Chapter 30: Finally There's a Surplus

Chen Wuji's business today was absurdly sluggish.

Not until noon did they manage to sell forty‑eight wen, which is eight jin of Snake Meat.

But Chen Wuji is no longer that nervous now.

Although the Snake Meat sold only modestly, the tax money added up enough.

The income from selling Snake Meat last night and today, plus three hundred wen from that yellow weasel, and the two hundred wen profit share San Shu gave this morning, after paying taxes left roughly eighty wen of surplus.

Though not much, Huo Sanniang's long‑yearned Millet should be exchangeable for about twenty jin.

But the other plans Chen Wuji had simply couldn't be carried out.

"Wuji, if it really doesn't work, just take it home for us to eat. I'll ask around to see if we can smoke the Snake Meat into cured meat; this one snake should be enough for our family for a few months," Huo Sanniang said, looking listless, her words lacking vigor.

The unsold Snake Meat dampened her enthusiasm.

Chen Wuji nodded; since no one wanted it, we can only take it home to eat ourselves.

Huo Sanniang, dejected, kicked a stone at her feet and muttered, "Snake Meat is clearly delicious; why do they think it's poisonous? They're all clueless buyers."

Chen Wuji chuckled; the prejudice in people's hearts is taller than a mountain.

He also thought crabs and axolotls were tasty, but to Huo Sanniang the former is a talisman against evil and the latter a terrifying mountain demon; without decapitating it, just a glance would frighten her.

"We'll wait a bit longer; if by noon it's still unsold, we'll go home and stop selling!" Huo Sanniang said, "If we can't sell it, I'll eat it to death; even without the extra length, two months' worth is definitely enough."

Chen Wuji nodded.

It's a beast over two hundred jin; if its body weren't so smooth, he might not have brought it down the mountain yesterday. Even eating Snake Meat every meal, two months' supply wouldn't be a problem.

While the two were speaking, two figures suddenly blocked the stall.

"What wild delicacy are you selling?"

"Python, just hunted yesterday, very fresh," Huo Sanniang instantly perked up and introduced.

A stout‑built middle‑aged man reached for a piece; while unwrapping a banana leaf, he let out a light hiss, "Were you the ones who sold deer meat a couple of days ago?"

Chen Wuji stared, "Hey, isn't that the guy who took away his carrying pole?"

The fellow had changed clothes and shaved his beard; Chen almost didn't recognize him.

"So it's you, honored guest, my eyes were blind, I didn't recognize you, it's indeed us," Huo Sanniang also recognized the newcomer and apologetically said.

"Did you hunt it?" the middle‑aged man asked, looking at Chen Wuji.

"I did," Chen Wuji said, "Want a taste?"

"Taste what? I eat Snake Meat often, but it's not the season now; Snake soup is best in winter," the middle‑aged man smiled faintly, "Still, you kid have skill; catching a giant python on the verge of Dragon Transformation is truly rare."

"You, carry it away!"

The young servant beside them froze, his face mournful, "Hao Guanjia, there are two baskets; I can't carry them alone. Could you take the burden…"

"I won't be burdened; if you don't want me to beat you to death, just hire someone," Hao Guanjia snorted.

The servant lowered his head and quickly ran aside to fetch a laborer.

Hao Guanjia shook his head, "Sorry to embarrass you; none of these servants have any discernment. They eat bowl after bowl daily, yet they only grow in size without a hint of wit."

Huo Sanniang didn't know how to respond, so she merely laughed along.

"One should eat pork hearts; twelve pork hearts open the heart's orifice," Chen Wuji said.

"Is that another saying? Does it work?" Hao Guanjia was somewhat surprised.

"I don't know; San Shu said it. He's always bragging in front of me, claiming to be a scholar, but now he farms at home. Still, his crops are excellent, yielding more than anyone else's," Chen Wuji said.

Hao Guanjia lost interest instantly, "A bunch of servants, no guile is fine; too much guile is unsightly. As for this old fellow, I've had enough hardship already."

As soon as he finished speaking, the young servant returned with a laborer.

The two each shouldered Chen Wuji's and Huo Sanniang's baskets, then stood behind Hao Guanjia.

Hao Guanjia pulled a bulging money sack from his sleeve, counted out a handful of copper coins, and handed the remainder together with the sack to Chen Wuji.

Chen Wuji was a bit bewildered.

"Big brother, you didn't ask the price, did you?"

"You didn't even ask the price, just handed over money— is that… appropriate?"

"We're leaving," Hao Guanjia waved his hand, then ambled away with his hands behind his back.

Chen Wuji: …

It's the first time I've seen someone conduct business like that.

"Wuji, let me count how much money there is; he didn't ask the price, didn't let us weigh it, and even took the baskets away. Don't let this person cheat us," Huo Sanniang said after the man walked away.

Chen Wuji gave a wry smile in his heart, "Ancestor, you should've said that on the spot."

Saying it now, even if they shortchanged, there's nothing we can do.

Huo Sanniang's situation seems to be tinged with a bit of social anxiety.

But that person probably didn't cheat.

Chen Wuji just weighed the money sack; there's definitely at least six hundred wen at the bottom.

Last time, that Hao Guanjia flaunted the Eye Weighing skill for Chen Wuji; he already knew exactly how many jin and liang of Snake Meat there were.

The only problem is, he didn't even ask the price, nor know how much he paid per unit.

Huo Sanniang took the money sack, placed it behind Chen Wuji, using his tall frame as a shield, and furtively counted the money.

In this market, fish and dragons mingle; money exposed to light is easily remembered by others.

"Wuji, there's a full seven hundred wen… he seems to have overpaid," Huo Sanniang whispered.

Chen Wuji understood instantly.

They paid seven wen per jin, even accounting for the two baskets' worth.

The Snake Meat totaled 106 jin; after subtracting the eight jin sold this morning, 98 jin remain.

At seven wen per jin, that's 686 wen; the remaining fourteen wen across the two baskets might leave three or four wen, just about right.

"Madam, that man has his own price when he buys things; I can see it—don't you understand, madam? He weighs with his eyes, so he must know exactly what's going on," Chen Wuji said with a smile.

"Since we're trading with that person, we should buy more baskets and backpacks—maybe about ten sets—and deliver them to him daily."

Huo Sanniang's soft little hand patted the back of Chen Wuji's neck and, teasingly, said, "Wuji, you're already better than me, how wonderful. You're even preparing about ten sets—do you think we can meet that person every day? Our two encounters were purely luck."

Chen Wuji thought otherwise.

That person was clearly the steward of a wealthy household, sent out to purchase food for the mansion.

As for why that person didn't suggest having Chen Wuji deliver the next shipment to his door, but instead wanted to shop in the market, perhaps it was for freshness, or perhaps to prove to the Family Head that he wasn't taking kickbacks.

Anyway, Chen Wuji felt that he and that person were already hooked, and there would definitely be another chance to cooperate next time.