How did you read these books?
Gu Yaoniang tapped Gu Pingsheng's head with a look of disgust: "Prices are already high in Shuojing City. Our shop rent is high, the employees' monthly wages are high, and the ingredients are also costs."
Although Jin Yu Lou uses mostly goods from our own trading company, those still cost money. The biggest advantage is that it costs a little less money and we won't be cheated by unscrupulous merchants.
Besides these, we also have to pay 30% of our profits to the imperial court every month as taxes.
If the business is good and we earn more, the staff will definitely work harder. Shouldn't we give them more bonuses? Only by understanding their hard work will we prevent them from slacking off when there's work to be done in the building.
During holidays and festivals, you have to bribe officials and patrons, which costs a lot of money. Only by bribing officials and patrons properly can you prevent anyone from causing trouble.
We also have to pay our share to the Chamber of Commerce as usual. Our Gu family also supports charitable organizations and regular messengers, which adds up to another sum of money.
All things considered, at most a month's income would only amount to one or two thousand taels, which is a real profit.
Why do you only see the incoming income? Do you think you're a mythical creature that brings in wealth?
Gu Pingsheng listened attentively, and blushed a little as Gu Yaoniang reprimanded him.
Seeing the embarrassment on his face, Gu Yaoniang couldn't bear to comfort him and said, "You're usually so focused on your studies that it's normal that you don't know."
However, you must not say anything like that, implying that your second uncle earns money easily. The monthly income is limited, and there are still expenses to support you and me, as well as the servants in the household. For someone of your second uncle's status, the expenses for ordinary social interactions are not insignificant.
Even if you don't want to be stingy when you go out, you absolutely cannot be stingy in appearance. Otherwise, if others see this and think that our Gu family has no money or strength, they will look down on us, and it will be more difficult to do business in the future.
To earn these incomes, my second uncle had to put in a lot of effort. Even with my own Jin Yu Lou, I have to worry about it every day to earn this much money.
Our second uncle is good to us, and it's one thing to be happy to accept it, but we also need to remember his hard work and not be blind to it.
Gu Pingsheng, unusually, did not speak to Yao Niang, but solemnly nodded in agreement: "Sister, I understand."
It's not just that I know it now, it's that I understand it. And that means I'll do my best to follow through.
Gu Yaoniang nodded with satisfaction: "I'm telling you this not so that you can learn these business things, but so that you can understand the hardships of people's lives, the hardships of us merchants, and so that you can be more understanding of the difficulties of others when you become an official in the future."
Never underestimate a merchant.
Gu Pingsheng blushed even more deeply and murmured, "Sister, that's not what I meant..."
His dark face flushed crimson. Now that his second uncle and older sister were both in business, he'd really lost his mind! How could he have spoken without thinking?
“You did mean it that way, you probably didn’t even realize it yourself, but there was that meaning in your words.”
Gu Yaoniang glanced at Gu Pingsheng and saw that the young man looked ashamed and embarrassed, avoiding her gaze.
She walked forward, and Gu Pingsheng followed closely behind, his hands clasped tightly.
She chuckled lightly, "Oh, don't be nervous! I'm not saying this to blame you. It's just that our family is in business now."
Think carefully about your statement, "No wonder my second uncle is so rich." Doesn't that imply that the money came easily and that your second uncle is corrupt?
Merchants are already looked down upon by others; if their own family members don't understand and think money comes easily, wouldn't that be heartbreaking?
Gu Pingsheng nodded solemnly: "I understand, elder sister. I've remembered it all."
Gu Yaoniang then dropped the subject and instead took Gu Pingsheng for a stroll on Le Bao Street.
The variety of shops and the sheer number of people on Le Bao Street were unparalleled in Shuojing City. Gu Pingsheng had never seen such a comprehensive market before, and he couldn't help but admire it greatly.
Seeing him like this, Gu Yaoniang felt a pang of emotion in her heart.
Time has come full circle. In the past, it was my second uncle who led me to wander around here. Now, it is me leading my younger brother here.
If my parents ever come to Shuojing City in the future, my younger brother will take them sightseeing here.
Along the way, she took Gu Pingsheng and bought him writing implements, all of which were of the highest quality. She also picked out a lot of fabrics at her family's cloth shop, and then had Bizhu and the others carry them to Yunxiu Workshop to have clothes made for Gu Pingsheng.
Seeing that the ready-made clothes in the shop were quite nice, she bought several more outfits for Gu Pingsheng and also bought one for herself.
The rouge shop next door had added new products, which attracted Gu Yaoniang to the shop, where she picked and chose again.
Gu Pingsheng watched as Gu Yaoniang either kept accounts or gave him cash, buying a whole bunch of things. Although most of them were for himself, he was still dumbfounded.
"Sister...I don't need so much!"
Gu Yaoniang turned her head and found that not only Bitao and the others had no free hands, but Gu Pingsheng also had no spare things to put aside.
Only then did he reluctantly ask, "Is that really enough?"
We've only walked halfway down the street!
Gu Pingsheng nodded firmly: "That's enough!"
Gu Yaoniang hesitated before saying, "Then... let's go home."
Gu Pingsheng was overjoyed, but after walking a few steps, Gu Yaoniang's eyes were drawn to a fan vendor by the roadside, and she stopped in her tracks.
Gu Pingsheng stamped his foot anxiously: "Sister! You just said that it's not easy for the family to earn money!"
Gu Yaoniang glared at her: "Mind your own business!"
Gu Pingsheng could only watch as Gu Yaoniang spent another two hundred coins to buy a plain dough fan. He had bought so many things today that he had lost count of the money and had become numb and sluggish.
"Yao Niang?"
A bright female voice came from behind me.
Gu Yaoniang turned around and saw a tall and beautiful woman in red, whom she hadn't seen for a long time.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
