Chapter (11): The Great Hunter's Shopping Spree
By Bai Li's estimate, it was barely 6:00 AM when they departed from the Port City. By the time they arrived back at the smaller town near their village, it was just past 9:00 AM.
Knowing that the kitchen back home was nearly bare, Bai Li decided to stay behind in town to stock up on supplies.
"Father, I'll stay here for a while,"
This town had once been the primary stage for the original Bai Li's debauchery and misdeeds. The moment those words left his mouth, the expressions of the other four men shifted instantly. They clearly thought he was headed straight back to the gambling dens and brothels.
Bai Li didn't think much of it at first, but seeing their suspicion, he realized that he had only been in this world for three days. Trust isn't built overnight, and three days were not enough to erase years of infamy.
With a sincere smile, Bai Li added, "Father, I'm heading to the market to buy essentials for the house. Carrying these money notes isn't safe. Please take them back to the village for me."
He handed over the stack of money notes worth one thousand three hundred taels—the bulk of their earnings from the Port City. He kept only fifty-three silver taels and nine hundred copper coins for himself. Originally, he had fifty-four silver taels, but after paying one hundred copper coins for the two rooms at the inn last night, one bar had been broken into change.
The inns at the Port City were notoriously expensive; even the cheapest room cost fifty copper coins. Father Bai and the Village Head hadn't stopped grumbling about it. To them, fifty copper coins was more than a man's daily wage. In their village, hiring a farmhand cost only twenty-five copper coins plus a meal. Paying fifty for a single night felt like a robbery.
The tension in the group eased slightly upon hearing Bai Li's request. To farmers like them, fifty silver taels was a fortune that would take a lifetime to save, but considering Bai Li had made over thirteen hundred in a single day, they could tolerate him spending a fraction of it if he truly intended to "squander" it.
Father Bai winced at the thought of fifty silver taels being spent, but knowing three hundred remained safe and that Bai Li wasn't insisting on taking the whole lot, he gritted his teeth and agreed.
"Fine. Don't be too late. You only have Ge'ers at home."
Bai Li knew they still didn't fully trust him, but he simply smiled.
"Don't worry, Father. I'll come straight home after I'm done."
The cart rattled away, leaving Bai Li behind. They weren't worried about him finding his way back; this town was his playground. Even blindfolded, he could find the path to the village. Besides, the Xiao family operated a regular shuttle cart between the town and the village. If Bai Li didn't want to walk, he had the coins to pay for a ride.
Bai Li watched the cart disappear and sighed. He knew proving his transformation would take time.
Once they were out of sight, he headed toward the market. His inherited memories served him well; he knew the layout of this town like the back of his hand. Though smaller than the Port City, it was well-stocked with basics and significantly cheaper, making it the primary trade hub for local farmers.
He first scouted the general stalls before heading to the livestock market. He already had a plan to buy an buffalo and a cart. He hadn't mentioned it to Father Bai, knowing the old man would protest the expense. In the future, he'd need to travel to the Port City frequently with his kills, and he didn't want to rely on the village's communal cart or bother his family.
He also needed to buy a high-quality bow from the Port City soon. Since it was harvest season, the entire village needed the communal cart, and he didn't want to be an inconvenience—even if they would technically let him use it. As for the other cart in the village belonging to his in-laws, he wouldn't even consider it. His father-in-law and Lei Shi were not people he wanted to deal with.
After a long search through the livestock market, Bai Li found a robust, healthy young buffalo. The owner, knowing it was a prime animal, asked for thirty silver taels and refused to budge.
The original Bai Li only knew the "prices" of women at the brothel and had no clue about livestock. To avoid being cheated, the current Bai Li had to ask around. He learned that a standard buffalo went for about twenty-five silver taels, depending on the quality. Thirty was steep, but this beast was exceptional.
Bai Li took one more look at the buffalo and decided to buy it. Before paying, he asked the owner, "Brother, do you know anyone selling a cart? I'm looking for something relatively new."
Pleased with the sale, the owner thought for a moment.
"There are people selling carts, but I don't know if you'll like them. Most are quite old, though sturdy. Want to see?"
Bai Li shook his head. He wanted something as close to new as possible.
A man nearby selling chickens overheard them.
"Hey, brother! You looking for a cart? I know of one that's practically brand new."
He leaned in and whispered, "A young master from a wealthy estate in town wants to sell one of his family's carts secretly. It's in perfect condition."
Bai Li was interested in the "new" part but wary of the "secretly" part.
"Is it safe?"
The chicken seller laughed.
"That young master is always stealing things from his own house to sell. His family just scolds him when they find out. If you're worried, just sign a formal contract. Once the paper is signed, it's yours."
In this world, a signed contract was legally binding and protected the buyer. Bai Li agreed to look. He asked the buffalo owner to wait.
"Wait here, Brother. I'll go check the cart first."
The buffalo owner, impressed by Bai Li's manners, agreed to keep an eye on the chicken seller's birds while they went.
The "Young Master" turned out to be represented by a personal servant. Bai Li was hesitant at first, but once the contract was drawn up and signed, he felt at ease. Even if the master's family found out, the cart was legally his now. It was a fine cart from a wealthy household, yet he only paid eighteen silver taels for it. A cart like this was worth at least twenty, likely more, but the young master clearly just wanted quick cash.
Bai Li returned, paid for the buffalo, and as a thank you to the chicken seller, bought twenty chicks for five copper coins each. With the help of the two men, he hitched the buffalo to the cart.
He parked the cart at a designated area near the town entrance and counted his remaining money. The cart cost 18 silver taels, the buffalo cost 30, and the chicks cost 100 copper coins. He was left with 5 silver taels and 800 copper coins.
He searched the original Bai Li's memories for the price of rice but found nothing. He could only pray his remaining money would suffice.
At the grain shop, he learned that coarse rice (yellow rice) was 15 copper coins per jin, while refined rice (white rice) was 30 copper coins. The price difference was double.
"Shopkeeper, give me two fifty-jin bags of refined rice," Bai Li said.
The shopkeeper, who had been letting his assistant handle the shop, looked up at the large order. He smiled broadly.
"That's a big purchase, brother! Two bags of white rice would be three silver taels, but I'll give you a discount. Two silver taels and nine hundred copper coins."
Bai Li nodded and added five jin of glutinous rice and five jin of ground glutinous rice flour. The rice cost 100 copper coins, and the flour cost 115.
He was shocked to find that a palm-sized jar of sugar cost one silver tael, and a jar of salt cost 100 copper coins. Salt was more expensive than white rice!
He bought a large jar of salt for one silver tael and a jar of sugar for another. In total, he spent five silver tales at the grain shop after the shopkeeper waived the extra 115 copper coins as a gesture of goodwill.
Great. Now I only have 800 copper coins left.
He left the supplies at the shop and went to the apothecary. He commissioned a tonic for a Ge'er who had fallen into a river and caught a fever. Each dose cost 50 copper coins. He bought three doses for 150.
Next, he went to a tavern. Spirits were 10 copper coins per jar. He bought fifteen jars, leaving him with 500 copper coins. He had to buy them; according to local custom, he had to invite the Village Head's family for a celebratory drink and meal since they had helped him. In this world, men and women alike enjoyed spirits, though fruit wines didn't exist yet. Bai Li made a mental note to try brewing some later.
Finally, he went to the butcher. To get cooking oil, he needed to render it from pork fat.
The butcher said, "Lean meat is 20 copper coins per jin. Fatty meat is 50 copper coins. Which do you want?"
Damn, it's even more expensive than white rice! No wonder no one ate fried food.
"Shopkeeper, give me four jin of fatty meat and two jin of lean meat. How much for the bones?"
"Bones are 10 copper coins per jin. Trotters are 30. Ribs are 15. Anything else?"
Bai Li thought for a moment.
"Add a jin of bones, a jin of ribs, and a jin of trotters."
The butcher smiled.
"Alright, that's 295 copper coins total. Why not take another half-jin of bones? I'll throw in a little extra to make it an even 300 copper coins."
Bai Li agreed. As the butcher packed the meat, Bai Li spotted a bamboo basket filled with intestines and organs.
"Are you selling the offal?"
The butcher looked annoyed.
"No, I'm throwing those out."
Bai Li wept internally. Heart and liver! How can you throw away such good things?
"Will you sell them to me at a discount?"
"What are you talking about? I can't take money for those! If you want them, just take them."
Bai Li beamed.
"You're very kind, Shopkeeper. I'll definitely buy from you again."
The butcher watched the young man leave with his meat and the basket of offal, wondering why someone would be so grateful for trash. Still, the man had spent 300 copper coins. If he came back, that was good business.
Bai Li spent another 100 copper coins on new plates and 100 on snacks for the children. By the time he was down to his last copper coin, he loaded everything onto his new cart and headed for the village. He had only spent two hours shopping; it wasn't even 2:00 PM when he reached the village outskirts.