Zhang Yang had a decent tolerance for alcohol; in his past life and this one, he could handle about a jin (half-liter) easily. With his internal energy circulating and good physical conditioning, he always held a slight edge over the average person.

After drinking half a jin of Wuliangye, Su Zhantao felt a little woozy, but walking was still mostly normal—just tipsy, not fully drunk.

Nothing noteworthy happened overnight. Zhang Yang rose early the next morning.

Whether at home or traveling, Zhang Yang maintained a habit of early rising. In the moments just as the sun crested the horizon, practicing his breath-work yielded far better results than usual. Cultivating his internal energy at this time could achieve twice the result with half the effort.

For a long time, unless there was an unusual circumstance, Zhang Yang always woke early to train his Neijin (internal strength).

After his morning exercise circuit and a shower, Zhang Yang headed straight to the dining hall, surprised to find Su Zhantao already there, enjoying a meal and reading a newspaper.

Zhang Yang had assumed that since Su Zhantao drank heavily the day before and hadn't rested enough during the day, he would sleep in longer, which is why he hadn't woken him.

"Zhang Yang, you're up?"

Before Zhang Yang could sit down, Su Zhantao, who had been absorbed in his paper, suddenly looked up and smiled at him.

Su Zhantao asked if he was back, which led Zhang Yang to guess that he must have checked on him first, and upon finding him gone, proceeded to the dining hall alone.

"You're up early today!"

Zhang Yang nodded with a smile. The restaurant offered a buffet breakfast, and since it was just past seven, it wasn't overly crowded. Zhang Yang wasn't in a hurry to grab a tray and order.

"I usually get up around this time; I feel sharper when I start early. Take a look at this newspaper!"

Su Zhantao chuckled and handed Zhang Yang the paper he held.

It was a local newspaper focused on traditional Chinese medicine. Besides introducing various herbs, it featured market price reports, which occupied two full sections.

The section Su Zhantao handed over was the market analysis page.

This detailed the recent fluctuations in medicinal herb prices—listing both the highest gainers and the biggest decliners. At that moment, the herb ranked first for price increase in the paper was Sanqi (Notoginseng).

Specifically, it was the 30-head variety. Yesterday's price had already climbed past fifty yuan per jin, nearing the price point of the 20-head Sanqi.

Everyone understood that if the slightly lower quality 30-head Sanqi had risen this high, the price of the superior 20-head variety, and especially the premium 10-head Sanqi, would certainly be even higher. Currently, many people outside were aggressively buying up Sanqi.

"Wait for me a moment!"

Zhang Yang glanced at the page, then tossed the paper aside, got up, and went to collect his tray to order food.

"You!"

Su Zhantao froze, placing the egg he was holding back onto his tray, and sat there, visibly deflated.

This was the newest edition of the paper, highly renowned among herbal medicine dealers in Jiaoyi, many of whom checked it daily to stay updated on the latest market movements.

Su Zhantao wanted Zhang Yang to see this paper to convey that the current Sanqi market was excellent and a good time to enter, allowing them to sell when prices peaked for a decent profit.

Although he didn't know the 'inside scoop' Zhang Yang possessed, Su Zhantao strongly felt that the current Sanqi market was truly promising, making him quite eager.

A short while later, Zhang Yang returned with a plate piled high with food. He ate slowly and deliberately. Su Zhantao found it impossible to bring up what he wanted to say, so he just ate his own meal quietly.

After breakfast, Su Zhantao dropped the subject of Sanqi, merely suggesting they tour the market that day.

Zhang Yang had no objection. He was also curious about the market. He had heard of the place in his previous life but never managed to visit; finally, he would get to see it now.

The market was massive. They began touring in the morning and by noon, had only seen a small fraction of the area.

The selection of herbs was comprehensive, covering common and uncommon varieties. What was missing were the truly rare or seldom-used ingredients, though if you named something specific, the vendors there had a way of procuring it for you, albeit at a slightly higher cost.

While browsing, Su Zhantao remained most concerned with Sanqi.

There were numerous stalls selling Sanqi, with people inquiring about prices or conducting transactions almost everywhere. Su Zhantao watched firsthand as the price for 20-head Sanqi climbed from fifty-seven yuan per jin to fifty-nine. Watching the price rise made Su Zhantao’s jaw clench audibly.

If they had bought earlier, they could have locked in a two-yuan profit per jin instantly upon selling.

Not only that, but as the afternoon wore on, the price of Sanqi continued to climb. Over at the main trading hall, the listed price for 20-head Sanqi hit sixty-one yuan, while the 30-head variety rose to fifty-five. Even the lower-grade Sanqi—40-head, 50-head, and 100-head—were soaring in price.

After finishing the day's tour, Zhang Yang suggested they return to the hotel. His observations over the day gave him a much clearer understanding of the market, and his internal plans became sharply defined.

"Zhang Yang, when exactly are we moving in?"

Upon returning to the hotel, Su Zhantao didn't even go to his own room; he rushed straight to Zhang Yang's, asking urgently.

Watching the relentless rise of Sanqi today made his heart itch, like being scratched by a cat’s claw. He desperately wanted to take the three million yuan right then and buy up all the Sanqi, hoarding it in storage, waiting to sell at peak prices.

"No need to rush. When it's time, we'll enter naturally!"

Zhang Yang smiled and shook his head. A full day of observation only solidified his original plan. His memories from his previous life were somewhat hazy; he remembered the general outline but lacked specific timing.

Having surveyed the landscape and gained context, comparing it against what happened in his past life made the events clearer, increasing his certainty.

"Then when is the right moment to enter?"

Su Zhantao pressed again, anxiously. He primarily did business with hospitals; speculating on medicinal herbs like this was entirely new territory for him—truly his first time.

Precisely because it was his first time, seeing the herb he wanted to buy continuously increase in value made him so anxious.

Zhang Yang paused to think, then murmured softly, "In a few more days."

Su Zhantao was momentarily taken aback, then offered a wry smile. "A few more days? That might be sky-high by then! People have been saying the last few days that Sanqi will rise much higher, citing the drought in Yunnan which has significantly cut production!"

The drought in Yunnan was news many people were tracking; there were numerous sharp operators, but those truly skilled in maneuvering the market were few.

"Don't worry, trust me. A few more days. We can make small gains these few days, but there's no need to be so hasty to sell!"

Zhang Yang shook his head again, then escorted Su Zhantao out of the room, telling him to return and rest.

As Su Zhantao left, Zhang Yang handed him the twenty-thousand-yuan check, urging him to cash it soon to prepare the necessary capital for future operations.

The next day, Zhang Yang skipped the market floor and went directly to the trading hall, carefully studying the trading rules and the large display screens showing the drug prices.

This day gave him more insight. After all, he was an experienced Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner with deep knowledge of the materia medica; he picked up everything here quickly and efficiently.

By evening, Su Zhantao came knocking on Zhang Yang's door again, only to be sent away once more.

That day, the rate of Sanqi price increase wasn't as dramatic as before, but it was still substantial. The price for premium 10-head Sanqi had broken the hundred-yuan mark, the 30-head reached sixty, and the 20-head rose several more yuan, hitting sixty-seven per jin.

When Su Zhantao arrived, he was complaining continuously, noting that if they had bought yesterday, they could have earned several yuan per jin in just one day—amounting to a profit of one or two hundred thousand yuan.

One or two hundred thousand yuan in a single day was something Su Zhantao had never contemplated before.

Zhang Yang countered Su Zhantao's many comments with a single, sharp sentence.

Zhang Yang’s question was simple: Seeing today’s upward momentum, when would you actually sell the goods you hold?

This question stumped Su Zhantao momentarily. To be honest, if the price kept rising like this, he truly wouldn't want to sell. After all, no one knew when the peak would be reached; everyone harbored the thought that it could rise further, and holding one more day meant earning one more day’s profit.

On the third day, Zhang Yang remained in the trading hall, while Su Zhantao wandered aimlessly inside the market.

Sanqi continued to rise that day, but not as fiercely as before. Word spread that many people who had gone to Yunnan to procure herbs had returned and were flooding the market with significant stock. With the increase in transaction volume, the pace of the price hike naturally slowed considerably.

But regardless, it was still climbing, which led to Su Zhantao complaining again that evening.

The fourth day was the weekend, and the market was closed. Zhang Yang also took the day off, calling Mi Xue and chatting for half an hour, thus contributing a small income to the telecom bureau.

On the fifth day, Su Zhantao rushed out early in the morning. Zhang Yang went back to the trading hall to familiarize himself with every detail there.

The Sanqi market was even more frenetic that day, but the prices did not increase further. More and more suppliers were returning from Yunnan, and merchants from Yunnan as well as other regions were shipping in considerable stock. The market supply had increased substantially, moving away from the previous state of undersupply; naturally, the price stopped its upward ascent.

Although it didn't rise that day, it held steady. Coupled with the recent widespread news about Sanqi price increases, many people maintained considerable confidence in the herb.

On the sixth day, Zhang Yang stayed in the hotel to review some of the materials he had gathered. However, after only half a morning, Su Zhantao sprinted back in.

"Zhang Yang, it dropped! It dropped! The Sanqi has fallen! The 20-head Sanqi that was over sixty yuan is now down to fifty-nine, and many places are unloading stock. I estimate it will drop further!"

Su Zhantao was slightly out of breath when he spoke, his face etched with a complex expression.

He had anticipated that Sanqi would continue to rise, perhaps until the 10-head hit over one hundred fifty yuan and the 20-head approached a hundred yuan before stopping. He never expected the peak to end so abruptly, with prices beginning to retreat almost instantly.

Not only had it retreated, but the decline was rapid—several yuan had been wiped off in half a day, immediately erasing the gains of the previous two days.

"I know. Don't worry about today; let's see what happens tomorrow!"

Regarding Su Zhantao’s news, Zhang Yang seemed utterly unconcerned, still engrossed in studying the documents he had collected over the last couple of days. His composure truly astonished Su Zhantao... Thanks to Yan Huiman for their continuous support of Little Yu; Yan Huiman is an old friend and the first Alliance Leader of this book. Little Yu will add an extra chapter to express gratitude. And thanks to the tips from Catnip Cat and Ni Ri K Han Bangzi. Little Yu appreciates everyone’s support... RQ