Through the troubled times and famine, I just want to farm peacefully

The fifteenth day of the first month.

Early in the morning, the shop owned by the Chen family in Nanzhou Prefecture was crowded with people and very lively.

When the people woke up, they found that the salt they needed for daily life could be bought for just over a hundred coins.

Many people gathered in front of the shop, talking about it, and they couldn't believe it was true.

"Auntie, why would I lie to you? It's not like I'm taking your money and not giving you the goods." The waiter shook his head helplessly.

A man wearing ragged robe and looking like a scholar came out and pointed at the white salt on the counter. He was very tempted.

"Really only one hundred and thirty cents?"

"That's right, fine salt only costs 130 wen, and coarse salt is cheaper at only 110 wen." The waiter said patiently again.

"Can I try?"

The waiter immediately scooped some out with tools. The scholar dipped his finger in some coarse salt and put it in his mouth to taste it. There was no bitterness at all.

“So salty!”

The waiter smiled with a smug look on his face.

"What? Am I right? Our salt is unique in the South. You can't lose out by buying it. It's used by every household every day."

The scholar fumbled in his sleeve pocket and took out dozens of copper coins.

"Weigh half a pound for me."

"Okay! Sir, please give me half a pound of coarse salt." The waiter shouted enthusiastically.

The scholar walked out of the shop holding half a pound of salt wrapped in a paper bag and was immediately surrounded by aunts and uncles.

"It's good salt. You can try it before buying it. I bought it because I tried it and thought it was good." The scholar said as he squeezed out of the crowd.

Seeing this, everyone rushed to the counter.

"Waiter, weigh one pound for me."

"I want half a pound."

"..."

Good goods are worth selling, and this opportunity is rare. Before noon, the cheap salt was sold out.

I was so upset that I didn't get the chance and just regretted my slowness.

The shopkeeper smiled so hard that his teeth were exposed. He said to everyone, "Everyone, our Chen family's affordable salt will be supplied at a fixed time and quantity every day. If you didn't buy it today, don't worry, we will have more tomorrow."

"There is no need to stock up if you have bought it. Salt will be priced this way every day from now on."

There were a few beggars peeking out on the streets, answering questions and resolving confusions for the confused people passing by.

The same scene was happening in various towns and cities in Nandi and Cangwu County.

Yu family, in the meeting room.

All the managers sat at the bottom with solemn expressions. Patriarch Yu, who received the news, struggled to get up and sat at the top.

Yu Xunmei and Yu Shida sat on his left and right, exchanging glances from time to time.

After hearing the report from his subordinates, Patriarch Yu's face turned pale. He slammed the table with all his strength, startling the manager below.

"What a foolish Yongqing Chen family is! They are so shameless that they dare to tamper with the emperor!"

"Check! Check where the salt comes from!"

A steward stood up tremblingly, swallowed hard, suppressed his fear and said, "Reporting to the master, I gave money to the steward of the Chen family and found out that their salt is mainly supplied by Longtan."

"Longtan?"

It was Longtan again, and the managers below immediately started talking.

"There are no salt wells or salt mines in Longtan. Where do they get the salt from?"

"Don't forget that Xihe County was occupied by them!"

One word woke everyone up.

"Could it be that they actually know how to make sea salt?"

"Seawater is bitter and astringent. It would be difficult to make salt from it."

"Their salt is so cheap, the quality must not be any better!"

At this time, a servant came in hurriedly holding a paper bag.

"Master, this is the salt that the gatekeeper's father and mother bought this morning after queuing up."

The head of the Yu family was buzzing with excitement because of their noise. He reached out his hand, dipped the paper bag in the servant's hand, put it in his mouth, smacked a few times, and a dark light flashed in his eyes.

The servants handed the paper packages to each manager in turn.

After everyone tried the salt, the entire meeting room fell silent and no one discussed anything anymore.

Patriarch Yu's eyes swept over the embarrassed faces of the people one by one, and he was extremely angry. They were simply a bunch of good-for-nothings. He said to his servants, "Tell them how much the Chen family sold the salt for?"

"This fine salt is only 130 wen per pound, and there is a kind with coarser grains that is only 110 wen."

"What do you think of the quality of this salt, stewards?"

Looking at the silent crowd, Patriarch Yu had a gloomy face. Ever since he fell ill, his subordinates had not been working with all their heart.

He didn't even dare to think about what would happen to the Yu family if he was gone one day.

Glancing at his daughter and son on both sides, he felt relieved. Fortunately, the Yu family still had them. He had to make preparations in advance to help clear the obstacles ahead for them.

A trusted steward stood up and said, "Master, since Xihe County can produce sea salt, I must take this place back."

"Yes! There is chaos in the Central Plains now, and it is difficult to transport salt from the Central Plains. If we can get the Xihe Salt Field, the Yu family will surely usher in glory!" A manager immediately flattered.

Thinking of the soldiers sent to Xihe some time ago, Yu Shida's face flashed with determination, "Master, with the two thousand troops led by Lieutenant General Li, I think Xihe County may already be under the control of Lieutenant General Li."

Hearing this, Patriarch Yu's sullen expression eased a lot, and he clapped his hands happily, "Great! I really didn't make a mistake about him. I feel more and more assured about Shida's work."

As soon as he finished speaking, another person came hurriedly to report.

"Master, Vice General Wang wants to see you!"

Yu Shida's eyes were filled with the joy of victory. "It must be Deputy General Wang who has brought back the refugees from Longtan County."

"Congratulations! Brother Da is so talented!" Yu Xunmei looked at him shyly, her eyes shining and her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Quick! Let him in." Patriarch Yu's voice became louder with excitement.

Deputy General Wang walked into the conference room under everyone's expectant gaze.

He knelt on one knee and said to Patriarch Yu, "I am guilty, please punish me!"

Patriarch Yu looked at him, leaning forward slightly with nervousness, "What was the result of this trip to Longtan? Tell me quickly."

Facing the patriarch's eagerly expectant gaze, Deputy General Wang lowered his head in shame and said in a choked voice, "I led 600 soldiers to Longtan. I wanted to rest for a night and attack the city the next day, but unexpectedly..."

After listening to this, Patriarch Yu's face turned from blue to white, his chest rose and fell violently, and his voice was extremely weak.

"You mean, you arrived at Longtan less than a day ago, but you were beaten and fled with your tail between your legs. Not only were your food and supplies robbed, but you also lost nearly half of your troops?"

Deputy General Wang never dared to look up. Although Patriarch Yu's words were harsh, he was speaking the truth.

"It is my incompetence. Please punish me!" For such a big mistake, he could only ask for forgiveness.

Yu Shida looked at the head of the Yu family, who was his most capable subordinate.

"Longtan County is blocked by a high city wall. Xihe is flat, so it will definitely not be as lucky as Longtan." Yu Shida said.

Patriarch Yu closed his eyes helplessly. His only option now was to place his hopes on Xihe.

But after waiting for a long time, what they got was bad news.

A young general in tattered clothes and in a disheveled state came hurriedly to report.

"Reporting to the head of the family, Lieutenant General Li led two thousand soldiers and fought the enemy in Xihe County for three days. During the fifth general attack, Lieutenant General Li killed the enemy on the spot, and more than half of the soldiers and civilians were lost..."

Patriarch Yu only felt a buzzing in his ears, and he could not hear anything when he blinked. The blood in his chest was surging. He stood up with the help of the table, and his body swayed.