Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 57 Undercurrents and Food Shortage Relief

Lin Yan returned to his courtyard home silently. The house was quiet, a world apart from the anxiety that permeated the courtyard. His mind immediately sank into his thoughts, first contacting Lin San, who was in charge of overall coordination back in China.

"Lin San."

"Master, please give your orders." Lin San's response came immediately.

"Notify our managers in the black markets across major cities nationwide that, starting immediately, they can begin gradually releasing coarse grains into the market." Lin Yan's order was clear and unambiguous. "Mainly cornmeal, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. I previously mentioned sorghum to Lin Xiao, but that's off now. That stuff has a rough, astringent taste; people don't like it anyway. Unless absolutely necessary, who would want to eat it as a staple food?"

He paused, his thoughts drifting deeper, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes: "However, the sorghum we grow in our space, even from ordinary areas, has much fuller grains than that grown outside. This stuff... isn't suitable as a staple food, but it's excellent for brewing! Those ancient brewing recipes we collected and registered globally can come in handy."

"You will immediately take charge personally, secretly and in a dispersed manner, to acquire large quantities of the finest earthenware wine jars and vessels throughout the country, especially in traditional wine-making regions. The quantity must be large, of excellent quality, and... start with tens of thousands. Be careful to keep your hands clean and avoid attracting attention."

Immediately afterward, he changed his mind and contacted Lin Yi, who was far away in Hong Kong.

"Lin Yi."

"Master, I'm here."

"Use the funds to quickly find and purchase a sufficiently large plot of land in Hong Kong's New Territories or suitable outlying islands. The location should be secluded and close to a water source. Under the name of the Lin Group, prepare to build a modern, large-scale brewery with all the necessary permits, and publicly claim to produce high-end spirits," he added. "The brewing equipment doesn't require special blueprints; we can directly purchase ready-made, state-of-the-art industrial equipment from Hong Kong or overseas. Our core advantage lies in our formula and raw materials, not in special equipment."

Finally, on a whim, he summoned the little Qilin who was chasing butterflies in the space: "Little Seven."

"Brother, what's wrong?" Xiao Qi hopped over.

"I have an important task for you." Lin Yan stroked its horns. "You still remember those patented ancient brewing recipes we collected before, right?"

"I remember, I remember!" Xiaoqi nodded proudly. "Those recipes were really complicated, but I wrote them all down in my little notebook!"

"Very good," Lin Yan praised. "Once Lin San and the others have collected all the wine jars and sent them into the space, you will command the puppet army within the space and allocate some of the labor force."

"Remember, there are two types: a large batch, brewed using sorghum from ordinary areas and spring water, following a registered ancient recipe. This is intended for future packaging and market sales in a Hong Kong factory; just make sure the taste is good. Also, there seems to be a recipe for spirit wine in our ancestral inheritance. Go to the spirit herb garden and select some suitable herbs, then brew a small batch of spirit wine that Qi Refining stage cultivators can drink."

This batch of spirit wine will only be kept for personal use and will never be sold as a commodity.

Upon hearing about the important task, Xiao Qi immediately puffed out her little chest, her golden eyes filled with excitement: "Understood, brother! Leave it to me! I'll definitely brew both kinds of wine beautifully! Especially the spirit wine, I'll carefully select the best medicinal herbs!"

After arranging everything, Lin Yan finally withdrew his attention from the spatial dimension. He walked to the window and looked out at the dark courtyard shrouded in gloom.

In the dead of night, at 1:30 a.m., the gate of the courtyard was knocked on loudly, the sound particularly jarring in the night.

"Who is it?! In the middle of the night! Can't a person get any sleep?!" Yan Bugui cursed and got up, throwing on his clothes, looking extremely unwilling to open the door. He was so worried about the grain situation that he couldn't sleep, and his temper was particularly bad.

He pulled the latch, and by the dim moonlight, he saw Lin Gang standing outside, carrying two bulging, heavy sacks on his shoulders.

"Lin Gang? What... what are you doing out in the middle of the night? What are you carrying?" Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, his sleepiness instantly vanishing. He stared suspiciously at the two burlap sacks, a vague guess in his mind, but he wasn't sure.

Lin Gang deliberately panted and lowered his voice, as if sharing some earth-shattering secret: "Third Uncle! It's me! It's me! Hey, don't even mention it! My family was also worried about food, you know? I couldn't sleep, so I mustered up the courage to try my luck at the black market! Guess what?"

He paused deliberately, whetting Yan Bugui's appetite, before excitedly saying, "It really is! There really is grain for sale on the black market! Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cornmeal! Piled up like small mountains!"

Upon hearing the word "grain," Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "How much? Do I need coupons?" This was the most crucial question.

Lin Gang waved his hand, his expression exaggerated: "Cheap! Same price as the supply and marketing cooperative, 3 cents a pound! Most importantly—no coupons needed! Not a single cent's worth of coupons!"

"What?! No tickets?!" Yan Bugui's voice rose instantly, then he quickly covered his mouth, his eyes wide with surprise. But then he remembered something and asked urgently, "Then... then is there a purchase limit?"

"Limited! Each person can only buy a maximum of fifty catties of each item! If you go too late, they might all be gone!" Lin Gang hurriedly added, his tone urging.

"Fifty jin... fifty jin is more than enough!" Yan Bugui was so excited that his hands were shaking. He couldn't care less about sleeping anymore. "You wait! You wait, Lin Gang! Thank you so much! Jie Cheng! Jie Fang! Quick! Get up! Don't sleep!" He thanked Lin Gang while turning around and running back in a hurry, his voice trembling.

He stormed into the house and, without a word, dragged his eldest son, Yan Jiecheng, and second son, Yan Jiefang, out of bed: "Quick! Get dressed! Come with me! Something amazing is happening!"

The two sons, still half asleep, were bewildered by their father's commotion: "Dad, where are you going in the middle of the night?"

"Don't ask! Hurry up! Go buy grain! There's grain on the black market that doesn't require coupons! If you're late, there won't be any left!" Yan Bugui stamped his foot anxiously.

Upon hearing "grain without coupons," the two boys instantly woke up, frantically getting dressed. But Yan Bugui, looking at his two half-grown sons and then at his own old, frail arms and legs, felt a sudden pang of worry: what if they encountered robbers carrying grain back in the dead of night? In these times, what wouldn't people do for food?

His eyes lit up, and he immediately had an idea: "It's not safe for just the three of us! We need to call all the men in the courtyard, young and old!"

Regardless of whether it was the middle of the night, he yelled at the top of his lungs in the middle and back yards, "Men, young and old! Wake up! Wake up! It's urgent! It's extremely urgent!"

In an instant, the lights in each room of the courtyard came on one after another, and curses, complaints, and children's cries rose and fell.

"Old Yan! What are you howling about in the middle of the night?! Can't a person get any sleep?!" Liu Haizhong came out wearing a coat, looking furious.

"Uncle, what time is it? What happened?" Sha Zhu rubbed his eyes and muttered as he came out.

Other residents also opened their doors and peeked out, each with an expression of displeasure at being disturbed from their sleep.

Yan Bugui quickly pointed to Lin Gang and the two sacks, excitedly explaining, "Everyone! I'm so sorry! I'm really sorry! But this is fantastic news! Lin Gang! He just came back from the black market! There's grain for sale on the black market now! Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cornmeal! The price is the same as at the supply and marketing cooperative, 3 cents a pound! Most importantly—no coupons required!"

These words were like a bomb, instantly shattering everyone's sleepiness and resentment!

"Really? No ticket required?"

"How much does it cost? Is there a purchase limit?"

"Where is it? Is there any more?"

The crowd instantly swarmed around, chattering and their eyes gleaming with envy. Their previous complaints turned into eager questions.

Jia Dongxu, squeezing to the front, asked breathlessly, "Third Uncle, is the information accurate?"

"Absolutely true! Look what Lin just bought! But there's a purchase limit of fifty catties of each item per person. If you go too late, they'll be gone!" Yan Bugui assured him, pointing to the sack.

"What are we waiting for! Let's go!" someone shouted.

But someone immediately worried: "Is it safe to go to the black market in the middle of the night?"

Yan Bugui immediately seized the opportunity to suggest, "That's why I woke everyone up! All the men in our compound should go together! Many hands make light work, we can look out for each other, and we won't be afraid of any scoundrels! The women should stay home and watch the house!"

The suggestion was immediately approved by everyone. Soon, almost all the able-bodied men and teenagers in the courtyard were mobilized. They carried bags and pushed carts, their emotions a mix of excitement and tension, and they surged silently toward the black market.

Upon arriving, we were indeed greeted by a sea of ​​people, even more bustling than Wangfujing during the day! Yet, the order was remarkably well maintained. Many fit-looking "workers" were keeping order, quietly calling out, "Line up! Line up! No pushing! Everyone gets some! Potatoes over here! Sweet potatoes over there! Cornmeal over there!"

People lined up anxiously and excitedly, hardly believing their eyes when they saw the mountains of grain and the fair prices! Transactions were swift, with money and goods exchanged quickly. Those who bought the grain beamed with joy, clutching their bags tightly.

The people in the courtyard quickly bought their shares. Yan Bugui and his two sons bought a total of 150 jin (75 kg), grinning from ear to ear. Jia Dongxu also bought his share, feeling a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. Sha Zhu also bought quite a lot.

On the way back, the group was filled with the joy and emotion of surviving a disaster.

"I never expected that the black market would be so law-abiding, selling food at reasonable prices!"

"Who is this deity who opened this place? It's practically a living bodhisattva descended to earth!"

"Absolutely! This is a lifesaver! Now we can hold on for many more days!"

"Thank God!"

Everyone carried, shouldered, and pushed the heavy load of grain with great satisfaction. Although they were panting heavily from exhaustion, they felt incredibly at ease and excited. When they returned to the courtyard house, the women were already anxiously waiting at the door. Seeing that the men had indeed brought back grain, they all wept with joy.

That night, the courtyard was no longer filled with despair and anxiety, but with unexpected joy and gratitude towards the "living bodhisattva" who sold the grain. Only Lin Gang silently returned to his room, looking at the lively scene outside the window, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his lips. The mission was complete.

A week later, rumors about "cheap black market grain" spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of major cities. The scale, the low prices, and the unusual methods involved inevitably alarmed the authorities.

The atmosphere was heavy in the offices of the national food system. Several officials looked at the compiled reports, their brows furrowed, their faces filled with disbelief and deep confusion.

"It's not surprising that large quantities of grain have appeared on the black market. Not requiring ration coupons, while illegal, is understandable; after all, the black market has its rules." A bespectacled cadre tapped his report. "But these prices... three cents for cornmeal, and sweet potatoes and potatoes are almost at our listed prices? This is completely illogical!"

“Yes,” another senior official chimed in, his tone full of bewilderment. “Black market trafficking, with layers of markups, all for the sake of exorbitant profits! They risk their lives to bring grain in, just to make a losing deal? That doesn’t make sense! Aren’t the transportation costs, labor, and risk costs free? What are they after at those prices?”

"Something's definitely fishy!" the leader presiding over the meeting concluded, his face grave. "There's definitely more to this than meets the eye. Either it's some kind of economic disruption plot by enemy agents, or... there's a powerful force we haven't yet grasped operating within. We must find out!"

The public security system quickly received instructions to conduct a joint investigation. They dispatched several unfamiliar but experienced detectives, disguised as ordinary citizens, to infiltrate several of the largest black markets to gather information.

The intelligence reports brought back confirmed that the rumors were not unfounded. Grain was indeed piled up like mountains, the trading was orderly, the prices were incredibly fair, and no ration coupons were required. The grain sellers appeared ordinary, but they were efficient, highly disciplined, and never spoke much, immediately signaling the next person after a transaction was completed.

"Unlike ordinary grain dealers, they seem more like... trained individuals." An old detective sensed something was amiss, but he couldn't find any concrete evidence. The other party was simply selling grain at low prices, and their attitude was even "good." Apart from selling without a license, they were practically without fault.

The public security and grain systems held several joint meetings and ultimately decided to conduct a secret investigation first, without alerting the suspects, to ascertain the exact source, transportation channels, and mastermind behind the grain shipment. A unified operation would then be launched to apprehend them once the situation became clear. They firmly believed that such a large-scale operation would inevitably leave clues.

Over the next week, Lin San received reports from his subordinates scattered across the country through clandestine channels.

"Third Master, it seems we're being watched. Someone is following us from a distance."

"Manager, there are some unfamiliar faces near the warehouse, like they're scouting the area."

"The transport team reported that a vehicle was following them. They managed to shake it off once, but the next time a different person and vehicle would catch up."

Lin San immediately realized that the nationwide simultaneous distribution of grain was too large-scale and had eventually aroused the vigilance and investigation of the authorities. He dared not delay and immediately reported this emergency to Lin Yan through telepathy.

Inside the space, Lin Yan had just finished a round of alchemical fire simulation and was concentrating on savoring its mysteries when he received Lin San's report. He remained calm, as if he had expected it.

"It's alright, Lin San, there's no need to panic." Lin Yan's voice, transmitted through divine sense, carried a reassuring calmness. "This was expected. If the authorities hadn't been alerted and hadn't taken any action when such a large quantity of grain appeared out of thin air, China would have been finished long ago."

He continued, "Have them follow the established procedures, do it the same way they did before. If the officials want to follow, let them; if they want to investigate, let them. All our handovers and transportations will be conducted at night, using spatial manipulation, so they won't be able to trace the real source."

"What if... what if the authorities lose patience and start arresting people?" Lin San asked cautiously.

"If it really comes to that, tell our people not to resist, just cooperate with their investigation," Lin Yan instructed, everything was under control. "The ultimate responsibility will fall on you—Lin San. You are our head in mainland China, there is no doubt about that."

"Understood, Master," Lin San replied without hesitation.

"Then," Lin Yan said with a meaningful smile, "you tell them the script. Your boss is Lin Yi, the founder of the Hong Kong Lin Group. You and your brothers are originally from the mainland. You went to Hong Kong to develop your business and built up some wealth. Now, hearing about the food shortage in the country and the suffering of your compatriots, you couldn't bear it. So you used your special connections and networks to spend a lot of money to purchase this batch of coarse grains from the Siberian production areas of Russia and Southeast Asia, and secretly transported them to the country through some unconventional channels."

"You emphasized that Mr. Lin Yi repeatedly instructed that this batch of grain was only intended to help the villagers get through the difficulties and that no profit should be made. That's why the price was so low. We won't make a penny, just to do good deeds and accumulate merit, and to express the heart of a wanderer."

Finally, Lin Yan made the most crucial move: "You can also tell the investigators, and even have them relay it to higher authorities: if the country needs it, the Lin Group is willing to leverage its overseas connections and financial advantages to continue purchasing and transporting grain from the international market for the country to alleviate the current domestic food shortage. The price can be settled at cost, solely to serve the country."

After listening, Lin San felt enlightened and sincerely admired his master's foresight: "Yes, Master! I know what to do!"

With the communication cut off, Lin Yan continued his alchemical deductions; the turmoil outside was something he had already anticipated.

Meanwhile, Lin San calmly began to make arrangements to prepare for the upcoming investigation and to turn this crisis into an opportunity for the Lin Group to officially enter the national spotlight.