Capítulo 3: Picking Up A Baby At The Start
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After a moment of silence, Lin Wanwan asked again, "Since your aunt doesn't want you anymore, are you willing to be with me?"
"Are you going to take care of me?" the little child asked, tilting her head.
"Yes, I want to raise you," Lin Wanwan smiled and nodded.
"Alright," she said. The little girl immediately grabbed Lin Wanwan's skirt and looked at her expectantly. To be raised by someone else was something that she had dreamed of. In her uncle and aunt's house, she couldn't eat her fill at all. Every day, she would pick up some unwanted seafood to fill her stomach. Sometimes, she had to gnaw on grass roots and get beaten up from time to time.
"Stick close to me," Lin Wanwan rolled up her sleeves and removed the mobile phone pendant from the small cosmetic bag hanging on her arm. It took the form of a crystal soccer ball. It wasn't worth much in the modern era, but in ancient times, it could probably be exchanged for some money.
So, Lin Wanwan held the little child's hand and slowly walked to the pawnshop.
When the shopkeeper inside saw such a strange pair, he couldn't help but frown. "Guest, what are you doing?"
Lin Wanwan didn't talk nonsense. She directly walked forward and handed the crystal soccer ball over. She went straight to the point and said, "I want to pawn this. Take a look and see how much it's worth."
When the old shopkeeper saw the crystal soccer ball in her hand, his eyes immediately widened in shock. This, this, this, this is a glass pendant, right? It was too exquisite.
They were near the sea and had a port for foreign trade. Among the imported goods from the Western regions, there were such treasures.
The old shopkeeper quickly looked at Lin Wanwan again, a little confused. Looking at her clothes, she was definitely from a rich family, but she was actually showing up in public without a servant following them. Moreover, they even had a little beggar with them. Strange, too strange, could it be some noble lady who ran away?
"It's beautiful, but little lady, where did you get it? We don't accept things of unknown origin." The old innkeeper said calmly.
What do you mean you don't accept things of unknown origin? I don't believe you!
Lin Wanwan complained in her heart. The pawnshops in ancient times just had to possess such awareness. Lin Wanwan was willing to write her name upside down (which was a great disgrace) just to bargain.
She immediately clenched her fist and kept the crystal soccer ball. She said coldly, "Since that's the case, goodbye."
"Hey, wait!" The old shopkeeper saw that she was about to leave and immediately held out his hand to stop her. "Forget it, you look troubled. I'll be a good person for once. Do you want to pawn this glass pendant alive or dead?"
Lin Wanwan asked, "How much would they be? What if I die?"
Although she had never pawned anything before, Lin Wanwan still knew the rules of the 21st century, where information was explosive. This was what it meant for a scholar to know the world without going out.
The old shopkeeper stroked his beard and said slowly, "If you pawn it live, I'll give you one gold. In three months, you can redeem it with money and interest. If you pawn it dead, I can give you two gold."
Lin Wanwan didn't reply immediately. Instead, she thought about what the old shopkeeper meant by one gold or two gold. After a while, she said, "I need some change."
"No problem. One gold can be exchanged for six strings of coins on the market. If you're willing to pawn it, I'll give you one gold, and the remaining one gold can be exchanged for six strings of copper coins. How about it?"
Lin Wanwan had no knowledge about the currency, but when the old shopkeeper spoke, she kept staring into his eyes. When he said this, he spoke very quickly and didn't avoid her eyes. He didn't look like he was lying. Based on the knowledge she had read in novels and historical materials, Lin Wanwan roughly knew that a coin was equivalent to a thousand Wen. It seemed that one gold coin was equivalent to ten strings of coins.
So, Lin Wanwan casually said, "Isn't one gold ten strings of coins? Are you trying to trick me?"
The old innkeeper immediately cried out, "Oh heavens, little girl, where did you hear that? It's the third year of Zhenguan in the Great Tang, not the twilight years of the previous dynasty, where copper coins are worthless! Where can you go to exchange one gold coin for ten strings of coins?"
Lin Wanwan thought to herself. "So it was under the rule of Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty. Fortunately, it's not the period of the Ming and Qing dynasties where cannibalism was still rampant."
"Alright, then you have to give me good money, even if you have six strings of cash." Knowing that it was the third year of Zhenguan, Lin Wanwan felt a lot more confident. She studied liberal arts and had a strong knowledge of history.
Although she had somehow traveled back in time to a thousand years ago, she believed that with her ability, she would be able to survive.
The next step was to sign the contract and hand over the money and goods. Then, Lin Wanwan took the opportunity to ask for a small piece of clothing that someone else had left there and put it on for the little girl.
Although she was only four years old, Lin Wanwan still felt very uncomfortable seeing the little child's naked butt.
The little girl who got the clothes was so happy that her eyes had vanished into a thin line.
She actually had clothes to wear! Her cousins at home did not even have clothes to wear! Every time, whoever went out would get dressed. And she had no clothes. It was only because her aunt wanted to throw her away today that she wrapped a rag around her.
She had money in her hands, so she didn't panic.
After wrapping the money in a blue cloth and covering it with a wide sleeve, Lin Wanwan walked out of the shop with the little girl, her nerves tense. Since ancient times, revealing one's wealth would always lead to disaster. Not to mention the Tang Dynasty a thousand years ago, it was the same in her society.
Fortunately, Lin Wanwan wasn't weak. She had been a beautiful orphan since she was a child. In order to protect herself, she had practiced martial arts for many years.
It didn't take long for Lin Wanwan to take the little girl to an informal inn. (Formal inns required her to provide practical experience, but without it, people wouldn't dare to book a room for her.)
After getting a room, Lin Wanwan washed the little girl from head to toe several times. The water flowing down her legs changed from black to clear, and she felt a sense of accomplishment.
In the end, the little girl was probably tired after washing up, so she curled up on the bed and fell asleep.
It was almost noon. The little girl was only four years old. She was indeed at the age where she needed sleep the most and could fall asleep at any time.
At that moment, the shop assistant brought over the desserts she had ordered for lunch. Lin Wanwan glanced at it casually and immediately lost interest. However, when the little girl woke up, she would probably love to eat it.
Lin Wanwan stopped the shop assistant and gave him a few copper coins. After a moment of silence, she said in an ancient tone, "To tell you the truth, I've been living in the mountains with my master. A few days ago, my master passed away, and I came down the mountain to find my family. I don't know the passage of time in the mountains. Please don't laugh at me. May I know where this is and what year it is?"
The attendant's eyes widened in shock. "So you're an immortal from the mountains. No wonder you didn't bring a servant with you. It's the third year of Zhenguan, and this is Wanghai town. For a hermit like you to go to the county office to find Xiao Ming's mansion. A while ago, Xiao Ming's mansion had personally received a reclusive expert from the western side of the town. It was a glorious event! It's said that if you work hard and become an official, you can even meet the emperor and the immortals!"
The attendant said with envy in his eyes.
That old pawnshop owner didn't lie to me. This year is really the third year of Zhenguan.
-- Regalo
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