walking away, he said: "Do you really think I care about you? Don't be so shameless! I only came today to return a favor!"

I always thought it was just a joke

The stone looked at me strangely and asked, "What is a copper coin?"

Moreover, in rural households, it is rare to take a concubine. My second aunt, who married into another region, was unable to bear a son, and she merely brought back a child from the family to raise...

The fragrant roast chicken, weighing fifteen taels!

At this moment, the cheerful woman from the market was leading her child, carrying about ten pounds of silver, and discussing with her husband about purchasing a few feet of floral fabric and several pounds of sesame oil

"Silly girl, why don't you understand anything?" Shitou cheerfully took on the role of my teacher and explained everything in detail.

The stone had no choice but to explain: "That day when I returned home, my father called me over and gave me a lecture, saying that the men of the Li family must be responsible, and that a girl who is disfigured will not be able to marry into a good family. He promised Grandma Li that in a few months he would come back to see your face, and if it does not improve, he would pay the betrothal gifts and wait until I grow up to marry you. My father also said that a woman's ability to manage a household does not depend on her looks, but on her virtue... I thought you had truly become virtuous, bringing me food to eat... My father also said that a woman's ability to manage a household does not depend on her looks, but on her virtue... I thought you had truly become virtuous, bringing me food to eat..."

Hey, you are quite diligent, aren't you? You went to the kitchen early in the morning. I heard you have been practicing needlework lately? Don't overexert yourself, be careful not to strain your eyes. Uncle Tie's smile pulls at the scar on his face, making him look fiercer than when he is not smiling, yet his tone is one of satisfaction. He called out to Shitou and invited me, "Luo girl, I heard there will be a performance at the market in Jinshui Town today. I plan to take Shitou to see it. Would you like to join Uncle in his carriage to have some fun?"

Osmanthus sugar is eight taels of silver per pound

Great! The idea of the stone is truly excellent

Li Shitou's family has been blacksmiths for generations, and their craftsmanship is quite good. The kitchen knives and farming tools made by his father are popular items at the market. The family also owns several acres of land, a cow, and two horses. While not wealthy, they can be considered moderately well-off. Shitou is set to inherit his father's skills and learn the ancestral craft of blacksmithing. He is strong and healthy, and in the future, whether faced with famine or turmoil, he will certainly not go hungry as long as he possesses a skill.

The stone reached a satisfactory compromise

Uncle Tiehead bought two skewers of candied hawthorn and instructed us to obediently wait within a twenty-foot radius while he sold his goods, forbidding us from wandering far. He then found a stall in the corner, hung up the banner of Li's Ironware, and displayed his items one by one, immediately attracting familiar customers who came over to select two pieces.

Please step aside and do not block the way

Stone furrowed his brow and calculated for a while, saying: "Isn't it too dark? Last year, a bowl of tofu pudding was 4 coins, and this year I heard that several counties in the east had poor harvests, so it is normal for the price of grain to rise a bit, increasing to 5 coins a bowl."

Uncle Tie Tou was tying up his legs at the door, and outside, the cart was piled high with the ironware he had made. I immediately changed my mind and offered the buns as a tribute to Stone's father, sweetly calling out to him twice to win the favor of my future father-in-law

However, the confessions of a third-grade elementary school student are truly adorable... making the quirky older sister with a twenty-one-year-old soul want to laugh even more

Uncle Ironhead, infuriated, gave him another punch and kicked him, exclaiming: "How did I raise such a foolish monkey like you?!"

I am trying to ease the situation: "Monkeys are quite good-looking too"

Thinking of Li Shitou and holding the silver notes of Nangong Ming, I tossed and turned all night without sleeping. The next day, I tidied myself up and ran to Shitou's house with the dumplings I had made by hand, putting on a smile that was full of virtue, preparing to improve our relationship

"Wait a moment," I gestured to the old lady, then dragged the stone to the corner and whispered, "This place is a black shop, isn't it? They must have deliberately inflated the prices because they saw us as children. You should sneak away later and call your father to give her a lesson!"

I looked at the little boy's awkwardness and burst into laughter. After laughing for quite a while, I suddenly realized that the things he was worried about... were actually quite plausible

The stone was stunned, finally quieted down, and did not dare to retort to its father

I cast a resentful glance at the stone, then at the increasingly impatient woman. Although I was very reluctant, I knew that a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake, so I obediently settled the bill.

Since I came to this world, I have never left Li Family Village even a step. It is a rare opportunity to go outside to investigate prices and local customs, how could I miss it? So I went back to inform my grandmother about this matter. She was very willing for me and Shitou to communicate more and agreed to it, even asking me to wear the new floral dress made for the New Year, generously giving me two taels of silver to buy things.

The three large characters struck down like a thunderclap, leaving me stunned as if turned to charcoal. The chicken bone in my hand, along with the large bowl, fell to the ground. Fortunately, Shitou was quick-witted and swift, preventing any mess on the bedding

Looking at that awkward fellow, I finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, waving my hand and saying: "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare"