Chapter 36: No Room for Indulgence

Before Meng Yuxi even approached the salt pans, the scent of salt hung heavy in the air. Looking toward the fields, he saw coarse, crude grains of salt scattered across the ground, the poor quality evident at a glance.

A loud "bang" echoed as the bamboo door of Village Chief Li Gaoyuan’s hut was violently flung open. A gaunt young girl was shoved out, stumbling heavily into Meng Yuxi’s arms.

Feeling the sharp jab of her thin frame, Meng Yuxi let out a muffled grunt and quickly steadied her to keep her from falling. Before she could even offer a word of thanks, a man stormed out of the hut—clearly the one who had pushed her. He held a bamboo rod, raising it high as if to strike the girl.

Zhang Long and Zhao Hu moved in a flash. With a blur of motion, they snatched the bamboo rod from the man’s hand in an instant.

The man froze, momentarily stunned, before shouting, "Yan Manxiang, what nonsense are you spewing? There isn't a soul in Li Village who doesn't know how to refine salt! Who are you, a hairless brat, to come here and run your mouth? Get lost! Dammit, don't you ever step foot in Li Village again! You’re just an outsider with a different surname—don't think for a second you're entitled to anything!"

After spewing this profanity-laden tirade, he spat on the ground.

Yan Manxiang said nothing. She wiped her face with her sleeve, stood up from Meng Yuxi’s hold, offered him a respectful curtsy, and hurried toward a dilapidated, isolated thatch hut.

Only then did Meng Yuxi get a clear look at her. She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen, her face still possessing a youthful softness despite her dark, sallow complexion. Her hair was dry and brittle, a clear sign of long-term malnutrition. If one were to place a bowl in her hands, she would look exactly like the beggars one might see on the street.

"Village Chief Li?" Meng Yuxi asked, cupping his hands in a polite salute toward the vulgar, foul-mouthed man.

Li Gaoyuan nodded and glared at Zhang Long, who was still holding the bamboo rod. He grabbed the rod, intending to yank it back, but no matter how hard he pulled, it didn't budge an inch.

Zhang Long glanced at Meng Yuxi, who gave a slight nod. Only then did Zhang Long release his grip. The sudden loss of resistance caused Li Gaoyuan to pull back with such force that he tumbled onto his backside.

"Damn it! Wearing such a creepy mask in broad daylight—the rest of your family must be dead, leaving only you left!" Li Gaoyuan grumbled as he scrambled to his feet. Meng Yuxi frowned in disgust, while Zhang Long remained as impassive as if he hadn't heard a word.

"Li San, get back to guarding the gate! Do you think you'll find silver standing around here? Dammit!"

"Yes, Village Chief," the man who had guided them panted, not daring to argue as he turned and hurried away.

"Your shipments for the Snow Under the Bridge shop in Su City have already been sent, so why are you looking for me?" Li Gaoyuan asked. He paused, then added, "A little sand in the salt is normal. No returns, no exchanges—that’s the old rule."

Meng Yuxi smirked. He thought to himself, *I’ve inspected the warehouse stock; you call that a little sand? It’s four parts sand for every ten parts salt.*

"Village Chief Li, you certainly know how to do business. We’ve come for a major deal."

"Then come inside to talk. Leave those two mask-wearers outside; my hut isn't big enough for so many ghosts and monsters."

Meng Yuxi chuckled, told Zhang Long and Zhao Hu to wait outside, and entered with Xiao Cui’er. The interior of the hut was cluttered, with several locked chests scattered across the floor.

"Sit," Li Gaoyuan said, pointing to a small, low stool while he settled comfortably into a tiger-skin armchair opposite it.

Meng Yuxi smiled. "No need, we prefer to stand."

Li Gaoyuan rolled his eyes. "What kind of major deal?"

"Our Li Village salt production can’t even keep up with demand. No matter how big your 'deal' is, it’s useless. You’d be better off raising the purchase price."

Meng Yuxi smiled. "Business is all about negotiation. May I ask, Village Chief Li, how much of an increase are you looking for?"

Li Gaoyuan didn't speak; he simply held up five stubby fingers.

"Are you asking for a fifty percent increase per catty?" Meng Yuxi mused. He had checked the ledgers: the salt sold for five *qian* of silver per catty, and the purchase price was four *qian*. In modern terms, that was roughly seventy yuan per catty. Li Gaoyuan’s five fingers meant an increase of two *qian*—a truly greedy demand.

"Bullshit! I want to add five *qian* of silver! I don't understand your percentages and nonsense!"

"What did you say? Add five *qian*? That would make your salt nearly a full tael of silver per catty? Isn't that a bit too precious?" Xiao Cui’er interjected, her voice thick with the sharp accent of the capital. She placed her hands on her slender waist.

"Do you know how much a commoner in the Great Li Dynasty earns in a year? Only twenty taels of silver!" she continued, her chest heaving with indignation. "Are you selling this crude salt as if it were your own mother?"

With a loud bang, Li Gaoyuan slammed his hand on the table. "Dammit! If you don't want to buy, get lost! Go eat government salt!"

"I don't even want to sell to you people anyway!"

Xiao Cui’er was left speechless. She knew that while government salt was of higher quality, its price was also five *qian* per catty, and production could never keep up with demand. Because the Great Li Dynasty stockpiled salt for times of war, the surplus was prioritized for the capital and surrounding major cities. Consequently, the people in the south had no access to government salt and relied almost entirely on private salt.

Li Gaoyuan knew this, which was why he was price-gouging.

Meng Yuxi laughed. "Haha, Village Chief Li, business is always open to counter-offers, isn't it? Besides, the Snow Under the Bridge shop in Su City can't afford your price, so who else would you sell to? If the stock piles up and your men lose their monthly income, wouldn't it be better to just lower the price slightly and sell it all to us? It would save you a lot of trouble."

The "trouble" Meng Yuxi alluded to was far more complex than Li Gaoyuan realized.

"Heh, if you’re talking about textiles, Su City is top-notch," Li Gaoyuan said, giving a mocking thumbs-up. "But when it comes to trade, how could it compare to Deep City?"

"Since you came all this way, I might as well tell you—I was going to send word anyway. Our business ends here. I’ve found a new buyer for my salt at nine *qian* per catty. Out of respect for our long partnership, I was going to offer it to you at the same price. If you want it, I’ll hold the stock; if not, I won't have a single grain left anyway."

"But now? Sorry, I’ve changed my mind. I won't sell it to you even for nine *qian*. Heh, and this little maid... she likes to put on airs, doesn't she?" Li Gaoyuan’s murky eyes fixed on Xiao Cui’er’s chest as he flashed a mouth of yellow teeth.

"Beat him. We don't need to put up with this," Meng Yuxi said calmly. Hearing "Deep City" was enough to tell him there was no point in further negotiation. He walked to the door and opened it wide, ensuring that the man's screams would carry as far as possible.