New ink fragrance in old times

Shopkeeper Ren said to Lin Wenhong, "Uncle Lin, your grain is of good quality and you're selling a lot. I won't beat around the bush with you. I'll add another 10% to the price I gave you yesterday: one dan of rice, one liang and one qian, eight qian and three fen of barley, and seven qian and seven fen of beans. How about that?"

Lin Wenhong heard this and said, "Manager Ren, what you said makes sense, but we have to follow the rules. You know that ordinary rice costs five cents per catty. Every grain of my rice is of the highest quality."

"This stone of rice can yield 70% rice, 10% broken rice, and the rest is rice bran and husks. My rice yields even more. Look at this..."

Although Lin Wenhong had not finished speaking, it was obvious that he was well aware of the output and cost of grain.

Shopkeeper Ren nodded slightly, as if he had anticipated Lin Wenhong's cleverness.

"Uncle Lin, you are right, but the account cannot be calculated in this way."

Shopkeeper Ren said awkwardly, "You know, I have to hire mill workers to transport the grain back, which is another expense. So, I'll give you a five-cent markup on each dan and a two-cent markup on each bean, but that's already the limit. Since you sell a lot, I should definitely make some profit, right?"

There was a hint of helplessness in his words, but they also revealed the shrewdness of a businessman.

Lin Wenhong was silent for a moment, thinking quickly in his mind.

He knew that the price offered by Manager Ren was fair, but as a farmer, he understood better how precious and hard-earned food was.

"Manager Ren, you're a straightforward person, and I, Lin Wenhong, am not one to be unreasonable. Let's put it this way. I accept the price you just mentioned. But we have to agree that the grain must be moved before dawn so I can make other arrangements."

When Shopkeeper Ren heard this, his brows lit up. "Uncle Lin, I'll have someone come in and move everything. We'll try to finish it before daybreak. You can rest assured, and we'll be safe on the way too."

Having said that, he turned around and told his men to start preparing to weigh the grain and transport it.

With the help of the dim light, Manager Ren's eyes inadvertently swept over the bunches of corn and piles of soybean stalks in the Lin family's yard, and he couldn't help but come up with another plan in his mind.

"Uncle Lin, why don't you consider selling some to me? I promise that the price will satisfy you."

There was a hint of temptation in his words, trying to further expand the deal.

Upon hearing this, Lin Wenhong frowned slightly, obviously hesitant about Manager Ren's proposal.

"This……"

Shopkeeper Ren continued to add weights: "Uncle Lin, I'll add another seven cents per stone of rice, two cents for corn and wheat, and one cent for beans. How about that?"

Lin Wenhong quickly calculated in his mind and said through gritted teeth, "Okay, Manager Ren. I'll give you another ten dan of rice."

Shopkeeper Ren was overjoyed when he heard this. "No problem, no problem! Uncle Lin, you're such a straightforward person!"

The busy sounds of moving grain gradually died down. Under the moonlight, the Lin family's courtyard seemed both spacious and full. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of rice and a subtle hint of expectation.

Shopkeeper Ren's eyes once again swept over the untouched piles of grain, thinking about how to further persuade Lin Wenhong.

"Uncle Lin, listen to me. Selling grain is not easy, especially when you go to town to sell it yourself and you have to worry about it. Why don't you sell me more at once so that I can give you a better price? What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Wenhong frowned slightly, obviously hesitant about Manager Ren's proposal.

"This... Manager Ren, you know, although I have a lot of grain, it's also very useful. The master will come to collect rent in a few days, and there are also taxes to pay. I have to pay 30 or 40 dan of rice alone, and the remaining grain must be saved for my family to eat."

There was a hint of helplessness and bitterness in his words, revealing the hardships and difficulties faced by farmers.

When Manager Ren heard this, he thought to himself.

He is well aware of the difficulties faced by farmers, but he also understands that business opportunities are fleeting.

"Uncle Lin, you won't find another place in town that offers the same price as me. Besides, think about it, exchanging the extra food for silver is not only safe and worry-free, but also can be used for emergencies. Why not do it?"

Hearing this, Lin Wenhong frowned slightly, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

He knew these principles very well, but he had too many concerns in his mind, which made it difficult for him to make a decision easily.

"Manager Ren, you're right, but I'm still worried. If I sell the grain, what will happen to my family's food supply? And what about the rent and taxes that are coming up? Which one doesn't require grain in exchange?"

"Uncle Lin, don't worry, I always do things in moderation."

Manager Ren spoke in a firm tone, as if to reassure Lin Wenhong.

"First, keep enough food for your family, then deduct taxes and rent, and sell the rest to me. I promise that this money will give you peace of mind. Moreover, if you need food in the future, you can always come to me for credit. I will never let you go hungry."

Lin Wenhong seemed to be persuaded by Manager Ren: "Manager Ren, you are right."

Shopkeeper Ren continued his attack: "Uncle Lin, don't worry, I'll give you one stone, one ounce, and three qian of rice, nine qian and one fen of wheat, and eight qian and one fen of beans."

After hearing this, Lin Wenhong's worries seemed to have dissipated for the most part.

He pondered for a moment, then finally nodded. "Okay, Manager Ren, I'll trust you this time. I'll do as you say and sell all the remaining grain."

Manager Ren's smile seemed particularly warm under the dim light, and his words were like a spring breeze, which made Lin Wenhong feel relieved.

"Uncle Lin, don't worry. I, Ren, always value integrity in my business and will never let you suffer any loss."

After saying that, he turned around and shouted to the guys beside him, "Everyone, work harder and load the remaining food onto the truck. We have to hurry and don't keep Uncle Lin waiting for too long."

The shop assistants responded and became busy again, while Manager Ren pulled over a small table, spread out the account book, and prepared to settle the accounts with Lin Wenhong in detail.

While fiddling with his abacus, Shopkeeper Ren patiently explained to Lin Wenhong:

"Uncle Lin, your rice is of excellent quality, so I'm giving you the highest price. Fifty dan is sixty-five taels of silver. Sixty-five dan of wheat is fifty-nine taels, one qian and five fen. That's absolutely fair. And for these beans, eighteen dan is twelve taels, five qian and eight fen. The total is one hundred and thirty-six taels, seven qian and three fen."

As he spoke, Shopkeeper Ren took out some silver and a few strings of copper coins from his sleeve, and after making sure they were correct, he pushed them in front of Lin Wenhong.

"Uncle Lin, this is one hundred and thirty-six taels of silver, and seven hundred and thirty coins in change. Please count them."

Lin Wenhong took the silver with trembling hands. He counted it carefully, and after confirming that it was correct, he looked at Manager Ren gratefully and said, "Thank you, Manager Ren."

Shopkeeper Ren waved his hand and said with a smile, "Uncle Lin, you're too polite. We're all from the same village, so it's only natural for us to help each other. Besides, if your grain is good and can be sold well, I can naturally make some money too."

After a pause, Shopkeeper Ren lowered his voice again and said mysteriously:

Chapter 84 Good News