sinovels Chapter 597: How to Make Her Drink the Penalty Wine
Chapter 597: How to Make Her Drink the Penalty Wine
The Zheng Family was unwilling to let the high-priced coal stocks they had amassed be wasted.
After much deliberation, Old Master Zheng decided to seek reconciliation with Tong Huaqiong.
The so-called reconciliation wasn’t about losing face and surrendering, but hoping to unite with Tong Huaqiong to control the coal prices at a reasonable rate.
Both parties could take advantage of the cold weather to make a fortune.
For example, two taels of silver per load.
This price is acceptable to half of Pingchuan’s population. In business, it’s impossible to cater to everyone; if half can afford it, that’s enough.
As for the other half’s fate, that’s beyond Old Master Zheng’s concern.
He’s not their father; their survival is none of his business.
Right up to the coffin’s side, Old Master Zheng believed Tong Huaqiong set the coal price at thirty-five wen per load to compete with the Zheng Family, especially since the Zheng Family had once schemed against Gu Jingzhe and Xu Zaohua nearly set up Tong Huaqiong over pesticides.
He just felt Tong Huaqiong was retaliating against the Zheng Family with this bad strategy.
He couldn’t believe that as a businessperson, Tong Huaqiong would squander such a great opportunity for profit, and instead let hatred blind her.
A widow’s short-sightedness, setting such a low price initially, made it impossible to raise it later.
After all, a country widow lacks insight, starting pastry and department stores on sheer grit and luck, yet unable to seize opportunities for great wealth.
Old Master Zheng felt it was his duty to analyze the market’s pros and cons for the widow, and as long as he offered goodwill, he assumed Widow Tong wouldn’t refuse.
Old Master Zheng analyzed Tong Huaqiong from business and grudges aspects but didn’t consider social responsibility, thus he was confident in persuading Tong Huaqiong to raise the coal price.
...
Days passed, and with Pingchuan’s coal supply secured, Tong Huaqiong shifted her focus from coal to cotton fabric.
Previously, she pondered marketing strategies for cotton fabric.
Now there was no need to worry; the cold weather was perfect for promoting cotton fabric.
Tong Huaqiong instructed the clerk to display the weaving workshop’s cotton fabric prominently at Jufu Supermarket.
The cotton fabric was dense, light, and soft, with strong cold resistance, and more importantly, it had low cost due to technological improvements, thus priced cheaper than linen.
Once the cotton fabric was launched, it caused a mad rush among customers.
If it weren’t for her weaving workshop operating at full capacity to fulfill border orders, Tong Huaqiong’s cotton fabric could have been promoted throughout Ning City this winter.
Though the cotton fabric supply for Jufu Supermarket was small, it didn’t delay establishing its reputation.
Just as Tong Huaqiong was pushing cotton fabric into the market, the Zheng Family sent a steward with a letter.
Learning it was Old Master Zheng inviting Tong Huaqiong to a restaurant to negotiate coal prices, Tong Huaqiong outright rejected the invitation.
There was no need to think; the Zheng Family was uneasy, seeking to renegotiate coal pricing with her.
She had no grounds for negotiation with the Zheng Family.
Lu Zhaozhao had already set a trap in the coal trade capturing the Zheng Family, so Tong Huaqiong had no space for negotiation with them.
Tong Huaqiong also knew her coal price was indeed very low, but she was not greedy; earning five or six wen per load of coal compared to her stocking price was satisfying for her.
The extreme cold had brought numerous disasters to this world, and profiting from them was already good enough for her; earning more would be against the heavens.
The Zheng Family’s plight wasn’t caused by Tong Huaqiong but by their greed.
Lu Zhaozhao selling the Zheng Family two hundred thousand jin of coal wasn’t expensive, with coal at eighty wen per load. Given the current extreme cold, even adding ten wen per load, Zheng’s coal should be sold out. But they weren’t content, raising coal prices from one to ten taels of silver per load.
The pit they dug buried the whole Zheng Family, now they come seeking negotiations with Tong Huaqiong.
Tong Huaqiong wasn’t a fool; she wouldn’t use her reputation for acting with the Zheng Family.
The Zheng Family probably didn’t know, that Tong Huaqiong was waiting for the coal to crush their hands so she could acquire it from them.
Tong Huaqiong didn’t mind letting Old Master Zheng know, it was good for him to mentally prepare.
Tong Huaqiong said to the Zheng Family steward: "I won’t collaborate with the Zheng Family, if Zheng’s coal isn’t selling, sell it to me instead."
The Zheng Family steward returned the way he came.
Old Master Zheng and Second Master Zheng anxiously waited at home for news.
"How was it?"
Seeing the steward return, Old Master Zheng excitedly stood up.
"To the master, Manager Tong didn’t accept the letter." The steward finished speaking and stood with hands lowered.
"What do you mean she didn’t accept?"
Very quickly, Old Master Zheng understood Tong Huaqiong refused cooperation with the Zheng Family.
Old Master Zheng flew into a rage.
"Father, since Widow Tong doesn’t accept good and seeks bad, let’s..." Second Master Zheng suggested.
"Tell me how to make her accept the bad?" Old Master Zheng asked.
Second Master Zheng scowled.
He hadn’t known, just talking big.
Old Master Zheng sat back in his chair, saying: "County Magistrate Liu already found out the high coal prices were by us, he’s already warned us. If we incite trouble, I fear County Magistrate Liu won’t spare us."
"Seems I underestimated Widow Tong, reportedly the Lu Family and Magistrate Yao are also her backers."
Second Master Zheng’s gaze turned dark and uncertain.
A mere county magistrate could threaten the Zheng Family, if he solidified his ties with the Fifth Prince, he would not fear County Magistrate Liu.
At that time, Second Master Zheng was thinking of the promise of one hundred thousand taels of silver to the Fifth Prince’s family.
Recently, the Fifth Prince’s family has already sent people to urge.
Without enough silver, this relationship would likely end.
"Father, what do we do next?" Second Master Zheng asked.
Old Master Zheng gritted his teeth and said: "Lower coal prices!"
Soon, coal in the Zheng Family’s large stores began being sold at lower prices.
However, every household already had coal, Zheng’s coal didn’t drop to thirty-five wen per load, and with Zheng’s shop losing its reputation, even with price cuts, it didn’t attract customers.
The Fifth Prince’s family was pushing harder for Second Master Zheng’s promised one hundred thousand taels of silver. Second Master Zheng couldn’t gather the silver short-term and finally couldn’t hold but to disclose to Old Master Zheng.
Initially, when Old Master Zheng heard his youngest needed one hundred thousand taels of silver, he gasped in anger. After hearing the full story, his face eased.
The son established a connection with the prince was for the sake of the family, Old Master Zheng resorted to adjusting silver from Ning City’s stores plus his personal assets; a shortage of thirty thousand taels remained.
Old Master Zheng decided to tap into Mrs. Zheng’s jewelry.
Gathering around could make up the hundred thousand taels.
"Father, I diverted the silver from three stores in Ning City... to hoard cotton and grain." Second Master Zheng hesitated.
Old Master Zheng raised his voice in anger: "How dare you?"
Second Master Zheng said: "I thought extreme cold would increase not only coal but also cotton and grain prices, so I..."
Old Master Zheng collapsed in his chair, looking despondent.
"How can you have such audacity, why didn’t you consult me before diverting silver." Old Master Zheng wished to beat his youngest son, "Coal is already crushed in our hands, can cotton and grain also not skyrocket?"
Originally, Second Master Zheng thought this way.
First raising coal prices, those unable to afford coal would freeze unbearably, needing cotton clothing, then the hoarded cotton could be leveraged. As for grain, spreading fake news that extreme cold would impact spring plowing would panic the populace into panic buying grain, at which point the Zheng Family could opportunistically raise grain prices and continue making huge profits.
This was simply a perfect closed loop.