Chapter 7: Imported Rice

Xu Shuisheng was outside handling the fish he caught, while Zhu Wanrou was cooking in the house, and Xu Qianxing was tending to the fire.

The pot was filled with sweet corn porridge, emitting a comforting aroma that soothed everyone’s spirits.

A few days ago, they were forced into the thatched cottage, with nothing but bare walls, and Zhu Wanrou had thought their family was doomed.

But now, seeing her capable husband outside and her obedient, understanding children inside, she realized that as long as the family stayed together, even though they were poor, they could work hard and eventually make it through.

“Mom, that…”

Xu Qianxing, with his not-so-sharp mind, was struggling to decide whether to talk about what happened at the dock earlier today.

“What’s wrong, Ah Xing?”

“Ah!”

A shrill scream suddenly interrupted their conversation.

Both of them were startled, and they were shocked to discover that the scream came from the foreign boy.

Meanwhile, the “obedient” Xu Sinan was holding the boy’s arm and shaking him vigorously.

Xu Qianxing quickly rushed over. “What’s wrong with my sister?”

He thought the two might have had a conflict, and his sister might have been bullied.

However, he noticed that Xu Sinan’s eyes were sparkling, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she was speaking excitedly and incoherently, seeming extremely exhilarated.

She suddenly released Dechan and turned to shake Xu Qianxing. “Brother, I’m so happy!”

Xu Qianxing, confused, followed her lead and smiled foolishly, happy because his sister was happy.

“What happened?” Zhu Wanrou asked, puzzled, but she couldn’t ask the foreigner.

“Mom, Siam has a lot of grain!”

Xu Sinan turned around, pulling Zhu Wanrou along, and excitedly said.

Just now, from Dechan, she had learned that Siam produces high-quality rice, particularly fragrant long-grain rice.

The most important thing was that there was an annual bumper harvest, and the price was extremely low—less than one-twentieth of the regular grain price in the Dazheng Dynasty!

“That’s great,” Zhu Wanrou said, comforting her daughter. The people of Siam were fortunate, and her daughter was kind, so she was happy for them.

Unlike them, who had suffered droughts for two consecutive years, with no harvest from the fields.

She had heard that in the western province of Liangzhou, there were starving refugees who had resorted to robbing official grain, clashing with the officials, resulting in heavy casualties.

In Jizhou, the price of grain had soared, with prices rising several times a day in the county.

After hearing this, Xu Qianxing, still confused, furrowed his brows and asked, “What does that have to do with us?”

He didn’t understand. Even if Siam had more rice, he couldn’t eat a single grain of it.

“We can import it!” Xu Sinan said with a beaming smile.

“What?”

Zhu Wanrou and Xu Qianxing exchanged puzzled glances. Just a moment ago, they couldn’t understand Xu Sinan speaking foreign languages, and now they couldn’t understand Dazheng dialect either.

“Well…” Xu Sinan smiled awkwardly. She had gotten so excited that she misspoke, but since it was just her family, it wasn’t too bad.

“What I mean is, we can go to Siam and buy rice.”

The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. Importing rice from Siam would not only solve the grain problem in their village, but also in the entire county. Plus, they could make a huge profit!

Selling it at regular prices would bring a 20-fold difference in profits! Where could they find such an opportunity?

Xu Qianxing and Zhu Wanrou were once again stunned, unable to speak.

“Is there something wrong?” Xu Sinan asked, puzzled.

Xu Qianxing responded, “Sister, how are we supposed to get to Siam?”

“By boat, of course!”

Xu Sinan had noticed various fishing boats in the village and had seen larger ships in her memories of the original owner, mistakenly thinking that Dazheng’s shipbuilding industry was already highly developed and that sea transportation would be no problem.

“The merchants from the former capital went a few times, but after the wars, they couldn’t go anymore,” Zhu Wanrou said, shaking her head. Although her daughter was so happy, she didn’t want to disappoint her, but the idea was too absurd.

“Also, Dechan’s ship sank, which shows how dangerous the journey is. One wrong move, and we might not make it back,” she added.

She didn’t mention that her own father-in-law had perished in a similar way.

“Is that so?”

Xu Sinan was doused with a bucket of cold water, and instantly became calm.

She had been too excited earlier, thinking she had found a good way to prosper and help others.

However, long-distance trade had been forced to stop for more than ten years due to war, and restoring it would not be easy.

Moreover, ancient maritime technology was far less advanced than modern methods, and the journey posed high risks.

She clenched her fists silently, unwilling to give up just yet.

Since merchants from the previous dynasty had successfully sailed to Siam, like her grandfather, it must be feasible.

If others could do it, so could she.

“Brother, let’s go to the county tomorrow!”

Xu Qianxing was momentarily stunned but quickly smiled and agreed. As long as his sister wanted to go, it didn’t matter what they were going to do.

In Qinghe County, a group of people drew much attention on the streets, with everyone frequently glancing over and whispering among themselves.

Young girls, in particular, would timidly steal a glance, while bolder ones stared with shining eyes.

The most noticeable person in the group was a young man in the center.

He sat upright on a fine horse, his posture straight and dignified, his face fair and delicate, with an air of refinement. One could tell he was a son of a noble family at a glance.

His expression remained calm, his gaze straight ahead, seemingly indifferent to or used to the public’s attention.

“Cough, cough.”

A coughing sound came from the carriage behind.

The young man’s indifferent expression faded, and he stopped the horse, riding up to the carriage to inquire with concern, “Is the sir alright?”

“I’m fine. Let’s find an inn and rest for a while.”

“Yes, sir,” Pei Zheng answered respectfully.

The caravan stopped in front of the largest inn in the county, and after arranging the luggage and servants, Pei Zheng accompanied Cheng Yuanhui to a restaurant.

“Student, you should have ordered the meal and brought it to the sir’s room. Why should you come out? What if you catch the wind?”

Pei Zheng furrowed his beautiful brows, concerned. The sir had not been well, and after the long journey from the capital to Qinghe County, his health had worsened.

Cheng Yuanhui, in his forties, had a remarkable appearance and graceful demeanor, fitting the image of a distinguished middle-aged man.

Although a little thin, his face still exuded elegance and poise.

He waved his hand, “I’m not a fragile old man, why can’t I endure a little wind?”

Cheng Yuanhui looked fondly at his proud student. “I’m glad you could accompany me.”

“You’re doing what a student should do.”

Pei Zheng recalled their last separation in the capital in his previous life, not knowing that it would be a permanent goodbye.

The following year, the renowned Confucian master, a senior official in two dynasties, and the emperor’s tutor, Cheng Yuanhui, passed away in Qinghe County, and all the scholars and students of the nation mourned his loss.

Even the emperor composed an elegy in his honor.

Pei Zheng, who shared a deep bond with his teacher—both as a mentor and a friend—was devastated, insisting on observing the mourning period according to his parents’ wishes.

A month ago, he woke up with the memories of his previous life and immediately set out to escort his teacher, despite the hardships.

“Next spring’s imperial examination cannot be delayed. We should return to the capital tomorrow to review,” Pei Zheng said.

“I want to make sure you are settled first.”

“I’m already at this age; can’t I take care of myself?” Cheng Yuanhui replied, his voice thick with emotion.

Pei Zheng quickly moved to pat his back, reassuring him, “Please don’t worry, sir. I’ll return tomorrow.”

After a while, Cheng Yuanhui finally calmed down and said, “Also, Pei Zheng, stop spending all your time thinking about making money. Focus on your studies.”

This student was intelligent, steady, and capable, and he had high expectations for him.

But there was one problem: Pei Zheng was particularly fond of making money. Whenever he had free time, he would be busy with business, constantly moving goods around in merchant halls.

Just thinking about it gave Cheng Yuanhui a headache. How could someone from such a prestigious family, who had been raised in luxury, be so obsessed with wealth?