14 – You must be good to your daughter-in-law
“Just one family?” The crowd protested again. “There are so many of us, how can you only take one family’s goods?”
“Why not? If I don’t want to buy, can you just snatch my money pouch? I don’t owe any of you anything, right?”
“Then take mine! My pelts are the best!”
“Ergou’s family’s aren’t good, mine are better!”
“Don’t even start, mine are the best!”
“Mine are better!!”
For a moment, everyone started arguing.
Second Master Li had a headache from listening and quickly raised his voice: “No one argue, no one fight! To be fair, we’ll draw lots! That’s settled!!”
The crowd still wouldn’t accept it.
The assistant beside Second Master Li lost his temper: “Didn’t my master say? Draw lots, draw lots! Why are you still not satisfied? He doesn’t owe you anything!
Sell if you want, don’t sell if you don’t! Honestly, my master shouldn’t have agreed to your request at all—he should have taken none!”
“Hey, what are you saying, Fugui? Usually, we rely on our fellow villagers. Even if the deal falls through, goodwill remains. I said I’d take one more family, so I’ll take one more, and regardless of quality or condition, I’ll take everything!”
The master and servant played off each other, stunning the crowd.
Immediately, someone took the lead and applauded.
Second Master Li then told his assistant to bring out an empty money pouch and turned to pull a handful of mung beans from the donkey’s back.
“Come, come, let me see how many people want to sell pelts today. We’ll count them. I’ll put in as many beans as there are people.”
After saying this, Second Master Li pulled a single red bean from another bag on the donkey’s back.
He continued, “Whoever draws this red bean, I’ll take their family’s pelts, no matter what kind they are!”
Someone immediately asked, “Second Master, I came with my father today. Can both of us draw once?”
“I brought my two children. Can both kids draw?”
“Sure, I said it’s by headcount. Fugui, go count how many people there are so I can count the beans.”
“Right away, Master!”
…
This was the first time Taohua had seen someone conduct business this way, and she found it quite novel.
She stood beside Qin Feng and quietly tugged his sleeve.
“Brother Qin, can I draw a bean later too?”
“Of course,” Qin Feng not only agreed but also comforted Taohua in advance. “It’s okay if you don’t draw the red bean.”
Taohua rubbed her hands together secretly. “You never know!”
Taohua believed that if her Brother Qin truly brought good fortune to his wife, she would definitely draw that red bean today!
Soon, the assistant finished counting the people—there were actually twenty-one in total.
But in reality, there were only eight households selling pelts today.
The bearded man Qin Feng knew sighed immediately upon hearing the result:
“Ah, originally there were only eight households. If each family sent one person to draw, I might have gotten it. But look at that family over there—five people, old and young. They have an advantage!
If I’d known, I would have come with someone too. But these are the rules they set, and there’s nothing we can do. If he didn’t take any family’s goods, we couldn’t do anything about it either. Even though he’s only taking one family, at least one fewer family will go hungry this year.”
“Ah, and to make matters worse, our spot is so far back. I’m afraid there’s no hope!”
Upon hearing this, Qin Feng calmly comforted her, “That’s not necessarily true. It all depends on luck.”
As they spoke, the drawing of lots had already begun.
One family, two families, three families, four families.
Even though one family had brought five people in total, none of them drew the red bean.
Finally, only Taohua, Qin Feng, and the bearded man remained.
The bearded man grinned, feeling incredulous. “It’s our turn already? There are only three beans left! Doesn’t that mean we have a good chance of drawing the red bean?”
“That’s right,” the clerk said. “It all depends on which of you three has the best luck! Come on, draw.”
The bearded man glanced at Qin Feng and Taohua. “Since I’m a bit ahead of you, shall I draw first?”
Qin Feng nodded. “Please.”
The bearded man excitedly reached his hand into the money pouch, but after grabbing a bean, he grew even more nervous.
“I’m… my palms are all sweaty. There are only two beans left inside. Why don’t you both draw too? Then we can open our hands together! I’m too nervous.”
“Alright!” Taohua’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Qin Feng. “Let’s draw too, Brother Qin. You go first.”
Qin Feng lowered his gaze to look at Taohua. “Didn’t you think this was fun? Why not draw first?”
Taohua shook her head. “I want you to draw first. I want to see how my luck turns out! But you have to wait for me before opening your hand.”
“Alright,” Qin Feng said, reaching in to draw a bean.
Then Taohua picked up the last bean as well.
The three of them extended their hands and opened their palms simultaneously.
And the only red bean lay right in the center of Taohua’s palm.
“Ah! I got it! I really got it, Brother Qin!!!” Taohua jumped up excitedly. “Brother Qin, you’re so wonderful!”
Qin Feng chuckled softly. How did this become his doing?
But seeing his little wife so happy made him feel quite cheerful as well.
Now that the matter was settled, everyone began to envy Qin Feng.
The bearded man even praised Taohua in front of everyone, patting Qin Feng’s shoulder as he said:
“Brother, your little wife is a woman who brings prosperity to her husband. You must treat her well from now on! The better you treat her, the more she’ll bring you good fortune!”
Upon hearing this, Taohua couldn’t help but giggle quietly to herself. She thought it should be “bringing prosperity to the wife” instead? She had never had such good luck before.
For this trip, Qin Feng had brought two wolf pelts, thirty rabbit pelts, and two roe deer pelts.
Wolf pelts were three hundred wen each, roe deer pelts two hundred wen each, pure-colored rabbit pelts fifty wen each, and mixed-fur rabbit pelts thirty wen each.
In total, it amounted to two taels and three hundred wen!
Seeing the silver and the now-empty baskets, Taohua couldn’t have been happier.
After collecting the silver, Qin Feng handed the money pouch to Taohua.
Taohua was both flattered and surprised. “This… is for me to keep? But this is the money you worked so hard to earn from hunting.”
“Since ancient times, hasn’t it always been the husband who works outside and the wife who manages the household? Since I earned the money, it’s only natural for my wife at home to keep it.”
“But,” Taohua furrowed her delicate brows and said, “when you came to my family, you already gave Chen Dashan fifteen taels of silver. I said I would slowly earn money to pay you back. Since I haven’t helped you earn a single wen, how can I possibly take all your money?”
“But if it weren’t for you just now, how could I have sold these furs? This is money you helped me earn, and besides, we’re already family.”
Taohua was deeply moved, but she still had her own principles: “Then let’s consider today’s earnings as half earned by me. I’ll take charge of the household finances once I’ve earned fifteen taels myself.”
“Also, I’m afraid I might lose such a large amount of money if I carry it with me. The market is crowded, so it’s safer to keep the silver with you.”
“Alright then. Come on, let’s go buy some things for you.”