Chapter 13: The First Pot of Gold

Chapter 13: The First Pot of Gold

Once Yue Feng arrived at the ghost market, he first pretended to be a buyer and strolled around the main street. Beyond observing the crowd for anyone suspicious, he paid special attention to the escape routes available.

The street was adjacent to several alleys, making it accessible from all directions. Unless he was physically pinned down on the spot, with Yue Feng’s agility, he could easily escape if anyone came to catch him.

Many people were squatting along the roadside. In front of them were small flour sacks or willow-woven baskets. At least a hundred people were either squatting or standing, yet the entire street was deathly silent.

This ghost market had existed for over half a year. With the loosening of national policies, the enforcement against "speculation and profiteering" had gradually relaxed. As long as one wasn't extremely unlucky or specifically targeted, selling small quantities of supplies was largely ignored.

Yue Feng found an empty spot, squatted down, and placed the hazel grouse and hazel grouse (flying dragons) he had brought from his pockets onto the ground.

The trick of using sock tubes to hold live poultry worked perfectly; the hazel grouse only had their heads exposed and didn't struggle at all.

Soon, someone noticed the live birds in front of Yue Feng. A middle-aged man wrapped in a grey coat squatted down.

"Are these hazel grouse and flying dragons for sale? Comrade, what’s the price?" the man asked in a low, hushed voice.

Yue Feng didn't hesitate. "Hazel grouse are seventy cents each, flying dragons are one yuan and ten cents! They were caught in the mountains just yesterday, fresh and uninjured!"

"So expensive? I’ll take them all if you give me a better price!"

If the other party hadn't asked to buy them all, Yue Feng might have knocked off three or five cents, but hearing such a bargaining tactic, Yue Feng shook his head.

"I can't go lower at this price. These are genuine mountain delicacies, and they’re alive, complete and intact! It’s not easy to catch birds like these!" Yue Feng shook his head.

Seeing that Yue Feng wouldn't budge, the man hesitated for a moment, stood up, and walked away.

There was still over an hour before daybreak, so Yue Feng wasn't in a hurry.

Soon, several others came by to ask for prices.

Most people in this ghost market were selling grain or ration coupons, with a few selling eggs, cloth, or pork. But live hazel grouse and flying dragons were one-of-a-kind. Many people, even if they couldn't afford to buy, came over just to check the market rate.

Yue Feng had prepared himself for this before coming, so he waited quietly for his buyer.

After a while, a short man in his thirties approached.

This guy was wearing a work uniform from the Red Star Coal Mine. After circling the ghost market once, he came to a stop in front of Yue Feng.

"How much for the hazel grouse and the flying dragons?"

"Hazel grouse are seventy cents each, flying dragons are one yuan and ten cents! They’re all in perfect condition and alive. They say half an ounce of wild bird is better than a pound of beast meat—the nutrition is incredible! These are mountain delicacies; whether you eat them yourself or give them as gifts, they’re rare finds!" Yue Feng said enthusiastically.

"You’re selling these way too high! I bought some a few days ago, hazel grouse were only thirty cents! Flying dragons were only fifty!" the short man whispered, trying to bargain.

"Those were caught with snares or traps! They didn't even bleed out! Mine are alive, complete and intact! How could the price be the same?" Yue Feng said confidently.

"Fine, give me two hazel grouse and one flying dragon!" The short man pointed at the birds on the ground.

"Alright. Do you have a bag? I’m not selling the socks holding the birds! Pick which ones you want, and I’ll get them for you."

"I’ve got one!" The buyer pulled a small cloth bag from his person, shook it open, and pointed to two slightly larger hazel grouse.

Yue Feng took the birds out one by one, stuffed them into the man's bag, and said, "That’ll be two yuan and fifty cents total."

The man paid the money and walked away, carrying the small birds that were still struggling inside the bag.

Two yuan and fifty cents in hand—this trip wasn't in vain. He had made his first sale!

It might not sound like much, but given the purchasing power at the time, it wasn't a small sum.

According to grain store prices, unground wheat was thirteen cents a pound, corn was ten cents, and pork was only eighty cents a pound. Of course, those prices required coupons; if bought at the ghost market, the price without coupons would be even higher.

Yue Feng had brought seven hazel grouse and one flying dragon in total. After selling three, he only had five hazel grouse left.

The buyer from earlier who had wanted to buy everything in bulk circled back after a while.

"How much for the five hazel grouse if I take them all?"

Yue Feng: "Seventy cents each, three yuan and fifty cents! If you’re sincere, I’ll give them to you for three yuan and forty cents—that’s my lowest."

It seemed that Yue Feng selling the first three had put some pressure on the man. Seeing that Yue Feng had voluntarily dropped ten cents, the buyer didn't try to push his luck or haggle further.

Yue Feng’s behavior might have seemed like he was playing hard to get, but he had his own strategy. With buyers who immediately want to buy everything, you can't appear too desperate to sell, or they will easily manipulate you.

The man had left temporarily and returned, meaning he had already accepted Yue Feng’s initial price in his heart.

By offering a small discount now, Yue Feng showed his attitude while giving the buyer a psychological "step down," mastering the initiative in the transaction.

After all, Yue Feng’s main goal in coming to the city’s ghost market was to find a steady sales channel, like a coal mine cafeteria or a purchasing agent, rather than just selling things piecemeal.

"Fine, pack them all up for me!" The man pulled a folded fertilizer bag from his waist. Yue Feng removed the socks one by one, and all five hazel grouse were loaded into the bag.

After counting the money, Yue Feng tucked it into his pocket and stood up, intending to leave.

The buyer couldn't help but ask, "Are you coming back tomorrow?"

Yue Feng hesitated slightly. "Hard to say. Probably not! I live in a village at the foot of the mountain; it’s a twenty-mile walk to get to the city!"

"Alright then. I come to the ghost market every morning! We’ll see when you come back next time. By the way, how do you catch these?"

Yue Feng: "To catch them alive, you have to use a hawk! Traps or snares basically never catch them alive."

"Use a hawk? No wonder! Can you help me catch more flying dragons? If you can, I can take them long-term!"

"Sure! My hawk is just getting started, but I’ll try my best. When I catch more, we’ll meet here again!"

"Good!"

...

Watching the man walk away, Yue Feng stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and strode toward a pork stall not far away.

At this pork stall, the owner had cut the meat into strips of about a pound each, tied them with wire, and laid them out on a snake-skin bag. Business didn't seem great; Yue Feng had already sold his goods, but the butcher hadn't sold much.

Yue Feng looked down and realized why: most of the remaining meat was lean meat from the hindquarters, with very little fat.

In this era, people were starved for fat, and everyone preferred fatty pork; this lean meat wasn't very popular.

"Big brother, how are you selling the meat?"