Chapter 248 Qinghuan Street
Setting up a stall in the city was not something you could do simply by throwing your goods there. If that were the case, everyone would become street vendors, and the imperial court would have no place to collect taxes.
It is a bit similar to setting up a stall in the market. If you want to set up a stall in the city, you must first go to the City Affairs Bureau to submit an application for setting up a stall.
You need to specify what you want to sell and on which streets, and then prepay a certain amount of tax based on the type of items you sell. Only then can you get a certificate allowing you to set up a stall.
This kind of thing, if you want to go through the formalities, it might take a long time. Sang Yu directly asked Liu Mao to use his financial power to handle it very smoothly.
She didn't start setting up a stall on Qinghuan Street immediately these two days because she was waiting for this certificate.
I took the certificate from Liu Mao. It was a piece of hard paper similar to cowhide, which listed the categories and ranges of products allowed for sale, including Qinghuan Street.
"This is the same as the sign in the market town. Will someone check it regularly?" Sang Yu looked at it curiously and felt that it was quite empty.
"Yes. Someone will write the date on it every day, and after thirty times, they will go to the City Affairs Bureau to pay taxes and renew their certificates." Liu Mao nodded.
"No wonder this piece of paper is so empty." It turns out it's used for people to write dates.
Sang Yu nodded, stuffed the cardboard into her waist and looked up at Liu Mao: "You came to deliver something today, did it delay the stall opening?"
Liu Mao shook his head slightly: "I asked someone to help me, it's okay if I'm not here for a while."
Selling skewers was fine before, as he could handle it all by himself once he got used to it. But now that he sells both skewers and oden, he has to hire someone to help him.
"How's the oden selling? It should be okay."
“It’s selling very well.”
"That'll do..."
After saying this, Sang Yu didn't know what to say to him for a moment. Normally, if he handed the things to her and had other things on hand, shouldn't he leave immediately?
But when she saw Liu Mao standing still, she realized that he didn't want to leave at all.
She couldn't help herself and asked directly, "Aren't you going back?"
Liu Mao still shook his head: "Qinghuan Street is very chaotic, I will go with you."
Now Sang Yu understood that he wanted to help her.
Since Qinghuan Street is a place where young ladies and gentlemen hang out, there are obviously no ruffians or hooligans here, so... are they police officers?
"Will the officers who verify the certificate take bribes?"
"Yeah." Liu Mao nodded slightly.
Don't underestimate this small character who used to operate in the gray area. Although he may seem insignificant, he actually knows the most about various things in the city.
Just like the certificate in Sang Yu's hand, if Liu Mao hadn't gone to get it, even if he had the money, people might not be willing to accept it.
Giving gifts is a science. Only when you can deliver the gift to the right person can you really put your effort into it.
"I'll go with you. Once they see me, they won't bully you anymore." Liu Mao was as taciturn as ever, but he really did come forward when something happened.
Those who can work in Qinghuan Street actually have some background in their families. After all, no one dares to cause trouble here, and the surrounding merchants have to respect them. It is indeed a lucrative job.
Therefore, the police officers who were responsible for maintaining public security in Qinghuan Street fawned over the prostitutes' companies, turned a blind eye to the merchants, and acted arrogantly towards the hawkers and peddlers.
Sang Yu had anticipated this, but she didn't expect that sometimes money alone is not enough.
After all, the more money you bribe them, the bigger their appetite will be next time, like a bottomless pit that can never be filled.
"Okay, I owe you a favor for this." After figuring out the matter, Sang Yu agreed immediately.
"I owe you." The favor of two lives cannot be repaid with such a small thing.
I didn't argue with him. It's enough for Sang Yu to know some things in her heart.
A group of four walked towards Qinghuan Street. There were almost no people on the street early in the morning, and even few shops on the roadside were open, making it look particularly deserted.
"It seems we came too early. Next time we can wait until noon." Sang Yu joked when he saw this.
"It's okay. If you come early, you can get a good seat." Sang Xingjia was open-minded.
The street was empty, and the four of them chose a place not far from the street, next to a music pavilion, and put down their things to reserve a seat.
After waiting for a long time, the sun gradually rose in the sky, more and more people set up stalls, and all the shops on both sides opened for business, and the street gradually became lively.
Listening to the melodious music coming from the piano pavilion not far behind him, Sang Yu sighed: "This seat I chose is really good, and there is free music to listen to."
"Little sister, stop making trouble. No one is buying our milk tea. How about... shouting a few times?"
Sang Xingjia was getting anxious as he saw that the snack stalls beside and opposite him had opened for business, but no one came to buy at his stall.
"Don't be impatient, brother. You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry."
Sang Yu was still unhurried, slowly scooping out milk tea from the bucket and adding a large spoonful of pearls.
"I just happened to see a bookstore over there. Why don't you go take a look and buy anything you like." Four people were busy around a small stall, and it was really crowded.
"I'm going to the bookstore?" Sang Xingjia was stunned. He did like reading, but wasn't he here to help today?
"Yes, too many people is not good either. Those ladies don't dare to get close."
Sang Yu's words were half true and half false. The men standing behind her did give off a sense of oppression, but it wasn't so severe that people were afraid to step forward.
Sang Xingjia believed her words and really thought it was his fault: "Then I'll go to the bookstore for a while and come back to replace you later."
After he left, looking back every three steps, Sang Yongjing looked at her with a smile on his face, as if he was waiting to be told what to do.
"...Dad, just go sit in the back and take my place later."
I don’t know if it was because Sang Xingjia left their stall and the sense of oppression was less, or because the bamboo tubes Sang Yu placed in front of them aroused people’s curiosity.
Soon someone came forward. It was a rich young lady followed by two maids. She was wearing a silk dress and her accessories were mostly gold, silver and jade. It was obvious that she was very rich.
"What are you selling? Why have I never seen it before?" Zhong Xueru looked curiously at the bamboo tubes placed in front of her. There were orchids carved on the tubes, which looked quite elegant.
"This young lady has a very good eye. This pearl milk tea is sold on Qinghuan Street for the first time today, and you are the first one to come."
Sang Yu was generous with her compliments, starting with "the first time" and "the first one", which greatly satisfied the other party's vanity.
Then he explained in detail: "Pearl milk tea is made with milk freshly squeezed this morning and brewed with black tea. Adding candied pearl balls makes it a rich and complex drink. Would you like to try it?"
It sounded pretty good, so Zhong Xueru didn't ask the price and just nodded slightly. Someone immediately took out their wallet to pay.
Sang Yu assembled a cup of pearl milk tea on the spot and handed it to the other party.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
