CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 63: A WORN-OUT IRON SWORD

Xu Zhizhong watched the carriage go far, and pondered for a moment, hearing that Brother Jiang You was no longer there, just not expecting this sister-in-law to be a young girl.

Although she was a bit thin, she was rather pretty.

Yun Jiao sat on the carriage and pondered for a while; maybe she should secretly store the sword in the medicine storage and just say it was pawned, returning it to Jiang Youzhi in the future? After all, it was the teacher’s relic.

But then she thought it through, when items are pawned there is a pawn ticket, how would she find a ticket to give to him?

It still needed to be pawned.

In the county town, there were only two pawnshops, one called Li Family Pawnshop, the other Yu Xiang Pawnshop; they might seem like two separate businesses but were actually backed by the same capital.

Yun Jiao took the sword to the Li Family Pawnshop and asked around. The Chao Feng drew out the sword, a brilliant flash of light streaked by, he plucked a strand of hair and touched it to the blade, a gentle blow split the hair into two.

Chao Feng couldn’t help but exclaim, "A fine sword!"

Usually, as a Chao Feng, they would severely devalue a customer’s item to offer less silver, but he truly couldn’t resist saying otherwise just now.

He then felt the silver-threaded hilt and asked Yun Jiao, "Do you want a dead pawn or a live pawn?"

This Yun Jiao knew, before when her mother had no silver to buy medicine and pawned her jewelry, the shopkeeper had asked the same.

A dead pawn meant not intending to redeem it, giving more silver.

A live pawn meant planning to redeem it, giving less silver.

Yun Jiao replied, "A live pawn."

Chao Feng said, "For a live pawn, this item stays with us for three months."

"Live pawn, fifty taels of silver, you receive forty-five taels; after three months, you may redeem the sword by paying sixty-five taels."

Yun Jiao gasped, no wonder people said pawn shops followed the rule of nine returning thirteen; in reality, this was pledging items at the pawnshop like taking a high-interest loan.

While she was contemplating how this interest was calculated, Chao Feng called out, "Write the pawn ticket—rusty, worn-out iron sword—"

Yun Jiao startled, earlier he said it was a fine sword, now it’s reduced to rusty iron!

Heavens, if this is written on the pawn ticket, would she actually get back a piece of junk metal when redeeming it?

That would be unexplainable.

She quickly called out, "I won’t pawn it!"

Chao Feng raised an eyebrow, "Young lady, really not pawning it?"

"This price is already quite good."

Yun Jiao shook her head, "No pawn, thank you for your trouble."

Chao Feng regretfully handed the sword down from the counter.

The pawnshop counter was high, Yun Jiao reached out to catch the sword.

Leaving the pawnshop, Yun Jiao stashed the sword into the luggage, no longer intending to pawn it; if she couldn’t redeem it, Jiang Youzhi would feel guilty for a lifetime.

She then went to buy supplies.

At the blacksmith’s shop, she purchased iron pots, kitchen knives, hatchets, spatulas, and water urns, costing over two taels of silver.

Then at the general goods shop, she bought a bathing tub, water buckets, shoulder pole ropes, chopping boards, bowls and chopsticks, jars for pickled vegetables, earthenware pots, water dippers, a stove, and even some charcoal.

Seeing fishing rods for sale, Yun Jiao bought one as well; it was cheap, just a few coins.

By now, the carriage was loaded to the brim, Liu Er, who was driving, smiled wryly, "Doctor Gu, how much more do you plan to buy? This stuff is too much, soon the horse might not pull."

Yun Jiao glanced at the list in her hand, "Not much left, just a bit more oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar, then it’s complete."

After buying oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar, it was noon.

Yun Jiao bought a dozen or so meat buns, handing two to Liu Er, "Uncle Liu Er, let’s eat and then head back."