Chapter 20: Decide for Yourselves!

Sheng Wanqiu strode toward the pharmacy where she had previously purchased the ginseng seeds.

"You little girl, you're back? What seeds are you looking for today?" Hearing the movement at the entrance, the elderly man with the white beard looked up, recognized her immediately, and exclaimed.

"Shopkeeper, I’m not here for seeds today. I want to ask if you buy ginseng."

"What? You managed to grow it?" The old man jumped up abruptly.

Sheng Wanqiu gave him a look of pure speechlessness and rolled her eyes. "What do you think? It’s not like laying an egg; do you think it’s that easy? I’m just here to ask."

"Oh! Yes, we buy it. We’re a pharmacy, of course we do!" The old man sat back down.

"Then could you take a look and tell me how much you’d offer for this?" Sheng Wanqiu took the wrapped ginseng from her bosom and unfolded the moss to reveal it to him.

Sheng Wanqiu knew that high-performance cars could launch with incredible speed, but she was truly eye-opening today—she hadn't realized people could launch themselves from a standstill, too. In a blur, the old man had snatched the ginseng right out of her hands.

"You silly girl! Is that any way to wrap ginseng? It’s a total waste of a treasure!"

"Heavens! This ginseng must be over a thousand years old! Hahaha! I never expected to see such a fine specimen in my entire life!"

"Your luck is simply defying the heavens! The odds of this are lower than gold ingots falling from the sky!"

The old man began muttering to himself, leaving Sheng Wanqiu feeling rather awkward.

"Shopkeeper, you still haven't told me the price," she said, poking his back to remind him.

"Four thousand taels! I’ll take it!"

"How much?" Sheng Wanqiu almost thought she was hallucinating.

"Four thousand taels, I said! Are you deaf at such a young age? Do you need me to give you a few acupuncture needles?" He glared at her, clearly displeased. "Listen here, girl! I, Ding Dali, have lived a long time, and I never do bad business, nor do I ever lie. You can go ask around; you won't find a higher offer than mine."

Seeing the veins bulging on his neck, Sheng Wanqiu realized he thought she doubted his honesty. "Ding Dali?" she mused, eyeing him up and down. The name sounded like someone selling miracle cures, which didn't fit this refined, reclusive-master vibe he projected. Seeing him on the verge of a stroke, she quickly agreed.

"Alright, I believe you. But do you have the money?" She scanned the shop with a skeptical look.

"What? Do you think my shop is too shabby to afford your ginseng? Just wait, I’ll get the banknotes!" Like a gust of wind, the old man vanished, only to bolt back out from the inner chamber as if his pants were on fire. "These are banknotes from the Wantong Bank. Take them! There’s a branch right across the street. Go exchange them for silver and see for yourself; I’ll be waiting here."

He slammed the banknotes onto the table, completely unconcerned that she might run off.

"I’m going, then?" Sheng Wanqiu admitted he was the most magnanimous person she had ever met.

"Stop babbling and go!" Ding Dali urged impatiently.

Sheng Wanqiu didn't hesitate. She went to the Wantong Bank across the street and, within moments, held a hundred taels of gleaming silver, while the rest was exchanged for a stack of banknotes in various denominations as she had requested. This Ding Dali hadn't lied at all. Goodness, were pharmacies this profitable these days? Should she open one too?

"Well? I didn't lie to you, did I?" Ding Dali said triumphantly as she returned.

"Shopkeeper, I have one more favor to ask," she said, bowing politely.

"Speak! For the sake of that ginseng, don't ask for one—ten would be fine!" he said with a wave of his hand.

"Since I’ve come into money, I’ll naturally improve my family’s living conditions. The villagers will be suspicious, so I plan to tell the truth: that I found a ginseng root and sold it to you. But I’d like to say it was just half a root and sold for thirty taels. If anyone asks, could you play along?"

Ding Dali thought it was just this? The girl was clever; she understood that one shouldn't flaunt wealth. "Fine, it’s just a word. But you must promise me that if you dig up any more quality herbs, you’ll come to me first. You clearly have some luck on your side; you’re bound to find more big hauls!" He stared at her with a mysterious intensity that made her skin crawl.

"Deal!"

Sheng Wanqiu left the shop in a fantastic mood. Four thousand taels! Who wouldn't be happy? Right, she still had to visit her aunt.

As she entered the courtyard, she saw the Yang mother and son tied up like zongzi and tossed on the ground. Yang Wei’s face was covered in red palm prints, and Mother Yang looked equally miserable, her hair disheveled and blood at the corner of her mouth. Her eldest aunt sat to the side cracking melon seeds, while her younger aunt fanned her. Goodness, it wasn't even that hot—her eldest aunt really knew how to put on airs. She loved it!

Yang Wei, hearing movement, hoped for rescue, but upon seeing Sheng Wanqiu, he let out a gasp of despair. *Again? Just kill me now!*

"Eldest Aunt, I’m done with my business. Can we go?" Sheng Wanqiu called out.

Sheng Xiaohua looked embarrassed to be caught fanning her sister.

"Little Aunt, this is the mutton my grandma asked me to bring you," Sheng Wanqiu said, pulling the meat from her basket.

"Your little aunt needs to nourish herself, especially her brain!" Sheng Chunhua glared at her spineless sister. Turning to the Yangs, she declared, "Don't you dare untie them! Let them starve for three days—let's see if they dare bully you again! I’m telling you, we’ll be checking on my sister from time to time. If I hear you’ve bullied her again, I’ll personally ensure you lose your manhood! I’ve already spoken to the neighbors; if anyone reports you to me, I’ll pay them two coins. Don't think you can hide anything from me. Either live a decent life with my sister, or become a eunuch—you decide!"