0104【Inexplicable Conflict】(2/2)
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"Ahead is Baishitou!" Zhang Guangdao said, pointing to the other side of the river ahead.
The terrain here is obviously much flatter, the area of arable farmland has greatly increased, and the population has become denser.
Baishitou is a market town. Today happens to be market day, and the noise of the market can be heard from a long distance.
There is a ferry near the market town, and a wooden boat is parked on the shore.
The five of them stood at the ferry and waited for about half an hour before the boatman slowly brought the guests to the shore.
This ferry is neither big nor small. It can accommodate twenty or thirty people when it is fully loaded, but if there are so many people, it will probably capsize.
Passengers were disembarking one after another, only a few here and there, all carrying goods bought from the market.
Ju Ming looked a little embarrassed: "I don't have a penny on me."
Zhang Guangdao smiled generously and said, "I'll pay for the boat."
The thin horse actually followed him onto the boat, and the boatman quickly shouted: "You have to pay for the animals!"
"You are indispensable." Zhang Guangdao said.
The boatman recognized Zhang Orion and immediately laughed: "No need, no need."
The ferry slowly sailed to the other side. Before disembarking, Zhang Guangdao said, "Write it down in my account."
"Good go!"
The boatman didn't say much, but enthusiastically sent them off.
Baishitou is not big, just a street along the river, with shops on both sides of the street.
In front of the store, there are some fixed stalls where you can set up stalls to sell things, but you need to pay a stall fee.
Many farmers selling local goods choose to trade outside the market or sell their goods along the street.
Not far after getting off the boat, before reaching the market, Ju Ming saw a river shrimp seller.
Zhu Ming wanted to inquire about the prices, so he stepped forward and asked, "How do you sell these shrimps?"
The shrimp seller was an old farmer. Due to his accent, I didn't understand much, but he could guess that Ju Ming was asking about the price. He immediately grinned and said, "This is all I have left. You can take the four cents."
Zhu Guoxiang was very surprised because there was about a pound of shrimps there.
"Are things so cheap in the Northern Song Dynasty?" Zhu Guoxiang whispered.
Zhu Ming said: "I'm afraid it's because the purchasing power of copper coins is high."
Zhu Guoxiang said to the old shrimp seller: "Let's take a look."
The old farmer thought they were too expensive, so he quickly shouted: "Three cents, take away the three cents, there really can't be any less!"
The father and son just pretended not to hear and sped away from the shrimp stall.
Three pennies per pound of shrimp somewhat subverted Ju Ming's understanding of commodity prices in the Song Dynasty.
Zhang Guangdao took the fine deer skin into a shop on the street and patted the deer skin directly on the counter.
The shopkeeper looked carefully, pointed at something and said: "This place is broken."
Zhang Guangdao frowned and said: "I know it's broken, the hole made by the arrow. Please give me a fair price. I, Zhang Wu, have no grudges against Lao Bai. Do you, the shopkeeper, still want to lower my price?"
The shopkeeper thought about it seriously: "Sixty-five cents, no more. If anyone else comes to sell the leather, they will definitely not pay this price. Only Brother Zhang Wu has this kind of face."
Zhang Guangdao didn't waste any words, took the money and left directly.
Zhu Ming, Zhu Guoxiang and his son followed Zhang Guangdao to buy salt.
The price of salt in mountainous areas is quite expensive, with a pound of salt costing 20 Wen. But in a place with convenient transportation, a pound of salt costing 10 Wen is prohibitive.
What, you said to buy private salt?
Sorry, this store sells private salt.
Because legal salt shops can only be found at county-level markets at least, and salt shops outside county towns all sell private salt.
Zhang Guangdao's deer skin could only be exchanged for a few kilograms of private salt.
However, Zhang Guangdao seemed to have no shortage of money and bought a full twenty kilograms this time.
Ju Ming passed by a stall selling brooms: "How much does one cost?"
The stall owner said: "Five articles."
Five cents is considered a rip-off, and at the price given to outsiders, a broom can be sold for three cents at most.
Zhu Ming went to ask the meat seller, and then the chicken seller. The father and son walked along the street to inquire about the prices, and finally got a clearer understanding.
Finally, Zhu Ming asked Zhang Guangdao in a low voice: "Is there any wealthy family nearby? I want to sell that Hu pen."
(Thanks to ebitdad, Iron Blood Banner Captain, Cry Madman, Gu Jianshan and all the brothers for their rewards and votes.)
Chapter completed!