Siheyuan's Journey Through the Ages

Chapter 19: Sky-high Prices

Ma Qing found that he didn't have many cards in his hand. The support Xiao Qi could give him was all soft support. There was basically no direct support for him. He could only bear the beatings and the captures. His body did not become stronger and he was still an ordinary person. If he went out to travel, he could only take risks like an ordinary person. If he went to the black market to buy supplies in such a large quantity, he would have no way to deal with it if he was robbed. If he was caught by the authorities, it would be even more troublesome and it might affect his further studies. If he could not go to the black market unless necessary, he could only try his luck in the Pigeon Market.

Early on Tuesday morning, around 5 o'clock, when it was still light, Ma Qing was ready and planned to go to the nearby pigeon market to buy some things. As a result, when he was going out, he happened to meet the third uncle, who seemed to be going out as well.

"Qing'er, where are you going so early?"

"Hey, Uncle San, I'm hungry. I'm going to the morning market to buy some food. What are you doing?"

"You little brat, you're eating me to death. You're at the age when you're growing up, and you don't have enough food. The ration you've got is definitely not enough. My kids are crying out in hunger. I'm going to the morning market to buy some food. It's not easy for you, a kid, and there's no adult at home. Let's go together, so I can keep an eye on you and prevent you from getting hurt."

Ma Qing naturally disagreed in his heart, but he said: "That's great, with the Third Master looking after me, I will definitely not suffer any loss."

The old man and the young came together to the largest morning market near Nanluoguxiang, which is what everyone calls the Pigeon Market. The whole market is actually not very big, just a street of more than 100 meters. It temporarily became a place for everyone to trade in the morning. What was a little strange was that everyone seemed to lower their voices tacitly, and there was no noise like the morning market in Ma Qing's previous life.

Ma Qing was infected by this atmosphere and whispered to Yan Bugui: "Uncle, why is it so quiet here? Nothing will happen, right?"

"Don't worry. Although the current policy is to nationalize materials, everyone will encounter difficulties. No one can say anything when we come here to exchange things. Doesn't the government know about this? It turns a blind eye to it. There are government people watching here. Who knows, the person next to us may be wearing official clothes and eating imperial food." Yan Bugui nodded at a man a few meters away.

"Actually, we come here to exchange things. Hey, why should I hide anything when talking to you, kid? It's really hard to talk. I'll just say it's about buying and selling. For example, my family doesn't have enough food, but I have a pair of leather shoes. I come here to sell the shoes and buy some food, or I use the shoes to exchange for food and eat it at home. Is there anything wrong with that? There is nothing wrong with that. For example, my wife is about to give birth and needs nutrition. I sell the new clothes I bought when I got married and buy her a chicken. If you catch me, I will send my wife to your house and you can take care of her food and drink."

Yan Bugui whispered, "But, people are arrested here too. If you keep hanging around in this market, buying low and selling high, and making money from the price difference, and the government spots you, then you'll be caught in the act. They'll arrest you and send you to prison for education. If you don't change your ways, you'll go to jail."

Yan Bugui said gloatingly, "If you ask me, it's a good idea to arrest them. The sellers didn't make much money, but the people who actually needed it spent more money. These people got all the benefits. Who else should we arrest if not them? We are here to buy food for ourselves, it's okay. But Ma Qing, you can't come here often, or you'll be targeted. Just come here every month to replenish the food."

Ma Qing quickly agreed, thinking that's how it is. In his previous life, he chatted with friends. Some people said that the pigeon market was illegal and his parents were arrested in the pigeon market. Some people said that the pigeon market was legal and his elders often went to the pigeon market and nothing happened. It turned out that being in the same place and doing the same thing, because of different purposes, the results were very different.

Ma Qing had a question in his mind: "Uncle San, let me ask you, this business has existed since ancient times, why is it not working now?"

The third uncle smiled and said, "You are quite good. You can actually think of this problem. This matter is complicated. If you really want to know, you can treat your third uncle to a drink and I will talk to you. Let me give you a hint. You said that there have been trades since ancient times, but since ancient times, the poor have starved to death. Why does the government now insist on rationing supply?"

Ma Qing said naturally: "Uncle San wants to drink, no problem, let's find a weekend and go to the bar in the next alley and have a good chat." "Okay, go shopping, the sooner you buy, the sooner you can go back. I have to go to work and you have to go to class, don't delay."

Ma Qing and Yan Bugui wandered around the pigeon market. There were people selling leather shoes, coats, grain, and even antique-looking porcelain bowls. Because Yan Bugui was by his side, Ma Qing decided to buy some grain. With Yan Bugui's help, he bought 5 jin of potatoes, 5 jin of sweet potatoes, and 5 jin of corn. Potatoes cost 1.7 yuan per jin, sweet potatoes cost 1 yuan per jin, and corn cost 1.5 yuan per jin, spending 1 yuan.

"Alright, alright, stop buying. These things are enough to make up for your monthly expenses. If you buy more, it will attract other people's attention. You really can eat a lot and you really spend a lot." Yan Bugui held up the five catties of corn flour in his hand, and hesitated to remind him: "Don't come to this market this month. This is not the way to spend money."

"Uncle, I'm really hungry. I feel bad for spending this money. It's more than ten or twenty times more expensive than the rationed food."

"This is either food that someone forced down their throat, or something that was obtained from some unknown source. People either have to endure hunger or take risks. Isn't it expensive? Let's go. It's time to go back."

On the way back, Yan Bugui reminded: "You can come to the pigeon market, but you can't go to the black market. The people selling things there are all profiteers who make a living from the price difference. No one can predict when they will be raided. If you go there and get caught, you can't explain clearly whether you went there to buy or sell things. You will be educated. It will be troublesome if you run into them."

"Don't worry, Third Master. Ma Qing knows."

Ma Qing returned to the house, hurriedly opened the space door, and threw the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn into it. He did not go in. He closed the space door, put on his schoolbag, took his lunch box, and rushed to the canteen of the Red Star Factory.

The noble uncle Ma Qing doesn't know how to farm. Anyway, Brother Xiaoqi can control the universal robot, so farming should be left to professionals. While eating breakfast, Ma Qing listened to Xiaoqi's work report in his mind.

"Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn each weigh 5 kilograms. Based on my professional ability, I can professionally grow seedlings for potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn. I can plant one mu of corn, half an mu of potatoes, and half an mu of sweet potatoes. It is estimated that these three crops will mature in about 1 to 100 days, and I can harvest about 120 kilograms of corn, 700 kilograms of potatoes, and 1200 kilograms of sweet potatoes."

"So many, I thought corn had the highest yield ratio."

"That's because I have advanced technology. The tubers of potatoes and sweet potatoes. According to your current technology, 5 kilograms of tubers are not enough to plant one mu of land. But I use scientific germination technology. 1 kilograms of potatoes and sweet potatoes can be planted on half an acre of land. Of course, the yield is higher."

"Brother Xiao Qi is awesome. Otherwise, you will have to bear the burden. Let's build a basic ecological circulation system for the portable farm. Please give me a list so that I can find a way to get something."

(End of this chapter)