In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

"Rice husks?"

Wu Han gave a wry smile and said, "Brother Chen, you're thinking too simply! How could the government leave us such a big loophole? The tax collectors have already said that this tax increase must apply to sorghum, wheat, and rice; all other grains are invalid!"

"..."

Chen Dao fell silent. These three types of grain were the most expensive in the grain store these days. Even though he was living the best life in Chenjia Village, he couldn't afford a single bushel of grain!

If they can't produce enough food, they'll have to be sent to the north to serve in the army...

Chen Dao felt a chill run through his body. This imperial court really wasn't giving him any way out!

"Brother Wu, have you paid the tax yet?"

"How could I possibly afford to pay that!"

Wu Han sighed, "The one-month deadline given by the government is getting closer and closer. If we can't pay the tax soon, my whole family will probably have to be sent to the army."

"This……"

Chen Dao opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say, so he simply changed the subject and said, "Brother Wu, I'm planning to buy some gray-feathered chickens this time. Do you sell your gray-feathered chickens?"

"Of course we'll buy it!"

Upon hearing that Chen Dao wanted to buy chickens, Wu Han's eyes lit up immediately: "Brother Chen, how many do you plan to buy? I can give you a discount."

The gray-feathered chicken was not what Chen Dao wanted to buy, but what Chen Da wanted.

Chen Da's purpose in coming to the city to sell white-feathered chickens was to obtain silver to buy more gray-feathered chickens to raise. On the way to the East Market, Chen Dao had already discussed this matter with Chen Da.

Therefore, upon hearing Wu Han's question, Chen Dao replied, "I brought a total of 2 taels of silver this time, and I plan to use it all to buy gray-feathered chickens. Brother Wu, can you help me calculate how many I can buy?"

"Two taels of silver..."

Wu Han counted on his fingers and said, "These days, a gray-feathered chicken costs about 150 coins. If you have 2 taels of silver, you can probably buy 13 of them! I don't have enough here, but that's alright! Brother Chen, wait a moment, I'll go talk to another stall owner for you!"

Not long after, Wu Han returned with three chicken vendors and said to Chen Dao, "Brother Chen, it's settled! There are 13 chickens in total, and each one will cost you 150 coins."

"Alright! Let's make the deal!"

Soon, the two parties completed the transaction, with Chen Dao paying 1950 copper coins to buy 13 gray-feathered chickens.

After placing the chicken coop on the donkey cart, Chen Dao and his group arrived at the grain store in the East Market.

"Grain prices have gone up again!"

As Chen Dao entered the grain store, he frowned. The price of grain was 2-3 coins more expensive than when he last came to the county town.

"Sir, would you like to buy grain?"

The shop assistant at the grain store warmly welcomed Chen Dao into the store.

Chen Dao glanced at the grain prices and asked, "Buddy, why are grain prices so high again?"

"Sir, you are unaware of this!"

The shop assistant replied, "Grain prices in the city are rising every day these days, and our shop's prices are already the most reasonable!"

"Ok!"

Chen Dao nodded noncommittally, memorized all the grain prices, and then stated the quantity he needed: "I need 50 jin of wheat flour and 100 jin of sorghum flour."

Wheat flour now costs 16 coins per catty, and sorghum flour costs 12 coins per catty. 50 catties of wheat flour and 100 catties of sorghum flour would just cover the 2 taels of silver earned from selling chickens.

As for the money to buy the blood-clotting fruit later...

Chen Dao still had several hundred copper coins, which should theoretically be enough.

"okay!"

The worker quickly got to work and soon loaded a total of 150 jin of grain onto the donkey cart outside the shop.

"Sir, please take care!"

Amid the farewells of the porters, the donkey cart slowly started moving and arrived at Baicaotang, a place Chen Dao had visited once before.

Inside the Hundred Herbs Hall, the elderly shopkeeper was using an abacus behind the counter, while Su Qiaoxi was arranging medicinal herbs.

The younger Su Qiaoxi, being more perceptive, immediately noticed Chen Dao entering the shop and hurriedly stepped forward, asking, "Sir, are you here to see a doctor or to buy medicine?"

Chen Dao glanced at Su Qiaoxi and had to admit that the pharmacy owner's granddaughter was really beautiful. Not only was she cute and charming, but her voice was also extremely pleasant, making people unable to help but feel a sense of goodwill towards her.

"Buy medicine."

Chen Dao replied, "I'd like to buy some blood-clotting fruit. Do you sell any in your shop?"

"some."

The shopkeeper, sitting behind the counter, said, "One Blood Clotting Fruit costs 18 coins. How many would you like, sir?"

18 wen...

This price is about the same as what Chen Dao learned from Li Ying before.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Dao said, "30 pieces."

"Please wait a moment, sir, I'll get it for you."

Su Qiaoxi ran into the backyard of the pharmacy and soon came out carrying a package, which she handed to Chen Dao: "There are 30 blood clotting fruits in here. You can count them, sir."

"it is good!"

Chen Dao opened the package and counted the coins. After confirming that there were indeed 30 coins, he took out 540 copper coins from the inner layer of his clothes and handed them to Su Qiaoxi.

When they received the copper coins, their fingers touched. Su Qiaoxi blushed, but Chen Dao didn't seem to notice anything. He quickly left the shop with the blood-clotting fruit.

"grandfather!"

Watching Chen Dao's departing figure, Su Qiaoxi asked, "Is this young man surnamed Chen a martial artist?"

Su Qiaoxi had heard Chen Da address him when Chen Dao came to the store before, so she knew that Chen Dao's surname was Chen.

"It shouldn't be!"

Shopkeeper Su Shihua shook his head and said, "Martial artists would not buy a medicinal herb like the Blood Clotting Fruit."

Although Su Shihua was just the owner of a small pharmacy, he was quite knowledgeable and knew very well that martial artists would never consider blood-clotting fruit as a medicinal herb.

Let alone martial artists, even apprentice-level martial artists practicing in martial arts schools look down on the Blood Coagulation Fruit. Otherwise, the Blood Coagulation Fruit wouldn't be so cheap.

"He's probably just a farmer's son who wants to become a martial artist," Su Shihua concluded. Judging from Chen Dao's attire, he guessed Chen Dao was indeed a farmer's son. As for why he was buying medicinal herbs like the Blood Clotting Fruit…

He's most likely just an ambitious farm boy who hopes to become a martial artist through cheap herbs like the Blood Clotting Fruit that increase blood and qi.

"Is it?"

Su Qiaoxi gazed out the door. For some reason, she was particularly curious about the boy she had only met twice, because his eyes were completely different from others.

Having helped her grandfather at the pharmacy, she had seen a lot. Among the people who came to the pharmacy, there were roughly two categories. One category was the poor people, who often had blank eyes and a reserved expression, and they usually only bought cheap herbs.

The other type are wealthy families or martial artists. These people are dressed in fine clothes, and their eyes always hold a hint of covetousness when they look at her.

As for Chen Dao...

His gaze gave Su Qiaoxi a very different feeling. Chen Dao looked at her with only admiration, nothing else, and he would quickly look away.

This made Su Qiaoxi feel exceptionally comfortable during her two interactions with Chen Dao, even though she had only met him twice and exchanged a few words with him.

"I hope you can become a martial artist as you wish!"

Su Qiaoxi offered her sincerest blessings to the unfamiliar young man in her heart.