The next day, people from all the tribes came to the trade market again.
After inquiring about the prices one by one, a Qiang chieftain was surprised to find that today's prices had not only not decreased, but were actually twice as high as yesterday's.
Not only that, they also noticed that there seemed to be less grain and salt on display today than yesterday, and everyone felt a sense of foreboding.
"I'll take all the grain and salt you have here!"
A bright voice reached everyone's ears, causing them to turn their heads and look. It was Cheng Yu's subordinate from last night.
"It's a bit pricey, but our tribe is short of these things, so I'll take them all!"
Just as everyone was lost in thought, a voice came from the other side. It was Shehetai leading his people who had just bought out a merchant's grain and salt.
Then Shekhatai led his followers to the next stall, asked about the price, and immediately bought it all again with a wave of his hand.
Seeing the carts of salt and grain leaving Shehetai and the dwindling supply of grain and salt in the market, everyone finally realized what was happening.
"What are you spacing out for? Are you going to buy it or not?"
A powerful man from Sili looked at a Qiang man standing in front of his stall, looking dazed, with impatience on his face.
"Oh, I..."
"He doesn't want it, but I do!"
Just as the Qiang man was about to reply, one of Cheng Yu's men came over and pushed him aside.
"Who...who said I don't want it anymore?"
The Qiang man then realized what was happening, glared defiantly at Cheng Yu's men, and then looked at the powerful figure setting up his stall, quickly saying, "I'll take them all, no matter how many you have here!"
"Okay, okay..."
The powerful man's face was plastered with smiles as he looked at Cheng Yu's subordinate, "Excuse me, he was indeed the first to arrive. What do you think...?"
"Hmph~"
Cheng Yu's subordinate snorted, turned and left. He noticed a hesitant Qiang man standing in front of another stall, and then walked over.
And so, seemingly triggering a chain reaction, everyone stopped hesitating, and even at prices up to fourteen times higher, people still bought.
Soon, the grain and salt in the market were sold out, and many Qiang people who failed to buy any regretted it.
Early on the third day, those Qiang people who hadn't managed to buy any rushed to the market, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the grain and salt.
Finally, after their long wait, those powerful and wealthy families slowly pulled their grain and salt into the market.
The Qiang people and people from other tribes rushed over and began to scramble for the goods, because they found that there were fewer available today than yesterday, and the prices were also higher. If they didn't hurry, they might not be able to buy any!
Watching the enthusiastic Qiang people, the powerful and wealthy families tallied their spoils, their smiles beaming from ear to ear.
Thinking back to the past, we had deceived our superiors and subordinates, plundered the people's wealth, and seized land. We had worked hard for more than ten years, but we still didn't earn as much as we did in this trade fair. Moreover, we didn't have to worry about being targeted by the court or the people. It was truly wonderful.
On the fifth day, Cheng Yu sold the grain and salt he had bought for a price as high as eighteen times, making a hefty profit.
Looking at the counted money, Cheng Yu handed it all over to his subordinates to expand the scale of the Liangzhou "Investigation Bureau". Thinking of Jia Xu, whom he was so wary of, Cheng Yu felt that he had won this round, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
Unlike the price gouging in Liangzhou, the Xiongnu and Xianbei people who had traveled thousands of miles to Bingzhou, prepared to be ripped off, flooded into the market only to find that the huge market was completely deserted except for them.
After waiting for two days, the market remained empty. They even began to suspect that the big man had deliberately lured them here to wipe them out in one fell swoop.
It was only after making inquiries that they learned that someone had organized that group of powerful and influential families, deliberately suppressing them, and then selling them to them at a high price when they could no longer withstand the pressure. And this person was none other than Zhang Rang.
Although the Xiongnu and Xianbei people were filled with hatred, they dared not retaliate against the elite Bingzhou soldiers around them and could only continue to wait.
Finally, on the day before the market was to close, the powerful families of Bingzhou brought their grain and salt to the market, and they asked for eighteen times the original price.
All the Xiongnu and Xianbei people gaped in disbelief upon hearing their offer. Was this a trade agreement? The price was almost like smuggling!
"Are you going to buy it or not? If not, get out of here and don't get in my way!"
A member of the Zhen family looked at the Xianbei people in front of his stall with disdain in his words.
The Xianbei man glanced at the Zhen family member with an unfriendly expression, gritted his teeth, and said, "Buy it!"
This Xianbei man was one of Tan Shihuai's subordinates. Before he left, Tan Shihuai had instructed him that the tribe had not eaten grain or salt for half a year and was already struggling to survive. He was told that they must bring grain and salt back with them during this trade fair.
Haha~ Welcome back again!
Seeing that the grain and salt he brought had sold for such a high price, the member of the Zhen family was overjoyed.
Upon hearing this, the Xianbei man stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.
In just one day, all the grain and salt in Bingzhou were snapped up. The purchasing power of these grassland people was quite strong. Apart from their cattle, sheep and horses, most of their wealth came from years of robbing and harming the people on the border.
Whenever they used the unique currency of the Han Dynasty to make purchases, the Han soldiers standing by wished they could rush forward and kill them on the spot.
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