Chapter 493: The Largest Vegetable Wholesaler
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Madam Zhao had built the chili workshop less than two months ago, but she had stopped working because of a lack of raw materials.
In the few days after they had just stopped work, she had even grown a few more wrinkles.
In order to make her happy, Zhao Erwa brought her out to watch the craftsmen prepare an ice sculpture exhibition. They were surprised to see a tricycle pulling carts of fruits and vegetables to the market, including fresh chili peppers. Their eyes lit up and they followed the tricycle to the market.
After knowing that the greenhouse could grow chili at any time throughout the year, Zhao Erwa immediately said, “Mother, you can get Father to contract 100 acres. Our workshop will have chili at any time!”
With Bai Wutong’s chili seeds, an acre of chili could produce 1,500 to 2,500 kilograms.
A hundred acres of chili could be piled into a mountain. Why would their small chili workshop need so much?
Moreover, it would cost money to contract 100 acres!
If it was contracted, they would have to hire people to manage it. The manure also cost money. This was another huge expense.
She could totally estimate how much chili she needed next year. It was better to stock up than to spend effort to plant 100 acres of land.
Seeing that Madam Zhao had no intention of contracting, Zhao Erwa immediately asked Village Chief Zhao anxiously, “Uncle, Uncle, how much is the rent for 100 acres?”
Village Chief Zhao smiled and said, “It’s not expensive. It’s only one tael of silver a month.”
One tael of silver for a month. In 12 months a year, the basic expenditure was 120 taels of silver.
Everyone clicked their tongues in unison. How could this not be expensive!
Which ordinary family could spare 120 taels a year!
120 taels were enough to buy two villas.
Zhao Erwa was very smart. He could earn profits from every project led by the Imperial Court.
They could farm however they wanted all year round and be completely unaffected by the seasons. Even if Zhao Erwa did not know how much the cost was, he knew that they would definitely not lose out.
For example, if they could not use the 100 acres of chili themselves, they could sell it to restaurants and other food factories. There was also his sister’s rouge powder factory and the red colour extract from the chili. There was a high demand for them every year.
Besides, it was not just to plant chili.
The flowers that girls liked, strawberries that were suitable for the old and young, and other plants could all be grown.
Zhao Erwa felt that the return would definitely be higher than the risk. If Madam Zhao did not want to contract, he would do it himself. Anyway, he did not like to study. Coincidentally, he could inherit his father’s business and return home to farm.
Zhao Erwa rolled his eyes and asked, “Uncle, can we pay the rent monthly?”
He had saved up 20 taels of silver, which was only enough to pay two months’ rent.
If they still had to hire someone to buy seedlings, 20 taels was completely a drop in the bucket.
Many people were concerned about this. Village Chief Zhao smiled and shook his head. “Contracting the greenhouse requires signing a contract with the Imperial Court. It has to be contracted for at least two years in one shot and paid a year’s rent in advance.”
Hearing this, many people immediately dropped the idea of visiting the greenhouse.
An investment of more than 100 taels a year. Even if they knew it would earn money, they did not have the money!
Zhao Erwa also choked. It was more than 100 taels, so he could only borrow it from his sister.
Suddenly, Village Chief Zhao said, “You can take a loan from the Imperial Court using the house or land. You only have one chance. Everyone, you have to seize it.”
Those without houses or land were immediately discouraged.
This was not a project they could take on.
It was better to work obediently.
Zhao Erwa had heard from Village Chief Zhao that there was only one chance. He must be hinting that it was very profitable.
Zhao Erwa was excited. “Uncle, Uncle, my mother and 1 want to register first!”
Madam Zhao glared at him, indicating that she could not plant for 100 acres.
Zhao Erwa immediately lowered his voice and said, “Mother, look, Uncle Zhao has sold so many vegetables and fruits in a short while. It can be seen how much the market demand for vegetables and fruits is. Let’s go take a look first and calculate the cost. If you think it’s not suitable, then forget it. In any case, we would not lose a single piece of meat.”
Madam Zhao felt that it made sense. If she took a look, it could broaden one’s horizons, so she agreed.
Zhao Hongyun definitely could not take out 120 taels of silver, but he wanted to see how the greenhouse planted off-season vegetables and fruits.
He was experimenting with ground heating at home. What went wrong with it?
Cui Muzhi’s cake shop sold strawberry-flavored cakes the best. Without the strawberry ingredients, it did not affect the cake shop much, but it made customers miss it.
Madam Zhang gave Madam Cui a basket of fresh strawberries. They were big and sweet and of excellent quality.
Cui Muzhi ran to the market to buy strawberries. The person selling strawberries was Village Chief Zhao. He said, “Uncle, how many strawberries do you have left? I’ll buy them all.”
He wanted to buy all the strawberries now and stock up on them.
Village Chief Zhao smiled and said, “We only planted an acre of strawberries.
The food factory has already reserved the 250 kilograms produced.”
“It’ll be a few days before you can buy it.”
Cui Muzhi frowned. “Then can you also produce a few hundred catties in a few days?”
Village Chief Zhao smiled and said, “Yes.”
Cui Muzhang heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s great.” If it was processed and stored, it should be able to last a month in the shop.
Village Chief Zhao knew that Cui Muzhi’s cake shop had a high demand for fruits. He asked him, “The Imperial Court has hired contractors to plant strawberries all year round. Do you want to try contracting 100 acres?”
Cui Muzhi was stunned. He did not have the energy to manage 100 acres of strawberry fields at all. However, if he had his own strawberry base and the cake shop could supply fresh strawberries at any time, he could open a few more branches. He could go home and ask Madam Cui, who was good at managing the family clan’s businesses, if she was willing.
Cui Muzhi nodded. “Uncle, tell me the details about the greenhouse first.”
Seeing that there was a chance, Village Chief Zhao hurriedly introduced the benefits of gardening in the greenhouse.
When Cui Muzhi returned home, he told Madam Cui about the greenhouse. Madam Cui immediately asked excitedly, “If it can be planted all year round, can we plant herbs?”
The medicinal herbs in Carefree City had always been in short supply. If they could plant medicinal herbs all year round, this would be an endless way to earn money.
Cui Muzhi said, “Mother, you can visit the greenhouse the day after tomorrow and ask Uncle Zhao. If you can plant cuc.u.mbers, cabbages, and strawberries, you can probably plant herbs too.”
Madam Cui nodded happily. “Alright, Mother will go take a look.”
Apart from them, there were also many big families who had signed up.
120 taels of silver was not a lot of money to them, but if they followed the movements of the Imperial Court, they might be able to earn a lot of money from farming pearls, planting mushrooms, building workshops, and opening businesses.
They had to seize the opportunity they had missed previously.
It was snowing heavily outside. Village Chief Zhao led them into the greenhouse, and the greenhouse that was filled with life caught their attention.
Everyone saw all kinds of vegetables and fruits. They picked them along the way and ate them.
Zhao Erwa held his small notebook and calculated in detail the input, basic cost, labor, and profits that could be earned. The profits would be reduced when the market was saturated in the future.
After obtaining the estimated average profit, Zhao Erwa’s eyes widened.. He said to Madam Zhao firmly, “Mother, 1 want to become the largest vegetable wholesaler!”