CH 23

Chapter 23 – Farmers market

Wu Lang and Liu Lang felt that their pack baskets were particularly heavy.

Er Lang was street smart. He immediately took out a small bamboo basket from Wu Lang’s pack basket, gritted his teeth, and filled the basket with five eggs, saying, “Brother, we siblings haven’t been to town for a long time.

“We really didn’t know that the entry rules have changed. Our farm has no cash. We came to town to sell grains for cash as the elderly in the family needs medicine. Please be accommodating.”

The guard had never seen such a small bamboo basket. He looked at it curiously and saw the eggs in it. He looked around, took the basket, and said, “Okay, I’ll help you pay the one wen.”

When he finished talking, he took one wen from his pocket, threw it on the plate, and waved them in.

Da Lang and Er Lang bowed and thanked the guard, bent over, pushed the cart and hurried into the city. Wu Lang and Liu Lang also hurriedly followed with their pack baskets. They dragged Da Ya and Er Ya along.

Man Bao sat in the basket, saw how obsequious her brothers were, and suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Keke felt Man Bao’s emotions, and comforted her, “This guard wasn’t too bad. Don’t be sad.”

Man Bao asked, “Keke, do you have such guards in the future? Worse than him?”

The system said, “Host, with the development of science and technology, people in the future can enter and leave the city like what we are doing now, and also from the sky. It’s extremely convenient.

“Moreover, in the future, population itself is an important resource. So, not only are there no entry fees, but various rewards will also be given to those who settle down in the city.”

Man Bao curiously asked, “What kind of rewards?”

“House, car, settlement allowance, job transfer fee, and various preferential policies.”

Man Bao still couldn’t understand these things, but she thought it was good to do away with entry fees. If they were living in the future, then her eldest brother and the second brother wouldn’t have to bow to the guard.

Then, Man Bao pouted, “There is so much difference between the guard and your people, and yet, you still said he wasn’t too bad.”

“He was indeed not bad. He’s just a guard and cannot be the master.”

The system still has some insights. Although he was a biology collecting system, to better serve his host and improve her collection efficiency, his chip had recorded quite a bit of knowledge and he could even connect directly to the Encyclopaedia.

Naturally, Keke has access to the knowledge recorded in the Encyclopaedia.

His knowledge on ancient culture and history had been upgraded in recent years. Naturally, he understood many things. The system was not selfish in this aspect. Anyway, I’m idle, so just chat with the host.

So while Da Lang was pushing the cart to the market, Man Bao heard a lot of stories about corrupt officials and violent officials.

She didn’t connect these stories with what just happened. She listened to the stories enthusiastically and was very angry on behalf of the oppressed people in the storybooks.

Soon after, she stopped being angry and forgot all about the incident at the city gate.

As she was listening so intently to Keke’s storytelling, Man Bao forgot to look at the lively stalls along the streets. She only came around after the cart stopped, Da Lang carried her off the cart, and after she stopped talking to Keke.

Man Bao looked around curiously, and found there were people selling vegetables, fruits, and various big baskets and small baskets like them. She thought this was the farmers market which Keke talked about.

The four brothers of the Zhou family swiftly removed the big baskets, small baskets, eggs, and other things, and placed them on the ground.

They were late arrivals and could only set up a stall at the furthest corner of the market. Da Lang and Er Lang asked Wu Lang and Liu Lang to look after the three girls and said, “Sit here obediently, second brother and I will go and sell the grains. We’ll be back shortly.”

Man Bao looked curiously at the things sold in the nearby stalls. When she saw it was fun, she moved forward, squatted, and watched.

Da Ya and Er Ya were responsible for watching over Man Bao, while Wu Lang and Liu Lang had to arrange the unloaded things. Just as they were all ready, but yet to have any customers, the two men pushed an empty cart back.

Man Bao ran up and asked, “Eldest brother, have you sold the grains?”

Da Lang stroked her hair and smiled, “Sold. I’ll buy medicine for mother and then, buy you some paper to practice calligraphy. Stay here with the second brother and everyone else, don’t run around, understand?”

Man Bao nodded, and said, “Eldest brother, don’t buy paper for me. Save the money and take it back to clan brother village chief*. San Zhu’s wife is short of money.”

Da Lang frowned, “What’s the matter? San Zhu’s wife came to the house and asked for money?”

When Er Ya saw that her little aunt couldn’t explain the matter clearly, she immediately told her eldest uncle what happened yesterday morning, and said, “My little aunt said, she’ll pay her back when she makes money today.”

Man Bao nodded, “We’ve to keep our words This is called be true to one’s word.” (she was quoting a Chinese idiom)

Da Lang frowned and kept quiet.

Er Lang said, “Big brother, listen to Man Bao. Anyway, she’s still young, so she doesn’t need to practice calligraphy for the time being.

“When we get home, I’ll go into the mountains and find a large stone slab for her, so she can practice calligraphy with chopsticks soaked in water. Next year, we’ll buy some paper when we have a little more money at home.”

Da Lang stroked her hair and sighed, “This wrongs Man Bao.”

Man Bao was confused, “I don’t feel wronged.”

Da Lang smiled and went off to buy medicine after saying goodbye to everyone.

Er Lang saw that the children were staring at the happenings on the street, and said with a smile, “Go play. I’ll take care of things here.

“Fifth, watch over the three little ones. There’re many bad people. Don’t let the young ones be abducted by those who use knockout drugs.”

Wu Lang responded and immediately took out their small baskets. Da Ya and Er Ya immediately started to wrap the flowers around the baskets.

This time, everyone had learnt from experience and wrapped eight flower baskets at one go. Everyone could hold the flowers without worrying about ruining them.

Carrying their beautiful little flower baskets, everyone went in search of customers.

Wu Lang and Liu Lang each bore a pack basket, one contained the small bamboo baskets, while the other was full of flowers.

They happily set off.

Er Lang squatted behind the stall and shook his head with a smile. He waited for them to go and return with a full load as they did previously.

I’m afraid that only those who have money to burn will buy this kind of small bamboo basket?

Wu Lang, Liu Lang, Da Ya and Er Ya were shy. They held the flower baskets, looked at the people who walked past, and didn’t dare to utter a single word.

Man Bao was carrying a flower basket and was curiously looking at the things in the stalls. When she saw pretty looking things, she would run up to the stall owners and asked a zillion questions.

When Er Ya who had almost walked half the length of the street but had yet to sell a single flower basket saw Man Bao’s antics, she couldn’t help walking up to her and whispered, “Little aunt, we came here to sell flower baskets.”

Only then did Man Bao remembered that she had a mission to accomplish. She beamed, “Good thing, you reminded me. I totally forgot all about it. The chicken I saw just now looks really good.”

The owner of the complimented stall was very happy, and said, “This rooster has been reared for a little over a year, and it’s big rooster that will provide a most excellent source of nourishment. Little girl, do you want to buy one and try?”

Man Bao asked, “How much is it?”

The stall owner said, “It’s not expensive, it’s not expensive, 12 wen for a catty, this rooster is five and a half catty, that’s 66 wen.”

Once they heard the price, the four older children were terrified that Man Bao would agree to buy the rooster.

Who knows that Man Bao who was listening happily, slouched her shoulders when she heard the price, “So expensive, I don’t have so much money.”