The next day, Zhao Zheng pushed his cart to the market
before dawn. He arrived at the market at daybreak.
Fugui Township had an open-pit coal mine, but the people were not allowed to pick it up.
In that era, coal was called graphite. He didn't know if anyone in the township used it as fuel, but the people in the small mountain village had never used it.
What was certain was that if it wasn't used, the people wouldn't be prohibited from picking it up. It was just that there hadn't been a large-scale industrial chain.
Not to mention ancient times, even modern coal mining is a dangerous business, and productivity limits its market.
He also found some good stuff at the market.
[Ding, dried wild morels, 800 wen per catty, worth 2,000 wen, for storage/for sale?]
[Ding, wild pine and fir ganoderma, 2,000 wen per catty, worth 4,500 wen...]
[Ding, wild rabbit skin...]
After all this, Zhao Zheng exchanged ten catties of corn and 1,200 wen for another 40 taels of silver.
Mainly because they didn't want to be too conspicuous, fearing attention, they pretended to place the goods in bamboo baskets as soon as they arrived and stored them in the warehouse.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before their balance exceeded one hundred taels.
However, Mao Xiaolong wasn't there at the market, which was a pity. "I had originally planned to get the balance over one hundred taels..."
However, he was already satisfied, keeping a quarter of the goods for himself and selling the rest to Zhao Zheng.
The point of making money was to enjoy a better life,
not to save.
After leaving the market, he headed straight for the township government, home to Fugui Township's largest charcoal market.
Many charcoal vendors brought in their painstakingly made charcoal for a pittance, selling it for only half the price. The township then resold it to the gentry for at least double the price.
The high-quality charcoal used by the gentry cost a hundred coins per piece, leaving the common people helpless.
Zhao Zheng glanced at the purchase price; it was only about twice as expensive as ordinary firewood.
But burning charcoal takes time and costs money, and the price is also being bargained down, making it even worse than the woodcutter's.
Zhao Zheng glanced over and noticed a large pile of coal nearby. Overjoyed, he stepped forward and said, "Sir, I'm here to buy coal!"
The man's face was stern, as if someone owed him hundreds of taels of silver. "What do you want the coal for?"
"For heating!" Zhao Zheng offered his prepared excuse.
"How much?"
"One hundred pounds. I can't afford more," Zhao Zheng said, taking a small coin. The middle-aged man counted the coal and winked at the man next to him, "Load his cart. Don't overload."
Zhao Zheng pushed the cart aside, and two porters shoveled the coal into the basket, preparing to weigh it. Zhao Zheng listened to the man next to him chatting, "Did you hear? The county magistrate is planning a visit to the countryside in a few days."
"Of course he didn't know. The magistrate notified everyone yesterday!"
Zhao Zheng chuckled to himself. He hadn't expected the county magistrate to give advance notice before visiting the countryside these days. Was it an inspection?
That was advance notice!
The two fools talked and went off topic, "Do you know why Yao Youjiao went to Zhuzui to hunt tigers a few days ago?"
"Isn't it because the tigers bit people?"
"That's just the reason we told others. Besides, the tigers didn't enter the village. It was those tiger hunters who went deep into the mountains to die. Even if the township has a wider jurisdiction, it can't reach the mountains, right?"
"So, there is another hidden story?"
The older man nodded, "It's because of the county magistrate's visit to the countryside this time. It is said that our county magistrate likes to take concubines. With so many concubines, he is always unable to cope. Isn't the tiger basket quite filling..."
"Shut up, if other people hear about this kind of thing, we're done."
The older man also looked around, glanced at Zhao Zheng not far away, and then lowered his voice to talk about other gossip.
"Damn, I said the villagers would be so kind to hunt tigers?"
Zhao Zheng cursed in his heart.
It turned out that he was trying to curry favor with the county magistrate! Since ancient times, it has been common for lower-ranking officials to curry favor with higher-ranking officials.
Just because the county magistrate liked to take concubines, he summoned one or two hundred people to the mountains for the effectiveness of the tiger basket, and also ruined the lives of three strong men. These three people were the pillars of the family.
Moreover, they were conscripted for labor service, and even after their death, there was no reason, let alone compensation.
"I must climb up."
Zhao Zheng was ruthless in his heart, and then an idea came to his mind, "Isn't there a good opportunity now?"
He took a look at the mall, spent six hundred coins, bought ten small blue pills, and then bought a small porcelain bottle and put the small pills into the porcelain bottle.
Then he walked up to the two men and asked, "Gentlemen, may I ask if Yao Youjiao is in the government office?"
Their conversation was interrupted, and they looked displeased. One of them scolded, "Why are you looking for Yao Youjiao?"
"Oh, I know Yao Youjiao. I brought him some wild delicacies from the countryside!"
"You know Yao Youjiao?" Both men were filled with disbelief.
Zhao Zheng nodded. "Yes, he does. Yao Youjiao told me to get him to the township as soon as I find any good wild delicacies!"
He showed them the mushrooms in his backpack.
"Oh, Yao Youjiao is inside. Just go in."
Their faces brightened.
"Thank you!"
Zhao Zheng bowed before entering.
"Old Niu, give me the full weight for this one!" After a moment's thought, the older man said to the coal shoveling porter.
Meanwhile, Yao Yingxiong was reviewing the intelligence sent from Daguan Township.
The two townships were adjacent, with Daguan Mountain between them. It wasn't very large, but behind it was Pig's Mouth Mountain, and there were bandits on the mountain.
News arrived from Daguan Township that bandits were planning to descend upon the mountains for a pre-New Year raid, hoping for a prosperous year.
As the roving officer of Fugui Township, apprehending bandits was his job.
A few bucks? Fighting these bandits to the death?
But if they succeeded, the pressure would be immense.
He'd been scolded by the township chief for his failed tiger hunt the other day.
If the township was robbed, even the Yao family wouldn't come to his rescue.
Although Youjiao is not the highest position in the village, he... is in charge of the troops.
And it is a position of real power.
Although most of the power is in the hands of the village chief, the Yao family has been developing better and better in the past two years since he became Youjiao.
Once he loses this position, there will be people who will take advantage of him.
So, in order to keep his position, he must fight hard.
At this moment, one of his soldiers came over, "Yao Youjiao, there is a man outside. He said it is Lao Zhao from the small mountain village. He came to give you some mountain delicacies."
"Lao Zhao?"
Yao Yingxiong was confused at first, and then a figure flashed through his mind. He put down the letter in his hand and said, "Let him in!"
The bees and bee pupae were very good, so he was impressed by Zhao Zheng, especially Zhao Zheng's loyalty, which was still fresh in his memory.
Not long after, Zhao Zheng walked in, "Hello, Yao Youjiao!"
Yao Yingxiong also had a smile on his face, "Lao Zhao, what good things have you brought me this time?"