Chapter 64: Chapter 62 Visiting the County
"Then can I come find Uncle Liu in the future? You wonât find me annoying, will you?" Gu Chengyu replied half-jokingly.
"What kind of talk is that? Just come whenever you want. When you go back, please say hello to Doctor Li for me, and tell him to come visit often. Itâs been three years since he last came, and he hasnât visited this old friend of his."
"Donât worry, Uncle Liu! Iâll be sure to pass on the message," Gu Chengyu said as he saw his father sorting through the silver notes, and he quickly stepped forward to help.
Manager Liu watched Mr. Gu as he picked up the silver notes, glanced at them, and then pulled out two taels of Silver, intending to use it for the journey back. The rest he placed in the rolled-up small blanket they brought, and then into the burlap sack they had just retrieved. Actually, when Gu Chengyu stepped forward to help, he had already stashed the silver notes and Silver away, something Mr. Gu didnât know. Manager Liu thought to himself, even if there were a thief, they wouldnât expect the Silver to be hidden in a small blanket in a burlap sack, right? It should be safe like this.
"Brother Gu, since youâre here in the county, and itâs almost 7:30 AM, why donât I treat you to try the famous dishes of the Wenxian Building here?" Manager Liu thought, having traveled from afar, at this hour, theyâre probably hungry, so itâs better to have something good before heading back.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Uncle Liu, but we rented an ox cart to come here and have the driver waiting for us at the county gate. Itâs getting late now, and we fear missing the appointed hour with him. We canât just let him wait in vain, can we?" Gu Chengyu hurriedly refused upon hearing about going to the restaurant. Dining expenses are high, and we shouldnât impose, especially since weâve just met them; it wouldnât be appropriate to accept their hospitality.
"Since youâve already made arrangements, I wonât insist. Brother Gu, next time you come to the county, you must find me, so I can play the part of a proper host." Manager Liu knew they were carrying so much silver; even if they went to the restaurant, they wouldnât be at ease, so it was better to head back early.
"Manager Liu, we shall take our leave now." Mr. Gu still felt his heart pounding, and he didnât even want to visit his eldest sister anymore. He just wanted to go back and tell his wife and cheer her up. Sheâs been with him for so many years, and theyâve never seen even fifty taels of silver.
"Uncle Liu, weâll meet again next time." Gu Chengyu bowed to Manager Liu to say goodbye.
Manager Liu escorted the Gu Family to the entrance of the medical hall. "Manager Liu, you donât need to see us off further; weâre heading back now," Mr. Gu turned back and said to Manager Liu.
"Then Iâll leave you here. Be careful on the road." After saying this, he went back inside.
"Father, letâs buy something in the county. Itâs not easy to come here, and we should bring something back, right? Also, you mentioned visiting Auntâs houseâif thatâs true, we should bring some snacks as gifts, right?" Gu Chengyu, seeing the lively county, genuinely wanted to look around. He was thinking of buying something to thank Dongzi and also bid farewell when leaving.
Thinking for a bit, he tugged his fatherâs sleeve to lower his head, quietly telling him that he had already stashed away the Silver. Mr. Gu was a bit surprised after hearing this, wondering how it happened so quickly when he had clearly put it inside the blanket himself just a moment ago.
"Really? But the ox cart is still waiting for us! As for going to your Auntâs house, I indeed have that intention." Mr. Gu was a bit hesitant. It was rare to come to the county, and he also wished to buy something. With the Silver safe with the Immortal, he didnât have to worry. After some thought, he decided to go shopping.
"Eldest, go check if the cart driver is still at the city gate. If he is, ask him to wait a bit longer, as we are still his customers. If heâs not, donât come looking for us; just wait there, and donât get separated. Xiao Bao and I will buy something and come back quickly, not wandering around. You take the blanket with youâitâs not convenient for us to carry it around." Mr. Gu worried that making the cart driver wait too long was unfair, and since theyâd be leaving after buying something, it would be better for the eldest to wait there with the goods.
"What? How can I do that? I donât dare, Father!" Gu Chengli was reluctant to roam in the bustling crowd, but knowing the blanket contained Silver, the thought of carrying that much made his hands tremble just thinking of going to the city gate alone.
"Just take it! What are you afraid of? Stop staring at it, or youâll tell everyone thereâs something in there. Go!" Mr. Gu was a little annoyed; his eldest son needed to build some courage.
Mr. Gu and Gu Chengyu watched their eldest brother head towards the city gate and then turned to walk into the crowd.
As the two strolled down the street, they glanced at each stall they passed. Mr. Gu was thinking, if they were going to his eldest sisterâs place, they should buy a packet of snacks and some brown sugarâwhich was expensive. Add to that a piece of cloth, and the gift would be complete.
But Gu Chengyu wasnât interested in those things. He thought it would be better to buy something to give to Brother Dongzi as a thank you for his help. Besides, he had a good impression of Brother Dongzi.
At every stall, people were stopping by, and the vendors just kept shouting. If anyone approached, theyâd eagerly introduce their goods.
Gu Chengyu pulled Mr. Gu over to a stall selling cooked food, the aroma of braised meat almost making him drool. "Father, Brother Dongzi helped us out, so maybe we could buy him two braised pigâs feet as thanks. Offering money might not be necessary, but giving some food would be appropriate. Letâs buy some to take home for the family to try too."
"Thatâs fine, but for us, if weâre going to your auntâs house, carrying pigâs feet would be inconvenient, wouldnât it?" Mr. Gu thought about buying eatables and necessities back home but figured it might be better to do so at the town.
Seeing someone trying to buy pigâs feet, the stall owner suddenly perked up, "Brother, you have a keen eye! Iâve been selling braised meat here as Blind Wang for over ten years. I assure you the taste is reliable. How about it? Two pigâs feet? Give it to the kids to try?"
"Father, we donât have to visit Aunt today, right? We can go tomorrow. Itâs getting late, and by the time we get there, itâll be evening. Why not go tomorrow?" Gu Chengyu didnât really want to visit Auntâs house today. Plus, after journeying so long today, theyâd be back in the afternoon. His mother at home would surely be worried.
"Alright, itâs fine. Tomorrow, then. Today is indeed rushed, and thereâs no need to buy gifts today; weâll buy them at town tomorrow. How do you sell pigâs feet? Please give me four pigâs feet, cut and packed in two portions," Mr. Gu called out to the stall owner to cut two more pigâs feet, as he thought visiting the eldest sister today was indeed rushed. He figured visiting tomorrow would be more appropriate.
"Alright! Pigâs feet, thirteen Copper Coins a pound. It looks like youâre a doting father, let me cut them for you, okay?" The stall owner, saying so, already had the knife in his hand, chopping the pigâs feet with a few swift strokes, "Let me weigh them for you! Exactly five pounds and one ounce, Iâll round it to five pounds, totaling sixty-five Copper Coins." He then skilfully wrapped the pigâs feet in two sheets of oiled paper and tied them with string.
Gu Chengyu found this vendor to be quite cunning and somewhat sly. He had chopped the pigâs feet before even weighing them, making it hard for anyone to refuse after that. However, his eloquence made it difficult to dislike him.
Mr. Gu felt a pinch at being asked for sixty-five Copper Coinsâthings in this county were expensive! He fished out a string of Copper Coins from his pocket, which Mrs. Lv had made him bring, amounting to two hundred Copper Coins. As he counted the Copper Coins in his hand, he felt an ache in his heart.