sinovels Chapter 1803 The Shao Family Gang's Attempt to Sell Incomplete Ginseng Rejected
Chapter 1803 The Shao Family Gang's Attempt to Sell Incomplete Ginseng Rejected
Chapter 1803 The Shao Family Gang's Attempt to Sell Incomplete Ginseng Rejected
The custom of going out alone and returning in pairs, also known as going out alone and returning in pairs, is a traditional custom for hiking in the mountains.
When going into the mountains alone, the number of participants must be an odd number, such as three, five, seven, etc.
Once they enter the mountains to graze, no matter how many ginseng shoots they carry, the ginseng guild considers each one as one person. With this "one person" added, the number of people on the return journey becomes two.
Such meticulousness reflects the hunters' beautiful wish to bring back wild ginseng from the mountains.
The Zhao family gang doesn't care about this, but the Shao family gang does. Otherwise, the Shao family gang should have sent five people today, but because the Zhao family gang had already decided on five, the Shao family gang added an extra person to ensure that an odd number of people would come and an even number would return.
As a result, when they arrived, there were four people crammed into the back seat of the Shao family's jeep.
However, both groups were willing to endure some hardship after successfully carrying the goods to Shilong.
Just as Zhao Jun and Shao Tianpeng said, even if the stone dragon's head is damaged, as long as the ginseng body is intact, its medicinal value will not be diminished in the slightest.
The big boss who wanted to buy the ginseng from Sanlong wanted it for medicinal purposes, not for collection. So as long as its medicinal value remained, he shouldn't refuse.
But the ginseng residue definitely won't sell for 100,000; if they can get 60,000 or 70,000, both groups will be satisfied.
Carrying the more than 30 pounds of treasure on his back, Xu Shanhe walked briskly and became more talkative.
"Uncle," Xu Shanhe said to Shao Tianpeng, "once this stone dragon is sold, the reputation of our Shao family gang will be even more renowned."
The news that the big boss was seeking to buy Sanlong ginseng shocked the entire ginseng-hunting community in Changbai Mountain, and all the major ginseng-hunting gangs received the news. It was only because the Zhao family gang was not in the know that they were aware of this, and it was thanks to Manager Xu that Zhao Jun was unaware of the news.
One hundred thousand yuan! That's a whopping one hundred thousand yuan! In 1988, one hundred thousand yuan was an astronomical figure. Even the annual income of more than thirty people in the Shao family gang didn't amount to that.
So, starting in the fourth month of the lunar calendar, all the ginseng-growing groups, big and small, in Changbai Mountain began to set out to search for the Three Dragons.
Against this backdrop, whoever comes out on top will undoubtedly gain recognition within the industry.
Fangshanxing is a kind of martial arts world. In this world, who doesn't want to stand out and make a name for themselves?
“Shanhe.” As soon as Xu Shanhe finished speaking, Shao Tianpeng said, “It’s not just us who are famous, there’s also Zhao, the head of the Zhao family gang.”
"Ah, haha." Xu Shanhe laughed upon hearing this, "Yes, yes, we have to thank Chief Zhao this time."
"Master Shao, Master Xu." Zhao Jun, who was walking in front, turned around and said to the two of them, "Although we have brought the stone dragon out, we must not be careless at this time."
Upon hearing Zhao Jun's words, Shao Tianpeng quickly suppressed his smile, sighed at Xu Shanhe, and said, "Look at this old man, I'm not even as good as a young man. Shanhe, let's listen to Chief Zhao."
After saying this to Xu Shanhe, Shao Tianpeng turned around and said to the four members of the Shao family gang behind him, "Cheer up! We'll eat mutton when we get home, and then we'll have some fun."
Reminded by Zhao Jun and Shao Tianpeng, the group focused their attention and continued on their way. Seeing this, Zhao Jun felt somewhat relieved.
It took nearly two hours to clear the mountain and travel the route, and then it took more than two hours to dig stones, carry ginseng, and make ginseng buns.
It was already past 1 p.m., and the group had been busy all afternoon and noon, so they were all feeling hungry to varying degrees.
But in this dark, shady place, no one dared to stop and eat.
Fortunately, the Shao family had made thorough preparations before setting out, with each person carrying a handful of candy balls. At this moment, Zhao Jun had three candy balls in his mouth, and he continued on his way without stopping.
About an hour later, Zhao Jun and the others arrived at the place where they had set out the sheep's trotters and burned paper money that morning.
The Zhao family gang members who were at the front arrived first. Shao Tianpeng and Xu Shanhe, who were in the middle, saw the Zhao family gang members in front of them scatter instantly. The five of them formed a semi-circle, subtly protecting the seven or eight people behind them.
At the same time, Zhao Jun and his four men raised their guns and aimed them in all directions. Seeing this, Shao Tianpeng quickly grabbed Xu Shanhe's arm and pulled him forward.
Then the four members of the Shao family gang turned around in unison, raising their guns and aiming in different directions. In an instant, nine men with guns surrounded Shao Tianpeng and Xu Shanhe, protecting them in the center.
The nine men aimed their guns at each other in the mountains and forests for about half a minute. The mountain wind kept blowing, and the grass and trees kept moving, making the atmosphere increasingly tense. This added even more tension to the already eerie forest.
Seeing that Zhao Jun and the others had been aiming for a long time without making a move, Shao Tianpeng, who had his gun in hand, couldn't help but ask, "Chief Zhao, what's wrong?"
"Master Shao." Zhao Jun didn't dare to put down his gun, but said to Shao Tianpeng, "Come and take a look at the few lamb trotters we've set up."
Upon hearing this, Shao Tianpeng stepped forward with his gun in one hand, peering out from between Zhao Jun and Li Baoyu's shoulders, one low and one high. He saw that the four sheep hooves were no longer visible next to the black marks left by the burning paper money.
"Ah!" Shao Tianpeng's heart skipped a beat, and at that moment he saw a tuft of white hair with its skin still attached hanging on a nearby tree branch.
Shao Tianpeng was shocked. He felt a chill rise up his spine and instantly reach the back of his neck, making him shiver.
"Tiger..." Shao Tianpeng only managed to utter one word before the rest of his words were blown back into his stomach by the wind.
Suddenly, a fierce wind swept between the two mountains, howling through the air. The vegetation on the mountainside swayed and rustled.
The missing sheep hoof and the rustling of grass all over the mountains cast a shadow over the hearts of both groups, making them feel that a vicious tiger was lurking nearby.
"Chief Zhao." Shao Tianpeng called out softly to Zhao Jun, his eyes full of inquiry, clearly asking what to do with the two groups next.
They were on their way uphill, crossing mountains and hills, passing the pine trees where they had previously opened the mountain and offered sacrifices, before heading out of the mountains and onto a vehicle.
Zhao Jun held his gun with both hands, cautiously surveying his surroundings. Shao Tianpeng asked him what to do, but he didn't know either. Moreover, at that moment, Zhao Jun felt a sudden, inexplicable chill run down his spine.
Zhao Jun took two steps back, retreating into the guard circle and standing next to Shao Tianpeng. He wanted to discuss something with Shao Tianpeng, but just then, Zhao Jun noticed the hat on Shao Tianpeng's head.
It was a dark blue old man's hat, very characteristic of that era. The hat was cylindrical in shape and had a brim.
"Brother Shao," Zhao Jun said to Shao Tianpeng, "let's throw our hats."
Shao Tianpeng was taken aback. He looked at Zhao Jun in surprise for two seconds, then nodded heavily and said, "Okay, Chief Zhao, let's do it this way."
After saying that, Shao Tianpeng raised his hand to take off his hat, clenched the hat tube in his palm, and muttered, "Brothers come and go without a trace, the Eighteen Arhats display their supernatural powers."
When the word "supernatural power" was mentioned, Shao Tianpeng flicked his wrist and threw his hat into the air. Just then, a mountain breeze blew, sending the hat flying down the slope.
Seeing this, Zhao Jun looked at Shao Tianpeng and asked, "Brother Shao, we've gone down to the bottom of this ravine, is there any way we can get out?"
Shao Tianpeng glanced down subconsciously, then turned to Zhao Jun and said, "Yes, it's possible, but it'll be a longer route."
"How far is the detour?" Zhao Jun asked. Shao Tianpeng replied, "It'll take about two hours. After that, we'll have to go southeast and cross over."
Hearing Shao Tianpeng say that, Zhao Jun said, "Master Shao, why is my heart pounding? How about we take a detour?"
“Okay.” Shao Tianpeng nodded and said, “I’ll listen to you, Zhao. You say which way to go, and we’ll go.”
"Um..." Zhao Jun turned around and asked Xu Shanhe, "Master Xu, can you still carry it?"
Xu Shanhe, carrying a stone dragon weighing over thirty kilograms, had been traveling for more than an hour. But at this moment, the leader of the Shao family guards said to Zhao Jun with a serious expression, "Chief Zhao, don't worry, I'm fine."
Hearing Xu Shanhe say this, Zhao Jun looked at the four members of the Shao family gang whose backs were turned to him and who were holding guns at attention, and said, "The four masters of the Shao family gang, you go first, and we'll grab the hill and go down to the ditch."
After saying this, Zhao Jun turned to Wang Qiang and the other three and said, "Uncle, elder brother, Baoyu, Xiaochen, the five of us will cover the rear. Be alert!"
As soon as Zhao Jun finished speaking, everyone responded enthusiastically. Thus, the rear group became the front group, and the two groups headed into the ditch.
After walking about seventeen or eighteen meters, Shao Tianpeng retrieved the hat that was hanging on the tree branch.
Just now, Zhao Jun asked Shao Tianpeng to throw his hat, which is a method used by the older generation of mountain herders and bandits to divine good or bad fortune.
Legend has it that in case of danger, one can light four incense sticks in the directions of east, west, south, and north, and run towards whichever direction burns fastest. If there's really no time, one can throw their hat like Shao Tianpeng just did.
Zhao Jun was forced into this situation and had no other choice but to resort to this tactic. Unexpectedly, as he went downhill, he felt less distressed.
Meanwhile, under the red pine tree where the two groups were clearing the mountain and offering sacrifices, a Siberian tiger weighing over 300 kilograms and measuring 2.4 meters in length was lying under the tree, pressing down on a sheep's head with its two front paws.
There wasn't much meat on the sheep's head, but for some reason, the Siberian tiger got excited by the smell of mutton. And the two groups of people were bound to run into the tiger.
On the contrary, the two groups took a detour, which was more arduous, but they successfully avoided the Siberian tiger.
The further down the mountain the two groups went, the stronger the wind became and the colder it got. But there was one advantage to this: the further they went, the clearer the mountain scenery became. The closer they got to the gullies and ponds, the sparser the vegetation became; the trees above were lush and leafy, while the leaves on the trees below were just beginning to unfurl.
As they approached the ditch, Zhao Jun, who was on higher ground, saw that there was indeed still ice at the bottom of the ditch.
The cold weather meant that a large section of the ditch was only dotted with a few patches of green, but the group of people, despite the cold, were able to pass through smoothly.
Walking along the ditch, after about fifteen minutes, the Shao family, who had been leading the way, climbed another mountain to the southeast. They crossed mountains and finally emerged from the mountain area at 4:08 PM, where they saw the jeep they had come in.
When they saw the jeep, both groups, including 61-year-old Shao Tianpeng, excitedly ran towards it.
From the moment they entered the mountains this morning until now, both groups have been on edge, and now they can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Looking back on this trip, although there were some thrills, the group returned safely carrying the stone dragon, which is a great blessing.
"Let's go home!" Shao Tianpeng waved his hand to the two groups of people with a hearty laugh, and everyone got into the car and headed straight for Qiaotou Village.
Along the way, laughter and chatter filled the two cars, which sped along, and they returned to Qiaotou Village in less than half an hour.
Upon entering the village, the Shao family's car, which led the way, drove directly to the village office. Shao Tianpeng, who got out of the car, showed no signs of fatigue from a day's journey; instead, he had a big smile on his face.
Seeing Shao Tianpeng wave to the car behind, Zhao Jun got out of the car.
"Come on, Zhao Jun!" Shao Tianpeng called to Zhao Jun, "I'll call them over there, you come in with me. After we're done, have them drive the car back home and wait for us."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jun waved to Li Baoyu, who was driving, and then followed Shao Tianpeng into the village office.
Inside the village office, Old Zhang was cooking noodles. Seeing Shao Tianpeng enter, he greeted him warmly and even offered to pour water for Shao Tianpeng and Zhao Jun.
"Don't bother, brother." Shao Tianpeng stopped Old Zhang and said, "I'll make a call, and then I'll be leaving."
As he spoke, Shao Tianpeng took out a cigarette from his pocket and gave Old Zhang a "Welcoming Spring" cigarette.
Then, as if he were at home, Shao Tianpeng naturally picked up the phone and called the traffic radio station.
Zhao Jun, who was listening nearby, realized that Shao Tianpeng had asked for the phone number to be sent to Hunjiang in Jilin Province, which would later become BS City.
Upon answering the phone, Shao Tianpeng laughed and said to the other end, "Yuejin, we've brought out Shilong. It's a fourth-grade leaf. But... it's damaged. The top of the rhizome has either been pecked by birds or gnawed by mountain rats."
"But the round herb is fine from the bottom up, and the roots are all intact, so it won't affect the medicinal effect. How much money are they willing to offer over there?"
After Shao Tianpeng finished speaking, the person on the other end of the phone said something, and Shao Tianpeng responded twice before hanging up.
After hanging up the phone, Shao Tianpeng turned to Zhao Jun and said, "Let's wait a moment, he'll call us back soon."
The two waited for more than twenty minutes. But since it involved a deal worth tens of thousands of yuan, neither Zhao Jun nor Shao Tianpeng was in a hurry. They chatted with Old Zhang while patiently waiting.
When the phone rang, Shao Tianpeng immediately got up to answer it. But after answering, the smile on Shao Tianpeng's face disappeared, replaced by a hint of annoyance.
"No way!" Shao Tianpeng exclaimed, "Why wouldn't he accept it? Even if the rhizome is damaged, it doesn't affect the medicine's efficacy!"
Hearing Shao Tianpeng's words, Zhao Jun couldn't sit still any longer. At that moment, after something was said on the other end of the phone, Shao Tianpeng immediately cursed, "MLGBD, why are these rich people so tight-fitting? I already said it doesn't affect the medicine's efficacy... We went through so much trouble to carry it out! Hello? Hello!"
At this point, the other end of the line had obviously hung up.
Shao Tianpeng cursed several times, but in the end he helplessly hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Shao Tianpeng stared blankly out the window, his hand still on the phone.
The old man wasn't unfamiliar with money, but if the big boss wouldn't buy it, he'd be lucky to get four thousand yuan for this damaged stone dragon, since wild ginseng is all about appearance.
Before going into the mountains, I thought this stone dragon could sell for 100,000 or 200,000, but it turned out to be less than 4,000. The difference is too big.
"Master Shao." Zhao Jun called softly from the side. Shao Tianpeng turned his head and said with a bitter smile, "Zhao Jun, this time Master Shao has slapped you in the face. Master Shao has gone through all this trouble for you, and I still can't give you that money."
After saying this, Shao Tianpeng paused slightly, then said emotionally, "These rich people are really hard to deal with. They just won't take it no matter what."
“Master Shao,” Zhao Jun said to Shao Tianpeng, “How about this, I have some connections, why don’t I ask around?”
"Yes!" Shao Tianpeng felt there was still hope, so he pushed the microphone in front of Zhao Jun.
Zhao Jun picked up the phone and got the number for Hebei Anguo Huichuntang through the hotline.
After the call connected and they exchanged greetings, Manager Huang asked Zhao Jun, "Zhao Jun, have you dug up the Three Dragons yet?"
“We’ve found it, but…” Zhao Jun was about to explain the situation with the stone dragon when he realized something was wrong. He then said to Manager Huang on the other end of the phone, “Manager Huang, please wait a moment. We have an old foreman here who can talk to you.”
After saying that, Zhao Jun handed the phone to Shao Tianpeng.
Without much thought, Shao Tianpeng took the phone and told Manager Huang about the situation in Shilong. Manager Huang also told Shao Tianpeng to wait for a call and asked for his phone number.
Manager Huang had some unconventional methods; he called back in less than ten minutes.
As soon as the phone rang, Shao Tianpeng picked up the receiver, but what Manager Huang said on the other end of the line did not cheer him up: "My old customer said that he wants to use the best for his father, and he doesn't care about a few tens of thousands of yuan."
“No…” Shao Tianpeng was a little anxious and wanted to say something, but then he heard Manager Huang say, “Old sir, I also want to make this deal happen, but once he makes a decision, no one can change it.”
“Didn’t you tell him that Sanlong isn’t so easy to lift?” Shao Tianpeng said. Manager Huang replied, “I did tell him that, but he said… someone will definitely be able to meet his requirements before the end of the month.”
"I..." Shao Tianpeng was speechless. The thoughts of the rich are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. If it were him, he would spend less money, since it wouldn't affect the efficacy of the medicine anyway.
But Shao Tianpeng knew that whether the deal would go through depended on the other party, so he reluctantly put down the microphone, only to have it snatched away by Zhao Jun.
(End of this chapter)