Chapter 206 - 198: Only One Dou Per Person
Chapter 206: Chapter 198: Only One Dou Per Person
The old lady had no choice but to hand over the two maces of silver. The pain in her heart was worse than having her own flesh gouged out.
After he collected the two maces of silver and went back inside, Bai Tieniu’s wife, Mrs. Li, emerged from the inner room, her face etched with worry. "Husband, we only have two dou of rice left in the whole house. Things are already tight. Why did you sell one of them? What will we do when the rice shops in town run out of grain?"
Bai Tieniu gave a mysterious smile. "Ah, you wouldn’t know. I just heard it down by the river while I was having dinner. That girl, Zhi, stockpiled a whole cart of grain in town last time she went. The price wasn’t anything like it is now. She’s put the word out that any family running low on grain can buy some from her to get by, and she’ll sell it at the price she paid for it. With two maces of silver, we can buy at least six dou of rice. Now you tell me, isn’t that a bargain?"
When he heard the news that Bai Zhi’s family was selling rice, he’d already been regretting his trip to town. He shouldn’t have bought that rice for one mace a dou—he felt like he’d taken a huge loss. So when his second aunt came knocking, he saw an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. With just one dou of rice, he had recouped the cost of two. And tomorrow, he could go over to Bai Zhi’s and buy even more. The more he thought about it, the more smug he felt. This had to be the smartest, most satisfying thing he’d ever done in his entire life.
’I’ve thought about this for three whole days, and I still can’t figure it out. How on earth did this medical kit travel here from the modern era?’
’That day I suddenly returned to the modern world... was it a dream, or was it real?’
’If it was a dream, how do I explain the medical kit?’
’But if it was real, then since I had already returned to the modern world, why did I come back to ancient times? And bring the medical kit with me?’
"Zhi’er, what are you spacing out for?" Zhao Lan’s brow furrowed. "Aren’t you supposed to go to the government office to give Lord Meng his follow-up examination today? What are you still dawdling for?" Zhao Lan didn’t know what had gotten into Zhi’er these past few days. The girl was always hugging that cloth bag and staring into space, and Zhao Lan had no idea what she was thinking.
Bai Zhi snapped out of it, quickly standing and shouldering her cloth bag. "I’m off, then. If anyone comes to buy rice today, don’t sell a single grain to those who’ve bought before. For anyone who hasn’t, limit them to one dou per person. Just say that our own stockpile is running low, and we can only spare a little to help everyone through the emergency."
Zhao Lan understood what she meant and nodded with a sigh.
Zhi’er’s original intention was to do a good deed, releasing some grain so that everyone could avoid buying the overpriced supply in town. But who could have known that there would always be a few who’d resort to dirty tricks? They bought cheap rice from Zhi’er, then turned around and sold it at a high price to people in neighboring villages who were desperate for food. They even had the gall to say it was rice from Bai Zhi of Huangtuo Village. They pocketed the money, while Zhi’er was left to take the blame for hoarding grain and exploiting the common people. No wonder she was unhappy.
「Government Office」
Knowing Bai Zhi was coming today, Meng Nan had woken up at the crack of dawn. He had tidied himself up until he was neat and fresh, and now he waited by his door on an empty stomach, wondering what delicious treats Zhi would bring him today.
GRUUMMMBLE—
Meng Nan glanced sideways at the Jin guard. "Hey—why do you keep making that noise? Did the kitchen not prepare breakfast for you?"
The Jin guard craned his neck to look outside. Seeing no one, he then turned his head to answer Meng Nan, "What’s so great about the kitchen’s breakfast? I bet Miss Bai will bring my favorite egg pancakes today."
Meng Nan’s eyes widened. "Those are mine! Zhi brought them specially for me! There’s none for you."
The Jin guard paid him no mind. "Who says? Miss Bai isn’t petty like you. As if she wouldn’t bring some for me."