Chapter 21: Heading to the Grand Market

“Uncle, is this pressure okay?” Zheng Chunmei asked softly.

“It’s alright,” Zhao Zheng grunted.

“Why are his hands creeping higher and higher?” Zheng Chunmei, being experienced, knew exactly what was happening. If she didn’t, she’d be a fool. But she truly didn’t dare move that one hand away.

She might as well just lean against him. Since nothing excessive was happening, she figured she could let the old bachelor enjoy a bit of advantage, especially for the sake of the scorched rice.

Besides, who in the village didn’t know that Zhao the Third was not capable? At best, he was just like this.

She mocked inwardly, then started talking about village affairs, eventually mentioning Wu Yueying.

“What happened to Yueying?” Zhao Zheng frowned.

“Sigh, Yueying got beaten today. Her husband is utterly worthless—lazy every day, relying entirely on Yueying alone,” Zheng Chunmei said with disdain. “And the reason for the beating? Just because of two persimmons…”

Zhao Zheng was speechless. Just for two persimmons, Wu Yueying was beaten nearly to death?

Yang Zhaodi and Zhang Xiao’e frowned as well.

Zheng Chunmei casually glanced at the basket of persimmons on the low table, swallowed hard, and said, “I heard Uncle Zhao gave her those persimmons?”

Zhao Zheng didn’t deny it. “Yeah, I got lucky at Wild Dog Ridge and found a small persimmon tree growing on a cliff. Picked three jin of persimmons. The rest either fell to the ground and rotted or were pecked by birds…”

“Uncle Zhao, you’re really lucky,” Zheng Chunmei said.

Zhao Zheng chuckled, “Before leaving, I’ll pick a few persimmons to take home for the kids to try.”

“Thank you, Uncle Zhao,” Zheng Chunmei exclaimed with joy.

She hadn’t expected to get not only the scorched rice today but also some persimmons.

Even if they were pecked and spoiled by birds, they were still persimmons.

She had forgotten when she last ate persimmons, only that they were very sweet…

This time, she pressed down longer than the previous two times.

After relaxing again, she finished the dark scorched rice.

She felt rejuvenated.

Then, in front of Zhao Zheng, she picked out two spoiled persimmons.

“Not going to pick more?”

“No, two are enough.”

She knew the difference between eating well once and eating well every meal. She also feared making Zhao Zheng unhappy.

After some thought, Zhao Zheng handed her two more spoiled persimmons. “These two are for you to eat yourself; the rest are for the kids.”

Unexpectedly, there was a pleasant surprise, and she thanked him repeatedly.

---

She immediately ate the two persimmons in front of Zhao Zheng. The fresh sweetness was simply exquisite.

“It’s getting late; let’s go back. I won’t see you off,” Zhao Zheng said, giving a massage gesture. Sleepiness was overtaking him, and he turned, hunching over to close his eyes.

Though his body was tired, his heart was excited.

If he didn’t let Zheng Chunmei leave soon, he would be exposed.

His previous body was sick, but now, he was actually well.

And far beyond his expectations.

Though he couldn’t understand the situation, life was looking increasingly hopeful.

“Xiao’e, come with me to the market tomorrow. I’ll buy some cloth and get you both some new clothes!”

This was the last thing Zheng Chunmei heard before leaving Zhao’s house.

She was extremely envious. The clothes she wore were from when she married into the Li family, patched again and again over more than ten years.

“Tomorrow, I have to work harder. What if Old Zhao feels generous and gives me a piece of cloth?”

---

The next day, Zhao Zheng took the two women to the market.

Yang Zhaodi carried the basket of spoiled persimmons, parading around to show the villagers.

When asked, she said she was taking the persimmons to the market to sell for money.

As soon as the three left the village, news spread.

Everyone speculated about the origin of the persimmons.

Eventually, they thought of Wu Yueying.

The old matriarch of the Wang family, knowing Yang Zhaodi was taking a basket of persimmons to the market, was extremely jealous. “I knew it! Those persimmons must have been found at Wild Dog Ridge. That prodigal woman! She lets others snatch such good things!”

The old man of the Wang family was angry too. “What’s the use of talking now?”

“No way, those persimmons should belong to our family as well!” The Wang matriarch went to Wang Dazhi, exaggerating the situation, making him furious.

But Wu Yueying was already up early working. “When she returns, let her go to Zhao’s house for compensation. If they don’t give it, tear down Zhao’s door!”

---

On the way, Zhang Xiao’e kept mumbling about persimmon preserves.

Suddenly, the mindset of the newly rich was clear: hiding good things at home out of fear others would covet them.

Zhao Zheng understood.

After about an hour, the three arrived at the Fugui Township market.

Fugui Township wasn’t large, but quite crowded.

The market was bustling with people.

Stalls lined both sides.

---

Everyone was too weak to shout loudly; even calls were faint.

Zhao Zheng even saw people kneeling on the ground, selling their children, or selling land to bury their parents.

If his former self had died, Yang Zhaodi and the others might have sold fields and land to bury him.

“Sister-in-law, look at that family. So pitiful. Their parents starved to death, and now they’re selling their children!” Zhang Xiao’e pointed at a middle-aged couple nearby.

Yang Zhaodi sighed, “That’s the way the world is. It’s pitiful beyond words.”

Zhao Zheng shook his head. If the famine ended, he might consider buying one or two servants.

But now, buying servants would be asking for trouble.

Even if he had money, he wouldn’t buy them.

The three found a spot and set up their stall. “Persimmons, freshly picked persimmons. No loss, no deception…”

Zhao Zheng shouted for a while and indeed attracted quite a few onlookers, but no buyers. Although persimmons were good, they didn’t fill the stomach like grain.

Occasionally, someone wanted them but only in barter.

Zhao Zheng’s throat grew hoarse. Finally, he said to the two women, “You two stay here. I’ll check other stalls for good things. If anyone wants to buy, we sell. Losing a little is okay, but barter is best…”

After the instructions, Zhao Zheng strolled around the market. He took his jacket from the warehouse, placed it in a bamboo basket, and spent a few dozen coins to buy a piece of cotton cloth.

Silk and satin were not unaffordable, but they didn’t offer good value.

There was almost no grain at the market. These days, even if there was grain, it couldn’t be openly sold in the market.

However, Zhao Zheng noticed a stall displaying some pelts.

He quietly crouched down. “Brother, what kind of pelts are these?”

“Ermine pelts, rabbit pelts, and musk deer pelts!” The stall owner was a man in his early thirties with a ruddy complexion, clearly well-fed.

“So many pelts! Brother, your hunting skills are impressive!” Zhao Zheng complimented him just as a system notification sounded in his ear.

[Ding: Nine-grade wild ermine pelt, valued at 160 coins!]

[Ding: Wild first-grade rabbit pelt, valued at 30 coins!]

[Ding: Wild second-grade musk deer pelt, valued at 1,500 coins!]

Zhao Zheng inhaled sharply. This musk deer pelt was so expensive?

One pelt was worth several days of hard labor.

“I must get this pelt!”