Chapter 953: Rising Costs

After all, He Lingchuan had recently produced 80,000 taels in one go, which was no small sum for an individual. Lu Qing'an spoke eloquently, "If that's the case, it's simple! We'll raise his costs and create more obstacles to tie up his capital. A wealthy young man like him, with no local roots, would easily go bankrupt." Bankruptcy would force him to liquidate and sell off his assets. At that point, the Lu family would have another chance to reclaim the Yangshan Archipelago.

His eldest son was quite shrewd in these matters, which somewhat reassured Lu Zhensheng. "Also, the Fiend Yin Vein erupts with malevolent energy every seven days. If this He fellow wants to keep the island's people and livestock safe, he'll need to dispel this energy in real-time. He certainly can't do it alone."

Lu Qing'an understood immediately: "Father wants to find out what method he's using to dispel the energy?"

"Of course," Lu Zhensheng smiled meaningfully. "If he truly can dispel the malevolent energy, we wouldn't mind learning humbly." For years, the Yangshan Archipelago remained unusable due to its deadly malevolent energy. If this He fellow has a solution, the entire archipelago would become a highly valuable asset. Why shouldn't it be a new source of wealth for the Bailie people? Lack of money had always been the Lu family's biggest problem.

Lu Zhensheng then asked, "How are their palm oil sales doing?"

"I hear the quality is quite good."

Lu Zhensheng tapped his finger twice on the table: "Tonight, any dish that's deep-fried should use palm oil from the Yangshan Archipelago." Food fried with palm oil becomes fluffy and crispy, looks appealing, and doesn't darken even after prolonged frying. High-end restaurants in Bailie, Qing, and Mou nations all use palm oil for their fried dishes.

He pointed to the side, and only then did Lu Qing'an notice a round, bamboo object resembling both a drum and a bucket. "That's a container for oil, made from the giant dragon bamboo found on the archipelago," Lu Zhensheng said, shaking his head. "I originally thought that even if they harvested all the palm fruit on the island for oil, they wouldn't find suitable containers. Yet, it turns out they don't even need to buy oil barrels." Giant dragon bamboo is over a foot in diameter, roughly the size of a water bucket, and also has internal nodes. Therefore, sawing sections of the bamboo creates natural, leak-proof containers that are also lighter than wood. Locals indeed used it as a water bucket; He Lingchuan simply took it a step further.

"I don't know if this Young Master He is as cunning as a ghost or if his luck is simply incredible, but he's pulled off some truly astonishing feats," Lu Zhensheng said, stroking his long beard. "Still, he's an outsider, unfamiliar with the local ways, so he's bound to suffer some setbacks."

He then asked his eldest son, "Have all the autumn grains in our territory been harvested?"

"More than half. If the farmers in the south aren't drawn away by the Yangshan Archipelago anymore, we can finish harvesting within ten days."

"We need to act quickly," Lu Zhensheng said meaningfully. "Times are changing."

"By the way, since things are booming on the Yangshan Archipelago, their palm oil should be shipping out in large quantities soon," Lu Zhensheng continued. "Before it's too late, go pay a visit to Director Wu of the Maritime Affairs Office at Blade's Edge Port." He let out a heavy snort: "Our clan has been weak for so many years that even an outsider, a mere rich boy, dares to swindle Bailie!"

The old man went on and on about the Yangshan Archipelago! Lu Qing'an forced a smile. "All right, I'll go personally later. But let's agree: after I speak with Director Wu, we'll put the Yangshan Archipelago aside for now. The east is..."

"The eastern Nation of Ya is the priority! I understand that!" Lu Zhensheng interrupted, changing the subject. "Is Qingbang taking his sister to the front line this time?"

"Yes. Last year, she achieved victory in her first battle, beheading the enemy's deputy general, so Feiyan is accompanying the army again this time."

"Why do you also call her 'Feiyan'? Feixuan is the name her parents gave her."

Lu Qing'an touched his nose, choosing not to argue with his father.

Lu Zhensheng declared with emotion, "Qing'an, you've managed Bailie brilliantly, and Qinglin has achieved great feats on the front line. Bailie is gaining more and more importance in Mou Nation's eyes. Ha, with both civil and military strength securing the nation, our clan will surely see a revival!" The most difficult period had passed; from now on, things would only get better. Lu Qing'an nodded vigorously: "By then, let alone the Yangshan Archipelago, we'll reclaim Blade's Edge Port and all other territories that were taken from us!"

For other nations or families to say such a thing would be like a madman's delusion. But Bailie was different. The Lu family's decline and revival were like the wilting and blooming of flowers, merely cycles repeating themselves. A revival was inevitable, and good fortune would surely come. All members of the Lu family believed this.

This season, hundreds of old peach trees on Dragon's Back Isle were laden with fruit, juicy and sweet. Although labor was scarce, Rainey specifically allocated some workers to pick peaches for sale at Blade's Edge Port's docks and markets within Bailie. "Dragon's Back Isle Peaches" was a novelty; almost no one had tasted them before. People bought them out of curiosity, and a hundred or so baskets of plump peaches were sold out in less than half a day. Two large seagoing vessels each bought three to five baskets. At that time, Rainey told He Lingchuan that they needed to open a few specialized produce stores, otherwise such good products would just rot on the island. He Lingchuan agreed, his mind turning to the idea of brewing some peach wine. There were two taverns in Jade Pivot City skilled in brewing; he could "borrow" a recipe to use in reality. Unfortunately, manpower was severely lacking for everything at the moment.

Now, Lingguang sat at the table, munching on a peach, while watching Ding Zuodong report the accounts to He Lingchuan. The master was busy spinning like a top every day. How could it be as carefree as Lingguang, eating when it pleased and sleeping when it pleased? It pinched its belly. Hmm, thicker again. It was time to put on some autumn fat.

He Lingchuan was stroking his chin, looking at the ledger with a pleased expression. "The recruitment progress is far quicker than expected. That's excellent news." According to the original plan, recruiting 4,300 to 4,400 farmhands by now would have been good. Who knew that the number of people on the island had already exceeded 7,300! That was more than half over the estimate. His territory desperately needed people. A territory without people held no value. With more people working, all projects naturally accelerated.

"This is due to an increase in displaced people moving south and islanders from the east," Ding Zuodong explained; as a competent chief steward, it was his duty to investigate matters thoroughly for his employer's decision-making. "Last winter, although the conflict between Bailie and the Nation of Ya was brief, the Nation of Ya frequently raided the border, burning, killing, looting, destroying fields, and burning towns. Bailie eventually had to pay reparations, causing many Bailie people to lose patience and leave their homes to head south. Furthermore, the Nation of Ya had been abducting people from various countries for years, but their Grand Chieftain expelled a portion of them last year. These individuals had resided in the Nation of Ya for many years, some for twelve or thirteen years, others for four or five. Upon returning to Bailie, they found themselves without homes or land, becoming impoverished. As soon as we offered recruitment, they came." As the saying goes, 'A tree dies when moved, but a person thrives.' In most cases, nostalgia for one's homeland cannot compare to a full meal. "Additionally, a Bailong tribe from the Nation of Ya offended the Grand Chieftain and fled south as a whole. Their chieftain was killed, and the tribe fragmented, with hundreds relocating overseas to make a living. We recruited over 600 of them," Ding Zuodong continued. "Apart from the dockworkers and casual laborers from Blade's Edge Port, these three types of people make up the majority of our recruited workers."

"All good things," He Lingchuan said, rubbing his hands. "Ahem, for the Yangshan Archipelago, that is."

"Every advantage has a disadvantage, and according to our progress, we're severely overspending!" Ding Zuodong's face was serious. "The Yangshan Archipelago hasn't started producing grain yet, so all food must be purchased externally. However, Mou Nation is at war with Beijia, and both Qing Nation and Bailie must provide provisions, causing grain prices to skyrocket in the market. This time last year, a picul of rice was 450 wen; now the market price is 1,300 wen, more than double! And the more we buy, the more expensive it gets. I estimate it will be at least 1,500 wen in five days." For people doing hard labor, consuming a catty of grain daily is nothing. Eight thousand people would consume at least 8,000 catties of grain per day. Of course, grain isn't just rice. But that doesn't account for meat, fruits, and vegetables. People can't just eat plain rice without other dishes.

To attract farmhands to work on the island, the Yangshan Archipelago advertised free room and board. Recently, grain prices in Qing Nation and Bailie had surged, leading many people, desperate for a full meal, to flock to the Yangshan Archipelago, unafraid of the malevolent energy. If not for the highly attractive offer of free food and drink, Ding Zuodong could never have recruited so many people in such a short time. Conversely, the pressure of feeding thousands of mouths was now entirely on He Lingchuan. Furthermore, livestock like cattle and horses can't subsist solely on grass; they wouldn't have the strength for hauling and plowing. It's essential to mix coarse feed with concentrated feed like soybean dregs and wheat bran.

More than the price, He Lingchuan was concerned about whether they could purchase enough grain. Having money but nowhere to buy was the real problem. "Can we buy enough? I recall foreign merchants consistently shipping grain to Blade's Edge Port."

"If not for that, grain would have run out long ago! The grain brought by foreign merchants is snatched up as soon as it lands; otherwise, prices wouldn't have surged two or three times," Ding Zuodong shook his head. "I hear that Qing Nation has already banned domestic grain exports and resale, and there are purchase limits for commoners. Fortunately, Blade's Edge Port is a free port and isn't subject to these restrictions, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to buy any grain at all." The Yangshan Archipelago was not Qing Nation territory, so grain merchants at Blade's Edge Port selling to the Yangshan Archipelago was considered "export."

"Look into importing grain from other places, don't limit yourselves to Blade's Edge Port," He Lingchuan reminded Ding Zuodong. "Otherwise, if someone finds out how much grain we're buying, they can deduce how many people we've hired." Ding Zuodong's ledgers contained highly confidential information, not to be revealed to outsiders. The Yangshan Archipelago would eventually house a military garrison, and it would be disastrous for other powers to ascertain the exact number of people on the island.

"I understand. A few days ago, I finalized arrangements with several grain merchants from the eastern Nation of Ya to deliver grain directly to the archipelago, bypassing Blade's Edge Port," Ding Zuodong nodded. "However, it's difficult to negotiate down the price."

He Lingchuan was unconcerned: "Pay whatever it takes. This is the time to secure a wide range of suppliers; don't be too stingy." After all, what's the point of accumulating money if not to spend it?

"Next year, when the island harvests its own grain, this pressure will ease," he added. Several islands were suitable for cultivation and were now being rapidly developed. Additionally, expenses for other production materials like farm tools, cattle, horses, livestock, as well as ships and timber, had also exceeded expectations.