Ginseng, Black Market News

Su Yang appeared under the eaves, watched Chen Wenyuan's figure disappear at the alley entrance, then withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.

Instead of going straight back to the cloth shop, he turned a few streets and arrived at a rather impressive pharmacy in the south of Jingling City called "Jishetang".

The Huichuntang pharmacy that treated Chen Wenyuan's wounds was just a small branch, and its medicines weren't complete. If he wanted to buy ginseng, he would have to come to Jishi Pharmacy, the largest pharmacy in the south of the city. It had a full range of medicines, a good reputation, and most importantly, it was busy, so he wouldn't attract much attention.

As you enter the pharmacy, a rich aroma of herbs wafts through the air.

Su Yang looked around and walked straight to the old shopkeeper behind the counter.

"Shopkeeper, does your shop have ginseng?"

Su Yang got straight to the point, his voice low.

The old shopkeeper glanced at Su Yang and noticed that although he was dressed plainly, he was tall and had a deep and composed aura, unlike ordinary people. So he politely said, "What kind of ginseng are you asking about, sir? Our shop has the best ginseng, some from Liaoning and some from Korea. They are all top-grade for nourishing and replenishing qi."

"You need complete ginseng, the older the better."

Su Yang added, "Ideally, it should be ginseng that is over fifty years old."

Upon hearing this, the old shopkeeper looked somewhat troubled and shook his head, saying, "Sir, to be honest, in these chaotic times of war, genuine old ginseng is extremely rare, something you can only come across by chance. Ginseng over fifty years old, let alone in my small shop, even in the entire pharmacy of Jingling City, it's probably hard to find one or two. Even if they do appear, they've already been reserved by noble families or prominent figures in gangs."

Su Yang was not surprised.

A century-old ginseng is a rare find, and he didn't have high hopes for it.

"What is the oldest type of ginseng currently available in the store?"

He settled for second best.

The old shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, then turned around and took out a long, rectangular brocade box from a locked cabinet behind him, carefully opening it. Inside, on a red velvet lining, lay three ginseng roots, their roots clearly visible, and their condition was acceptable.

"Please look, sir. These three are all fully grown wild ginseng, harvested from the old forests of the north. This larger one is estimated to be ten years old, and its medicinal properties are already quite remarkable, especially for replenishing qi and strengthening the body. These two smaller ones are about five to seven years old."

The old shopkeeper pointed to the ginseng and introduced it: "This ten-year-old ginseng is priced at fifty taels of silver. Those from five to seven years old are fifteen taels each."

Not cheap.

The price of a ten-year-old wild ginseng is enough to buy a decent house in Jingling City.

However, this ginseng is related to his proficiency in the health-preserving and vital energy cultivation exercises, as well as the simplification points!

His proficiency and efficiency in simplifying things directly determined how quickly he could establish himself and rise in the ranks in this chaotic world.

Besides, fifty taels now is only one-eightieth of his four thousand taels of silver.

"My lord, you are wise. The roads to the north are now blocked. It is extremely difficult to cross the Liaoxi Pass with Liaoning ginseng. This price is... the going rate."

The old shopkeeper pointed to a barely noticeable shallow mark on the ginseng and said meaningfully, "This was accidentally injured by a Liaodong herbalist while rushing to escape the war. In peaceful times, a ginseng of this quality might not fetch this price, but now that war is raging, it's already rare to find such a good ginseng transported to Jingling."

Su Yang's gaze swept over the three ginseng roots, and his fingertips gently brushed the rhizome of the ten-year-old ginseng, feeling the warm and medicinal power contained within the ginseng. He already had an idea in mind.

"Okay, I'll take this ten-year one, plus these two five- to seven-year ones."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if he had just bought an ordinary item.

A flicker of surprise crossed the old shopkeeper's eyes, but he quickly put on a smile: "Sir, you're so generous! Three sticks will cost eighty taels of silver in total. I'll wrap them up for you right away!"

He deftly wrapped the three ginseng roots separately in moisture-proof oil paper, then placed them in a sturdy wooden box and handed it to Su Yang: "Please keep this safe, sir. These ginseng roots need to be dried in the shade to avoid moisture. When stewing them in soup, slice or cut them into sections. They are best paired with mutton or chicken to maximize their medicinal effects."

"OK!"

Su Yang took the wooden box, weighed it in his hand, and took out an eighty-tael silver note from the package and handed it over.

The old shopkeeper hurriedly took the silver, his eyes crinkling with a smile: "Thank you for your patronage, sir! Take care, and next time you come to our shop, we'll definitely give you a discount!"

Su Yang nodded, turned around and walked out of Jishetang.

Sunlight streamed through the carved windows of the pharmacy, bathing him in its warmth. He carried the wooden box and steadily merged into the flow of people on the long street.

"Next, we need to find a pawn shop and see if we can get information about the black market."

Su Yang, carrying ginseng, stood on the long street, looking in the direction of Wenchang Street.

……

Jingling South City.

Wenchang Street, Yufeng Pawnshop.

Su Yang walked in, his gaze calmly sweeping across the somewhat deserted shop, finally landing on the old shopkeeper behind the counter, a man with shrewd eyes, a steady demeanor, and a goatee.

He took out a five-tael silver ingot from his pocket, gently placed it on the black velvet cloth on the counter, and pushed it forward.

"Shopkeeper, it's time for the tea."

Su Yang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable weight: "I have a question. If I want to find some 'hard-to-find' goods that are hard to find on the market in Jingling City, or if I want to deliver something that's 'inconvenient'... where should I send my letter of introduction?"

The old magistrate's cloudy eyes darted between the silver ingot and Su Yang's face.

He didn't immediately touch the silver, but slowly wiped the account books in his hands and said gently, "The customer has asked an obscure question. This shop of mine only does business in the open."

Su Yang was neither surprised nor in a hurry.

He then took out another five-tael silver ingot from his purse and placed it next to the previous one.

"The shopkeeper is a sensible man. I just want a direction, I don't need names, and I don't want any written agreement. This money is for your 'I've heard'."

Ten taels of silver for just one vague "I've heard".

This gesture and style finally caused a slight change in the old strategist's expression.

He looked at Su Yang again, this time more carefully, his gaze lingering for a moment longer on Su Yang's composed posture and the straight sword wrapped in cloth at his waist.

After a few breaths of silence, the old swindler finally reached out and casually flicked two silver ingots under the counter with his sleeve.

At the same time, with his other hand, he pulled out an old "Wu Zhu coin" with an unusually smooth edge from under the counter. Above the hole on the back, there was an almost invisible triangular engraving.

He gently pushed the copper coin in front of Su Yang.

"At the end of the West Market, there's a dead-end alley called 'Sheep's Tail.' The third mud house in the alley doesn't have a curtain hanging on the door."

Old Chao's voice was even lower, his words rapid, as he tapped his fingertips on the counter, a warning in his tone: "Remember, go after nightfall, not too early. Knock three times, then two times; he only recognizes this old coin, not the person."

He paused, then added harshly, "Once inside, don't ask where you came from, don't consider the host's feelings, and definitely don't give your name. Take this with you to cover your face."

As he spoke, the old swindler pulled out a black cloth mask from under the counter. The cloth was rough, with only gaps at the eyes and nose, clearly designed to conceal his identity.

Su Yang took the mask and then picked up the old copper coin, still warm from his touch, gently stroking the engraved marks with his fingertips—the coin had a unique notch on its edge, the sole proof of the rendezvous. He put the mask and coin into his pocket, understanding perfectly: nightfall, the mask, and the principle of recognizing money over people—these three points were all to completely sever all connections and avoid being traced afterward.

Thank you.

He said no more, nodded slightly to the old pawnbroker, and turned to leave the pawnshop.