The Small Price War

The adults in each family were teaching their children not to gossip, as Manbao originally belonged to the Zhou family. The rumors emerged due to the discord between Goudan's grandmother and Manbao's mother. Therefore, she made up lies to deceive Goudan.

The children believed it because adults often make claims without evidence. For example, when Aunt Dong's vegetables were stolen, even though she didn't witness it, she would immediately blame Aunt Xi and accuse her of the theft.

The atmosphere in the Zhou family was very oppressive, as everyone silently ate dinner. After finishing, Zhang shook her head and said to her grandson with frustration, "In the future, no one is allowed to spread rumors outside the house, understand?"

Zhou Dayuan put down his chopsticks and said, "Why are you scolding the children? If you didn't say all sorts of things at home, would the children spread rumors outside?"

When Zhang was about to speak, Zhou Dayuan glared at her and angrily lowered his voice, "If you want to die, don't drag the whole village down with you."

Zhang couldn't help muttering, "The officials don't enforce collective punishment…"

Zhou Dayuan slapped her, and Zhang, embarrassed and angry, pushed the table and went back to her room.

Zhou Dayuan also took out a pipe to smoke, feeling equally restless.

The old Zhou family was also uneasy, with everyone being particularly silent tonight, except for Manbao, who was unaware. As usual, she settled the day's accounts, paid what needed to be paid, and kept what needed to be kept.

Zhou Wulang sat cross-legged on the bed, lost in thought.

Manbao looked at him for a while, then turned and asked her sixth brother softly, "What's wrong with Fifth Brother?"

Zhou Liulang also sighed and said softly, "When we went to the county town today, many people were selling flower baskets." The more expensive ones were three wen each, and the cheaper ones were two wen each. In the end, we had to lower the price to three cents to sell them.

Zhou Liulang said, "Fifth Brother, tomorrow we won't sell flower baskets anymore." "Instead, we'll sell candy, and Big Sister doesn't need to go with us."

Manbao thought about the chicken they had eaten that night and swallowed, saying, "No, we need to find a unique business that others can't easily replace, or a business that is not easily replaceable by others."

Zhou Wulang said, "Sell candy!"

Manbao said, "Our candy is unique in the market, so let's sell more candy, Manbao."

Manbao disagreed, "But the candy is bought from others."

Zhou Wulang pondered and realized that if their business thrived in the future, others might refuse to sell them candy. What would they do if they took over the business themselves?

It was better to sell a hundred pieces a day now. Even though the business was smaller, it was unique, and it would provide a steady income.

Zhou Wulang sighed and asked, "Then what kind of business do you think is good?"

Manbao honestly said, "I don't know."

She thought optimistically, "Anyway, we can earn at least a hundred wen a day, and a hundred wen can buy two smaller chickens."

That way, they could not only eat a chicken every day but also throw one away.

Thinking this way, Manbao became happy again and said, "Fifth Brother, since the flower baskets can't be sold, let's go pull snow grass." Let's save up the sugar for a couple of days and go to the county town again. You also need to work hard to learn how to read. "You still don't know many characters."

Zhou Wulang found it really difficult to learn Chinese characters. He would rather go with his fourth brother to clear the land than learn characters.

He was not willing to give up, so he did not listen to Manbao. The next day, he still took the flower baskets to the county town. This time, he really couldn't sell them. Except for two children who bought two baskets because they liked the candy in them, he couldn't sell the other twenty or so baskets no matter what.

As it was almost time to leave, Zhou Wulang decided to sell the baskets for just one wen each.

Zhou Wulang felt that since the bamboo strips were free, if others wanted to compete with him, he would compete back.

He immediately reduced the price to one wen, causing the other vendors' baskets to remain unsold.

After selling the goods, Zhou Wulang left and boasted about it to Manbao and the others when he got home.

Manbao shook her head and said, "Fifth Brother, what you did is harming others and not benefiting yourself."

Zhou Siliang also said, "You have offended people in this way." Next time you go to the county town for business, you may be targeted by others.

Zhou Wulang said, "I'm not afraid." It was clear that they targeted me first. "Hmph, they learned from us to sell flower baskets, and that's fine, but selling them at the same price as mine, or even lower, is unacceptable."

Zhou Liulang supported his fifth brother, saying, "Those people are really annoying." They know we have an established business, and many children specifically come to us. They follow us and call out to customers wherever we go.

Manbao also said, "They're so mean!"

Zhou Siliang didn't say anything. They were not pushovers, and since they were being bullied to this extent, they couldn't just let it happen.

But everyone knew that the flower basket business couldn't continue, at least not for the time being. Otherwise, Zhou Wulang and the others would likely be beaten when they went to the county town.

Zhou Siliang and Manbao, however, were quite happy. One said, "Then stay at home and clear the land with me."

One person said, "It's a good time to go pull snow grass."

After a while of sighing, Zhou Wulang and the others agreed.

With the addition of Wulang and Liulang, the speed of clearing the land increased, and more snow grass started to grow around the house.

The dried snow grass was rolled into bundles and placed in hemp bags. Zhou Siliang lifted them and said, "There's so much, but is it worth selling?"

Manbao was eating candy while doing her homework. When she heard this, she asked, "Hey, Fifth Brother, did you inquire about the price at the drugstore?"

Everyone looked at each other. "What if the drugstore doesn't buy it?"

Everyone was worried that they had worked in vain over the past few days.

Manbao confidently said, "It's fine." "The teacher mentioned that the drugstore buys it, and during the summer, they even transform it into medicine for passersby to use."

"But it's almost winter now." Will the drugstore still accept it?

Passing by, Zhou Dalang said, "I'll take a bag to the county town tomorrow to see." "Don't worry."

Zhou Wulang immediately perked up. "Big Brother, are you going to the county town?"

Zhou Dalang smiled and said, "Yes, the privet in our house has been dried, and Mother asked me to take it to the drugstore tomorrow." If the drugstore is satisfied, we will bring back the herbs from the woods to dry.

Zhou Wulang immediately said, "We'll go too!"

They hadn't been to the county town for several days and were planning to find an excuse to go out and sell the candy. Manbao had been talking about wanting to eat meat for the past two days.