Without seeing the expression on Mr. Li’s face when he came back to eat wontons, Zhu Ping’an and his friends went to set up their stall after finishing their meal.
When he came out of the morning stall, the sun had already risen to the middle of the sky, and the market gradually became more crowded, with the sounds of hawking, calling boys and girls, and laughing one after another. After a long period of peace, the people were prosperous. This was just a small town, but it was so lively. Zhu Ping'an began to yearn for the prosperity of the county town or even the emperor's feet.
Father Zhu unloaded the ox cart, led the ox aside and tied it up, then placed the basket of hay he had brought there for the ox to chew leisurely.
Zhu Ping'an followed his brother Zhu Pingchuan to help separate the bamboo weaving and the wild game they brought. After a while, a simple stall was set up. After the stall was set up, Zhu Ping'an thought about his basket of honeysuckle and told his father that he wanted to sell flowers.
Looking at Zhu Ping'an, whose chubby face was flushed with excitement, Zhu's father could not say a word of criticism. This silly son really thought that wild flowers could be sold for money. Forget it, just let him go and hit the wall, and he will not have such ridiculous ideas in the future. Boys should be beaten more.
"Dachuan, take your brother around for a look. If you can't sell it, bring your brother back." After Zhu Shouyi made up his mind, he nodded in agreement. To be on the safe side, he let Zhu Pingchuan take Zhu Ping'an with him.
Zhu Ping'an could clearly see his father's disbelief, and thinking about his mother Chen's joke in the morning, he thought to himself that he would take a good look at your expressions after he sold the items and got the money.
After listening to his father's words, Zhu Pingchuan put the basket of honeysuckle on his back, and walked towards the market holding Zhu Ping'an's hand.
Not long after Zhu Ping'an left, the sinister little Lolita and the fat rich man Li Datu came out from the snack bar next door. Rich man Li had a face full of sweat and a red nose, and it was obvious that he was seriously harmed by the wontons that the sinister little Lolita had added ingredients to.
"That's right, waste is not good, it's right for daddy to finish eating." The dark little loli muttered as she walked with her short legs.
Mr. Li, the rich man, smiled apologetically and nodded repeatedly, with the muscles on his face twitching constantly.
When the black-bellied little girl passed by Zhu's father's stall, her big eyes lit up for a moment, and she paused to look around. She didn't find the little bastard she was looking for, and felt a little disappointed. You dare to call me an ugly girl? I'll make you look good!
Mr. Li, the rich man, had no idea what his mischievous little daughter was thinking. When he saw her stop in front of Zhu's father's stall, he thought she was interested in some bamboo weaving.
"Shu'er, tell daddy what you like and I'll buy it for you." Mr. Li is very wealthy and is willing to spend money on his daughter, not to mention that this bamboo weaving doesn't cost much.
The scheming little loli was not in a very good mood and just pointed at a few with her little finger.
"Okay, buy, buy, buy." Mr. Li, with his belly sticking out, coaxed his little daughter and asked Father Zhu nonchalantly, "How much?"
Father Zhu saw that the things the little girl pointed out were all small bamboo weavings that Zhu Ping'an had asked him to weave for fun a few days ago. They were a small bamboo flower basket, a small bamboo teapot and two matching bamboo teacups. He didn't expect to sell them, but after all, they were already woven, so he brought them along.
"They are just little things not worth much money. The small flower basket and the teapot and teacups count as two sets, ten cents..." Father Zhu thought for a moment and said awkwardly.
Without a second thought, Mr. Li took out twenty coins from his purse and handed them to Zhu's father. Then he put the teapot and teacups in a bamboo basket, held them in front of his daughter like he was presenting treasures, and left with the sinister little girl.
Father Zhu's face turned red and he opened his mouth several times, but the rich man Li was far away and he didn't hear anything.
Father Zhu looked at the back of the wealthy man Li as he walked away, feeling a little annoyed. I said two sets for a total of ten coins. Moreover, I just opened my mouth for the first time, waiting for you to bargain. After all, the bamboo was cut in the mountains for free, and I just spent a little time. The time spent on getting two sets is not as much as the time spent on making a bamboo basket by myself.
Although Zhu's father is dull, he is not pedantic. After all, the rich man Li is not short of money, so he just considers it as a favor.
People were coming and going on the street, and Zhu Pingchuan led Zhu Pingan walking aimlessly on the street.
Of course, it was just Zhu Pingchuan who had no purpose, but Zhu Pingan had a purpose, and his sparkling little eyes were staring at the shops on the street.
Teahouse, no.
A tavern, not really.
The Rouge Velvet Shop is even less so.
The fragrance of silk fabrics wafts in the air, and new voices and sweet smiles can be heard in the willow-filled alleys and flowery streets. Well, this is definitely not a brothel.
Although the town is small, it has everything it needs, and there are many shops with a wide variety of products. But what I am looking for is a pharmacy, not these shops.
"Brother, where are we going? I think mother and the others are right. No one will buy wild flowers, let alone dried ones." Zhu Pingchuan wanted to persuade Zhu Ping'an to go back.
"I heard that the pharmacy will collect some tree roots, bark and the like. Maybe they will want them." Zhu Ping'an pulled his brother's clothes with his fat paw and suggested, "Let's go to the pharmacy."
"They are collecting medicinal herbs." Zhu Pingchuan corrected.
"Maybe these wild flowers of mine are also medicinal herbs..." Zhu Ping'an blinked and thought, if they weren't medicinal herbs, I wouldn't have picked them.
"Can wild flowers be medicinal herbs?" Zhu Pingchuan picked up a honeysuckle flower and sniffed it, then said with certainty, "No."
Despite this, Zhu Pingchuan still took Zhu Pingan to a nearby pharmacy. Zhu Pingchuan had been to this pharmacy once or twice with Zhu's father, so he knew the way.
Although there were many shops on both sides of the street, Zhu Ping'an recognized the medicine shop at a glance. It was easy to identify the medicine shop because it was too conspicuous among the many shops. It had several plaques in front of the door with words such as "Miraculous Doctors Bringing Back the Dead" and "Healing the World with Medicine" inscribed on them.
This is a busy street. The pharmacy is on the north side of the street, and the door of the pharmacy faces south. The pharmacy has two entrances, front and back. The front is a place for rest and processing herbs. From the outside, the pharmacy looks clean and tidy.
The name of the medicine shop is "Jimintang". There are wooden couplets hanging on both sides of the door. On the left side is written "May you always be healthy", and on the right side is written "Where am I alone in poverty". The couplets are extraordinary and look like a doctor who is saving the world.
Inside the drugstore, a gorgeously dressed woman was holding a child and consulting an old Chinese doctor. A maid was standing beside her to serve her. Behind her stood a row of intricately carved rosewood medicine cabinets. Two apprentices were reading prescriptions and dispensing medicine. Overall, the drugstore was clean and well-regulated.
When Zhu Ping'an entered the room, he happened to hear the old Chinese doctor's diagnosis. He wrote a prescription and told the woman the doctor's advice, "It's early autumn and the heat hasn't subsided yet. The body is disturbed by dampness and heat. Madam, don't worry about the young master. Three qian of honeysuckle, one qian and two fen each of wild chrysanthemum, dandelion, purple flower gentian, and purple back amaranth seed, two cups of water, boil for eight minutes, add half a cup of ash-free wine, and boil it for two or three times. Boil it again as described, cover yourself with a blanket and sweat, and you will be better within three days."
The lady thanked him repeatedly, and the maid hurriedly memorized the doctor's instructions so that she could go back and boil medicine and take care of him.