Aside from their humble origins, they are already from a prominent family. Just a couple of days ago, they even went out and bought a maid to serve their grandmother.
There's also a new cook in the kitchen.
They also brought in a gatekeeper to watch over things.
Even the flowers and plants in the various courtyards of the house have professional gardeners to maintain them.
**
Green City, the City Lord's Mansion.
Yan Shanxing listened with a troubled expression as the shopkeepers on Jincheng Commercial Street reported on the shop's business situation, his face growing increasingly grim.
Just half a month ago, he sent three thousand taels of silver to the government in the capital, finally opening up the channels and securing a shop in Jincheng Commercial Street.
Not long after this was taken over, news came that another street had sprung up, right next to the food street, also a commercial street, filled with shops doing business.
What's most infuriating is that the Jincheng government also rented some out, easily to some outside merchants, without needing to send any three thousand taels of silver there.
Merchants from Qingcheng, seeing that the Jincheng commercial district seemed to be doing well, decided to try their luck there and easily leased the land from the Jincheng government.
Why bother going through all that trouble, fawning over superiors and sending three thousand taels of silver to acquire such a shop, only to find business is still sluggish?
That street was indeed very profitable, and it was frequented by people from prominent families and influential clans. Ordinary people wouldn't dare to go there.
But because he was in contact with prestigious families, he knew exactly what these families needed.
It's the novelty, the glory of being admired and followed by everyone, and the fun.
So the noble ladies, young ladies, gentlemen, and young masters from prominent families in the street were definitely willing to spend money there, but the shop that his family ran was really hard to maintain.
The place is nice, but the things they do are really lacking in novelty. They're not anything new, and since they've rented a food street, they can only make food there, so there's nothing new to it.
He simply ran a cooked food business in that shop, selling mostly cooked meat.
Unfortunately, right next to his shop was another meat shop. The other shop's skills were beyond compare; his shop was simply incomparable. The other shop sold smoked and roasted meats, and its business was booming. Money was flowing in like water, making a fortune every day.
Those who watched were incredibly envious.
When his shop first opened, it did attract a lot of people, but after tasting the cooked meat in his shop, they never stepped into the door again.
Those customers were all one-time visitors; they never came back. But the smoked and grilled meats at the cooked meat shop next door—once you tried them, you became a regular customer.
As a result, his shop now only has a handful of customers, to the point where it's practically deserted. Compared to the bustling business next door, it's easy to see why people are drawn to the lively atmosphere, where customers are lining up in long queues.
As a result, his shop, which was deserted, naturally saw its business decline more and more, and now it was even losing money.
The money I earn in a day is not even as much as the rent there.
If things continue like this, his shop will face bankruptcy, but he is really unwilling to give up like this.
Three thousand taels of silver have already been invested.
If it ends so hastily, wouldn't he have made a losing deal?
But if this doesn't end, the losses will only keep piling up.
"Lord City Lord, what do you think of that shop? Shouldn't we try to renovate it? If things continue like this, then our shop—"
"Re-establish a good business? Hmph, that sounds nice, but what good ideas do you have? Do you think your meat is better than the shop next door? Do you have their cooking skills or their secret recipe?" He had tasted the cooked meat in the shop next door, and the taste was truly unparalleled. He had eaten it once and was already craving it again.
Their grilling skills are unmatched.
Seeing Yan Shanxing's unpleasant expression and the hostility in his words, the shopkeeper couldn't help but wipe the sweat from his brow.
It's true that they can't compare to the shop next door. After all, that shop was provided by the Jincheng government. If they could beat them, wouldn't that be stealing their business?
How could they possibly allow businesses that could steal their livelihoods to enter and compete with them for business?
They were certain that the involvement of these outside merchants would not affect the government's shops, but would only benefit the government by providing them with more money and resources. That's why they were able to bring these outside merchants in to do business without any scruples or reservations.
The officials in the capital were truly cunning; they swindled all these out-of-town merchants, especially the prominent families and powerful clans from nearby cities—they cheated as many as they could.
Aside from the booming business of the government officials themselves, how many outside merchants were able to establish themselves there?
But the lease has already been taken, and it's impossible to ask the Jincheng government to back out!
Moreover, the gold, silver, and valuables sent up were more expensive than the rent.
If we suddenly back out, wouldn't all the gold, silver, and valuables we sent in be for nothing?
This is still a losing proposition!
Either way, we've already lost money; it's a loss no matter what.
It's a real dilemma, leaving people feeling cheated and unwilling to accept the loss.
"How about the city lord rents it out?" As soon as he said this, the shopkeeper regretted it. How much money would he have to make to recoup the investment?
Just sending gifts to people, the gold and silver they give are much more expensive than rent.
We're still losing money!
"Rent it out? What a terrible idea! I went to great lengths and went through all sorts of hardships to get this shop, how could I possibly rent it out?"
"If we actually get our hands on it, and then get rid of it in less than a month, where will that leave the reputation of the City Lord's Mansion?"
“Father—” Yan Linglong knocked on the door of the study.
Yan Shanxing's expression paused for a moment, then softened slightly. "Go in."
Yan Linglong then pushed open the door and gracefully entered. "Father, I heard everything you just said."
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