Chapter 45
Twenty-six Dragons (1)
Because the matter of going to the market to sell her goods weighed on her mind, Mu Wanwan woke up very early.
Outside, the sky was a little dark. She lit a lamp, then washed up and started to work, bearing the somewhat chilly air.
She only felt a little cold in the room, but when she stepped out, she realised that it was really cold. Moreover, the sky was dark and gloomy, and she wondered if it was going to rain again.
“Mister Long, I’m leaving now.” Mu Wanwan packed everything up and walked to the bed. She saw that he was sleeping peacefully, then lifted the quilt and looked at his tail which did not show any abnormal signs. After thinking about it, she still felt a little uneasy. After all, she had also checked on Mister Long’s tail before leaving last time, but after merely being out for a few hours, his tail had become rotten.
She should pay more attention this time. Mu Wanwan thought about it, cut a small piece of ginseng and replaced the one she gave Mister Long before, then tucked him in well. Despite knowing that he couldn’t hear her, she still promised softly, “I’ll hurry back as soon as I can this time.”
Mu Wanwan shut the door and checked whether the courtyard door had been locked properly several times before leaving, taking the broken umbrella and carrying the basket on her back.
She was leaving Mister Long to the market in a very different mood this time. Last time, she was a little scared and even worried that she would not be able to return. This time, she was worried about Mister Long more.
“Madam, are you going to the market?”
Just like last time, Hong Ye appeared not long after Mu Wanwan walked out. Only this time, she appeared with an ox cart.
“Mhm.” Mu Wanwan smiled at Hong Ye, “I want to go out today.”
“All right, get in, Madam,” said Hong Ye smilingly. “Are you going to the Elven market again?”
“Yes,” replied Mu Wanwan, first carefully placing the basket she was carrying onto the ox cart before getting on herself.
Hong Ye glimpsed the new load that hadn’t been there the previous trip and pondered. “Madam, what’s this that you’ve covered with cloth? Are you going to sell things at the market this time?”
Mu Wanwan nodded and generously lifted the cloth she had prepared last night to reveal the vegetables inside and said calmly, “I bought quite a lot of seeds at the market last time, and am going to trade for some money this time.”
Hong Ye glanced at the basket. It was stuffed with vegetables, most of which were radishes; there were also quite a lot of leafy vegetables. She soon lost interest, sat down in front, and began to drive the ox cart. She tossed Mu Wanwan a veiled hat and said in a tone that carried a faint note of disdain, “Madam, don’t forget to put on a veiled hat. Also, I’m afraid you won’t be able to earn much with these vegetables, right? Madam, you’re a Rank 1 cultivator at least, using spiritual energy to grow these vegetables eaten by regular folk is really…”
Mu Wanwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, but said in a tone that had a hint of helplessness, “The sovereign is now severely ill, and the monthly budget is not enough to pay for his medicine. Even if you say it’s tough, if it were not for the fact that it’s no big deal for cultivators to go hungry for a few meals, I might not even be able to scrape together enough money for vegetable seeds.
“I only have two silver coins that cannot be absorbed by cultivators left now. I’m counting on these vegetables for some money.
“Sigh, Madam, if you ask me, you shouldn’t have bought so much meat and cloth last time.” Hong Ye was convinced. Seeing that Mu Wanwan looked like someone who wasn’t very worldly-wise, she felt that her days were even worse than a maid like her. “You might as well buy some needle and thread with those silver coins, and make some purses and the like to sell.” Hong Ye continued, “If a purse is well made, it can be sold for ten or so copper coins.”
Mu Wanwan had originally been listening casually, but when she heard the mention of ten or so copper coins, she became genuinely interested. “Ten or so copper coins?”
Hong Ye’s nature was not bad at all, and she was willing to share, “Yes. The few sisters and sisters-in-law of mine who didn’t become cultivators are all supporting their family expenses this way. I think it’s better than growing vegetables.”
As the two chatted, the ox cart gradually drew away from the palace. As before, after passing through the boundary enchantment and leaving the tyrant’s manor through the side gate, it travelled peacefully all the way to the site of the marketplace.
“Madam, it looked like it’s about to rain. I’ll be looking for somewhere to park the ox cart. I may have to trouble Madam to carry an umbrella yourself to board the ox cart later.” After chatting the entire journey, Hong Ye’s attitude towards Mu Wanwan was better, and even a little more respectful than before.
“Then, we’ll meet at about the same time as last time.” Mu Wanwan bade her farewell and headed off towards the market.
They had talked a lot along the way, and she also learned a little more about Hong Ye. According to her, their family has been living in poverty since their ancestors’ generation. Only, she didn’t know if her generation had been blessed by their ancestors, both she and her brother were lucky enough to embark on the path of cultivation.
Moreover, her brother, Qing Ye, was especially outstanding; he managed to become a Rank 2 cultivator before the age of forty. Hong Ye said angrily that if he hadn’t met that wretched Bai Shuiyao, Qing Ye would not have been deposed of his cultivation just like that, resulting in Qing Ye’s mortal wife having to embroider early in the morning and late at night to support her children and husband.
When Mu Wanwan heard this during their journey, she was very surprised. She had always thought that Qing Ye was single, but he actually had a wife and children, and was already forty years old. Bai Shuiyao was really something else to be able to work on him. That Qing Ye was also really a scumbag, to hook up with other women when he already had a wife.
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