Return to Reality

In the 21st century, the units of measurement generally used by various countries are grams and kilograms.

However, the concept of 'gram' was actually proposed in 1795. At that time, Gaul defined it as equal to "the absolute weight of water at its melting point in a cube with a side length of one-hundredth of a meter."

Therefore, in the 17th century, England commonly used the avoirdupois system, which included drams, ounces, pounds, and so on.

The avoirdupois system is different from the troy system. An ounce in the avoirdupois system is approximately equal to 28.3495 grams, while the latter is 31.1034768 grams.

Through conversion using the former, it can be deduced that the ten ounces Xu Yun mentioned is a little over 280 grams, about half a catty.

This has been mentioned before.

The main cost of making ketchup by hand lies in sugar. About 30 grams of sugar are needed for a catty of ketchup. Converted to ounces, it's approximately 18 ounces for 30 grams of sugar.

The current market price of sugar is about 8 pence per 100 grams. However, the cost price for the parish is much lower, around 2 pence. This can be compared to the internal prices of tobacco or baijiu; sugar is even more extreme because it is plunder.

Therefore, after some calculations, the cost of ten ounces of ketchup is about 0.6 pence.

Including other costs such as transportation, labor, and miscellaneous expenses, it is around 0.8 pence.

A cost of 0.8 pence sold at 2 pence is actually quite cheap. According to normal logic, when others can quickly replicate the product and enter the market, the pricing should be as high as possible.

However, the Grantham parish is not a professional merchant guild after all. The religious guise dictates that they cannot exploit people too severely, otherwise, damaging their reputation would outweigh the gains.

Therefore, after some discussion, Yarlin finally set the price of ketchup at 2 pence for ten ounces.

Once the market stabilizes in the future, this premium price won't be criticized too harshly. If necessary, they can use blessings, cough, buffs.

"Ten ounces for 2 pence."

Upon hearing Xu Yun's quote, Tiffany Boli quickly calculated in her mind:

The average income in England is currently 0.65 guineas, which is 150 pence, or about one penny earned every two days.

Tiffany Boli's family income is a bit higher than ordinary families. Being able to settle in Grantham, their annual family income is around 1.2 guineas.

Thinking of this, Tiffany Boli glanced at the jar beside her:

"Excuse me, is this jar ten ounces?"

Xu Yun nodded:

"That's right, a standard ten-ounce weight."

Tiffany Boli nodded slightly.

Ten ounces (280 grams) of ketchup didn't seem like a lot. Even if their family used it every day on bread and with potatoes, it would probably take more than ten days to finish.

It was significantly more expensive than butter but much cheaper than sugar, affordable even for ordinary families.

Therefore, after a brief hesitation, Tiffany Boli made up her mind:

"Sir, please give me ten ounces."

"Coming right up!"

Xu Yun nimbly grabbed a bottle and lowered his voice:

"Madam, this bottle is freshly made ketchup, taken from the back. It's fresher than the others. Please don't tell anyone else."

Tiffany Boli, who was initially thinking about whether she could haggle for a lower price, was overjoyed upon hearing this. She clearly saw that Xu Yun had indeed taken the jar from the area behind him.

Therefore, she immediately stopped thinking about bargaining and readily took out two pence:

"Thank you so much. Please accept these two pence."

Xu Yun politely took the money and handed it to the parish staff beside him, watching them record the transaction.

Then, he looked around. While no one was coming over, he discreetly placed a jar of ketchup from the front into the empty spot at the back.

Just as Xu Yun had finished this covert operation, someone suddenly tapped his left arm.

Xu Yun turned around and found a little girl, no bigger than a bean, standing beside him.

Naturally, the person who could walk around here freely was none other than William's youngest daughter, Lilani.

However, Lilani was not holding cow dung this time, but a cup of steaming hot water.

Xu Yun blinked, seeming to understand something, and pointed to himself:

"For me?"

Lilani nodded.

Seeing this, Xu Yun couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise:

Had this little rascal become much more low-key and well-behaved since they last met?

This was good. It wasn't that girls had to be demure and adhere to the three obediences and four virtues, but at least they shouldn't be little terrors.

He then took the cup of water and, while blowing on it, glanced inside. Finding no strange additives, he took a gentle sip:

"Thank you, Lilani."

Lilani was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly blurted out a word:

"Last time. Sorry."

After saying that, the former little terror turned around and ran off with small steps.

Xu Yun couldn't help but scratch his head:

"This kid."

Tiffany Boley's purchase was just a microcosm of the day's stalls. With the parish acting as guarantor, the William family barely had to say much to easily sell jar after jar of ketchup.

Taste test - introduction - collect money.

The entire process was that simple.

Three hours later, the day's market was entering its final phase. This was just the end of the day; according to custom, the market would continue for another day.

St. Titus Didymus Church would temporarily clear out an internal area to provide merchants with a place to stay overnight.

In a sense, it was a bit like later exhibitions that included accommodation, a means of stimulating the economy led by officials.

Just as Xu Yun was preparing to help pack up, Little Ox suddenly and mysteriously pulled him aside:

"Fat Fish, we're going to be rich!"

Seeing his "ancestor" with stars in his eyes, Xu Yun's curiosity was piqued:

"Oh? Mr. Newton, how much ketchup did we sell today?"

Little Ox glanced around vigilantly and whispered a number:

"Nine hundred pounds!"

Hearing this number, even Xu Yun couldn't help but smack his lips:

"Good heavens, nine hundred pounds?"

Nine hundred pounds was over fourteen thousand ounces.

Calculated at William's ten-ounce jars, that was over fourteen hundred jars of ketchup.

Keep in mind.

Grantham's main city only had a permanent population of 3-4,000 people. Even during the market period, the gathered population barely exceeded twenty thousand.

More importantly, one jar of ketchup didn't correspond to one person, but a whole family!

Even accounting for some wealthy individuals buying multiple jars, the purchase rate for ketchup wouldn't be less than 15%!

From this, one could imagine how large the market for ketchup would be throughout Europe—of course, that qualifier couldn't be ignored: a market that couldn't be monopolized.

"The cost of one jar of ketchup is 0.8 pence, with a net profit of 1.2 pence."

At this moment, Little Ox's brain, which could rank among the top in history, calculated basic math with extreme shrewdness:

"1400 x 1.2 is 1680, divided by 252 is 6.67 guineas. If we get three-tenths, that's 2.2..."

"My God, this was only three hours, and only Grantham! How long does one jar of ketchup last a family?"

With that, Little Ox heavily slapped Xu Yun on the shoulder:

"Fat Fish, I now declare, we are friends!"

Little Ox's slap was a bit too forceful, and caught off guard, Xu Yun almost stumbled.

"Can you be a little gentler?"

Xu Yun mumbled, rubbing his shoulder. Just as he was about to look up and say something, he felt the surroundings freeze, and a long-lost notification panel suddenly appeared before him:

[Newton has recognized 'Wall-facer' as a close friend. Novice mission complete. Instance time stopped, returning to reality soon!]

Xu Yun:

"????"