Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 1219 Wucheng TV Station gave it a boost, even high-powered cars can be sold?
In the two days since Liu Gaolou came over, Li Long has sold another truck and a Volga, and now there are only a few vehicles left in the yard.

The middlemen who had come to sell goods were quite surprised. After learning that all the cars had been sold out in the last few days, they all became envious.

"Mr. Li, will you be ordering more cars in the future? I want to follow Lao Fan's example and save up enough money to buy a GAZ truck."

"Go ahead, the car will be here soon. Don't worry, you save up your money, and once you've saved enough, I'll have a car too," Li Long replied.

Liu Gaolou's words have been coming true; as the temperature drops, life will become increasingly difficult for the residents of Almaty.

Of course, those who are wealthy are better off, but ordinary people need to stock up on food, fuel, and clothing to get through the winter.

Layoffs, wage arrears, and soaring prices will all lead these people to sell non-essential items to raise money for urgently needed necessities.

Cars are a type of non-essential possession. Public transportation in Almaty is quite convenient; even if you sell your car, you may not necessarily need to walk to get around.

Therefore, Li Long was not worried about the number of cars at all; he was only worried about not being able to sell them.

Now it seems there's no need to worry about that.

When Liu Gaolou came over, he gave Li Long a little surprise: he drove over a high-horsepower wheeled tractor!
Not only did the wheeled tractors arrive, but the matching farm implements were also brought over.

The convoy was very long, with fifteen trucks alone. This trip also brought ten cars, as well as hides, antelope horns, and some supplies brought from Gu Boyuan.

Five of the fifteen trucks are to be left with Li Long.

"Your truck sold pretty quickly, huh?" Liu Gaolou was somewhat surprised after seeing the situation in Li Long's courtyard. "I was thinking this trip might be a bit too much... Have you prepared your leather coat and cotton-padded shoes?"

"Alright, come and take a look." Li Long could tell that Liu Gaolou's surprise at him selling the car was only temporary; he was more concerned about how much stuff he could bring back on this trip.

Less cement is used in winter; now it's mainly for everyday necessities.

"Not bad, not bad... Just these leather coats are enough to satisfy my second uncle. But you'll need the same next time." Liu Gaolou looked at the bags of leather coats with satisfaction.

Liu Gaolou prefers to stay in Khorgos during the winter, so he unloaded the goods, took his belongings, and left in a hurry.

Seeing that the purchasing station was now fully stocked, Li Long called Jia Tianlong and Zhao Hui, asking them to come and pick up the goods as soon as possible.

Liu Gaolou brought five thousand hides, one thousand pairs of antelope horns, and five hundred hides and other medicinal materials from Gu Boyuan's side.

Jia Tianlong called last time to say he wanted to come over, but his child got sick, so it was postponed for a while. Now he's all better.

While Li Long continued recruiting odd jobs to process leather, a reporter from Wucheng TV came to Huang Tiesheng's village for an interview.

The main issue is that there have been a lot more cars in the village recently. In winter, villagers drive their cars to visit relatives and go shopping, looking quite stylish, which naturally attracts attention from the outside world.

"Recently, Beiliang Village welcomed a new group of guests. They didn't come to buy the village's specialty—greenhouse vegetables—but to visit the cars that the villagers had bought." The reporter's voiceover showed several cars surrounded by a group of people looking at them curiously.

"Beiliang Village is a major vegetable supply base for our city's 'vegetable basket' project. It has dozens of vegetable greenhouses and can supply the city with tens of tons of vegetables every year, which greatly solves the problem of vegetable shortage in our city during winter..."

As a result, the villagers have become wealthy, solving their basic needs for food and clothing ahead of schedule and entering a moderately prosperous era. Recently, the villagers collectively purchased cars from Tengjiao Trading Company in Ma County, becoming the first rural car owners in the city and setting an example of their success.

The news segment was short, only a few minutes, and the main camera focused on the vegetable greenhouses, cars, and the cheerful villagers.

Although Li Long's Tengjiao Company only had one name, it was remembered by many people who read the news.

When Jia Tianlong arrived at the purchasing station, he saw a group of people discussing something around a car.

"It's the dead of winter, but it's quite lively here." Jia Tianlong first went to the courtyard to pay his respects to the jade stone before coming to the purchasing station.

To make it easier for Jia Tianlong to haul the goods, Li Long didn't put the thousand pairs of antelope horns that Liu Gaolou had brought over in the yard. Before Jia Tianlong arrived these past two days, he had hired odd jobs to clean the antelope horns, making them look much better.

"We've brought in some cars from Kazakhstan recently, and I advertised on TV, so quite a few people have come to buy them," Li Long said. "We've already sold quite a few."

"Does advertising really work?" Jia Tianlong doesn't need advertising to buy and sell goods, so he doesn't know anything about it.

“Very useful.” Li Long recounted the incident in Beiliang Village, then continued, “The Wucheng TV news program mentioned that about ten people from their village bought cars, and as a result, another ten or so people from Wucheng came to look at cars. Fortunately, not all of them bought them, otherwise I really wouldn’t have enough cars. But even so, I don’t think the cars in my yard will last more than half a month.”

He has already called Liu Gaolou and asked him to quickly bring in another batch of cars, otherwise the supply will run out.

Jia Tianlong wasn't in a hurry to look at the antelope horns. Since Li Long had already agreed, he knew the matter was settled. He chatted with Li Long about the current medicinal herb market.

"Because of the Animal Protection Law, the prices of medicinal materials related to protected animals have risen rapidly in the market. Things like tortoise shells, rhinoceros horns, antelope horns, tiger bones... Of course, tiger bones were already very expensive to begin with."

Li Long smiled and said, "Some large pharmaceutical companies should have these things in stock. However, prices will keep rising, and stock will dwindle. They'll probably research alternatives."

“But the substitutes aren’t potent enough. Let alone substitutes, even the genuine products might not work if they’re not made from authentic medicinal herbs…” Jia Tianlong was also a bit worried.

But there is no solution.

Li Long then advised:

"Stock up as much as you can, and sell it when the time is right. Anyway, it will definitely get more and more expensive in the future. Now antelope horn is 300, and in ten years, I guess it might even be 3,000."

"It can rise that high?" Jia Tianlong was a little skeptical.

"This thing will be regulated more and more strictly in the future, think about it." Li Long didn't say much. He only needed to hint at it; hinting too much would just cause trouble.

Jia Tianlong didn't think too much about it, and he started talking about the antelope horns they had found:

"To be honest, I know you're hoarding antelope horns and don't want to sell them. If things weren't so difficult to resolve, I wouldn't have bought them from you."

"It's alright, I have a lot in stock." Li Long didn't hide anything from him. "I plan to stock up for eight or ten years before selling. Anyway, I'm not short of money now, so I'll just keep it. When the price goes up in ten years or so, I'll sell it, and then I won't care about anything else."

After Jia Tianlong had warmed up enough inside the house, he came out to check on the contents of Li Long's purchasing station.

"You've got quite a lot of stuff here," Jia Tianlong exclaimed. "You've even got an excavator... This one must have been expensive."

"It's alright. Actually, the most expensive thing is that high-horsepower tractor." Li Long pointed, only to find that someone was looking at the tractor.

"Is that one expensive?" Jia Tianlong asked, puzzled.

“Doesn’t it look a bit clunky? One of those can be traded for three cars,” Li Long said. “This thing is not easy to produce in China right now. This one was imported from the US. A new one would cost tens of thousands of dollars.”

Jia Tianlong then understood.

What are its characteristics?

"It has a powerful engine, so it's much faster for plowing and sowing than the current Dongfanghong 75. It can plow four or five hundred acres of land in a day and a night..." Li Long said, recounting the details with great familiarity.

The man watching the high-powered tractor heard Li Long's words and took a few steps closer. After Li Long finished speaking, he asked:

"How many years have you been using this high-horsepower tractor?"

“You should be able to see that it took more than two years to develop,” Li Long said. “However, it wasn’t developed much. It was brought from Kazakhstan. Their farms suffered from disasters in the past two years, and they also have a small population and a lot of land, so they couldn’t cultivate that much land.”

"It looks pretty new to me... How much do you want for this tractor?" the other person asked.

Li Long, hearing that the person's voice didn't sound like the one who made the initial call, said:
"Three hundred thousand."

"Three hundred thousand...that's too expensive. A new car only costs forty or fifty thousand dollars, right?"

That person clearly knew the market, and asked.

"But you can't get a new machine for forty or fifty thousand. Now the Americans only sell to state-owned farms, ordinary people don't have access. And you can't just buy this thing for forty or fifty thousand dollars, there's nothing else involved, right? The additional procedures and stuff... it won't be simple."

Li Long pointed to the tractor and said:
“Mine is simpler. Although it’s second-hand, it’s been driven for two years and is in perfect working order. All the equipment is included, which is basically a bonus. And you can just buy it directly with all the paperwork done. Once you sign the contract, it will be registered in your name.”

Li Long's point was that he would cover everything, and the other party would only need to pay. The other party was clearly very interested.

"I saw this thing in the production and construction corps in my area, so I wanted to buy it. To be honest, it's much less strenuous than the Dongfanghong 75. It's a powerful machine. I can plow four or five hundred acres of land. The Dongfanghong takes several days to plow, but this thing can do it in one or two days."

Oh, so you're a large-scale farmer! My apologies for not recognizing you.

Li Long didn't say much. The other party had already looked into it and was obviously prepared to come over, so Li Long answered whatever they asked and didn't say anything more.

At this time, someone came to buy a truck, and Li Long went to introduce it to them.

“The last batch of trucks was newer, with fresh paint, and cost 60,000 yuan each; they’re all sold out. This batch is also GAZ trucks, but they’ve been driven for several years, so the price is lower. For example, look at these few; they’re all 40,000 yuan each.”

Li Long wasn't a shrewd businessman; he understood the situation as soon as the trucks arrived. This batch of trucks wasn't handled as well as the previous batch, so naturally he wouldn't sell them at the same high price.

This guy was clearly looking to haul goods, and 40,000 yuan was probably what he expected, so after listening to Li Long's words, he started looking at trucks.

They looked very carefully, examining things like tires, bumpers, and spring steel sheets.

Old-fashioned cars used sheet springs, which were stacked together and held on the rear wheel; this served as a shock absorber.

While the buyer was inspecting the truck, Jia Tianlong sighed and said to Li Long:
“Old Li, I’ve found your business to be much more interesting than mine. I just deal in medicinal herbs, and I get ripped off every now and then. I also have a lot of competitors. You have no competition at all. This high-horsepower tractor is something only you have… it’s one of a kind.”

Li Long smiled but didn't say anything.

He was waiting for someone interested in a high-horsepower tractor to make the offer—someone who could afford a high-horsepower tractor was definitely a big shot at that moment.

After all, there are no subsidies for agricultural machinery at the moment, so these people have to pay for it themselves.

He was prepared for the other party to negotiate the price; in fact, Li Long's target price was 250,000.

With all the accessories included, 250,000 isn't expensive. Although this high-horsepower tractor is slightly older than the two he bought, it's a good deal.

When Li Long advertised the high-horsepower tractor, he mentioned it as a gimmick and didn't expect it to sell. This thing was like the store's prized possession.

I didn't expect someone to come and ask about it after only a few days. What does that mean? It means that the northern border is also a place where hidden talents abound, and many people have become rich. He is not the only one who has seized the opportunity.

The man was still looking at the tractor and its accessories. Li Long didn't disturb him and took Jia Tianlong to see the antelope horns.

"Hey, this batch is pretty clean," Jia Tianlong said with a smile, looking at the antelope horns in his pocket. "Fresh goods? Processed?"

"Yeah, they started fighting there when winter was just beginning. There was no other way; they were facing a severe food shortage, so they were using this to supplement their food supply."

"Do you think transporting a batch of grain there would be very profitable?" Jia Tianlong asked suddenly.

"I doubt you can get it over there," Li Long shook his head. "There are some things we shouldn't get involved with."

Jia Tianlong nodded, stopped talking about that, and started chatting about antelope horns.

These thousand pairs of antelope horns weigh about a ton. If we calculate the price at 300 yuan per kilogram, that's 300,000 yuan.

Jia Tianlong paid the money readily. He brought his own car, and after loading it in, he didn't leave immediately, planning to stay there for the night.

The car was left in the yard of the recycling station, which was a relatively safe place.

Jia Tianlong didn't leave either. He found the purchasing station quite interesting at this point. After learning that Li Long had turned the purchasing station into a trading company, he thought Li Long was quite farsighted.

After all, Li Long's business isn't limited to medicinal herbs and leather goods; consolidation wouldn't be a problem.

To Li Long's disappointment, the man who had been watching the high-horsepower tractors had left at some point, while the man who had been watching the trucks bought one for 40,000 yuan.

Today's income is 100,000 yuan - and a customer also bought a Lada and left.

Most people just look at the cars and only a very small number actually buy them, but every little bit adds up. Even if someone buys just one car, Li Long's profit for the day can be in the tens of thousands.

That evening, he invited Jia Tianlong to dinner at Tuanfenglou Restaurant. His father, Li Qingxia, was also there, as was Liang Shuangcheng.

Sun Jiaqiang was watching over the purchasing station, so everything seemed fine.

Jia Tianlong was in high spirits, constantly asking Li Long about the types and prices of supplies imported from the Kazakhstani allied countries. Finally, Li Long couldn't resist asking him:

"Old Jia, what do you mean? Are you planning to change careers or diversify like me?"

"I was just asking," Jia Tianlong said with a smile. "To be honest, I had some ideas too, but all I know about are medicinal herbs, nothing else. The shipping costs to bring those things to our area are quite high, so I think I'll pass. I'll just take some local specialties back to my family and friends when I have time. As for doing business, I'll think about that later."

Li Long couldn't comment on whether Lao Jia's approach was right or wrong; everyone should choose their own path.

Anyway, he's decided on his current path: medicinal herbs, furs, and import trade. If things get tough someday, he can clear out his inventory and become a landlord—that wouldn't be bad either.

The next day, Jia Tianlong left with his truck after breakfast. Li Long, after dropping Jia Tianlong off, went to pay his taxes. When he returned to the purchasing station, he was somewhat surprised to find that the man who had bought the high-horsepower tractor the day before had come back.

When Li Long entered the backyard, he was already watching the high-powered tractor, with Liang Shuangcheng accompanying him.

At this point, not many people had come over, and there wasn't a single car to look at.

Recently, most of the people coming to look at cars are from out of town. They have to travel by car, and by the time they arrive at the purchasing station, it's usually noon.

As Li Long drove in, the man who had just gotten out of the car approached him and said:

"Mr. Li, shall we talk?"

“Okay, let’s go to the reception room, it’s warm there,” Li Long said, pointing to the room.

The man didn't refuse. Li Long guessed he had come on foot; although there were bicycles in the front yard shed, they all looked familiar, not like this man had driven them there.

Upon entering the reception room, Li Long took off his coat and hung it on a hanger, then poured the other person a cup of tea.

"What's your name?" Li Long asked as he poured himself some tea. "Where are you from?"

“From the three eastern counties, specifically Jimusa,” the man said, taking a sip of water. “They’re farmers.”

"White garlic?" Li Long asked with a smile. "Is it a specialty from your area?"

"Yes, there are indeed white garlic, but I grow wheat. I mainly cultivate grains in my fields."

"Oh, a large-scale grain grower." Li Long nodded. That makes sense. If you're cultivating less land, there's no need to get a high-horsepower tractor.

“There are many brothers in my family, and they’re all married. But we farm together. We also have a Dongfanghong 75 tractor, but it’s very slow.” This man spoke with a strong Xinjiang accent, which Li Long found quite amusing.

“High horsepower is indeed fast, and it’s a good machine for driving.” Li Long nodded.

"Could you lower the price? To be honest, I can't afford even 200,000, let alone 300,000. But my family farms a lot of land, so we can get a loan. Of course, I'd like to borrow less..."

"Can you make it cheaper... 280,000?" Li Long said.

"Um... could you make it a little cheaper?" the other party gritted their teeth and continued.

"Well... 260,000, that's the lowest I can go," Li Long said. "This thing is a lot of money tied up in, and I only found a good machine over there. I don't bring over ordinary machines. I'm not trying to rip people off, but I can't just not make money. I can't lose money, can I?"

"Okay, okay, two hundred and sixty thousand..." the man said happily, "Sign the contract now?"

Hey, Li Long thought he might have been scammed. The money this guy had prepared was definitely more than 260,000!
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(End of this chapter)