Pulling weeds, gathering firewood, and fertilizing—the days passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the fifteenth.
Once again, the Qiao family rose before dawn to prepare. Qiao Ruifeng had to go to the docks today to look for work, while Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu would sell drinks at the East Market near the docks.
The East Market was crowded, and to secure a good spot, they have to arrive before daybreak. Xiahe Village wasn’t particularly close to town. It takes half a shichen[mfn]时辰 – an ancient Chinese unit of time, equivalent to two hours, so half a sichen is one hour[/mfn] to walk there, so every market day required them to rise earlier than usual.
Five barrels of drinks were on the cart, but they were not totally filled to avoid spillage from jostling, which would be wasteful and would leave the area wet and messy.
Qiao Ruifeng pulled the cart from the front. On it were two bamboo baskets: one filled with sponge gourds and hairy gourds picked from their backyard, the other with bamboo tubes Qiao Ruifeng had made the day before. Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu steadied the barrels to prevent them from tipping over.
The spring morning was slightly chilly, and the three wore thin cotton clothes as they made their way to town under the dim light of dawn.
Once they left Xiahe Village and reached the main road, they encountered others heading to the market. Some are carrying homegrown vegetables and fruits, while others are leading some livestock. There are also ox-cart drivers offering rides for three to five wen, depending on the distance.
With several buckets of drinks in tow, they couldn’t move too quickly. By the time the Qiao family arrived at the East Market, the sky was already brightening. They parked their cart at their usual spot, paid three wen to the yayi,[mfn]衙役 – yamen runners or low-ranking officers[/mfn] and were allowed to set up there until sunset.
Qiao Ruifeng hurried off to the docks to look for work. The fifteenth was a busy day as merchant ships crowded the docks, and wages were higher than usual. Many laborers gathered early to wait for employers, and arriving late meant missing out. So once the cart was settled, he left immediately.
The front of the cart has supports to keep it steady on the ground. The basket of vegetables was placed on the ground for customers to pick through. Qiao Suiman set up a wooden sign with the words “Fragrant Drinks”[mfn]香飲子 xiāng yǐnzi – 香 (xiāng) means “fragrant” or “aromatic”; 饮子 (yǐnzi) refers to a traditional Chinese medicinal or herbal drink[/mfn] written on it. It is a favor from the village head, who learned to read from a school teacher in a neighboring village.
Mornings at the market were mostly frequented by wives and fulang buying groceries, but they still needed to advertise their drinks, so the sign went up early. Shortly after Qiao Suiman finished setting up, two fulang approached to inquire about prices.
“Little ge’r, how much for the sponge gourd?”
“Three wen per jin,[mfn]斤 – a traditional Chinese unit of weight, approximately 500 grams[/mfn] five wen for two jin. It’s a bargain. How much would you like, A-mo[mfn]阿麽 – A respectful term for an elder woman, similar to “auntie” or “granny.” I will retain it in pinyin when addressing a fulang.[/mfn]?” Qin Yu replied.
“That’s expensive. Lower it for two wen per jin.”
“I can’t do that. Others sell for at least three wen per jin. I’m already giving you a discount for two jin. Any lower, and I’d be working for nothing.”
They already checked the market prices for sponge gourds and hairy gourds. Sponge gourds are usually sold for two to four wen per jin, but the ones priced at two wen were old and wilted. Theirs has just been picked yesterday, so they couldn’t sell at that price.
Hairy gourds were pricier, starting at four wen per jin. Theirs are large and tender, so five or six wen wouldn’t be unreasonable. The two fulang knew this too, but were just haggling out of habit.
Both fulang were older and clearly experienced in bargaining. For customers like them, they directly offer the lowest price to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. Even if they don’t buy now, they’d return after realizing this was the best deal.
Seeing Qin Yu wouldn’t budge, the two fulang didn’t press further. They knew five wen for two jin is already a good deal, so each took four stalks, weighing exactly two jin per person.
Ten wen in hand, Qin Yu tucked them into the money pouch and tightened the drawstring.
As the sun rose higher, warming away the morning chill, more people streamed into the market. The vegetables sold quickly, and Qiao Suiman handled the haggling housewives and fulang.
Unlike Qin Yu’s straightforward manner, Qiao Suiman’s delicate, youthful features made him seem more approachable. A woman in her thirties, seeing no hope in bargaining with Qin Yu, turned to Qiao Suiman instead. “Little ge’r, give me a discount. Four wen for three hairy gourds, and I’ll take them.”
But she didn’t realize she was dealing with a little fox. Qiao Suiman pursed his lips and replied sweetly, “Madam[mfn]夫人 (fūrén) – a polite term for a married woman[/mfn], I can’t do that. Look how plump and fresh our gourds are. We just picked it up yesterday! These gourds, like a beauty such as yourself, need careful nurturing to thrive.”
Seeing the woman’s expression soften, he continued, “We tended to them with great care. Four wen per jin barely covers our effort.”
He then bit his lip, putting on a conflicted expression that drew laughter from nearby shoppers.
“This little ge’r is quite the charmer! Haha! Sister, you’d be wrong not to buy now!”
The woman laughed heartily. “Of course I’ll buy! Just for that compliment, I have to.” She picked three large gourds from the basket and handed them to Qiao Suiman. “These three.”
These had been overlooked because of their size. Qiao Suiman smiled. “Thank you, madam. Let me weigh them for you.”
Five jin in total, he accepted twenty-five wen and slipped them into Qin Yu’s money pouch.
The woman was literate and noticed the sign. She asked curiously, “Are these barrels filled with drinks? What kind?”
“Perilla drink, freshly made this morning.”
“How much?”
“Two wen per scoop. If you don’t have a bamboo tube, add one wen to buy one—three wen total.”
“That cheap?” The woman was surprised. Her family was fairly well-off, and she occasionally bought drinks, which usually cost at least eight wen.
A fulang familiar with Qiao Suiman’s stall explained, “His isn’t as sweet as others’, so it’s cheaper.” This fulang was also from the village and couldn’t justify spending eight wen on a drink, but two wen is manageable which is something to boast about later.
“Though it’s cheap, it’s still carefully made. Would you like to try, madam? Two wen won’t buy you a loss, but it will get you a whole jug of drink.”
Qiao Suiman grinned playfully. Noticing the woman only carried a vegetable basket, he added, “Since you’ve already supported our business, I’ll throw in a bamboo tube for free—just two wen.”
Charmed by his words and the freebie, the woman agreed. “Alright, give me one tube.”
While busy pouring the drink, Qiao Suiman didn’t notice that, two zhang[mfn]丈 – ~3.3 m[/mfn] away, Lu Dongqing had been watching their stall. He glanced down, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Today, he looked like a little fox.
He had arrived early at Huichun Hall in the northern part of town and spoken to the clerk. As expected, the bamboo fungus sold for four mace and fifty-six wen, while the herbs he’d dried himself fetched one hundred forty wen. He had been wondering how to give Qiao Suiman his share, and now, the opportunity had presented itself.
Yesterday, when Qiao Ruifeng visited his home, the look he gave him was odd as if finding fault with his very existence. Lu Dongqing couldn’t understand why, and before he could ask, Qiao Ruifeng had already left.
Lu Dongqing carried a large cloth bag filled with small carvings he made in his spare time. He planned to set up a stall later, though he didn’t have many items.
After thinking for a moment, he took out two mace of silver and thirty wen, then walked toward Qiao Suiman’s stall.
A shadow fell over Qiao Suiman. He looked up and saw that it was Lu Dongqing. Before he could express his surprise, the man handed him a bamboo tube and said calmly, “I’d like a drink.”
Qin Yu, who had never met him before, was startled by his stern appearance and instinctively pulled Qiao Suiman closer.
But Qiao Suiman froze for a moment, then shook his head slightly at Qin Yu with a reassuring look. Smiling, he took the bamboo tube and said, “Oh, it’s you. Here for the market today?”
His attention was immediately captured by the bamboo tube in his hands. The lid was smooth and snug, the body polished to a glossy sheen, and carved with a design. He recognized that it was a wintergreen tree.
It was special and far prettier than the ones they made themselves. Even the ones sold in the town’s general stores for over ten wen weren’t this nice.
His eyes sparkled with admiration. “This cup is beautiful. Must’ve been expensive, right?”
The sudden praise made Lu Dongqing slightly flustered. Suppressing a smile, he coughed lightly. “I made it myself. Didn’t buy it.”
He had apprenticed in bamboo craftsmanship for years and had long mastered ordinary carving. Bamboo tubes were simple, but since space at home was limited and all three family members’ tubes were stored together, he carved different designs to avoid mix-ups. His mother, Miao Lianhua, had lotus flowers on hers, while his younger brother’s featured snow pines.
Ah, right. He trained in a craft. Qiao Suiman suddenly remembered. He hadn’t realized Lu Dongqing was this skilled. No wonder Aunt Qian spoke so highly of the Lu family. With this kind of craftsmanship, it was only a matter of time before they prospered.
“You’re amazing. It’s prettier than the ones others sell.”
As he spoke, his hands didn’t stop moving. A scoop of drink filled the bamboo tube perfectly and not a drop spilled. The lid was attached with hemp string to prevent loss. Qiao Suiman didn’t close it yet. “Drink a bit first before sealing it, or it might overflow.”
“Mm.” Lu Dongqing took it and drank several mouthfuls. This was a southern delicacy he’d never encountered before. The first sip surprised him—slightly tart, with the fragrance of perilla and a hint of sweetness. The combination was unique yet harmonious. He also heard the price earlier was just two wen. No wonder business is good.
After a pause, he said somewhat awkwardly, “Tastes good.”
Qiao Suiman raised an eyebrow. This man didn’t seem as composed as he appeared, as if he was always thinking about something. Right now, he reminded Qiao Suiman of Heijin trying to act aloof after being praised.
He snapped out of it, startled by his own comparison. How could a person resemble a dog? Smiling, he said, “Thank you. That’ll be two wen.”
Lu Dongqing knew the price. Without hesitation, he sealed the tube, took out his pouch, and handed over two mace of silver and thirty wen—the latter strung together with dried grass for easy counting.
While the stall was momentarily free of other customers, he explained, “The bamboo fungus sold for four mace and fifty-six wen. We each get two mace and twenty-eight wen. The extra two wen are for the drink.”
Another two mace!
Qiao Suiman’s eyes gleamed at the sight of the silver. He carefully accepted it. Since Lu Dongqing had openly stated the earnings, he likely wasn’t lying about the amount. He quickly counted the coins—thirty in total—and placed both the silver and coins into his pouch before saying, “Did you go early? You know the trade, unlike us amateurs, you’ve got the skills to sell for so much.”
“Not too early. Huichun Hall offers fair prices. This is what you deserve.” Seeing Qiao Suiman’s joy, Lu Dongqing found his own mood lifting inexplicably.
“Ahem.” Noticing another customer approaching, he figured it was time to leave. Normally, he’d just walk away, but today, he added, “I’ll head off now. Need to set up a stall further ahead.” He pointed to where he’d come from.
“Ah, oh, alright. Thanks again.”
Translator [LUNE]: Smiling like crazy during LDQ and QSM interaction. (/ω＼)
