CHAPTER 114: CHAPTER 108 BARTER

Zhao Ming followed Zhao Song into the house, Zhao Song headed straight to the main hall. Seeing his son still trailing behind him, he couldn’t help but stop and turn around impatiently, "What do you want to say now?"

Lost in thought all the way, Zhao Ming snapped out of it, raised his head, and glanced at his father, "Third Lady is clever."

Zhao Song’s expression eased, "Naturally, she has the demeanor of her grandfather."

"I mean, she actually knows that Liu Yueshi only seized Jinyang," Zhao Ming said, "Of the numerous heads of family in our clan, how many know that Liu Yueshi has reached Jinyang, while Bingzhou is still in the hands of the Xiongnu?"

Zhao Song felt his son was starting his sarcastic remarks again, and the face that had just softened hardened once more, "What do you want to say?"

Seeing his father’s changing expression, Zhao Ming stepped back two paces, maintaining a safe distance before saying, "Father, human heart is unpredictable; if you still reserve your trust for me, you should be even more cautious with outsiders."

Zhao Song pointed at him and cursed, "You’re already old and yet you still get jealous of Third Lady, she’s your niece, aren’t you ashamed? When have I ever kept secrets from you in the family affairs..."

Zhao Ming was once again scolded away by his father.

In less than half a day, the news that Zhao Hanzhang brought back two boxes of glassware spread throughout Wu Castle.

Zhao Hu was the first to come with people, "Third Lady, Third Lady, where’s the glassware you promised me?"

Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were in the study flipping through the books they planned to take this time. Hearing Zhao Hu’s shouting, they couldn’t help but exchange a glance.

Fu Tinghan wasn’t interested in handling the reception, lowered his head and said, "You go deal with it, I’ll continue browsing the books."

"Alright," Zhao Hanzhang handed him the bamboo slips in her hand, "Military texts, there should be two more volumes, find them and pack them."

Once Zhao Hanzhang stepped out, Professor Fu dove back into the books, discovering that the era’s exploration into mathematical science had never ceased, and some of the problems were quite intriguing.

When Zhao Hanzhang reached the front hall, Zhao Hu had already paced two rounds. Upon spotting her, he immediately approached, "Where’s the glassware?"

"Seventh Ancestor, you’re too impatient, the glassware is still piled up in the boxes, not yet organized,"

Zhao Hu puzzled, "Piled?"

"Yes, do you want glass cups or glass bowls?"

"Whatever, show them all to me, word is you brought back a lot of glassware, all left to you by your grandfather?"

Zhao Hanzhang asked someone to bring out several of the best sets of glassware and placed them on the table for him to see, "What does Seventh Ancestor think of the quality?"

After careful examination, Zhao Hu nodded, "Not bad, I’ll take them all. How much do you ask?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "How much does Seventh Ancestor think they’re worth?"

After pondering, Zhao Hu said, "This totals five sets, how about I give you fifty gold coins per set?"

"Seventh Ancestor is indeed generous, but since we are relatives, how could I ask for such a high price?" Zhao Hanzhang said, "You can give me ten gold coins for each set of glassware here."

Zhao Hu looked at her in surprise, "Are you serious?"

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Why would I joke about such a matter with Seventh Ancestor?"

With a face of doubt, Zhao Hu looked at the glassware on the table, he picked them up for further inspection and found no issues.

He hesitated for a moment.

Zhao Hanzhang: "...Seventh Ancestor, do I look like someone who would cheat a relative?"

Zhao Hu: Well, sort of, but he couldn’t say it out loud.

Zhao Hanzhang thought it over and said, "Actually, I do have a request for Seventh Ancestor."

Only then did Zhao Hu feel it was genuine, he sat down at the table, "Speak, what is it?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "I want to exchange two sets of glassware with Seventh Ancestor for goods."

Zhao Hu: "Exchange for what?"

"Food."

Zhao Hu: "Didn’t we just finish the summer harvest? Soon it’ll be the autumn harvest again, do you still need to buy food with so much land?"

For landlords like them, isn’t it always the case that they only sell food, not buy food?

Zhao Hanzhang: "My previous lands were left fallow, now there’s quite a population, the grains from the summer harvest aren’t enough to chew on, so we have to buy from outside, but it’s much more convenient to buy from our clan than outside."

Zhao Hu agreed readily, "Alright, I’ll exchange with you, only two sets, can’t do more."

Zhao Hanzhang looked skeptical, "Seventh Ancestor has so much land and the harvest this year is quite good, why only release food worth twenty gold coins?"

"It’s all because of Zhao Ming, he insists that life outside is difficult and the future uncertain, forbidding us from selling food externally, only allowing sales within the clan, and keeping the rest stored up," Zhao Hu had long been frustrated with Zhao Ming, seized the opportunity to ally, "Taking advantage of his father overseeing clan affairs, behaving as if he were the future Clan Leader."

Zhao Hu lowered his voice, "Third Lady, I know he has plenty of opinions of you, supposedly you and Second Son are the legitimate line, your grandfather was the previous Clan Leader, your uncle is the current Clan Leader, and you and Second Son speak with authority within the clan. Why not have Second Son come out and say a few words?"

Zhao Hanzhang: "...Seventh Ancestor, Second Son is young and ignorant, please don’t put him in a tough spot."

"How would that be tough, I’m considering your interests, if he could refute Zhao Ming, he would gain prestige within the clan in the future."

Silently, Zhao Hanzhang sympathized with Zhao Ming; pitiful indeed, having Zhao Hu as a clan member in these turbulent times barely surviving, and most importantly, couldn’t just toss him out.

Zhao Hanzhang pushed four sets of glass cups over to Zhao Hu, "Seventh Ancestor, if you want to sell grain for money, why not trade directly with me, I’m part of the clan, and my uncle shouldn’t stop you from selling grain to me. Taking the glass cups, then reselling them, though roundabout, achieves the goal."

Zhao Hu realized it too, but forty gold coins worth of grain wasn’t insignificant, considering current grain prices, it could buy...

He calculated secretly, counting on his fingers, "Grain prices outside are rising, I won’t ask much of you, would one stone of wheat for 100 cents be fair? Then forty gold coins would be..."

Oh dear, should have brought the accountant along; he most detested barter, especially exchanging precious items for cheaper ones, so hard to calculate.

Hungry, Fu Tinghan came over, overhearing and said, "Four thousand stones."

Zhao Hu: "That much?"

He looked at the four sets of glass cups on the table, hesitated for a moment, nearly the entire harvest from this summer.

Though he didn’t really need more grain, the leftover was still substantial, yet...

Zhao Hanzhang seemed to note his hesitation and said, "I can take half old grain and half new grain, but Seventh Ancestor must give me a bit more old grain."

Zhao Hu’s brows relaxed, "Give you an extra hundred stones?"

Zhao Hanzhang agreed immediately, "Deal."

Zhao Hu then had someone pack up the four sets of glass cups. When about to leave, he finally remembered to ask, "Where did you get so many glass cups?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him slightly, "Seventh Ancestor will know soon enough. Return home and have them prepare the grain; soon, we’ll need to rely on your family’s help to go to Shangcai and deliver the grain."

Zhao Hu waved his hand indicating he understood.

Fu Tinghan walked up to her side, together they watched Zhao Hu depart, "Will Zhao Ming be very angry?"

Zhao Hu’s family’s grain yield ranked one of the top five in Wu Castle; she just took away a year’s summer harvest from them.