Traveling through ancient times to survive

"You also know that the price of food in town has increased recently..."

"Wait! I don't know!" The village chief interrupted, "We farmers who work on the land, who would go to the grain store except in times of famine? It's only because your family didn't get any grain when the family was divided a while ago that you needed to go to the grain store to buy grain. Okay, go on, when did the grain price go up?"

"Oh, more than three months ago, my eldest daughter went to the county to buy medicine for me. At that time, it seemed that someone in the county was buying up large quantities of food, cloth, medicinal materials, charcoal and other things, causing the prices of these materials in the county to rise. Until more than a month ago, the prices in the town also began to rise."

The village chief was once the leader who led the tribesmen to flee from famine in the north and settle here. Even though he is old now, he is still sharp.

He thought for a moment, "Yes, this grain really can't be sold! The nobles in the county must have received some important news, so they are frantically hoarding it. This kind of supplies will definitely be indispensable in the future!"

Zhao Chengchuan frowned: "But what reason can we use to convince the villagers? The older generation of our tribe followed you through mountains and rivers, and they will definitely listen to what you say. But the younger generation has not experienced it, so they probably don't have much feeling. In addition, they have rarely been to the county town, so they definitely don't have much experience."

Although the village chief knew it was the truth, he couldn't point it out directly. He said helplessly: "Why are you still making up stories?"

Zhao Chengchuan ignored this and continued to think: "If the grain price goes up but we can't sell it, everyone will definitely not be able to change their mind. If you forcibly order the village not to sell grain in the name of the village chief, the people of your own clan will complain even if they obey, and those villagers with other surnames will definitely not be convinced, and some will definitely sell grain secretly. Since we are all from the same village and have lived together for more than 30 years, we can't just watch them step into the trap without warning them."

Village chief: "This is easy. As long as you are sure that the source of the information is reliable, I will tell everyone that the price of grain will rise higher and higher in the future, and everyone will not sell it now."

Zhao Chengchuan suddenly had an idea and his eyes sparkled. "No, no, village chief, you can't tell everyone directly. If grain prices don't continue to rise in a short period of time, people will question you, which will damage your prestige. People always believe in the secrets they have personally discovered. We can find a trustworthy villager, and then I will act with him and accidentally leak the news."

The village chief looked him up and down in surprise: "Chengchuan, I didn't know you were so smart!"

The next day, Zhao Chengchuan took Zhao Chenggang's arm and walked to the side of the road: "Brother Chenggang, come with me."

Zhao Chenggang cooperated and said, "Chengchuan, what's the matter?"

Zhao Chengchuan said mysteriously: "I'm telling you a piece of gossip that can make money. It's only because we have a good relationship that I wouldn't tell anyone else."

Zhao Chenggang shouted excitedly: "Really? You are so nice, brother. You still think of me even after you get rich."

Zhao Chengchuan put his finger to his mouth and hushed, "Brother Chenggang, keep your voice down. I heard that the price of grain will continue to rise. We should keep the grain we harvested on hand for now and not rush to sell it."

Zhao Chenggang: "Really? You didn't lie to me, did you?"

Zhao Chengchuan patted his chest and guaranteed: "It's absolutely true. Don't sell the grain yet. If the price of grain drops, you can sell it to me and I will buy it at the current price!"

Zhao Chenggang was touched: "Chengchuan, I believe you. I have to thank you for telling me the news. Even if the grain price drops in the future, it is my own decision. How can I let you take the risk? What kind of person would I be if I did that? Let's go to my house for a drink. I will definitely treat you well."

The two men patted each other on the shoulder and left in good terms. Aunt Liu, who had been pricked up her ears and secretly eavesdropped behind them since Zhao Chengchuan talked about making money, came out from the bushes behind them.

"I have to tell the boss right away that the grain can't be sold now!"

After saying this, Aunt Liu left in a hurry.

Aunt Liu certainly didn't know that the two men were deliberately putting on a show in front of her. She was the messenger carefully selected by Zhao Chengchuan and the other man.

Aunt Liu is a big mouth and likes to tell everything. If she knows something, then the whole village will know it. She also likes to take credit for it. She has been punished several times for this, but she still can't change this shortcoming.

Sure enough, within less than a day, just as the two had expected, the whole village was abuzz with the news that the brother-in-law of the son of Aunt Liu's cousin's cousin who worked in the town received top-secret information that food prices would continue to rise.

Because of Aunt Liu's past of not being able to keep secrets, most people believed her and thought that it was reliable information she had heard from relatives who knew who knew how many connections.

A small number of people who did not believe it went to the town to inquire and found out that grain prices had indeed been rising recently, and that Aunt Liu's family did not sell grain, so they finally believed it.

The villagers of the entire village moved the grain back home, preparing to sell it later. The merchants who went to the mountain village to collect grain returned empty-handed this year.

In recent years, women from other villages who married into this village have also returned to their parents' home to remind people to do so. Even if not everyone believes it, quite a number of people do. This behavior has saved many lives after future cold waves.

In the old house of the Zhao family, Sun Xiaocao went to inform the family of the only daughter who was married to another village, while the others gathered in a circle in the main hall to discuss things.

Zhao Chengshan asked hesitantly, "Dad, we really don't want to sell our grain? Cheng'er is still waiting for money."

Mrs. Zhao was not happy: "Brother, it's obvious that you can earn a lot more money by waiting a few days, why sell it now? Cheng'er just took five taels of silver from home, and it's only been a few days, and he's spent it all again? Our family is just an ordinary farmer's family. Can Cheng'er be more frugal in the academy and stop pretending to be rich in the future."

Mrs. Zhao couldn't stand to hear people say bad things about her son: "Third brother's wife, what are you talking about! Is there any aunt like you? Let's not talk about whether this news is reliable or not. We haven't heard any movement from our Cheng brother in the town. Besides, money, what doesn't cost money? Does Cheng brother eat for free in the academy? Does he have paper, pens and books for free? Does he have to make friends with his classmates for free? Others have fish and meat, but my son eats steamed buns. Can his classmates look down on him? Do you think those peasants are grateful for eating white steamed buns? Five taels of silver cost half a month. Cheng brother is sensible enough! Ha! If you have the ability, wait until Cheng brother becomes an official, and you still talk so tough!"

Being humiliated by her eldest sister-in-law, Zhao Sansao felt ashamed and angry. She blurted out, "You can't even pass the exam to become a scholar, and you're just dreaming of becoming an official! Now you look down on peasants. Even if you become an official, can you still be better off than us relatives?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall had different expressions. Zhao Chenghe lowered his head with an uncertain expression, recalling that Cheng Ge'er had no respect for his uncle before, and even had a hint of disgust. What his wife said might very likely come true in the future.