Xu He and Zhang Fangyuan made another trip to the city.
The village roads were extremely muddy. Few people had been out recently, but even so, the dirt roads were soaked by rain and were still covered with mud. The roads were so slippery.
The couple fitted chains onto the wheels of their carriage before setting off for the city. The usually busy main road was now eerily quiet, with not a single carriage in sight for hours.
The tea shed’s business was visibly declining.
"Twenty copper coins! Twenty copper coins!"
As the couple stepped out of their carriage and approached the charcoal shop under their oil-paper umbrellas, they heard loud arguing inside. The streets were empty, as if everyone had gathered in the charcoal shop.
Xu He glanced at Zhang Fangyuan: "Prices have gone up?!"
"Last time I came, it was fifteen copper coins. If twenty copper coins is the price for medium-grade charcoal, then it’s gone up."
Xu He quickly went inside and asked a clerk. Sure enough, the prices of all types of charcoal and firewood had increased.
Even so, customers kept pouring in.
"These charcoal shops are really taking advantage of a fire to loot. It’s only been cold for a few days, and they’re already charging so much. If winter gets even colder, how will we afford it?"
[趁火打劫 (chèn huǒ dǎ jié): lit. To take advantage of a fire to loot; fig. To exploit a crisis for personal gain]
"It’s been hot for so long, and the charcoal shops haven’t had much business. Now that it’s cold, of course they’re raising prices. Even in previous years, prices went up during this season. We should buy more now."
"That’s right. If prices keep rising like grain, we’ll really have nowhere to cry."
"I don’t believe it’ll stay this cold. Once the weather clears, I’ll go to the village. You can get a pound for ten coins there. It’s much cheaper than buying in the city."
The long line of customers grumbled. Some insisted on buying, while others left after hearing the prices.
Zhang Fangyuan and Xu He visited several charcoal shops in the city, both large and small. Prices had risen everywhere, but the increases varied, some by five copper coins, others by two copper coins.
The large stockpiles in the shops had already been bought by Zhang Fangyuan. Fearing another warm winter, the shops hadn’t replenished their supplies much. Now, with the cold weather, they were rushing to restock, but the heavy rain and cold made it difficult to produce charcoal and firewood.
Xu He felt a bit more at ease: "Should we start selling our charcoal now?"
"Not yet. Let’s wait until winter officially begins."
"Alright."
On their way back to the village, the couple saw several ox carts heading toward the village, as well as some turning back. Just as the people in the charcoal shops had said, city dwellers were now coming to the village to buy firewood and charcoal.
They were surprised to find that the city people entering their village were leaving empty-handed.
Upon asking, they learned that the city folk were offering low prices, and the villagers weren’t interested. Although the prices were higher than what Zhang Fangyuan had paid earlier, the villagers, having learned a lesson from the grain price hike, decided to wait and see.
Zhang Fangyuan couldn’t help but laugh: "The villagers have learned their lesson."
This time, the villagers were finally wise. After the autumn rain ended, there was only one clear day before snow began to fall, pelting the rooftops with a rustling sound.
Then came endless days of snow, plunging them straight into the depths of winter.
The people of Siyang began to panic. Winter was usually a quiet time in the village, but the heavy snow made even gathering pigweed difficult. The vegetables in the fields were buried under the snow, and digging up a single cabbage or radish left their hands purple from the cold.
Under these conditions, gathering firewood and making charcoal became even harder.
If the village was struggling, the city was in chaos. On one hand, grain prices were much higher than usual due to disasters and epidemics in other regions. On the other hand, firewood and charcoal, essential for survival, were also skyrocketing in price.
People who saw price increases on both sides cursed immediately. The high grain prices were due to natural disasters and epidemics in other counties, and the people still had some food on hand, but the cold wave had hit Siyang directly, catching everyone off guard. At one point, charcoal prices even surpassed grain prices.
Ordinary people were miserable. Even if they could endure the cold without buying charcoal for warmth, they still needed firewood to cook. There was no escaping it.
The charcoal shops in the city were overwhelmed. High prices were one thing, but if they went too late, they might not even find any charcoal in stock.
Earlier, the city folk had been leisurely sipping tea and discussing the disasters in other regions. Little did they know that Siyang’s own disaster was waiting for them.
On his way home, Zhang Fangyuan picked two radishes from the field to stew with lamb. Even though he had thick skin and flesh, the cold had left his hands stiff.
The house had a charcoal brazier, and only their family could afford to keep the entire house warm with such a large brazier.
Zhang Fangyuan tossed the radishes into the kitchen, then went to the main hall to take off his robe, shaking off the snow before hanging it up. He warmed his hands over the brazier and said to Xu He: "It’s time to open the warehouse!"
"Buying firewood and charcoal! Buying charcoal!"
The calls echoed across the village fields, but the villagers who were carrying pigweed on their backs or balancing loads on their shoulders, seemed accustomed to the scene and paid no attention.
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