Chapter 19: Five Brothers Long Banquet

Chapter 19

When the little beggar woke up, Jiang Sheng leaned over and asked, "Little brother, how old are you? Where is your home? What's your name?"

The beggar stared blankly without answering a single question.

Zheng Ruqian poked her and said, "He's not your little brother. Just look, he's clearly older than you."

"No, he's younger than me," Jiang Sheng insisted stubbornly. She already had four older brothers and wanted a little brother.

But when the little beggar stood up, he really was half a head taller than Jiang Sheng. She pouted.

Oh well, just another older brother.

Jiang Sheng didn't have many virtues, but she accepted reality quickly. She immediately changed her words, "Fifth older brother, are you hungry?"

The beggar nodded blankly.

Jiang Sheng brought over the leftover vegetable mush from breakfast and warmed it up. "Eat a little."

The beggar's eyes widened as he looked at the vegetable mush of indistinguishable ingredients. He took it with trembling hands.

"Fifth brother, you must be cold," the thoughtful Jiang Sheng said. She immediately took off her last cotton-padded jacket. "Wear this. It's super warm."

The beggar's hands shook even more violently. This ill-fitting, grimy cotton jacket, this desolate broken-down temple, these unfamiliar people.

"Fifth brother must have just recovered from a fever, that's why your hands are weak," Jiang Sheng said. She grabbed the vegetable mush back and found a relatively clean spoon to scoop up a mouthful and swiftly fed it to the beggar. "I'll just feed you."

The viscous liquid filled his mouth.

The beggar's expression gradually changed, as if he wanted to vomit but forcefully held it back.

Oblivious, Jiang Sheng happily finished feeding him. "Fifth brother likes the vegetable mush I make!"

Xu Mo nearly choked on his water. He swallowed with difficulty and looked at the beggar. "You had a fever. My sister saved you."

The beggar's gaze fell on Jiang Sheng.

Jiang Sheng patted her chest proudly. "We all saved you together."

She pointed to herself and her four brothers, briefly introducing them.

Chang Yan was silent and taciturn, only nodding.

When she introduced Fang Heng, he stared at Fang Heng for a long time.

Bewildered, Fang Heng asked, "Do you recognize me?"

Chang Yan shook his head and lowered his eyes.

If they really bought a hundred or so jackets in bulk, they might take a loss.

But Jiang Sheng already had plans. She put her hands on her hips. "Then we'll go sell them in town."

"What if the town is also saturated?" Xu Mo asked again.

Jiang Sheng was stumped. Shi Pu Town had four villages. Assuming each village could purchase thirty jackets, they could only sell about one hundred and twenty jackets total.

Cotton jackets weren't food or drink. Once people bought one, they could wear it for three to five years.

Xie Yang County was big, but buying goods wholesale then reselling in the county wouldn't make money.

Could selling cotton jackets really stop at one hundred and twenty?

Jiang Sheng crouched on the ground, deep in thought.

Suddenly, Chang Yan spoke up, "We could sell in other towns."

Jiang Sheng immediately jumped up, eyes shining brightly. "Fifth Brother makes sense. Although other towns are farther away, we have a donkey cart."

As long as they were willing to travel, they could go anywhere and sell anything.

"Fifth Brother is amazing, Fifth Brother is so smart," Jiang Sheng said, rushing to Chang Yan and planting a kiss on his pale face.

She excitedly ran off, probably to help Zheng Ruqian collect mushrooms, preparing to go to the county seat tomorrow.

Chang Yan was left standing there, his pale cheeks slowly turning as red as a big apple.

Xu Mo watched with a faint smile.

That afternoon, the siblings worked hard together but only collected one basket of mushrooms.

Jiang Sheng wanted to go to the county seat tomorrow and also send more mushrooms to You Ran Ju.

But mushroom yields were limited. They had combed through almost all of Shi Pu village, only collecting one carrying basket.

"Is this too little to send to You Ran Ju?" Zheng Ruqian scratched his head.

"But the village is out of mushrooms," Jiang Sheng spread her hands helplessly. "We can only wait for the uncles to go up the mountain and gather more tomorrow."

Zheng Ruqian sighed.

Jiang Sheng shook her head.

The other brothers remained silent.

Suddenly, Chang Yan spoke up again, "Can we collect other things?"