Reborn in 1985: From Selling Braised Duck to Becoming the World's Richest Man

As soon as he came out, he saw a tractor parked at the door.

Zhang Wen, the village chief of Shitou Village, sat in the driver's seat, with a batch of slaughtered ducks pulling behind him.

"Village Chief Zhang, why did you come to deliver the duck meat in person?" Liang Ming was flattered and asked upon seeing Zhang Wen.

As he spoke, he took out a pack of Bai Tou Li Qun cigarettes from his pocket and lit one for Zhang Wen.

After finishing his cigarette, Zhang Wencai said with a smile, "It's nothing. The village driver just happened to have something to do, so as the village chief, I was naturally the first to step up."

"You pick 60 ducks first. After you're done, I'm in a hurry to go to the next shop."

Upon hearing Zhang Wen's words, Liang Ming didn't stand on ceremony and immediately selected 60 ducks of good quality. Then he went back inside to collect the remaining payment for the ducks.

"Village Chief Zhang, this is the final payment for the ducks, a total of 96 yuan. Please count it."

After taking the money, Zhang Wen counted it carefully, nodded, and said, "The account is correct. I'll be going now."

After seeing Zhang Wen off, Liang Ming moved 60 ducks into the kitchen and began making braised duck.

When Liang Ming started making it, he discovered that the kitchen stove only had two openings, so he could only put two pots in at a time and braise only twenty or thirty ducks.

At this rate, it's unlikely that 60 braised ducks will be ready before 10 a.m.

Thinking of this, Liang Ming went into the house and brought out the iron pot used for the grand feast during the annual festival in the countryside.

This iron pot rack is a rural kitchen utensil where a piece of wood is rolled into a semi-circle and placed on top of an iron pot, with firewood burning underneath.

With this iron pot rack, Liang Ming was able to make braised duck twice as fast.

"Xiaoming, is this the braised duck you were talking about? It does smell really good."

Just as Liang Ming finished braising the duck and eggs and loaded them onto the mule cart, the village chief, Liang Jianguo, passed by outside the courtyard. After smelling the aroma coming from Liang Ming's yard, he came in and chuckled.

"Village chief, have you eaten? How about trying my braised duck?"

Upon meeting the village chief, Liang Ming greeted him warmly.

As he spoke, he prepared to take out a braised duck, cut it up, and give it to the village chief.

I was able to buy so many cheap and fresh ducks all at once thanks to the letter of introduction from the village chief. The village chief said the braised duck was delicious, so I naturally couldn't be stingy.

"If you're going to sell this braised duck, and if you really want to treat me to some, get me a braised egg too," village chief Liang Jianguo said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Liang Ming didn't waste any words. He immediately took out two braised eggs, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them to Liang Jianguo.

Liang Jianguo took the braised eggs, peeled them, and started eating. After finishing two eggs, he gave a thumbs-up and said:

"Xiao Ming, your braising sauce is absolutely amazing. Just based on this sauce, you could make anything from braised eggs or duck, or even braised beef brisket, and it would be delicious."

"Village Chief, you flatter me." Liang Ming smiled modestly, then asked:

"Village chief, where are you headed so early in the morning?"

“Hey, isn’t the New Year already over? The village’s cotton mill is about to start operations, and I’m just about to go to town to buy some cotton,” Liang Jianguo explained.

At this point, he sighed softly again and said:

"But now winter is almost over, and the cotton quilts and other cotton products from the cotton mills will soon be unsellable!"

"In the second half of the year, the cotton mill may have to close down, and the villagers will have to rely on farming and selling grain for their income again."

Upon hearing village chief Liang Jianguo's words, Liang Ming's face showed a thoughtful expression.

Liangjia Village has few collective industries, only a cotton mill. During the autumn and winter seasons, products such as cotton quilts are in high demand, so the factory works overtime to produce them.

However, during the spring and summer seasons, the cotton products of the village cotton mill were difficult to sell, so the factory had to stop production and send the villagers back to the village to earn money by farming and selling grain.

Every spring and summer, village chief Liang Jianguo would sigh and worry about how to increase the villagers' income.

Liangjia Village has a relatively small land area, so it cannot rely on raising chickens and ducks like Shitou Village, or on growing fruit like Songjia Village, to make a living.

In his previous life, both the village chief and the villagers of Liangjia Village treated him very well, and Liang Ming never had the chance to repay them.

In this life, perhaps I can lead the villagers to develop industries and become one of the first farmers to get rich.

"Alright, Xiaoming, I'm in a hurry to go to the department store to discuss selling the cotton products from the village collective cotton mill warehouse, so I'll be going now. Your braised food tastes great, it's sure to sell well, keep up the good work."

Before Liang Ming could speak, village chief Liang Jianguo spoke first.

After saying that, he stood up and left.

As Liang Ming watched the village chief Liang Jianguo leave, he thought to himself that he would talk to the village chief again when he had some free time about how to make the village's cotton mill generate revenue in the spring and summer.

Around 10 a.m., Liang Ming pushed the mule cart out of the yard and headed towards the county town.

By the time he arrived at the No. 3 Steel Plant in the county, it was already past eleven o'clock.

Just as they stopped and before they could even set up their stall, a stern voice came from not far away.

"what is your job?"

When Liang Ming looked up, he saw the gatekeeper of the Third Steel Plant walking over quickly with a sullen face and an unfriendly attitude.

"Grandpa, I sell braised food at a stall, would you like to try some?"

Upon seeing this, Liang Ming immediately scooped two braised eggs out of the pot, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them over.

"Selling braised food?"

The old gatekeeper at the steel mill frowned slightly, but when he saw Liang Ming hand over the braised eggs, he took them, peeled them, and started eating.

After taking a bite of the braised egg, the doorman's eyes lit up, and he said, "This braised egg tastes really good. No wonder so many workers bought food from you yesterday."

The doorman's words had two meanings: one was that he had noticed Liang Ming yesterday.

Secondly, the fact that they didn't come to evict people yesterday but only came today indicates that Liang Ming's business has caused dissatisfaction among some people, and it was those people who came to evict Liang Ming.

Liang Ming naturally understood what the doorman meant.

"It is my honor to receive your approval."

After the doorman finished eating two braised eggs, Liang Ming wrapped up two more braised eggs for him.

Immediately, Liang Ming tentatively asked, "Sir, is there any negative impact on my setting up a stall here?"

As the saying goes, one should be soft-hearted when receiving someone's help.

Seeing that Liang Ming had given him two more braised eggs, and that he was eating and taking more, the gatekeeper felt a little embarrassed.

He swallowed back the harsh words that were about to come out.

The doorman glanced around to make sure no one was watching him before leaning close to Liang Ming's ear and whispering:

“Young man, there’s nothing wrong with you setting up a stall to do business, but the canteen manager of our Third Steel Plant is the factory director’s brother-in-law.”

“You set up a stall selling braised food at the gate of our steel plant, and all the workers come here to buy food, so the business at the canteen has become worse.”

"If you want to do business, you should move a few hundred meters further away. That way, it will be easier for you and for me to do business as well."