Dare to give it a try?

Yang Xiu had already dared to run away from home, so why wouldn’t he dare to give it a try?

However, he couldn’t help but feel that there was a sense of karma at play.

Last time, he was the one who initiated a challenge against Qiao Yan on the street.

Now, it was Qiao Yan who presented him with a test.

Comparing this with the previous incident, it was Qiao Yan who gained immense fame due to the extraordinary evaluation he received from Xu Shao.

Now—

Now it was Yang Xiu’s turn to showcase his abilities by successfully passing the test of Qiao Yan, wasn’t it?

If he could complete the task of procuring corn, he would undoubtedly have made a contribution under Qiao Yan’s command, giving him a legitimate reason to stay here!

With this thought, Yang Xiu made up his mind immediately: “Why wouldn’t I dare? I will certainly handle this task beautifully for Lady Qiao.”

It had been a hard journey for him to get here.

If he were sent back to Luoyang right after arriving in Taiyuan without even reaching Le Ping, he would surely be laughed at by his friends in Luoyang City.

Moreover, he had come here with the intention of reversing the negative impression that might have been caused by their previous duel, and he didn’t want to end up with nothing to show for it.

However, his decision wasn’t made solely out of hot-bloodedness.

He had given it some thought.

After considering what Qiao Yan had said about the gold and the procurement of corn,

Yang Xiu asked, “May I ask, Lady Qiao, is the purchase of these ten thousand bushels of corn solely for this quantity, or do we need to ensure that no one knows this batch of grain is being transported to Le Ping?”

Although Yang Xiu had not personally experienced the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he knew that at least when they left Luoyang, the chaos in various regions was still being gradually suppressed not yet fully stabilized.

Moreover, he had heard the conversation between Qiao Yan and Bao Hong in the carriage, understanding that the nearby area was not entirely safe.

Given the situation, if such a large amount of grain were to be known and sent to Leping, it would likely attract bandits and robbers the next day.

Yang Xiu clearly understood Qiao Yan’s underlying concern.

“It would be best if we could ensure that no one knows the grain is being sent to Le Ping,” Qiao Yan replied.

“Very well!” Yang Xiu said, “I accept this challenge, but I need two forms of assistance from you, Lady Qiao.”

He did not directly demand the gold or say he would execute his plan immediately, which made Qiao Yan quite satisfied.

“Let’s hear it,” Qiao Yan said.

“First, given my young age, if I were to go and negotiate this deal on my own, it would likely result in others looking down on me.

They might even see me as a child carrying gold through the market, an easy target.

Therefore, I need a few men from both you, Lady Qiao, and Captain Bao.”

Qiao Yan nodded and replied, “Sure, I can lend you Dian Wei, and I’ll ask General Bao to provide you with some men as well.”

Although Yang Xiu had never witnessed Dian Wei’s abilities firsthand, Dian Wei’s physique and imposing presence had left a deep impression on him when they met on the streets of Luoyang.

Having such an ally would undoubtedly be beneficial to his plans.

Feeling pleased, Yang Xiu continued, “The second thing is that when we pass through Zhiguan, I might need to freshen up properly.”

As he spoke, his face twisted into a wry smile.

As expected, the soldiers around them burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Yang Xiu had been pampered since birth, always enjoying a life of luxury.

He had never been in such a disheveled state before.

Fortunately, he had been discovered early and had only been in the wagon for less than three days.

He even managed to sneak out for a bit during the night while the driver slept.

Otherwise, he might have looked even worse than he did now.

Even so, he felt as if his whole body had absorbed the scent of the coffins and spices carried in the wagon.

The consecutive nights of poor sleep had also taken a toll on his spirit.

If he were to negotiate in this state, he feared he would be underestimated and might even misspeak.

Therefore, it was essential to rest and tidy himself up to look presentable.

Others might laugh, but Qiao Yan couldn’t afford to laugh at Yang Xiu’s behavior at this moment.

She calmly replied, “After we pass through the Zhiguan Pass, the team will need to take a short rest. Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have forgotten.”

Yang Xiu breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. When we reach Taiyuan, I will handle this deal for you, Lady Qiao.”

His relief was not only because he could stay with the group, but also because he could now openly follow the team’s movements.

He turned and respectfully bowed deeply towards Qiao Xuan’s wagon to express his apologies, then took a seat beside the driver.

The others watched as he sat there, holding his repacked bundle, leaning against the carriage, looking somewhat lost in thought.

It was clear he was pondering how to procure the corn at a relatively low price.

Cheng Li glanced at him, then asked Qiao Yan, “Why do you think this child can accomplish this task, Lady Qiao?”

Qiao Yan replied, “Yang Xiu has been praised by Xu Shao as a person with a quick wit, and he indeed has some cleverness.”

Cheng Li found the situation quite amusing.

When Qiao Yan mentioned Yang Xiu’s quick wit, she didn’t seem to be speaking in the tone one would use to describe a peer.

Instead, it was as if she were evaluating him from the perspective of an elder.

It was as if she were evaluating a subordinate rather than speaking to a peer.

In reality, there was only a one-year age difference between the two.

Such things were easy to get used to after seeing them a few times.

He had witnessed her instructing Xu Fu before.

Now was clearly not the time to dwell on such matters.

He asked again, “So, if Lady Qiao were to handle this matter herself, how would you lower the price of the corn to achieve a more satisfactory outcome?”

Qiao Yan smiled, “Are you testing me now, Mr. Zhongde, just as I’m testing Yang Xiu?”

….

She had just arrived in Bingzhou and needed to start off on the right foot.

In this world, higher-ups often set examples for those below them.

She couldn’t afford to start with a reputation for exploiting loopholes.

She thought for a moment, ” People don’t have much grains in them, They don’t have something to eat. In that case, it would be best to solve this problem from the source of corn.”

If we were to buy rice sporadically from local farmers, perhaps the price would be lower, but Qiao Yan had gold with her, not copper coins.

Converting it would require a process, not to mention the labor and time costs involved in the process of receiving the goods.

This would also be equivalent to competing with some locals for business, undoubtedly offending some people.

If money were spent on the front line but also caused other troubles, it would be somewhat unsightly.

Cheng Li clearly also agreed with her idea and asked, “In the opinion of Lady Qiao, where should we look for a source?”

Qiao Yan looked at his expression and said, “I think Mr. Zhong De already has an answer.”

The two almost simultaneously, in this exchange of glances, gestured with their mouths to form a word.

This silent answer was—

Wine.—

Yang Xiu also felt the same way.

If it were a rice shop, even with a large quantity purchase, bargaining would still be limited.

But what if we changed our perspective? Instead of a rice shop, what about a liquor shop?

Yang Xiu’s understanding of wine was not too little either.

The trend of fine wines during the Wei and Jin dynasties had already shown some signs towards the end of the Han Dynasty.

Last year’s poor harvest even led to high prices for wine in Luoyang city, which Yang Xiu had witnessed.

For ordinary people, fine wines were considered excellent, but with his family background, he could certainly afford them.

Moreover, with his rich reading since childhood, he still remembered.

He recalled something he had read in the Records of the Grand Historian, specifically in the section on food and goods, which stated, “Two bushels of rice or one bushel of wheat can produce six and two-thirds bushels of wine.”

Using rice and wheat to make wine would yield more than twice the return.

Coupled with the fact that wine prices were higher than rice prices, the huge profits in the brewing industry were easy to understand.

Yang Xiu had heard some things from his grandfather, such as during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu,

Because of the excessive profits in this industry, the suggestion of “regulated alcohol sales” was implemented under the advice of the Grand Minister Sang Hongyang,

Just like the salt and iron industry, alcohol was also monopolized.

However, because this matter involved too many interests of the upper class, it was abolished after only seventeen years.

But despite its abolition, taxes levied on the alcohol industry were clearly defined thereafter.

In such a situation, to ensure that the brewing industry could still maintain sufficient profits, efforts naturally had to be made in controlling the prices of the raw materials used.

So, just as Qiao Yan had thought, what Yang Xiu was aiming for was to utilize others’ procurement channels.

If feasible, directly purchasing grain stocks from distilleries might also be a solution.

But how to convince the other party to sell?

This was the question Yang Xiu pondered on the carriage.

This kind of practical social problem, or rather, the issue at the level of negotiation, is undoubtedly a bit challenging.

Qiao Yan heard Yang Xiu muttering the word “wine” and could probably guess his train of thought and where he was struggling. “I suppose his thinking is sound, but…”

“He lacks bargaining chips to negotiate terms with the other party,” Lu Yuan interjected. “He probably doesn’t want to use his identity as a member of the prominent Yang family of Hongnong to achieve this goal, but in that case, given the merchants’ focus on profits, they won’t make it easy for him.”

“That’s the point. As for bargaining chips,” Qiao Yan pondered on the texts she had previously read, “perhaps I have one.”