Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C234. Sourcing Goods.

Chapter 234: Sourcing Goods

As the saying goes, "Those who live by the mountains eat the mountains; those who live by the water eat the water." Qiuyang was a place where water transportation was far more developed than land travel, as evidenced by the constant flow of people coming and going from the small docks. It was clear that the locals were accustomed to traveling by boat.

Hua Zhi first visited several passenger docks before turning her attention to the cargo docks. The cargo dock was filled with a pungent, unpleasant smell—a mix of various odors, with the stench of fish being the most prominent. It took Hua Zhi a while to acclimate to the smell before she stepped forward, heading straight towards the source of the strongest odor.

She stood at a distance, observing. At that moment, five ships were being unloaded at the dock. The air was filled with shouts, scolding, laughter, and flattery. This small world was a microcosm of life itself.

After a while, Hua Zhi walked towards one of the ships. Buckets of fish were being lifted from the ship and loaded onto waiting carts. The workers and supervisors were all smiling and their voices were hearty.

Hua Zhi approached a large bucket that had just been unloaded, examining the fresh green grouper inside. "Young miss, would you like to buy some? We don't sell individually." A man in a short-sleeved outfit approached. His face was tanned and weathered, suggesting he was a seasoned sailor.

Guessing his occupation, Hua Zhi said crisply, "I'd like to take a look. They seem very fresh."

"Of course, these fish were caught early this morning and transported here without delay. We can't sell stale fish here." The man's Mandarin was not very standard, and his words were difficult to understand, but he seemed aware of his shortcomings and spoke slowly.

Hua Zhi nodded slightly. In this line of work, maintaining quality was essential to success. Looking at the fish in the bucket, which were still moving, Hua Zhi's mind raced. Based on the time it took to transport the fish, they had been out of the water for about four hours. It was remarkable that the fish were still alive after so long.

"Is this seawater in the bucket?" she asked.

"Yes, it's seawater." It was common knowledge that fish from the sea needed to be kept in seawater. The man inwardly scoffed at the beautiful young lady's obvious question but maintained a respectful demeanor on the surface.

Hua Zhi's worries eased a little. She would simply have her people load some seawater up north; a smaller quantity would suffice. If necessary, they could make more trips. She needed to be prepared for any eventuality. Yan Xi's ice-making business had great potential here. She could have some ice loaded onto the ships as well, so that any fish that died along the way wouldn't be a total loss.

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Hua Zhi began to make conversation, "May I ask your name?"

"My surname is Chen, Chen Er. I'm a small manager at An Tai Fishery," Chen Er was very perceptive. He could tell that Hua Zhi was either rich or noble, and she didn't seem to be here to cause trouble. It was quite possible that they could make a deal. If he could secure this business, he would certainly receive a generous reward this month. With this in mind, his attitude became even more enthusiastic.

"Miss, perhaps we should find a quieter place to talk," Ba Xia suggested softly.

The smell was indeed unpleasant. Hua Zhi looked at Chen Er, who nodded and bowed, "Please wait a moment, I'll arrange something."

Chen Er quickly summoned a worker to take care of the goods and gave a few more instructions before hurrying over. He led the group out of the dock, gesturing for them to follow. He didn't want to attract the attention of his competitors, nor did he want to take them to any conspicuous teahouses. Instead, he spent a considerable amount of money to take them to a teahouse and requested a private room. This was quite extravagant for the style of business owner, and Chen Er felt a pang of regret while also feeling a sense of satisfaction.

After ordering a few types of tea and snacks, Chen Er swallowed hard, feeling the pinch of the expense.

Hua Zhi found his behavior rather amusing and endearing. She preferred doing business with people who weren't too stingy.

"How far is An Tai Fishery from here? And how large is it?"

Chen Er perked up and answered with great care, "By boat, it takes about four hours to get from our fishery to here. If the wind is favorable, it could be as little as three and a half hours. If you travel by land, it would take longer. Our fishery is of medium size."

Pausing for a moment, Chen Er continued, "While we're considered mid-to-high end, we can handle general trades as well. Our goods are always fresh, and we would never do anything to betray our customers' trust."

He was quite honest. Hua Zhi felt a sense of satisfaction that her judgment of people hadn't faltered. While she'd been observing, she wasn't just looking at the business's prosperity; she was paying attention to the employees' attitudes and various details. Those who came to collect goods would take them away with just a glance, showing a high level of trust. This was in stark contrast to the nearby shops, where customers would carefully examine the goods for quite a while to ensure their quality. This comparison was enough to illustrate the point. In business, trust is the most precious commodity.

Motioning for Bao Xia to hand over the drawings, Chen Er wiped his hands on his clothes before carefully taking them. After flipping through them, he looked up and said, "We have all of these at our fish market."

"What about some of the rarer items?"

Knowing that this deal was promising, Chen Er replied more cautiously, "I'm not sure what the customer considers rare. But whatever other shops can get, we can get too. Sometimes, we come across some rare items that are hard to find on the market. However, those are usually reserved for long-term customers and might not be easy to obtain."

Hua Zhi nodded slightly and inquired about a few more things. Once she had a good understanding of the situation, she said, "I'll need to consider this for two days. If I'm interested in your fish market, I'll come to the dock to find you at this same time the day after tomorrow. We can go to the fish market together."

Chen Er understood that a deal couldn't be made so quickly. He didn't show any disappointment. With this assurance, he knew there was hope. He quickly nodded and said, "I'll be waiting for your good news."

Hua Zhi smiled and rose to leave. Bao Xia quickly followed, carrying a red envelope.

Chen Er saw them out before turning back to pick up the red envelope. Upon opening it, he found several pieces of silver, totaling about four or five taels. His heart leaped with joy. Regardless of whether the deal went through, he hadn’t lost anything today.

After packing up the untouched pastries, Chen Er went to settle the bill only to find that it had already been paid. Clenching the silver tightly, his heart raced. Such a generous customer, if the deal could be finalized, he would surely be handsomely rewarded. Reflecting on his words and actions today, Chen Er concluded that even if he had to do it all over again, he couldn’t have done better. Two days, he hoped they would pass in a blink.

Before getting into the carriage, Hua Zhi gestured for Xu Ying to come forward. "Did you remember everything Chen Er said?"

Xu Ying jolted. "Yes, I remember it all."

"You stay here and go and contact other shops to see what the situation is."

"Yes."

Xu Ying had just taken a few steps when he was called back.

Hua Zhi looked at the Sixth Prince who was glancing around. "Little Six, did Bai Lin ever tell you that they had an assignment to figure out the prices of all kinds of goods in the capital?"

"Yes, Bai Lin mentioned it."

"Then, during this stay, you should figure out the prices of things in this small place." Hua Zhi looked at the busy wharf. "Start by negotiating the source of goods. Xu Ying, keep an eye on him."

"Yes."

"This isn't the capital, and we can only rely on these few people. You must always prioritize your safety."

The Sixth Prince's heart warmed, and he responded meekly, "Yes."

"Go."

———TN:
Our little Prince is going to learn how to know your people.