Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 580 579 Going to the Market
As we all know, in this era, transportation is still imperfect and communication means are limited.

A lot of news from other places is first spread through letters and then spread by word of mouth. The story that Tang Zhitong heard about sending millet with sand in it to No.1 was spread through this channel.

The two boxes of cigarettes were not given in vain. The man in front of him picked up some things that he thought were not very important and told Tang Zhitong a little bit.

In Tang Zhitong's impression, the free market in New Taipei City came to an abrupt end in October 1958.

"Starting from the second half of last year, many places have begun to restore rural markets. The neighboring provinces of Hebei and Tianjin have basically opened up, but our city of Beijing has recovered slowly, at most 30%." The man smoked beautifully and answered Tang Zhitong's doubts.

"I've learned a lot. I thought it would always be like this. I couldn't believe it when I first heard about it." Tang Zhitong complimented.

"Hey, you don't think there will be no market if the market is not opened, do you? There is still a black market, it's just a little more troublesome. Who can stop such a thing?" The man said proudly.

"Didn't you say we were going to crack down on the black market? Is there anyone who dares to do it?" Tang Zhitong hooked the man and continued talking.

"It's so new. If there are people buying it, there will naturally be people selling it. You can't stop them from coming. It would be better to open a market and collect taxes." The man said this with a sarcastic look on his face.

Tang Zhitong scratched his head. This was a blind spot in his knowledge: "Do I have to pay taxes for going to the market?"

"Of course, otherwise it would be a waste of time. But don't worry, I will only charge the seller. You are going to be a buyer, right? I won't charge you." The man looked Tang Zhitong up and down again: "You only bring a shoulder bag, what are you going to buy?"

"To buy some food. I didn't dare to bring anything else for fear of being laughed at by my elder brother or being conspicuous. I thought that if I could buy more over there, I would just buy a bag." Tang Zhitong supplemented.

"I can tell from the looks of it that you're a wealthy person. But when you get to the market, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. The price of food there is more expensive than the food coupons on the black market in the city." The man nodded, and after confirming that Tang Zhitong was not of the same kind as him and that they were not in competition, he gave a reminder.

"No way? How can grain produced in the countryside be more expensive than in the city?" Tang Zhitong didn't understand for a moment.

"It's true that the countryside produces grain, but they don't just hand in the leftovers. Now the fields and grain are collectively owned. The grain is harvested from the fields, dried, and then immediately sent to the grain station... It's still better in the city, where you get grain coupons at a certain time every month." The man said leisurely.

When Tang Zhitong heard this, he felt heavy in his heart. Whether now or in the future, the city is indeed better.

Even in the 1990s, when there was no longer a quota for urban residents, many rural people still tried their best to buy urban hukou in an attempt to "become" city residents.

Is it so easy to be a city dweller? You plunge into it headfirst, but there is no job, no pension, and the land in your hometown is returned to the collective because of the relocation of your household registration...

The stock market is far from being able to catch up with this blow.

"There are always people who are unlucky, and there are always people who are lucky. If the market hadn't opened, people like me would have starved to death." Perhaps seeing Tang Zhitong's disapproval, the man reluctantly defended himself.

"It's all fate. If you don't do it, someone else will. Think positively, maybe someone will be able to buy food because of you." Tang Zhitong shook his head. Heaven and earth are cruel and treat all things as straw dogs. There is very little that individuals can do.

"I like what you said. I am also exchanging what I have and what I don't have, and adjusting the market distribution." The man felt relieved when he heard Tang Zhitong say this. Small vendors didn't have much status, but they could make a living. Once the market disappeared, he lost his source of income and his life suddenly became difficult. If he didn't do this, what else could he do? Was he waiting to starve to death?
Tang Zhitong smiled and said nothing. Instead, he took out a cigarette and lit another one.

The man came forward to light a cigarette, and a book tucked under his arm lost its support and fell to the ground.

Tang Zhitong lit it himself and glanced at the man who was bending over to pick up a book. From the beginning, neither of them had any intention of introducing each other. They just treated it as a chance acquaintance.

"Brother, what book is this? Can you lend it to me to take a look?" Tang Zhitong asked the man, on the one hand out of curiosity, and on the other hand just trying to make small talk.

"Why not?" The man hesitated for a moment, but still handed over the book. This was an important theoretical basis for him to carry with him for self-defense. Although it was important, it was not to the point where it could not be shown to others. After all, publications were public and could be bought with money.

Tang Zhitong glanced at the cover, "Industrial and Commercial Administration Bulletin", which had the time and issue number written on it. He turned a page and looked at the table of contents first, which were all news within the industrial and commercial system, advanced experiences from various places, etc.

Flipping further, Tang Zhitong saw an article titled "Vigorously develop small commodity production, activate the market, and better serve the organization of people's economic life."

As mentioned above, in September, the Central Administration for Industry and Commerce held an on-site meeting on markets and street industries in Harbin. Deputy Director Guan Datong made it clear at the meeting that the existence of rural primary markets is inevitable. He also pointed out that without active leadership and management, black market transactions will occur and the law of value will spontaneously take effect.

Tang Zhitong was stunned. So bold? ?

Turning back, the words "September 1959, Issue 9" were printed on the cover.

"It's all allowed by the higher-ups, as long as you don't have a bad heart." The man said proudly when he saw Tang Zhitong's surprised look.

"Brother, how much is considered as being unscrupulous? Can you tell me so that I can be prepared." Tang Zhitong closed the journal and handed it back.

"Tangshan, you know it?" The man took the magazine, put it in his schoolbag this time, and pointed to the east.

"Yeah, I've heard of it." Tang Zhitong nodded in confirmation. This place was very well-known. Whether it was the Small Knife Team in the 1980s or the barbecue restaurant in the new century, they were both very famous.

"Over there, a pound of corn can be sold for this amount, and a pound of radishes can be sold for this amount." The man said while making two gestures.

"Is this seven? Four? Seven dollars a pound, four dollars a pound?" The gestures made by the man were different from Tang Zhitong's usual gestures, so he could only guess what was going on.

"Five yuan, four yuan. You don't hold hands?" The man was a little surprised. [Note: The price data comes from the 1998 edition of Kaiping District Annals, page 249.]
"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, brother. I haven't been exposed to it since I was a child. When there were markets in the city, people would quote prices directly and there was basically no need to hold hands." Tang Zhitong understood that the gesture they were making was for holding hands!
Although Tang Zhitong didn't understand it, he knew to hold hands.

In the past, the price of goods was not clearly marked, nor was it bargained on verbal basis. Instead, both parties put their hands in their sleeves and negotiated the price by pulling fingers together. This method is also called "pulling hands to compare prices" or "pulling hands inside the sleeves."

Whether the seller makes an offer or the buyer bargains, everything is done in the sleeves. Of course, some people also cover their hands with a handkerchief, but in any case, they don't let others see it. This is the industry practice.

Although this way of negotiating prices is not transparent, it can avoid unnecessary trouble. Even if the negotiation fails, the buyer and seller will not be at odds with each other, and the third party will not know the price, making it easier to bargain with others.

Before Tang Zhitong came here, he had seen hand-pulling at a rural market when he was a child. At that time, this kind of trading method still existed in rural areas, but it only existed when trading large livestock.

Since rural people do not always pay attention to the prices of livestock, some idle people have the opportunity. Common people call these people brokers, also commonly known as cattle brokers, horse brokers, sheep brokers, etc.

Brokers are familiar with market conditions and use their knowledge of livestock to earn a profit from the difference.

The broker will hold the hand of the buyer or seller, and the hand is hidden where no one can see.

When Tang Zhitong first saw them, he thought they were going to fight. "How dare you go to the market like this? There are many people negotiating prices there. If you don't do it yourself, you will be cheated by your agent." The man didn't know whether to laugh or cry, threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out, stretched out his hand, and said to Tang Zhitong: "Come, I will teach you. Look carefully, this is one, this is two..."

Tang Zhitong humbly memorized various gestures. In fact, it was not difficult to understand them.

Next, the two held hands several times without any obstruction, and Tang Zhitong finally learned how to do it.

After the train arrived at Shahe Station, it might be a bit of an exaggeration to say that a large number of passengers got off the train, but there were still quite a few of them, and many of them were carrying bulging bags.

"Come, follow me, don't get separated." The man carried the bag by himself and could not take care of Tang Zhitong, so he could only let him follow him.

"Okay." Tang Zhitong had mentioned once to help him carry his things before getting off the bus, but he was worried, so now he just let him do it and enjoyed his leisure time.

"Are you all here for the market?" After leaving the station, most people walked in one direction. The man walked at the back reluctantly, and Tang Zhitong followed closely behind.

"Some people come here to buy things like you, and some come here to earn a living." The man patted his bag and said that he earned money to support himself.

After walking for a distance, at an intersection, the people split into two groups.

The man also stopped and said to Tang Zhitong frankly, "I can't take your cigarettes for nothing, I'll teach you a lesson.

When you enter the market, don't buy too much.

If you buy too much, it will be conspicuous and may be confiscated.

If it is confiscated, I suggest you don't resist, just give it to me directly, cry, say a few soft words, criticize me a few times and be done with it.

The things are definitely not going to be taken back.

If you piss them off, not only will you be stuck, but they will also notify your family and company. Losing your job is not worth it, though.”

"Thank you, brother! Your words are so thoughtful and worth more than cigarettes!" Tang Zhitong thanked him gratefully.

"You're welcome. I can't just watch you walk my old path, can I?" The man stopped at an intersection, put down his bag, and pointed Tang Zhitong in a direction: "Walk another two miles ahead and you will reach the market. Follow the crowd and you won't go wrong."

"Okay, thank you, brother. Aren't you going over?" Tang Zhitong heard something different in his tone, so he asked.

"Hey, I'll find a place to digest these goods first. See you later, buddy!" The man bowed to Tang Zhitong, picked up his things again, and went north.

Tang Zhitong looked at the man's receding back and felt a little emotional. He was one of the countless people who were struggling and trying to survive in this era.

Following the directions given by the man, Tang Zhitong arrived at the market. Perhaps because it was the end of the year, the market was bustling and lively.

Even though he had made preparations at home, Tang Zhitong still miscalculated.

Although the clothes he was wearing were old, he was still neater than the other peasant brothers and sisters in the market. Fortunately, the group of people who had just come over were more conspicuous than Tang Zhitong, so Tang Zhitong was not a big target.

Tang Zhitong pulled up her scarf, trying to cover her face as much as possible. Now that she was here, she couldn't go back empty-handed, right?

Take a deep breath, follow the crowd forward, and look around as you walk.

There are more handicrafts sold in the market. Tang Zhitong even saw a slingshot stand with Y-shaped branches and the outer bark removed, which looked very beautiful.

You can't let your brother-in-law play with air guns, but you can let him play with slingshots. Go find some bicycle inner tubes, cut two strips, tie them together, and then tie a piece of leather to it, and it will be a good slingshot.

The slingshot is a small item and does not need a handle. Tang Zhitong asked the price, which was 20 cents each. Looking at the old man's aged, wrinkled face, Tang Zhitong did not feel comfortable bargaining and just bought it.

"How much are the eggs?" Tang Zhitong hadn't been to the market for a long time, so everything he saw was new to him, especially the prices of the things that he had the most stock of in his space.

"Three cents each, how many do you want?" The aunt looked very shrewd and didn't give Tang Zhitong any room for bargaining.

"It's too expensive." Tang Zhitong didn't even squat down, shook his head and was about to leave.

The eggs are not big, and it takes about 12 to make up one pound. When they were sold on construction sites, these eggs sold for at most five cents each, and at retail they would not sell for more than six cents. But now the price has increased five or six times.

The aunt did not call Tang Zhitong to stop her. Eggs were a rare commodity and she had no trouble selling them. She just needed to wait a little longer.

Tang Zhitong walked forward and saw several farmers selling chickens. This time it was the men squatting in front of the bamboo baskets. Perhaps it was because the chickens were more valuable and he was worried about letting his wife come out.

"Uncle, can you weigh this chicken?" Tang Zhitong chose a stall. Under a bamboo basket was a rooster with high morale, but its feet were tied and it lay on the ground resignedly.

"I weighed it, and it's three pounds and four ounces. It's going to be hard to catch the chicken if you don't get the hang of it." The old man shook his head and rejected Tang Zhitong's request. His voice was not loud, and one could tell from his lack of energy.

"Then let's hold hands." Tang Zhitong sighed in his heart, knowing that the seller was not being tough, but was just hungry and was afraid that the chicken would flap its wings and it would be a waste of energy to catch it.

The old man's hands were cold and he offered fifteen dollars and fifty cents.

Tang Zhitong relented and returned the fifty cents. The old man was very happy: "OK!"

Well, I got a rooster.

After paying the money, Tang Zhitong carried the chicken and walked forward while comparing the prices of chickens. The price was about six times higher than the fixed retail price in the city.

Although it is a bit expensive, at least you can buy it. Although there are prices in the city, there are no chickens. Even if you line up early in the morning, you may not be able to buy it. If you want to eat it, you have to go to a larger restaurant and line up. The price is touching.

(End of this chapter)