Going to Town to Sell Ginseng

By the time Zhang Sheng was nearly finished eating, Uncle Dashan had brought an old hunter over. As soon as he arrived, the old hunter walked around the tiger's carcass, examining it without pause.

"Remarkable, truly remarkable! I never thought an old man like me would live to see such an intact tiger pelt. Whoever did this is a master hunter!

"Was it really the son of that Zhang boy who killed it? Could the boy be some Martial Saint reincarnated? Tsk, tsk! I think that boy Zhang Jingtian can finally rest in peace in heaven."

"Uncle Chen! How do you think we should handle this?"

"Don't worry! It won't hold anything up!"

Their voices carried into the house, and Zhang Sheng and the others came out to take a look, and to see if they could lend a hand.

Even little Huzi followed his aunt, stealing glances at the tiger on the ground.

Once the old hunter, Uncle Chen, set to work, the pelt came off smoothly and in one piece. He really did know his craft.

Then came the tiger meat and bones, which were hard work. It took several of them half an hour to finish. Zhang Sheng and Uncle Dashan were still in decent shape, but the old hunter had worn himself out a little too much.

"Oh! I haven't worked like that in a long time. I really am getting old, but it was worth it!"

"Grandpa Chen! Thank you for helping us. Uncle Dashan and I really wouldn't have known how to handle it on our own."

"Haha! No need to stand on ceremony with your Grandpa Chen. When your father was alive, he often went hunting with me!"

Once the tiger was dealt with, there was basically nothing left to do. Auntie had already taken care of the other rabbits.

So the old hunter prepared to go home, but Zhang Sheng insisted on giving him some tiger meat and bones, saying they were payment for his help.

The old hunter was momentarily taken aback by what Zhang Sheng did, then burst out laughing and praised him again and again:

"The Zhang family has an heir!"

In the end, he took the tiger meat and bones and left. With the old hunter gone, what remained was a matter for Zhang Sheng and Uncle Dashan's two households.

"Uncle Dashan! Take all of this home. I don't cook at my place anyway, so I have no use for the meat yet.

"But I hope Auntie can help me prepare the tiger pelt and make some winter clothes for Huzi and me."

Neither Uncle Dashan nor Auntie refused Zhang Sheng's request. After all, what he said was true, and they were benefiting from it too.

By the time Zhang Sheng had helped carry everything to Uncle Dashan's house, the day was all but over.

When he returned, he looked at the three ginseng roots in his basket and wondered how he could exchange them for money the next day, then buy some things to bring back.

But that was all for tomorrow. Zhang Sheng had been tired out by a full day's work, and all he wanted now was a good night's sleep. Whatever needed doing could wait until tomorrow!

Zhang Sheng wasn't going to skip cultivation today just because he had been tired yesterday. He still got up early, made his way to the creek as usual, and began his day-in, day-out cultivation.

This time, however, he made a change. He summoned his Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass, and let it float among the grass in front of him. Then he began to meditate and cultivate.

His cultivation really did go much faster this way, though it still couldn't compare to being in the forest.

Even so, it was at least twenty to thirty percent faster than before. At this rate, breaking through to level 10 was just around the corner.

The sun rose slowly, and Zhang Sheng's cultivation was nearing its end. After exhaling a breath, he opened his eyes.

In another ten days to half a month, I'll be able to break through to level 6. My strength will increase again then, and I'll be better able to protect myself.

I still need to ask Uncle Dashan how to exchange the ginseng for money later. I might even have to make a trip to the county town.

After eating, Zhang Sheng told Uncle Dashan about it, and the two discussed the matter.

They decided to go to the county town and have a look the next day. After all, it would be hard to find anyone buying ginseng in a small place.

Once they had made their decision, they had to start preparing. The county town was quite a distance away, so they would have to set out before daybreak, or they wouldn't make it back in time.

Soon enough, it was time to leave. Zhang Sheng wouldn't be able to cultivate that day.

After shutting his door, he headed for Uncle Dashan's house. When he arrived, he found that the old hunter, Grandpa Chen, had come too.

"Eldest Son of the Zhang Family! You're here. Let's set out, then!"

"Zhang Kid, you're here too! I was wondering why Dashan was dawdling here. So he was waiting for you!"

At the old hunter's teasing, Zhang Sheng simply smiled at him, looking as though he was only curious and going along to see the sights.

The journey was dull and tedious, though Uncle Dashan and the old hunter, Grandpa Chen, chatted and laughed along the way.

Zhang Sheng mostly listened, occasionally adding a word or two. The rest of the time, he took in the scenery outside the village.

The roads in ancient times couldn't compare with those in modern society, where every village had a cement road.

Transportation reached in every direction and was convenient. Unlike now, when even a basic ox cart was hard to come by and they could only travel on foot.

Nor were the roads completely safe. Wild beasts appeared from time to time, not to mention bandits and robbers.

That was why travel was difficult for people in these times. Unless they had no other choice, no one would readily leave home.

Fortunately, Zhang Sheng and the others had a smooth journey. After several hours on the road, they reached the county town gates at around noon.

Seeing people coming and going through the gates, they breathed a sigh of relief. They had finally arrived safely.

"Dashan! You and the Zhang Kid go take care of your business first. I'll sell the game I have at the market, and we'll meet at the town gate afterward."

"Uncle Chen! Go on, then!"

After the old hunter left, Uncle Dashan took Zhang Sheng to look for a medicine shop. It was better to sell the ginseng in hand sooner rather than later, in case anything unexpected happened.

"Eldest Son of the Zhang Family! Let's go into town too!"

This was Zhang Sheng's first real experience of a town where people of ancient times lived. The street was lively, with vendors calling out their wares and people strolling about, the sounds rising and falling all around.

Although the lives of people in ancient times were monotonous, they had their own pleasures and distinctive ways of life.

After walking down the street for a while, they came to a medicine shop. There weren't many people inside, just an assistant filling prescriptions and a few customers.

Zhang Sheng and Uncle Dashan watched them work for a while. Once the customers had left and only the two of them remained in the shop, the assistant asked:

"How may I help you?"

"Sorry for the trouble, but could you take a look and tell us how much this is worth?"

Uncle Dashan didn't say much else. He simply took out the three ginseng roots wrapped in cloth.

"Oh! This is good stuff! We'll have to ask our shopkeeper to come and take a look."

The moment the assistant saw that the bundle contained ginseng, and that the roots were a decent size, he perked right up.

He hurried into the back to fetch the shopkeeper, leaving Uncle Dashan and Zhang Sheng where they stood.

Before long, hurried footsteps came from inside, accompanied by an anxious voice:

"Where is it? Where's the ginseng? Let me see it, quickly!"

An old man rushed out from the back and came straight up to Zhang Sheng and Uncle Dashan. Then he picked up the ginseng and examined it closely.

He kept muttering to himself, now nodding, now shaking his head. Then, looking somewhat regretful and disappointed, he said:

"It still isn't old enough. The oldest of these three is only about two hundred years old. Alas!"

The old man put down the ginseng and prepared to go back inside, but Zhang Sheng wasn't having it. They had come to sell the ginseng, so how could he leave without even naming a price?

"Sir! You haven't told us how much our ginseng is worth yet."

Zhang Sheng's words seemed to remind him, and he also felt that his behavior just now had been a little rash. He stopped and said with an apologetic expression:

"My sincere apologies to you both. There is a matter at home that I must attend to, and I have neglected you.

"Are you looking to sell this ginseng? I can buy it, and I won't cheat you on the price.

"I just had a look, and apart from the larger one, which is two hundred years old,

"the other two aren't even a hundred years old. I can offer you two hundred strings of cash. What do you think?"