One… million?
Converted into this era’s currency, that was one thousand copper coins—an entire tael of silver!
Zhuo Ling’s eyes widened to the size of eggs.
A high-tech laying hen that could produce ten eggs only sold for five hundred thousand Underground Credits.
Yet a single wild rabbit was worth this much?
As if asking casually, Zhuo Chang’an turned to Uncle Feng.
“Uncle Feng, how much does a wild rabbit sell for in town these days?”
“With the famine going on, even wealthy families are tightening their belts. It’s nothing like the good years.
“Rabbit meat is a little pricier now, but it’s still only worth a dozen or so copper coins per jin.”
Uncle Feng waved his hand helplessly.
Sell it to the Marketplace System for the equivalent of a thousand copper coins…
Or sell it in town for ten or twenty?
That was an outrageous loss!
Ding! Sell?
The system locked onto the rabbit again, prompting her insistently.
Sell, sell, sell!
I have to be the one to sell this rabbit!
Then I’ll split the money fifty-fifty with Uncle Feng. Wouldn’t that be perfect?
Her greed getting the better of her, Zhuo Ling’s eyes darted about before she scampered over, grabbed one of the rabbit’s hind legs, and shouted in her silly voice,
“Bunny! Bunny!”
Zhuo Chang’an quickly pulled her back.
“Be good, Ling’er. Uncle Feng caught this rabbit. It doesn’t belong to us.
“If Ling’er wants to eat rabbit, Eldest Brother will catch one for you another day.”
“No! I want the bunny! I want the bunny!”
Breaking free from Zhuo Chang’an’s hand, Zhuo Ling grabbed the rabbit’s leg again and opened her mouth to bite it.
A child’s body naturally couldn’t control its drool.
The instant she opened her mouth, a string of crystal-clear saliva dripped from the corner of her lips.
“Oh my! Look how badly you’re craving it!”
Uncle Feng laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.
“foolish girl, you can’t eat it raw!”
He quickly removed the rabbit from his belt and handed it to Zhuo Chang’an.
“Forget it. This rabbit’s so skinny there’s barely any meat on it anyway. Take it home and have your mother stew it so your family can enjoy a proper meal.”
“Thank you, Uncle, but I can’t accept it. Mother would scold me…”
Zhuo Chang’an hurriedly declined.
Before he could finish speaking, Zhuo Ling had already snatched the rabbit into her arms, hugging it tightly as her little face broke into a foolish grin.
“Bunny! Eldest Brother, bunny!”
“Take it already! Why are you being so polite with your Uncle Feng?”
Uncle Feng rubbed Zhuo Ling’s little head and laughed heartily.
“All right, it’s getting late. Let’s head back.”
Left with no choice, Zhuo Chang’an thanked him.
Carrying Zhuo Ling on his back—she refused to let go of the rabbit for even a second—he headed home while chatting casually with Uncle Feng along the way.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhuo Ling secretly glanced back and opened the Marketplace System, locking onto the pile of stinkweed.
After the familiar notification sounded, the mechanical female voice announced her new account balance.
2,680,000 Underground Credits.
One patch of stinkweed…
Had become the equivalent of 2,680 copper coins!
Is making money with the Marketplace System really this easy?
Zhuo Ling grinned so widely her mouth nearly reached the back of her head.
The only problem now was…
How was she supposed to take the money out and spend it?
She decided she had to find a chance to tell Eldest Brother everything as soon as possible.
The brother and sister could join forces and become unscrupulous profiteers…
Pfft.
No, middlemen earning the difference!
…
“Cluck… cluck-cluck…”
The moment they arrived home, they saw the big hen strutting proudly around the courtyard with its head held high, as arrogant as if it were a phoenix.
Fenniang cradled several freshly laid eggs in her hands, beaming with delight.
“Chang’an, Ling’er, come quickly! Our hen laid another nine eggs!”
Only nine?
Without the high-tech feed from the Underground City, the hen’s laying ability had probably declined now that it could only eat chopped grass in ancient times.
Zhuo Ling quietly opened the Marketplace System, bought one hundred credits’ worth of chicken feed, and secretly mixed it into the feed trough.
Technology—and all kinds of technological enhancements—were the one thing the Underground City had in abundance.
Chicken feed was practically worthless there.
The eggs laid by genetically improved hens sold for less than half the price of natural organic eggs in the Mall.
It would be much better for Fenniang to sell these eggs in town.
She could enjoy the happiness of counting copper coins every day.
…
Judging by the position of the sun, it was only around eight or nine in the morning.
Fenniang slung a basket over her arm, took Third Brother by the hand, and had Zhuo Chang’an lead Zhuo Ling as they set off for town to sell the eggs.
Second Brother had already disappeared somewhere to play.
He had always been energetic.
As long as there was food in his stomach, he could never stay at home.
The walk to town took about two hours.
Horse-drawn passenger carts traveled the road, stopping whenever someone waved them down.
The fare was three copper coins per adult and two for each child.
Even though sixty heavy copper coins rested in her purse, Fenniang squeezed it so tightly her palms became damp.
She simply couldn’t bear to spend even a single coin.
First, the money was meant to buy some fine grain to nourish the children.
Second, Dawu’s injured leg could no longer be neglected. At the very least, she needed to buy him some medicine.
But Zhuo Ling looked at her tiny arms and legs.
A five-year-old body walking under the blazing sun for two whole hours?
Just thinking about it made her legs feel weak.
Back in the Underground City, she had been famously lazy.
If she could lie down, she’d never stand.
If she could sit, she’d never bother standing.
“Cart!”
Spotting a carriage in the distance, Zhuo Ling pointed excitedly.
“Tired! Ling’er… ride! Ride!”
Fenniang pressed her lips together and coaxed gently,
“Be good, Ling’er. We have to save our money to buy medicine for Father.
“Come here. Mother will carry you so you won’t get tired.”
Mother, this isn’t how you save money!
With more than two million Underground Credits sitting safely in her account, Zhuo Ling was brimming with confidence.
Knowing Fenniang would never agree willingly, she simply broke free from Zhuo Chang’an’s grasp and dashed toward the approaching carriage on her short little legs.
“Cart! Stop! Stop!”
“Ling’er!”
Fenniang nearly lost her soul in fright.
Dropping the basket, she ran after her.
“Don’t run! Ling’er, don’t run!”
Meanwhile, Zhuo Chang’an remained perfectly calm as he followed after them at an unhurried pace.
“Whoa!”
The driver immediately yanked hard on the reins and cursed angrily.
“Sister-in-law, is that any way to watch a child? What if she’d been hit? Who would’ve been responsible?
“If you’re riding, then ride. If not, get out of the way!”
“I’m so sorry, Brother. She’s still little and doesn’t know any better. She’s caused you trouble…”
Fenniang’s face had gone deathly pale.
Holding Zhuo Ling tightly in her arms, she apologized over and over.
“Mother, we’re carrying a basket, firewood, Ling’er, and Third Brother. Who knows how long it’ll take us to walk?”
Holding Zhuo Ling in his arms, Zhuo Chang’an spoke softly.
“Why don’t we take the cart this time? Otherwise, we might miss the market in town.
“I’ll just chop more firewood later to earn the money back.”
Fenniang knew the two younger children couldn’t walk the whole way and would need to be carried.
After hesitating, she finally steeled herself and paid for the ride.
It was Zhuo Ling’s first time seeing a real, full-sized horse.
As the carriage bounced along the road, she felt like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden for the first time, looking left and right in endless fascination.
Back in the Underground City, something this fun had been beyond imagination.
Ding! Rare Chinese horse breed detected. Value: 10,000,000 Underground Credits. Sell?
Ding! Sell?
Ding…
The system just kept tempting her.
Sell your own grandfather! Does that horse belong to me?
A single horse is worth ten million Underground Credits! If I could sell it, would I need you to remind me?
So annoying!
…
The town was lined with shops of every kind.
Quite a few people walked the streets, yet very few actually entered the stores.
Shop assistants leaned listlessly against their doorways.
Whenever someone passed by, they immediately forced smiles onto their faces and called out, inviting them inside to browse.
After two years of drought, aside from buying grain, even wealthy families no longer dared spend money carelessly.
Every day, countless villagers came into town to sell freshly picked wild vegetables, dried mushrooms, homemade brooms, hemp ropes, and other handmade goods, earning a few copper coins just to survive.
Fenniang held tightly onto Third Brother’s hand and repeatedly reminded Zhuo Chang’an to keep a close eye on Zhuo Ling before finding a spot to set down her basket and sell the eggs.
Restlessly squirming in Eldest Brother’s arms, Zhuo Ling looked around in every direction, searching for somewhere secluded where she could sell the rabbit.
Patting her little bottom, Zhuo Chang’an said softly,
“Mother, it’s too crowded here.
“I’ll take Ling’er over there and find a more spacious place to sell the firewood.”
Zhuo Ling’s eyes immediately lit up.