Chapter 100: Prices are soaring, they're skyrocketing!
That night, while many others stayed up all night, Li Nanke slept soundly.
The next morning, the torrential rain was still pouring down and showed no signs of letting up.
The day Song Yi returned from the estate, she ordered her servants to take waterproofing measures.
The Marquis's residence was not flooded, and because of the torrential rain, the masters and servants all stayed indoors, making the house feel safe for a time.
Tao's mother returned home in the rain that day, and she was almost soaked through. She was shivering from the cold as she entered the door.
Song Yi quickly instructed Zilan to boil water for her and let Tao's mother go back to her room to take a hot bath before coming back to report.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Tao's mother sat on a small stool with a bowl of hot tea and talked to them.
"All three hundred mu of sacrificial fields were harvested in a rush, and the rainstorm started just as they were being stored in the warehouse."
No one expected that the dam in Changyuan would burst. The fields, the yards, and the houses were all flooded, with water reaching above a person's waist.
Fortunately, I was careful and, fearing it might get damp, I had shelves built in the warehouse.
Tao's mother couldn't help but let out a bitter smile as she said this.
Even so, some of the grain was still soaked in water, and due to the high humidity, the grain was not fully cooked.
Once the floodwaters recede, I'm afraid most of the grain will be moldy. After several days of hard work, I estimate only a small portion will remain.
Song Yi comforted Tao's mother.
"This is already very good, after all, no one expected Changyuan to break its banks."
He then inquired about the extent of the disaster suffered by the villagers.
Tao's mother said, "Fortunately, they were just frightened, but there were no casualties. When I came back, all the villagers had already moved to a safe place."
Song Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Nanke listened quietly from the side, and finally asked, "Aunt Tao, were you bullied on the estate?"
Tao's mother smiled and shook her head.
"Although some people questioned the Crown Prince's wife's decision, I brought the Marquis's people and servants with me."
Those who could be persuaded were persuaded, and those who couldn't be persuaded were tied up, so it went relatively smoothly.
He did not mention any specific difficulties he encountered at the estate, nor did he boast about his achievements.
Li Nanke once again felt that saving Tao's mother and placing her with her mother was an absolutely correct choice.
Zilan pouted from the side, "Luckily, there's Mama Tao here. If we were to rely on Mama Zheng to go to the estate to collect grain, she definitely wouldn't be able to get anything done."
"Miss, Madam Heir, you probably don't know, but Mama Zheng is still staying in Cuihua Alley and hasn't returned to the manor."
Song Yi frowned, "Hasn't your second sister-in-law contacted her?"
Zilan shook her head. "She must have been approved by the second young mistress before she went out. It's possible that the second young mistress instructed her to go out under the pretense of collecting grain from the estate to hide outside."
The second young mistress doesn't genuinely want to hand over the management of the household to you; she'd rather the servants outwardly comply while inwardly disobeying you.
When the Sun family was mentioned, Song Yi's expression turned cold.
"I will not give my second sister-in-law the chance to take back the power to manage the household."
Clap clap clap.
Li Nanke clapped her little hands vigorously and looked at Song Yi with a grin.
"Mother is amazing. Mother is the most wonderful person in the world."
"You're just good at making your mother happy."
Song Yi reached out and gently pinched her little nose.
Li Nanke wrinkled his nose and instructed Zisu to bring in the box of account books.
"This rain won't stop for two or three days, Mother. Why don't we take this time and have Aunt Tao teach us how to read the account books?"
Song Yi's eyes lit up.
"Great idea! How come I didn't think of that?"
While Zisu was moving the account books, Li Nanke gave Zilan another instruction.
"Go and get two bottles of fruit wine, take some dried fruit and go to the back room to chat with a few of the stewardesses and ask about Zheng Mama's affairs in Cuihua Hutong."
Zilan's eyes lit up.
She was lively, outspoken, and quick-witted, making her perfect for gathering information.
"Don't worry, young lady, I'll take care of it."
Zisu brought in the account book and lit some calming incense.
Li Nanke and Song Yi learned to read account books from Tao's mother.
When Tao's mother was working for the Jiang family, she helped manage the household for the young girl's biological mother.
She knew all the common tricks and shady practices involved in keeping rudimentary ledgers.
He explained each point to Li Nanke and Song Yi one by one.
Both mother and daughter studied very diligently.
Three more days passed in the blink of an eye, and the torrential rain finally stopped on the morning of September 2nd.
Despite numerous waterproofing measures implemented after days of torrential rain, the streets are still flooded.
But this couldn't stop the people from buying grain, after all, food is the most important thing for people.
Early in the morning, all the grain and oil shops in the capital were crowded with people, all standing on tiptoe and craning their necks to look at the shops, waiting for the doors to open.
Finally, the time came, and as soon as the shop door opened, a sign was hung out.
Today's grain prices: 500 cash per catty of polished rice, 300 cash per catty of millet, and 200 cash per catty of beans.
The people were wailing in despair.
Before the torrential rain, fine rice was only 200 coins per catty, millet was 150 coins, and even the best beans were only 70 or 80 coins.
That's more than doubled!
Song's Grain and Oil Shop.
The waiter rushed in, panting.
Song Hui, who had been waiting impatiently, eagerly asked, "How is it? What's the price outside now?"
The shop assistant explained the price, "...Boss, shall we sell? Didn't you see? The grain and oil shops outside are almost completely sold out."
Song Hui shook her head.
"Not for sale. Let's wait another day and see."
The current price is the same as the price she paid. How can she make a profit if she sells it?
The next day.
Fine rice costs 800 coins per catty, millet 400 coins, and beans 250 coins.
Shop assistant: "All the grain and oil shops outside have been emptied; there's no grain left on the market."
Grain prices are no longer calculated by the day, but by the hour, with a different price every hour.
"Boss, why don't we start selling now? We can already make a good profit."
Song Hui gritted her teeth, "I won't sell!"
It's only 800 coins; it will probably go up again.
She wants to sell them all when the price reaches its peak, which will earn her at least twenty times her initial investment!
Day three.
“Master, the price of fine rice has risen to two taels of silver per catty, but it’s impossible to buy any grain. Refugees have already entered Changyuan City.”
I heard that the price of grain is estimated to rise to five taels of silver per catty tomorrow. This...this is terrifying!
Song Hui stood up abruptly, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
Although things were different from the previous life, the breach in the Chixian dike became the breach in the Changyuan dike, but the torrential rain did indeed come.
It went up, and then it went on a crazy rampage!
She took a deep breath and gave instructions to the waiter.
"Spread the word that our Song family's grain and oil shop will receive a large batch of grain early tomorrow morning."
The clerk's eyes lit up. "I'll get right on it."
at the same time.
In the warehouse in Beitao Hutong.
Li Nanke rested his chin on his hand and looked at Huang Sheng, who was sitting on a grain sack opposite him.
"Master Huang, it's been three days already, aren't we going to start selling grain yet?"
Huang Sheng touched the blindfold on his face, looked at Li Nanke, and smiled smugly.
"Just wait and see, little girl, it's time to show you my true skills."
"How does Master Huang plan to sell the grain?"
Huang Sheng chuckled.
"You don't need to worry about that. I guarantee that Song's Grain and Oil Store will lose so much money that they won't even be able to afford underwear."
Li Nanke's eyes darted around.
"Master Huang, I have an idea..."
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