The Prodigal Son

July passed by quietly.

August has arrived in the blink of an eye.

The official market of Changping County was packed with merchants from all over Yan State early on.

A large group of elegantly dressed merchants gazed longingly in the direction of Daning.

Even though many people were sweating profusely from the heat, none of them wanted to leave for even a moment.

As soon as they see someone bringing goods, they immediately swarm around them.

These people, who originally wanted to maintain a dignified appearance, abandoned all decorum in order to squeeze to the front, not even caring if someone accidentally had their clothes torn in the crowd.

"Is it pepper?"

"No, it's just... Hey, don't go! Why are you leaving?"

Before the merchants from Daning could even reveal what their goods were, the previously crowded group suddenly dispersed.

Not pepper!

What's the point of even talking then!

A few days ago, a fire broke out in the warehouse of a wealthy merchant who stockpiled pepper in Pangzhou.

It is said that thousands of stones of pepper turned to ashes overnight.

The wealthy businessman couldn't handle the blow and went insane.

The smell of pepper lingered in the city for two days before it dissipated!

Immediately afterwards, the price of pepper in Pangzhou skyrocketed.

The price changed seven or eight times in one day!

Someone bought pepper for 12 taels per catty, and in the time it took to defecate, the price rose to 14 taels per catty.

Some people earn more money in the time it takes to eat a meal than others can earn in several lifetimes.

The skyrocketing price of pepper in Wangzhou has also driven up pepper prices in other areas as well.

These days, the price of pepper can fluctuate several times a day!

You can make money just by buying pepper and reselling it!

Anyone with money in their hands is like a wolf smelling blood, racking their brains to get their hands on pepper.

Merchants with large sums of silver set their sights on the official markets along the border between the two countries.

They knew that if they wanted to buy the most pepper, this was the most reliable place to go!

Just as everyone was feeling disappointed, another person arrived with goods.

The crowd swarmed around them again.

This time, the other party's goods were exactly the pepper they wanted.

"Sixteen ounces a pound, I'll take this whole cartload of pepper!"

"I'll give you sixteen taels and five mace, all of it!"

"I'll offer seventeen taels..."

Soon, everyone started making bids.

Prices were driven higher and higher, and pepper that was originally of average quality was quickly driven up to 17 taels per catty by merchants on site.

Moreover, some people kept raising the price!

"Everyone, don't worry, don't worry!"

It took the merchants from Da Ning a great deal of effort to calm the frenzied merchants from Yan. "Our manager has brought hundreds of bushels of pepper this time! We're just worried you won't be able to finish it!"

Several hundred shi (a unit of dry measure)?

Upon hearing this news, a group of merchants from the Yan Kingdom became excited.

If I ate all of this, I'd have enough money to last several lifetimes!

But soon, they realized another problem.

They didn't have enough real money to buy so much stuff.

This is a market on the border between the two countries.

The banknotes of both countries are useless here.

We only care about money here!

"Brother Hu, how about we find a few people to pool our resources and buy all these several thousand bushels of pepper? We can then divide it according to each person's contribution, what do you say?"

Soon, some people started to pool their money with others.

"good!"

The other party agreed without hesitation.

……

Due to the deliberate hype by the people of Xuanzhusi, the price of pepper rose rapidly.

When the profits are large enough and readily available, everyone overlooks the value of the goods themselves.

Some people noticed that the price of pepper was outrageously high and chose to sell it immediately, but the price of pepper rose again as soon as the goods were delivered.

The buyer was overjoyed, while the seller looked as if he had lost his parents.

Buying pepper seems to have become a trend among the people of Yan.

Those with more money should buy more, and those with less money should buy less.

Some people even sold their wives and daughters to raise money to buy pepper and hoard it, waiting for the price of pepper to rise so they could count their money.

As the Yan people became increasingly obsessed, the price of pepper also rose higher and higher.

"Ordinary pepper is 27 taels a catty? Have these people from Yan gone mad?"

Hearing Jiang Bai's report, Luo Qingyi was startled.

In less than ten days, the price has far exceeded their expectations.

If this continues, won't the price of pepper rise to forty or fifty taels of silver per catty?

crazy!

Either the people of Yan have gone mad, or they have gone mad!

"These are the prices in Wangzhou; they're lower in other places."

Jiang Bai replied, "However, at this rate, the price in other places will probably soon exceed thirty taels of silver per catty..."

Luo Qingyi was not the only one who thought the Yan people had gone mad.

The same goes for Jiang Bai.

Previously, Qin Yu had demanded that the price of pepper be doubled, but he thought it was too difficult.

But now he realizes it couldn't be simpler!

They only had to push things along a little behind the scenes, and the price of pepper skyrocketed.

Moreover, the increase far exceeded their expectations.

"Are the people of Yan... really that foolish?"

Luo Qingyi muttered to herself, somewhat dumbfounded.

"It's not stupidity, it's greed! The greed of human nature!"

Qin Yu's face remained largely unfazed. "Everyone knows that pepper isn't worth this price at all! But everyone thinks that the price of pepper will rise, and that buying it is a steal..."

That's just human nature!

Now, this is no longer a matter of buying and selling goods.

This is a game of capital!

The bubble will definitely burst, but everyone thinks they can get away unscathed before it does.

When the benefits are great enough, everyone will automatically ignore the risks.

As they were talking, Qin Xiong's voice suddenly came from outside: "Lord Xue, please come in!"

The next moment, Xue Chengdao, looking travel-worn, strode in.

"Greetings, Lord Xue."

Upon seeing Xue Chengdao, the three of them quickly bowed.

"No need for such formalities."

Xue Chengdao waved his hand, bulged his eyes, and glared menacingly at Qin Yu, "You little bastard, don't move!"

Qin Yu grinned, "Lord Xue, I haven't done anything to offend you."

"fart!"

Xue Chengdao strode forward and lightly kicked Qin Yu in the backside. "You dare say you didn't know His Majesty had already decided that I would lead the campaign against Yan?"

asshole!

It made me feel like I was being scratched by a cat for so many days.

"How could I dare say that!"

Qin Yu looked completely innocent. "If I told His Majesty, wouldn't he tear me to pieces?"

"Come on!"

Xue Chengdao glared at him with a smile, then grabbed the teacup in front of Qin Yu and gulped down the tea.

Looking at him, Qin Yu couldn't help but tease, "Did you flee here during a war?"

"call……"

Xue Chengdao let out a satisfied sigh, put down the empty teacup, and said self-deprecatingly, "It really is almost like fleeing a disaster..."

To avoid suspicion, he didn't even leave Tongzhou.

He crossed the Yi River upstream directly to Yizhou, and then, with several hundred personal guards, mingled with the troops being transferred to Jiaozhou. He passed through Guanzhou and Jiaozhou before entering Dingzhou, and finally arrived here.

No wonder!

Qin Yu sighed inwardly at how cautious they were, and then asked, "My old man didn't come?"

"He should arrive tomorrow!"

Xue Chengdao gave a simple reply, then added with a smile, "I've also brought an acquaintance of yours!"