Chapter 31
In order to avoid unnecessary inquiries, Lu Shang got up early and left the village while there were still few people around.
It's a pity that he had to stop his fitness exercises after only a few days without seeing any results.
Lu Shang tried not to make any noise when he got up, but when he turned around just as he was changing his clothes, he saw Jiang Wanning sitting up with sleepy eyes. She whispered, "Leaving so early?"
Lu Shang couldn't help but went back and rubbed her hair: "Just keep sleeping. I'll bring you something to eat when I come back. Or is there anything you want?"
Jiang Wanning shook her head and insisted on getting out of bed despite his dissuasion.
She rummaged through the cabinet in the corner for a long time and finally found a crumpled cloth bag. After tidying it up a bit, she handed it to Lu Shang: "Take this bag with you and put some food and drinks in it. You can also put the things you buy on the way in it, so you don't have to carry anything in your hands."
"That's true." Lu Shang expressed his approval. "If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten it again."
He checked again carefully to make sure nothing was missing, and then prepared to set off.
However, before leaving, Jiang Wanning called him again, and judging by her expression, she seemed a little hesitant.
Lu Shang was quite patient: "Is there anything else you want to ask?"
Jiang Wanning whispered something, but Lu Shang didn't hear clearly: "What?
Jiang Wanning: "I said I would give you a new crown." After saying that, she felt a heat on her ears.
As for Lu Shang's hair-combing skills, it is no longer a question of whether it looks good or not. Not having hair disheveled is perhaps the best effort he can make.
This is nothing at home, and it's harmless when walking around the village, but since you are going out, and it is an important matter such as meeting guests and discussing business, you have to be a little less serious.
Hearing this, Lu Shang was overjoyed.
He had been suffering from his long hair for a long time. As he went out more and more often, the desire to cut it short became stronger and stronger. He had even made up his mind that if he saw someone with short hair, he would definitely be the second one.
Jiang Wanning's proposal undoubtedly solved his urgent problem.
As for what the crowns and hair crowns represent between husband and wife, Lu Shang obviously didn't think much about it.
The bronze mirror in the room was very blurry, but this did not stop Lu Shang from admiring it.
He didn't know if it was his illusion, but he always felt that his whole temperament was different after changing his hairstyle.
Jiang Wanning's hands were very deft. After she took care of it, his hair would no longer fall apart when he shook his head. Even the loose hair on Lu Shang's forehead was now neatly attached to both sides.
Lu Shang looked at it several times with great satisfaction, and couldn't help but sigh: "A Ning's hands are really skillful. If it's not too much trouble, I'll trouble you to help me in the future."
He didn't pay attention to Jiang Wanning's expression. He looked out the window and saw the faint morning glow. He stood up, checked everything one last time, and quickly left home.
Jiang Wanning did not follow him out of the yard. She stood at the door, looking at the increasingly blurred figure, and suddenly felt a sense of loss.
By the time the Lu family discovered that Lu Shang had gone out, he had probably already left Lujia Village.
Before they could interrogate Jiang Wanning, Grandpa Pang sent his little grandson over again.
Jiang Wanning had been the one picking up the children these past two days, so even though he didn't see Lu Shang, Grandpa Pang didn't get suspicious. He happily handed Pang Liang to her and asked how he was.
"Then I'll be leaving first. My dear grandson, please be obedient and study hard, and don't make Mr. Lu angry!"
"Okay." Pang Liang nodded obediently.
Uncle Pang cracked his whip and drove the ox cart to pick up the people from the town.
Since Pang Liang had arrived, Dabao would arrive soon too. These days, the school hours were almost fixed, so Fan Sanniang would pick up and drop off Dabao herself. Occasionally, when she was too late, she would ask Jiang Wanning to take him there.
Seeing that the two children had arrived, no matter how anxious the Lu family was, they could not say anything more and could only let Jiang Wanning take the children in.
In order to avoid questioning from Grandma Lu and others, Jiang Wanning did not take them out in the morning. After lunch, she quickly returned to her room, not giving them any chance to ask questions.
As for Lu Shang, who was missed by his whole family, he left too early and didn't see anyone else on the road. He didn't know where he was, so he could only walk in silence.
Fortunately, as the sun rose, other people gradually appeared on the country road.
Lu Shang was also lucky. He met a hunter who was returning from hunting in the mountains. The hunter was driving a donkey with more than a dozen rabbits tied up on the cart behind him. Most likely, he had robbed the rabbit's nest.
When he stopped the man and asked, he found out that the hunter was from the nearby Shuxi Village. He had been guarding the mountain for four or five days and was going home to resettle the rabbits.
Office of Nishimura?
Lu Shang recalled for a long time, and finally remembered——
Isn’t this the village where the duck farmers who supply Guanhelou live?
This is luck, can't it be stopped?
Lu Shang hid the joy in his eyes and said with a bow, "Brother, could you give me a ride? I'm from the neighboring Lujia Village. My wife is pregnant and she's craving duck. I heard that the ducks in Shuxi Village are the fattest, so I thought of buying her a couple."
"Buying ducks?" The hunter understood. "Okay, then come up."
On the way, Lu Shang asked him about the situation of the duck farmers in the village, and in order to gain his trust, he even bought him a rabbit.
"Brother, I think your rabbits are pretty good. Can you sell me two?"
"Is it for my wife again?"
Lu Shang smiled and said, "It's all fine. If she likes it, I'll stew it. If she doesn't want to eat it, I'll just keep it."
"Okay, I'll pick a male and a female for you. After a few months, they will have another litter." The hunter's surname is Sun. His ancestors have made a living by hunting. To ensure safety, his family basically does not go deep into the mountains. They only hunt for pheasants and rabbits on the outskirts. When there are many prey in spring and summer, they can make some money.
"That's great, thank you, Brother Sun. How much are the two rabbits?"
"They're all from the surrounding villages. I won't charge you much. The male rabbit is thirty cents, the female rabbit is forty cents, and I'll give you two wild duck eggs as well."
The last time Lu Shang went to Tang Town, he also met someone selling rabbits. They sold them in packages, eight rabbits in a litter, both male and female, for a total of two hundred coins, which meant one rabbit cost only twenty-five coins.
Rabbits reproduce too quickly. They might be a little more expensive in autumn and winter, but in summer, the mountains and plains are full of rabbits, and any child can catch one. Once rabbits become rampant, they naturally become worthless.
Sun the hunter was right. He really didn't make much money. He only made twenty or thirty cents.
However, Lu Shang had other purposes for this trip, so there was no need to argue with others over such a small amount of money. After he gave the money happily, Sun the Hunter's attitude became even more cordial.
"Okay, okay, you just said you wanted to buy some ducks for your wife, right? I know a family that specializes in raising ducks. You know the big restaurant in town, right? Their ducks used to be supplied exclusively to the restaurant, but then something happened and the restaurant didn't want them anymore, so they ended up with all the ducks in their barn."
"If you ask me, it's that restaurant that's being dishonest. It's no big deal. They just say they don't want it. They're effectively cutting off their livelihood!"
Guanhelou terminated the cooperation not only for the sake of its own reputation, but also under the name of doing good for the guests and unwilling to bear any unnecessary risks.
But the villagers said that the restaurant was too unkind, and that Old Yang didn't do it on purpose. Besides, they were not a group of ducks, so what harm could there be?
Each party has its own difficulties, and Lu Shang will not comment.
Anyway, after walking this distance, he had a pretty good idea of the situation in Shuxi Village.
Every household in Shuxi Village raises ducks. Some sell them in the surrounding areas or in the town, while others supply them to fixed restaurants. However, the latter are very rare and can be counted on one hand.
Lu Shang asked curiously, "Are all the ducks in the village the same?"
"Anyway, they look the same to me, but Old Yang insisted that his was better. When the restaurant manager came to see it in person, he only chose his."
The fact that Lao Yang's ducks were chosen by Guanhelou must have its advantages, and since this is his family's way of making money, it will certainly not be easily known to others.
As they were talking, they arrived at Shuxi Village.
Looking from the village entrance, there is not much difference between Shuxi Village and Lujia Village. They have the same mud and thatched houses, the same small rivers and hills, and large tracts of green farmland interspersed among them.
The only difference is that there are many sheds in Shuxi Village, where poultry such as chickens, ducks, geese, etc. are raised. From the outside, there are also two houses that breed rabbits.
Hunter Sun said, "If you want to buy cattle, sheep, or pigs, you can come to our village. We have two piggeries and one cattle and sheep breeder. They are all carefully raised and are definitely fatter than those in other places. We also have donkeys and mules!"
If Lujia Village is mainly engaged in farming and odd jobs, then Shuxi Village relies on poultry and livestock for its livelihood and has become a small ranch.
Lu Shang responded and observed more carefully.
At this time, there were more villagers on the road, and every village was a familiar face. When they suddenly saw Lu Shang, they couldn't help but look at him curiously.
Hunter Sun kindly took him to Old Yang's house, caught a rabbit for him, took away wild duck eggs and a straw cage as a gift, and then drove back home.
As he mentioned before, the Yang family is one of the largest duck farmers in the village.
Lu Shang could see the sheds on both sides of the house as soon as he turned his head. These sheds were all fenced off and covered with roofs, leaving only a one-foot-long ventilation hole at head height, and small doors on all sides for easy entry and exit.
As soon as you approach Lao Yang's house, you can smell the scent of a large group of ducks gathering.
Frankly speaking, it doesn't smell good, but for farmers who make a living from it, as long as they can make money, that's enough.
Just as Lu Shang was wandering outside the duck house, someone from Old Yang's family came out.
There were two children, one big and one small. The oldest one looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old. He was shirtless and pointing at the younger brother behind him. However, when he saw Lu Shang, he became alert in an instant: "Who are you!"
Lu Shang took two steps back, raised the straw cage in his hand, and deliberately revealed the two rabbits inside.
"I'm from Lujia Village. I was asked to come to Shuxi Village to buy some poultry and livestock. I heard that your ducks are the best, so I came here specially to check them out. Look, I bought these two rabbits from Brother Sun, who also gave them to me."
When Sun the Hunter was mentioned, the wariness in the boy's eyes dissipated a little.
But he still couldn't let go completely, so he pushed the younger brother behind him and said, "Go call mom and dad out and tell them someone wants to buy ducks." As for himself, he was still facing Lu Shang face to face, fearing that he would do something to the ducks in the duck house.
However, his action actually made Lu Shangsheng feel a little bit of admiration.
While the child was calling for his parents, Lu Shang tried to get closer to him: "How old are you?"
Boy: "What are you going to do with the duck?"
Lu Shang: "Are all these ducks yours?"
Boy: "Who told you to buy a duck?"
Lu Shang: “…”
Unexpectedly, Lu Shang asked a question and the boy asked a question. After talking for a long time, the two of them just asked each other questions and did not get any answer at all.
Lu Shang was amused and waved his hand, giving up.
Just when the two of them were sitting in silence, the adults in the family finally came out.
Perhaps because of an incident that interrupted their cooperation, the couple's faces looked a little haggard. Even though they wanted to smile at Lu Shang, the smile they forced was extremely forced, and there was sadness in the corners of their eyes.
"I heard from Xiaojiu that the young master came to buy ducks?"
Lu Shang didn't say anything final. He took out his original wording and softened it to Sun the Hunter: "It's like this. I have a friend who wants to buy a large number of meat ducks. After asking around, I heard that the old Yang family in Shuxi Village raises the best ducks."
"It just so happened that my wife was pregnant and had been craving duck for several days. The two things happened at the same time, so I came here."
"Oh, so that's how it is..." Yang Mu understood, made way for the door, invited Lu Shang in to sit down, and they exchanged names.
Yang Mu was an honest man. Not long after Lu Shang sat down, he stammered, "Brother Lu may not know that my family used to cooperate with Guanhelou in Tang Town, and we only sold our ducks to them."
"But a month ago, there was an accident. A truckload of ducks fell into the water. We finally managed to rescue half of them, but they became ill a few days after returning. The entire batch of ducks was gone... Guanhelou was worried that the ducks in the duck house would be infected. I've been observing them for more than half a month, but haven't found any symptoms."
"Now that you want to buy my ducks, I won't hide it from you. Think about it carefully."
There was a problem with the meat duck supply at Guanhe Tower. Lu Shang had heard about it from different people at least three times, but everyone's explanation was different and each had their own starting point.
The biggest lesson he learned from more than ten years of doing business is not to believe everything anyone says, because sometimes what you see may not be the truth.
Lu Shang pondered for a moment and said, "Well, how about this? I want to take a look at Brother Yang's ducks, okay? I'll talk to the higher-ups when I get back and see what we should do. After all, this is a big deal, and I'm just a small fry, so my opinion doesn't count."
"Okay, okay, okay." Yang Mu originally had some doubts about Lu Shang, but now that he heard that he was just a spy, he felt much more relieved.
Afterwards, led by him and his wife Liu, Lu Shang entered the east and west duck houses respectively.
The ducks on the east side were the ones that had come into contact with the sick ducks, but from what Lu Shang could see, he didn't see anything wrong with them.
Although the ducks on the west side have not come into contact with sick ducks, they have been raised for a short time and are smaller in size, so their meat is not as plump and delicious as those on the east side.
Lu Shangyou noticed that the ducks in the Yang family's duck house were not fed with grass, but a kind of crushed paste. Some of the paste was not completely crushed, and it could be vaguely seen that it was mixed with pasta.
He didn't ask about the feeding, but instead asked, "When the ducks got sick before, didn't you ask someone knowledgeable to take a look?"
Yang Mu was puzzled: "Who knows what's going on?"
"Isn't there a doctor who can treat chickens and ducks in the towns and villages?" Lu Shang thought secretly. He still needed a veterinarian to make sure that these ducks were not infected with the disease before he could plan his next move.
What disappointed him was that Yang Mu rubbed his hands and said, "Do we count as our own family? We only hear about doctors who treat people, but there are no doctors who treat chickens, ducks and livestock."
"But my family has been raising ducks for more than ten years, and I can tell a thing or two by looking at the ducks' condition. Even other farmers in the village have some experience."
However, this experience is not enough for experienced veterinarians.
Lu Shang shook his head. "Well, I have a rough idea of the situation here. I'll explain it to my superiors when I get back. So, I'd like to go check on other people. Brother Yang, if it's convenient for you, please catch a couple for me first. I'll take them back to my wife."
"Okay, Brother Lu, which two do you want?"
Lu Shang couldn't tell which one was better, so he randomly pointed at two in the west. When he caught them, he found that one of them was very powerful. Even after being caught, it kept waving its wings and pecking at people.
Lu Shang laughed: "Brother Yang's ducks are in good spirits."
Yang Mu scratched his head in embarrassment, then took a closer look and said with a hint of pride: "Of course, Brother Lu, go and see. Among all the duck farmers in the village, my ducks are the most impressive."
In the end, the two ducks didn't ask for money.
It was obvious that the Yang family was truly in trouble. Yang Mu invited Lu Shang aside and whispered, "Brother Lu, if you think I'm a good person, please say a few good words to the master."
"My family has over 900 ducks, but Guanhelou suddenly didn't want them anymore, and we really can't get rid of them. If your master is willing to take them, we can sell them at a lower price. Brother Lu, I can also pay for your spy fee."
As a spy, what he earns is the price difference or reward.
Yang Mu felt that it was inappropriate, and asked Liu to go back to the house to make a small red envelope, and then he insisted on giving it to Lu Shang.
When Lu Shang finally refused and left, his clothes were torn into a mess. He smiled as he tidied them up and randomly picked another lucky person on the country road.
"Uncle, I see you're cutting grass for cattle. Do you have cattle?"
Uncle Niu, who was passing by, paused and looked up at the unfamiliar young man: "Yes, who are you?"
"I'm from the neighboring village of Lujia. I was asked to help the master find a calf. I just bought a duck for my wife from Brother Yang's house, and I just happened to meet you!"
With the rabbits he bought from Hunter Sun and the ducks he brought from the Yang family as a raft, Uncle Niu's expression softened a bit. "If you want to buy a calf, I don't have any. I only have three cows, and they didn't give birth this year. You'll have to go to the Zhang family to have a look."
"Could you please show me the way?"
Uncle Niu enthusiastically showed him the way. Uncle Niu didn't look like someone who could afford to buy a cow, so he left after giving him instructions.
The cattle in Dazhao are divided into two types: draft cattle and beef cattle. Draft cattle must be registered with the government office three months after birth, and a certain amount of silver must be paid in exchange for a registration seal. In this way, the cattle are protected by the law and can only be used for plowing and pulling goods. They cannot be slaughtered for food, nor can they be sold at will.
If you really want to buy and sell, you also have to go to the government office to register and make a transfer document. If the working ox is accidentally injured by someone else, the person who injures the ox will be sent to jail.
The uses of beef cattle are more extensive. Not only can the owners use them for farming, but they can also kill or sell them at will, so they are widely circulated in the market.
As for how big the difference is in farming between draft cattle and beef cattle, it is hard to say.
After all, you can get the registration from the government by paying money. The oxen you buy at a high price may be old, weak or sick, while the beef cattle you buy at a lower price may be in their prime.
Some farmers who don’t understand the situation have suffered great losses from this.
Although Lu Shang did not understand many of the rules, he only looked at the cows on a whim. As for buying cows, at least at this stage, he did not have that much money.
"Brother Zhang said that the cattle over there are edible?" In Lu Shang's impression, yellow cattle in ancient times have always been highly protected, and it is rare to find edible ones.
Zhang Huaijin briefly explained to him the difference between draft cattle and beef cattle.
Lu Shang couldn't help but be tempted: "How much is the beef?"
"Beef... My family just slaughtered one last month and sold it whole to a wealthy family in town. It came to 88 wen per pound, which is a pretty reasonable price."
Lu Shang: “…”
Cheap pork costs only a dozen cents per pound, but beef costs more than eighty cents per pound. No wonder he didn't hear anyone talking about beef when he went to Guanhe Tower last time.
What I mean is, it doesn’t matter if the cow doesn’t eat it.
Lu Shang hesitated and asked about the prices of two-month-old calves and adult cows.
As he expected, an adult cow of about two years old would cost more than one hundred taels, a cow would need another twenty taels, and even a calf that had just been born would cost more than eighty taels.
Zhang Huaijin didn't expect to close a deal right away. "Anyway, my family is the largest cattle breeder in Shuxi Village. Even if you go to a dozen surrounding villages, you won't find more cattle than mine. It's up to you whether you want to buy or not. The price is very fair."
"Okay, okay. I'll make sure to explain it to the owner when I get back. If I want to buy it, I'll definitely come to find Brother Zhang."
Lu Shang asked questions as he walked. In the whole day, he not only visited the entire Shuxi Village, but also visited the homes of several large breeders.
Just as he had heard in Sun the Hunter's car, all common poultry and livestock could be found in Shuxi Village, with varying qualities and prices.
He originally came here just for the meat duck, but now that he has seen so many, he has some other thoughts.
He looked and bought, and when he left Shuxi Village in the evening, he had already brought two rabbits, two ducks, a long-necked goose, and a whole nest of chicks.
As for the other bag of chicken, duck and goose eggs, they were all given by the breeders.
On the way back, Lu Shang was not so lucky. He finally came across a donkey cart, but when he asked, he found out that it was going in the opposite direction of Lujia Village.
In desperation, he had to drag a flock of poultry and walk back home.
When Lu Shang arrived at Lujia Village, it was completely dark outside. Thanks to the ducks he led, which helped him to avoid some potholes.
But he did not return until dark, which scared everyone in the Lu family.
When he entered the house, Jiang Wanning was surrounded by his family, who kept asking him where Lu Shang had been. However, Jiang Wanning only knew what he was doing, but had no idea where he was going.
Jiang Wanning was thinking about what he was going to do and kept it a secret from his family.
The moment Lu Shang stepped into the house, everyone in the yard looked at him.
Grandma Lu was the first to react. She shouted, "Shang'er!" and rushed straight towards Lu Shang.
The duck in front of him was frightened and flapped its wings, sending duck feathers flying all over the sky.
"Puff puff puff——" Lu Shang spat out the duck down in his mouth. He had been talking about his wife all day, and now he spoke without thinking.
He held up the rope that tied the duck and said, "Look at the duck I bought for my wife."
In just a moment, the yard fell into deathly silence.
Everyone's gaze was filled with surprise and confusion, slowly shifting from Lu Shang to Jiang Wanning.
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