northernbook Chapter 407 New Ways of Business
Chapter 407 New Ways of Business
Chen Jia and Chen Jue finished their discussion with the Queen of Jingjue and continued their journey to the Western Regions with a beautiful vision of future cooperation. They went all the way and came to Qiemo. This small town in the Western Regions exudes a unique charm. The Qiemo River is like a winding jade belt, passing through the city and nourishing this land.
Near the Qiemo River, a lush vineyard came into view. Chen Jia and Chen Jue approached and saw that the bunches of green grapes were plump and round, shining with an attractive luster under the sunlight, as if they were jade carefully carved by nature. Chen Jia's eyes were full of surprise. He gently picked one and put it in his mouth. The sweet juice instantly spread among his taste buds.
"Husband, please try it. These green grapes taste so wonderful." Chen Jia said excitedly, and picked another one and handed it to Chen Jue.
Chen Jue took the grapes, put them in his mouth and tasted them carefully, nodded and praised: "It is indeed sweet and refreshing, and the flavor is very different from the grapes in the Central Plains. Madam, you see that the soil and water in Qiemo are unique, and the grapes produced are of such excellent quality. If we can introduce them to the Central Plains and combine them with the planting technology of the Central Plains, we may be able to develop a new industry."
Chen Jia's eyes lit up and she said, "What you said is absolutely right, sir. Moreover, we can also import cucumbers. I heard that cucumbers are widely grown in the Western Regions. They have a crisp taste and can be eaten raw or cooked. I'm sure they will be very popular in the Central Plains."
Chen Jue smiled and said, "My lady, you have thought it through. The introduction of fruits and vegetables is only the first step. We can also use these grapes to develop the trade of wine, raisins and fresh grapes, and open up the trade route between the Central Plains and the Western Regions."
The two became more and more excited as they talked, as if they had seen a prosperous trade in the future. Just then, a local fruit farmer passed by and looked at the two foreign guests curiously. Chen Jia walked up to him, smiled, and communicated with the fruit farmer in simple Western language.
"Hello, did you grow these grapes? They look really great." Chen Jia said friendly, with sincerity in her eyes.
The fruit farmer smiled naively, revealing a few crooked teeth, and said, "Yes, these grapes have been planted by my family for generations. The soil and water near our Qiemo River are good, and the grapes grown here taste sweet." As he spoke, he picked a grape, wiped it on the corner of his clothes, and put it in his mouth, with a look of satisfaction on his face.
Chen Jue then asked, "Do you know if these grapes can be grown in other places? We are from the Central Plains, and people there also like to eat grapes." As Chen Jue spoke, he gestured in the direction of the Central Plains, trying to make the fruit farmers understand their intentions better.
The fruit farmer thought for a while, scratched his head and said, "I've heard of Central Plains, it's a very far place. As long as the soil and water are suitable, grapes should be able to survive. However, the journey is long, and it may not be easy to grow grapes in Central Plains." There was a hint of worry in his eyes. After all, the transplantation of grape seedlings requires specific conditions, and Central Plains is too unfamiliar to him.
Chen Jia quickly said, "We are willing to give it a try. You see, we can buy some grape seedlings from you and learn your planting methods. Moreover, in the future, we can also help sell the grapes you grow to the Central Plains, so that more people can taste such delicious grapes." Chen Jia's tone was full of anticipation. She hoped to convince the fruit farmers to start this cross-regional planting and trade cooperation.
There was a hint of hesitation in the fruit farmer's eyes, and he said, "The grape seedlings are not a problem, but the planting method was passed down from my family. There are some tricks..." The fruit farmer was a little embarrassed. The planting method was his family heirloom, and he was worried that passing it on easily would bring bad consequences.
Chen Jue saw the fruit farmers' concerns and quickly said, "Don't worry, we won't learn your planting methods in vain. We will give you corresponding compensation, and if grapes are successfully planted in Central Plains in the future, we will give you a certain share every year. What do you think of this?" Chen Jue tried to dispel the fruit farmers' concerns with reasonable distribution of benefits. After all, this was a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation.
The fruit farmer was moved when he heard this, and a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes. He lowered his head and pondered for a while, then slowly said: "Can you really sell grapes to the Central Plains? How far will it take?" The fruit farmer still didn't quite believe that the two people in front of him could successfully promote grapes to the distant Central Plains. After all, it sounded too incredible.
Chen Jia said confidently: "We have our own caravan, and we are also negotiating with other Western countries to establish trade routes. As long as we work together, we will be able to promote Qiemo's grapes to the Central Plains. In addition to grapes, we also want to introduce cucumbers. You also know about cucumber cultivation, right?" Chen Jia introduced their plan to the fruit farmers in detail, hoping to let the fruit farmers see the feasibility of cooperation.
The fruit farmer nodded and said, "We grow cucumbers everywhere here, and the planting method is not difficult. If you want to introduce it, I can tell you about it." When talking about cucumbers, the fruit farmer's expression relaxed a little. After all, cucumber planting technology is relatively common.
Chen Jia and Chen Jue were overjoyed. They looked at each other with excitement in their eyes. Chen Jia said, "That's great. Thank you so much! Let's start with the grape seedlings. How many grape seedlings do you think are needed for one acre of land?" Chen Jia couldn't wait to ask about the specific planting details.
The fruit farmer said: "Generally speaking, about 300 grapes are planted in one acre of land. But it also depends on the fertility of the soil. If the soil is fertile, the spacing can be slightly larger to ensure that each grape plant can absorb enough nutrients." The fruit farmer explained patiently, squatted down, picked up a branch, and drew a diagram of the vineyard's layout on the ground.
Chen Jue listened carefully and asked some questions from time to time: "What should we pay most attention to during the planting process? For example, pest and disease control."
The fruit farmer stood up, patted the dirt off his hands, and said, "Pests and diseases are indeed a big problem. Grapes are prone to powdery mildew, especially in humid weather. Once discovered, they must be sprayed with a mixture of lime and sulfur. In addition, the construction of the grape rack is also very important. It must be ventilated and light-permeable so that the grapes can grow well."
Chen Jia listened and carefully recorded the experience in the notebook she carried with her, saying, "I see. These experiences are so valuable. What about cucumbers? Is there anything special to pay attention to when growing cucumbers?"
The fruit farmer smiled and said, "For cucumbers, you need to pay attention to watering. It can't be too dry or too wet. If it's too dry, the melon won't grow well, and if it's too wet, the roots will rot easily. Also, cucumbers grow fast, so you need to fertilize them frequently, and it's best to use farmyard manure, so that the cucumbers grow better."
Chen Jia and Chen Jue also asked the fruit farmers some other questions about the grape and cucumber planting process, such as the techniques of pruning branches and leaves, the key points of management in different seasons, etc. The fruit farmers patiently answered them one by one.
Finally, Chen Jia said, "Look, we'd like to buy 500 grape seedlings and some cucumber seeds from you first. When do you think they'll be ready?"
The fruit farmer said, "Okay, I'll prepare it for you tomorrow. But you have to be careful when you transport it back, as the grape seedlings are very delicate."
Chen Jia and Chen Jue nodded quickly and said, "Don't worry, we will take good care of it. By the way, regarding the remuneration and profit sharing, we can write a contract so that everyone can rest assured."
The fruit farmer thought about it and said, "Okay, let's write a contract. I also believe that you are sincere in your cooperation."
Next, Chen Jia and Chen Jue discussed the specific terms of the contract with the fruit farmers in detail, including the price of grape seedlings and cucumber seeds, the remuneration for teaching planting methods, the proportion of future profits, etc. After both parties reached an agreement, Chen Jia and Chen Jue signed the contract with the fruit farmers.
The day before they were about to return, Chen Jia and Chen Jue came to the vineyard again. Looking at the grapes in the garden, Chen Jia said with emotion: "My husband, this trip to the Western Regions has been fruitful. Not only did we enjoy the beautiful scenery, but we also discovered such a good business opportunity."
Chen Jue held Chen Jia's hand and said, "Yes, my lady. But this is just the beginning. After returning to the Central Plains, we must arrange manpower as soon as possible and find suitable land to try growing grapes and cucumbers. At the same time, we must also prepare a workshop for making wine and raisins."
Chen Jia nodded and said, "That's right, sir. Although there is wine in the Central Plains, the quality and variety are not many. We can use the grapes in Qiemo to brew wine with a unique flavor. As for raisins, they are easy to store and transport, and should have a good market in the Central Plains."
Chen Jue said, "Madam, we also need to consider the transportation of fresh grapes. The journey from the Western Regions to the Central Plains is long, and how to ensure that the grapes do not rot during transportation is the key."
Chen Jia thought for a moment and said, "We can try to use an ice cellar to keep the grapes fresh. We can put ice cubes on the transport vehicle to keep the temperature low. At the same time, we can choose appropriate packaging to reduce the collision of grapes during transportation."
Chen Jue smiled and said, "My wife is smart. This method is feasible. We also need to establish connections with merchants from all over the country to open up the market for grapes, wine and raisins in advance."
After returning to the Central Plains, Chen Jia and Chen Jue immediately got busy. They set aside a piece of land in their own manor and carefully planted grape seedlings and cucumber seeds. At the same time, they hired craftsmen to build a winemaking workshop and a raisin drying room.
Chen Jia would go to the manor every day to check on the growth of the grape seedlings and cucumbers. Seeing the grape seedlings sprouting green shoots and the cucumber vines gradually climbing, she excitedly said to Chen Jue: "Husband, look, the grapes and cucumbers are growing well. It seems that our efforts have not been in vain."
Chen Jue looked at the thriving vineyards and cucumber fields and said with satisfaction: "My wife, this is just the first step. We still need to continue to take good care of them to ensure that they thrive."
A few months later, it was harvest season for grapes and cucumbers. Bunches of purple grapes hung from the branches, and cucumbers grew green and tender. Chen Jia and Chen Jue organized people to pick grapes and began to make wine. They carefully brewed each batch of wine according to the methods they learned from the Western Regions and combined them with the craftsmanship of the Central Plains.
After the first batch of wine was brewed, Chen Jia and Chen Jue invited some relatives and friends to taste it. After tasting it, everyone praised it highly.
"This wine has a mellow taste and rich fruity aroma. It is really a rare fine wine." said a friend.
Chen Jue smiled and said: "This is made from grapes introduced from the Western Regions. We will launch more wines with different flavors in the future."
At the same time, the raisins in the drying room were also finished. Chen Jia packed the raisins into bags and prepared to send them to shops in various places for sale.
"Husband, these raisins are rich in color and sweet in taste. I believe they will be loved by everyone." Chen Jia said.
Chen Jue nodded and said, "Madam, we also need to ship fresh grapes to various places as soon as possible. This is a key step for us to open up the market."
Chen Jia and Chen Jue arranged a caravan, carrying fresh grapes, wine and raisins, and set out on a trade route to various places. During the transportation process, they used ice cellars and special packaging methods to ensure the freshness of the grapes.
When the caravan arrived at various places, fresh grapes, wine and raisins were immediately welcomed as soon as they were launched. People praised the delicacies from the Western Regions and bought them one after another.
A businessman approached Chen Jia and Chen Jue and said, "Mr. Chen, Mrs. Chen, your products are so popular. We hope to have long-term cooperation and become the agent of your products."
Chen Jue said: "Thank you for your support. We also hope to cooperate with more merchants to promote the delicacies of the Western Region to a wider market."
As trade continued to develop, Chen Jia and Chen Jue's business became more and more prosperous. They not only established sales networks throughout the Central Plains, but also developed trade with other countries and regions in the Western Regions. Qiemo's grapes and cucumbers, as well as their brewed wine and raisins, became important commodities in the trade between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, promoting economic exchanges and cultural integration between the two places.
In the busy business process, Chen Jia and Chen Jue still support each other and face various challenges together. Their feelings become deeper and deeper in their common cause, and they have become a good story among people.
"Husband, I'm really happy to see that our efforts have paid off." Chen Jia leaned on Chen Jue's shoulder and said happily.
Chen Jue gently hugged Chen Jia and said, "My dear, this is all our joint credit. In the future, we will continue to expand trade and make the connection between the Central Plains and the Western Regions closer."
The trade legend of Chen Jia and Chen Jue continued to spread between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, inspiring more people to bravely pursue their dreams and open a new chapter in business.