Grain prices have been climbing steadily this year in Kaifeng, due to a mix of factors: disasters in the south…
Grain prices have been climbing steadily this year in Kaifeng, due to a mix of factors: disasters in the south, government grain requisitions, and a poor harvest on the Plainfield. Even wheat bran, which used to be nearly worthless, has suddenly become a hot commodity. A merchant named Liang Zhenghong plans to buy some bran from the north to send it south as relief for disaster victims. But Song Qiao, who runs a bran shop at Wheatwind Bazaar, has jacked up the prices, hoping to cash in big. This sparks a tense showdown between the two right outside the shop.