There were a dozen or so lambs.
After extracting the keywords, some people's eyes lit up, while others were struck dumb.
“There are still a dozen or so lambs on the frontier.” Jiang Sheng began counting on his fingers. “If each lamb can grow to two hundred jin (approximately 100 kg), and each jin is worth five taels of silver, then that would be…”
Ten thousand taels of silver!
The young girl, who had never seen so much money before, almost fainted. Money rained down from her pupils, and she wished she could hug a dozen lambs and kiss them first.
In stark contrast, Zheng Ruqian clenched his fists in grief and indignation, his eyes filled with tears.
"Sheep! Those are sheep! They're living creatures! How am I supposed to transport them? How am I supposed to take them with me? Where am I supposed to raise them?!" He wanted to roar to the heavens, "Third brother, you really are my own brother, my own flesh and blood!"
We were both under the same roof, yet one side was bathed in sunshine while the other was engulfed in thunder and rain.
The others couldn't resist and joined in the laughter.
Even after the meal was over, Zheng Ruqian hadn't recovered; his young forehead was covered in wrinkles.
"Don't worry so much. If Fengjing can't transport it all, we can transport it to other places," Xu Mo comforted him.
Zheng Ruqian immediately retorted angrily, "Where can they go? Those are more than a dozen live sheep. Even if they can be transported, there won't be enough grass or fertilizer to feed them. If they are cut into pieces and transported over, in this weather, the cost will be more expensive than lychees."
Lamb has a price, but the highest price is no more than five ounces per pound; if it exceeds that, no one will buy it.
Even in winter, without much ice, will mutton still have its freshness after being left out for a whole month?
"How about I transport Jiang Sheng there, let her eat and drink her fill on the frontier before she comes back?" Zheng Ruqian grinned and offered a terrible idea.
I received a bunch of eye rolls in return.
Putting aside the possibility of the Tartars revolting at any moment, the journey to the frontier is long and arduous, and Jiang Sheng is prone to motion sickness in donkey carts and horse-drawn carriages. She doesn't know how much weight she will lose in two months of traveling back and forth.
Who would bear to see their chubby little sister tormented into a tiny bean sprout?
“Third Brother’s letter said it was a lamb, which means it needs to eat grass to get fat.” Chang Yan’s left hand started tapping the back of his right hand again. “Anshui County and Fengjing are not suitable, but there should be no shortage of grass near the border.”
Xu Mo and Zheng Ruqian were both taken aback.
"The third brother just sent a letter telling me to move the sheep away, explaining that sheep can't be raised indefinitely on the frontier." Zheng Lao Er scratched his head. "From what the third brother said, if we keep raising them, all that'll be left is sheepskin."
The border regions are harsh and cold with little meat. When the soldiers see a live sheep, they wish they could skin it and eat it raw. It's unknown how much prestige Fang Heng has used to keep it alive until now.
“Who said the third brother has to raise them?” Xu Mo chimed in, clearly having grasped the key point. “As long as it’s suitable for the sheep’s life and someone takes care of them, the only remaining issue is how to transport the sheep to Fengjing.”
Obviously, this is somewhat difficult, but not particularly challenging.
Zheng Ruqian was stunned for three breaths before he caught up with his two brothers' train of thought. "You want me to raise sheep in the northern border region, no, or rather, anywhere with grass, preferably not too far away."
Once the lambs grow into adult sheep, it will take some effort to transport them to Fengjing, where we can enjoy delicious mutton.
The ewes give birth to lambs, the flock gradually expands, and they can even start a mutton business.
Zheng Ruqian's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his initial hesitation turned into decisiveness. "Then let's raise it!"
Where to keep it requires careful consideration.
He spread out his hand-drawn map, with Xu Mo and Chang Yan assisting him and occasionally offering their opinions.
“Fengjing won’t work, and neither will the northern frontier. Considering the hassle of transporting sheep, it would be best to go somewhere in between.” He moved his finger, tracing the names of several prefectures north of Fengjing. “But I’ve been to these places several times already, and there are no grasslands at all, so we can’t raise sheep.”
Then the only option is to expand outwards.
Chang Yan tilted his head and pointed west of Fengjing, "What about here?"
Anshui County is located east of Fengjing. They personally drove here and saw mountains and plains, but no grasslands.
However, they had never been to or explored the area west of Fengjing.
“This…” Zheng Ruqian hesitated, unable to speak.
Xu Mo then opened the miscellaneous book in his hand and studied it for a while before saying, "According to the records of our ancestors, there is a grassland to the west of Fengjing, located in... Fufeng County."
When he mentioned the name, he paused slightly, clearly thinking of an acquaintance in Anshui County.
Two years have passed since we parted, and I wonder if Young Master Fufeng is still well.
Or perhaps they are plagued by old ailments and gaze into the distance.
“Even if there is one, it’s a roundabout way,” Zheng Ruqian said with worry. “The third brother is directly north of us.”
Fufeng County is located southwest of Fengjing, which means that sheep would have to pass through Fengjing, grow up, and then be transported back, resulting in a waste of manpower and resources.
Not only that.
Chang Yan, who had risen from the map, said in a deep voice, "That pasture is a secret place used by the Dayu Dynasty to raise military horses, and outsiders can hardly touch it."
"This road is also blocked," Xu Mo sighed. "Then only Longxi is left."
Longxi County borders Shang County to the east and is located near most of the border region to the north. According to local customs and records, it has a considerable amount of grassland. Although it is not in the straight line between the northern border and Fengjing, it is closer than Fufeng County.
Geographically, Longxi is closer to northern Xinjiang, making it suitable for raising sheep from northern Xinjiang.
“Most importantly, prices in Longxi are much cheaper than in Fufeng County.” Zheng Ruqian thought even deeper.
He truly is a shrewd and calculating businessman.
Jiang Sheng gave a thumbs up from the side, "Second Brother is so thoughtful, Second Brother is really amazing. Soon Second Brother will be able to own a flock of sheep, and in the future, he will be the richest man in the world, and no one will be able to rival him."
Even though he knew she was working so hard to get some mutton, Zheng Ruqian couldn't help but feel elated, as if the mutton had already turned into money.
To be the richest man in the world—that was his lifelong ambition.
The thought of countless sums of money, inexhaustible pearls, a sister adorned in gold and silver, and the opportunity to collude with his elder brother as an official and merchant filled Zheng Ruqian with joy.
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