Chapter 5.2: Merchant

Just as Tong’er was about to reply, she suddenly heard a loud shout from outside. It was of a man’s laughter that sounded like some kind of folk song. Tong’er pricked up her ears and jumped to her feet, laughing and hopping, “Young miss, Mr. Zhang has arrived! Mr. Zhang has come this year to bring some things! “

Jiang Lî immediately turned and looked out the window, then said with a smile, “In that case, take out all the copper coins and let’s go buy cakes.”

“All of them?” Tong’er turned her head in surprise.

“All of them.”

After Tong’er had plundered all the coins in the house, she wrapped them in a blue cloth and carried them in her arms. Only then did she leave the temple with Jiang Lî.

The mountain here was too high, but the He Lin Temple beside it was flourishing. Those who came were all wealthy and noble, and generally disdained to buy things from the peddlers. As a result, most peddlers were unwilling to do business in the mountain. Although his family lived at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, Mr. Zhang would not usually come up.

But every year, from May to June, peach blossoms would bloom on the mountains. Then, not only the rich and powerful families, but even the common people were willing to come up Qingcheng Mountain to admire the flowers. With so many people, the merchant chose this day to go up the mountain to sell his cosmetics.

Tong’er was familiar with this man, so they made an agreement to meet here every tenth day of the fifth month to buy things. The nunnery was not as lively as the He Lin Temple. To Jiang Lî and Tong’er, being able to buy some snacks from the peddler at this time of the year was the only luxury they had.

As expected, at the entrance of the temple, there was indeed a middle-aged man wearing a conical bamboo hat. He wore short brown hemp pants, a white silk belt at his waist, and black cloth shoes. He was really dressed as a peddler.

Jiang Lî seemed to be in a trance.

When she was just a little girl, before marrying Shen Yurong and going to Yanjing, Xue Huaiyuan had just been transferred to the remote village, Tongxiang. At that time, Tongxiang had nothing. The shops in the entire county could be counted with both hands.

For Xue Zhao and her, at a young age living in this kind of environment, the sole delight was just the monthly visit from the peddlers who went door to door. In the peddlers’ hands, they could purchase new and odd clay dolls, pretty silk ribbons, sweet maltose candy, and also rough writing brushes to practice calligraphy.

Although it was hard, they lived every day happily. Afterwards, Tongxiang country became better and better under Xue Huaiyuan’s administration. Afterwards, Xue Zhao began to prepare for the military examination. Afterwards, she married and went to Yanjing. Afterwards … There were no more afterwards.

Jiang Lî lowered her eyes.

Mr. Zhang had also become familiar with the two of them, and told Tong’er that she had grown taller which made Tong’er extremely happy upon hearing it. She turned to Jiang Lî and asked, “Young miss, do you want those pastries?”

Only then did Jiang Lî look at Mr. Zhang. She smiled at him, causing him to be stunned for a moment and he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Jiang Lî took the cloth bag from Tong’er’s hands and opened it. Inside the bag, there was a neat bunch of copper coins. All of these copper coins had been collected by Jiang Lî and Tong’er over the past half year from sewing shoe soles. Adding the several years of the money given by Head Nun Jing An, altogether they had collected a total of forty strings.

“Uncle Zhang,” Jiang Lî smiled, “All of these copper coins are exchanged for fruits and cakes, okay? Any kind is fine.”

Tong’er’s eyes widened, “Young miss!”

Although she brought all her belongings, Tong’er didn’t really think that Jiang Lî would spend all of her copper coins. The people in the nunnery would deduct their firewood at the slightest opportunity. Sometimes they would exchange the money with the children in the mountain for some quilts. Buying cakes that couldn’t be stored for many days, it soon would be all spoiled. How was it feasible?

“Why?” Jiang Lî still had a smile on her face as she said, “The Chief Assistant’s di daughter can’t even spend a few copper coins to buy cakes? What kind of young miss is that? “

Tong’er was at a loss for words.