C11 Winter Bug and Summer Grass

"I feel that Jin has truly changed this time. He's become more humble, and his whole demeanor seems like that of a different person!" Yuh Hua's eyes sparkled with surprise.

"Really? If he's changed, that's wonderful!"

...

The night, like a silent stream, slipped away. As dawn began to break, Tang Jin quietly got up and snuck out, inadvertently waking Xia Churan.

She followed him as he made his way outside. She then saw him heading into the mountains alone. "What are you going to do?" she called out to him.

Tang Jin turned at the sound of her voice. "I'm checking the traps I set yesterday in the mountains to see if I've caught anything!"

Xia Churan's concern eased. "Then be careful. Maybe wait until it's fully light. There could be wild wolves about!"

"Don't worry, wolves are scared of fire, and I've got a torch!" he reassured her, and then he continued up the mountain.

Xia Churan thought back to how he used to sleep until the sun was high, and now here he was, enduring hardship for their sake. A sweet feeling welled up inside her.

After walking up the mountain for a while, Tang Jin sensed something following him. He quickened his pace and hid behind a tree. A man emerged from a distance, scratching his head in confusion. "Strange? Where did he go?"

Tang Jin, recognizing the man, snorted coldly. "It's Tang Fugui!"

Realizing he had lost sight of Tang Jin, Tang Fugui turned back. It turned out that Wang Caifeng, envious after seeing Tang Jin with meat and money to buy Little Milk Bun a candied haw, had instructed Tang Fugui to keep a close eye on him, hoping to catch him in a compromising situation.

Wang Caifeng was cunning, but she hadn't counted on Tang Jin's vigilance in uncovering their intentions.

Having shaken off Tang Fugui, Tang Jin made his way to the trap he had set earlier in the mountains. To his good fortune, two plump rabbits were already caught in it.

Tang Jin, holding the rabbits, slowly headed back home. But along the way, he stumbled upon a small patch of caterpillar fungus by the roadside.

This item was a high-end tonic, something the average person might not have even laid eyes on, let alone heard of. But in Tang Jin's previous life, he had been the wealthiest man, so he was naturally familiar with such luxuries.

"Hahaha, I've struck it rich!" he exclaimed.

He quickly set the wild rabbit aside and meticulously excavated the cordyceps, one by one. After unearthing all the cordyceps in the vicinity, he counted them carefully and discovered there were over a hundred.

What's more, these cordyceps were clearly aged. With only a hundred pieces, they should weigh about half a pound.

Tang Jin rubbed his chin, surveying the area.

"This mountain is truly ancient. It's said that many valuable medicinal herbs were once found here and sold for a pittance to those herb traders!"

Realizing the potential for profit, he thought, "Indeed, we could rally everyone to harvest herbs on the mountain and lead them to prosperity!"

With this idea in mind, Tang Jin hurriedly got to his feet and headed home.

When Tang Jin tossed the two plump rabbits onto the table, Xia Churan's face lit up with delight.

"Today's luck is really something. Who would've thought we'd actually catch a wild rabbit? You've been working hard these days; this will be perfect for replenishing your strength!"

Tang Jin grinned.

"These two rabbits are nothing. Wait until you see what I've got!"

Xia Churan sensed something odd about Tang Jin.

"What is it? You're being so secretive!"

From his pocket, Tang Jin carefully retrieved the half-pound of cordyceps.

Xia Churan eyed the dark, worm-like items Tang Jin presented with a mix of curiosity and revulsion.

"What are these? They look kind of gross!"

"These are cordyceps, and they're worth a fortune!"

Xia Churan chuckled, "How much can they really be worth?"

"How much for one tael? It must be several dollars at least!"

"One tael, several dollars? That can't be!"

Xia Churan gasped in astonishment.

Tang Jin, still smiling, didn't even stop for breakfast before he carefully packed the cordyceps into a basket, covering them with a layer of clothing.

"You'll see soon enough. I'm off to sell these to the pharmacy!"

Xia Churan couldn't shake the feeling that Tang Jin might just be pulling her leg.

"Okay, off you go. But do be careful!"

Tang Jin nodded and promptly set out on his journey.

Back at Tang Fugui's home.

"Why did that kid head to the mountains so early?"

"I have no idea. Who knows what he's up to? I followed him halfway, and then he just vanished!"

Wang Caifeng shot Tang Fugui a venomous glare.

"What are you good for besides eating and sleeping?"

Tang Fugui lost his temper as well.

"Don't talk about me. When was the last time you, the lady of leisure, worked the fields?"

"How dare you, you old coot? You've got no skills except for making my life miserable. I've had it with you today!"

Wang Caifeng lunged at Tang Fugui, and they began to scuffle.

Tang Jin arrived in the county town and located a pharmacy.

Inside, a woman was idly cracking melon seeds. She didn't even acknowledge Tang Jin's presence.

Tang Jin approached the woman.

"Do you purchase herbs here?"

The woman snorted dismissively, "We sell herbs here, we don't buy them!"

Meanwhile, a man in a loose white suit and round glasses nearby had been observing the exchange with interest.

"Brother, what kind of herbs are you looking to sell?"

Tang Jin, seeing the man's genuine demeanor, lifted his clothing slightly to reveal the cordyceps underneath.

Han Qiangu's eyes lit up at the sight of the cordyceps.

"Brother, I'll take all of them. How about twenty for the lot?"

Considering the area's isolation and lack of development, twenty was a considerable amount of money, enough to buy over ten pounds of pork.

Tang Jin smiled and shook his head, "Brother, you can't fool me into thinking you don't recognize quality. But for such fine cordyceps, offering me just twenty? You're not really serious about buying."

With that, he feigned leaving.

Han Qiangu couldn't let this chance slip by and quickly grabbed Tang Jin's arm.

"Let's do this, brother. It's early, and you've probably skipped breakfast. Why don't we grab a bite and talk it over? We can negotiate the price."

Tang Jin nodded.

"That's more like it!"