Chapter 8

The Price of Grains

Butcher Chang had very accurate knife skills, perfectly cutting out a catty of streaky pork with just one slash. He took the pork ribs and tied them with a rope before handing them to Mu Yangling.

Mu Yangling looked up at her father, and the latter beamed at her. Mu Yangling smiled and took out the copper coins for Butcher Chang.

Butcher Chang smiled and said, “Not bad. The young lady can take care of things now. You’ve given birth to a good daughter, Old Mu.”

Mu Shi puffed out his chest proudly and waved at Butcher Chang before heading to the grain store.

Noticing that the price of grains had increased again, Mu Shi frowned, feeling a little uneasy. After a moment’s thought, he said to the boss, “I want 20 catties of millet, 2 stone of rice, 60 catties of white flour, and 60 catties of black flour.”

The boss raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Mu Shi in surprise.

Mu Shi scratched his head in embarrassment and smiled. “My family doesn’t grow food, so we can only buy it from elsewhere. Since I made some money today, I bought more so that the food can last for longer.”

Looking at Mu Shi’s honest appearance, the boss nodded. He said to his child, “Go get a bag for Old Master Mu.”

One stone of rice was 120 catties. Other than the millet, the rice and flour only added up to 360 catties. As Mu Shi and Mu Yangling had a huge appetite, this bit of food was only enough to last their family for three months.

However, these cost quite a lot of money, even though Mu Shi had already chosen medium-grade rice and white flour.

Medium-grade rice cost 1 tael of silver and 300 copper coins per stone. Previously, it was only 1 tael of silver and 200 copper coins. It had to be known that it was already the autumn harvest now. Previously, it was only 1 tael of silver and 200 copper coins when there was short supply. Now, seeing that the price had increased by 100 copper coins, Mu Shi could not help but ponder.

Medium-grade white flour cost 12 copper coins per catty, while black flour cost 9 copper coins per catty. The millet was the most expensive, at the price of 18 copper coins per catty. The prices of everything had increased.

Mu Yangling usually paid attention to the price of grains, but now, she could not help but quieten down. She knew that something was wrong.

After the employee from the grain store packed the goods for them, the boss started calculating the total on his abacus. Mu Yangling had already calculated it in her heart.

“The total is 4 taels of silver and 220 copper coins,” the shop owner and Mu Yangling said in unison.

The boss of the grain store looked at Mu Yangling in surprise. In this day and age, there were very few people who knew how to calculate. There were even fewer people who could calculate so quickly.

Mu Shi took out silver to pay, but the 220 copper coins came from Mu Yangling. This way, only 4 taels and 283 copper coins remained from today’s earnings. After deducting the 50 copper coins he had paid for the stall in the market today, he was only left with 4 taels and 233 copper coins.

Not to mention Mu Yangling, even Mu Shi could not help but feel a little dejected. Moreover, Mu Shi had wanted to buy more food just in case.

Mu Shi did not let his daughter carry the food out, for he had always been careful not to let his daughter show her strength among people other than the villagers.

After tying up the things he had bought on the cart, Mu Shi said to his silent daughter, “Get in the cart quickly. I’ll push you back.”

Mu Yangling quickly climbed onto the cart and sat with her back facing her father. She said in a high voice, “Father, I’m seated. Let’s go quickly.”

“Alright, let’s go now.” The cart started to move steadily.

Mu Yangling tilted her head to look at the stalls on both sides with some worry in her eyes. As this was the border, other than being affected by natural disasters and seasons, the supply of grains was also affected by the war.

She did not know about other places, but from what the elders in the village said, it could be considered a bumper harvest this year. The wheat and rice in the fields were gradually ripening, and the village was slowly starting to harvest its crops. Logically speaking, the price of grains should be slowly decreasing at this time, but at this moment, the price of grains was rising instead.

Mu Yangling was not in a good mood, but she did not want to affect Mu Shi, so she could only turn her back to him and try her best to pretend to be cheerful and relaxed.

However, Mu Shi was not as worried as Mu Yangling. After all, he had been through a lot. Although he was initially worried, he soon got over it and decided that he would cross the bridge when the time came.

Standing in front of the door, Shu Wanniang waited for them to come back. Little Bowen squatted at the side and played by himself. When he saw his father pushing his sister back, he immediately threw away the stone in his hand and ran over.

Mu Shi stopped the cart. Mu Yangling jumped down, picked up her younger brother, and placed him on the cart. With a beam, she said, “Sit and let Father push you back.”

A little out of breath after running all the way over, Little Bowen did not resist when his sister carried him onto the cart with one hand. Instead, he grabbed the bag of grains excitedly and shouted with sparkling eyes, “Go! Go! Go!”

Seeing his son in such high spirits, Mu Shi was overjoyed and quickened his pace. Little Bowen let out squeals of excitement along the way. Soon, the family arrived at the door.

Shu Wanniang looked at them with curved eyes and waved at Little Bowen. “Come down quickly. Don’t tire your father out.”

Mu Yangling carried her brother down and turned around with a smile. “Mother, don’t worry. It’s only a few hundred catties. Father definitely won’t be tired.”

Mu Shi nodded repeatedly. “Even a few hundred more catties won’t be a problem.”

Shu Wanniang wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and said gently, “I know you’re strong, but on such a hot day, it’s hard to walk on the road even when empty-handed. Why didn’t you wait for the sun to set before coming back?”

Mu Shi smiled innocently and said, “I’m just worried about you and our son.” Mu Shi looked at Shu Wanniang’s stomach. “You have to be careful now that you’re seven months into the pregnancy.”

Shu Wanniang pursed her lips and smiled. “Don’t worry. I only walk around the house and don’t do heavy work. What can possibly happen?”

Seeing that her parents were showing off their love, Mu Yangling walked into the house with a bag of rice in each arm. Little Bowen looked at his sister, who was almost drowned underneath the bags of rice, and then at his mother, who was still wiping his father’s sweat. Then, he quickly followed his sister with his short legs.

Mu Yangling placed the rice on the ground. When she saw her brother, she took out a piece of candy from her pocket and stuffed it into his hand. “I bought this for you. Eat it quickly.”

Little Bowen’s eyes sparkled. “Where’s yours?”

Mu Yangling wrinkled her nose and said, “I don’t like candy. You should eat it.”

Little Bowen felt that there was no one in this world who didn’t like candy, thus assuming his sister must be saying that to let him have the candy. Therefore, Little Bowen opened the candy wrapper very lovingly and licked it before putting it to his sister’s mouth. He said, “Sister, eat quickly. Let’s take a bite each.”

Looking at Little Bowen’s saliva, Mu Yangling couldn’t bring herself to eat it. She shook her head and waved her hand. “I don’t eat candy. I heard that one who eats too much candy will lose their teeth, so I won’t eat it. You can have it all to yourself.”

Little Bowen nodded in understanding. “By the way, did you lose your teeth because you ate too much candy?” Little Bowen hesitated. “If I eat candy, will I lose my teeth like Sister?”

“…” Mu Yangling reiterated sternly, “I lost my teeth not because I ate candy, but because I’m growing up. When you grow up, you’ll lose your teeth too.”

Little Bowen looked at his sister in horror.

Mu Yangling turned around and went out to continue moving the remaining grains.

Little Bowen faced the candy in his hand alone and muttered to himself, “Since I’ll lose my teeth when I grow up anyway, I’ll just eat more now. In any case, my teeth will fall out…”

Mu Yangling, who had already walked out of the room, happened to hear it. “…”

By the time Mu Yangling finished moving everything back to the room, Shu Wanniang had already gone into the kitchen to prepare food for the father and daughter. Mu Shi stood outside the kitchen and said, “Let me do it. Your stomach is getting bigger and bigger.”

Shu Wanniang smiled and said, “Those who are seven months pregnant still go down to farm in the fields. I’m just going into the kitchen. Go into the central room and sit down. I’ll be done soon.”

Mu Yangling and Little Bowen nodded repeatedly. “That’s right, Father. Go in quickly and let Mother cook.”

Mu Shi patted their heads. “Aren’t you just complaining that my cooking isn’t great? It’s already good enough to have something to eat. Besides, your father’s cooking isn’t bad either.”

It was not bad, but compared to their mother’s, it was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Mu Yangling and Little Bowen thought to themselves.