Chapter 328: Buying Seeds

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

To know that the biggest convenience of the black market was that cash that cannot be spent elsewhere can be spent here .However, this person only accepts exchange and doesn’t take cash. It was equivalent to breaking the rules. He was indeed capricious.

Jiang Chuan asked, “What seeds do you want to exchange for your corn seeds?”

“Radishes, cabbages, bok choy, any crop that can grow in winter will do.”

Seeing the white radish stems on the basket Jiang Chuan was carrying on his back, the merchant added, “If you have enough white radishes, you can exchange them.”

Oh, so this person was interested in the white radishes.

After the autumn harvest and once the required grain quota to be handed over to the nation was met, farmers could decide what to do with their land. They needed to plant seasonal crops to ensure they could get through the winter.

Recently, Pushan Village has been busy with farming. However, due to significant changes in the commune, the expected vegetable seedlings hadn’t arrived. Those with means had already traded for seeds in the city, while others could only wait and watch their fields dry.

The village chief had also approached Jiang Chuan several times, proposing to plant cabbages in his field. However, Jiang Chuan wasn’t worried about food and preferred to take a break during winter, so the village chief borrowed Jiang Chuan’s land for cabbage planting.

But upon inspecting the crops, Jiang Chuan found that their growth was mediocre. Even with the recent heavy rains, there was only enough moisture for the cabbages to sprout but not enough for them to thrive.

Jiang Chuan asked the merchant, “How many white radishes would you like to exchange for corn seeds?”

The man’s eyes shifted, revealing a probing look. He seemed to be assessing whether Jiang Chuan was in dire need of grain. If so, he’d accept the standard market price. After all, he had already made a good profit, and since it was getting late, there was no need to waste time.

But if Jiang Chuan wasn’t desperate, the merchant thought he might earn a bit more from the trade.

Given Jiang Chuan’s demeanor and the way he speak – suggesting he had already sold all his vegetables – the merchant didn’t hold much hope for the deal. He casually stated his price, “2.5 kilogram of white radish in exchange for half a kilogram of corn seeds.”

In those times, seeds were far more valuable than vegetables. However, even if Jiang Chuan had been prepared for this, he was still shocked by the price — a five-fold difference.

Usually, buying half a kilogram of corn in the market costs only one and a half coin, yet the seeds are so expensive.

Seeing Jiang Chuan’s hesitation, the merchant impatiently said, “If you don’t want it, hurry up and leave. It’s getting dark, and I need to get home.”

Jiang Chuan quickly stopped him and said with a smile, “Of course I want them. Wasn’t I just wondering how many corn seeds you actually have?”

The man’s interest was piqued upon hearing this. He looked at Jiang Chuan with a mixture of doubt and belief, “Do you have a lot of white radishes?”

Jiang Chuan’s thought process was as follows: according to the size of his daughter’s plot of land, planting it would require about 10 kilogram of seeds, taking into account the germination rate of the seeds.

However, the village’s land is currently unoccupied, and the villagers are eagerly hoping that the government will distribute seedlings to plant. If this merchant had enough seeds, Jiang Chuan could exchange them all and distribute them to the villagers in the name of the commune.

But the prerequisite is that this merchant must have more than 50 kilogram of seeds.

Jiang Chuan said, “I not only have white radishes but also carrots, mushrooms, and some wild fungi. I definitely have enough to trade for your seeds. Can you tell me exactly how many seeds you have?”

The merchant had ulterior motives as well. Although he didn’t have many seeds, he knew someone who had a lot and wanted to trade them. If he could help find a buyer for that person, he might receive support in the future and secure a place in the black market.

After pondering, the merchant gestured a number two with his fingers.

Jiang Chuan was skeptical. A small merchant might have 10 kilogram at most, but the man’s confident demeanor suggested he had more. So Jiang Chuan boldly guessed, “One hundred kilogram?”

The merchant playfully shook his finger, “Guess again..”