Speaking of Manager Bai, the cured meat he sent in mid-May hadn't been used by much by June.
Zheng Ruqian thought this path to wealth was blocked, so he didn't think about it anymore.
To his surprise, Manager Bai approached him today, smiling and asking, "Little Zheng, did you really buy this cured meat on Anshui County Road?"
Zheng Ruqian was about to nod, but then he suddenly thought of something and his eyes widened.
Is it possible that the reason Manager Bai has been silent for the past month is because he thinks the cured meat he sells is too expensive and wants to buy it himself?
Since they couldn't find him, they had to look for Zheng Ruqian again.
"Yes...yes." He nodded, his gaze shifting from innocent to inquisitive.
Manager Bai frowned as expected. "It seems this place is quite secluded."
Of course it was kept secret, because no one in Anshui County knew how to make it; all of this cured meat was made by Pang Dashan himself.
Zheng Ruqian was a little sad.
From the beginning of selling mushrooms to now, Manager Bai has always been a kind and benevolent person in Zheng Ruqian's heart. As a grateful person, Zheng Ruqian would think of giving him the cured meat as soon as he got it. He has also been doing his best to transport vegetables for the past six months, not daring to bring even a single rotten vegetable leaf.
But at this moment, the image of a good person is shattered and overturned.
Zheng Ruqian's eyes were a little moist, but he held it back.
“I found that place by accident.” His gaze returned to its sincerity. “If Uncle Bai wants it, I’ll get it for you.”
Shopkeeper Bai's eyes flickered for a moment, then he quickly smiled again, "That's great."
"At first, I thought no one liked the cured meat because it wasn't selling well. Fortunately, a few gourmets who had been to Sichuan ordered it, and others who smelled the aroma also ordered it. In just a few days, the five catties of cured meat were sold out."
"This time, you should transport 500 jin first."
Cured meat costs twenty coins per catty, so five hundred catties would cost ten taels of silver.
This is quite a large deal. In the past, Zheng Ruqian would have just taken a message and left.
But now that he had discovered Manager Bai's ulterior motives, he steeled himself and said, "Then Uncle Bai, please pay a deposit."
Holding the two taels of deposit in his hand, Zheng Ruqian walked out of Youranju and breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the clear blue sky.
My older brother always says that there are no purely good people or purely bad people in this world.
Now he understands.
The majority of people in this world are driven by self-interest.
Once you understand this point, Manager Bai's actions become less offensive.
Zheng Ruqian sniffed and began to think about how to make cured meat.
In the past, he would have definitely made Pang Dashan do it.
However, 500 jin is too much, and Youranju will need it again in the future. To ensure a stable and continuous production, someone must be able to produce it consistently.
Then the only option is... to build a workshop.
When Zheng Ruqian was in Shilipu Village, he saw small workshops. Usually, a few older women would steam cornbread, or a few aunties would sew handkerchiefs. Once they had collected enough, they would all be bought up.
Aunt Zhang is like that. Sewing handkerchiefs is hard work, and then she gets her price reduced by the middleman, so she can only earn a meager living.
If pork in Xieyang County were also five copper coins per pound, Zheng Ruqian would be very happy to build a workshop in Shilipu Village.
Unfortunately, only pork from Ansu County can fetch this price.
"What? You want to open a workshop in Anshui County?"
Jiang Sheng and his sister exclaimed in unison, their faces full of surprise.
Oh no, my second brother's dream of becoming a landlord is too big. Not only has he started signing labor contracts, but he also wants to open a workshop.
This workshop requires workers and space, and it will cost at least several dozen taels of silver. If it makes money, that's fine, but if it doesn't, those several dozen taels of silver will be wasted.
Jiang Sheng clutched the small purse, unwilling to part with it no matter what.
“You Ran Ju, a small branch in Xiyang County, has already ordered 500 jin. If I were to cooperate with You Ran Ju in Anshui County, I could make 1,000 jin. You can calculate how much profit that would make.” Zheng Ruqian earnestly advised, “If I don’t open a workshop, I could work myself to death and still not make more than 1,000 jin of pork.”
Even if you include the whole family, and even if the eldest brother puts down his calligraphy brush to marinate pork, they still can't do it.
“But you’re unfamiliar with Anshui County, so who should you sign?” Jiang Sheng was still unwilling to give up and wanted to say a few more words of advice.
Zheng Ruqian had also thought about this problem. All the people he knew were in Xieyang County. He had no acquaintances in Anshui County, but he did have a few enemies.
"What do you think of Uncle Zhang?" Fang Heng, who had been practicing his martial arts, suddenly interjected.
Zhang Qiquan.
The traps on the mountain have been silent for six months since the last tiger was hunted.
Jiang Sheng once suspected that Zhang Qiquan had taken the prey for himself, but Fang Heng went up the mountain to check and found that the trap was still the one he had set, with no signs of it being moved.
It's clear that hunting is a very unstable activity. Zhang Qi, being a man with brains, ideas, and some knowledge, would definitely find other ways to continue earning money to support his family.
“I don’t like him stealing Xiao Jiangsheng’s business,” Zheng Ruqian said honestly. “But he’s really good to Aunt Cui’er. I think a man who is good to his wife shouldn’t be so heartless.”
"However, Anshui County is quite far away, and whether he is willing to go is still a question."
Jiang Sheng and his sister are both action-oriented. Since they have already considered hiring Zhang Qiquan, they will go to Shili Pu to find out the truth.
But before that, there was something even more important.
Zheng Ruqian pleaded persistently, "Little Jiang Sheng, the donkey cart has been taken away by Pang Dashan to deliver vegetables. We can't possibly walk back to Shili Pu Village."
Moreover, this is a triumphant return to one's hometown, so driving a donkey cart wouldn't be appropriate; it should at least be a horse-drawn carriage.
Zheng Ruqian will need it when he goes to the prefectural city in the future.
Although Jiang Sheng felt heartbroken, she knew it was true. She shakily took out ten taels of silver and bought the cheapest carriage.
The six siblings, led by Fang Heng, rode from Xieyang County to Shilipu Village.
This is the first time he has returned since leaving in such a sorry state.
Jiang Sheng was relatively calm at first, but gradually she became a little flustered, and her lower lip was almost swollen from biting it.
"What are you afraid of, Xiao Jiang Sheng?" Xu Mo asked softly.
Do I feel timid as I approach my hometown?
Jiang Sheng didn't know that there were actually very few people in Shilipu Village who were kind to her; the only one she could truly remember was Aunt Zhang.
But she had been begging here for many years, and had grown from an innocent baby into a graceful young woman.
"Don't be afraid." This time, it was Wen Zhiyun who comforted her sister, "We're all here for you."
Jiang Sheng then regained her composure, pressed her face against the carriage window, and stared blankly outside.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she saw the familiar market in Shili Town, with an old man selling meat and an old woman selling vegetables.
Another half hour passed, and the dilapidated temple was almost within reach.
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