Chapter Eight: Live Fish Sell Like Hotcakes

Mo Dun, who came from the future, didn’t feel there was anything wrong with advertising; he saw no reason to be embarrassed. Calm and collected, he walked among the caravan, leisurely observing the city of Chang’an. Truthfully, Chang’an was not much better than a small county town of later generations, but its layout and atmosphere possessed a unique charm.

Within the caravan, the other villagers from Mo Clan Village gradually relaxed, their tension easing. The drums beat louder, the banners were raised higher. Soon, the unmatched skills of the Mo Clan spread swiftly throughout Chang’an.

The Mo Clan’s caravan circled the entire southern part of the city before returning to the Fish Market.

“Young Master! We’ve arrived at our shop!” Uncle Fu announced.

Mo Dun looked up and was speechless for a long time. It was a store with three storefronts, spacious enough, but far too run-down.

“Salted Fish Shop!” Mo Dun was at a loss for words. Could there be a more terrible name under heaven?

“Take that sign down immediately! Find a craftsman at once, and change it to ‘Fresh Fish Shop’!” Mo Dun ordered, pointing at the sign.

“Yes, Young Master!” Uncle Fu replied, then quickly directed two young men to remove the sign and hurry off.

“No one in the caravan should enter the shop today. We’ll sell fish right here outside.” Mo Dun instructed. It was nearly noon, the perfect time for lunch—the best time to sell fish.

“Understood, Young Master!” Uncle Yu responded. Under his guidance, a large wooden basin was hauled out from the shop and placed behind the water cart. The rear door of the water cart was suddenly flung open.

With a rush, water mixed with masses of fish surged from the outlet, all spilling into the wooden basin. A strong fishy aroma filled the air.

“Live fish, they’re really live fish!” The Mo Clan Village had been promoting this all the way, and many onlookers had already gathered. Seeing the basin filled with live fish, they couldn’t help but cry out in surprise.

“The Mo Clan didn’t lie. Even without counting the distance from Mo Clan Village to Chang’an, so many fish crowded together in the water cart, and after circling the city for so long, at least half should have survived.” A fisherman in the crowd exclaimed in astonishment.

“Everyone, take a look! Mo Clan live fish, absolutely genuine.” Fishmaster shouted loudly, “All live fish sold at market price, twenty coins per jin.”

The price of fish in the Tang Dynasty was about eight coins per jin, but live fish sold for more than triple that. Mo Clan Village’s price of twenty coins per jin was entirely reasonable.

“Alright, give me one!”

“I’ll take two!”

Moreover, the fish brought by Mo Clan Village were of excellent quality, with fine appearance. Coupled with the strength of their promotion, the cart of fish was quickly snatched up.

Soon the second cart was brought up and sold out just as fast.

The third, the fourth...

Fourteen carts of fish were completely sold out just past midday. The remaining cart had already been sent by Li Yi to Mo Lie’s father’s comrades.

In the years when Mo Clan Village struggled to make ends meet, they had received aid from these brothers. The fish sent were the best caught in the last three days.

“My apologies, fellow townsfolk, the fish are all sold out. But rest assured, from today onwards, Mo Clan Village will deliver plenty of live fish every morning.” Uncle Yu promised loudly.

Those citizens who hadn’t managed to buy any fish left disappointed, secretly resolving to arrive earlier next time.

All around, the shopkeepers’ eyes were green with envy. After years of business, they had never seen such booming sales. If it was like this every day, how could anyone compete?

Yet despite Mo Clan Village’s booming business, it did not affect their sales. After all, Mo Clan’s fish was expensive, and those unwilling to pay for live fish simply bought dead fish from them.

With a bang, the door of the Salted Fish Shop—no, the Fresh Fish Shop—was slammed shut. More than a hundred members of Mo Clan Village stared greedily at the cash box in Fishmaster’s hands.

Fishmaster’s heart was pounding, his hands trembling. He wasn’t unfamiliar with money, but he’d never sold so much before. Feeling the heavy cash box, he suddenly dumped it onto the table in the center of the room.

With a cascade of clinking coins, the sight of glittering copper and some bits of silver stung everyone’s eyes.

“Mo Clan Village is saved!” Li Yi cried out, his face streaked with tears.

“Hurrah!” Over a hundred members of Mo Clan Village shouted in unison, many unable to hold back their sobs. The village had been poor for so long, and now, finally, hope appeared before them.

“Why are you crying? This bit of money is nothing. It’s only the beginning. From now on, we’ll earn this much every day. Each one of you will marry and live in a big house.” Mo Dun laughed and scolded, though his heart ached. Mo Clan Village had been destitute, but he had never lacked food or clothing, had never suffered any hardship. How could he not be moved?

“Young Master is mighty!”

More than a hundred young men from Mo Clan Village surrounded Mo Dun, shouting in unison. Mo Dun laughed and bantered with them.

“Young Master, the calculation is done. Including the bits of silver, we have thirty-five strings and six hundred seventy-one coins.” Uncle Yu breathed out, breaking up the merriment.

“So much?” Mo Dun was astonished.

One string equals a thousand coins, so thirty-five strings is thirty-five thousand coins. Considering that the labor and resources of Mo Clan Village were basically free, this amount could buy a huge amount of grain—and this was just today. What about the days to come?

Thinking of the bright future that Young Master had promised, perhaps it wasn’t impossible after all.

“From today, everyone who participates in fishing and selling fish will get thirty coins a day. The rest will be used to buy grain and bring it back to Mo Clan Village.” Mo Dun declared loudly.

“Young Master! Isn’t that too much?” Li Yi hurriedly objected. He was the most respected in the village, the only one qualified to play the villain.

“Yes, it’s too much. We don’t deserve it!” The young men of Mo Clan Village shook their heads.

To think thirty coins a day, thirty days a month, is nine hundred coins. Before, when they worked for others, they toiled every day, and if they got ten coins from a generous employer, it was already good. From the poor, they worked merely for food. Nearly a string of coins a month—such income was beyond their wildest dreams.

“Such little ambition! This is nothing. You’ll take it, it’s what you deserve!” Mo Dun laughed and scolded.

“This...?” The villagers hesitated, but yearning shone in their eyes.

“Alright, if Young Master gives it, then take it!” Li Yi declared.

“Wonderful!” The Fresh Fish Shop erupted in celebration.

Soon, everyone from Mo Clan Village received their wages. After a quick bite, they immediately sought out the grain shops. They didn’t care about the price—as long as there was grain, they paid and carried it home as fast as possible. They wanted the whole Mo Clan Village to taste the hard-won fruits of victory.