sjar Chapter 296 Exorbitantly Priced Wild Ginseng
Chapter 296 Exorbitantly Priced Wild Ginseng
The three guarded the wild ginseng as if it were a priceless treasure, afraid that the slightest carelessness would damage it. They carefully wrapped the ginseng in soft cloth. Although the cloth bag was simple and the box was a bit small, their hearts were closely connected. Together they protected this unexpected treasure and embarked on their journey home, their hearts filled with anticipation and hope for the future.
They embarked on their journey home. Although the mountain road was rugged, their hearts were filled with openness and light.
Back in his cozy home, Li Ju'an was brimming with excitement and eagerly wanted to carefully weigh the wild ginseng he had unexpectedly acquired. Just then, Lin Mei noticed his flustered and hurried appearance and couldn't help but ask curiously, "What are you rummaging through all over the place for? Why are you in such a rush?"
Without even looking up, Li Ju'an replied quickly, "I'm looking for the old scale I brought back from town last time. I don't know where I left it."
The family's warehouse was filled with a dazzling array of items, piled up like small mountains. Finding a specific item from among them was no easy task. However, Lin Mei seemed to have a discerning eye.
In a short while, she deftly retrieved the old scale from beside the kitchen. Upon seeing it, Li Ju'an's eyes lit up with delight, and he exclaimed repeatedly, "Yes, yes, that's it! My good wife, how did you find it so quickly?"
Lin Mei smiled broadly and said, "Last time when Mother was tidying up, she almost twisted her back, so I lent a hand and turned the storeroom upside down. Everything was there, and everything was sorted and put away neatly. If you ever need to find any treasures in the future, just tell me, and I, your errand boy, will be at your service anytime."
Upon hearing this, Li Ju'an felt a warmth in his heart. He affectionately ruffled Lin Mei's hair, then planted a loud kiss on her cheek and said with a smile, "You must have accumulated eight lifetimes of good fortune to marry such a considerate and capable wife."
Lin Mei covered her mouth shyly with her hand, her giggles as clear and melodious as silver bells.
After carefully weighing it, he was speechless with astonishment—this wild ginseng was even more magnificent than he had imagined, weighing a full 186 grams and measuring an astonishing 55 centimeters in length. The appearance of this rare wild ginseng left all three of them visibly amazed and deeply impressed.
Li Ju'an led the two Lu brothers on a long and winding journey, finally arriving before the merchant Pang Duolai. Pang Duolai, a seasoned veteran who had been collecting ginseng in the Xing'an Mountains for many years, was astonished at the sight of the enormous wild ginseng, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"Hey, this is the first time I've ever seen such a rare treasure!" Pang Duo exclaimed in amazement, then turned around and called out to Xiao Jiang, the young pharmacist standing nearby, "Xiao Jiang, come and take a look. Do you know anything about this ginseng?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiang immediately put down his work and hurried forward to carefully examine the wild ginseng. After a thorough examination, he discovered that the ginseng was over forty years old! This meant that long ago, when the Lu family patriarch was still young, this ginseng had already been growing silently in the mountains and forests, witnessing the passage of time.
Upon hearing this news, Pang Duolai's eyes lit up instantly, as if he could see endless wealth beckoning to him. Unable to contain his excitement any longer, he blurted out to Li Ju'an, "Li Pao, I'm determined to have this! Let's discuss it, I'll buy this ginseng, how about it?"
Before Li Ju'an could speak, Lu Zhiqiang could no longer contain his dissatisfaction and shouted, "A thousand yuan? I'd rather go deep into the mountains and forests to hunt a few precious animal hides! Such a large wild ginseng is worth far more than a few animal hides. It's rarer than bear gallbladders, and you didn't even spend a thousand yuan when you bought bear gallbladders! In this world, everything goes up in price after the New Year."
Pang Duolai was so embarrassed by Lu Zhiqiang's words that he knew he was in the wrong and could only remain silent. However, he still couldn't bear to part with the wild ginseng, so he gave Li Ju'an a wink, signaling him to keep it for him for now, and that he would come to the village to discuss it with Li Ju'an the day after tomorrow.
Seeing this, Li Ju'an smiled slightly and said, "Brother Pang, let's leave it for tomorrow. Don't you trust me? If you think the price is right for you tomorrow, come find me."
Pang Duolai's gaze was fixed on the wild ginseng, his eyes flashing with a mixture of reluctance and greed. However, he was perfectly aware of the value of this rare treasure, so he slowly nodded, tacitly approving the beginning of this potential transaction.
Li Ju'an set off for the county town, but little Jiang in the pharmacy was quick to speak. In less than half a day, the news that he had dug up wild ginseng spread like wildfire throughout the county town, becoming the talk of the town.
Old Zhao, the elderly man who had spent many years in the pharmacy business, had extensive connections and a keen sense of smell. One of his old friends in the herbal medicine trade immediately took a liking to this legendary wild ginseng and coveted it, willing to pay any price to acquire it. Thus, through Old Zhao's connections, a staggering figure—eight thousand yuan—was placed before Li Ju'an as the offer for this rare treasure.
Upon hearing this, Lu Jinyang felt as if a torrent was rushing through his chest, his heart pounding uncontrollably, the thumping sound echoing in his ears, each beat striking his excited heart.
Lu Zhiqiang was so shocked he almost wondered if his jaw would dislocate instantly; the scene before him was truly beyond his imagination. Originally, the precious ginseng was only worth a thousand yuan according to the first shopkeeper.
Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, a second buyer generously offered a high price of eight thousand, as if this small root contained endless treasures.
The three quickly exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting the same shock and bewilderment. Li Ju'an, a seasoned businessman who had roamed the southern business world in his previous life, had unique insights into the appreciation of wild ginseng. Whether it was its beautiful shape or its age, he could accurately estimate its market value.
He knew that once such a superior wild ginseng was transported to the south, its value would double or even more, far exceeding any of the prices he saw today.
After a fierce round of bargaining, the owner of the herbal medicine shop seemed to have made up his mind. His lips tightened, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. Finally, he uttered a staggering figure: nine thousand five hundred yuan. Upon hearing this number, the Lu brothers' eyes widened involuntarily, as if they wanted to etch this unbelievable moment deep into their hearts.
My goodness, that's outrageous!
But Li Ju'an shook his head and said, "Not enough."