The Fallen Medicine Woman: The Daily Life of Chun Nuan-Chapter 395 - 221_3

The outcome is victory without a fight!

There might even be people opening the city gates to welcome the army into the city.

"The question is, where is this general supposed to get the provisions?"

Breaking promises will only lead to public discontent, which is counterproductive.

This is not something Xia Guangcheng could do.

Zhao Minghua looked at him and smiled.

"It’s about one month until autumn harvest; what the general must do is take Changzhou within this month and allow the people to live in peace..."

That makes a lot of sense!

This young man, although so young, speaks like those old scholars in the court.

Hold out for a month?

With what will he hold out?

Provisions at a fair price?

Not to mention whether the grain merchants will agree, even with a knife to their throats, they might not have that much grain!

Could it be that he has to source provisions from elsewhere?

That would be no small challenge either.

This young man speaks lightly...

Wait, since he can say it, it must mean he has access to provisions!

"You have provisions in hand!"

This isn’t a question, it’s a statement.

"What do you want?"

No merchant rises without profit, everything given means an equivalent exchange, Xia Guangcheng thought this one must have some ambitions.

High official rank and great wealth, if he submits a memorial, it can be sought for him.

"I want to do business in the Capital."

"Become an imperial merchant?"

"Imperial merchant?" Zhao Minghua was stunned for a moment, but found it agreeable.

The agreement between him and Chun Nuan was just like this; all of his industries must have dividends for Nuannuan, so Chun Ning could make money, allowing the Xiao family to have enough wealth to stand with a new identity in the Capital, bringing the Xiao family together in reunion.

"If you can achieve it, I will definitely submit it to the Emperor to commend you. As for becoming an imperial merchant, that will depend on your own capabilities."

Zhao Minghua despised having any connections with merchants, as the reputation of collusion between officials and merchants was not good.

"Agreed."

When you’re famous, will there be no profit?

"You must give me the bottom line, how much grain do you have, and how long can it last?"

"Over a hundred tons, enough till the autumn harvest, is that sufficient?"

Over a hundred tons?

This shocked Xia Guangcheng greatly.

"Isn’t your family running a pharmacy?"

How could they have grain, and in such large quantities.

The rebellion of King Shu has been ongoing for half a year, and grain has always been the most important material, with grain merchants long sensing the atmosphere and refusing to sell at fair prices.

In other words, the hoarded grain in Zhao Minghua’s hand should have been acquired half a year ago.

Why did he stockpile so much grain?

Could he be thinking of changing trades to become a grain merchant?

No, that’s not the point.

The point is, selling the grain at a fair price indicates that the purchase price of his grain was not high.

What allowed him to see the future in advance?

And what allowed him to give up immense wealth for the title of an imperial merchant?

You must know, based on current grain prices, selling his over a hundred tons of grain could already get him a fortune.

"Yes, we run a pharmacy, but there are many ways to save lives. It’s not only about curing illnesses; letting people fill their bellies counts as one too."

"From beginning to end, have you never thought of making huge profits?"

"A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it in proper ways." Zhao Minghua said, "The Zhao family’s motto is to uphold justice under heaven and live up to the earth, telling everyone with a clear conscience: I have wronged no one. Making such profits would compromise my own blessings."

"Then I hope good things happen to good people."

"It must, the best luck I had was meeting Nuannuan and marrying her as my wife."

Xia Guangcheng... inadvertently saw him showing off.

Yes, but what he said was true.

Indeed, coincidentally, Xia Guangcheng also felt the best luck was marrying Chunyu and having Panpan, that good girl.

Yes, because of Xiao Chunyu, he became the brother-in-law in the Xiao family’s eyes, thus Zhao Minghua eagerly stepped in to help him break the impasse.

"What to do next is up to the general, the humble civilian takes his leave."

Before Xia Guangcheng could respond, Zhao Minghua stood up and walked out.

"General...?"

Vice General Hu was unaware of what the young man had said to the general, but the general’s thoughtful appearance suggested something was up.

"Gather several vice generals and the strategists for a meeting."

The meeting’s theme is: How to let the citizens in the city know that after the city is breached, grain prices will instantly return to fair prices?

"General, according to the spies’ reports, the city’s grain storage is insufficient, let alone returning to fair prices, it’s not even enough to feed the army."

Food can be eaten carelessly, but words must not be spoken carelessly.

This could be fatal.

When public anger is stirred up, it would be a great loss.

The credit for breaching the city could also be replaced, wouldn’t that be a loss outweighing the gain?