Chapter Seventy-Six: Playing Innocent After Gaining an Advantage

Though Zhou Zhi was filled with regret, when he heard Old Fifth Cheng ask for sixty catties each of celery and spinach, his heart leapt with joy.

The Cheng family was truly a prominent household; it seemed that for the wedding of their third son, Cheng Dingye, they had invited a great many guests. Clearly, they intended to make a grand display at the banquet, fully demonstrating their family's exalted status in Gaochang Town.

At three hundred cash per catty, sixty catties of each meant a hundred and twenty catties in total, which would come to thirty-six thousand cash. At the current rate of exchange, that was approximately thirty taels of silver. The Zhou family was poor; even if they scrimped and saved for a lifetime, they would never amass thirty taels of silver. After all these years, Zhou Zhi's father, Zhou Tie, had not even managed to save half a tael.

Although Zhou Zhi was delighted inside, he put on a pained expression and said, “So much? If you take that much from our fields, there will hardly be any left. Ah, it seems I’m just unlucky today, running into such major customers as you, a great family in town.”

“I have always respected scholars. If I have to sell for a little less, so be it.”

As Zhou Zhi dawdled over his words, Fan Jin, standing nearby, grew impatient. Fan Jin thought, This Zhou Zhi is playing the humble card after getting a windfall. If such things are called bad luck, I, Fan Jin, would gladly have such bad luck every day.

But Fan Jin only said aloud, “Brother Zhou Zhi, for my sake, just let it go. A deal is a deal—no need to drag it out.”

“Yes, a real man should act decisively. What’s the point of all this dithering? Old Fifth, pay him the silver—thirty taels,” Cheng Dingye said with a curl of his lip.

To pay before seeing the goods made Old Fifth Cheng uneasy, but he did not dare disobey. He quickly took out fifteen small ingots of silver, each weighing two taels, from his purse and handed them to Zhou Zhi. He had brought silver with him today, but now that thirty taels were gone, his purse was nearly empty.

Thirty taels of silver—fifteen little ingots—Zhou Zhi could barely hold them in both hands. Though he was inwardly jubilant, his face remained somber. He slowly put away the silver, then said to Old Fifth Cheng, “Uncle, why don’t you come home with me to cut the vegetables?”

Old Fifth Cheng had wanted Zhou Zhi to deliver the vegetables, but since he had already paid, and fearing further complications, he glanced at Cheng Dingye, who looked impatient, and agreed.

He returned briefly to the Cheng house to fetch a carriage, while Zhou Zhi took his leave of Fan Jin, promising to meet again the next day. He loaded his handcart onto the carriage, mounted up, and the coachman cracked his whip. The carriage rolled off the commercial street and onto the main road.

Fan Jin stroked his beard and watched the carriage depart, his face a study in emotion. He thought to himself, Brother Zhou Zhi is truly gifted. Judging by his shrewdness today, if he succeeds in the imperial exams, he will certainly make a great name for himself.

Yet, if his talents are used wisely, he will be an asset; if not, he may become a great scourge to our dynasty!

Zhou Zhi rode home in the carriage, his spirits bright.

He had the coachman drive straight to the vegetable greenhouse in their fields. There, his sister, Zhou Lüyun, having just added firewood to the stove at the greenhouse, hurried over when she saw Zhou Zhi alight and asked, “Little Zhi, how did it go? Why are you back so early?”

Zhou Zhi pulled a long face. “The vegetables all sold, but the price was too low—not much money at all.”

“So long as they’re sold, that’s all that matters,” Zhou Lüyun replied happily.

To her, being able to sell their vegetables for a little silver to help the household meant Zhou Zhi’s hard work had not been in vain. That half-acre of land had not gone to waste, and they had something to show their father, Zhou Tie.

Zhou Zhi briefly told her what happened, then led Old Fifth Cheng into the greenhouse. The older man looked around in wonder, marveling that fresh vegetables could be grown in winter by such means. This lad was truly capable. Still, the price was high—this boy was a shrewd one.

He considered that next winter, his own brothers could follow Zhou Zhi’s example and make a fortune in a single season.

Zhou Zhi paid his thoughts no mind. He quickly cut sixty catties each of spinach and celery, wrapped them in quilts and blankets Old Fifth Cheng had brought, and loaded them into the carriage. Old Fifth Cheng then headed back to Gaochang Town.

There hadn’t been much celery and spinach to begin with—now, more than half was gone. Zhou Zhi felt greatly relieved.

He had been most worried about selling the spinach and celery; if not for a family like the Chengs, throwing a lavish celebration and eager to show off, they would have been hard to sell. After all, such vegetables were only a novelty—ordinary folk could do without them.

But chives were different. In the north, people loved to eat dumplings, and chives made the best filling. Many were accustomed to it, and not having any all winter left them craving. So although chives were expensive in winter, there was always a market.

Once Old Fifth Cheng’s carriage disappeared from view, Zhou Zhi, barely able to contain his excitement, exclaimed, “Sister, come see—this is today’s earnings!”

He unwrapped the cloth bundle of silver—fifteen small ingots, loose silver, and a small pile of copper coins. Zhou Lüyun was stunned.

She could hardly believe her eyes, looking from the silver to Zhou Zhi’s beaming face. Her breath came quick and shallow.

At length, Zhou Lüyun asked in amazement, “Little Zhi, is this all from selling vegetables today?”

“Yes! All from today’s sales, Sister—we’re rich now!” Zhou Zhi could no longer restrain his excitement and shouted aloud.

“We’re rich! Our Zhou family will never have to live in poverty again!” Zhou Lüyun cried out in joy.

In the past few months, the Zhou family had faced many hardships, and the siblings had poured their hearts into the greenhouse. None of it had been in vain. They had succeeded—the greenhouse venture had truly borne fruit at last.

Zhou Zhi was already thinking of how, with this money and the rest of the vegetables sold, life would truly improve. He could devote more time to his studies—and even afford to buy books, brush, ink, paper, and inkstones.

With a prosperous family, the path of learning would finally be open.

“Little Zhi, if we carry on like this, next year we can build more greenhouses. In two years, our Zhou family could become the wealthiest in Baiyue Village—perhaps even surpass the Chen and Yue families!” Zhou Lüyun, having calmed herself, spoke with longing.

But Zhou Zhi replied, “Sister, you may be too optimistic. Unless I’m mistaken, by next year there will be greenhouses like this all over Baiyue Village and the neighboring villages. By then, fresh vegetables in winter won’t be a novelty, and there won’t be much profit left.”

Zhou Zhi understood well—one mustn’t underestimate the people of old, especially the people of the Ming dynasty. They were not foolish; many were quite clever, even more so than people today, though less experienced.

Hearing this, Zhou Lüyun nodded gently. “You’re right, Little Zhi. It seems making a quiet fortune with greenhouses will only last a while; next year, it may not work anymore. Still, I believe in you—there will be more ways to earn a living in the future.”

As for what those ways might be, Zhou Zhi hadn’t yet thought clearly. For now, he was most concerned with making use of their newfound wealth to find more time for his studies.

The provincial exams would be held the year after next; he hadn’t even finished the Four Books and Five Classics, let alone started on the Eight-legged Essay. There was so much to learn and time was running ever shorter.