Xu Mu was a little scared, but fortunately he arranged for someone to stay on duty at night. He heard that two businessmen had their necks secretly cut while they were sleeping at night, and all the money and goods they carried were stripped naked.
.
Even when the town officials came to the inn, they just wandered around for a while and couldn't find out the reason.
In a time when life is as cheap as an ant, it is considered a blessing for ordinary people to live a few more years.
"My boss, I have made inquiries. The largest grain store in Zhougong Town is Li Ji Grain Store, which is less than half a mile away from the inn."
Chen Sheng walked back from outside, his voice dull.
"However, February Spring Liquor Shop in Wangzhou has always been a big customer of Li Ji Food Store."
Colleagues are involved in internal affairs. If you want to make private wine, February Spring Old Liquor Store is an insurmountable opponent.
"Go and have a look first."
Chen Sheng nodded, took Xu Mu and others, pushed aside the crowd, and walked towards Li Jiliang at the head of the town.
Still a little far away, Xu Mu saw at least twenty or thirty helpers, each carrying a stick, walking back and forth around the grain store covered with grass cloth.
Grain merchants hoarding grain are often a bad sign of troubled times.
"Master, I'll go in and ask."
When Chen Sheng left and returned, he came out with a pot-bellied rice merchant.
Unexpectedly, the rice merchant who came out only glanced at Xu Mu briefly and lost interest.
"A cart of rice and wheat weighs ten taels, and a cart of grains contains three taels."
Three taels per cart of miscellaneous grains were sold, and the price was almost twice as much as usual. As for rice and wheat, let alone rice and wheat, which was even more ridiculously expensive. Of course, no one would use rice and wheat to make wine these days.
Xu Mu frowned, "It's a bit expensive."
The rice merchant smiled coldly and said, "If you think it's too expensive, you can go to the countryside to collect it. But I'm going to say something ugly first. Next time you come back and ask, I will double the price. Do you want to buy it?"
"I don't just buy it once, I want to cooperate with it for a long time."
"Long-term cooperation? It's a hundred miles away from Wangzhou City. I, Li Ji Grain Store, have many customers. I don't lack you."
Collecting and hoarding food, Xu Mu could guess that almost all the food in the nearby area had been collected by these rice merchants. Coupled with the refugee siege, food became even more scarce.
Even if you go to the next food store, the price will probably be high.
"Hey, if you don't buy it, get out! How can a poor shopkeeper pretend to be a big shopkeeper?" The rice merchant sneered and walked back.
Si Hu was furious and was about to take out his whistle stick, but Xu Mu stopped him tightly.
Of course, it's no wonder that Si Hu is like this. Not to mention that the price is twice as expensive, this attitude is simply outrageous.
"Brother Mu, what should we do?"
Xu Mu also looked bad. There was no agreement on the price for three taels per cart. Even if he only took five carts, it would be fifteen taels. Furthermore, he would have to set aside fifteen taels for the maidservants and wives to pay off the debt...
…
"Chen Sheng, are the nearby villages far away?"
Chen Sheng thought carefully and said, "My boss is far away, but I'm afraid there will be thieves."
A road-cutting thief is a road-blocking robber.
The countryside is more dangerous than a town with patrolling officials.
What's more, it's not always possible to harvest food.
"Hey, wait a minute."
At this time, the rice merchant who originally walked into the grain store turned around and walked out with a cold smile on his face.
"There is a grain shed ten miles outside the town. There are exactly five carts of rice."
"Then what?" Xu Mu narrowed his eyes.
"Twenty taels, five carts of rice and wheat grain. You can't find this price anywhere."
Xu Mu has always believed that there is no such thing as a pie in the world. The grain shed ten miles outside the town? He thought there was no other way, so he sold it at a low price.
"Twelve."
"Fifteen taels."
"Ten taels. In addition, you need to get a notarization. If you don't sell it, I will go to the countryside tomorrow to collect it."
The rice merchant smiled ferociously, "Forget it, I won't argue with your poor settlement. Just remember, I gave you the notarization, no matter what happens, you and I have nothing to do with each other."
Xu Mu nodded coldly, "Easy to say."
With the notarization, he expected that the rice merchant would not dare to cheat. Otherwise, even if he could escape the blame when he got it to the Yamen, the amount of money spent would still be a huge amount.
The biggest possibility is that it will be difficult to bring those five carts of rice and wheat grain back to Wangzhou.
But Xu Mu had no choice. Even if he bought grains to make wine, the price was staggering. Besides, if you left Li Ji Grain Store, you might not be able to buy it.
"Come here and take a guy with you to get food."
The rice merchant collected the money, signed a notarization, and then turned around and walked toward the grain store.
After passing the bloated granary, the rice merchant showed a satisfied smile and continued walking forward for another hundred steps before turning around and entering an exquisite and luxurious room.
In the room, seven or eight charming flower girls were in full bloom, just like orioles, constantly going back and forth to accompany the wine.
"Did he buy it?" A thin man sitting next to him asked with a faint smile.
"If you buy it, you will die tonight." Mi Shang sat down with a grim smile, stretched out his fat arms to hug a flower girl who was coming, "I have informed the refugee gang that I will rob the food tonight."
"A man who lives in ruins wants to make money, but he has no choice but to cut off his hand."
"He shouldn't be involved in illegal drinking." The thin man breathed a sigh of relief, "A ruthless and unruly man can just make some money, but he just wants to learn business. Shopkeeper Zhou of Fugui Restaurant is also a fool. I heard that
I also paid a deposit in advance.”
"Mo Li's bastard has settled down, and Brother Lu's February Spring looks like it's going to be a big hit again."
"Haha, easy to say."
…
When it was dark, ten miles outside Zhougong Town, the man finally found the hidden grain shed.
Xu Mu was very suspicious that the boy leading the way was deliberately stalling for time and pointed the wrong way several times.
"Si Hu, give me a good beating." Xu Mu said coldly.
Si Hu grabbed the clerk from the grain store and beat him hard several times before letting him run away howling, got on his horse, and drove back to Zhougong Town crying.
"My boss, something is wrong." Chen Sheng came over with his head wrinkled.
"Is there any problem with the food?"
"That's not true. I've seen it before. It's indeed good food... But it's dark now. If you rush back like this, something might happen."
As soon as it gets dark, even the officers and soldiers patrolling nearby will return to camp.
"My boss, why not find a place to rest and rush back to Wangzhou tomorrow."
"No." Xu Mu shook his head, "Staying in the wild at night is more dangerous."
"Boss, then——"
"Chen Sheng, let the brothers hang up the lanterns, tie the whistle sticks with stone skins, and rush back to Wangzhou."
Xu Mu had known that he would be in danger, but he had no choice. If he could not get the food this time, missed the time, and had his first business with Fugui Restaurant, it would be considered a breach of contract.
It is also a death.
"Brothers." Xu Mu gritted his teeth and held the whistle stick in his hand. "Brothers are all good guys with eggs. I will tell you straight. I will rush back to Wangzhou this time. Each of them will be given one extra
Two pieces of silver."
"We seek wealth in danger, and if we work hard with courage, in a few years we will also be wealthy!"
When the five horsemen heard the sound, they all looked expectant and determined.
"Si Hu, you take the lead!"
Si Hu, who was on the side, stood up and got on the carriage after gearing up.