"Don't leave yet," Wang Yurong shot a glare at the Mammy. "I'm serious about buying it. Five taels of silver—do we have a deal?"
Having grown up with the finest things, she couldn't stand the implication that the Wang family lacked taste. She offered a generous price right off the bat.
She expected the woman to be satisfied, but Du Chunzhi only looked troubled. "Making these items is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Five taels wouldn't even cover my costs."
"I'll pay six," Wang Yuyan interjected, immediately clashing with Yurong. "Your tiger is truly magnificent, Auntie; it’s these people who don't know quality. In the future, just bring your goods directly to me, and I promise to offer a good price."
Wang Yurong was incensed. "Wang Yuyan! Do you have to oppose me at every turn? Eight taels! This mugwort tiger is mine!"
The Wang family's Mammy recognized this familiar pattern and groaned internally. "My young ladies, let's not fight over this. Let’s discuss the price reasonably—don't let outsiders take advantage of us!"
It was too late. Yurong and Yuyan had fallen into their fixed routine, and there was no stopping them now.
"Ten taels!" "Eleven taels!" "Thirteen taels!" "Fifteen taels!"
"Enough, enough! You two ancestors!" the Mammy lamented, feeling as though she might collapse. If this kept up, even fifty taels wouldn't be enough to satisfy these two!
She pulled them apart while they stood with flushed faces, neither willing to yield. The Mammy decided, "We will pay fifteen taels, and not a penny more. Once we take it back, Miss Rong can play with it for two days, then Miss Yan for two days. That way, neither of you loses out."
"Why does she get to play with it first? It should be mine first."
"Because I'm over an hour older than you, and I saw the tiger first."
"I was the one who offered the money first!"
So, they were back to square one.
The Mammy glared at Du Chunzhi. "Don't be too greedy. Know when to quit."
Du Chunzhi nodded, accepted the silver, and handed the tiger to the Mammy. Then, she casually lifted the cloth covering her bamboo basket.
The Mammy caught a glimpse and nearly coughed up blood! There was another tiger in the basket—yet another one!
The most infuriating part was that the one remaining was even more vibrant, adorned with more beads and shells, and looked far more exquisite.
The Mammy clenched her fists. *Is there no end to this? Are you trying to kill me?*
When Wang Yurong spotted the second one, she shoved Wang Yuyan aside. "I don't want that one anymore. I want to buy this one! I'll pay eighteen taels!"
Wang Yuyan didn't yield. "I offer nineteen!"
Here they went again! The Mammy grabbed one girl with each hand, glaring at Du Chunzhi. "You clearly had two tigers—why did you only take one out earlier?"
Du Chunzhi looked utterly innocent. "I just came here to rest my feet and took my things out to display them on the table. I'm not a psychic; how was I supposed to know you wanted to buy them? I hadn't finished admiring them myself yet!"
"When the young ladies were arguing, why didn't you bring them both out?"
"You didn't ask."
"You're too cunning! Truly despicable!"
"It was your family that insisted on a forced purchase; why are you blaming me? If that’s how it is, I'll return the silver. I won't sell it at all."
Du Chunzhi feigned departure, and the Mammy gritted her teeth. "I'll give you fifteen taels for this one, too!"
Du Chunzhi smiled. "Your young lady already offered nineteen. Did you intend to pocket the remaining four, Mammy?"
The Mammy was fuming, steam practically rising from her head. She handed over the silver and demanded, "Are you from this county? What is your surname?"
"From Songjia Village. My surname is Du."
The Mammy’s expression shifted instantly. *Isn't this the Du woman from Songjia Village who filed a complaint against Mammy Tian?* That was it—they had intended to buy her work precisely because of her skill with cloth dolls!
In truth, the Mammy had another mission today in Cuilin Town: to quietly slip some silver to have old Tian released. Once the woman was out and learned the young ladies had bought dolls from this Du woman, wouldn't it be like twisting a knife in her heart?
However, with Yurong and Yuyan arguing incessantly over the second tiger, the Mammy felt a migraine coming on. Rubbing her brow, she muttered, "Don't let me see you again."
Du Chunzhi had made a handsome profit and had no intention of arguing with her. She gave a beaming nod.
Just as she was about to leave, Yurong suddenly asked, "What’s that in your bamboo basket?"
The Mammy’s eyes widened. *Something else? Will this never end?*
What was in the basket? A common brick she used to scare Widow Zhao.
Du Chunzhi’s mind raced. She smiled and said, "That's the base for the cloth doll. Only by placing the doll on this type of brick can one ward off evil and invite good fortune."
"Mammy, hurry and take the brick! We’re buying it!"
The Mammy was beyond exhausted. "This stuff is everywhere; there's no need to pay for it."
Yurong thought that made sense and was about to decline, but Yuyan stepped forward and snatched the brick. She hadn't won the first round, and then Yurong had snatched the second tiger, leaving her simmering with resentment. As long as she could annoy Yurong, she would never miss a chance!
Yuyan told her maid, "Give the auntie one tael of silver." Then, she looked at Yurong triumphantly. "My tiger may not be as good as yours, but I have the base, and you don't."
"A brick isn't some rare treasure; I can find one anywhere."
"That's not the same. The one in my hand has been polished clean and kept with the tiger, absorbing the scent of mugwort. It’s nothing like some piece of junk brick. Besides, who knows what kind of filthy man might have handled the one you find."
"Wang Yuyan! I'm going to finish you!"
The private room descended into chaos. Du Chunzhi picked up her bamboo basket and left, leaving her fame and glory behind.
She had made a fortune on the two tigers and was in high spirits. Humming a tune, she carried her little basket, hoping to find an ox cart heading toward Cuilin Town to visit the Yu family’s brick kiln on Bangzi Alley.
She hadn't gone far before several men blocked her path. Looking closely, she recognized them as the same group that had come to Songjia Village to collect debts.
*Oh no,* Du Chunzhi thought. The creditors and the brick kiln were both in Cuilin Town. She had chosen to visit the kiln first, knowing how ruthless this group was; to them, written contracts meant nothing. If they decided they wanted more money and tried to harm her, she’d be in serious trouble.
Her own fighting ability was decent enough—she could handle a brawl with village women, and could barely win against three people at once. She could easily take down a weakling like Song Yao, but against a group of hired thugs, she had no chance.
She had planned to pay off the kiln debt first and then ask Yu Qing for a couple of strong men to act as her escort. That kid was enthusiastic, righteous, and straightforward; he certainly would have helped.
She never expected to be tracked the moment she left the teahouse.
The leader was that same Fatty. He hadn't expected to find an unexpected bonus while leading his men to the county to collect debts. "Du Chunzhi, it's time to pay up, isn't it?"
Du Chunzhi forced herself to stay calm and laughed, "Brothers, the deadline hasn't arrived yet. I'm busy working to earn the money, and I will pay you back exactly on time."
Fatty sneered, "Cut the crap. We’ve been watching you since you arrived in the county, and we've seen everything you've done. Didn't you just make a killing back at the teahouse? Hand it over now so we can go back and finish our job."