Fight the Giants

  Chapter 13 Selling Crabs

  Huo Xi and Yang Fu entered the inner city from Jinchuan Gate in the north and walked towards the Bell and Drum Tower.

  Bypassing the barracks area, arrived at Houying Street Hutong, and knocked on the back door of a seventh-rank city gate officer.

   "Well, why did it come today?" The butler stood in the half-open door with surprised eyes.

   "Grandpa in charge. There are many people who asked us to deliver the goods today, and they just passed by your house, so I asked you casually. The price of this crab will be more expensive as the time goes by, so I will meet you." Huo Xi smiled and looked at the other party.

"this?"

  The housekeeper looked at the dozen or so baskets in the hands of the two black boys, and was a little uncertain.

   "It's only the third day of junior high school today, you send it off so early, will you die if you stay at home?"

  Huo Xi was overjoyed to see him loosen.

"No, we just caught these crabs last night. You kept them at home, and they were still alive after eating them during the Double Ninth Festival. You put them in a bucket and poured a shallow layer of water into them so that they wouldn't be flooded. They will do just fine, if they are fed with small fish and shrimp, they won't lose any flesh."

Seeing the butler looking through the crab basket, he said again: "The price of crabs today is different from yesterday. In two days, it may double or triple. You spend so much money on a crab. You have a lot of family members. Good deal."

   "Really, can live so long?"

   "Really, I won't lie to you. If you are worried, I will send it to another house, and it will be the same when I send it to you later, but the price will not be today's price."

Seeing him hesitate, he added a few more sentences: "I see that your master works hard every day to defend the city. For the sake of the people of our capital, I am afraid that he rarely stays at home during this time? You can't afford to buy it with everyone at the end of the day." , not to mention the high price, you may not be able to buy it.”

  The person in charge thought, isn’t it? Last year, I went to the fish market street to look for crabs on the seventh and eighth day of the lunar new year. Not to mention the small quantity, the price has skyrocketed.

   It hurts to eat a crab heart and liver. Ask him to say, what kind of crab to eat! Cut a few catties of meat, can't the big guy pick up a few more chopsticks?

  But this year, the master has only been promoted, so he has to send a lot. Not to mention Shangguan, just socializing among colleagues. If there are crabs in other people's homes, how can there be less on your own table?

   "Okay, then I want a basket first. If I die, I have to find you."

  Huo Xi was overjoyed, and said calmly: "Don't worry, just keep it as I said, and keep it alive and kicking. And we will be here these days, if your family still needs it, come and find us."

   "That's fine."

  Huo Xi handed over a basket: "There are ten pairs in this basket, one male and one female. They are all carefully selected large crabs of about four taels. The meat is full of fat and fat. One bite is like two."

  The housekeeper swallowed his saliva: "Okay, I'll find you if it's delicious. What's the price?"

  Huo Xi then said: "Today, the crab sellers charge you thirty-five cents a piece of crab. Let me give you a short one. I just hope that your family eats well, and you will buy crabs and fish from my family in the future."

  The butler looked through the ten pairs of crabs one by one, and weighed them one by one in his hand.

   This is the payment.

  When a few people were trading at the door, a neighbor across the door stuck his head out to watch.

  After the deal was concluded, he beckoned Huo Xi and Yang Fu over, and took a look at the basket: "How do you sell this pound of crab?"

  Huo Xi and Yang Fu were very happy, the people living in this area were all low-ranking military officers, maybe they could sell the crabs to get some money back instead of going door to door begging others to collect them early.

   "These are all about four taels, the same as Mr. Zhao's house, thirty-four coins apiece."

   "Is this really sustainable?"

   "I can live. You are all officials, we are citizens, how dare you deceive you."

  It is also true that since ancient times, people have been afraid of officials, and these small people dare not deceive them even if they measure them.

  The man in charge picked and picked, and saw that the other party wanted ten pairs. After thinking about it, he asked for fifteen pairs.

   "The little fish and shrimp, give some to my house."

   "Okay. I'll give you some more. You can feed it. If we come here again tomorrow, I'll send some to your home."

  The steward looked at the black boy who was only as tall as his waist, and praised him: "You are on the right track. Well, here is one tael, and you will be rewarded if you have more."

   "Thank you, Mr. Steward!" Huo Xi and Yang Fu bowed to the steward.

Sure enough, people follow the crowd. I heard that crab dealers charge thirty-five cents a crab for a crab, and it may be doubled in two days. I also saw that two adults of the sixth and seventh ranks in the alley bought them at home, and they all followed suit. .

  More than a dozen baskets of crabs were sold out without being sent to the home of the person who placed the order.

  There are still unavailable items, so rush to place an order.

  Yang Fu was so happy that the soles of his feet fluttered, and when he left Houying Street Hutong, he urged: "Xi'er, let's see how much it sold for?"

  Huo Xi looked around, didn't take it out to count, but only estimated: "About three or two more. Now take it out and count, aren't you afraid of being missed by thieves?"

   "Huh? Oh oh." Yang Fu quickly suppressed his joy, looked around, and stretched out his hand to hold Huo Xi tightly to protect her.

  walked a few steps, whispered: "Xi'er, did you lie to them just now? We never met crab dealers. And for two to four taels, we only received twenty yuan yesterday."

  They are officials, and they are citizens. If they find out...Yang Fu held Huo Xi's hand tightly.

  Huo Xi squinted at him: "I didn't mention the crab seller I met myself. They can still look it up? And there are only more expensive ones in the future. I don't count them as lying to them."

  No matter how small the official rank is, for a few copper coins, would you sacrifice your face to compete with small fishermen? what a big deal. Besides, I've delivered it to your door, don't you need money?

  Yang Fu looked at her and scratched his head: "Then, let's go back and sell the rest."

  Huo Xi shook his head.

  The two to four taels of crabs harvested yesterday were all sold today, and her father caught them together. Now there are only seven or eight of them on the boat, those that go up to four liang, and those that are under two liang.

   Those below two taels cannot be sold, she has other uses. For four or two, she plans to raise them for another two days.

  Yesterday everyone just sent some tentatively, but not many crabs were collected. But she estimated that she should be able to collect a lot today. Only in this way, the money in hand may not be enough.

  Huo Xi touched the jade pendant on his chest, passed by a pawnshop, slowed down, hesitating.

  Yang Fu gave her a strange look, and when he saw her pinching the skirt of her chest, he instantly understood.

   Pulled her and ran a few steps forward, and taught her: "You can't be it! It's your personal thing, how can you be it! And you are not afraid that your bad relatives will find you?"

   "But we don't have enough money."

   "That can't be sold! Be good, let's go home first, and ask your parents first, maybe they have a solution. They are adults, and they must have more solutions than us children."

  Huo Xi doesn't want to sell this jade pendant either, she can't show her face yet.

  Wu is now the wife of the Marquis of Xinchenghou, and her descendants will inherit the title of Marquis of Xincheng in the future. How could she give up such a huge benefit! It will definitely cut the weeds and eradicate the roots.

   She can't get Nian'er involved.

   Being stared at by Yang Fu, Huo Xi had no choice but to follow him in the direction of the outer city.

  (end of this chapter)