"Mr. Gu, it's not just my family that can do it, you can too."
"What? You're here to sell this method for cultivating vegetables?"
Shopkeeper Gu had a sharp eye; could this recipe for cultivating winter vegetables really be sold so casually?
"Manager Gu, to be honest, we are not refusing to sell this recipe. Perhaps you will be able to figure it out in a few days."
Upon hearing this, Manager Gu's eyes darted around.
"If that's the case, why should I buy your cultivation method? I'll just buy the sprouts to study."
"Hehe, Manager Gu is right. Our Piaoxianglou is the largest restaurant in the area, and its reputation is well-known. We want to sell this recipe to Manager Gu in order to make a good connection."
Tell me about it.
"Manager Gu also said that winter vegetables are expensive. When these sprouts come into season, those who act first get meat, and those who act later may not even be able to get soup."
They were all seasoned foxes; Li Xuyue had already made his point clear, so Manager Gu stopped putting on airs and immediately put on a smiling face.
"I'll buy the recipe, and I'll take all the bean sprouts from your garden. If no one is selling bean sprouts in the market within half a month, you can't sell them either. If someone is selling them, you can sell them as you see fit."
"no."
Li Xuyue refused decisively.
"No? This is already very kind of you."
Manager Gu was completely bewildered by Li Xuyue. "Are you kidding me? Do you even want to sell?"
"Manager Gu, I understand your sincerity, but my family has already sent the prescription to the magistrate."
"!"
They gave it to the county magistrate and then sold it to me. They really played me for a fool!
You little punk, how dare you mess with me!
Manager Gu's pupils dilated, his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he was about to order someone to kick the man out.
You, a family of exiles, dare to treat him like this? Do you think he's a pig?
Li Xuyue realized that Manager Gu had misunderstood, and quickly explained.
"Manager Gu, I really didn't mean to tease you. The prescription has indeed been given to the magistrate, but Manager Gu can still make a profit from it within ten days without any impact."
To gain influence and prestige, one must find a powerful backer to bolster their business image.
“My family has always relied on Magistrate Cao, so my eldest brother sent this prescription to the Cao family earlier.”
Let's go back a few days.
Li Xuming, carrying the sprouted vegetables and the recipe, visited Cao Shangjin's house again.
"You're just giving me this prescription like this?"
Cao Shangjin wasn't stupid. He knew the benefits of the prescription as soon as he saw it, but were the Li family really so selfless?
"Yes, sir. Our whole family now lives in Shuxia Village, and our tofu business is doing quite well. We owe everything to your prestige. My mother said that these bean sprouts came about by chance because of our family's tofu-making business, and offering them to you is the best way for them to go."
Cao Shangjin pondered. He was greedy, and if he could sell this prescription, he could indeed make a lot of money.
And the Li family seems to be loyal.
After thinking for a while, Cao Shangjin had a headache, so he immediately took Li Xuming to his uncle's house.
If he can't see the problem, surely his uncle can. Besides, with such a huge profit, he can't hide it from his uncle.
On that day, Li Xuming was taken to the Cao family and entered the Cao family's study.
Cao Qian was a serious-looking man with a beard. He was not particularly handsome, but the two deep creases between his eyebrows were the marks left by years of frowning.
After listening to Cao Shangjin's words and understanding the whole story, he looked at Li Xuming with a deep gaze for a long time.
Li Xuming remained respectful, allowing himself to be scrutinized. He wasn't flustered; his family's purpose was simple: to curry favor with the Cao family. They had never hidden anything, nor did they need to.
"Li Xuming?"
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Hand over the recipe for these bean sprouts. What do you want?"
"Your Excellency is wise. The Li family is now nothing more than prisoners, completely dependent on Lord Cao. The Li family asks for nothing in return."
Li Xuming spoke frankly.
"Alright, I understand. You may stay here tonight and wait for my news."
After a long pause, Cao Qian finally spoke.
Li Xuming respectfully followed the servants downstairs. Today, he could directly establish a relationship with the county magistrate.
"Uncle, is there anything unusual about the Li family?"
Seeing Li Xuming being taken away, Cao Shangjin could no longer hold back and asked directly.
There is nothing wrong with it.
Cao Qian shook his head, carefully flipping through the recipe for bean sprouts; he had already read it several times.
"Then why let him stay at the mansion tonight?"
"This prescription is effective. I plan to hand it over to the magistrate for his decision."
"ah?"
Cao Shangjin was disappointed; how could he possibly embezzle money if he handed it over to the county magistrate?
Cao Qian frowned and glared at Cao Shangjin. His nephew was good in every way, except that he was greedy for money, but not in a way that was unscrupulous.
He can tell what someone is thinking just by the sound he makes.
"Lin Pei is hardworking and frugal, and he has powerful connections. If the Cao family wants to rise in the ranks, it would be best to work with him."
Upon seeing the recipe for the sprouts, Cao Qian had a plan. He had long wanted to get close to Lin Pei, but Lin Pei looked down on the local clans.
If this prescription were given to Lin Pei, it would surely break the ice between them. It would also contribute to the future of the Cao family.
Cao Qian hurriedly went to the government office to find Lin Pei and presented him with the recipe for the bean sprouts.
Just as Cao Qian had predicted, Lin Pei was someone who liked to get things done.
Seeing the recipe for bean sprouts was like finding a treasure. Cao Qian did not hide anything and told him the whole story.
Lin Pei knew that this family also made tofu, and even the kang (a heated brick bed) was designed by the Li family. Although he knew that the Li family was an exile, Lin Pei still couldn't help but feel a slight sense of goodwill towards them.
People's lives are filled with hardship.
The advent of the kang (heated brick bed) helped reduce the number of people who froze to death. Now, these sprouts will provide people with another vegetable on their winter tables.
These are all things that benefit the people, so Lin Pei can only be happy.
He also fully accepted Cao Qian's surrender.
The Li family presented a recipe for pickled mustard greens and also made a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove). Lin Pei learned that they were short of money, so he instructed Cao Qian to tell the Li family that they could sell ten days' worth of pickled mustard greens to make money, but only to wealthy households.
Ten days later, Lin Pei will officially release an announcement, revealing the method of cultivating sprouts to the public.
Li Xuyue then explained the whole story.
"If it's not Mr. Gu's fault, then we'll have to look elsewhere."
"Brother, wait a moment! I'll buy it!"
"Within ten days, the Li family shall not sell bean sprouts to outsiders, nor shall they sell the cultivation method of bean sprouts to other restaurants and eateries."
"Alright, once the government makes a public announcement, it will have nothing to do with my Li family anymore, Manager Gu."
"Okay, let's draw up a contract."
Manager Gu was, after all, a businessman, and the Li family had obtained the county magistrate's permission to sell their son.
The Gu family could also profit from these ten days. There were many poor people in Shao County, but there were also many wealthy families. They could easily recoup their investment by selling off a few of their properties.
Even if I don't sell them, giving them all away as gifts is a good deed.
Once Magistrate Lin's announcement was made, the Gu family was still seen by everyone as an honest family who had lost their fortune.
That's right! Selling vegetables in winter can make a lot of money, but after Magistrate Lin interfered, the money flew away!
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