Time passed in calm, uneventful waves for two days.
For the past two days, Wang Shouzhe had remained at Changning Villa, cultivating his body and mind, drinking spirit tea, and practicing cultivation. His days had rarely been this pleasant.
Yet over those same two days, the outside world had undergone a sudden upheaval. As the wheat grains swelled, the first wave of insect infestation erupted with the speed of lightning, spreading across the entire Changning Guard region. Every aristocratic clan fell into panic.
With reduced harvests now unavoidable, the prices of all agricultural and sideline products, aside from the staple grains strictly controlled by the Great Qian Government, began to climb. Even the salted and smoked fish business at the Wang Clan Fish Stall suddenly improved greatly, with prices rising substantially. In a time of staple-grain shortages, salted and smoked fish that could be preserved for long periods could also sustain life.
The various trading firms and rice shops had already stopped selling grain to the public. Meanwhile, Great Qian's state-run rice shops began rationing their sales. Long queues formed before them, and the City Guard Army had stepped in to maintain order.
As Wang Shouzhe drank his tea and listened to reports arriving from every direction, his heart churned with waves. If the clan had not produced a treasure like Wang Luojing, they would likely have already been running around with their heads on fire, wouldn't they?
How could they possibly have the leisure to watch the winds and clouds rise and surge as they did now?
"Fourth Brother, the Qian Clan Trading Firm sent someone with a letter." Wang Shouyi personally came to the rear courtyard to deliver it, his brows tightly furrowed. "Also, half of the salted and smoked fish stock Sixth Uncle sent over has somehow sold in just these two days. I've seen several fish stalls from other clans begin restricting purchases or sharply raising prices. Should our fish stall raise its prices too?"
Even salted fish was going to be rationed?
Wang Shouzhe frowned deeply as he took the letter. It seemed news of widespread grain-production losses had already sparked panic. This sight was not unfamiliar to him. Back on Earth, he had witnessed far too many collective waves of panic buying among ordinary people when faced with disasters or rumors.
And the salted and smoked fish was selling far too quickly. The stock delivered over in several batches amounted to some eight or nine hundred dan. Before the price increase, salted and smoked fish sold for twenty to thirty Jiao per jin depending on the quality of the fish, with one dan generally costing between twenty and thirty Big Copper.
Now the price had risen to thirty to forty Big Copper per dan, yet it was selling even faster.
"What about live fish and fresh fish?" Wang Shouzhe asked.
"Live fish haven't risen in price, but fresh fish has generally gone up by twenty percent," Wang Shouyi reported. "Many people are buying fresh fish to salt, smoke, or roast themselves, or they're eating more fish to reduce staple-grain consumption. As a result, salt and firewood have gone up in price too."
Sure enough, a single hair moved, and the whole body was stirred.
The outbreak of pesticide-resistant aphids had instantly affected every aspect of life. Once basic supplies like salt, firewood, and charcoal rose in price, everything else would follow.
"Second Brother, just raise prices according to the market," Wang Shouzhe said. "As for rationing, announce a limit of twenty dan of salted and smoked fish per day, but internally sell fifty dan."
"Fifty dan? That's a full five thousand jin..." Wang Shouyi said in surprise. "Can Sixth Uncle keep up? Even if he can, the Dingpu warehouse won't have enough time to smoke and salt it all."
It was the peak fishing season now. If Wang Dinghai's Fishing Brigade operated as it had in previous years, ten boats working hard could reliably haul in several thousand jin. On average, each fishing boat only brought in several hundred jin of ordinary catches.
Most of it would be salted or smoked at the Dingpu warehouse. Under normal conditions, the fish-drying and fish-smoking workshops there could produce no more than eight hundred dan a month at their limit.
But Wang Dinghai had already fully replicated the fixed Moving Zither, something even ordinary people could operate. Daily output would continue rising, and during peak fishing season, it would not be strange for the entire Fishing Brigade to bring in over ten thousand jin.
"Expand the manpower and space for processing the catch. Use the vacant land and empty buildings at Fenggu Farm and Xingsheng Farm. Also, put all the clan's servants and retainers, as well as every idle clansman, to work. We must ensure that this month's output of smoked and salted fish exceeds two thousand dan," Wang Shouzhe ordered. "Second Brother, you can oversee this entire matter."
"As long as Sixth Uncle can keep up, I have nothing to fear." In an instant, fighting spirit blazed within Wang Shouyi as well. Two thousand dan of smoked and salted fish in one month! At least three or four thousand dan of fresh fish would be needed to make that much, since fish lost a great deal of weight after being gutted, smoked, and dried.
If Sixth Uncle could truly supply that output, this would be a perfect opportunity to make money. How could Wang Shouyi drag everyone down?
During previous years' fishing seasons, catches were at their cheapest. Therefore, large quantities of ordinary catches would be made into smoked and salted fish, then stored and sold slowly. In past years, the combined annual production and sales of smoked and salted fish amounted to only a little over two thousand dan. The total yearly sales of fresh and live fish were likewise only around two thousand dan.
Total revenue rarely exceeded one thousand Qian Gold, and roughly half of that had to be allocated to the Fishing Brigade's accounts.
But things were different now.
If they could truly produce over two thousand dan this month and sell fifteen hundred dan of smoked and salted fish at forty Big Copper per dan after the price increase, that alone would bring in six hundred Qian Gold in revenue.
That did not even include sales of fresh and live fish... This single month might very well reach the revenue of an ordinary entire year.
That was why Wang Shouyi felt his blood burning! If he did not fight with all his life now, then when would he?
"Good. Then I'll have to trouble Second Brother to run back and forth between both sides." Wang Shouzhe wrote out a Clan Leader's order, signed it, stamped it with the Clan Leader's seal, and handed it to him. "With this, you may mobilize the clan's guards and servants, and draw Qian Gold from the clan accounts."
"There's no need for Qian Gold for now." Wang Shouyi took the order, saying excitedly, "This batch of salted-fish stock sold too quickly. I still have nearly two hundred Qian Gold on my books, enough to keep things running."
"Second Brother, being busy is one thing, but don't make mistakes in the rush or leave any gaps in the accounts," Wang Shouzhe warned casually.
Wang Shouyi's body jolted. His expression immediately turned serious as he hurriedly said, "Fourth Brother, rest assured. As a member of the clan, I will never violate clan rules. Every month, I hand over the accounts with the accounting office overseen by Fifth Aunt. I would not dare allow any oversight."
"Second Brother, you've worked hard." Wang Shouzhe solemnly gave him a bow. "Such an opportunity is rare in a thousand years. Whether the Wang Clan can escape its fate of decline depends on every member of the clan giving their all."
Wang Shouzhe was quite satisfied. Though this Second Brother of his had utterly ordinary cultivation talent, he was exceptionally dedicated to the clan's affairs. Compared to that rough and boorish Sixth Uncle, Wang Dinghai, Wang Shouyi was far more meticulous and steady.
"Fourth Brother, you praise me too highly. This is simply my duty." Wang Shouyi hurriedly returned the salute with cupped hands, then said, "In that case, this foolish elder brother shall take his leave first and handle the various matters."
After Wang Shouyi left, Wang Shouzhe steadied himself before opening Qian Xue'an's letter. It invited him to meet at Jucai Manor outside Changning Guard City. The secret mark left on the letter showed that Qian Xue'an had fulfilled their agreement.
Still, though he trusted Qian Xue'an, he did not dare take risks this time. Everything had to be handled with caution.
He immediately made a few simple changes to his appearance and left the city. Rather than heading to Jucai Manor first, he rode a black steed toward Shanyang. Before long, outside a small manor several li beyond the city, he found Wang Zhong.
"Wang Zhong, how did things go?" Wang Shouzhe asked.
"Reporting to the Clan Leader, I did not disgrace my mission. The Gongsun Young Clan Leader has arrived as agreed and is waiting inside the manor," Wang Zhong said with slight excitement. He had been waiting outside the manor for seven or eight shichen.
Most of the Wang Clan's influence lay along the southern bank of the An River. To find multiple cargo carriages on the northern bank, they could only rely on the Shanyang Gongsun Clan. His relationship with the Gongsun Clan was currently in its honeymoon period, so such a small request should not cost him face.
Entering this small leisure manor belonging to the Shanyang Gongsun Clan outside Changning City, Wang Shouzhe met Gongsun Qiang and greeted him with cupped hands. "Shouzhe greets Eldest Uncle. I've made Eldest Uncle wait too long."
"I haven't been waiting long. It's just that you were being so mysterious this time, Shouzhe, asking to mobilize twenty carriages—and heavy-duty carriages meant for hauling ore, no less. What exactly are you planning?" Gongsun Qiang was an impatient man with little tact, and he could not contain his curiosity the moment they met.
"It's nothing particularly special." Wang Shouzhe said calmly. "I'm merely transporting fifty or sixty thousand dan of old grain." Since he was involving him, the quantity could not be concealed anyway.
"..."
In that instant, Gongsun Qiang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "My dear nephew," did he not know that grain was now harder to obtain than a single dan? And he was talking about fifty or sixty thousand dan in one breath...
Merely?
He had the urge to curse. Compared to this cheap nephew who was already a Clan Leader, he felt that his own thirty-eight years as a "Young Clan Leader" had all been lived on a dog's body.
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