All of you here are experts in medicinal herbs and have a deep understanding of health preservation. Seeing these light and delicious dishes, you are all very satisfied with your meal. Several more dishes were served one after another.

When the Three Mushroom Stewed Chicken was served, the soup was as clear as amber, the chicken skin was golden and translucent, and it was served with several kinds of fresh mushrooms, making it look incredibly appetizing.

"The soup is so clear and fragrant, it's truly a rare and excellent dish." Manager Song had originally thought that since he had come to buy a shop, he should say some nice things regardless of the food, hoping that Manager Meng would agree to sell the shop if he liked what he heard. But when the food was served, he didn't need to praise it; every word he said was sincere.

Then, a maid entered carrying a jade plate. The fish slices on the plate were layered and arranged in the shape of a blooming peony, and each slice of fish had a gradient of pinkish-white from light to dark.

Qiao Yanhe paused slightly in mid-air, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes. "Such exquisite dishes, how can anyone bear to eat them? Wouldn't that be a waste?"

“This Peony Fish Slices is not only beautiful, but also delicious. It’s made with the tenderest belly meat from fresh grass carp. Try it and see if it melts in your mouth,” Meng Zhao replied.

Upon hearing this, everyone present carefully picked up a slice of fish from the plate, and as soon as they tasted it, they found it to be incredibly fresh and tender.

Manager Li closed his eyes and savored the fish, exclaiming, "This fish is tender yet firm, fresh without being fishy—truly exquisite!"

After several main dishes were served, waiters filed in and placed a stew pot in front of each person. Even before the lids were lifted, a rich and fragrant aroma wafted out. Once the lids were lifted, the aroma burst forth as if it were real, and everyone present took a deep breath, their faces showing delight.

Meng Zhao introduced at the opportune moment: "This dish is called 'Fu Shou Quan' (meaning 'Complete Fortune and Longevity'). It requires a hen that is over three years old, ham, and pig's trotters, with Muscovy duck as the base, and then adding eighteen kinds of delicacies from the mountains and seas, such as abalone, sea cucumber, scallops, and dried scallops. It is simmered for three days and three nights in a sealed container with ten-year-aged Shaoxing rice wine instead of water."

She looked around at everyone and continued, "If it weren't for Chairman Qiao and all of you gracing us with your presence today, this secret, top-secret dish would never be seen on ordinary days."

Before he could finish speaking, everyone present was already bursting with excitement. Manager Song scooped up a spoonful of the rich soup, and seeing the broth clinging to the spoon, he exclaimed, "Just by looking at the color of this soup, you can tell it's been made with real skill!"

After finishing his drink, Manager Li closed his eyes to savor the flavor. After a long pause, he said, "This broth is rich yet not greasy. It contains the essence of various delicacies from land and sea, with distinct layers yet perfectly harmonious. Such exquisite cuisine is something even the imperial chefs might not be able to match!"

After the last sip of soup was drunk, everyone present showed a satisfied expression. The waiters then cleared away the empty bowls. This "Longevity and Fortune" dish was the last main course, and the rest were some desserts and side dishes.

Seeing that everyone had finished eating and looked happy, Meng Zhao took the opportunity to bring up the previous topic again: "I roughly understand what you all mean. I can also guess which shop you have your eye on. But everyone knows the market price of shops on Zhuque Street. If I were to make a move now, wouldn't I be losing a lot of money?"

The group snapped out of their reverie of the delicious food and turned to look at Qiao Yanhe, who was seated at the head of the table. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, we certainly won't shortchange you on the price."

"I am confident in that, but if you want me to part with it, the price will not be less than 15,000 taels."

As soon as he finished speaking, several gasps rippled through the room. Manager Li immediately frowned and retorted, "Manager Meng, your pricing is far too unfair! None of the shops at the other city gates offer this price."

Meng Zhao calmly picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Manager Li is right, but if merchants from the Western Regions want to enter the city through other gates, which one doesn't require a long detour? Only this new city gate is the most convenient and necessary route."

Manager Li suddenly regretted it. He had said a few more words to the young woman, but she had caught him off guard. So he snorted and said, "Even so, you can't ask for an exorbitant price."

"Manager Li, you are mistaken. It is only natural that shops in prime locations near the city gate are expensive. If you do not believe me, you can ask other shop owners and see if their prices are much lower than mine."

Seeing that Meng Zhao was determined to ask for a high price, Qiao Yanhe, who was quite familiar with her, remained silent. A shopkeeper who had been silent since entering became a little anxious, stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "President Qiao, as you know, my Yongle Hall is a small shop with meager profits. If the shop is so expensive, I certainly cannot afford the membership fee. In that case, I will have no chance to participate in the medicinal herb bureau's affairs."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Yanhe was not angry. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Meng Zhao. In her impression, Meng Zhao was always smooth in dealing with people. Today, she specially brought everyone here, hoping to negotiate prices face-to-face and involve everyone so that there would be fewer conflicts in the medicinal materials bureau in the future. She never expected that Meng Zhao would be so uncharacteristically unwilling to budge on the price. This was truly beyond her expectations.

In addition, although Yongletang is a small shop, it has exclusive access to the supplies of several herbal farmers, especially a few in-demand herbs, whose quality is among the best in the capital. If the herbal medicine bureau were to lose this one, it would indeed be a great loss.

After someone voiced their objections, the other managers couldn't hold back any longer. "If you ask me," they said, "this herbal medicine shop sounds glamorous, but when you think about it, how easy is it to run? In the long run, it might just become a place where big shots talk big and do business in the front hall, while we small businesses can only peel herbs and dry them in the back!"

"That's exactly right!" someone immediately chimed in, slamming their hand on the table. "Buying such a large shop, how many times a year do Western caravans come? Are they just going to leave it vacant and let mosquitoes breed? The rent, spread out over time, won't be a small amount!"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!