SFS Chapter 422 Rice, Pot
Chapter 422 Rice, Pot
Chapter 422
Chun Xing was not one to make unreasonable demands. She felt sorry for her young lady, who was already uncomfortable with long carriage rides and feared she would be even more uncomfortable if she switched to another carriage. But now that the young lady had made up her mind, even though she was reluctant, she could only nod in agreement.
The two drove the carriage in the direction the waiter had pointed. They soon arrived—the rice shop wasn't far from the inn. The door was ajar, and no one was inside. After such a disaster, the young and strong had all gone out to help. Who would have the heart to buy rice?
There was only one woman in the rice shop; her son and husband were out helping with road repairs. The door was left open to let out the moisture and prevent the rice from getting damp. The woman hadn't expected anyone to come in today, so she quickly stood up to greet them. As they approached, she realized they were two girls disguised as men. A smile spread across her face, and she asked, "Girls, what would you like to buy?"
Luo Shuiyao lowered her head and looked at the food neatly placed in the wooden basket. When she heard the old lady's question, she didn't bother to look at them one by one, so she asked directly: "I want to make some rice porridge. I need some rice, japonica rice. Auntie, how much do you charge?"
The old lady took her two steps forward, brought them to a wooden basket, picked up a handful of rice, and said, "This is rice, the best quality rice, 15 wen a dou. The rice in that wooden basket over there is a little inferior, 10 wen a dou. Which one would you like, young lady?"
Luo Shuiyao grabbed a handful of rice from her hand and examined it carefully. She saw that the rice grains were plump and round, which was indeed good. Then she said, "This rice is fifteen cents a dou, so I want two dan. I wonder if you have enough for me, Auntie?"
The old lady heard this and was surprised to see such a big customer coming today. She nodded and said quickly, "Yes, yes, young lady, do you want to take a look at the japonica rice? I'll help you pack it up after you take a look."
Luo Shuiyao asked, "Where is the polished rice?"
The old lady led her around, looked to one side, and said, "Look, this is top-grade polished japonica rice, eleven cents a dou, how much do you want, young lady?"
Luo Shuiyao didn't see any difference between japonica rice and other rice; she just glanced at it casually. She knew japonica rice was often paired with rice, making for a thicker and more fragrant porridge, and she didn't need much. "I want a dan of japonica rice," she said. "Auntie, please help me pack it up and calculate the silver cost."
The old lady smiled when she heard this and said, "Wait a minute, young lady. I'll pack the rice for you first, and then calculate the silver."
Then she turned and slipped behind the wooden box. Luo Shuiyao then saw a number of rice bags stacked behind the curtain. Seeing that the old lady was having trouble loading the rice alone, she and Chun Xing stepped in to help. The three of them loaded a dan of rice and ten dou of polished round-grained rice, then lifted them onto the carriage. Chun Xing did most of the heavy lifting; Luo Shuiyao and the old lady only lent a hand.
The old lady was old after all, and even this little bit of work made her sweat profusely. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and looked at Chun Xing, who easily lifted the rice bag and threw it onto the carriage. She said a little embarrassedly, "After all, I'm old and useless. I can't even compare to a little girl in terms of strength."
Luo Shuiyao saw her wiping sweat with one hand and holding her waist with the other. She could tell she was a little embarrassed, so she comforted her, "I've been strong since I was little. Ordinary men can't compare to her. Auntie, you're old, how can you compare to her?"
When the old lady heard this, she just thought she was comforting herself, so she smiled gently, nodded, and said nothing more.
Then she walked over to the counter, picked up the abacus and began to calculate skillfully. After a while, she finished the calculation. Seeing that Luo Shuiyao had been waiting quietly, she smiled and showed her the numbers recorded in the account book.
"Miss, please look, you ordered two stone of rice in total. One stone is 10 dou, and one dou is 15 wen. Two stone costs wen in total." Seeing Luo Shuiyao looking at the bill with drooping eyebrows, the old lady immediately began to explain.
"Also, this japonica rice is eleven wen per dou, and one dan is one hundred and ten wen. Ten dou is one dan, so the total for japonica rice is one hundred and ten wen. Add to that the three hundred wen for the rice, and the total should be four hundred and ten wen. However, since you requested a large quantity, I'll round it off and give you four hundred wen."
The currency measurement system in the Great Zhou Dynasty was the same as in the novels Luo Shuiyao had read in her previous life: one tael of silver equaled one thousand wen. However, this much rice only cost four hundred wen, demonstrating the stability of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the peace and contentment of its people.
Luo Shuiyao nodded and pulled out a tael of silver from her purse, handing it to the old lady. The old lady ran a rice shop and usually traded in copper coins, but she also kept some loose change and copper coins on hand. She bent down and pulled out a string of copper coins from a drawer, counted them, and was about to give them back to Luo Shuiyao, but Luo Shuiyao held out her hand to stop her. "Auntie, do you know of any shops around here that sell large iron pots, bowls and chopsticks? And firewood?"
When the old lady heard this, a smile appeared on her face and she said, "Of course there is. There is one next door to our house. But his house is closed today. Miss, how much do you need? I will take you to knock on his door right away."
The old lady handed the silver coins to Luo Shuiyao and said, "Miss, take your silver first. I will lock the door and take you there."
Luo Shuiyao took the silver and said, "Thank you very much, Auntie."
The old lady was quick and decisive, locking the door of the shop in no time, and then led Luo Shuiyao forward. After a few steps, they arrived at the place. The old lady went forward and knocked on the door. After a while, a crisp girl's voice came from inside: "Who is it?"
The old lady quickly responded: "Xiao He, I'm the lady from the rice shop. I brought someone to your house to buy pots and bowls. Please open the door."
When Xiao He heard it was someone he knew, he heard a clang from inside, and soon the door opened. The face of a girl about twelve years old appeared through the crack of the door. Seeing the old lady, she opened the door wider, turned sideways, and spoke timidly, showing that she was shy.
The old lady seemed to be used to her being like this, and she directly invited Luo Shuiyao to go in. As they walked, the old lady asked the girl named Xiao He: "Where are your parents?"
Xiao He replied softly, "My parents said the road was destroyed. They went to repair it and dig a canal, leaving me alone at home."
When they got inside, the old lady stopped and introduced Xiao He: "This girl wants to buy an iron pot and bowls and chopsticks. Your parents are not here, can you make the decision?"
Xiao He nodded gently and said, "Sure, I know the price of the things at home."
Although she is shy, she helps her parents a lot on a daily basis, so she is naturally clear about the prices of goods at home.
The neighbors knew each other well, and the old lady had this question in her mind, but she was worried that Xiao He was too young to make the decision to sell things on her own. When she heard Xiao He agreed, she helped to greet him: "Miss, how many bowls and chopsticks do you want? Also, what size pot do you want?"
Luo Shuiyao looked around and saw that although the shop seemed a bit messy, it was quite tidy. It really looked a bit like a grocery store, with all kinds of items displayed, including pots, bowls, chopsticks, spoons, etc.
Hearing the old lady's question, she said, "I want two of the largest pots. As for bowls, any kind will do, but bigger ones are best. I'd like two hundred."
The old lady had been surprised to see Luo Shuiyao buy so much rice, thinking that ordinary people wouldn't buy so much. She had only noticed the extraordinary demeanor of the master and servant, so she assumed they were buying for a wealthy family. Although she had never seen such a stranger, she could only blame her own limited experience. Hearing Luo Shuiyao say she needed so many bowls and chopsticks, she was taken aback again and subconsciously asked, "Miss, who are you from? Why do you need so many bowls and chopsticks?"
Seeing the old lady's surprised expression, Luo Shuiyao thought for a moment and then explained, "I was just passing through here and happened to encounter a road that was washed away, so I couldn't continue. Now the villagers in town and nearby are digging canals and repairing roads. I have nothing to do anyway, so I thought I would buy some rice and bowls and chopsticks and make some porridge for them to drink to help keep away the cold."