Chapter 41: Going to the Market

The next day, Song Yuming got up early and dug out a shoulder pole from the cellar and hung two empty wicker baskets from either end. He looked like he was preparing to make a lot of purchases in town. Xue Dongting wrapped the best pieces of dragon saliva incense in a cloth. Husband and wife ate a simple breakfast, took some pastries with them for later, then set out hand in hand toward market in town.

It was almost the new year and the town was bustling. It was buzzing with activity. They went to the incense shop first. Song Yuming talked for a minute with an attendant, who then went to call the manager. The manager came out from the back room and went over hurriedly, all smiles, as if he knew Song Yuming with how polite he was. He invited them into the shop and had tea prepared and they exchanged a few courtesies.

Xue Dongting brought out the dragon saliva incense and the manager hefted them and looked them over carefully for a time as if he were unsure about something.

Xue Dongting and Song Yuming looked at each other and the latter shook his head faintly and picked up his tea cup and blew the steam off it gently, looking as calm and casual as could be. Xue Dongting, on the other hand, was anxious. She said to the manager, “This is first-class dragon saliva incense, said to be in the ocean at least a hundred years. You don’t need to hesitate.”

The manager smiled. “Lady Song, it’s not that I doubt the quality of this incense. Though it’s quite excellent, it’s just it won’t be very easy to sell in this little place. So… for these three pieces, how about fifteen taels of silver?”

Xue Dongting was somewhat disappointed. She knew that if she sold this high quality incense in the capital she could easily sell it for a hundred taels. But the manager was telling the truth. In this backwater fishing village, not even a wealthy person would pay that high a price for it.

Song Yuming suddenly spoke up. “Manager Sun, I know this incense is quite popular in the capital. Manager, you have a lot of connections, I’m sure you can find a way to get it to the capital?”

A peculiar look flashed through Manager Sun’s eyes, but it was gone as soon as it appeared, He smiled. “Brother Song, after all these are only a few pieces…”

“Well then how about this: early next year I plan to go out to sea again. I remember there was more of it on that island. Why not wait for me to get a bit more, then send it all together? We can talk about the price then, what do you say?”

Manager Sun thought for a moment, then smiled. “Alright. I’ll take these for now at thirty taels as a favor to you, Brother Song… Since you’re going out to sea again, then please give this little shop all the incense you collect.”

Song Yuming smiled and cupped a hand over his fist. “You’re too kind.”

Husband and wife left the incense shop, Xue Dongting hefting a heavy bag of silver. She was in an excellent mood. She was liking Song Yuming more and more as well. Seems her husband was really quite capable and had a way with words. He made a good businessman.

Next they went to the herbal medicine shop and Xue Dongting found the herbs she needed except for gastrodia root. They went to three shops but couldn’t find any. Song Yuming said they might be able to find some in the mountains and that he would take to go dig for some later.

She had no choice but to give up for now. Song Yuming also dragged her to the fabric store, but even thought she had all that silver in her hands, maybe it was because she was used to counting coins every day, but she had become frugal. She looked at the prices on each bolt of cloth and was loathe to spend the silver on any of it. Song Yuming saw she was unwilling to pick anything, so he took charge and decided for her, selecting some dark green silk with clouds and mist patterns. He held the cloth up to her, smiling. “This color will look great on you.”