Chen Changyuan said a few perfunctory words and then got up and went to the backyard.
He has to find an excuse to leave, otherwise I will definitely nag him again.
On the roof of the backyard, the wolf skin that had been peeled off a few days ago was lying there stretched out, enjoying the autumn moonlight.
Wolves are nocturnal animals, and wolf skins can only be sold at a good price if they have been exposed to the sun for enough months.
He climbed up the ladder nimbly and gently stroked the dried wolfskin.
The wolf skin is shiny and glossy without a trace of other colors. It feels extremely soft to the touch and emits a healthy luster under the moonlight.
Apparently, the weather these days is very suitable for drying furs, and the effect is surprisingly good.
Chen Changyuan nodded with satisfaction. The wolf skin was of high quality and would surely fetch a good price in the town. Maybe he could even try in the county town where there were more wealthy people.
He carefully rolled up the wolf skin and held it in his arms, then spread the newly peeled black bear skin flat on the roof.
This black bear skin is much larger than the wolf skin, almost occupying the entire roof. The shiny black hair sparkles in the moonlight, like a priceless treasure.
Chen Changyuan felt very happy. If these two skins could be sold, it would be enough for him to buy a lot of things.
He seemed to have seen the white silver waving at him, and as he thought about it, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, a rapid knock on the door woke Chen Changyuan from his sleep.
"Changyuan! Changyuan! Are you at home?" It was the voice of the village elder.
Chen Changyuan rubbed his sleepy eyes, opened the door, and saw Lao Yuantou standing outside with an excited look on his face.
"Changyuan, are those wolf skins of yours finished drying?"
Chen Changyuan nodded:
"That's true. Uncle Yuan, you are really well-informed."
The old man chuckled:
"I heard this from the villagers. Coincidentally, I'm going to the county town too. Why don't you come with me so I can take care of you."
Chen Changyuan had long wanted to go to the county town to see the world, but the journey was too long and he was a little worried about going alone.
Now that I have the old Yuantou as my companion, it is naturally what I want most.
"That's great, thank you, Uncle Yuan!"
The old man waved his hand:
"Why thank you? We're from the same village, so it's only natural for us to help each other. I have two carriages. Let's set off early tomorrow and try to reach the county town before dark."
Chen Changyuan responded and turned back to the house.
He dug out the remaining venison from yesterday, cut off a plump venison leg and wrapped it in oil paper, and threw the rest into the carriage.
Together with the huge black bear skin and several wolf skins, it almost took up half of the space in the carriage.
"You kid, did you bring back everything you beat up yesterday?"
Old Yuantou looked at the mountain of prey and joked.
"Hehe, Uncle Yuan, you're joking. I thought it would be difficult to go to the county town, so I brought more things with me so I could sell them at a good price."
As Chen Changyuan spoke, he struggled to stuff his things deeper into the carriage to make room for someone to sit.
"With your strength, it would be a shame if you didn't go to the docks and carry heavy bags."
Old Yuantou smiled and shook his head, helping Chen Changyuan fix the things.
At this time, Fang Suxia walked out of the house with a small bag made of coarse cloth in her hand.
"Changyuan, did you bring food for the journey? Take these eggs, don't go hungry."
Chen Changyuan took the bag, opened it and saw five eggs wrapped in wood ash.
His heart warmed, and he said with a smile:
"Mom, don't worry, I brought some dry food, so you won't starve."
As he said this, he took out two eggs from the bag and stuffed them into Lao Yuantou's hands.
"Uncle Yuan, you can take this too, to satisfy your cravings on the way."
Lao Yuantou refused several times, but finally took the egg.
"You, kid, are quite capable."
He put the egg in his arms with a smile and jumped into the carriage.
"Okay, it's getting late. Let's set off quickly and try to get to the county town before dark."
Chen Changyuan responded, said goodbye to Fang Suxia, and climbed into the carriage.
Old Yuantou flicked his whip, and two strong horses pulled the heavy carriage and slowly drove out of the village.
The carriage bumped along the way, and the wheels made a creaking sound as they rolled over the gravel road, like a monotonous country tune.
At first, Chen Changyuan was enjoying the scenery along the way with great interest, but as time went on, the novelty gradually faded and his butt began to ache slightly.
He couldn't help but move his body and change his posture.
"What's wrong? Can't you sit still?" Old Yuan glanced at him and asked with a smile.
"A little bit."
Chen Changyuan scratched his head embarrassedly, "Uncle Yuan, how far is it to the county town?"
"It's not far. Just go over the mountain ahead and you'll be there."
Lao Yuantou raised his whip and pointed at a towering mountain in the distance.
"Boy, let me tell you about the rules of selling animal skins. Don't be shy when you get to the county town."
Chen Changyuan perked up when he heard this and quickly sat up straight: "Uncle Yuan, please talk. I'm listening."
The old man cleared his throat and began to share his experience:
"Buying and selling animal hides isn't as simple as you think. First of all, the quality of the hide is very important. The black bear hide you've got is shiny and thick, so it's obviously high-quality and can fetch a good price. But if the hide is damaged or mishandled, the price will be greatly reduced."
Chen Changyuan nodded. Although he had never done this business in his previous life, he knew that you get what you pay for.
The old man continued:
"Secondly, selling furs also requires good timing. Winter is the peak season for fur demand, so prices are naturally higher. In summer, it's much lower. So, if you want to make more money, it's best to sell in the winter."
Chen Changyuan secretly rejoiced that he was reborn in this season. It seemed that he was lucky.
"Finally, and most importantly, you have to be able to bargain. The fur traders in this county are all experienced craftsmen. If you don't know how to bargain, you'll definitely be ripped off and left with nothing."
When Lao Yuantou said this, his tone became serious.
"Remember, you must remain patient and don't be intimidated by them. If they try to lower the price too much, just don't sell it to them. Leave them alone for a few days, and they will naturally come back to you for begging."
Chen Changyuan was amazed after hearing this. Although he had lived two lifetimes, he had never expected that there was so much knowledge involved in doing this kind of business.
"Uncle Yuan, you know so much!"
Chen Changyuan expressed his sincere admiration.
The old man stroked his beard proudly:
"Of course. When I was young, I traveled all over the country and saw everything. I've already figured out the ins and outs of selling leather."
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