"The shopkeeper isn't out of his mind! How could he say his goods are the same as others! Let me tell you, Yaoniang, if you want to do business in the future, you'd better learn from him!"
Gu Xingzhi began to instruct Yao Niang: "If you are selling goods, you must tell your customers how different your goods are from those of other stores, and how you can't buy them anywhere else!"
"Look at our Gu family's rice shop," I tell the shop owners, "the farms where we buy our rice are all cultivated by families who have specialized in rice farming for generations, growing it on the black soil. Our Gu family's rice is carefully tended and matured by experienced tenant farmers; you can't buy it anywhere else!"
Seeing Gu Xingzhi speaking eloquently, Yao Niang did not interrupt him, but simply smiled at him with her lips pursed.
Qiao Niang, standing to the side, seemed to have also come to her senses.
"You mean, the real value of Zuiyuelou is the zero they round down?"
Yao Niang nodded. Seeing that Gu Xingzhi was no longer speaking and seemed to be deep in thought, she continued speaking on her own.
"The high prices of Zuiyuelou mean that customers must have a reason for their high prices, and that they must have put a lot of effort into the quality of their dishes."
For the same amount of silver, they could spend three taels of silver at Zuiyuelou and get three taels and two mace of silver worth of food; but at Jinyulou, they could only get three taels of silver worth of food for three taels of silver.
We heard that Zuiyuelou was reasonably priced, so we increased the portions. Little did we know that Zuiyuelou's value for money wasn't about the quantity of food. The more Jinyulou served, the more the guests felt that Jinyulou was inferior to Zuiyuelou and didn't suit their status.
Gu Xingzhi found her words reasonable, but asked doubtfully, "But in a place like ours, we're frequented by high-ranking officials and dignitaries who are very concerned about their reputation. They wouldn't haggle like ordinary people. How can Zuiyuelou guarantee that everyone will find it a good deal?"
Qiaoniang had already figured out the key to it. She exclaimed, "Boss Lu has such a clever mind!"
She turned to Gu Xingzhi and said, "Second Master, the two taels of silver that Zuiyuelou gave us at a discount today was voluntarily waived by their manager! That's their cleverness!"
Yao Niang nodded: "Yes. Although I was feeling groggy today, while we were waiting for the incense at the counter, several other tables of customers went to pay their bills. The manager gave them all a discount, more or less."
They offered discounts without the customers even having to ask.
Zuiyuelou truly understands people's hearts! No wonder the guests all felt they got a good deal.
Seeing Yao Niang's happy expression with her eyes crinkling, Gu Xingzhi couldn't help but smile along with her.
He asked, "Do you have a way to deal with this?"
Gu Yaoniang frowned and pondered for a moment, her mind a jumble of thoughts, unable to make sense of them. She feigned annoyance: "Second Uncle is so unreasonable! Knowing I haven't been clear-headed for most of the day, he still asked me!"
Seeing this, Qiaoniang just smiled and remained silent.
Gu Xingzhi's face was full of affection. He was already handsome, and now he was just past thirty, not yet forty, and had always been elegant and refined. Qiaoniang looked at his loving smile, lost in thought.
Gu Xingzhi himself did not notice Qiao Niang's subtle expression.
Since arriving in the capital, Yao Niang had been very curious about the subtle atmosphere between Gu Xingzhi and Qiao Niang, and she paid close attention to their interactions. She noticed Qiao Niang's expression at this moment.
As Yao Niang's curiosity grew and her inner speculation increasingly pointed to a certain possibility, she became even more hesitant to speak.
At night, Bitao and Yaoniang lay together on the spacious couch in Tinglan Residence.
The two whispered to each other, truly like sisters.
"My lady, do you really want to learn how to do business from the second master?"
Yao Niang did not speak, but simply nodded silently.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Bitao turned to her and asked again, "But what about the master and mistress? They certainly don't want you to do business with the second master."
Her response was still Yao Niang's silence.
Yao Niang knew this all too well! Her parents certainly wouldn't be happy for her to go into business, but she didn't think it was anything shameful. Admittedly, merchants weren't considered to have a high social status these days, but people like her second uncle and Lu Zhao'an were still respected when they went out.
People look down on merchants for pursuing profit, but it's not just merchants who pursue profit!
Seeing that she didn't speak, Bitao said again, "Madam, merchants are already of lower status, and you are a woman. Aren't you afraid?"
Gu Yaoniang smiled.
“In the past, the world was difficult, and people always thought that merchants were lazy and did not engage in farming. They thought that merchants made money by reselling the grain that farmers worked hard to grow to high-ranking officials and nobles, without having to work, and that they were making money by dishonest means.”
But now that life is better, people know that being a merchant isn't something you can just do as you please. If you encounter a good merchant, farmers' produce and weavers' cloth can fetch good prices, and those who want to buy can get good goods.
With the arrival of merchants, farmers and weavers earned money, customers bought good goods, and merchants also benefited.
Merchants also earn their money through hard work.
Gu Yaoniang looked at Bitao.
“Bitao, I’m truly terrified of being poor. I’ve been really scared these past few years.”
I want to be rich. These days, to get rich, you either need to become an official, go into business, or get married.
"I don't want to get married right now, and I don't have the ability to become an official. All I want is money; if I were an official, I'm afraid I'd embezzle funds."
At this point, Yao Niang and Bi Tao burst into laughter.
Yao Niang continued, "Don't think that merchants are profit-driven or inferior. As long as I do business honestly and don't make money dishonestly, I don't feel inferior."
She suddenly chuckled softly, leaned close to Bitao's ear, and whispered something.
Bitao was shocked. She seemed to be in disbelief and sat up abruptly from the couch.
"Does my wife truly think that way?"
Yao Niang nodded: "It's true. I've always hoped for this, but I never had the chance before."
She took Bitao's hand and sat up, embracing the brocade quilt and facing Bitao, her eyes sparkling with longing.
"I know it's difficult. But someone has to make the peaches, right? There are honest officials and corrupt officials in government, and there are unscrupulous merchants and righteous merchants in business."
I want to be a righteous businessman like my second uncle, earning more money to help more people.
Upon hearing this, Bitao also felt a pang of emotion, and she said:
"Then this servant will stay with you, madam! This servant will accompany you, madam."
Gu Yaoniang nodded, but then scolded, "Good Bitao! How many times have I told you, you don't need to be so reserved in front of me."
Bitao didn't argue with her and readily agreed, then urged, "Go to sleep! My wife has to get up early tomorrow to learn how to read account books with the second master."
Gu Yaoniang exclaimed "Oh dear!" and pulled Bitao to lie down with her, not allowing Bitao to leave.
Just like when she was a child, she rested her slender fingers on her lips, nibbling unconsciously. Soon she fell into a deep sleep.
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