第12章 韩康卖药

汉朝时期,出身豪门的韩康不愿入仕当官,经常游名山大川采药到长安市场上去卖,三十年如一日,坚持言不二价。一天,一个牙痛不止的老太婆前来买药。忍不住对韩康讨价还价,只见韩康摆了摆手,严肃认真地说:“做生意,靠的是‘信用’。所以,我从未虚报价格占人家的便宜,也从不接受客人的砍价。我的药,全是货真价实的灵药,绝对童叟无欺!”老太婆见韩康口气这么坚决,知道再讲也砍不下价,就买了一个钱的牙痛药走了。

城里的居民经过仔细打听,才知道摆这个药摊的人,原来就是赫赫有名的韩康!于是,大家一有什么病就都到他这里来买药,而且,也没有人尝试与他讲价。

有一次,一个女子向韩康买药,讨价还价,女子说她早就知道韩康言不二价。韩康叹息自己隐名避世还是被人认出,就隐遁于霸陵山中。

Han Kang Sold Herbs

During the Han Dynasty(206 B.C.-220 B.C.),Han Kang,a wealthy man,was reluctant to be a government officer.He visited the famous mountains to gather herbs and sold them in Chang'an market.Moreover,he refused to bargain for 30 years.One day,an old woman who had toothache came to buy the medicine and she wanted to get some discount from Han." good business deals on faith.Therefore,the price of my medicine is all the same.I will never accept any bargain.All my herbs are genuine." Han Kang said seriously.The old woman realized that she could not make a bargain,so she bought some and left.

Local residents finally found that the man who sold herbs on the market wasHan Kang.Therefore,everyone would like to buy medicine from him and no one tried to bargain with him.

One day,a woman wanted to buy some medicine from Han and tried to bargain with him.Of course,it was no use.Then she said she had already known that Han Kang's herbs had set price.Han Kang sighed that he concealed his identity in the market but finally was recognized by people.Then he went to live in seclusion in the Baling Mountains.