Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 115

After being busy for nearly half a month, the employees at the supermarket can finally take a break.

During this period, the supermarket doesn’t receive any nobles or officials. However, nobles and merchants come several times, even bringing their servants to forcefully push away the people waiting in line. The two sides almost come to blows on several occasions.

The people’s initial fear of the nobles disappears in the face of food. If it weren’t for Zou Ming and the others, several of the nobles would likely have gotten themselves into serious trouble.

However, Ye Zhou only sells millet and various beans, refusing to sell any agricultural products outside of that.

The people now have money in hand and food in their homes. The people of Linzi suddenly begin making large purchases. They have long been impoverished and fear that the prices of food and commodities will rise again soon, so they are reluctant to save money and prefer to spend it on necessities and food.

This not only benefits the merchants but also fills the pockets of nearby farmers. Now, vendors are found in the streets and alleys of Linzi. Many of them are farmers or fishermen from the countryside who make sauces and carry them to the city for sale.

Though this currently benefits only Linzi, if the people in the royal city of the country can’t survive, it will only make things worse in other regions.

The consumption of the people in the royal city drives the economic income of surrounding farmers.

As for regions farther away, they have to wait until the autumn harvest.

If there is no tax after this autumn’s harvest, the people of Chen will have a prosperous winter.

If taxes are also not collected next autumn, or for three years in a row, then although grain prices will drop significantly, people’s livelihoods will improve, and the cost of living will slowly stabilize over time.

To avoid the future need to send grain to other countries, Chen Hou’s most important task now is to stabilize the domestic situation, suppress the royal family that opposes him, promote his own trusted forces, and find ways to develop Chen’s military strength.

“Boss, let’s have hot pot tonight.” Chen Shu walks into the lounge, holding a plate of washed grapes and cherries. After setting the plate on the table, she asks Ye Zhou, “How long are we staying here? Have you made enough money?”

Ye Zhou shakes his head, rubbing his temples. “Recently, the income has been much lower.”

To distribute food to the people, they haven’t been doing business with influential merchants for a while. While they make less money, the employees are putting in more effort and energy.

Though Ye Zhou doesn’t regret his decision—he wants to show goodwill to the people—he can’t help but feel that things are progressing too slowly.

He can’t afford to wait for Chen to grow strong before leaving. If he truly waits for Chen to become strong, it might take ten or twenty years.

Even ten or twenty years might not be enough unless he immediately sells weapons of mass destruction to Chen Hou.

Chen Shu doesn’t understand. “If you want Chen State to grow strong, why not just sell him guns and bullets?”

Ye Zhou glances at her and laughs. “If I really do that, then I’d be the one who destroys this entire world.”

Chen Hou may seem like a good person now, but if he has weapons that surpass his time and an invincible army, can he still maintain his sanity?

Besides, there are examples from Ye Zhou’s world where powerful countries arm weaker ones with modern weapons, leading those weaker countries—originally in an age of cold weapons—into modern times. The result? Chaos, with no peace in sight.

Ye Zhou sighs lightly. “Let’s wait a little longer. Someone should come to the supermarket soon.”

The merchants who carry goods from the supermarket to other countries should bring him good news soon.

This is the first time Chen Shang has been treated this way. When he first comes to Lu, he is treated not like a businessman, but more like a slave, having to bow and scrape to everyone. Even then, he can’t make much money.

Because Chen State is weak, he too is weak, and the people in Lu look down on him.

The merchants in Lu even mock him behind his back, calling him a “dwarf merchant.”

But now, not only is he invited to the mansion of the royal family of Lu, with fine wine and beautiful women accompanying him, the other party is particularly kind to him, eager to buy more exotic goods from him—they want to buy up all the goods in his hands.

When Chen Shang quotes a price, the other party doesn’t even blink, making him realize that his price is too low.

But he can’t blame himself; he has never dealt with people of such high status before. In the past, he can only wait at the door and hope the housekeeper comes out to see him. He can’t even touch their clothes, let alone speak with them directly.

Merchants might rank above commoners, but no matter how rich a merchant is, he still can’t compare to noble families and aristocrats. Merchants don’t have generational wealth like aristocrats; they may be wealthy in one generation, but the next could be poor.

And more importantly, a merchant’s life and property can be taken away by a mere word from a noble.

Therefore, wherever merchants go to do business, their first priority is to find a powerful backer.

Chen Shang’s backer is the wife of Duke Lu.

At first, she refuses his gifts, but when he continuously sends her priceless jewelry and bracelets she has never seen before, she eventually can’t resist. She promises Chen Shang that he can do business in Lu without interference, and if anyone causes him trouble, she will support him.

Once he secures this connection, Chen Shang begins to make a name for himself in Qufu, bribing many impoverished children of noble families—children who don’t even realize they have been bought.

He sells them cheap goods.

These noble children, who don’t have much wealth and can’t enjoy luxuries, proudly display these items at poetry meetings.

If something is to gain fame, it must first be recognized by scholars. Only things praised by scholars will quickly become popular across different states.

Soon, someone comes to his door, but Chen Shang, with his new backer, isn’t eager to sell. No matter who asks, he shakes his head, saying he won’t sell. Some noble families even attempt to seize his goods, but upon hearing this, the wife of Duke Lu intervenes, releases him, and orders the family who detained him to return his goods.

At that moment, Chen Shang understands he hasn’t made the wrong choice in his backer.

If he chooses a different backer, someone from the official court, they wouldn’t save him but would simply split his goods with those who try to seize them.

The wife of Duke Lu, though lacking in knowledge of state affairs or government, is a considerate woman with natural beauty. Most importantly, Duke Lu loves her. While she can’t interfere in state matters, she still wields power, even if she doesn’t fully understand it.

What Chen Shang needs to do is help her realize the power she possesses.

Once her desire for power is awakened, she will realize how much benefit it brings her to have a merchant like him who can continuously provide exotic goods.

He can also gather information for her, run errands, and even recruit talents for her, so that her people can have a place in court.

By then, even if he isn’t a member of the royal family in Lu, he will be as influential as one.

“How many times has Chen Shang come to Qufu?” Prince Xiang asks, seated across from Chen Shang, smiling. “What do you think of Qufu these days?”

Chen Shang quickly replies, “Your Highness, as you know, I am from Chen. Though I’m a businessman, I don’t travel much between countries. To be honest, I used to only travel between Lu and Chen to sell grain.”

Prince Xiang nods. “Yes, the grain from Chen is well-known across all the countries. In that case, where do the goods in your hands come from? These goods are clearly not from ordinary craftsmen. The person who made them must be a great talent. If you could recommend this person to my sovereign, what’s stopping you from earning a place in court?”

Though no state explicitly forbids merchants from becoming officials, no country has had merchants in their courts. Merchants have money, and once they have money, they need power. Instead of finding a backer, it’s better to have power in their own hands.

Prince Xiang assumes the merchant in front of him will not refuse, but to his surprise, Chen Shang hesitates for only a moment before bowing and saying, “Your Highness, it’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t know where the person who made these goods is. I bought them from other merchants. That person runs a supermarket in Linzi. It’s massive, and there are countless goods inside, some that ordinary people have never even heard of. The servants there don’t look like servants—they’re more like generals,” Chen Shang sighs.

Prince Xiang narrows his eyes slightly, observing Chen Shang’s expression. After a moment’s thought, he is convinced the merchant isn’t deceiving him, so he says, “In that case, please introduce me to this person when you return to Chen. Tell him to come to my Lu State. My Lu is strong in soldiers and horses, and its national strength far exceeds that of Chen. If he wishes to do business here, it will be more beneficial than in Chen State.”

Chen Shang nods repeatedly. “Of course, Your Highness. Why else would I travel between Lu and Chen so often?”

Prince Xiang smiles. “No need to be nervous. I’m just making a suggestion. If you can persuade this person to come to Lu, I can’t give you a place in the court, but with me here, no one in Lu will dare to trouble you. Merchants seek wealth from all over the world. Although Lu isn’t the best, with the seal of Lu, I believe you can earn more here.”

Chen Shang says softly, “That person treats me just like any other merchant. I fear I won’t be able to persuade him. Since you have your own people, why not send someone to Chen to trade with him?”

Prince Xiang frowns slightly. “Just because I want to buy, he’ll sell? And the Marquis of Chen will allow that?”

In his opinion, a merchant with so many rare treasures can’t stay in one place for long. After all, it’s too easy for the nobles to take his things. Even if he finds a backer, how long can he rely on that support?

If he were the Marquis of Chen, he would never allow this merchant to do business with merchants from other countries. If the merchant is obedient and can bring in profits for the country, he might still take care of him. But if he is disobedient, he could dispose of him immediately.

Chen Shang says, “I heard he saved the life of the Marquis of Chen. The Marquis is grateful, so no one in the country dares to trouble him.”

Prince Xiang’s frown loosens, and he sneers, “So that’s it.”

As for the Marquis of Chen, he is a kind-hearted old man, so it’s not surprising that he would do such a thing.

“Very well. When will you return to Chen?” Prince Xiang says. “I’ll send someone to accompany you. As for your goods—I’ll buy them all.”

Chen Shang immediately stands up and salutes Prince Xiang. “Your Highness is most generous!”

Prince Xiang chats with him a while longer, even inviting him to stay for a meal and sending him off in his personal carriage.