After loading the cabbages, Chen Xiaobei, driving the horse-drawn carriage with Chen Xiaowen, set off leisurely for the county town.
Chen Xiaowen seemed quite excited, constantly asking Chen Xiaobei about his trip to Wannian City along the way. It was understandable; the boy had never traveled so far, and perhaps the capital was a place everyone yearned for.
Thinking this, Chen Xiaobei said to him, "Next time I go to the capital, I'll take you."
As they spoke, they arrived at the county town and headed straight for the vegetable market.
The vegetable market was increasingly deserted. It was early winter, and in this era, there were hardly any vegetables to sell.
In the vast market, only Old Sun, who sold winter melons, was guarding the entrance. His cart was loaded with dozens of winter melons, and he was leaning against the wall, basking in the sun. Su Dan's Novel Network.
Seeing Chen Xiaobei arrive, Old Sun greeted him enthusiastically.
"Mayor Chen, what brings you to sell vegetables?"
Chen Xiaobei grinned and stepped forward, taking a handful of peanuts from his pocket and offering them to Old Sun. "Uncle Sun, I've grown some cabbage and radishes at home, and I need to exchange them for some cash."
Hearing this, Old Sun squinted and smiled, pointing at Chen Xiaowen who was busy nearby. "Your cabbage is ready early! Everyone else's cabbage won't be on the market for another half a month?"
"Last year, a cabbage sold for one coin. If you sell it now, you can get at least two coins."
At this price, it was good. Two coins for one cabbage meant two hundred coins for a hundred cabbages.
Taking today's trip as an example, three or four village guards worked for him for about half an hour. He'd pay them a few copper coins each, and Chen Xiaowen could get ten or twenty.
By this calculation, the bulk of the profit was still his.
Thinking this, he smiled and said, "Never mind two coins, even one coin is worth it. These things are easy to grow. This year, after I planted them, I only watered them a few times."
Perhaps finding common ground, Old Sun also smiled and said, "Indeed, like my winter melons. We had good weather. After sowing the seeds, all I had to do was wait for the harvest."
As they spoke, someone soon came to buy cabbage. The first was Cao Yuanxiang, the steward of Zhao Yi's estate.
Fortunately, Chen Xiaobei and Old Sun were leaning against the wall chatting, so Cao Yuanxiang didn't notice. He only saw Chen Xiaowen selling cabbage and walked up, asking in a deep voice, "How much are these cabbages?"
Chen Xiaowen hesitated, then looked at Chen Xiaobei in the distance.
Chen Xiaobei heard him and quickly gestured a 'two' with his hand. Chen Xiaobei meant two coins per cabbage. However, Chen Xiaowen clearly misunderstood, extending two fingers and saying, "Two coins per pound!"
Hearing the price, Cao Yuanxiang was startled. "Why are the cabbages so expensive this year?"
But then he thought that there were no other vegetables in the market.
Cao Yuanxiang sighed and said, "Fine, fine. Deliver this whole cart of cabbage to the Zhao residence."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaowen was very excited and drove off with Cao Yuanxiang.
Seeing them go, Chen Xiaobei and Old Sun exchanged a look.
Old Sun said with approval, "Your young assistant is not simple. In the blink of an eye, the price has increased severalfold."
Actually, Chen Xiaobei was also a bit surprised, but then he thought it was understandable. Old Sun had been selling winter melons here every day, and Cao steward had probably bought a lot from him. Now that someone was selling cabbage, it was a change of pace. After all, it would be another half a month before other cabbages were on the market. He was benefiting from the higher temperature in the Dachun area.
Before long, Chen Xiaowen returned, looking very excited upon seeing Chen Xiaobei. "Brother Xiaobei, they're all sold out! Look..."
Chen Xiaobei waved goodbye to Old Sun and climbed onto the carriage. "Since they're sold out, let's go back."
A short distance after the carriage had driven off, Chen Xiaowen took out a silver ingot.
"The cart of cabbage sold for over two taels of silver. Steward Cao gave me ten taels at once, saying to send him a few more cartloads."
Chen Xiaobei nodded. Meeting such a generous buyer, there was no reason to be polite. "Alright, we'll deliver more tomorrow. By the way, you did a great job today. I'll give you half of these ten taels when we get back."
Chen Xiaowen looked at Chen Xiaobei in disbelief. Chen Xiaobei chuckled, "Just now, Uncle Sun told me that cabbages were only two coins each in previous years. I intended to gesture that to you, but I didn't expect you to misunderstand."
Hearing this, Chen Xiaowen touched his head in surprise. "Well, well, if you say so, then Steward Cao spent his money unfairly."
Chen Xiaobei then remembered the injustice Feng Xiaoyue had suffered at Zhao Yi's house and smiled faintly, "Zhao Yi's family's money isn't clean anyway, so it doesn't matter if we earn more from him."
As they talked and walked, they were about to reach the butcher shop ahead. Chen Xiaobei stopped the carriage and went in to cut three portions of pork, each about two pounds.
Chen Xiaobei placed one portion in front of Chen Xiaowen. "This one is for you. I need to give another portion to Brother Dachun when we get back, and I'll keep one for myself."
Seeing Chen Xiaowen's apparent confusion, Chen Xiaobei smiled faintly. "You'll find out about this sooner or later. I might as well tell you now: Brother Dachun is going to propose to Sister-in-law Qiumei, and he can't go empty-handed."
Speaking of this, Chen Xiaobei suddenly slapped his head and looked at Chen Xiaowen. "By the way, how are things between you and Mudan?"
Hearing this, Chen Xiaowen's expression turned a little gloomy. "Alas, don't mention it. I've been to Mudan's house, but her father said there are plenty of handsome young men from the surrounding villages proposing to her, and he simply doesn't fancy me."
Chen Xiaobei nodded. This was within his expectations.
Who wouldn't want to choose a handsome son-in-law for their beautiful daughter?
"Alas, so it seems you and Mudan won't work out. By the way, have you asked Mudan what she thinks?"
"Alas, Mudan didn't say much. We are distant relatives, after all, and we played together a few times when we were kids. I talked to Mudan about this, but she can't make the decision; she has to listen to her father."
"Oh, so you and Mudan are childhood sweethearts." Chen Xiaobei said this somewhat teasingly, but Chen Xiaowen took it seriously.
"I wouldn't say childhood sweethearts, but we do know each other to some extent. If Mudan were to marry into my family, my parents would surely cherish her like their own eyes and wouldn't let her suffer any injustice."
Chen Xiaobei had to admit this point.
However, it was clear that Chen Xiaowen's current circumstances were not good enough for Mudan's father, Cui Dahe, to consider.