Chapter Thirty-Four: Quibbling

Qin Hao immediately shook his head when he heard the suggestion. “Zhen Lang’s proposal is not bad, but unfortunately, the Qin family doesn’t bring back much game each day. Even if we were willing, it would not be enough to exchange for the grain we need. This approach won’t work!”

Zhen Qian’s suggestion was rejected without hesitation, but he didn’t take offense—he had anticipated this outcome. No matter how abundant the game in the mountains, it would eventually be exhausted; hunting is like drawing water with a sieve, not a long-term solution. Qin Hao understood this as well.

Seeing Qin Hao looking at him with a hint of disappointment, Zhen Qian continued, “I’m aware the Qin family’s daily catch is small and falls far short of your needs. But my idea isn’t a desperate measure; it’s a way to ensure a steady flow. The question is whether the Qin family is willing to try it.”

Qin Hao perked up. “Oh? Tell me, what is this steady-flow strategy?”

Zhen Qian had piqued Qin Hao’s curiosity and replied calmly, “The Qin family lives in these mountains, and life grows harder by the day. That must be because the game has become scarce, right?”

Qin Hao nearly cursed—wasn’t that obvious? “You’re not wrong, but how does this relate to solving our current predicament?”

“It’s very much related!” Zhen Qian had now taken the lead in the conversation, continuing with poise, “Every day the Qin family hunts in the mountains, it’s like fishing by draining the pond—over the years, all the game nearby has been caught. Now, you must travel far to find any. Am I correct? Have you considered the drawbacks and possible solutions?”

Qin Hao nodded; that was indeed the case. Few animals now wandered near their settlement, but there was little to be done about it. Zhen Qian’s insight wasn’t surprising. “It’s always been this way. What solution do you propose?”

“There is a solution—one you haven’t considered yet,” Zhen Qian said, drawing Qin Hao’s interest further. “Everyone knows not to fish by draining the pond or hunt by burning the woods. But why not consider another approach, like raising game animals?”

Qin Hao burst out laughing. “Scholars always make things sound so simple! Zhen Lang, you may not know, but most wild animals are fierce and hard to confine. No one has ever succeeded in taming and raising them. Do you have some ingenious plan?”

“Of course, wolves, tigers, and leopards are impossible—but smaller animals are different. What about golden pheasants, foxes, wild hares? Do you believe those can’t be raised either?”

Qin Hao shook his head again. “Perhaps you’ve never raised such creatures. They may be small, but they’re wild and crafty. They rarely survive for more than a few days in captivity. How could one possibly raise them?”

Zhen Qian knew Qin Hao wasn’t wrong, but in later eras, methods for taming and breeding wild animals were many. He himself might lack experience, but he knew of several techniques.

“Clan Chief Qin, you’re mistaken. It’s not that there are no solutions, but rather the wrong ones are being used.” Abruptly, Zhen Qian turned to Wang Qun, who was standing nearby. “Uncle Wang, may I ask you something?”

Wang Qun was surprised to be drawn into the conversation. “What is it, Zhen Lang?”

Zhen Qian pointed at the young woman pouring wine in the crowd. “Look at the feathers in her hair. Do you know how those fetch at market?”

Wang Qun didn’t know what Zhen Qian was getting at, but answered honestly, “Those feathers are quite colorful. At market, each would sell for at least ten coins, perhaps more in bulk.”

Zhen Qian had seen feathered fans in the city of Zhen Ding, as well as women adorning their clothes with feathers—so the market was there. Hearing Wang Qun quote prices, his mind was made up.

“I’ll speak plainly. Clan Chief Qin, you heard Uncle Wang mention the price of feathers. The market value is high, but the Qin family must not have many feathers to sell. If we could raise a flock of golden pheasants, their feathers could be sold for grain, and their meat could be eaten or sold as well—a double benefit. Would you like to hear more about this method?”

Qin Hao was still skeptical. It sounded promising, but raising golden pheasants was no simple matter. “Go on, then. If your method is feasible, I’ll consider letting you open a distillery here.”

“It’s a deal, then!” Zhen Qian wasn’t worried about being cheated. Reputation mattered in these times, and after so many years of dealings between Wang Qun and Qin Hao, if Qin Hao’s character was questionable, they’d have parted ways long ago.

“Here’s how it would work…” Zhen Qian explained his plan. The more Qin Hao listened, the more astonished he became, his eyes nearly bulging from his head. Even Wang Qun looked at Zhen Qian as if he were a stranger.

Zhen Qian felt a chill under Wang Qun’s stare, but there was no turning back. He’d hoped to remain inconspicuous, but with time short, he had to ignore Wang Qun’s searching gaze.

“Zhen Lang, your plan is brilliant!” Qin Hao slapped his thigh and laughed heartily. “A true stroke of genius…” He couldn’t help but marvel. The idea was simple—nothing technically complex—just something no one had tried before.

“Are you satisfied with this method?”

“It’s not bad, but until we try it, who can say if it will work?” Qin Hao hedged. “It’s not that I doubt you, Zhen Lang, but no one has ever tried this before. What if it fails…?”

Zhen Qian snorted in displeasure. Dealing with such a cunning old fox was like a hedgehog trying to bite a fox—no easy angle to attack. “This is only the first step. There are many other matters to address before we can successfully raise golden pheasants. If you’re not interested, there’s no need for us to continue discussing anything further.”

“Don’t be hasty… I never said it couldn’t be done.” Qin Hao knew Zhen Qian was holding back, just like himself—neither would show their full hand without concrete benefits. Now, with the balance of power shifting, he had little choice but to seek Zhen Qian’s help.

“So, do you agree, Clan Chief Qin?”

Qin Hao wasn’t about to give in so easily. “Your method is sound, but it’s slow to see results. Even if it works, it’ll be half a year before we see any gains. Isn’t there a way to bring quicker change to the Qin family? That’s not an unreasonable request, is it?”

“Truly insatiable!” Zhen Qian thought to himself, his impression of Qin Hao sinking further. This old fox was a tough negotiator. If there were any quick path to wealth, he wouldn’t be sitting here haggling.

“Since you’ve asked, why don’t we each make concessions? I’ll open a distillery here, but I’ll need help. How about I sell the Qin family a ten percent share in the distillery? You won’t have to put forward a single coin—just agree to lend us space and manpower. Does that sound acceptable?”

Qin Hao was overjoyed—he’d been waiting for this. Ten percent was a small share, but over the years, it would amount to a considerable benefit.

“How about thirty percent? The Qin family can do a lot for the distillery. Any future business of yours can also be based here, and the Qin family will be your largest client. How’s that for a commitment?”

Qin Hao had no idea what Zhen Qian’s connection to the Zhen family really was, but for Zhen Qian, such a promise meant nothing—he just didn’t want to explain himself now.

“No more than ten percent! And for every new idea I provide in the future, I’ll claim a thirty percent share in each. Surely, Clan Chief Qin doesn’t think I have only one idea?”

Qin Hao’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected to be outmaneuvered and felt conflicted, uncertain whether this was good or bad.

Noticing Qin Hao’s hesitation, Zhen Qian pressed his advantage. “The Qin family also brews wine, and you must know the market price for spirits. Have you ever heard of bamboo-tube wine?”

“Bamboo-tube wine?” Qin Hao shook his head. The name suggested something involving bamboo, but he knew nothing more.

“As the name suggests, bamboo-tube wine is brewed in bamboo tubes—a method I invented myself. We can make use of the bamboo groves around your settlement. If we succeed, each tube will fetch three to five hundred coins at market. As I said before, the Qin family sits on a gold mine yet begs for food. I’ll make you a promise: if, by next year, I can’t help the Qin family earn at least five hundred strings of cash, I’ll make up the difference out of my own pocket. How’s that for an offer?”

Qin Hao could no longer hide his excitement. No matter how grand Zhen Qian’s ideas had sounded before, this was a concrete promise. He risked nothing—just a thirty percent share in exchange for space and manpower. Everything else would be Zhen Qian’s responsibility. It was an excellent deal.

“Good! If things are as you say, I agree. When do you plan to start?”

“A month from now.”

Things couldn’t be rushed. Zhen Qian wanted to move quickly, but the Qin family had little to offer besides land and labor. Their contribution was minimal, but the location was good—otherwise, Zhen Qian would never have compromised.

“If there’s anything we can help with, just say the word,” Qin Hao said enthusiastically.

Zhen Qian was hardly about to be polite. Since he was investing, he’d make full use of the Qin family; he was no philanthropist. So the two hammered out the remaining details, spelling out each party’s rights and obligations to prevent any future disputes. In the end, Qin Hao even signed and put his seal to the agreement before Zhen Qian revealed his full plan.

“The first priority is for the Qin family to help the distillery find a secluded location. Though you seldom have dealings with outsiders, enough merchants know of this place. I don’t want anyone to know there’s a distillery here. That’s first. Second, the Qin family will provide ten helpers for daily operations, their duties to be assigned by the distillery—not interfered with by the Qin family. Third…”