Chapter 123: Chapter 123 A Steady Heart – 1 Chapter 123: Chapter 123 A Steady Heart – 1 Sometimes, Old Man Chen’s ox cart was not big enough; recently, Lin Yue had specifically hired the ox cart from Wu Qiang’s elder brother’s family to take her to the city. It cost twenty coins each trip, which was quite convenient and also avoided the inquisitiveness of the villagers, but as the days passed, the busy farming season was about to begin. Wu Qiang’s elder brother’s ox cart would be needed for plowing the fields, and there might be no time to lend it to her. Lin Yue had already saved up fifteen taels of silver. She reckoned it was almost enough. This time when she went to the city, she planned to see if there were any suitable oxen to buy. If it really didn’t work out, the six taels of silver she owed to her great-uncle could be returned later.
Upon arriving at the market, Lin Yue still chose her usual spot to set up and sell her goods. By now, some people were already waiting for her there. The most familiar among them was the young woman, Madam Zhang Chen, and her mother-in-law, Madam Zhang Lin, who had been the first to buy Lin Yue’s buns on her first day at the stall. Every time Lin Yue set up her stall, this mother and daughter-in-law duo would definitely come to buy several items of food. By now, they were regular customers.
Ever since Lin Yue learned that Madam Zhang Lin’s husband had once been a scholar and taught at the Songshan Academy, her mind became more active. She treated them with great respect. She gave them special discounts when they came to buy food, sometimes even giving them extra snacks on top. If Madam Zhang Lin’s grandson came along, Lin Yue would praise him, casually mentioning her own children at home, and how sensible they were. As a result, Madam Zhang Lin had a very good impression of Lin Yue. Seeing how capable Dalang was in helping Lin Yue busily, even the usually cold and quiet Madam Zhang Lin would occasionally give some compliments.
Because she planned to buy an ox cart, Lin Yue didn’t bring much food to sell this time. After selling out, she packed up her stall and, together with Dalang, strolled around the market to see if they could find something suitable. They didn’t go to the brokers, however, as purchasing from brokers required a commission fee of three percent.
After walking around the market, they did find a couple of people selling oxen. Either the price was too high, or the oxen were not right. Although they didn’t appear scrawny, they walked sluggishly, as if they lacked strength, resembling sick cattle. Even someone inexperienced like Lin Yue felt that it wasn’t right. In the end, she decided to go to the brokers to make the purchase. After all, it was a big investment and any issues after buying it would be regrettable. Buying from the brokers might cost more, but it would give her peace of mind.
Though she didn’t buy the oxen, Lin Yue took a liking to a ewe that had just given birth to a lamb and was being sold for cheap. Such a large sheep cost only three taels of silver, and it had plenty of milk. Lin Yue hadn’t planned on buying it since she reckoned her silver would only just cover the necessary expenses. However, she didn’t hesitate to make the purchase.
Zhao Erhu was currently unconscious and could only ingest liquid food in addition to his medicine. Lin Yue usually made egg soup, rice soup, or soy milk, and also bone broth for Zhao Erhu to drink. Still, Lin Yue felt that these were not enough nutrition for a grown man, but she had no other alternative. Seeing that someone was selling a milk sheep, she wouldn’t miss the chance. Goat’s milk is highly nutritious, good for both Zhao Erhu and her children. Therefore, Lin Yue would buy it no matter what.
“Sister-in-law, you’ve bought a milk sheep?” Zhao Xinglin called out from afar, seeing Lin Yue leading a ewe with a frown. “It’s not much use after just having given birth. The meat of a mother sheep that just gave birth isn’t tasty either. Were you deceived by someone?” This area was under Zhao Xinglin’s patrol. Since Lin Yue sold goods in the market, the two often ran into each other.