Chapter 68

Zheng Ruqian had ambition, which was not a bad thing, but Bai Shopkeeper did not want his own interests to be damaged.

He pondered and said, "You want to make money by delivering more dishes, which is fine, but you can't play favorites or neglect the dishes for You Ran House in Xieyang County."

"Of course not," Zheng Ruqian patted his chest, "Uncle Bai can rest assured that You Ran House in Xieyang County will always be the first priority. The mushrooms on Mount Shili are sprouting again. I will only supply here. No matter who asks, I won't give it to them."

Bai Shopkeeper nodded in satisfaction. "I can write a letter to the shopkeeper of Anshui Prefecture, but whether he is willing to accept it depends on your own efforts."

For example, tempting menu prices.

For example, consistent quality, or special products like cured meat.

Zheng Ruqian thanked him sincerely holding the envelope.

In fact, these days he had wondered why Bai Shopkeeper wanted his dishes instead of others'.

It was because he could bring dishes from afar during the local winter shortage.

This involved a key point - "transportation."

Although the Dayu Dynasty was not without a transportation industry, most of them were for delivering letters and parcels by fast horses.

There were really none that transported goods in bulk.

Even large restaurants like You Ran House relied entirely on local ingredients, local chefs, local flavors, to serve local people.

The advantage was that locals had greater acceptance. The disadvantage was the loss of the meaning of chain stores.

For example, people in Anshui Prefecture were used to the taste at their local You Ran House. When they came to Xieyang County and tasted the food, they found the taste extremely different. Their affection for the You Ran House brand would plummet.

Zheng Ruqian had asked Bai Shopkeeper why he didn't source ingredients from fixed locations and transport them to You Ran Houses across the country.

Bai Shopkeeper laughed at once. "Do you know how long it takes from Fengjing to Anshui Prefecture?"

Zheng Ruqian, a country bumpkin who had never been further than Anshui Prefecture, shook his head blankly.

"One month," Bai Shopkeeper patted him on the shoulder. "Rushing with fast horses still takes half a month. For a cart full of goods, at least one and a half months. Tell me, what can last one and a half months?"

Even in winter, one and a half months would make things rotten and decayed.

Even if they didn't rot, no one would do such a thankless job, shuttling cheap meat and vegetables everywhere. They would rather source locally. Use when available, endure when not. "It's a good idea to transport goods, but shuttling between two county towns is the limit. This business can't grow big." Bai Shopkeeper spoke meaningfully, giving him well-intentioned advice.

Zheng Ruqian understood, but still felt a little dissatisfied.

He bid farewell to Bai Dashan and returned to the small courtyard.

Xu Mo and Fang Heng were not there. His younger siblings were busy with their own chores.

Seeing him return, Jiang Sheng was the first to stand up. "Second Brother is back."

Zheng Ruqian nodded listlessly. "Yeah."

He was about to go to his room to rest.

Jiang Sheng grabbed his sleeve, asking with concern, "What's the matter, Second Brother? Did you run into something unpleasant outside?"

Hearing this, his two younger brothers also gathered around.

"Why does Second Brother look so worried after a trip out?" Wen Zhiyun whispered. "Business didn't go well?"

Zheng Ruqian nodded, then shook his head.

Actually it went quite well, it was just that his inflated ambition had been punctured by reality.

His mouth was bitter, his heart even more so.

"It's nothing major," Zheng Ruqian tried to downplay it. "I just wanted to transport some dishes, but they would rot before reaching their destination. Besides, no one is willing to shuttle cheap meat around."

This was true. The few escort agencies in the Dayu Dynasty would only transport goods worth at least a thousand gold pieces each time.

No one would shuttle worthless meat and vegetables.

But worthlessness was relative in this world.

Jiang Sheng blinked. "How much money could Second Brother earn per cart of dishes? And how long would it take?"

Zheng Ruqian calculated in his heart. "Net profit of two to three taels of silver. Far trips take half a month, nearer ones seven to eight days."

"So one person with one cart could earn two to three taels of silver in half a month," Jiang Sheng counted on her fingers. "But Auntie Zhang can only earn three to five pennies a day embroidering handkerchiefs."

That's fifty to sixty pennies in half a month.

This was the amount an ordinary commoner could earn in half a month.

Zheng Ruqian's eyes lit up, as if he had grasped the crux of the matter.

Jiang Sheng cupped her cheeks, looking forward longingly. "I even wanted to follow Second Brother to deliver dishes. I'd be free anyway, earning two taels of silver with a cart of dishes sounds so tempting."

For a young girl her age, earning two taels of silver in half a month was beyond her wildest dreams. Zheng Ruqian slapped his forehead, seeming to have realized the key point.

For important people, a cart of meat and vegetables was certainly nothing. The net profit of two to three taels was not even enough for a meal.

But for ordinary bosses, earning two taels of silver in half a month was heavenly.

Although the journey was a bit far and arduous, for those who craved money, they could overcome all difficulties.

The most important thing was that there were a lot of such people.

Zheng Ruqian's lifeless eyes instantly became spirited.

He held Jiang Sheng's little face and gave her a kiss. "Little Jiang Sheng, you're so helpful."

Jiang Sheng was puzzled, her little mouth formed an "o" shape, wondering what wind Second Brother was chasing.

Wen Zhiyun and Chang Yan next to her were also a little confused.

But after the confusion came resentment, especially strong in Fourth Brother Wen Zhiyun.

"Last time Jiang Sheng kissed you, now Second Brother kissed Jiang Sheng too. I'm the only one who..." Wen Zhiyun nearly twisted his handkerchief to pieces.

Jiang Sheng came to her senses, and was about to say something to comfort Fourth Brother.

Suddenly the front door swung open.

Fang Heng rushed to the door, panting. "Zhu Zhi confessed."

Jiang Sheng almost jumped up in pleasant surprise. "Really, really? That's so great."

But seeing no joy on Fang Heng's face, she tilted her head in puzzlement again.

"He only admitted to misunderstanding Magistrate Xu, but did not admit to framing and slandering him, let alone targeting us. He...he just wants to escape punishment." Fang Heng was increasingly angry, nearly twisting the door handle off.

In the Dayu Dynasty's laws, misunderstanding at most warranted compensation, while slander warranted imprisonment or beheading.

Zhu Zhi wanted to use this method to avoid punishment. It was very low, but effective.

He could attribute everything to a "misunderstanding." Even if asked about the wrongdoings of the yamen underlings, he could casually brush it off as being "deceived by his subordinates."

This meant that despite Xu Mo's painstaking efforts, even getting his buttocks beaten to a pulp in order to appeal, the case would only exonerate the county magistrate in the end.

The culprit Zhu Zhi could still live freely, even above the law.

"Can't we find more evidence?" Just now Zheng Ruqian's elation was thrown to the clouds. All that remained was dread. "We have offended him so deeply, how can we fare well if he escapes punishment?"

Fang Heng did not speak, but looked to Xu Mo behind him.

Everyone fell silent, thinking about how to find more evidence to nail down Zhu Zhi's crimes.

Perhaps there was one person who could...

"The yamen underling!"