“A drink that costs three coins a cup is already a loss-making venture to gain publicity. Now Li Youran has launched a drink that costs two coins a cup. I’d like to see how long she can keep this up.”
Hu Qinqin had only enjoyed the benefits for two days when she was caught off guard by the sudden rise of Mixue Ice Cream.
These days, let alone making money, we're barely surviving every day. If we don't lower the prices, we might not even be able to break even on the rent for the shop.
The Fourth Prince did not respond to Hu Qinqin's words. He reached for the drink on the table, took a big gulp, and was choked by the sudden fizz, which made his nose hurt. He then spat it out.
What is this?
The Fourth Prince had never drunk such strange water before. He looked at the drink in the cup with great curiosity, only to find that it was colorless and covered with many bubbles.
"Your Highness, this is called Sprite. It tastes sweet and sour, and contains a lot of bubbles, making it refreshing to drink."
After hearing the servant's introduction, the Fourth Prince picked up the Sprite again.
He first took small sips to taste it, and being on guard, he didn't choke on the large amount of bubbles like he did the first time.
He felt as if bubbles were dancing on his tongue the moment his tongue touched the beverage; the pleasure he experienced was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
He then took another small sip, and felt that the cool Sprite made his internal organs feel much cooler, and the heat in his body seemed to disappear.
How exactly is Sprite made, and why is it so refreshing?
The Fourth Prince downed the Sprite in one gulp, emptying the glass completely. His stomach, which had been empty of appetite due to the summer heat, was instantly revived.
"What is this?"
The Fourth Prince had learned his lesson. He looked at the milk tea on the table, but instead of drinking it first, he asked a servant for directions.
"Your Highness, this is milk tea, made from fresh milk and green tea, with taro pastries and dumplings made from tapioca starch added."
Compared to Sprite, His Highness the Fourth Prince is more familiar with milk tea, since milk and tea are things he often encounters in daily life.
The Fourth Prince hadn't held out much hope for the milk tea, but the moment the silky smooth milk tea touched his lips, he changed his mind. What a heavenly taste! He had never tasted such delicious milk tea before.
Just as the Fourth Prince was being captivated by the milk tea, he took a bite of the tapioca starch pearls. He found them to be chewy and soft, and then he couldn't help but reach for a spoon, scoop up more pearls, and chew them heartily.
It's truly more fragrant the more you chew it, a blend of the rich sweetness of milk tea and the refreshing aroma of tea.
The Fourth Prince felt that the texture and flavor were unlike anything found on earth; they were clearly the nectar of the gods.
"Is it really that delicious?"
Seeing the Fourth Prince looking so engrossed, Hu Qinqin couldn't help but feel curious. She reached out and picked up a cup of milk tea, thinking that there was nothing special about it; it was just made of milk and tea.
After taking a sip of milk tea, Hu Qinqin's eyes widened like saucers; she was instantly captivated by the milk tea.
This stuff tastes a thousand times better than lemon iced water. It costs two hundred coins a cup, let alone twenty. She wants to have a cup every day.
"This business is not something just anyone can do. Don't underestimate this small cup of beverage; there's a lot of hard work behind the scenes."
Seeing that he had finished the milk tea in his cup, the Fourth Prince reluctantly put down the cup, leaned back in his chair, and said with a sigh.
The Fourth Prince, who was originally short of money, developed a strong interest in doing business after experiencing its benefits.
As the saying goes, "A man with money is a hero, a man without money is nothing." If you want to recruit soldiers, the most important thing is to have enough silver.
"That's easy. Since Li Youran's new drink is selling like hotcakes, we'll just imitate her. We can't be exactly the same, but we can at least get it pretty close. We'll just sell it a little cheaper than hers."
Compared to the inexperienced Fourth Prince, Hu Qinqin was much calmer. After all, before her marriage, she had helped the Prime Minister's wife manage several shops that came with her dowry, so she was quite knowledgeable about business.
“We are competitors with Li Youran, but it would be best if we could join forces.”
Upon hearing the Fourth Prince's words, Hu Qinqin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"His Majesty's birthday is coming soon, and a family banquet will be held. You should get closer to Li Youran and take the initiative to show your goodwill."
As the Fourth Prince spoke, he looked at Hu Qinqin, who was staring at him with an incredulous expression.
"If yielding can bring about a smooth path, what's wrong with that?"
For the Fourth Prince, as long as he can achieve his goal, it is worth enduring any amount of hardship.
"His Majesty's birthday is just around the corner, and it will be the Crown Prince's first birthday since he entered the Eastern Palace, so we must prepare the gifts with utmost care this time."
The Crown Princess frowned as she spoke, flipping through the records in the storeroom, trying to choose the most suitable gift, but she couldn't find anything particularly original.
In fact, the Crown Prince had started preparing this birthday gift almost a year ago, but unexpectedly, an accident occurred and the gift was not delivered on time.
Left with no other choice, I had to select a new gift at this crucial moment.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
