Even though Qiao Ruichen and even Aya advised Miao Wan not to attend the opening ceremony for fear that she would hurt her belly, Miao Wan still couldn't help but want to watch.
Everyone’s going through the challenges!
They would fall down and scream, but they couldn't help but rush up to seek abuse again and again!
It sounds like a scene that makes people want to eat melon seeds and shout for an encore!
Miao Wan looked at Qiao Ruichen pitifully with her big, KISS ME eyes. She was a sensible child and didn't say a word, but her whole body was filled with the meaning of "wanting to eat melons", "wanting to join in the fun", and "wanting to explode".
To be honest, Qiao Ruichen was a little overwhelmed. No one could resist such a lovely wife.
When Jufu Supermarket opened and more than a dozen blackboards were put out to announce the rules of the new store, Qiao Ruichen's principles were crumbling, and before all the people who were joining in the fun could get excited, he sent Miao Shiren, whose belly was not even noticeable yet, into the courtyard of the National Challenge.
Naturally, he discovered the sneaky people hiding in the corner, but he pursed his lips and didn't care. With so many soldiers inside and outside, these people couldn't cause any trouble.
It was quite quiet over there, but the front of the Jufu Supermarket was already filled with noise, as if a bomb had been dropped into the water and was about to explode.
"Our boss did lead a team to kill forty-eight Western bandits over half a month ago, without a scratch. It was effortless. Our newly opened shop will allow everyone to experience the thrill of killing Western bandits without any injury."
"The new shop's non-profit model is actually a charitable shop to express gratitude to the soldiers of the Gubei Army who sacrificed their lives to protect the people. The owner wants to accumulate blessings for his descendants, so he specially opened it."
"We promise that all the goods in our new shop will be free. As long as you beat a level, you can get the goods there for free. There's no limit on how many levels you can beat again. In other words, as long as you can beat it, you can even empty our storehouse!"
"We also promise that as long as you pass any checkpoint, it will be equivalent to killing a 'Western Ban person'. We will donate ten coins to the Gubei Army in your name, with no upper limit!"
"While you are dining, soldiers from the Gubei Army will rehearse the process of killing the Xiban people and teach you how to protect yourself and kill the bandits quickly, quietly, and efficiently."
"Every two weeks, we will count the donations and invite the guests who donated the most to join us in providing welfare for the Gubei Army and receive the Gubei Army's Medal of Honor."
"Guests holding honorary medals can enjoy a 10% discount on purchases at any of the Qiao family's stores. Personal medals can be used cumulatively, but medals from different guests cannot be used cumulatively."
The guy with the megaphone spoke so clearly that even a child could understand him.
New shop, free of charge.
Give things, give a lot of things.
It is also a dignified gift, the kind given by the protector of the Northwest, which can be regarded as a family heirloom.
Think about it, as long as you can pass the level, you will not only be envied by others, but also be thanked by the Gubei Army. It would be unreasonable if you don't dominate the northwest in the future!
Who wouldn’t be tempted? Even the elderly in their seventies and eighties turned their heads to try it out. It’s just a free gift of face, who wouldn’t want it?
However, in case everyone understood the rules but didn't follow the restrictions, the waiter told everyone in advance how to participate after the new shop opened. The rules were very simple.
[You can get an entry ticket by spending money at any of Qiao's stores.] As long as you have enough entry tickets, you can play there every day.
[Only Northwest China residents and military household dependents can participate.] If you are not a Northwest China resident, even if you get a ticket, it will be useless.
This time, the people in the northwest have a little sense of identity with the exclusion of outsiders. It is not possible that people from the interior come here to make money and then snatch good things from them for free, right?
At least people inside the Great Wall don't need to kill the Western Tibetans. This is what people in the northwest should do.
This was something Miao Wan and Gu Shuyao considered for a long time before deciding. Although it was inevitable that people in the northwest would be a bit xenophobic in the future, there were more benefits.
First of all, merchants and people from the Western Regions have no intention of getting involved and causing trouble. Even if the people in the northwest are bribed, they will not dare to cause trouble on a large scale, unless they are alone and don't want to live.
Secondly, the border areas are cold and bitter, and people coming in from the interior have a sense of superiority, merchants have a sense of superiority, and of course bandits also have a sense of superiority. For a long time, it seemed that anyone could step on the people of the Northwest, which made the people subconsciously have a mentality of being nosy, timid, and trying to please these people when facing them. This completely failed the strong physique given to them by God, and it was such a waste of resources (Miao Shiren's emphasis).
The problem of xenophobia is easy to solve. In this world, whoever has the bigger fist is right, and the people do not fight against the officials. When the Northwest can stand on its own, people will realize that everyone is equal and everyone gets what they need. Moreover, both merchants and guests can bring benefits to everyone, so there will naturally be no conflicts.
These are things that will happen after the Northwest is settled.
After the clerk finished speaking, he hurried in to get ready for work. Most of the people who came to join in the fun were from the northwest, and they all squeezed into the shop to buy things, thinking that they would get the admission ticket first and then hurry to the new shop.
Jufu Supermarket was not at all scared. Everyone had rested for three days and was in high spirits. Those who maintained order, sold goods, and collected money were all very energetic.
No one noticed, or if they noticed, they completely forgot about it, that is, Jufu Supermarket did not reduce the prices at all, and the goods were still much more expensive than those in the Northwest Trading Company shop next door.
But there were obviously only a few people on the other side. After finally opening the door, the waiter had nothing to do and could only keep looking over here.
Seeing that there were so many people in Jufu Supermarket that they couldn’t even squeeze in through the door, and no one was coming this way, the guy was almost jealous.
Price war? Who wants to play with you? I won't lower the price, and you can only watch me attract so many customers. Isn't it infuriating?
Even the waiter saw some people unable to squeeze in and turned away. When he hurried over to pull the customers in, he was dismissed by the customers with a wave of their hands. "Don't waste my time. I was planning to go to Xining Town anyway, and today's a good day to go. There are more shops there, so there must be more tickets."
Some people also heard him say this, and suddenly realized what was going on. They also ran towards the city gate, almost bumping into the guy who was despised.
Not only do I not lower the price, I can also make customers willing to go to Xining Town on their own initiative, and the town is also flocking to customers. Isn't it infuriating?
Guy: Angry... But the damn thing is, he even wants to sneak into the new shop, but he doesn’t know how to get through and kill the Westerners.
The new shop opened silently, with old tiles scattered all over the floor. Qiao Ruichen lifted the red silk, and the people hiding in the corner saw the five words "National Challenge", with a sharp aura of iron and silver hooks.
Miao Wan couldn't help but praise him, "Don't look at Ajian because he looks like a playboy, his handwriting is quite good."
Before Qiao Ruichen could even complain, Miao Wan clung to him and said, "Of course, it's not as beautiful as the six words my husband left in Xining Town, but it's enough here."
Well... Qiao Bailao's mood immediately turned from gloomy to cheerful, and his jealous mood turned into sweetness, with sweetness bubbling up in his heart. It can be seen that Miao Shiren's ability to flatter people is getting better and better.
Aya was laughing on the side, but the couple couldn't stay together for long. Not long after they opened, people kept coming over.
Knowing that there would be a lot of people, the shop made diversion barriers in advance, just like the ticket offices in front of tourist attractions in later generations. Everyone could only queue up passively and wait for their tickets to be checked one by one.
Hilha and the others originally wanted to follow the crowd in to see what was going on, but they heard about the entry ticket and household registration thresholds from the people they were chatting with.
Although it is not impossible to falsify household registration, it would cost a lot of money, and they would have to buy things from the shops under the name of the Qiao family, unless they are willing to spend more money to buy admission tickets from other people.
Miao Wan knew very well that she couldn't guard against everyone, and there would be more people in the future.
However, if someone insists on spending money to come in and experience it, Miao Wan will not object, except for those who obviously do not look like Dayue people like Xierha.
As for the protests from the Northern Mongols and the people of the Western Regions, there is also the Gubei Army. Even if they have Northwest household registration, it will take me several days to investigate you.
Dayue's strict laws against outsiders taking Dayue's household registration are not just for show.
Xierha was very angry, but Boss Zheng was willing to spend money and specially won over several local people who looked smart.
We have an agreement with them that as long as they come out and describe clearly what they are doing inside, each of them will get ten taels of silver.
Who wouldn't be happy if money fell from the sky?
Ju Fu Supermarket didn’t say it had to keep it confidential. Everyone can participate and it can’t be kept confidential even if they want to. After a long time, everyone will know what’s going on.
Those who were called to be bribed agreed with a pat on their chest, but Hilha and others who were waiting outside had no idea. Those who were eager to receive the money were dumbfounded as soon as they entered the door.
The first thing in front of them was a large turntable with a ferocious look of Western people. There were darts next to it, and you would be put into whichever area you shot at.
The National Challenge is divided into four areas, which are the four scenes where the Gubei Army has deployed the most troops - two places at the foot of the Goddess Peak, Lao Miao Mountain and the shore of Chaka Lake near Anyong County.
The Goddess Peak is cold and dangerous, the Lao Miao Mountain has a complex terrain, and the Chaka Lake is wet. It can be said that it has all the elements required for a great challenge.
The layout of the four venues tried to restore the terrain of the places where the most conflicts occurred. The rockery specially arranged in the yard basically looks the same as before except that there is no snow, and there are also special rock climbing spots.
As for Leng, don't forget that Director Miao is not short of money. She has a lot of saltpeter in her hands, so it is very easy to set up a haunted house in the fake cave.
The Lao Miao Shan area is arranged as a swamp, with levels such as a rotating turntable, high and low plum blossom piles, and a large pendulum with a hanging rope. All of them are made of anti-fall pads made of eucommia glue to prevent damage from falls.
Hot spring water was specially introduced to the Chaka Lake area, and tents were set up on top with charcoal basins burning inside to prevent people from catching colds. There are even more water activities.
It had just opened, so Miao Wan was still being cautious. Currently, there were only three events: floating log rolling, water hurdles, and tire pole jumping, which were already difficult enough to pass.
Anyway, Qiao Ruichen and Cheng Shao were accompanied by guards, and it would be difficult for them to get through on their own without using their internal energy.
Miao Wan sat in a pavilion near the hot spring, holding a cup of pear soup with a smile on her face, listening to the squealing and laughter everywhere, her eyes unable to take it all in.
Especially when someone fell on the mat, in the mud, or in the hot spring, she laughed as if she had stolen oil.
There were more and more people, but the entrance tickets were approved very quickly. It couldn't be slow because it was the first time for everyone to see such sinister means. Almost no one succeeded in getting through.
It’s not that the level is so difficult. The main thing is that Miao Wan not only asked people to shoot the Western bandits as soon as they entered the door, but also imitated the scene of fighting with the Western bandits.
Next to these checkpoints, lifelike figures were made using scarecrows and dyed Eucommia gum, all modeled after the Xifan people.
It looked very fake to her and Gu Shuyao, but there was nothing they could do as the technical means could not be improved for the time being. But to the common people who had never even seen a sketch, it was no different from a real person.
How could they not be afraid? The Xiban people were the nightmare of all the people in the northwest. Not to mention seeing them, even hearing their shouting would make them tremble in their hearts.
Plus, the checkpoints are not easy either. I heard that after passing the checkpoints, you have to kick down the Xiban people to get the prize. It is normal that you cannot pass because you are afraid and flustered.
But Miao Wan didn't do this purely for... ahem, she didn't do this to harass talented people at all. She did this to train the common people.
Therefore, Cheng Shao invited soldiers from the various camps of the Gubei Army stationed in Xiping County to come over. Each of the six camps sent out twenty people, and more than one hundred Gubei Army soldiers were on site to defend, also for fear of accidents.
Every citizen who cannot pass through will receive service and guidance from the soldiers because of the mess on their bodies.
Yes, even if it doesn't pass, at least everyone can get a big towel. It's not enough to make clothes, but at least you can take it home and make shorts for your children.
This is a great deal for the common people, as they can enjoy it for free. They can even be served by the soldiers of the Gubei Army and receive their guidance. What a heavenly treatment!
No one would get angry. As long as they came out of the yard, most of them would trot away and rush home to see if there was anything they hadn't bought or what else they could buy. As long as they had the admission ticket, they might be able to pass the level quickly.
As for whether the prize is worth it——
Boss Zheng and others who have spent money know this best.
"As soon as they walked in, they had to deal with the Xiban bandits. They even had to step on the mud. Only if they didn't step on the mud could they get the prize. Tsk tsk... The first level was a can of sugar, and the second level was two cans of chili sauce! That's a whole coin!!!"
"I tied a rope around my body and climbed the mountain. The mountain was really strange, not very high, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to climb it and would fall down halfway. I heard there were Hundred Flower Essential Oil and White Jade Dragon Cream on the top of the mountain! Those are worth nearly ten taels of silver! Why am I so afraid of not being able to climb it?"
"Huh? I didn't climb a mountain, nor did I step on mud. I just walked into a cave. Before I could see what was inside, I got scared and ran out."
"There's a cave? This is a tent. I'm still a little dizzy. The wood was so slippery that I fell in."
…
Boss Zheng and others were completely confused. What the hell? The Xiban people are right there for you to fight?
Although the yard is not small, why are there mountains, water, and so many valuable things?
Xilha was even more confused because he didn't see any Xiban people in front of him.
The rockery was at most twice as tall as him. Calling it a rockery was a bit of an insult to it. How could he not climb it?
"What's the Qiao family doing all this for?" Xierha's face was wrinkled more fiercely than the wrinkles on a steamed bun. "Just to attract customers back home, that's a bit too much."
At the end of the day, there are always some people who are more agile and have repeated the levels several times. At least they have passed the first level. They will hold six cans of chili sauce and smile from ear to ear, shouting that they will come again the next day.
You know, in Jufu Supermarket, you only need to buy half a pound of sugar, which is one hundred coins, to get an entry ticket. I heard that there are also instant noodles for fifty coins. This prize is at least one string of coins. What does the Qiao family want?
It would be better to start a price war with them. At least you won't be throwing money away in vain. No matter how much money you have at home, you wouldn't dare to do that, right?
Aya couldn't help but ask Miao Wan this question out of curiosity. She didn't think she would lose money. After going through so many things, everyone now had a blind trust in Miao Wan.
That is, no matter how much of a loss it seems, it can still be a huge profit when it comes to the boss.
Aya just can’t figure out how to make money?
"It might seem like they're not losing out by repeatedly going to the supermarket to buy things to clear the levels, but once they clear more levels, or even just two, we won't make any money even if we buy everything in the supermarket, not to mention you giving out ten coins for every level we clear."
It cost a lot of money to build the front yard like that, and so many soldiers need to eat and drink every day. The best thing is to break even, right?
Miao Wan was also willing to teach these young secretaries around her more and bring them out as soon as possible. After her belly got bigger, or even when she was in confinement, the secretaries could help her with the work.
So she called the four secretaries who had followed her over and asked, "Look, now that everyone is here, won't the other merchants in the county town be anxious?
People repeatedly buy things from supermarkets, but they certainly can't use them. Isn't this because they can't sell what they want to sell, and they don't have the money to buy what they want? "
The young ladies all followed suit and thought about it, because Miao Wan wanted to teach them, and most of the time she would inspire them step by step and would not tell them the answer directly.
As the leader, Aya immediately understood something and said, "We can cooperate with other businesses and let them issue tickets as well!"
She immediately shook her head again, "No, that's not right. What about the shopping street? Or maybe we could cooperate with them and replace the prizes with their products?"
The remaining three young ladies were also inspired to think, and they all expressed Miao Wan's thoughts one after another.
"Exchanging their goods for ours won't be good for our goods either. Just like VIP cards can be exchanged for goods, they can exchange goods for our VIP cards, or give us free tickets when we buy goods. Then Xining Town won't be affected."
"Or we could charge them some money, promote their products, and split the prizes in half with theirs."
"Or they can just use silver to buy our tickets, and then they can set their own rules and hand them out?"
Miao Wan found that what they said was actually quite reliable, and when added together it was almost a plan that maximized benefits.
In fact, it was the attack on Xiping County that inspired Miao Wan. When the common people cheered for the killing of the Xiban people, they would also complain that the roads were not safe enough and it was too troublesome to go to Xining Town.
She suddenly thought of what to do.
She has always wanted to expand the market in Xiping County and even the entire Northwest, but it is obviously unrealistic to build commercial streets in Xiping County and Anyong County.
Not to mention the heavy commercial taxes, Anyong County is far away, while Xiping County is so close, which would create a competitor for Xining Town and steal Xining Town's business.
You have to know that Xining Town is equivalent to Miao Wan's territory. On the contrary, other counties have their own forces, and they may not be willing to let her grab a share.
If you want to do something, do something that everyone can accept and that is not available in the Northwest.
Originally she just wanted to do express delivery, but after being inspired by Gu Shuyao, her ambition changed. Express delivery is not as good as logistics.
Miao Wan smiled and praised the four people, "That's about it. It seems that you can all really stand on your own now."
Aya and others were extremely happy. This praise made them happier than receiving a few more taels of silver as bonus.
Miao Wan wanted to train them, so naturally she had to give them the work. "If the Wuliangha family can establish the Northwest Chamber of Commerce, I will establish the Northwest Logistics Center. No matter what people want to buy here, they can buy it here. How can it be cheaper than free?
As long as merchants join, I can give them entry tickets. The National Challenge is just a pilot in Xiping County. We will do it in Anyong County and Lin'an County in the future, with Xiping County as the logistics headquarters. By then, we can earn back the prizes through commission alone."
As for the rules for joining the logistics center, they are the same as applying for a VIP card in Xining Town, but the VIP card in Xining Town can only be used to purchase things in the commercial street.
But the logistics center is only responsible for transporting and delivering the goods that everyone wants from different places and collecting commissions.
For example, if merchants in Xiping County want entry tickets, they can buy various goods from Xining Town from the logistics center. The logistics center will be responsible for transporting the goods to Xining Town and delivering them to the merchants together with the entry tickets.
As for how merchants want to send their messages, that is their own business. The National Challenge is only responsible for receiving people who want to challenge the challenges.
There will definitely be some people who will use goods to offset commissions and payments, so Miao Wan can just become a prize for the Qiao family.
The National Challenge is the carrot dangling in front of everyone, and it is also the trademark of the Qiao family. They don’t need to use it to make money, just attract everyone to the logistics center.
As time goes by, goods from all over the country will become more abundant, and merchants will get used to going to logistics centers. Who will traveling merchants and customers still want to control?
Xining Town serves individuals, and the logistics center serves enterprises (shops), and neither side will affect the profits of the other.
The logistics center can not only buy tickets and goods, but also goods from inside and outside the customs and even from more distant countries. At that time, not only merchants, but all people with needs will become customers of the logistics center.
After all, the common people are afraid of being unsafe on the road. In the three northwestern counties, Miao Wan only needs to arrange the orders to the Gubei Army. Anyway, she is also responsible for the supplies and part of the military pay, so it is not so easy for her to take advantage.
For Cheng Shao, this matter will help him control the Gubei Army. For the Qiao family, it will help them win over the Gubei Army to the side of the Saint. For Miao Wan, it will help her make more money, killing two birds with one stone.
Aya and the others only felt that this was something much bigger than just business, but they were unable to fully understand it at the moment.
Miao Wan didn't plan to say too much. She just had to take it step by step and she would know.
Oh, not to show off.
It was really because Miao Wan herself was not familiar with these things, so everyone had to discuss the next steps together.
Besides, the team that wants to travel the Silk Road has not yet been assembled, so it is nonsense to expect to achieve it in one step.
However, it is very simple to just buy a super large three-story shop and make it into a place similar to the reception desk in Xining Town Commercial Street.
And it doesn't have to be as complicated as a reception desk. The first floor can be as simple as the most common consultation desk in later generations. Just make a very large round table.
Wooden boards are used to separate windows and diversion railings, allowing customers to choose the type of goods and their needs.
The second floor is slightly more complicated, designed as a private room, and is set up for bulk transactions.
The third floor is divided into two halves, one half is Miao Wan's office, and the other half is used to entertain sponsors and those who want to cooperate in setting up a logistics center.
She knew that she was not smart and that pregnancy would make people stupid for three years. If she relied on herself, the logistics center might have many problems and she would have to cross the river by feeling the stones.
Gu Shuyao and the others are not well versed in business. Miao Wan wants to make money, so she won't be stingy. If there is a partner who is really smart and has similar values to hers, she doesn't mind cooperating with him.
However, Miao Wan did not expect that the National Challenge had just opened and the merchants were still in a wait-and-see stage. She had just bought the shop and had not had time to decorate it, when an unexpected person came to her for the position of partner.
The author has something to say:
The sun has not moved for two months, so let's do it on the sixth day before midnight this month. There are a lot of things to write later, and my brain can't keep up.
The national challenge is not over yet, there will be interesting challenge content in the next chapter~
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