The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 394 - 383: Just Believed

Chapter 394: Chapter 383: Just Believed

Zhou SiLang was stunned and asked, "Where did you get so many ginger seeds?"

He didn’t remember the family leaving her with that many ginger seeds.

"I’ve talked to my sister-in-law, and she agreed to give me more than half of the ginger buried underneath the vegetable garden, and Shanbao’s flower beds also have quite a few," and some were purchased from the marketplace, but that portion Manbao was not going to mention. With a casual wave of her hand, she said, "Anyway, I have enough to plant."

Zhou Erlang listened and nodded repeatedly, "As long as you have a plan, that’s fine."

He felt that even if the heavens were not kind this year and only the ginger seeds managed to survive, they could still be sold for a good amount of money. Zhou Erlang knew the value of ginger.

Moreover, the yield from an acre of ginger was not small, evident from the produce of Four’s five or six parts of land last year.

Zhou Hu had no idea how profitable ginger could be. His family had taken a few ginger seeds from Zhou’s two years ago to plant, and after two years, they now just had enough for their own consumption.

Especially now that his wife was unwell, the doctor had suggested using ginger with brown sugar. So, their household never had enough ginger.

However, by asking Auntie Qian, they could usually take a few pieces home.

After some thought, Zhou Hu decided to plant more ginger in the vegetable garden once he got back, at least to ensure enough for his family’s needs.

While Zhou Hu was deep in thought, Zhou SiLang suddenly sprang up and exclaimed, "You planted two acres? By autumn and winter, can you even sell so much ginger? Won’t the price be driven down to the ground?"

Manbao said, "Ginger can be used as a medicinal herb. The medicine shops are always buying it. I plan to dry it and sell it to the medicine shops."

No sooner had Manbao finished speaking than Keke suddenly popped up and said, "Host, dried ginger is made from ginger that has been grown for two years, not from fresh ginger that is only one year old. So if you want to make dried ginger, you’ll have to wait until next autumn."

Manbao was taken aback for a moment, then turned to Zhou SiLang and said, "Four, how about you don’t sell your ginger this autumn, and let me sell it instead? Keep yours, and next autumn, we can dig it up. I just remembered that dried ginger is made from two-year-old ginger."

Zhou SiLang’s mouth hung open.

Manbao said, "Actually, the price of dried ginger is quite high too."

Zhou SiLang replied with a sigh, "Your little nephew is about to be born, are you planning to make him go without new clothes in his first year?"

Manbao, "..."

Zhou Erlang didn’t bother with them, knowing that in Luojiang County, the Zhou family certainly planted the most ginger. Whether it was his Fourth Brother, youngest sister, or his Third Brother, they were all family, and the money earned would go into their own pockets.

So he wasn’t worried at all.

Zhou Hu didn’t quite understand what they were talking about and was even less likely to comment.

Zhou Wulang always took Manbao’s side and whispered to her, "Tell dad and mom so they can support you."

Zhou SiLang heard this and rolled up his sleeves, ready to give Zhou Wulang a beating, "After all I’ve done for you, I even gave you two extra bird eggs last time. Is this how you repay me?"

Manbao then shouted, "Fifth Brother, run!"

And the two brothers ran off, playfully fighting.

Zhou Hu felt an unbearable envy and said to Zhou Erlang, "Having many brothers is great, not only for mutual support but also for adding more liveliness to everyday life."

Being an only child in his own family, if something went wrong, there was no one to lend a hand.

Zhou Erlang just smiled at him, "You think it’s lively now because you don’t know how annoying they can get when they really start to make a fuss."

After all, the Zhou family was never short of lively moments; what they really lacked was peace and quiet.

Arriving in the county town, Zhou Erlang, not wanting them to follow, waved his hands, signaling them to do their own things. He had a stall to tend to and merchandise to sell.

However, he also reminded Manbao, "If the ox is too expensive, more than four taels, don’t buy it."

Zhou Hu hesitated, "Otherwise, let’s go to the cattle market first to check out the prices. What if the County Governmental Office’s oxen are even more expensive than those in the cattle market?"

Manbao thought he made sense and headed to the cattle market with them.

The cattle market was just a not-very-long street, where larger livestock such as cattle, horses, donkeys, and mules were sold—oh, and pigs too.

In Luojiang County, there naturally weren’t many people selling cattle.

They walked from the start of the street to the end and only saw three cattle, one of which was so old it lay on the ground, struggling to eat a handful of fresh grass from its owner’s hand.

Manbao, curious, squatted down to have a look. The man holding the cow’s leash glanced at her clothes and quickly looked away, casually saying, "This cow is too old, it’s sold for slaughter, not for plowing. "

"How old is it?"

The owner sighed, "About fifteen years old, I guess. When I bought it, the seller told me it was six years old, in its prime. It has been nine years since it came to my home."

Manbao was astounded.

Then, standing beside it was a young calf, whose handler said it was two years old and could begin to manage lighter field work.

Another one was in its prime, approximately six years old, but the asking price was high. Zhou Hu inquired, and the price was indeed high at four taels and two hundred coins.

The four of them left the cattle market, with Zhou Hu’s confidence severely shaken. He murmured, "That’s expensive."

Manbao pulled them towards a pawnshop. Reaching the counter, she tiptoed to reveal just a small head and asked the clerk, "How much copper coin can I get for one tael of silver right now?"

The clerk glanced at her and then at the three young men behind her, clearing his throat, "It depends on the quality of the silver. If it’s good, you can exchange it for 1,300 coins, the lesser quality might fetch you about 1,050 coins."

"What about government-issued silver?"

"That would be 1,200 coins."

Manbao nodded to show she understood, waved goodbye to the clerk, and turned to pull them into a silver shop to ask the same question. After receiving a similar answer, she led Zhou Hu to the County Governmental Office.

"Let’s check the County Governmental Office’s oxen first. If they’re good, we’ll get them on credit."

The County Governmental Office’s oxen weren’t actually inside the office itself but in an adjacent open shed. It used to be an open space but now boasted a straw canopy offering shade for the oxen and allowing those who wanted to get them on credit to observe.

About twenty oxen stood in the shed, which, though small, felt more like a cattle market than the actual market did.

Manbao’s eyes sparkled as she took out the household registration from her bag and had Zhou SiLang go sign up to enter and examine the oxen. Zhou SiLang, holding the registration, opened his mouth wide and asked, "Where did you get this from?"

Wasn’t this always kept by dad?

"I asked mom to get it for me!"

"So, does mom know what you’re up to?"

After thinking for a moment, Manbao said, "I didn’t tell mom, but mom told me there’s enough money at home to pay it back."

Zhou SiLang, reassured by her words, still felt something strange. He looked Manbao up and down, hesitant, "Manbao, you’re not really a reincarnated fairy from Heaven Master’s abode, are you?"

Ever since their mother got better, he always felt that she was more indulgent towards Manbao.

She was loving before but not to the point of letting Manbao get away with so much.

Zhou Wulang however, had no doubts and glanced at him, saying, "Of course she is. Hasn’t mom said many times before? How could Heaven Master have healed mom if Manbao weren’t a reincarnated fairy?"

Zhou SiLang thought about it and realized it made sense. He glanced at his uncomplicated Fifth Brother, regretting that it had taken him until now to consider this. Yes, if Manbao wasn’t a reincarnated fairy, how could their mother’s illness have improved overnight to the point where she was now even healthier than most? It was simply too incredible.