Chapter 13 Bathwater is Also Water_1

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Over a hundred people fell silent upon hearing the sound of the gong, all eyes fixed on Shen Dashan under the tree, waiting for what was to come.

"Today, I've called everyone to the village entrance because there's something we need to discuss."

"What's the matter?"

Someone in the crowd shouted out.

Shen Dashan glanced at the man who had spoken and waited for him to close his mouth before continuing, "Yesterday, I sent the Qingchuan brothers to the town's grain shop to inquire, and the price of grain has already risen. If your households have some silver on hand, take advantage of the current prices, which are not too high yet, and hurry to town to buy more grain to store. I fear the price of grain will rise even further."

"That can't be true."

"Isn't it almost time for the autumn harvest?"

"After the harvest, the price of grain should definitely fall, right?"

A murmur of voices began to rise among the group.

The price of grain varies most around the time of the autumn harvest—higher before the harvest and falling after the harvest with the influx of new grain.

Although this year's yield has been poor, if the price of grain falls after the autumn harvest, wouldn't they be at a loss for buying grain now?

The crowd was buzzing with discussions, all clamoring about how the price of grain had been in previous years. Shen Dashan said nothing more, only planning to wait for them to quiet down before continuing to question.

"It's already been a drought for the better part of the year. How much of a harvest do you think there will be from the fields?"

Shen Dashan asked, looking at the crowd.

"What if it rains in the next month?"

Looking at the person who asked the question, Shen Dashan only replied with one question, "And what if the heavens don't bless us with rain?"

The faces in the crowd had already fallen.

Indeed, what if it doesn't rain? Without rain, there will be no new grain. Without new grain in the stores, the prices will skyrocket, and it might no longer be a question of whether to buy grain, but rather if one could afford it at all.

An elder from the village clan spoke up, "If you're really worried about taking this loss, buy some grain first and store it at home. If it hasn't rained in another half a month, hurry on to buy more. If it rains, you won't lose much."

Hearing the elder's words, some people nodded in agreement.

They were all farmers, scratching out a living from the soil—who among them could have much saved up in silver?

Most families could earn six or seven taels a year. Considering the cost of food, drink, and various taxes for a whole family, saving two taels of silver in a year was already quite good. But if there were weddings or funerals in the family, that little bit of savings would likely have to be spent.

"Right now, in the town's grain shops, aged rice is six wen, new rice fifteen wen, white flour fifteen wen, brown flour five wen, salt is already fifty wen per pound, and oil costs forty wen. It's best to consult with your family while it's still early and hurry to town to buy grain," Shen Dashan said, pausing for a moment before adding, "Remember to return here before noon, calling everyone in your family who can work the fields, bringing along baskets and bamboo containers, to gather here. There's another important matter, and anyone who misses it will later regret not having been clearly informed."

After finishing his speech, he waved his hand and returned home with his two sons.

He had passed on the message, but he had no control over whether the villagers would listen. His own household also needed to hurry to town to buy grain. After all, there wasn't much left at home; although there was still about three hundred pounds of sweet potatoes and potatoes, one couldn't live on just those.

Moreover, his daughter-in-law and the grandsons needed to eat some white flour from time to time. The Shen family may not be considered very wealthy, but they certainly couldn't be accused of mistreating their daughter-in-law.

Initially, some villagers still had their doubts, but seeing Li Zheng personally driving his bullock cart to town with his two sons, they seemed to come to their senses and went home to discuss matters.

The team from East Mountain, led by Nanzhi, was bustling and busy, wishing they could fill every basket and container they brought to the brim.

Mother Liu returned home and brought only her two daughters-in-law and youngest son.

Thinking of the time constraint, Nanzhi was so rushed she nearly made sparks fly while collecting chestnuts, eventually managing to gather about forty pounds with Gougou's help.

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Liu Daniao's family managed to gather around one hundred thirty pounds or so.

As the sun began to rise higher, the few of them, carrying their baskets on their backs, set off for the village. Nanzhi had even prepared excuses in case they encountered any villagers, but as it turned out, they didn't run into anyone all the way home.

After arranging with Liu Daniao to meet after lunch for a rest, then head together to town to buy grain, Nanzhi took Gougou, with his face all flushed, back home.

Just yesterday, she had suffered from heatstroke. Now, she dared not run around under the midday sun, fearing that even a box of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water wouldn't save her life if she did.

Seeing how tired Gougou was, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, Nanzhi felt sorry for him. She wiped his face with some water and let him fall asleep.

Looking at the white flour in the earthen jar, Nanzhi bit her lip, scooped out a bowlful, and made two bowls of hand-pulled noodles.

Gazing at the two bowls of plain noodles in clear soup, Nanzhi thought back to the beef noodles at school that she griped about being awful, remorseful that she hadn't appreciated them at the time.

After lunch, Nanzhi couldn't stand the sour stench from herself and Gougou, so she drew two buckets of water from the well. The mother and son took a good bath. Only when she could smell no odd odors on them did Nanzhi nod in satisfaction.

Once clean, Gougou unexpectedly looked rather fair and clean. Nanzhi felt a pang of emotion; her son was quite handsome.

Looking at the layer of thick grime floating on the bucket's surface, Nanzhi shivered, dragging the bucket to pour its contents into the backyard vegetable patch.

After all, bathwater is still water, and there weren't any vegetables in the patch now.

She put on clean clothes and dressed Gougou before taking him to Liu Daniao's house.

When she opened the door, Liu Daniao was taken aback by the sight of Nanzhi and her son, so clean and neat, and took a moment to recognize them.

"Lin girl, have you taken a bath?" Liu Daniao asked, her voice tinged with concern. The well at the entrance of the village had been slowing down, and now everyone rationed water based on the number of people in the household. Some families, especially those with many members, didn't even have enough water to wash their faces.

Now, only those families with their own wells in the village appeared to be clean.

"Today, I felt a bit dizzy, so I just had a quick wash," she explained.

Liu Daniao thought about it and agreed. After all, Nanzhi had just overcome a bout of heatstroke yesterday. It was good she had bathed, and since the well was on her own property, Liu Daniao didn't press the issue.

In the end, Liu Daniao brought her three sons along since they were going to buy grain. With more people in her household, they needed to purchase more. Her three tall and sturdy sons wouldn't have trouble with any incidents, and it was convenient since her daughters-in-law and three grandchildren accompanied Li Zheng to East Mountain to pick chestnuts.

Only Nanzhi, Gougou, and Liu Daniao sat in the Donkey Cart, with the three robust young men walking around it, giving off an intimidating presence.

Nanzhi led the group straight to the Restaurant. The same round-faced young man who greeted them last time did not recognize her at first, but he soon did when she spoke and welcomed his old patrons with a smile, then went to find Manager Wang in the back courtyard.

When Manager Wang heard that Shen's wife, who had sold Grass Mushrooms last time, had arrived, he didn't delay and followed the waiter out of the back courtyard.

Just those four pounds of Grass Mushrooms she sold last time had earned him several taels of silver.

He hoped Shen's wife would bring something good again this time.

"Shen's Wife," Manager Wang began to greet Nanzhi, but then he noticed a woman and three robust men by her side, and he abruptly stopped his greeting.

"Manager Wang, I've brought my aunt here to sell some chestnuts. I wonder if you're still buying?" Nanzhi asked with a smile, looking at Manager Wang.

Hearing this, Manager Wang felt somewhat disappointed, probably because there were no Grass Mushrooms. However, he nodded and said, "Yes, we're buying, but are they as fresh as last time?"

"Of course, they are the same," she assured him.

Not too surprised by her response, Manager Wang silently lamented the lack of other good items and led them to the back courtyard.

Once they were alone in the back courtyard and out of earshot of others, Nanzhi then asked, "I'm not sure if Manager Wang here is interested in buying game."