Chapter 139: Rice Prices

Kong Ling knew he had offended Shen Zechuan, so he kept his distance in the following days and focused on inspecting goods at various shops, busy to the point of not having time to rest. Shen Zechuan, however, remained consistent as usual, still addressing Cheng Feng as Mr. Cheng. Kong Ling became increasingly anxious, deferring to Shen Zechuan in all matters.

As predicted, Cai Yu's cheap grain did not impress the local bandits. With Luo Mu acting as a mediator, the different factions drew closer together, all harboring resentment towards Cai Yu. Lately, Cai Yu had developed a taste for luxury, demanding rare treasures for his birthday celebrations. He judged people based on the value of their gifts, causing many to secretly resent him. At the same time, rumors spread outside the city that Cai Yu was distributing cheap grain, with prices dropping lower and lower. This fueled the anger of the hungry citizens waiting at the city gates.

Cai Yu used to consider himself an elder statesman of Tea State, but now he chose to ignore the situation by keeping the city gates tightly shut. Shen Zechuan was right; Cai Yu understood the situation but found himself in a difficult position from which there was no easy escape.

The rice supply in Tea State currently came from River State, funded by the Yan family. The grain Cai Yu held was meant to repay the Yan family, and any deficit would come out of his own pocket. Lowering the price would only harm himself, so he refused to make such a loss-making deal. Thus, he stubbornly held on, secretly sending inquiries to River State for guidance.

Shen Zechuan had been waiting for this moment.

Little did Cai Yu expect that when he woke up one morning, the entire city was buzzing about rice prices.

"Where did these people come from?" Cai Yu asked his maid as she dressed him, turning to his confidant. "Why didn't I hear any news about the grain carriages from Chizhou entering our borders?"

His confidant replied, "They took the official road, and the information was blocked outside the city walls. It never reached us."

Cai Yu's face darkened. Putting on his boots, he took a few steps and said, "I found it strange when Kong Ling entered the city. What could Chizhou possibly want here? Now I see – they're trying to snatch business from me! They've prepared so thoroughly, they're challenging me, Cai Yu! What do they say?"

A trusted aide picked up Cai Yu's trailing robe and said, "I've sent someone to inquire this morning, and the people from Chizhou are offering one tael and seven dou outside the city."

Cai Yu scoffed upon hearing this. "I thought they came to be benevolent saviors, but it seems they're just trying to take advantage of the situation. Have we received a response from Hezhou?"

The aide calculated the time and replied, "It hasn't reached them yet."

Standing by the door, Cai Yu fell into deep thought. The sound of the stream in the courtyard flowed gently, while the birds hanging under the veranda sang sweetly. This yard was something he had spent a fortune on, intending to pass it down as a family residence. He had several sons waiting to inherit the family business, and over a thousand mouths relied on him for their livelihood through grain sales. He couldn't afford to lose this trade.

"One tael and seven dou," Cai Yu muttered. "One tael and seven dou... Chizhou is underestimating me with such a price. If they can go low, we can go lower. Tell the rice shops and granaries that I have compassion for the people inside and outside the city, and I'm lowering the rice price to one tael and eight dou."

The aide hesitated. "But Young Master hasn't replied yet. What if...?"

"Lower it," Cai Yu's expression turned solemn. "Young Master still calls me 'Grandfather.' Even if I can't fill the profit gap, I'll risk my reputation to seek grace in Hezhou. With Young Master at the helm of the Yan family, no one would dare to do anything to me! Chizhou is coming in strong. If we don't make them retreat, there will be trouble in the future."

As soon as Cai Yu's confidant left the mansion, Shen Zechuan found out.

Fei Sheng's network was everywhere. He whispered the news to Shen Zechuan while he was distributing porridge outside the city.

It was a clear day, and Shen Zechuan had left the city at dawn, starting to distribute porridge from the hour of the dragon until the hour of the monkey. The sun was scorching, cracking the earth, and the refugees sought refuge in the shade. After listening to Fei Sheng's report, Shen Zechuan nodded slightly. "Since he's taken the bait, there's no escape. Inform Luo Mu to tell the young bandits not to worry. Cai Yu's one tael and eight dou can be lowered further."

Fei Sheng was well aware of the situation but pretended to be naive before Shen Zechuan, asking earnestly, "Master, should we also surrender? We can't let Cai Yu succeed."

Shen Zechuan tossed the handkerchief to Qiao Tianya and replied, "Of course, we'll surrender, but it'll have to wait until nighttime."

He had business to attend to during the day.

Out of nowhere, a young man in white appeared outside Tea State City. He was accompanied by only a few attendants and wore a white jade bead. From dawn till dusk, he stood guard at the soup kitchen, personally distributing food. The refugees who received the porridge soon learned that this grain originally belonged to Chizhou for sale, but since Cai Yu didn't allow them to enter the city, they decided to distribute it to the needy outside instead.

Shen Zechuan was amiable, good-looking, and spoke with humility and politeness. Whenever there were orphans, widows, the elderly, or the sick and disabled, he not only provided them with food but also sent doctors to examine them, covering all medical fees and medicine costs. Within a short while, a stream of refugees came seeking him out. When asked about Shen Zechuan's identity, Qiao Tianya and Fei Sheng would respond that he was an aide to "Lord Zhou" or a colleague of "Mr. Cheng Feng."

Despite his young age, Shen Zechuan carried himself with extraordinary grace, sparking much speculation. Ordinary folk had no idea who this nobleman was, which made him all the more enigmatic and captivating.

* * *

Cai Yu couldn't sleep until the late hours of the night. Restless at home, he jumped up when informed, summoning his trusted aide and asking eagerly, "What's the news? Is there any update from Kong Ling?"

The aide had been running back and forth all day, even taking sedan chairs, but the exertion had left him drenched in sweat. He wiped his forehead and panted, "They've surrendered! They've surrendered! Just as Master predicted, Chizhou has surrendered!"

Cai Yu asked anxiously, "How much did they surrender?"

The confidant reported, "It's down to one tael and nineteen bushels!"

Cai Yu maintained his composure, as this price was within his expectations. He strolled about and commented, "They lower their price by one bushel whenever we do. It seems they're just as insecure."

Walking alongside Cai Yu, the confidant asked, "Master, should we still lower our price? If we do, it'll be down to one stone!"

From two bushels to one stone, Cai Yu had already envisaged the punishment he would face in Hezhou after this ordeal. But for now, he had no choice but to persevere. With a grim determination, he declared, "Lower it again! To one tael and one stone!"

* * *

Luo Mu, upon hearing the news in his residence, said to Kong Ling, "Cai Yu has suppressed the price, making it difficult to raise it later. He's been hooked."

Kong Ling, standing by the window and ensuring no one was around, replied, "It was indeed the Deputy Governor who made a shrewd prediction."

Recalling Shen Zechuan, Luo Mu sighed, "If I were in Cai Yu's position, I'd be trapped too. How could he have known that7 Ci State would align its prices with Qu Du? This lucrative business—every bit of pressure on the price is real money lost."

"Money can't be brought into or out of this world; how long can Zhongbo's ill-gotten gains last? You're foolish! If Cai Yu had some foresight, he should have reined in his ambitions this year. Six years ago, Ci State lacked the strength, but in those six years, we've been recuperating. Last year, the northern army's grain supply passed through Ci State at the request of Elder Hai and the Marquis. Think about it, Qu Du must have known then that Ci State was capable of handling the burden. Once Ci State recovers, other states' ambitious individuals will follow suit, leading to the restoration of grain fields everywhere. Zhongbo's grain prices will inevitably fall. This financial opportunity isn't sustainable in the long run; it's just a matter of who knocks it down first." Pausing for a moment, Kong Ling continued, "With the right timing and circumstances, the Deputy Governor is poised to make a significant impact in Zhongbo."

Observing Kong Ling's distant expression, Luo Mu asked, "I see that the Deputy Governor has an interest in you, yet you've repeatedly avoided him. Cheng Feng, does the Deputy Governor not hold a candle to Zhou Gui?"

Kong Ling gazed at the shadows behind the window for a while before remarking, "My talents are mediocre. I can support Zhou Gui because he is destined to govern only Zizhou. Governing a single corner of the world is simple; even an ordinary person like me can manage it. But governing a vast kingdom requires exceptional talent. Zhou Gui is not a fish to be confined in a pond, and I am not worthy of his company."

Luo Mu was speechless.

* * *

That night, no one in Caizhou slept well. Cai Yu sipped cup after cup of strong tea, afraid to close his eyes, lest he miss any news of the price dropping again without warning. He had never been skilled at business but had merely served as a facade for the Yan family due to his bandit background. Now, anxiety burned within him, causing his mouth to foam with frustration.

There was still no response from Zizhou, except for the ongoing soup kitchens outside the city. Cai Yu had heard that over a thousand people had gathered, but he was confident that his own forces were the true military might. Those outside the city were merely a disorganized mob, incapable of making a significant impact even if they banded together.

As time passed, it reached noon, and Cai Yu took a brief nap without changing his clothes. Just as he closed his eyes, he heard an announcement, prompting him to hastily sit up and be assisted by his maid as they exited the room. Glimpsing the worried expression of his trusted aide, his heart sank, and he asked, "How much have they dropped?"

The aide, panicked, replied, "Master, this fall is severe! The price has plummeted to one tael per stone and three bushels. Those who were observing the situation yesterday have already started leaving the city, heading straight for Chizhou's grain carriages to purchase food!"

Cai Yu felt a chill run down his spine. "It's dropped so low!"

The aide continued, "It's almost at the same level as Juexi's grain prices. If it drops any further, all the profits from this year's spring harvest will have to be used to replenish Hezhou!"

Supporting himself, Cai Yu said in disbelief, "Didn't Chizhou just supply Libei with military provisions? Now that Libei has rebelled, they'll be relied upon for future supplies. How will Zhou Gui account to the King of Libei if he sells all the grain? Moreover, with such a low price, what profit is there to gain?"

A trusted aide followed closely behind Cai Yu, equally agitated, exclaiming, "Exactly! If we keep suppressing them, we'll end up no different from Jue Xi, and that would mean a loss for us! Where's the profit in that?"

Cai Yu, being elderly and having spent the night awake, was unsteady on his feet. He was helped to sit down on a chair, saying, "They're determined to snatch business away from us..." His voice tinged with anger, he continued, "They dare! Gather our men, and tonight, overturn their grain carts. Capture Kong Ling and eliminate the rest of their associates! With my band of ruthless outlaws, I have nothing to fear from them! Zhou Gui, that young upstart, let's see if he dares to confront me directly!"

The aide slapped his knee in delight, overjoyed. "That's the spirit, Master! We should have acted sooner, wasting time giving them face! I'll go right now!"