Chapter 205 - 197: 2 Qian of Silver for 1 Dou
Chapter 205: Chapter 197: 2 Qian of Silver for 1 Dou
Old Mrs. Bai’s forced smile was about to collapse. "Tie Niu, at the end of the day, we’re still family. Blood is thicker than water, as they say. I know I wasn’t the best aunt to you in the past, but I had no choice, did I? You, of all people, should know what our life is like. We’ve never had a single day with money to spare, which is why I’ve never been able to help you with anything. Today, I’ve only come to you because I have no other choice. It’s not like I come begging you every day, is it?"
Bai Tieniu snorted. "In my entire life, I, Bai Tieniu, have only ever asked you for help twice, Auntie. Did you help me either of those times? Never mind. Let’s not bring up the past. I don’t have the time to hash all this out with you. The bottom line is, I’m not lending you any rice. But, you are my aunt, after all. If you’re willing to pay for it, I might be able to make an exception."
Old Mrs. Bai was fuming, but she couldn’t show it. After all, she was the one in the wrong.
"Then how much is your rice per stone?" Liu asked.
"A stone?" Bai Tieniu’s voice shot up, his tone deliberately exaggerated.
"I couldn’t even afford a whole stone of rice myself. I only bought two dou in the city today, and it cost me two maces of silver per dou. If you want some, I can spare one dou for you. I’ll even waive the cost of my trip. What can I say? You’re my aunt, aren’t you?"
Liu’s voice shot up. "What? Two maces of silver for a dou? Why don’t you just go rob someone?!"
Bai Tieniu’s expression darkened instantly. "Liu Guihua," he snapped, "if you’re so clever, why don’t you go to the city tomorrow and see if you can find a single rice shop that still has any grain to sell. Forget two maces—you wouldn’t find any even if you offered one tael of silver per dou. Believe it or not."
A massive wave of refugees had flooded in from the south—everyone knew this. As soon as the refugees arrived, rice prices shot up. The wealthy began hoarding grain, and even the poor scrambled to borrow money and stock up. All the major rice shops couldn’t keep up with demand; being sold out was a perfectly normal occurrence.
It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, and everyone knew the score.
For Old Mrs. Bai to come and try to borrow rice now, she was clearly just playing dumb.
Old Mrs. Bai frowned. "Two maces of silver for a dou of rice... that’s just too expensive. In the past, two maces of silver could buy a whole stone."
Bai Tieniu snorted. "The past? Do these look like past times to you? Look, if you’re not buying, then get going. I don’t have time to stand here wasting my breath with you."
As Bai Tieniu moved to shut the door, Old Mrs. Bai’s resolve hardened. She blurted out, "I’ll buy it! I’ll buy it! Measure out one dou of rice for me."
’On a normal day, she would have died before buying at this price. But I’m just too hungry right now,’ she thought. ’If I don’t get a meal in me tonight, I probably won’t even have the strength to get out of bed tomorrow. Besides, with rice prices going up, even if I get through tonight, there’s no guarantee I’ll find cheaper rice tomorrow.’
A smug, satisfied smile crept onto Bai Tieniu’s lips.
"Alright, wait here." He turned and went inside, emerging a moment later with a cloth sack. It contained one dou of freshly measured rice.
He didn’t hand the rice to the old woman just yet. Instead, he held out his hand. "Two maces of silver. Let’s have it."
The old woman gave a hollow laugh. "We’re all family here. It’s not like I’d stiff you, right? I’ll just bring the money over another day."
Bai Tieniu shook his head. "Not happening. I might trust others, but I don’t trust you. You hand over the money, I hand over the rice. No negotiation."
The old woman had used these little tricks countless times in the village, and many people had been burned by her. If Bai Tieniu were to trust her now, he’d be a true fool.