Chapter 26: Golden Needle Li
At this time, the shopkeeper of the shop noticed the strangeness here and quickly walked over, full of surprise,
“Strange, this exotic silver fish hasn’t shown its face for ten days or half a month, but today it poked its head out.”
Chen Shun’an pretended to be puzzled and asked, “Oh, there’s exotic silver fish too?”
The shopkeeper explained, “Of course, those favored by heaven and earth, condensed by sun and moon essence—even a loach digging holes in a manure pit has times when it wears a small silk jacket and shakes in a big windy day!
Flying centipedes chasing wind and thunder precious pills, black armored catfish with whiskers that can trip a boat pulling fibers, colorful white deer that discern qi and seek treasure…
They were originally ordinary beasts, but each had their own encounters and became exotic species, even rarer than treasure beasts classified into third class, middle, and upper grades!”
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an was also surprised and turned to ask,
“Then since this exotic silver fish is so rare, shopkeeper, why aren’t you selling it but keeping it in the pond, to use it as a signboard?”
Hearing this, the shopkeeper immediately sighed and said,
“How could that be! It’s not that I don’t want to sell it, it’s that I can’t catch it!
That beast has sharp ears; as soon as it hears you’re going to go into the pond to catch fish, it hides in the rock crevices at the pond bottom! Plus, this pond was passed down from my ancestors, and who knows how many underground channels and cracks are at the pond bottom—it might even connect to the Grand Canal!
Ordinary precious fish would be one thing, but this exotic silver fish comes when it wants and leaves when it wants, treating my place like an inn!”
The shopkeeper grew more and more angry as he spoke, and in a fit of rage, complained a few more sentences.
Chen Shun’an said, “Then why not pull the firewood from under the cauldron and block up all the cracks and underground channels in the pond?”
The pond was bubbling with bubbles.
A cursing voice rang in Chen Shun’an’s mind,
“Wild fox zen, shut your bird mouth! Don’t stir up trouble here; if you have the guts, get in the water and fight this little one, I’ll make you pay!”
Ha, still a hot-tempered silver fish.
Chen Shun’an pretended not to hear.
The shopkeeper smiled helplessly and said,
“No way, it’s the rules passed down from the ancestors: the ponds in fish market shops must not be built square and neat, nor plastered with three-part soil.
There must be twists and hidden places… They say heaven has mercy and virtue for life, one must not extinguish all vitality, excess is as bad as deficiency…”
At this point, the shopkeeper changed his tone, bowed with cupped hands, and said eagerly with a smile,
“I don’t know what fish this gentleman wants to buy? I feel a connection with you, sir; I’ll give you a nine-fold discount…”
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an raised an eyebrow.
The shopkeeper had introduced so much that even if Chen Shun’an didn’t want to buy fish, he felt embarrassed not to.
“Alright then, I’ll pick some…”
“Hey! Please, sir!”
While picking live fish, Chen Shun’an pondered in his heart.
Due to the Grass Head God’s divinity of “closeness to water spirits” currently being very low.
Chen Shun’an could only vaguely sense the consciousness of water spirits, with no other abilities.
Even some “autistic” or “arrogant” water spirits completely ignored Chen Shun’an and wouldn’t actively transmit intelligence or communicate telepathically if they didn’t want to.
Even if Chen Shun’an was right in front of them, he wouldn’t notice at all.
It seemed somewhat useless.
But…
A sharp glint flashed in Chen Shun’an’s eyes, and an idea sprouted in his mind.
Chen Shun’an discovered that some fish not qualifying as precious fish—mere common crucian carp, grass carp, or catfish—also emitted faint intelligence!
Though not worthy of the term “exotic,” they were more or less tinged with some spirituality.
Presumably, such fish and their offspring would taste even more delicious and sweet, and perhaps have other wonderful uses?
Thinking of this, joy welled up in Chen Shun’an’s heart.
Good, good, good—in the past, he was the one who was the “leak,” but now it was finally Chen Mou’s turn to find a bargain!
……
A moment later.
Chen Shun’an left carrying six fish.
All common species, but due to being from a river goods shop, they were large-sized with fresh and tender fish meat… and more expensive.
Among these six fish, two grass carp were mixed in that kept calling Chen Shun’an “grandpa.”
Chen Shun’an was excited in his heart but didn’t pick more bargains to buy fish; instead, he decided to take it slow, visiting the fish market frequently.
Chen Shun’an was very satisfied and left fully loaded.
In Wan Ji River Goods Shop.
After smilingly seeing Chen Shun’an off, the shopkeeper quickly walked lightly and delightedly from behind the counter, taking out a live earthworm bait.
“Thank you, silver ancestor; this is the reward, please accept it.”
The shopkeeper said softly, tossing the live earthworm bait into the pond.
The other precious fish were just about to scramble for it when a silver light sped over, swallowed the earthworm in one gulp, then fiercely slapped its tail, giving each scrambling precious fish a big slap with lightning speed.
Then it disappeared.
The shopkeeper watched this scene with a cheerful laugh, very satisfied and feeling the income was quite substantial.
……
By the riverside was a row of low earthen houses made of straw-mud walls.
No shelter from summer heat, no warmth in winter.
The residents of these earthen houses’ only possessions were perhaps their somewhat worn sampans or covered boats.
Bang bang bang…
The half-closed door was knocked on.
“Who is it?”
The voice was weak.
When the door was pulled open, a young woman with some beauty appeared, her coarse hemp clothes unable to hide her tender, watery flesh.
Seeing this woman, a trace of surprise flashed in Chen Shun’an’s eyes.
He recognized her.
That night the boat rocked, and the water waves swayed.
It was the boat prostitute ruined by Qing Pi Ma.
“This gentleman, who are you?”
Seeing Chen Shun’an’s long robe of fine texture, the woman was clearly wary.
After all, in these times, clothes were face.
Poor commoners couldn’t even scrape together one decent piece of clothing for the whole family.
Often passed from father to son, brother to brother; one good piece of clothing was worn in turns by everyone.
So someone who could wear such clothes was at least a respectable person in Wuqing County and wouldn’t usually appear in the shack area.
Chen Shun’an said warmly, “I’m Chen Shun’an, here specifically to find…”
“Oh, it’s Old Chen; wait a moment, let me give a couple more instructions.”
An elegant voice came out unhurriedly.
Only then did the woman open the door and step aside.
Chen Shun’an didn’t enter the house but stood at the doorway.
Inside the room, one could see to the end at a glance: just a few tables and stools, a bed pieced together from wooden boards and rags, and the rest were fishing nets, fish baskets, twisting baskets, and such.
On the bed lay a bluish-black, skinny fisherman; despite the hot weather, he was shivering all over with cold, wrapped in all the straw and rags in the house that could provide warmth.
A middle-aged, gaunt man wearing an official gauze robe with a purple gauze vest over it stood at the table, preparing a large cup of paste medicine and a large packet of powder medicine.
Golden Needle Li said slowly,
“Your man has been in the water too long, yin cold entered his body and injured his heart and lungs; take these medicines first. Every day at noon, bask in the sun for the time of one incense stick.
It’s not a big deal, I won’t use qi to apply needles; too expensive. Give me ten wen.”
Hearing this, the woman wept with joy and said,
“Thank you, Doctor Li! Thank you, Doctor Li!”
Seeing this, Chen Shun’an’s mouth twitched, his face full of hesitation to speak.
After Golden Needle Li carried his small nanmu box out of the earthen house, Chen Shun’an said irritably,
“You Golden Needle Li, same falling in water, same yin cold entering the body; you’ve treated me back and forth three times, costing over ten taels of silver!”
Golden Needle Li smiled faintly upon hearing this and said,
“Not much, not much. Treating illness depends on the family background. If your illness were on a prince or a main hall official, let me tell you, it wouldn’t improve without three to five hundred snowflake silver taels! But if this illness falls on a poor person, heh, ten wen, guaranteed cure!”
“This unfortunate couple: the man casts nets for fish by day, the woman sells herself secretly at night, all to support their son practicing martial arts at the Liangjiang Military Academy in the county!”
“Ten wen is enough.”
