Chapter 121: Exchanging Wine
Chapter 121: Exchanging Wine
I’m back!
Every time Gao Jing returned to the Great World, he felt as if the entire realm was under his control.
In reality, he was very small here.
And weak.
“Mount Tai Rhinobeast.”
Gao Jing patted the enormous Giant Rhinoceros Beast beneath him. “Let’s go, heading home!”
This trip required carrying more goods, so he had switched Pack Beasts.
The new one was the mightiest creature kept by the Shan Yue Tribe.
A fully grown male.
It could easily pull carts loaded with dozens of Giants and haul mountain-like cargo across the Wilderness.
It met all of Gao Jing’s needs.
The Giant Rhinoceros Beast was a key treasure for Great Wilderness tribes, similar to oxen for ancient farmers in the Primary World.
It needed little food and was gentle, tireless.
It served both as cargo porter and warrior’s steed.
Though slower than war mounts, its thick hide gave strong defense.
And during famine, it became life-saving meat!
That the Shan Yue Tribe lent him their strongest Pack Beast showed great trust.
Normally, adult Giant Rhinoceros Beasts weren’t lent out.
Gao Jing named it: Mount Tai.
Because sitting atop it felt steady as a mountain, like standing on an aircraft carrier’s deck.
Mount Tai happened to be a name for such a ship!
Trump~
With a command, Mount Tai shook its huge head and gave a low, deep cry.
It stepped forward with heavy footfalls toward Shan Yue Village.
Since Gao Jing had lingered two days wild last time before returning to the Primary World,
he skipped that delay this trip.
A bit extra hassle? Still safer than exposing secrets.
While Mount Tai journeyed, Gao Jing kept busy.
He hopped into the left Vine Basket.
He stored goods inside.
This time he brought 800 tons of Coarse Salt, 50 tons of candy, 10 tons of tobacco leaves.
And 100 tons of loose Baijiu!
His Copper Anchor Storage Space was packed solid.
Gathering all this took great time and effort across many places.
Money wasn’t the issue.
But future runs would ease.
After the auction,
Senior Ji flew to Hong Kong Island at Gao Jing’s request to build their Great World Company.
She rented offices, warehouses, hired staff, sorted import-export papers.
Took just one week.
Then back to Provincial Capital, racing to register branch offices.
And scouting factories Gao Jing needed to buy.
Once done, Gao Jing would shed these tedious chores for good.
He could dedicate time to cultivation then.
No wealth could match personal strength.
Gao Jing held this truth close.
As he finished arranging all goods into the two giant Vine Baskets,
Mount Tai neared Shan Yue Village Fort.
Trump~
It roared toward the village, distant yet clear.
Joy infused that homebound cry!
“Gao Jing!”
As ever, Shan Guoer led tribe kids out to greet him.
The girl clambered onto the Pack Beast.
She beamed.
Gao Jing gave her a new cloth doll—again!
Children skipped alongside the beast, laughing, ecstatic.
Candy time neared!
His returns felt like holidays.
“Back, I see.”
Shan Tai stood at the village gate.
He hailed Gao Jing, then peered into a Vine Basket. “What’s this?”
That basket held pile upon pile of salt sacks—
but also stacked white plastic cubes.
Shan Tai had never seen such.
“Baijiu!”
Gao Jing answered. “Strong drink from my tribe!”
“Strong drink?”
Shan Tai’s eyes lit. “May I taste?”
“Of course.”
Gao Jing smiled. “It’s all to share!”
The 100 tons of loose Baijiu was something new he brought for the village.
And certainly not cheap, watered-down swill.
Instead, it was true grain liquor.
The purchasing price was 50 yuan per kilo, which cleared out an entire distillery’s inventory.
To store this liquor, Gao Jing ordered another 100 large plastic barrels.
Each held a volume of 1 cubic meter!
Shan Tai eagerly grabbed a 1-ton plastic liquor barrel.
Under Gao Jing’s guidance, he unscrewed the top lid, then tilted it into his mouth with a “glug-glug-glug” pour.
Fragrant liquor aroma filled the air!
“Good stuff!”
After downing at least half a ton of the 55% alcohol baijiu in one go, a reddish flush appeared on Shan Tai’s face.
He loudly praised.
Gao Jing breathed a sigh of relief.
He’d been worried the Shan Yue Giant wouldn’t take to such strong liquor.
Clearly, that worry was unnecessary!
Gao Jing asked, “Brother Shan Tai, how do you think this liquor compares to Mountain Ape Wine?”
Time for a customer survey.
“Mountain Ape Wine?”
Shan Tai snorted dismissively, “That’s what monkeys and womenfolk drink, weak stuff. This liquor is far better than Millet Wine!”
The Shan Yue Tribe wasn’t wealthy.
Before, the Qinghe Merchant Caravan only traded them necessities like coarse salt, weapons, and grain.
“Luxuries” like Millet Wine never made it onto the trade list.
So, tribe warriors usually made do with Mountain Ape Wine.
And even that, they had to ration.
Shan Tai had tasted Millet Wine.
No comparison, no regret at what was missed.
Unable to help himself, he raised the barrel again and drained the remaining half-ton of baijiu completely.
Afterwards, he smacked his lips, still wanting more.
“Truly fine liquor!”
Seeing this, Gao Jing couldn’t suppress a knowing, uncle-like smile.
Purchasing this batch of pure grain baijiu cost him 5 million yuan total.
Just half the auction price of a bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine!
He planned to trade this baijiu for the Shan Yue Tribe’s Hundred-Fruit Wine.
How much could he get?
Those giants used to drink bowls of Hundred-Fruit Wine holding hundreds of jin!
How many “small goals” did that represent?
Gao Jing didn’t even want to calculate.
The profits from trade between the two worlds were immense.
Simply unimaginable!
“Brother Shan Tai!”
Just then, many tribe warriors gathered around.
Smelling the liquor, they eagerly asked Shan Tai, “What are you drinking?”
“It’s strong liquor Gao Jing brought us!”
Shan Tai waved generously. “Everyone, come try it! Truly good stuff.”
He knowledgably picked up a second barrel, unscrewed the lid, and handed it to a warrior beside him.
Selfishness didn’t exist in the Shan Yue Tribe.
Regardless of strength, the giant warriors were like brothers, united as one, sharing weal and woe.
Because only through this unity,
could the tribe survive the treacherous and perilous Great Wilderness!
But Shan Tai still cautioned them, “Go easy! Once it’s gone, it’s gone!”
If these giant warriors drank Gao Jing’s 100 tons of baijiu with abandon,
they could polish it all off in one sitting!
Shan Tai was very clear on this.
The giant warriors laughed and chattered, passing the barrel around for shared sips.
“Good liquor!”
Many had never tasted hard liquor before; their first try left them gasping from the burn.
But they found it thrilling.
A totally different experience from Mountain Ape Wine.
They loved the fiery, searing sensation!
Only the poor bear cubs from the village fort were crowded out, waiting longingly for their share of candy.
“Alright.”
After everyone had a taste of the strong liquor,
Shan Tai waved his hand. “Unload everything now.”
Everyone scrambled to help.
As tradition dictated, the most valuable coarse salt was to be sealed in jars and stored in the tribe’s public storehouse.
The baijiu received the same treatment.
The candy Gao Jing brought was divided on the spot according to how many children were present, given to the little ones already drooling with anticipation.
Shan Guoer got the largest share.
The final 10 tons of tobacco leaf, of course, went straight to the tribe’s most revered Shaman Chief.
“Gao Jing.”
Old Shaman Shan Yan said with a beaming smile, “Thank you for bringing us such good things again.”
The way he looked at Gao Jing now was like Nobita looked at Doraemon!
The coarse salt Gao Jing brought alone was enough for the entire tribe to last the winter.
“Nothing to thank me for.”
Gao Jing replied, “Shaman Chief, please set aside a portion of Mountain Ape Wine for me, as trade goods.”
Though he still had several hundred jin of Mountain Ape Wine in his Storage Space,
this wine wasn’t brewed by the Shan Yue Tribe; its supply was unreliable.
So, to ensure future stable supply, stocking up early was essential.
Gao Jing was practically a part of the Shan Yue Tribe now.
So, the right approach wasn’t politeness but being direct with the Elder Shaman.
“Hmm, our stock of Mountain Ape Wine is gone.”
The Elder Shaman’s answer startled Gao Jing—was his dream of becoming rich selling wine over?
“The monkeys in the mountains should have finished their new batch by now.”
The old giant continued, “If you need it, we can go ‘borrow’ some from them instead.”
Borrow?
Gao Jing pondered the meaning of “borrow” in the Dahuang Language.
Was its meaning here the same as the “borrow” he understood?