Lin Wanwan pondered for a moment and then asked, "Since your aunt doesn't want you, would you like to come with me?"
The little one tilted her head and asked, "Are you going to take care of me?"
Lin Wanwan laughed, nodded, and said, "Yes, I'm going to take care of you."
"Okay." The little girl immediately grabbed Lin Wanwan's dress, looking at her expectantly. Being cared for by someone is something she had always dreamed of. At her uncle and aunt's house, she never had enough to eat, only staying alive by scavenging unwanted seafood or occasionally chewing on grass roots, and avoiding beatings when she could.
"Then come with me." Lin Wanwan rolled up her sleeves and removed the phone charm hanging from her arm from her small makeup bag. It was a crystal football charm, worth only a few bucks in modern times, but surely it would fetch some money in ancient times.
Thus, Lin Wanwan held the little one's hand and slowly walked toward the pawnshop.
The shopkeeper inside, seeing such a peculiar pair, couldn't help but furrow his brows, "Sir, what is this?"
Lin Wanwan didn't waste words, she stepped forward and handed over the crystal football she had just removed, straight to the point, "I want to pawn this, see how much it's worth."
The old shopkeeper, upon seeing the crystal football in her hand, was immediately wide-eyed and greatly shocked, this, this, this, isn't this a Glazed Pendant? It's so exquisite.
Here by the sea, they have a port for foreign trade, and such treasures are among the imported goods from the Western Regions.
The old shopkeeper quickly assessed Lin Wanwan, feeling a bit confused. Based on her attire, she must be from a wealthy family, yet she shows herself publicly, without a maid by her side, and accompanied by a little beggar. Strange, very strange, could she be some runaway noble lass?
"The item, well, it's good quality, but where did you get it, young lady? We don't accept items of unknown origin here." The old shopkeeper said with an air of detachment.
What do you mean you don't accept items of unknown origin, I don't believe you!
Lin Wanwan grumbled to herself, if ancient pawnshops indeed had this understanding, Lin Wanwan would write her name backwards, it's just a tactic to lower the price.
She immediately grasped the crystal football tightly, retracting it, and coolly said, "In that case, goodbye."
"Hey, wait!" The old shopkeeper, seeing her ready to leave without a word, quickly reached out pleadingly, "Fine, I see you might be in trouble, I'll be good today. Do you want to pawn this as a pledge loan or a non-redeemable pawn?"
Lin Wanwan asked, "How much for a pledge loan? And for a non-redeemable pawn?"
Though she'd never pawned anything, Lin Wanwan knew about the pledge and non-redeemable pawn customs from living in the information age. That's called knowing the world without leaving one's home.
The old shopkeeper stroked his beard, leisurely saying, "A pledge loan would give you one gold piece, repayable with interest in three months. For a non-redeemable pawn, I could give you two gold pieces."
Lin Wanwan didn't reply immediately, instead, she pondered a bit on what the old shopkeeper meant by one gold piece, two gold pieces, then said, "I need some change."
The old shopkeeper replied, "No problem, one gold piece can exchange for six strings on the market. If you're willing for a non-redeemable pawn, I'll give you one gold piece, and the remaining gold I'll change into six strings of copper coins, okay?"
Lin Wanwan wasn't sure about the prices, but while the old shopkeeper spoke, she kept her eyes fixed on his eyes; his speech was fast, his gaze wasn't evasive, and he didn't seem deceitful. Based on novels and historical knowledge she had read before, Lin Wanwan roughly knew one string of coins equaled a thousand coins. However, in her impression, shouldn't one gold equal ten strings of coins?
So, Lin Wanwan casually said, "Isn't one gold equal to ten strings of coins? Are you trying to deceive me?"
The old shopkeeper immediately cried out in grievance, "Oh dear mother, oh young lady, where did you hear that? Now it's the third year of the Great Tang Zhenguan Era, not the previous dynasty where copper coins were worthless! Where could you exchange one gold for ten strings of coins?"
"Zhenguan third year..." Lin Wanwan pondered privately, "So it's under the rule of Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty. Thank goodness, not one of those oppressive etiquette eras like Ming or Qing."
"Fine, then I'd like six strings of coins, make sure they're good coins." Knowing it's Zhenguan third year now, Lin Wanwan felt emboldened, her history knowledge from studying arts was quite strong.
Although she had inexplicably traveled back a thousand years, she believed she could survive well with her abilities.
Next was signing the contract, exchanging money and goods. Lin Wanwan also conveniently took away a small clothing item pawned by someone else from the shop, to replace the barely clad little one's attire.
Though she was only four years old, seeing the little one bare-bottomed made Lin Wanwan quite uncomfortable.
The little one was so happy upon receiving the clothes that her eyes squinted with joy.
She actually had clothes to wear! Even the cousin sisters at her home didn't have clothes to wear! It's always whoever went out that wore clothes. And she had none. It was only because her aunt intended to abandon her today that she got a rag.
With money in hand, heart unperturbed.
Having wrapped the money up in blue cloth and hidden under wide sleeves, Lin Wanwan left the shop with the little one, her nerves tightly strung. Ever since ancient times, the exposure of wealth invites trouble, not just in the Tang Dynasty a thousand years ago, but in the future society too, it's the same.
Luckily, Lin Wanwan wasn't weak, having grown beautiful but an orphan, she had practiced martial arts, like free combat, diligently for years to protect herself.
Not long after, Lin Wanwan found a somewhat informal inn with the little one (as formal establishments required her to provide documentation, without it, they wouldn't open a room for her).
After getting the room, Lin Wanwan thoroughly washed the little one head to toe several times, the water went from black to clear, giving a great sense of accomplishment.
In the end, the clean little one seemed tired and curled up on the cot in the room, fast asleep.
Judging by the sun outside, it was about noon. The little one was only four, certainly lacking sleep and fond of it at such an age, could sleep at any moment.
It was then that the store attendant brought over the snacks she ordered for lunch. Lin Wanwan glanced at them casually, feeling uninterested, but when the little one woke, she'd likely love to eat them.
Lin Wanwan stopped the attendant, handed over a few copper coins, paused for a moment, and using language as archaic as possible, said, "Truth be told, I've been living in the mountains with my master, who passed away a few days ago, which led me down the mountain, searching for kin. In the mountains, time is unknown, please don't laugh. May I know where this is and what year it is?"
The attendant widened his eyes in surprise and said, "So, sir, you're a mountain dweller, no wonder you travel without a servant. It's the third year of Zhenguan, and this is Wanghai Town, the County Government isn't here. Sir, for recluses like you, you'd seek Xiao Mingfu at the County Government. Recently, a recluse master from the west of town was taken by Xiao Mingfu personally, quite a spectacle! It's said you can become an official and meet the Emperor Saint!"
The store attendant's eyes brimmed with envy.
The pawnshop's old shopkeeper didn't deceive me, this year truly is the third year of Zhenguan.