SFS Chapter 117 Going to Chu to Harvest Sugarcane
Chapter 117 Going to Chu to Harvest Sugarcane
Ying Wuyou respectfully nodded and replied, "Father, sugarcane is more suitable for growing in humid and warm climates. Currently, all the sugarcane I have obtained comes from the Chu region. Therefore, I plan to purchase sugarcane on a large scale in the Chu region."
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "Wouldn't this be sending money to the State of Chu for nothing?"
Ying Wuyou quickly explained, "Father, although this move may seem like we're giving money to the State of Chu, it's actually a brilliant plan for us to deal with them!"
The King of Qin immediately became interested and asked, "Oh? Tell me in detail."
Ying Wuyou analyzed the situation clearly: "The State of Chu is vast with a sparse population and high grain yields. Coupled with its humid and pleasant climate, Chu has never lacked food resources. However, our Great Qin is the opposite; grain shortages have always plagued us. If we purchase large quantities of sugarcane now, the people of Chu will inevitably switch to planting sugarcane, thus reducing the area planted with grain. In this way, while Chu gains wealth, its grain production will also decrease. We, on the other hand, can use the sugarcane juice to make brown sugar and sell it to the people of Chu at a higher price. In this way, the money will ultimately flow back to our Great Qin."
The King of Qin clapped his hands and laughed, his laughter as loud as a bell. His face was full of joy, and he repeatedly said "good!" His eyes gleamed with excitement as he said gleefully, "Jiayang, your idea is truly brilliant! I think we can also try to win over some officials from Chu. You know, what the people plant ultimately depends on the court. If we can get Chu officials to persuade the King of Chu to agree to plant sugarcane, then Chu can plant sugarcane on a large scale."
Ying Wuyou's lips curled into a confident smile as he respectfully replied, "Father is wise." Then, the father and daughter engaged in meticulous planning and in-depth discussion regarding the plan to purchase sugarcane from the State of Chu. They meticulously examined every detail, striving for absolute certainty. After a long while, as the sun began to set, Ying Wuyou finally took his leave.
When Ying Wuyou returned to Chaohua Palace, he immediately issued a series of orders: First, he dispatched a group of elite guards to Chu to purchase sugarcane on a large scale with lightning speed; at the same time, he also wanted to publicize that Qin was buying large quantities of sugarcane from Chu to attract more attention and participation.
Secondly, she dispatched several guards to Baiyue immediately to request Fusu's assistance in planting sugarcane. She knew the vital importance of sugar to humanity; it was not only a delicacy but also an essential part of daily life. However, achieving sugar production required sufficient raw materials, and sugarcane was currently the simplest and most readily available source. Only by ensuring a sufficient quantity of sugarcane could the Qin Dynasty's future massive sugar industry be sustained.
The guards quickly obeyed and left, and Ying Wuyou washed up and went to bed.
Time flies like an arrow, and more than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye. Recently, a group of merchants suddenly arrived in Luojia Village, Shouchun, in the Chu region, claiming they were there to buy sugarcane. A seven or eight-year-old boy asked with a puzzled look, "What is sugarcane?" The others were equally confused, all showing curious expressions.
Just then, a middle-aged man with a kind smile explained, "Sugarcane is actually just stalk sugarcane." Everyone suddenly realized, "Oh, it's stalk sugarcane!"
At this moment, an elderly man with gray hair asked curiously, "Isn't this sugarcane just a kind of weed? What do you want it for?"
The middle-aged man replied with a smile, "We naturally have our uses for it. You can rest assured to sell it to us, and I guarantee I'll take it all."
Someone then followed up with, "So how long do you plan to stay in Shouchun? And how many sugarcane poles do you need?"
The middle-aged man answered without hesitation: “I don’t limit the quantity. As long as you bring it, I will take all the sugarcane. As for how long I will stay here, it’s hard to say, but I promise you that I will come back next year to continue buying. If you don’t have enough sugarcane right now, you can consider growing some yourself.”
Upon hearing the man's words, the villagers began to discuss the matter. Some said, "We don't know if this man is a swindler or not. We planted sugarcane, what if he doesn't come next year?"
Others chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, what if it's a scam?"
Others held a different opinion: "What if it's true? Try planting it on a low-lying plot of land; it won't take much effort anyway."
Finally, someone couldn't contain their curiosity and asked the middle-aged man, "How much do you charge for this sugarcane?" The middle-aged man smiled slightly and slowly replied, "Two taels of silver per load." Upon hearing this, the villagers immediately erupted in discussion, gathering around to chatter.
Someone spoke first, saying, "Oh my! This price is a full tael of silver lower than our grain price!" However, a different opinion immediately arose, with someone retorting, "What do you know! This sugarcane is all peel, so it can grow much more than grain! I estimate that the yield per acre will be at least half as much again as grain!" Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
At this moment, a dark-faced man stepped forward and asked an elderly man, "Village head, please give us a decision: should we plant this sugarcane or not?"
The village head pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Well... how about this, I need to report the situation to the head of the village. If it's feasible, you can decide for yourselves. Those who want to plant can try planting some in the lower-grade land. Those who don't want to, that's fine. But I'm warning you beforehand, none of us have any experience planting this, so don't blame me if there's no harvest." After speaking, he scanned the entire area.
Seeing that no one had any objections, the village head stepped forward and respectfully said to the middle-aged man, "We still have to listen to the king's opinion on this matter. However, our village has quite a lot of wild sugarcane. If the boss doesn't mind, he can stay in the village for a few more days."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man beamed with joy and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Of course, of course. This is a good opportunity for me to take a good rest. Don't worry, I'll come to the village every other day. Just bring me any sugarcane you have." After saying this, the middle-aged man took his leave, leaving the village head to ponder for a moment before hurriedly going to find the head of the village to discuss the matter.
Meanwhile, similar situations were unfolding in various villages throughout the Chu Kingdom. Before long, news of a large influx of merchants buying sugarcane reached the Chu King's palace.