Braving wind and snow.
It is said that traveling in winter is the most difficult. Although there is a horse-drawn carriage to block the wind, there is always someone outside who can control the direction.
Initially, it was Wang Xiaosong, but Zheng Ruqian wasn't the kind of heartless person who exploited workers, so he always had to go out and replace him.
When the early spring wind blew against his face, chilling him to the bone, Zheng Ruqian would think of his younger sister, the courtyard with its flowers, his warm bed, and his aunt's braised pork knuckle.
But their line of work is so dependent on temperature; the colder the weather, the better for preserving things.
If money could fall into your lap while you were lying in bed, who in the entire Great Yu Dynasty would be willing to endure hardship?
Thinking of how well-fed and clothed Xiao Jiangsheng was, and how much their savings had doubled, Zheng Ruqian exhaled a puff of white breath and continued to spur his horse forward.
The curtain behind him was lifted, and Wang Xiaosong sniffled and complained, "Isn't it supposed to get warmer the further south you go? Why does it feel so cold, I'm even shivering?"
Zheng Ruqian thought about it carefully.
My elder brother once mentioned while reading miscellaneous writings that although Anshui County is located in the north, its climate is dry and windless. In Danyang County, which is further south, the temperature is a bit higher, but the air is humid and rainy, and when the wind blows, it is even more chilly and biting.
“Xiao Song, sometimes whether it’s cold or not isn’t just about the temperature; it also depends on the amount of rain and the wind direction.” He shook his head, striking a mature and experienced pose.
Wang Xiaosong, who was not well-educated, was genuinely intimidated and grew to admire his employer even more.
And so they bumped along the way until they arrived in Danyang County.
Instead of rushing to buy a truckload of roast ducks to take back, Zheng Ruqian relied on his upright face, which was liked by his elders, and asked around among his aunts and uncles until he found the most authentic one.
Roast duck is sold by weight, and a whole duck costs around fifty coins. Even though Danyang County is wealthy, this price is not low. Most people prefer to cut off half or a quarter of the duck to take home as a dish.
When Zheng Ruqian said he wanted to buy a hundred ducks, the shopkeeper was shocked. He stared at him and asked in Danyang dialect, "Young man, how much is a hundred? Are you serious, Li?"
Of course, I am serious.
But Zheng Ruqian didn't intend to take away a hundred ducks for five taels of silver. He rolled up his sleeves and said eloquently, "Boss, we want a hundred at once. Is there a discount for a hundred? They say business is about small profits and quick turnover. If we sell more for you, can you give us a discount in return?"
Bargaining is a talent, and it can be addictive.
After half an hour of persistent pleading, Zheng Ruqian finally got his wish and bought one hundred ducks for forty coins.
However, the shop has limited manpower; they usually sell thirty to fifty ducks a day, but they can't roast more than a hundred.
Zheng Ruqian had to wait two days in Danyang County before he finally received the hundred ducks.
After settling the four taels of silver with the shopkeeper, he immediately took Wang Xiaosong and rode at full speed to Anshui County.
According to the price given by Manager Hao, each one costs two taels of silver, and one hundred of them would cost a full two hundred taels of silver.
Such huge profits stirred Zheng Ruqian's heart. He didn't even plan to stay overnight. Instead, he and Wang Xiaosong took turns resting in the car, thus shortening the half-month journey to six or seven days.
But unexpectedly, something still happened.
When the carriage reached Anyang County, Wang Xiaosong smelled a sour odor in the carriage. He dared to open the package and found that the roast duck he had bought on the first day had already spoiled.
When you turn over the duck that was roasted the next day, although it is still intact, it is no longer fresh.
He called Zheng Ruqian over, and the two of them felt a chill run down their spines.
This is only the first time we've reached Anyang County. There are still at least three days' journey to Anshui County. The roast ducks are already damaged. By the time they are delivered to Youranju, how many of these hundred will be left?
No wonder Manager Hao paid such an exorbitant price of two taels of silver; this item simply cannot be transported back to Anshui County.
“Master, although four taels of silver is a lot of money, if things really don’t work out, we’ll have to cut our losses,” Wang Xiaosong advised in a hoarse voice. “Let’s just consider this trip a waste of four taels of silver.”
How can that be allowed?
This was not just four taels of silver; it was his hope for making money, a breakthrough for long-distance food transportation, and the key to expanding and strengthening his business in the future.
Zheng Ruqian did not only plan to transport roast duck. If possible, he also wanted to transport vinegar fish from Yuhang County, go to Yongjia County further south of Yuhang to enjoy some fresh food, and even bring it back so that the people of Anshui County could also have the opportunity to taste it.
Business people should not give up easily.
Zheng Ruqian pondered for a long time in the carriage, and finally decided to distribute the still-edible roast ducks to the people of Anyang County, and then turn around and head to Danyang County.
All the way there, he kept thinking about how to preserve the roast duck.
They travel around the Lunar New Year because they rely on the cold winter air to preserve their food for a couple more days.
However, even after seven days of continuous work, the roast duck still rotted and spoiled, indicating that the air was not cold enough and the temperature was not low enough.
Unfortunately, Danyang County is even warmer than Anshui County, so snow rarely falls, let alone be stored in snow.
It seems we have no choice but to use ice.
Zheng Ruqian remembered that Fang Heng had mentioned that wealthy families in Fengjing generally had ice cellars, which were frozen in winter and taken out to cool off in summer.
His mind began to stir.
It's winter now, the season for making ice, so ice should be cheaper than in summer. Even if it's expensive, as long as the profit is within the two taels of silver that Manager Hao promised, the roast duck can be delivered.
However, the temperature in Danyang County is relatively high, so it may not be suitable for freezing ice.
After figuring out what had happened, Zheng Ruqian quickly reined in his horse and, under Wang Xiaosong's puzzled gaze, galloped back to Anyang County.
After making some inquiries, it turned out that someone was indeed selling ice.
He bought half a cartload and spread it out inside the carriage, leaving the ice seller speechless.
"Do you have some kind of illness that requires sleeping on ice to cure?" the ice cream vendor asked, puzzled.
Zheng Ruqian scratched his head, "I wanted to bring some things that are afraid of the heat."
"That won't do," the ice vendor kindly reminded him. "Ice will melt very quickly if you leave it in the carriage, especially now that the weather is getting warmer. If you want to preserve the ice, you have to wrap it in thick cotton wool."
The function of cotton wadding is to keep warm; it can keep you warm in the heat and also keep you warm in the cold.
Zheng Ruqian suddenly realized what was going on and quickly went to buy two thick cotton quilts to stuff all the ice cubes inside.
After saying goodbye to the ice cream vendor, the two headed straight to Danyang County and bought another hundred roast ducks.
It was still four taels of silver, and the horses were still moving at full speed, day and night. But with the protection of the ice, the hundred roast ducks were finally transported back to Anshui County safely.
The spring breeze in March is no longer biting; it feels like a mother's gentle caress on my face. The familiar town, the familiar people, and the familiar shouts fill my ears.
Having endured countless hardships and lost four taels of silver, Zheng Ruqian, who had then gritted his teeth and bought ice to transport goods, was now dark-skinned and thin, and most importantly, exhausted both physically and mentally.
I haven't had a good night's sleep in nearly two months. Every day I huddle in the corner of the carriage, snuggling against ice, and worrying about the roast duck.
If it weren't for his strong willpower, he might have collapsed long ago.
But this support instantly turned into dizziness upon seeing the graceful young girl standing at the entrance of the courtyard with flowers in her hair.
He didn't even have time to call out "Little Jiang Sheng" before collapsing softly to the ground.
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