That day, the Gu family’s old residence was filled with Old Madam Gu’s scolding of Zhang Cuihua.
Before long, the entire village knew about Zhang Cuihua secretly subsidizing her natal family.
Gu Nianzhi had no idea what was happening at the old house. Early that morning, she headed deep into the mountains.
Since she planned to go to town to sell the snake during the day, she decided to check whether any prey had been caught in the traps she’d set the day before.
After inspecting them, Gu Nianzhi harvested three wild chickens. What delighted her the most was that one of the traps had actually caught a mountain goat!
Holding the goat by a rope in her left hand and carrying three wild chickens in her right, she hurried down the mountain. If she walked fast enough, she could still make it back in time for lunch.
“Big Sis, what’s this?”
Gu Nian’an had never seen a mountain goat before and stared at it curiously.
“It’s a wild mountain goat. If we take it to town, it should sell for quite a bit.”
“That’s great! We can make money again!”
Gu Nian’an jumped excitedly.
Now that they could earn money and the house had been repaired, they could finally live well!
Madam Liu was happy too.
She believed that Gu Nianzhi’s skills were compensation from Heaven after her rebirth, which only strengthened her resolve to go burn incense at the temple.
At noon, they reheated the leftover fried small fish and dry-pot rabbit from the night before. Even though they’d already eaten it once, Gu Nian’an still shoveled down his rice with pure enjoyment.
He would never get tired of meals like this—even if he ate them for a lifetime!
Madam Liu felt deeply satisfied as well, but she didn’t eat much. Thinking about what would happen next year, worry still weighed on her heart.
These days, even the village head’s family could only afford thin porridge, yet her family ate solid rice every meal, with big fish and meat—it was truly one of a kind in the village!
Thankfully, their house was some distance from the village, so others couldn’t smell the food. Otherwise, the old residence would surely come knocking again!
“Oh, right! When you go sell the goat later, take the mountain path. Don’t go through the village.”
Gu Nianzhi always took the mountain path anyway. She didn’t want trouble, but she was curious why Madam Liu suddenly said this.
“Did something happen in the village?”
Thinking of what she’d heard that morning, Madam Liu sighed.
“Zhang Cuihua secretly lent our household’s grain to her natal family. Now they can’t pay it back, and it seems they’ll soon run out of food.”
Gu Nianzhi frowned.
When people are poor, trouble follows.
If they truly had nothing to eat, they’d likely try every possible way to stir up trouble. By then, they probably wouldn’t even spare the wild vegetables drying in Madam Liu’s courtyard.
Gu Nianzhi wasn’t afraid of trouble—but she was tired of it. Arguing with Old Madam Gu’s family day in and day out was pointless. She’d rather hunt more prey, exchange it for money, and later take things out of her spatial storage without it seeming too sudden.
“Mother, make sure all three rooms are locked these days. Don’t let the rice or cured meat fall into the hands of people from the old residence.”
Madam Liu nodded.
Still uneasy, Gu Nianzhi thought that after selling the prey, she’d buy a puppy in town. In a month or two, once it grew bigger, it could guard the house. That way, people from the old residence wouldn’t dare act recklessly.
After lunch, Madam Liu went to dig wild vegetables. Gu Nian’an carried two wild chickens and followed Gu Nianzhi to town.
They went straight to the Chen residence. When Steward Song saw the three wild chickens—and especially the mountain goat—his face split into a wide smile.
“Oh! The young lady caught prey again?”
“Yes. Steward Song, please take a look—does your household want these?”
She wasn’t sure whether the Chen family would take all three chickens at once. If not, she could always ask around at the restaurants.
“Yes, yes, we’ll take them all! Three chickens and one goat. The wild chickens are still two hundred coins each. As for the goat—sixty coins per jin. How about that?”
After dealing with him twice already, Gu Nianzhi knew Steward Song wouldn’t cheat her, so she agreed readily.
The three wild chickens sold for six hundred coins. The goat weighed seventy jin, selling for a total of four taels and two hundred coins.
While settling the account, Steward Song noticed the sack in Gu Nianzhi’s hands and asked what it was.
When he heard it was a venomous snake, he told her she could sell it at the Hundred Herbs Hall in town. The doctors there were honest and wouldn’t shortchange her.
Gu Nianzhi thanked Steward Song and led Gu Nian’an toward the Hundred Herbs Hall.
After turning two streets, the strong scent of medicinal herbs filled the air. A quaint, old-style pharmacy appeared before them.
Having sold prey twice already, Gu Nian’an was bolder now. He obediently followed Gu Nianzhi inside.
“Little miss, are you here to see a doctor or buy medicine?”
A young clerk greeted them warmly, showing no disdain despite their ragged clothes.
“We’re selling a snake. Do you buy them here?”
“Yes, we do. Please wait a moment—I’ll call Doctor Huang to take a look.”
The clerk ran into the back courtyard, and shortly after, a man in his fifties came out.
“What kind of snake are you selling? May I take a look first?”
“Please do, Doctor.”
Gu Nianzhi opened the sack and took out the viper.
Seeing such a young girl dare to handle a snake with her bare hands left both the doctor and the clerk stunned.
“Good, good! This viper is extremely venomous, but it has medicinal properties—dispelling wind and unblocking the meridians. Being able to acquire one today is quite a stroke of luck!”
Gu Nian’an was overjoyed when he heard that.
Venomous snakes really could be sold! That was great!
The doctor nodded, and Gu Nianzhi put the snake back into the sack.
“Girl, how much are you planning to sell this snake for?”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t know the market price and didn’t want to quote randomly.
“Doctor, what do you think is appropriate?”
“Venomous snakes are rare. I’ll offer you two taels of silver. How does that sound?”
It was already a very fair price.
There were no professional snake catchers in town, and being bitten usually meant near-certain death. In Qingshan Town, venomous snakes were something everyone feared.
“Alright. Two taels, then.”
Gu Nianzhi handed the sack over. The clerk hesitated to take it, so the doctor reached out and accepted it himself.
“Girl, if you come across venomous snakes or medicinal materials again, you can bring them straight to our Hundred Herbs Hall.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Gu Nianzhi left the pharmacy with Gu Nian’an.
Today, she’d earned six taels and two hundred coins! Adding what she already had, she now carried over twelve taels!
“Big Sis, are we rich now?”
“We are! Twelve taels!”
Gu Nian’an didn’t know exactly how much twelve taels was—but he knew that in the past, the old Gu family could live for a whole year on just one tael if they were frugal.
“That’s amazing!”
Just then, they passed by a bun stall. Since Gu Nianzhi hadn’t eaten any street food since coming to this world, she decided to buy a few meat buns to try.
“Boss, how much are the buns?”
“Steamed buns are one coin each, vegetable buns two coins, meat buns three coins!”
“Give me six meat buns.”
“Coming right up!”
Soon, piping-hot meat buns wrapped in lotus leaves were handed over. Gu Nianzhi gave one to Gu Nian’an.
“Try it.”
Gu Nian’an held the warm bun and took a bite.
“Delicious!”
White-flour buns—with meat filling!
He’d seen Grandpa and Grandma eat them before. Grandma had been overjoyed, praising Eldest Uncle for being filial for bringing her meat buns.
Now he finally understood why she’d been so happy—they really were incredibly good!
He quickly finished one bun. Gu Nianzhi handed him another, but no matter what, Gu Nian’an refused to eat it.
“You don’t have to worry about Mom not getting any—I bought plenty!”
Gu Nianzhi remembered that the first time they ate roasted wild rabbit, he’d been afraid Madam Liu wouldn’t get any, so he hadn’t wanted to eat either.
“That’s not it. An’an is full. I want to save one for tonight.”
You couldn’t eat all the good stuff in one go—otherwise, watching Mom eat later would be unbearable!
Seeing that he truly was full, Gu Nianzhi didn’t force him. After asking for directions, she led him straight toward the marketplace.