Chapter 373 No Choice
The grains continued to pour forth like an unyielding flood, engulfing not only the city of Eikadir but also spreading to every province in the east.
It was a torrent of abundance, sweeping away the remnants of scarcity and hardship that had plagued the kingdom for so long.
For those who had once conspired to manipulate the grain market, their grand schemes had crumbled to dust.
All the intricate moves they had made, the secretive agreements and hoarded stockpiles, were now become meaningless in the face of this overwhelming influx of grain.
The day that had once been filled with promise for these grain producers had turned into a day of reckoning.
Their efforts to exploit the people's hunger and desperation had been thwarted by the king's action.
The weight of their actions and their attempt to profit from the suffering of others now bore down upon them
They found themselves on the losing side of this battle.
....
At night, the grain producers, scattered throughout the eastern side of the kingdom, were thrown into a state of disarray and panic as they witnessed the massive influx of grains that cascaded into the market.
"What are we supposed to do now?" one producer lamented, his voice trembling with panic.
He surveyed the vast quantities of grains that now seemed paltry in comparison to the surging supply.
The stockpiles of grains they had meticulously hoarded over time were now at risk of spoiling if not released into the market immediately.
Another producer chimed in with a voice tinged with desperation, "Our stockpiles of grains are low-quality at this point. Who would want to buy such inferior goods?"
The grains they had held onto for so long had deteriorated in quality, a fact they had ignored in their pursuit of profit.
The bitter reality of their predicament settled in.
The producers knew that if they were to salvage any coins from their investments, they would have to sell at prices significantly lower than the current market rate.
The very thought of selling their prized grain at a loss gnawed at them, a sharp pang of regret for holding onto their stocks for far too long.
In another part of the kingdom, in stark contrast to the panicked reactions of their fellow grain producers, a decisive decision was reached.
"There's no point crying!" declared one of them with a resolute tone. "We need to hurry and sell ours in the market. While people are busy buying grains, they won't have time to notice if we mix the good and the bad together."
"Great idea!" said another one.
They realized they had no choice but to act swiftly. With each passing moment, their profit margins dwindled.
"But, isn't this breaking the agreement we made with him?" one of them voiced a note of concern, referring to the figure who had played a part in their price manipulation scheme.
"Who cares?!" snapped another producer, his voice laced with bitterness. "The reimbursements we were promised aren't worth the total profit we could gain now. Their plan has crumbled, and we'd better save ourselves."
A moment of hesitation lingered in the air before one of them, wavering in his resolve, spoke up, "I...I'm going to inform him just in case."
"Suit yourself."
It was every producer for themselves now.
The prospect of recouping their investments, even at a loss, held more appeal than facing the consequences of a scheme gone awry.
With the decision made to salvage what they could from their grain stocks, the producers swiftly set their plan into motion.
The scene was one of frenzied activity as their workers prepared the grains for sale.
In a storage facility, crates and barrels of grain were stacked haphazardly, illuminated only by the flickering glow of a lantern.
The atmosphere was thick with tension as the workers worked non stop, knowing that time was of the essence.
They began by carefully inspecting the grains, separating the good from the bad.
Sacks of low-quality grains were opened, and their contents poured into a large, weathered wooden trough.
Alongside them, sacks of higher-quality grains were also emptied. With the grains mixed together, they used large, weathered shovels to combine them thoroughly.
The once-distinct grains were now a homogenous blend of varying quality.
The final step was repackaging the grains into fresh, sturdy sacks. These sacks bore no signs of their true contents. They appeared no different from any other grain sacks in the market.
By the light of the morning sun, the grain producers had achieved their objective.
Most of the sacks were successfully resealed and ready for distribution.
A relief sigh begins to pervade the room.
"Go, go, go, and send these to the retailers," one of them urged with a tone of urgency. "Tell them we can provide them with all of these grains at a bargain."
Weariness was visible in their eyes. The producers had stayed up all night to oversee their workers, ensuring their workers remained diligent and focused in completing the task.
The black bags under their eyes bore witness to the sleepless night they had endured.
Outside the storage facility, the scene was a hive of activity. Carts after carts, loaded with sacks of mixed grains, were ready to embark on their mission.
The carts were mix in variety, prove that they were gathered hastily.
Some were traditional horse-drawn carts, their wooden wheels bearing the scars of countless journeys. Others were pulled by sturdy mules or oxen, capable of carrying larger loads.
The morning was cool and quiet, only occasional clip-clop of horse hooves on the streets could be heard as the carts made their way through the city.
Their destination was clear, toward the usual retailers where they had conducted their grain transactions before.
However, as they arrived and began to make their offerings, they were met with a disappointing reality.
Unfortunately, most of the retailers who had spent their lives in the grain business refused to purchase the sacks of grain despite the enticing cut in price offered.
To the untrained eye, the grains appeared no different, but for those who familiar with the grains, the difference in quality was evident.
After a series of negotiations, the retailers eventually agreed to buy the grain at half the price initially offered.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but they had no choice in this matter and were completely at the mercy of the retailers.
New novel chapters are published on fr(e)ewebnov(e)l.com