Running with the ball in the lean years, the evil mother-in-law and the whole family regretted it

Chapter 70: Stocking up on food and cotton (Part )

"My wife is about to give birth. If you have any questions, please leave it to Uncle Yan to handle."

Aunt Jin naturally knew what Bai Taotao was doing in the county, but she was more worried about the child in her wife's belly.

"It's okay. The baby won't land yet tomorrow. Just go slower on the road. It's not a big problem."

"Actually, I believe the higher-ups should be aware of these things that I have heard about. Maybe they have already issued the documents, so there is no need for me to trouble myself anymore."

"Whether or not there is a document from above does not matter whether we say it or not. If there is a document from above, we will just go shopping. If not, it is also good to take precautions in advance."

"Then it's the same as leaving it to Uncle Yan."

"It's okay. I haven't gone anywhere during this period. I'm tired of staying at home. It's okay to go out for a walk before giving birth. Otherwise, it will be more than a month before I go back to the city."

"Okay, then let me go out with my wife tomorrow."

"Take these two orders and give them to Aunt Tan."

***
Early the next morning, Baitaotao went to Baitang County accompanied by Aunt Jin.

After handing over the goods, the two of them walked to the county government office.

Shen Zheng, who had just returned from court after hearing the case, heard that someone came to report that the Chen family's wife wanted to see her. He didn't even have time to change into his official uniform and walked to the living room.

When Bai Taotao saw Master Shen coming in official uniform, she immediately knelt down with the help of Aunt Jin.

"A civilian woman has met Mr. Shen."

Seeing Bai Taotao kneeling down with a big belly, Shen Zheng remembered that he had not changed into his official uniform, and quickly raised his hand to signal: "Madam Chen, please get up quickly. I heard you were coming just after I left the hall, and I forgot about it for a moment. I changed my official uniform."

After getting up, Bai Taotao shook her head: "It's okay."

"Is Mrs. Chen going to give birth soon?" Shen Zheng asked with concern.

Bai Taotao nodded and replied: "Yes, it should be within the next few days."

"Is there anything important about Mrs. Chen's visit with her big belly?"

"Yesterday, I heard from a businessman in the north that the weather in the north is extremely cold this year. It has already started snowing in early October. If we wait until November and December, it will only be colder. The climate Lower. So I’m worried that the climate over there will affect us here in the south.”

"Mrs. Chen is worried that it will be colder here this year?"

"Yes. If it really has an impact, most people here don't make quilts for the winter. I'm worried that if everyone doesn't have clothes and quilts to keep out the cold, this winter will be difficult. Another thing is the situation here this year. , it’s already the beginning of winter and not a drop of rain has fallen. Now I’ve heard about the cooling in the north. The folks have just finished their autumn harvest and are planning to sell their grain for cash, so I’m wondering if I can persuade everyone to start. Don’t be in a hurry to sell all the grain, at least wait until you get through this winter and see what happens next spring.”

After hearing Bai Taotao's words, Shen Zheng fell into deep thought. After all, the two things she said were not trivial matters. Even if he agreed with her statement, it would be difficult for the people to deal with it.

There is basically no need to think about persuading people to buy cotton. Unless the weather gets really cold and quilts are really needed for the winter, people are afraid and are reluctant to buy some cotton to make a quilt and the whole family squeezes together to carry it.

It’s hard to say how to stock up on food. After all, people are waiting to sell the food after the autumn harvest before they can have money in their hands.

The whole year depends on the autumn harvest.

Seeing Master Shen's hesitation, Bai Taotao said again: "I know these two things are difficult to handle, but if a disaster really comes and we don't have anything to offer, won't the common people have no choice but to wait to die? You can turn the food into cash anytime you have it, but if there is no food, money may not be able to save lives when disaster strikes, but food definitely can."

Shen Zheng naturally agreed with these words. He had been an official for many years and had experienced several disasters, large and small. He naturally knew the importance of food in disasters. After thinking for a while, Shen Zheng finally spoke slowly: "Okay, Mrs. Chen's two suggestions will make me think of ways to persuade the people."

Hearing this, Bai Taotao nodded. Now that Mr. Shen has talked about this, whether the rest can be done or not is a matter for his parents and officials in the county.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, Bai Taotao suddenly stopped again, and then said: "If in the process of persuading the people, some people who are in difficulty insist on handing over their grain and waiting for money, can you please ask Mr. Shen to cross the bridge?" The woman wants to buy the grain from their hands."

After he finished speaking, he added: "According to the market price."

If the original owner's memory is correct, the grain should be one hundred and fifty taels per hundred jin. When she completes the peanut transaction with Qu and Yang, the two businessmen, she will get more than 2,000 taels. She originally had three thousand taels. , but some merchants paid their bills with cotton, so they only had more than two thousand taels.

With this money, she had a source of money to purchase grain.

And she can guarantee that other caravans will come to order peanuts one after another.

So even if she uses money from gray income, others will not know.

She doesn't suffer any loss when buying grain, and when she sells it later, she can still make a fortune.

In addition, she currently has a warehouse on the site. If it is not enough, she can just build a few large warehouses temporarily after the barren hilltop is cleared.

If that doesn't work, just sneak it into the storage space.

Shen Zheng saw Bai Taotao's intention and naturally did not refuse. It was better for the grain to be gathered in her hands than to be scattered among various grain merchants.

"Sure, leave this matter to me."

Seeing Shen Zheng's generous response, Bai Taotao bowed her knees and left the county government office.

After Bai Taotao left, Shen Zheng immediately called for officials and sent letters to various towns and villages, conveying the two suggestions that Bai Taotao had just made.

As for whether to listen or not, it all depends on the people themselves.

Although he is a county official, he cannot threaten the people with a knife.

The official messenger delivered the letter faster than Bai Taotao and the others. As soon as Bai Taotao and the others' ox cart was halfway home, the official servant rode a horse and galloped towards them.

Seeing that the person who just passed by was an official, Bai Taotao, who was thrown behind, raised his hand to fan the dust in the air, and then said: "I didn't expect that Mr. Shen can do things very fast."

"It's natural. Otherwise, after the villagers have paid the grain tax in the past two days, the rest will be waiting to sell the grain. He can't wait for the villagers to sell the grain before he comes to deliver the news," said Aunt Jin. He drove the bullock cart calmly and answered Bai Taotao's words.

Bai Taotao nodded: "That's true. But Mr. Shen is indeed a good official. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to listen to the suggestions of ordinary people like us."

"Indeed. Madam, should we go back to the village directly now or go to Hetang Village to deliver medicine first?"

Bai Taotao thought for a while and replied: "Let's just go back to the village first. I can leave the medicine delivery to Uncle Yan later. If I go there now, I might have to be punished."

Hearing this, Aunt Jin smiled and said, "Isn't the old lady doing this for your own good, my wife? It's not because she's worried about you."

"So, I'd better be good and don't go there to be scolded and go home."

(End of this chapter)