Chapter 348 So What If We Failed?
On the second day of the opening of Dahe Banquet, we finished work relatively early.
Cheng Fang stayed behind to guard the shop. Although it wasn't safe for a girl to be alone there, the people living around the shop were all old neighbors of Manager Yan, people she could trust, so there was no need to worry too much.
When we returned to Dahe Village, there were still some sunset clouds in the western sky.
Cheng Wanwan followed Lu Yingxue directly to the school.
Master Yu was sitting under a big tree at the entrance of the school, drinking tea, while his youngest daughter, Yu Jiao, sat at his feet, massaging his legs.
"Old Yu!" Lu Yingxue glared at him and walked over. "Our little darling has such delicate skin, and you actually let her massage your legs? Are you out of your mind?!"
Yu Jiao hugged Lu Yingxue's arm and said softly, "Dad must be tired after a long day of classes, so I'm massaging his legs for him. Mom, please don't be angry."
Yu Zhan coughed and said, "My sister wants Father to stop forcing her to learn to paint."
Yu Jiao stuck out her tongue: "Brother, you understand me best."
Her father loved painting and also loved teaching her to paint. When they lived in Huzhou, she thought it was fine, but after coming to Dahe Village, everyone was free, but she had to stay in the house to learn these things. Gradually, she became unwilling to learn, always finding it too boring.
“Little Jiaojiao, this won’t do.” Lu Yingxue led her youngest daughter into the house and earnestly instructed her, “There are some things you have to learn. You can’t give up just because it’s boring, nor can you give up halfway because it’s difficult. That’s not right… You only need to spend half a day learning to draw. Whatever you want to do with the rest of the time, your parents won’t interfere…”
Master Yu put down his teacup and stood up. Cheng Wanwan saw the chaotic scene in his house and felt a little embarrassed.
“My four boys are quite a handful, always running around like crazy,” Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. “But no matter how crazy they are, they will do what they like to do. We only live for a few decades, so we should live happily and freely, shouldn’t we?”
Master Yu understood the deeper meaning behind these words, and he said slowly, "Sister Dashan, please speak your mind."
“Xiao Zhan took two county-level exams and ranked first in both,” Cheng Wanwan continued. “After the county-level exams in February, he was able to take the prefectural exams in March. I think this is a great opportunity and a chance for him to improve. Whether he succeeds or fails, it will be a valuable experience in his life.”
Master Yu's gaze was somber: "I walked this path myself back then, a path strewn with thorns, leaving me battered and bruised..."
“If Xiao Zhan and Master Fu were in the exact same situation back then, the worst outcome would be returning to Dahe Village. He's quite knowledgeable; perhaps he could become a teacher there,” Cheng Wanwan said calmly. “If he doesn't take the imperial examinations, his life will also end in Dahe Village, or he might go to Huzhou to make a living as a small merchant. Whether he goes or not, the outcome seems unchanged. So why let him carry this regret in his heart? Let him try. With you as his father and Dahe Village supporting him, what does it matter if he fails?”
Master Yu was startled.
His biggest fear was that Xiao Zhan would be discouraged and give up if he failed.
He didn't trust his son enough. This son was stubborn and willful, with an indomitable spirit deep down.
If he could overcome this, why can't Xiao Zhan?
Besides, Xiao Zhan might not necessarily fail... He should give him his full trust...
“Father, let me give it a try.” Yu Zhan came out of the house. “I’ll set an eighteen-year limit. If I haven’t made a name for myself by the time I turn eighteen, then you can arrange the rest of my life for me.”
Master Yu raised his hand and placed it on his son's shoulder: "Alright, just as you said."
After the Yu family's matter was resolved, Cheng Wanwan returned home in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The flowers by the corner of her yard wall have started to grow, their green leaves slowly unfurling, and some vines climbing up the wall. Soon they will bloom.
When spring arrives and flowers bloom, we can launch a floral-scented soap, which is more cost-effective than milk or honey scents.
Also, crude glycerin should be extracted.
Since the soap workshop started operating, we've accumulated half a warehouse of crude glycerin, which we need to dispose of as soon as possible.
The extraction of crude glycerin and its processing into skincare products involves many steps, requiring the construction of a small workshop and the recruitment of additional staff.
Fortunately, there was a vacant lot next to the original soap workshop, so it wouldn't be difficult to find someone to build another house there.
"Grandma Mountain, I've come to settle accounts with you."
Aunt Wang walked in carrying an account book, which was the ledger for the braised food business. Wang Yongcheng was in charge of reporting the numbers, and Mud Loach, who was educated, wrote them down in the ledger.
This is a detailed record of all income and expenses since the official opening this year.
Cheng Wanwan didn't look at the ledger. The Wang family members were all honest people who wouldn't do anything fancy. She made money easily from this braised food business, but even if it was easy, there were still things to worry about, such as sourcing, sales channels, delivery, and settling accounts. She had too many things to deal with right now, so she wanted to make things as easy as possible.
"You know about Grandma Zhu's preserved eggs, right?" Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "I'll provide the recipe, and Grandma Zhu will share the profits with me. What do you think of this model, Mudfish Mother?"
Aunt Wang nodded: "I heard that many people in Ping'an County like to eat preserved eggs. I bought one yesterday. Grandma Zhu didn't want to make money from the villagers, so she sold it to me for five coins. And let me tell you, it tastes really good. My whole family can't get enough of it except for my little girl."
Cheng Wanwan got straight to the point: "My family is going to start a soap business, a restaurant business, and we'll have new businesses in the future. How about letting your Wang family run this braised food business?"
Aunt Wang then understood what Cheng Wanwan meant. She was stunned for a moment: "You mean, from now on, this business will be entirely managed by our Wang family?"
Cheng Wanwan nodded.
The braised food business is actually quite profitable, but compared to the soap restaurant, it's insignificant. She needs to focus her energy on more worthwhile things.
As for the ice jelly business we started, we can sell the recipe to trustworthy people in the village when summer comes, but there's no rush for now.
"This, this is too much trouble..." Aunt Wang wanted to refuse, but couldn't bear to, and stood there scratching her head, "We didn't put in any effort at all, how can we just take it all..."
“Just like Grandma Zhu’s family, we’ll split the profits 20/80,” Cheng Wanwan said. “If you think it’s okay, we can sign a contract anytime.”
"A 20/80 split? That won't do!" Aunt Wang shook her head. "Grandma Zhu only got one recipe; the rest she figured out on her own. Our Wang family has benefited too much; we don't have to worry about selling it at all. Aunt Dashan, you not only gave us the recipe but also the sales channels, and you even provided those channels for buying pig offal and wild game. I think it has to be a 50/50 split!"
She used to work for Da Shan Niang, and the two of them together earned a little over one tael of silver a month.
If the profits were split 50/50, they could sell at least 300 catties of braised food a day, earning 20 to 30 wen per catty, which would amount to about 200 taels of silver a month. That would mean their family would earn close to 100 taels of silver a month...
Aunt Wang's breathing quickened, and she immediately changed her tune: "Let's split it 30/70, 30 for us, and 70 for you, Aunt Dashan... That's fine, that's fine..."
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