Chapter 229: Partnership in Selling Firewood

Chapter 229: Partnership in Selling Firewood

Seeing how well the Song family's business was doing and hearing that they were selling bean sprouts for five cash per catty, Wang Laoshuan was thoroughly impressed with the Song family.

When facing the Song family, he even couldn't help but lower his head.

On the way back, Wang Laoshuan couldn’t help but sigh to his son about it.

He felt that the Song family had truly changed from what they used to be and had become prosperous.

Wang Dashan just listened without responding.

"The weather isn’t as hot these days. I plan to go out of the city later and check the nearby mountains to see if I can collect some dry firewood. Our own family is running low on firewood."

Fortunately, the kitchen in the Liu family’s courtyard was spacious, and there was also a straw shed next to it where they could store their firewood.

Thus, they wouldn’t have to worry about where to pile the firewood.

"I’ll go with you!" Wang Laoshuan immediately said.

Now that they had settled down, he should work hard with his son to earn money.

With the high cost of grain, they needed to make more money quickly.

"Forget it. If another person goes out of the city, we'll have to pay an extra entry fee."

"You should tidy up at home and get familiar with the surroundings."

"We’ll leave together tomorrow morning. When we get out of the city, you can come back in the evening." Wang Dashan said.

As for him, he estimated he would need to enter and exit the city several times to sell the firewood.

Wang Laoshuan thought about it and nodded.

"Alright."

After returning home, Wang Dashan pushed the cart out the door.

After leaving the city, he followed the official road to the nearest forest.

Without saying a word, he started working right away.

The amount of firewood in this forest wasn’t as much as behind the mountains in Xiashui Village.

But due to the drought, there were many dead trees in the forest.

Gathering and chopping wood didn’t take much effort.

Working alone, Wang Dashan managed to fill a large cart with firewood before nightfall.

He returned to the city before the gates closed.

Since it was too late, Wang Dashan didn’t try to sell the firewood but took it directly back to the Liu family.

The Liu family praised Wang Dashan for his capability.

Just going out for a short while, he had collected so much firewood.

Aunt Liu asked Wang Dashan about the price of the firewood.

Upon learning that firewood now sold for five cash for two bundles, she was instantly intrigued.

This cart of firewood probably contained eight bundles, which would be twenty cash if sold at five cash for two bundles.

If all of it could be sold, it would be quite a profit.

"Thank you for lending us firewood for lunch and dinner."

"This bundle is to repay you. I’ll take it to your kitchen!" Wang Dashan said, taking a bundle of firewood off the cart.

Then, he headed towards the Liu family’s kitchen.

Aunt Liu thanked him profusely while smiling and telling him to be careful.

Inside the kitchen, Wang Dashan placed the firewood by the stove.

He then prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, Aunt Liu called him back.

"Dashan, my daughter told me that your sister mentioned you’re doing well with the firewood business?"

Wang Dashan was taken aback.

"Auntie, you flatter me. What I do doesn’t count as a business," he replied.

"Hey, why not? I heard that just in Yongan Lane, over ten families have ordered firewood from you. Plus, every time you bring firewood to town to sell, it sells out quickly!"

"Is that true?" Aunt Liu smiled at Wang Dashan.

Wang Dashan scratched his head, embarrassed.

"That’s because my father and I don’t gather much firewood, so it sells quickly," he responded.

Hearing this, Aunt Liu’s eyes lit up.

"So, if there were more firewood, it could still be sold?" she asked immediately.

Wang Dashan thought for a moment. "I think so. After all, there are quite a few families in town that need firewood."

Aunt Liu's eyes instantly brightened.

She shifted her gaze and then, unexpectedly, grabbed hold of Wang Dashan.

It almost gave Wang Dashan a fright.

Aunt Liu then released him and smiled apologetically at him.

"Don't misunderstand; I have no other intentions."

"I just wanted to ask if you could let Uncle and Erniu join you in selling firewood?" Aunt Liu finally voiced her thoughts.

Thanks to the thousand catties of grain they bought from the Song family, their household now had less pressure regarding food supplies.

However, after buying the grain, they had even less money left.

They still needed to prepare for winter, so how could they not try to earn more money?

Her eldest son had already gone to work at the dock. Although it was hard labor, at least he had a steady income every day.

But her younger son had been looking for work for several days without any luck.

As for her old man, he was too old to find any work.

If she could get her younger son and her old man to join the Wangs in selling firewood, it would at least be a way out.

Wang Dashan fell silent, thinking, but did not respond.

Aunt Liu quickly put on a smile.

"Just consider them as your helpers. Whatever profit you make, just share some with them!" she said.

It was normal for the young man to hesitate.

After all, selling firewood was something almost anyone could do.

Once they learned the trade, they might start competing with their teacher. At that point, the teacher's business might suffer.

Wang Dashan soon smiled at Aunt Liu.

"Auntie, you're joking. If Uncle and Erniu really work with me, I naturally won't mistreat them," he said.

Given his current situation, he had no trouble selling firewood.

If he had two more people helping him, he could gather more firewood each day and thus earn more.

Moreover, he and his father lived with the Lius.

Now that Aunt Liu had come to talk about this matter, if he refused, it might create a rift between the two families in the future.

Wang Dashan thought for a moment.

"Here's what I propose: the current price of firewood in town is five cash for two bundles."

"If Uncle and Erniu are willing, they can sell it to me at half price."

"They only need to deliver the firewood to the main road, and I'll take care of the rest."

This way, he could focus solely on delivering and selling the firewood in the city.

With his father and the Liu family helping him gather firewood, he could increase the amount of firewood he sold each day.

Aunt Liu pondered for a moment.

Wang Dashan's proposal was similar to the arrangement the Song family's daughter-in-law had with their family.

Their family would focus on gathering and delivering the firewood, and the other party would sell it.

"Just deliver it to the main road and not into the city?" Aunt Liu asked.

The current entry fee into the city was quite high.

If a cart were fully loaded with firewood, one trip into the city would cost six cash.

If a cart carried eight bundles of firewood, one trip would yield forty cash.

Subtracting the six cash entry fee, there would be thirty-six cash left.

After deducting the wages for her old man and her younger son, there would be... only sixteen cash left...

Although sixteen cash wasn't insignificant, considering the effort required to enter and exit the city and sell the firewood, it might be more work than gathering the firewood itself.

Thinking this through, Aunt Liu determined that this job was feasible.