Chapter 175

When the drying ground of Cyan Ox Village was filled with the fragrance of herbs, Xiaotao stood on tiptoe to reach a bamboo tray, and the Huwa wooden carving with abacus beads on her double buns almost fell into the honey jar. The abacus beads bounced across her apron to form the character "sweet": "Brother Fan! The villagers say the 'Cyan Ox Seven' leaves are too bitter, and the medicinal crisps won't sell well!" Zhang Yifan approached the bamboo tray, shaking the abacus beads, which bounced onto the bitter leaves to form the character "change": "If it's bitter, just add some sweetness—" With a flourish like a magic trick, he produced some wild honey, and the abacus beads immediately bounced into the honey jar, rolling into the character "adjust": "My dear Xiaotao, behold the abacus-style 'bitterness ends, sweetness begins' medicinal crisps." The old village chief frowned as he pinched a medicinal crisp: "It's sweet all right, but why is this yellowish thing shaped like an abacus bead?" The abacus beads instantly bounced onto a crisp, spelling out "bead"—it turned out Xiaotao had used a mold to press the medicinal crisps into the shape of abacus beads. A certain auntie clapped her hands: "Goodness me! If you take these to Chang'an, won't the nobles chew them like jewelry?"