Chapter 42 Selling Freight Grain
There were several escorts in the caravan who were born and raised in Songjiang City. Gu Youan asked them if they had ever seen such a situation before.
"The winter solstice has already passed. According to traditional belief, heavy snow should have fallen within the first nine days. It's strange that we haven't seen any heavy snow at this time of year."
"Songjiang City has had less rain in the past two years than in previous years. Fortunately, there are still heavy snowfalls during the coldest days of winter. Water from the Ping'an and Songjiang rivers irrigates the fields, so we haven't been starving."
"If there's no heavy snow this year, and there's no snow to nourish the land after spring, next year will probably be difficult."
Several older escorts chatted with each other, then looked up at the sky and sighed.
The concerns of these veteran escorts mirrored those of Zhang Gui and his men. Farming depends on the weather, and if drought strikes, not only will you not be able to farm, you might even die of starvation or thirst. Zhang Gui was worried, but he maintained a composed demeanor. During his evening rest, he spoke to Wang Quan with a worried look on his face.
Wang Quan said, "Songjiang City is surrounded by mountains and forests, and at the foot of the mountains there are dense waterways. You won't be left without water. As for food, my master has already prepared it, so we won't starve."
Zhang Gui sighed in relief, taking his time to calm down before saying with a smile, "Excuse me, I'm just worried that the water shortage will affect our farming. After all, our master bought us to work, and we can't just let him spend money without earning anything, right?"
Wang Quan knew his worries and said, "Don't worry, my master is an agricultural official in Songjiang City. As long as there is a chance of farming, our land will not be left empty."
"Our master is actually an official?"
Zhang Gui was shocked. Didn't he hear that the Gu family's master had committed a crime and was exiled? How could he be an official again?
Wang Quan also learned about this a few days ago when he heard the young lady chatting with Master Zhang. Wang Quan smiled and said, "My master was a doctor in the Ministry of Works before he was exiled. He knew everything about building canals and farming. The officials probably saw his ability and promoted him."
Zhang Gui's tone was now more relaxed. He smiled and said, "In that case, I won't worry about it anymore. When we get to Songjiang City, we'll just follow the master's orders."
"That's exactly the point."
After sending Zhang Gui away, Wang Quan was still a little worried, so he found a young lady who was free and went to report.
"Zhang Gui and the others just bought it, so it's understandable that they feel uneasy." After Wang Quan finished speaking, he said a good word for Zhang Gui.
Gu Youan smiled and said, "Butler Wang, you are also worried about the rain and food."
Wang Quan admitted it with a smile: "Nothing can be hidden from the young lady."
Gu Youan didn't talk nonsense with him. He just said, "Tell the people below to rest assured. Since I bought them, it's my responsibility to take care of their food and clothing. I will definitely not let them go without food and clothing."
"Oh, I understand. I'll go tell them right away."
Wang Quan bowed and retreated. Zhang Yinshan also came in. He was also worried about the food.
"Our family has nearly thirty people, including our old servants and the newly-acquired servants. So many people consume a lot of food. I'm afraid my father hasn't made any preparations and the family can't afford to feed so many people."
Gu Youan glanced at him: "What do you mean?"
Zhang Yinshan smiled and said, "What I mean is, if my family's situation gets bad, I will only keep our old servants, and then transfer the dozen or so newly bought ones to your family."
"The Gu family has enough manpower. I don't need anyone from your family." Gu Youan rejected him.
"Oh, if there really is a drought next year, where will I get food?"
Zhang Yinshan was worried. Although his family had made a lot of money from running the medicine shop this year, grain was life-saving food during famine years. How much grain could he buy with the little money he had?
"Outside the Great Wall is different from inside the Great Wall. The people outside the Great Wall are very tough. It's okay in normal times, but during years of famine, it becomes a mess. Your family is small to begin with, and if you don't have servants to protect you, you'll be lambs to the slaughter."
"You mean, not only can I not sell these slaves I bought, but I have to keep them well?"
Gu Youan nodded. "My family has already made preparations for the food. If your father sees us buying food, he'll probably buy some too. Even if you don't have any extra food stored, don't worry. I'll lend you some when the time comes."
"Thank you very much!"
"No, there's strength in numbers. When the time comes, your family, my family, and the Tian family will be together. We won't have to be afraid if we run into trouble."
After resting in the wild for one night, they continued their journey to Songjiang City the next day. The snow on the road was still not thick. Gu Youan was already making the worst-case scenario plan in his mind and was planning to buy a house in Songjiang City as soon as possible.
The army of Prince Qi's Mansion is still very powerful. Even if there is unrest during the years of famine, and Prince Qi's Mansion cannot take care of other places, he will definitely take care of Songjiang City.
After a few more days of travel, the caravan of nearly two hundred people returned to Songjiang City in a hurry, escorting the carts and goods. As usual, Gu Youan led the caravan to the Ping'an Escort Agency on West Street first.
As soon as the caravan arrived at the door of Ping An Escort Agency and the goods had not yet been unloaded, they were surrounded by shop owners who came to buy goods.
"Manager Gu, what did you bring back?"
"There are all kinds of new and colorful cloth, silk, and cotton, as well as many goods from Jiangnan, books, paper, and all kinds of local customs."
Steward Wang Quan directed the guards to move the goods into the Ping An Escort Agency. The shopkeeper, who was waiting to buy the goods, said hurriedly, "Shopkeeper Gu, there's no need to move the goods. Just sell them to us here."
"Yes, yes, and we don't have to worry about the shopkeeper's men working hard to move things in and out."
"Manager Gu, please give me a quote quickly. My family runs a cloth shop. Please choose some cheap and durable cloth for me."
Gu Youan: "Don't be anxious, everyone. If you want to sell the goods, you have to wait for me to take a break, right?"
Gu Youan turned his head and winked at Guo Su, who drove the last two trucks out, politely asking everyone to make way.
"This cart contains New Year's goods that Shopkeeper Gu bought for his family. They are not for sale. Please don't block the cart to get out."
Guo Su drove out and called the old servants of the Gu family: "An An is busy here, I will take you to the neighboring mountain village first and go back to report the news."
Chen Chang, Mrs. Yang and others suddenly became excited. They hadn't seen the master and mistress for more than three years, and they didn't know how they were doing now.
This is Ping An Escort Agency.
Gu Youan asked the shopkeeper who was buying the goods to wait for a moment, and instructed Wang Quan to lead people to sort out the goods. She then stepped into the escort agency.
The escort leader, Guo Yuanchun, hurried over from the backyard. As soon as he saw Gu Youan, he said, "Everyone in Songjiang City is saying that next year will be a drought year. Even though it's still early, prices of all kinds of goods in the city have all gone up."
“How much has it increased?”
"Take cloth for example. Shopkeeper He and Headmaster Cao, who returned last month, saw a 20% increase in the price of medium-quality cloth and a 10% increase in low-quality cloth."
Gu Youan breathed a sigh of relief. That was okay, it was within her expectations.
Guo Yuanchun winked at Gu Youan, who followed him into the house. After the door closed, Guo Yuanchun spoke again, "The common people are worried that their silver won't be enough to buy grain and cloth next year, which is a tight currency. Merchants are chasing profits. Seeing this, a few families stepped forward and raised their prices aggressively. As a result, they were caught by the chief officer of Prince Qi's mansion and each received thirty lashes. After those families set an example, others, sensing Prince Qi's mansion's attitude, became more restrained."
Gu Youan immediately understood and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Captain Guo."
Guo Yuanchun smiled and said, "This is no secret. You'll find out if you ask around."
Since he had told her, Gu Youan still accepted his favor and said, "On the way back, I met a group of people selling cotton. I bought five carts of cotton and will give you half of it at the original price."
There are many children in Ping An Escort Agency, and half a cart of cotton is enough for each of them to make a new set of cotton-padded clothes. With cotton-padded clothes to keep out the cold, they don’t have to be confined to the kang and unable to go out in winter.
"Thank you, Manager Gu."
Gu Youan turned around and walked out, saying to Wang Quan, "Raise my original price by 10%."
"yes."
After Wang Quan got the approval, he took the account book to negotiate with the shopkeepers who were buying the goods. The price Wang Quan quoted made them feel painful. They kept saying that the price was too high, but they were not slow at all in taking the goods and paying the money, for fear that others would snatch the goods he had set his eyes on.
In just half an hour, all the dozens of trucks of goods that Gu Youan brought back were sold out.
Since we parted in Luoyang, Mr. Cao, the boss who hadn't been seen for a long time, suddenly came running.
Cao Dadang asked while running and panting: "I was just one step slower, and it's sold out already."
Wang Quan didn't recognize Mr. Cao, so Gu Youan came over and said, "Hello, Mr. Cao. I haven't seen you for a while. You look well again. Your family is doing well. Why did you come to see me..."
"My niece is getting married next month. For some reason, she thinks the wedding dress I bought her from Luoyang isn't pretty enough and insists on making her own."
"Alas, it just so happens that the Li family on West Second Street is also marrying off their daughter, and the daughter is to be married off to the son of Zhou Changshi. The dozen rolls of fine red silk brought back from the interior in the second half of the year have all been bought by both families."
They were common people and they were officials. No matter how thick-skinned Mr. Cao was, he didn't have the courage to ask the two families to give him a piece of red silk.
Gu Youan said, "Then go find Manager Liu from Ruiyuan Cloth Shop on South Street. He just bought all five rolls of red silk I had."
Boss Cao couldn't run anymore, so he quickly told the servant beside him to go to Ruiyuan Cloth Shop to buy some red silk so that he could take a rest.
Boss Cao was in no hurry to leave. Gu Youan invited him in to sit down. Boss Cao was not polite and walked into the Ping An Escort Agency with his round belly swaying.
Cao Dadang stayed behind to tell Gu Youan something. He said, "Someone from Prince Qi's Mansion came a few days ago and privately discussed with the big caravan in Songjiang City. They hope that we can sell medicinal herbs to the interior of the country next year and then transport food back from there."
Gu Youan frowned slightly: "This is not easy to do."
Cao Dazhang knew this very well. He said, "It's OK for us to enter the pass. We can pass smoothly as long as we pay some money and bribes. But when we come back from the interior, the soldiers will check us very strictly. Why would they ask us to transport food? If we get caught and our food is confiscated, I'm afraid we won't be able to save our lives."
"Have you told Prince Qi's Mansion?"
"Why didn't they tell us? They told us not to worry, they could handle the customs clearance, and told us to just focus on transporting the grain."
Cao Dadang was worried: "We go to Luoyang twice a year. We all know the relationship between the emperor and Prince Qi. If we stab the other party twice, how can we let the other party have an easy time?"
A shrewd man like Mr. Cao would not believe such a light-hearted promise.
Gu Youan did have the space to cheat, but he couldn't transport much food at a time. Besides, even if he could, the food was bulky and difficult to hide.
Gu Youan lowered his head in thought. Cao Dazhang sighed and said, "You have gained some reputation in Songjiang City now. You just came back today. I guess people from Prince Qi's Mansion will come to you tomorrow."
Gu Youan smiled and said, "Then we'll talk about it when the time comes."
There are few people, little land, and little food. The Northeast Army is at risk of being cut off from food by the imperial court at any time. The Prince Qi's Mansion has relaxed land control and encouraged caravans to transport food. From the perspective of the Prince Qi's Mansion, this is understandable.
But since it was her caravan that was transporting the goods, she had to consider her own life.
After Cao Dadang finished speaking, he shook his sleeves and stood up to leave, saying before leaving: "By the way, the Han brothers have split up, and Manager Han and his family moved out of the Han family and now live in a house on East Street."
"How is it divided? Who owns the caravan? Who owns the medicine store?"
"The caravan belongs to Manager Han, and the medicine store belongs to Han Dalang. Han Sanlang and Han Silang only got some money. The two of them are still making trouble and are still living in the Han family."
"Shopkeeper Han has announced that he will host a spring banquet next spring. He has invited all the caravans in Songjiang City, as well as the herbalists like the Hu family. I'm afraid Shopkeeper Han will compete with you next year."
Gu Youan said nonchalantly, "We all make money together. We're all in the same business, so we can only go far if we help each other. After all, who can say they won't have troubles in the future?"
Cao Dazhang smiled and said, "Manager Gu is very generous! Would you like to go to Manager Han's spring banquet?"
"If he invites me, I'll go."
"Okay, Manager Gu, we'll meet at Han's house next spring."
Gu Youan saw Cao the head of the household out. Wang Quan came over with the account book. Gu Youan glanced at the account book and said, "The Han family still has its arrogance. Every family in Songjiang City is very respectful to the Han family."
Wang Quan: "A lean camel is bigger than a horse."
That's right. She is just starting to gain momentum, so it's time for her to follow everyone else.
Furthermore, next year's drought is imminent, so it is more important to live a stable life than to fight for a short period of time.
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