Firecrackers are naturally sold in the city.

The most firecrackers are set off during the Lunar New Year. Ordinary families will set off several strings of firecrackers to pray for good weather and a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

Besides the Lunar New Year, firecrackers are set off at weddings and funerals in any household. In Yongzhou City, Hanhan only knows one place that sells firecrackers.

But—what does this firecracker have to do with teaching the melon seller a lesson?

Are you suggesting we buy firecrackers to scare them at night?

Hanhan voiced his doubts, only to be ridiculed by Jing Zhe.

But he was still not told what firecrackers were used for.

Next, Hanhan obediently led Jingzhe to the house in the west of the city where firecrackers were sold.

On ordinary days, firecrackers are rarely sold, and those who need to buy them already know where to buy them, so firecracker sellers don't need to open stores on the street.

Jing Zhe was led into an alley by Hanhan and started knocking on the door.

"Buying firecrackers?"

A middle-aged man with a goatee rubbed his sleepy eyes, pushed open the door, and asked the two men.

"I won't buy it."

"..."

The man with the goatee paused for a moment, his face darkening with anger: "If you're not buying firecrackers, then why are you banging them? Are you crazy? There's a doctor in the second alley to the south. You're welcome!"

After saying that, the man with the goatee impatiently reached out and closed the door.

"No, don't turn it off!"

Jing Zhe quickly blocked the door, thinking to himself, "No wonder he makes firecrackers, he has a really explosive temper!"

"What? You're not buying firecrackers?"

The man with the goatee glared at him, displeased.

"I won't buy firecrackers, I'll buy other things."

"I have nothing but firecrackers here!"

After saying that, Goatee went to close the door again.

"I'll buy saltpeter!"

"Salt...?"

The man with the goatee stopped closing the door, looked at Jing Zhe warily, and asked, "You want to make firecrackers too?"

"..."

Okay, so we've started to see him as a colleague.

"No, I don't know."

"You're lying! What would you be buying saltpeter for if not making firecrackers? Are you trying to steal my business? I'm not selling! Get out of here!"

It's true that the most blatant hatred only exists among those in the same profession. After considering Jing Zhe as a fellow professional, the man with the goatee directly pushed him.

"This is a very profitable opportunity! Let me analyze it for you. You can listen first and then decide whether to sell or not!"

The man with the goatee didn't reply, but stopped pushing the man. Seeing this, Jing Zhe quickly began to speak.

“I’m buying your saltpeter at a high price, but even if I make firecrackers, I won’t make any money, will I? Besides, the whole city is full of your regular customers. Wouldn’t it be a losing proposition for me to make firecrackers?”

The man with the goatee remained silent, deep in thought.

"There are still more than six months until the Chinese New Year. If you run out of saltpeter, you can go and mine more. It won't stop you from making firecrackers for the New Year."

"I'll buy as much of your saltpeter as you have. You'll save yourself the time and effort of processing and manufacturing firecrackers. It's just like reselling it. Isn't that pure profit?"

How much can you buy?

The man with the goatee's eyes gleamed, clearly swayed by Jing Zhe's words.

He had stored a lot of saltpeter, and it would take until the New Year to make it into firecrackers and sell it all. In other words, these raw materials would be stuck in his hands for half a year.

If he could sell these saltpeter stones ahead of time, he could earn a lot more money for free!

Anyway, there's plenty of saltpeter in the mines outside the city; we can just go and mine it later!

"Of course! Can I see how much saltpeter you have first?"

Goatee opened the door, shifted his body to the side, and Jing Zhe and Hanhan exchanged a glance before going inside.

The man with the goatee led them to a woodshed, pushed open the door, and a whole room full of white saltpeter appeared before their eyes.

"Here, this is my saltpeter. Can you buy it all?"

Jing Zhe nodded, then asked, "If we could buy all of these, how much silver would it cost?"

After thinking for a moment, the man with the goatee tentatively asked, "Twenty taels of silver?"

In fact, if all this saltpeter were made into firecrackers, it would only sell for about twenty taels of silver. And that would have to include other raw materials and labor costs. For him to ask for twenty taels right off the bat was a bit of an exorbitant demand.

That's how you do business. If he doesn't ask for an exorbitant price, how can the other party negotiate a lower price?

"Twenty taels of silver? Not much! I'll take it all!"

"..."

The goatee and the simpleton looked completely bewildered.

Goatee regretted it a little. This guy was obviously a rich young master. He should have guessed it earlier, judging from his brocade robe. He should have asked for a few more taels.

Meanwhile, Hanhan clutched his pocket, thinking that if Jing Zhe asked him for money, he would resolutely refuse! He only had one tael—no, he only had nine hundred coins left now, he couldn't let him take advantage of him.

"If you can buy all these saltpeter stones, I will hire someone to transport them back to you by carriage!"

For these rich and foolish customers, Goatee must provide the best service. If he can develop them into repeat customers, delivering goods to them twice a year would be much more profitable than making firecrackers.

Jing Zhe waved his hand, indicating that it was unnecessary.

With so many free laborers on Mount Mang, there's no need for others. Besides, he can't let outsiders know that they came from Mount Mang.

The city is full of people and gossip. While the government couldn't do anything about Mangshan outside the city, it was a different story inside the city.

"No need to trouble you, shopkeeper. We can handle the delivery ourselves—is there any discount for that?"

The man with the goatee shook his head. "Twenty taels of silver is already very low. If you find someone to transport the other raw materials for making firecrackers yourself, I can give you some."

"good!"

Jing Zhe gladly accepted.

"Is the young master planning to take the saltpeter away today?"

Jing Zhe looked up at the sky; it was almost noon. He could go back up the mountain and bring people back in the afternoon, but the problem now was—he had no money.

"Shopkeeper, can I buy this on credit?"

"On credit?"

Trying to get something for nothing?

These words flashed through the goatee's mind, his face darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "If you have no money, young master, then hurry up and leave! Don't waste time!"

Jing Zhe chuckled awkwardly, "Just kidding, why are you in such a hurry, shopkeeper? When I send someone to pick up the saltpeter, you'll certainly get your share of the silver!"

Hearing this, the man with the goatee's expression softened a bit, and he saw Jing Zhe and Hanhan out the door.

After leaving Goatbeard's house, Jing Zhe had no intention of returning to the mountain, but instead thought about how to earn twenty taels of silver.

After holding it in for a long time, Hanhan finally couldn't help but ask, "Young Chieftain, what does buying saltpeter have to do with teaching those melon sellers a lesson?"

"Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed; you will understand in due time."

Jing Zhe said mysteriously.

"But we don't have twenty taels of silver!"

"I need to think about this some more."

Jing Zhe wiped his sweat and continued.

"It's too hot. Let's find an inn, have a meal, and then take a nap. When we wake up refreshed, maybe I'll come up with a way to make money!"

Silly: ...

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