As they were talking, Ji Yang’s cell phone rang, and it was Chu Shuyuan calling.
Ji Yang took his phone outside to answer.
"Ji Yang, are you in Wushu Village?"
"Yes, I’ve been here for a few days."
"It’s , have they made a batch of their rice wine yet?"
"I was just about to talk about this. Ever since I heard about the high demand from your end, I’ve re-adjusted the business model to a shareholding system and took some of the funds allocated this time to expand our production scale. Now, the first batch of wine can be produced today."
"Well done. A million in funds definitely isn’t enough for construction. The actual purpose of giving you the funds was to see whether you could expand the sources of capital. It seems you’ve understood."
Chu Shuyuan felt happy inside, the more capable Ji Yang was, the more she felt she had chosen the right person.
"After this batch is brewed, there will be a shortage of their rice and some medicinal herbs. We were just discussing this issue. You know, the special effectiveness of this rice wine is largely due to the rice and herbs grown here. Therefore, I’ve discussed with them about further expanding the plantation scale."
"I called to talk about two things, which are actually one thing in the end. Your rice wine has really become popular. A lot of people have been asking me for it, and the price has gone up. With low production, prices can be raised further, so what you mentioned about the planting of the rice and herbs has become a necessity. Tell them this is a major project for them to get rich and it can’t just be meddled with by outsiders. The best way is to have the village organize the planting and centralize sales to ensure maximization of profits."
"I get it. Their main concern is the sales issue. Once that’s resolved, development will definitely take off."
"Get the rice wine here as soon as you can. I’ll have someone from the township come to pick it up from you. You have no idea how many people kind of rice wine. I reckon the profit from this batch will be quite substantial."
"I’ll organize them to transport it immediately."
"We made a bit more this time, around five thousand kilograms. Even if they carry it over, it will take some time."
"Bring it as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, Ji Yang understood that Chu Shuyuan must also be feeling the pressure.
By now, Ji Yang realized it wasn’t that there weren’t many rich people; there were actually a lot. They were willing to spend any amount of money on something that could regulate their health.
Chu Shuyuan holding this rice wine must have brought significant benefits to her family.
As for the exact situation of Chu Shuyuan’s family, Ji Yang had never asked, assuming they wouldn’t be at a loss.
After finishing the phone call, Ji Yang returned to the room and said, "Secretary Chu called. The merchants who help sell your rice wine are urging for delivery."
"That’s great, I was worried we wouldn’t be able to sell it!" Wu Laofu was visibly excited. They had invested a lot of money, making five thousand kilograms of rice wine this time. If they couldn’t sell it, that would be troublesome, but it seems the issue isn’t so critical now.
Seeing his reaction, Ji Yang smiled and said, "You all don’t need to worry. This rice wine is very popular among the wealthy, no matter how much there is, it can all be sold."
Wu Mi asked with a smile, "Should we raise the price?"
"Of course," replied Ji Yang.
Wu Mi said, "The price is tricky to set. The last batch of wine already made us hundreds of thousands. With five thousand kilograms this time, I really don’t know how much revenue that will bring."
Wu Changshan said, "Having money is good. We can use it for construction. Chief Ji said that living environment is also an important aspect of the new countryside development, so we must improve our houses."
Ji Yang said, "Secretary Chu mentioned something, that our rice and medicinal herbs are excellent products. It’s best not to involve outsiders. So, our village should take up planting comprehensively."
Wu Laofu said, "After this sale, the profits can be entirely used for planting activities."
Wu Changshan agreed, "Right, I also believe we should do that. Since there’s a big market for our rice wine, we definitely need to plant wholeheartedly."
Wu Mi gave a wry smile and added, "We only have enough rice and herbs to make another five thousand kilograms; we don’t have more. So, expanding the planting area is the best solution."
Ji Yang suggested, "As a company, you can sign contracts with the farmers, so that all the rice and herbs they grow will be purchased by you. This will increase everyone’s enthusiasm."
Wu Laofu praised, "Chief Ji is thoughtful. With this approach, everyone’s concerns about planting will be alleviated, and they will take up planting wholeheartedly."
Ji Yang added, "And about the price, it can’t be low. If it’s low, people won’t be as motivated."
Wu Mi assured, "It definitely won’t be low."
Ji Yang thought for a moment, looking at them and said, "We need to improve the quality of those earthenware pots we use for fermentation. Some are not up to standard."
Wu Laofu said with a bitter smile, "Our crafting skills are limited, we really don’t have a way to make them any better."
Ji Yang then thought about the cable rigging that was to be installed. It should be ready for use in two days, and then they could order some containers for the wine from outside.
"We can stop making earthenware for now, and focus all our effort on making bricks and tiles. Also, don’t fire the tiles into the same old kind. I have invited a university professor who will be arriving soon to guide you."
In this area, Ji Yang had utilized his connections with many teachers at his university. He had made phone calls asking them for assistance, and had received support from several teachers. Upon hearing that it was a poverty alleviation project, they didn’t ask for compensation, saying they wanted to come and assess the situation for themselves.