Yongning Commandery in Shanyang County was the first prefecture south of the Ling River. At that time, large numbers of refugees had migrated south, and the authorities had first arranged for them to settle in the villages throughout Yongning Commandery before assigning them to prefectures farther south.
That was why the county now had a large population. Where there were many people, there was naturally plenty of activity. Moreover, Shanyang County had a wharf, making it a prosperous county seat.
The family strolled along the most prosperous Cross Street. Two roads intersected in the very center of the county seat.
Government offices, the academy, and other such places were located in the north of the city. It was a typical area combining government offices and school districts, and public safety was comparatively good.
The south of the city was where ordinary commoners lived. South Cross Street was very wide, with grain shops, cloth shops, embroidery shops, jewelry shops, spice shops, teahouses, and quite a few restaurants of various sizes lining both sides. There was also space in the middle of the street where commoners could set up stalls, provided they paid a monthly stall fee.
The east of the city was near the wharf and was exceptionally prosperous and lively. The authorities had opened a street beside the wharf where people could sell tea, food, and local specialties, providing a place for passing merchant ships to rest.
The west of the city had blacksmiths' shops, carpenters' shops, brokerage firms, livestock sellers, and the like.
Lin Xiaowei sighed softly. This was far more real than the imitation ancient streets she had seen while traveling before. Shanyang County had a large population, and it seemed that its residents' purchasing power was not bad either.
That was a good thing for them. Once she came up with various products in the future, she would not have to worry about lacking a market.
Lin Xiaowei observed the women along the roadside, mainly looking at their clothing and jewelry.
The neighboring prefecture was a major silk-producing region, so quite a few wealthy women wore silk. Cotton cloth, on the other hand, was not very common. Ordinary commoners like them mostly wore hemp cloth or homespun cloth.
Wang Ya's attention was drawn to the pastry shops along the street. She wanted to see what kinds of pastries were available in this era. After looking around, she found that they were all ordinary pastries: date-paste pastries, mung bean cakes, pea cakes, osmanthus cakes, and rolled cakes.
There was not much creativity in their shapes, either. Wang Ya now had a general idea.
Lin Changsong's eyes lit up when he saw the grain shops. Coarse rice cost three wen per jin, rice cost seven wen per jin, and polished rice was even more expensive. Ordinary flour cost eight wen per jin, while white flour cost twelve wen per jin. Naturally, there were also more expensive varieties of refined flour.
Lin Changsong also carefully looked over the prices of grain seeds. Once the land deeds had been completed, he would begin his farming plan.
Lin Minghao was simply enjoying the novelty, taking in the sights as though he were on a tour.
When it was nearly time, the family of four headed toward the north of the city. After asking passersby for directions, they arrived at the entrance of Shanyang Academy.
It was said that there were also several private schools in the alley opposite the academy.
As noon approached, many stalls had already taken their places and were preparing to welcome the students and diners.
There were wontons, baked flatbreads, plain noodles, and the like. Everything looked clean. The four of them swallowed, planning to eat here after they had sold their straw figures.
Lin Xiaowei took a straw target from the carrying basket. It was made by tying rice straw together, and she stuck all kinds of straw-woven toys onto it. It immediately attracted the attention of quite a few of the small food-stall owners.
“Oh, young lady, what are you selling?” asked the auntie selling wontons.
“Auntie, they’re little animals woven from straw,” Lin Xiaowei replied with a smile.
“You have such nimble hands! There are dragonflies, grasshoppers, foxes, monkeys, and pigs!” The auntie examined them one by one before asking, “How much is this dragonfly woven from leaves?”
“Auntie, the dragonflies and grasshoppers are two wen each, the monkeys and pigs are three wen, and the foxes are five wen.” This was a nine-tailed fox. It was larger, and the workmanship was more complicated.
The wonton auntie hesitated. It was only two or three wen, so it was hard to call it expensive, but it could not exactly be called cheap, either. After all, they were only made from reed leaves and foxtail grass. For the price of one straw-woven monkey, one could buy a jin of coarse rice.
The uncle selling noodles shook his head. “Wild grass made into toys, and you’re charging that much? Can’t you make it a little cheaper? I want to buy a fox for my boy to play with.”
It was obvious that this uncle doted on his children. Lin Xiaowei smiled and replied, “Uncle, don’t look down on them just because they’re made from wild grass. There’s quite a bit of skill involved. I really can’t lower the price, but this is my first sale today, and since you’re here to support me, I’ll give you a dragonfly as well.”
When the uncle heard that the dragonfly could be given to his daughter, who was not yet a year old, he readily agreed and returned to his stall to fetch five copper coins.
Lin Xiaowei accepted the coins and let the uncle choose for himself.
The uncle rubbed both hands against the hem of his clothes, selected a nine-tailed fox and a dragonfly from the straw target, and left cheerfully.
The other few stall owners were merely looking at the novelty. After asking about the prices, none of them bought anything.
After one group of people passed by, they had made only one sale. Lin Minghao asked in a low voice, “Sister, do you think the prices are too high?”
Lin Xiaowei smiled. “They all make a living from their stalls, so it’s perfectly normal that they’re reluctant to spend money on little toys made from wild grass gathered in the fields and along the roads. Besides, they aren’t our target customers.”
Lin Minghao fell into thought. Behind the siblings, two steps away, Lin Changsong and Wang Ya watched as the brother and sister dealt with the stall owners.
Before long, noon arrived, and quite a few students came out of the academy and the alley to look for food.
Lin Xiaowei held the straw target high. From far away, people could see the various differently shaped straw-woven toys stuck into it.
The younger students were seeing straw-woven toys like these for the first time and found them extremely novel. Many of them immediately gathered around.
After asking the prices, most paid without even bargaining. After all, anyone who could study in this area was not short of these few copper coins.
Lin Xiaowei was responsible for taking the toys for the young students, while Lin Minghao collected the money. After half an hour, all the straw-woven toys they had brought were sold.
There were even some who had come after hearing the news but had not managed to buy one.
“Are the foxes gone?” A chubby boy wearing the uniform of a Shanyang Academy student came running over and asked.
“I’m sorry, they’re all sold out.”
The chubby boy looked utterly disappointed. The six- or seven-year-old child’s eyes reddened at once, leaving Lin Xiaowei and Lin Minghao completely bewildered.
Hey, hey, there was no need to cry. They could talk things out!
The chubby boy’s little mouth crumpled. “I… I wanted to buy one for my little brother to play with.”
Lin Xiaowei scratched her head. She had only intended to do this business once. It was impossible for her to make a special trip to the county seat the next day just to deliver him a fox.
Her eyes shifted. She lowered her head and whispered a few words to Lin Minghao. Lin Minghao nodded and ran off.
Lin Xiaowei squatted halfway down and asked, “Young sir, don’t cry yet. Tell Big Sister, what time does the academy begin classes this afternoon?”
The chubby boy sniffled. “Big Sister, there are still two quarter-hours.”
Lin Xiaowei smiled. “Then will you wait for Big Sister for one quarter-hour? I’ll make one for you right now.”
The chubby boy’s eyes lit up. “Really? Thank you, Big Sister!”
By then, Lin Minghao had already come running back with a handful of foxtail grass. When the chubby boy saw that she really was going to make one for him, he jumped up at once.
Lin Xiaowei did not waste any time and began making it on the spot. Her movements were extremely practiced. Quite a few people gathered around to watch, but no one could clearly see how she moved her hands. Before long, a nine-tailed fox was finished, and this fox was visibly rounder and plumper than the others.
The chubby boy watched without blinking, his little mouth slightly open. He looked extremely adorable.
As soon as the nine-tailed fox was finished, the chubby boy hurriedly handed the copper coins to Lin Minghao, then accepted the toy with both hands and bowed. “Thank you, Big Sister!”
“You’re welcome. Hurry and go inside.”
The chubby boy said goodbye to the siblings before turning around and running back into the academy.
At the academy entrance, one student said, “Brother Yanli, I’ve seen you standing here for ages. What are you looking at?”
“Brother Wenbin, I wasn’t looking at anything. Come on, let’s hurry back to the dormitory.”
“Oh, oh, let’s go. If we’re late, the teacher will punish us!”