Chapter 1281: Unthinkable

Editor: Henyee Translations

The workshop descended into chaos due to the severe lack of labor!

Reassembling the workforce once they dispersed would prove to be a formidable challenge.

Zhao Zhai and Zhao Ye faced substantial obstacles during their procurement efforts. The Su and Hu states were plagued by significant negative karma, and their annual demand for locally-produced silk made it nearly impossible to sell any to outsiders.

When foreign merchants arrived seeking to purchase a substantial quantity like 100,000 liang (equivalent to 125,000 kilograms), it left everyone perplexed.

How on earth could they afford such an enormous amount?

Their purchases of less than 5,000 kilograms immediately drew the ire of prominent local business figures entrenched in the negative karma industry.

Furious at what they perceived as Young Master Zhao’s interference in the local market, they united to expel the newcomers.

Zhao Ye displayed astute judgment. He offered some conciliatory words and left Suzhou with his modest 4,000 kilograms of silk.

It was abundantly clear to him that lingering longer would not yield any further purchases.

Local businessmen had made it explicitly clear that even if he stayed, he wouldn’t be able to secure any additional silk. Silkworm households would not risk alienating the locals by selling to outsiders.

Being able to safely transport 500 grams of silk back was already a minor victory in itself.

In his mind, Zhao Ye was oversimplifying the entire ordeal.

Their situation was dire, and there was no going back.

In the Hu state, Zhao Zhai encountered a similar predicament. While he managed to acquire a larger quantity of silk than his counterpart, he too was eventually forced to leave after buying nearly 10,000 kilograms.

Yet, Zhao Zhai’s stubborn temperament meant he wouldn’t accept being chased away so easily.

If Ms. Qin had encountered a similar situation, she would have shared the same perspective as him – that she was investing in her business, not coercing anyone into buying or selling, and certainly not engaging in theft. So, why was she unable to make any purchases?

In the end, during Zhao Zhai’s attempt to make a purchase, he encountered troublemakers who assaulted him, concealing their identity with a sack over his head.

Despite the ordeal, Zhao Zhai continued to vent his frustration during the 500-meter trek back to the hostel. He refused to back down, exclaiming, “You don’t want me to buy? I want to buy! I’m not stealing; I’m openly purchasing. Why can’t I make a purchase?”

Undeterred, Zhao Zhai instructed his men to persist with their attempts to acquire silk and even suggested raising the price, believing no one would willingly part with their money.

However, fate was not on their side.

Not only did they fail to secure any silk, but they were also swindled out of over 50,000 liang. In the end, they hastily returned to Yangzhou.

Zhao Mu was seething with frustration.

While Zhao Ye didn’t manage to obtain a significant amount of silk, he had expected as much. Buying such a substantial quantity of silk was no easy feat.

The southern silk industry was highly developed, and silk remained in high demand across every city. Typically, there was only enough for local silk producers, making large-scale purchases a rarity.

However, Zhao Zhai suffered a massive loss, losing more than 50,000 liang, despite acquiring over 5,000 kilograms of silk. This was a significant setback.

Due to the scarcity of silk, the workshop would be forced to shut down within a matter of days.

Consequently, they would either have to pay the workers without any production or resort to layoffs.

The situation would only worsen if they couldn’t meet their delivery deadlines.

The Zhao Family faced the impending loss of everything they had worked for.

Under these dire circumstances, Zhao Mu had no choice but to visit Ms. Zheng’s mulberry garden.

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