Chapter 57: Trouble Arises While Selling Peaches in the County Town (Part Two)

Li Chuan looked at her thin, gaunt face, his eyes like sharp blades.

He took a deep breath, staring fixedly at Jiang Li, trying to overwhelm her with sheer intimidation.

Yet the longer he looked, the more panicked he became.

Never before had he seen such a cold, gloomy gaze. Those pitch-black pupils were like the mouth of a demon, and his own reflection in her eyes made him look like a chicken waiting for the slaughter.

This little hussy genuinely wanted to kill him.

"I advise you not to do anything rash! My master is closely related to the County Magistrate!"

His voice was loud, but the words trembled.

Jiang Li did not even frown, asking indifferently, "Would the esteemed County Magistrate care if a chicken belonging to his wife's family were killed?"

Li Chuan: "..." A chicken.

The lackey who had been knocked down earlier saw that the situation was turning south and sprinted toward the center of the market. Jiang Li glanced sidelong at him; he was likely off to fetch reinforcements.

Li Chuan paid no attention to the fleeing lackey, only aware of the commoners around him staring with wide eyes.

In the past, these people would cower at the mere sight of him, yet today they dared to watch his humiliation.

If he backed down now, how could he ever lord over this market again?

If he didn't back down, this woman might actually butcher him on the spot, and his life would be over...

"Well? What are you waiting for? Waiting for reinforcements to come back and kill me?"

Jiang Li's voice was so chilling that he couldn't help but shiver.

He had only meant to scare her, planning to bring a couple of cronies later to threaten her into paying protection fees every time she came to sell her goods, and nothing more.

He wasn't bold enough to commit murder.

So why did this woman keep bringing up murder?

And she was still holding a firewood chopper.

His father was the steward of the Magistrate's wife's maternal family, and many shops in this market belonged to his masters; he was merely throwing his weight around here.

If he actually killed someone, he would have to pay with his own life.

Before he could figure out how to handle Jiang Li, a dainty, sharp reprimand echoed out: "What are you people doing? Brawling in a crowd?"

An old woman buying vegetables hurriedly stepped forward and said, "No, no, it's just a minor misunderstanding between the two of them."

Brawling in a crowd could earn you twenty heavy bamboo strikes if hauled back to the yamen.

Once the old woman finished speaking, Jiang Li looked toward the approaching young lady. First, she noticed the gold ornaments and jade hairpin in the girl's hair, then her attire. Though she couldn't tell whether it was satin or brocade, it looked exquisite and undoubtedly expensive. Behind her trailed two maidservants and four lackeys—this young woman clearly had a formidable background.

As the young lady drew closer, Li Chuan's eyes lit up as if he had just seen his savior.

Jiang Li frowned slightly. They knew each other?

"Miss, save me! This little hussy wants to kill me!"

The young lady glanced briefly at the firewood chopper in Jiang Li's hand, then her gaze dropped to the soiled chest of Li Chuan's tunic. Her brows knitted together in displeasure.

"Are you from my maternal grandfather's estate?"

Li Chuan nodded repeatedly. "I am Li Chuan, son of Steward Li of the estate."

Hearing this, the young lady asked coldly, "Why does she want to kill you?"

"I have no idea... Eldest Miss, this little hussy has supernatural strength, she's grabbing me and won't let go! Please save me!"

Jiang Li looked at the young lady and recognized her. Since she hadn't immediately ordered Jiang Li to let go of the scoundrel, she seemed like a reasonable person.

She pondered for a moment and said, "Please, Miss, judge this fairly. I'm here selling peaches, letting everyone taste them before buying. This scoundrel acted like a rogue, tasted my peach, and then flatly claimed it wasn't sweet, demanding ten catties for free. When I refused, he tried to kick my back basket. I dodged, and he tripped and fell. Then two of his companions showed up, immediately threatening to kill me and telling me to wait! That's why I grabbed him."

"Right, he also claimed his master is the esteemed County Magistrate's in-laws!"

"Anyone with eyes can tell he's just some good-for-nothing dropping the Magistrate's name to wreak havoc outside!"

As soon as Jiang Li finished speaking, the young lady's maidservant glared fiercely at Li Chuan.

The young lady's expression turned exceedingly grim.

"Is what she said true?"

"True, true! We all saw and heard it!"

"No, Miss, I did not!"

The first sentence came from the onlookers, while the latter tumbled out of Li Chuan's mouth.

Yet with the crowd speaking in unison, Li Chuan's denial instantly lost all weight.

The young lady looked at Jiang Li and said, "You can let him go now."

Jiang Li casually released Li Chuan, only to watch him put on a fawning expression, preparing to thank the young lady.

Before he could utter a word, the young lady issued a cold command: "Someone, beat him until he's crippled and throw him out!"

The moment the words fell, the four lackeys behind the maidservant rushed forward, punching and kicking the scoundrel until he slumped limply onto the ground.

Jiang Li watched his state—he probably wasn't crippled, just battered with bruises and a swollen face.

"How dare you invoke my father's name to bully the common folk outside! Carry him out and throw him away." Once the young lady spoke, the lackeys hoisted the man up and hauled him out. She then turned her cold gaze to the maidservant behind her and instructed, "Go tell my uncle that such insolent slaves are strictly forbidden from leaving the estate from now on."

After the maidservant departed, the young lady finally turned back to Jiang Li. "Where are the peaches you're selling?"

"Right over there," Jiang Li said, walking toward her back basket.

The young lady followed with her maidservant, gesturing to the attendant beside her. "Taste a piece and see if they're truly sweet."

The slices she had cut earlier had fallen, so Jiang Li washed a fresh peach, peeled it, and sliced it onto a fragrant oak leaf.

The maidservant picked up a piece and popped it into her mouth. The moment she bit down, sweet peach juice overflowed. She sucked in her breath and looked at Jiang Li. "May I have another piece?"

Jiang Li nodded. After eating a second piece, the maidservant turned back to the young lady and said, "Miss, they're super sweet! This servant has never eaten such a sweet peach in all her life."

The young lady's brows furrowed deeply. Seasonal fresh fruits were never lacking in their household; these maids had followed her since childhood, and whatever she ate, they ate too.

Just a common peach, and it made her this happy?

She swallowed hard, wanting to taste a piece herself, but seeing it placed on a tree leaf, she felt it might be unhygienic.

Sensing her hesitation, Jiang Li softly explained, "Milady can rest assured. I picked these oak leaves and washed them clean; otherwise, I wouldn't place edible things on them."

"You washed them?"

Jiang Li nodded. Only then did the young lady extend a slender finger, picked up a piece, and brought it to her lips.

So sweet... Yet this sweetness wasn't cloying, carrying the unique fragrance of fresh fruit instead. Oh no, she wanted another piece, but there were so many people watching...

"How much are they?"

Observing the shift in the young lady's expression, Jiang Li smiled. "Six cash a catty."

The young lady looked into Jiang Li's back basket; there weren't many left.

"I'll take a hundred catties."

Surrounding onlookers instantly cast envious gazes. A hundred catties—this meant her peaches were practically sold out.

Were they really that good?

Seeing the empty-handed young lady, Jiang Li was about to ask how she planned to carry them back when two of the lackeys who had carried the man out returned.

One of the lackeys pulled cloth sacks out from under his tunic—smaller than burlap sacks, but Jiang Li managed to pack a hundred catties into two of them.

The maidservant took out a purse to pay, directly handing over a piece of broken silver that Jiang Li estimated weighed an ounce or two.

She was just wondering how to weigh the silver and make change when she heard the young lady say, "Keep the change."

With that, she left with her maidservant and the lackeys carrying the sacks.

The crowd was overwhelmed with envy. Jiang Li had turned misfortune into fortune—how long would they have to sell vegetables to earn a lump of silver like that?

Someone in the crowd praised the County Magistrate's eldest daughter as a great philanthropist.

Jiang Li merely smiled and remained silent.

Once those hundred catties of peaches were taken away, very few remained in the back basket. People had to crane their necks just to see them, so she simply scooped out the rest and emptied them into a hemp sack, rolling down the rim so everyone could see at a glance.

After tidying up, she resumed her clear, ringing hawking cries: "Sweet and large peaches, six cash a catty! Taste before you buy, not sweet and it's free!"

Having seen off the magistrate's daughter, the crowd turned their gazes back to Jiang Li, the country woman.

Had she not grabbed Li Chuan, the magistrate's daughter probably wouldn't have appeared, and remembering how she had effortlessly knocked down two lackeys with her fists, the lingering trace of sour envy in everyone's hearts dissipated.

Thanks to Jiang Li, that scoundrel Li Chuan probably wouldn't dare show his face in this market for a long time.

The small episode passed, and the market regained its lively bustle, with hawking and shouting echoing back and forth.

Everyone's small businesses continued.

The old man and woman nearby quickly sold out of their radishes and cabbages, exchanged farewells with Jiang Li, and shouldered their carrying poles to head home.

After sitting a little longer, Jiang Li's peaches were sold out as well.

She packed up her hemp sacks, tucking the cabbages safely inside.

Then she placed her money pouch and seeds into the back basket, layered the radishes on top, and put the leafy greens right at the very summit.

Leafy greens bruise easily; keeping them on top where nothing pressed down on them was best.

Having bought radishes, she was already craving pickled vegetables; she could pickle a jar when she got back and it would last for a long time.

Only, there was no jar at home.

Jiang Li hoisted the back basket, first walking to the entrance of the market to return the weighing scale and retrieve her ten-cash deposit.

Then she strolled back into the market to purchase supplies.

Now that she had a hand-mill, once she sold the rest of those peaches in the next few days, she would experiment with making tofu.

Making tofu required cheesecloth, so she needed to buy a piece to have on hand for when the time came.

The market was quite large; besides small vendors like them, there were butcher shops, general merchandise stores, pastry shops, braised meat shops, and more.

Jiang Li first went to the general store to buy a jar, then to the neighboring fabric shop to purchase a length of cheesecloth.

Just as she turned to head back, she saw a woman walking past her with a child who was making a fuss about eating moon-cakes.

The woman said, "The festival isn't until the day after tomorrow, buy them tomorrow."

"No! Ah Jiang's family already bought theirs, he's already eaten them."
"What if there are none left tomorrow because too many people are buying? I want the rock-sugar filling."

The child stamped his feet as he walked, arms flailing wildly. The woman, helpless, finally conceded, "Fine, we'll buy them! Right now! You're a glutton reincarnated, I swear!"

Only then did Jiang Li vaguely realize—the day after tomorrow was the fifteenth of the eighth month, the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Were the moon-cakes those mother and child spoke of actually mooncakes?

A thought stirred within her, and she followed them.

A long queue had formed outside the pastry shop, and Jiang Li craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the large, round mooncakes she had only eaten in her childhood.

The shop assistant was busy wrapping them up, and she noticed people were buying three or five at a time.

Right in front of her in line were the mother and child, and the kid kept muttering as he watched others carry their packages away, "What if they run out by the time it's our turn?"

The woman took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and after a long moment said, "If there are none today, there will be tomorrow."

"But I want to eat them today!"

Fortunately, when their turn finally arrived, mooncakes were still available.

The woman bought two, and the child tried to unwrap them to eat right on the spot. She slapped his hand away and scolded, "Look at those dirty hands of yours. Wash your hands when we get back before you eat."

Jiang Li looked over at the counter and inquired, "Shopkeeper, how are the large cakes sold? What flavors do you have?"