Chapter 945: Inspecting the Shop
Manbao doesn't mind spending money when she is in a good mood. She called Zhou Wulang and others and said she would take them to Zhuangyuanlou for drinks and dinner.
Zhou Wulang shook his head and said, "Forget it. We still have to go check out the shop this afternoon. You guys go by yourselves."
Manbao then remembered to ask, "Have you found the shop?"
Zhou Lizhong raised his head and looked at her with resentment, "Aunt, didn't we tell you the other day?"
Manbao tilted his head and asked doubtfully, "Did you tell me that?"
Everyone: ...
Zhou Lijun waved his hand and said, "Forget it. My aunt has been in a bad mood for the past few days. She must not have listened to what we said."
Manbao was a little embarrassed, "I might not have paid much attention, please say it again."
Zhou Lizhong just lowered his head and ignored her.
Zhou Wulang, who was standing by, said, "We've sold all the books. We didn't share the money we earned; we put it directly into the public treasury. We've looked at several shops, both inside and outside the neighborhood. The shops in the inner city are not cheap, especially those in our area. Even if we don't want a spacious one, it would cost at least 5,000 taels to buy one, and renting it is not cheap either..."
Zhou Wulang pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and said, "We've looked at about ten shops in the past few days."
Manbao opened his mouth wide, "You have so many shops to sell?"
"Of course, this is just what we found nearby. If we look further afield or in other markets, we'll find even more."
Manbao was very curious, "Why? There are very few empty shops in our Luojiang County and Yizhou City."
The reason she was able to buy a suitable shop in Luojiang County was because Uncle Shi was such a spendthrift. Otherwise, she didn't know how long she would have to wait before she could buy a good shop.
Zhou Liulang also felt that there were too many shops in the capital, and the prices were a bit too high. "It's a pity that we're new here, so it's hard to get the details. Otherwise, it would be helpful to ask about the prices these shops used to sell for."
Bai Shan asked, "Are these shops you are looking at doing good business?"
"It's OK," Zhou Liulang said, "I haven't checked it out. I just want to make sure that people passing by are OK. Some people will stop to eat before going to these places to inquire about the shops for sale."
He sighed again: "It's too expensive!"
He thought they had brought enough money, but it turned out not to be enough.
When Manbao heard the price, he didn't even consider the shops in the inner city. He asked directly, "How much are you asking about the shops in the outer city?"
Zhou Wulang didn't even need to look through the book, he just said, "The most expensive one is 3,600 taels, the cheapest is 800 taels."
"Hey, why is there such a big difference?"
Zhou Liulang said, "Fifth brother, I don't want the one that costs eight hundred taels."
He gestured to Manbao, "The room that costs eight hundred taels is only this big. For cooking, there are only three small tables behind the curtain. If more people come, I'm afraid we won't be able to accommodate them all."
Manbao was curious, "What did this shop do in the past?"
"Those who sell clothing fabrics keep it simple. They just have a counter with shelves on the side for fabrics. The best fabrics they sell are silk and satin. Customers can stand and choose, and the space seems spacious. But we can't do that for food."
Zhou Wulang frowned and thought for a moment, then picked up his pen and crossed out the shop on his notebook. "Okay, I won't look at this one anymore. What about the others?"
Zhou Liulang will be the chef of the shop in the future, so we mainly ask for his opinion.
"The rest is okay."
Manbao asked, "Sixth brother, which one do you like best?"
"Of course, that's the most expensive one I like the most. It costs three thousand six hundred taels. It's in the market square next to the inner city, not far from us. Just turn right after exiting our gate and walk thirty feet. It's there." Zhou Liulang said, "It's spacious too. It has two floors and a courtyard. I've seen it. In the back, besides the kitchen, there are three rooms. One is for food and sundries, and the other two are for living."
Zhou Wulang, however, excluded it from the very beginning. The reason it remained in the notebook was because Zhou Wulang liked it too much and insisted on it.
Zhou Wulang had already listed many reasons to convince him, but seeing that he was still obsessed with it, he glanced at him and said, "Not enough money."
“So I want to rent it.”
Zhou Liulang slapped his thigh and said, "Didn't we ask? The rent is sixty-five taels a month."
Zhou Wulang asked, "Do you know how much sixty-five taels is? A dou of grain costs ten wen these days. Sixty-five taels can buy at least six thousand five hundred dou, which is sixty-five thousand liters!"
Zhou Lijun nodded repeatedly, indicating that his fifth uncle was right.
"You spend 65,000 liters of millet every month. Do you think you are Mr. Bai?"
Bai Dalang and Bai Erlang looked up from their teacups.
Zhou Wulang immediately explained: "I mean Mr. Bai is generous."
Zhou Liulang said, "I don't think that shop is worth that much. They might be trying to trick us because we're from outside. I've also asked about the prices at various shops in Yizhou City. Even though the shops in the capital are more expensive, they're not this expensive. I mean they're about the same size."
"But I don't think it's expensive," Manbao said. "It's a two-story building with a backyard. Isn't it cheaper than the eight hundred taels for such a small shop you mentioned just now?"
Zhou Wulang said, "That shop has a great location. Don't underestimate its small size; it's the one that attracts the most people. When we went to look at it, others also went to look at it, and the two groups just happened to bump into each other."
That's why he was reluctant to part with it.
Manbao drank the boiled water in his hand and said, "It's okay. If you don't have enough money, I have some here. There's no rush to buy a shop. Let me ask around for you."
Bai Shan asked, "Who are you asking?"
"He's the shopkeeper Zheng," Manbao said. "He's from the capital and has lived here for a long time. He must know the market. He might know a lot of people and could help us find something and negotiate a price."
Bai Shan frowned and said, "It's not good to owe people a favor. How about waiting for my grandmother to go to the capital? She seems to have someone staying there. Then I can ask her to help find out."
Manbao is also eager to make money now, mainly for Keke, so Manbao doesn't want to wait too long.
She shook her head and said, "It's okay. Shopkeeper Zheng is very kind and will repay the favor."
After all, she works in a pharmacy, and they are in the same industry, so it is easy to repay the favor. If they are in different industries, then it would be difficult to repay the favor, and one would have to rack his brains.
Zhou Wulang then introduced the situations of other shops to Manbao. Manbao wrote them down one by one and decided to find time to ask the shopkeeper Zheng the next time he went to the drugstore tomorrow, or he could also ask the shopkeeper Zheng the younger one or the doctors and other shop assistants.
Anyway, it's better than them figuring it out on their own.
Zhou Wulang put away the notebook and said, "Let's go somewhere else today. It doesn't matter if it's a little further away. The most important thing is that the price and location are suitable."
Manbao nodded.
(End of this chapter)
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