Mu Yuanxiu said, "Brother Tian, these herbs, whether in quality or size, are top-notch goods. How can they be just average?"
The clerk raised his eyebrows slightly, "Brother Mu, you might not know, this year the weather was perfect, so all the herbs delivered are . That’s why I said they’re just average."
"Just tell me, how much are you paying?" Li Yuzhu asked.
The clerk stroked his chin, "Bianxia for one hundred thirty wen, Gastrodia for one hundred wen, Huanglian for eighty wen."
The Second Young Master and others didn’t understand herbs, so they just stood aside.
Li Yuzhu walked over to watch the shopkeeper prepare medicine for others and the herbs brought in by other sellers, realizing that the clerk was lowballing the price.
And he was being quite harsh.
She picked up the basket, "Mr. Mu, there’s another shop down the road that buys herbs at a higher price, but you insisted I come here, saying it’s easier to talk prices with familiar people. He’s familiar with you, but not with me, and is clearly lowballing. I’m not selling anymore."
She turned around, huffing angrily.
Mu Yuanxiu’s eyes flashed slightly, raising an eyebrow.
The clerk panicked and quickly pulled Li Yuzhu back, "Miss, please wait a moment, these prices are just for outsiders. Of course, there’s a different price for familiar faces."
Li Yuzhu raised an eyebrow, "And how much is that?"
"Wait a moment, I’ll ask the shopkeeper." The clerk chuckled sheepishly, grabbed a few pieces of herbs, and dashed to the back hall.
After a while, the clerk came running back, "Our shopkeeper said we can give you a familiar price, the same we usually give Brother Mu, but you can’t tell others." He whispered the last sentence.
"Oh? Really? And how much is that?" Li Yuzhu asked with leisure.
What did he mean by not telling others? Businesses always say this to deceive people.
"Bianxia for one hundred sixty, Gastrodia for one hundred ten, Huanglian for ninety-five." The clerk said.
Li Yuzhu looked at Mu Yuanxiu, "Is this the price you usually get?"
Mu Yuanxiu glanced at Li Yuzhu’s herbs, "Almost." But thought to himself, she can bargain!
"Alright, then that’s settled. You can weigh them now." Li Yuzhu set down the basket again.
"Of course, of course." The clerk fetched the scale rod and weighed the herbs one by one.
Bianxia, three jins and three taels, Gastrodia, four jins and five taels, Huanglian, three jins and one tael.
The clerk brought out an abacus and calculated each one, "One thousand three hundred seventeen and a half wen."
But finally, he only gave one thousand three hundred wen, refusing to give the remaining seventeen and a half wen.
For the sake of future business, Li Yuzhu had to endure it.
The Great Princess was still indignant and wanted to argue with the clerk, but Li Yuzhu held her back.
Once Li Yuzhu’s herbs were weighed, it was Mu Yuanxiu’s turn.
Mu Yuanxiu’s herbs were miscellaneous and lacked the neatness of Li Yuzhu’s, consisting of inexpensive herbs like Banlangen, Baizhu, and Huangjing, selling for only a little over three hundred wen.
Upon leaving the medicine shop, the Great Princess immediately said, "Third sister, I helped dig herbs too, so I should get a share of the money."
The Second Princess also said, "And me, I dug quite a bit of that Bianxia."
Li Yuzhu was not a cold-hearted person. When they were lazy, she would not hesitate to scold them, but when they worked, she respected them.
"Of course, everyone gets a share." Li Yuzhu laughed, "Not only you two, but Second Brother and Third Brother too."
Those two might not have dug herbs, but they helped her with many other things.
"Really? Third sister, how much are you giving me?" Li Xing’an rubbed his hands with joy.
The Second Young Master also looked at Li Yuzhu with anticipation.