Tang Huan immediately looked disgusted: "Only five thousand taels? You guys don't seem that poor."
Wealthy merchants from the capital wouldn't dare go out without carrying tens of thousands of taels of silver notes.
If I had known they only had five thousand taels, I would have just found someone to entertain them.
There's no need for him to personally intervene.
Wu Lanxi blushed.
Actually, it wasn't that she didn't bring enough of the five thousand taels.
It was her entire fortune.
Although no one would believe it if she told them, her private treasury actually only had 30,000 taels of silver.
Being able to come up with five thousand taels to purchase goods is already quite remarkable.
Lin Wan'er pouted: "Five thousand taels is considered stingy? Don't be so greedy."
"I have a big appetite?" Tang Huan scoffed. "To tell you the truth, I have never done a business worth less than 100,000 taels of silver."
He wasn't exaggerating when he said that.
Those who can do business in Qihuai County have all endured layers of exploitation from the city gate to the city entrance; how could they be poor?
Having money naturally leads to wanting to make more.
Once they're swayed by Tang Huan, it's not uncommon for them to place orders worth 500,000 taels, let alone 100,000 taels.
Seeing that the two girls' faces were getting redder and redder, Tang Huan finally softened and said, "Alright, alright, five thousand taels it is."
He snapped his fingers and sat down behind the table.
Xue'e immediately stepped forward to help grind the ink and spread out the paper.
Tang Huan fiddled with the abacus for a few moments, then personally wrote down the contract, signed and sealed it, making three copies.
Xue'e then picked it up and handed it to Wu Lanxi.
Wu Lanxi counted on her fingers: "No, twenty-six catties of white sugar and three hundred gift boxes only cost four thousand nine hundred taels of silver. Where is the one hundred taels of silver left?"
Xue'e said, "The hundred taels of silver is just enough to cover the miscellaneous expenses."
"Miscellaneous expenses?"
"Yes! Our master invites you to have tea in a private room for free? Transportation, communication, processing, and labor costs are all covered? Inspection, storage, and customs fees are also covered? All these miscellaneous costs add up to just one hundred taels of silver, which is fair enough."
Wu Lanxi thought to herself, "I've never done business before, don't try to fool me."
Why are there so many extra fees just for signing a contract?
But faced with the disdainful looks from everyone in the room, Wu Lanxi suddenly lost her confidence.
Is she just making a fuss over nothing again?
never mind.
Anyway, once she returns to the capital, she'll settle scores later.
By then, all the money Tang Huan has will be hers, won't it?
Let's just consider it as him keeping it temporarily.
After signing the contract, Tang Huan had no time to waste with Wu Lanxi and was just about to find an excuse to slip away when Li Da Kui rushed in.
"Sir! The entertainment center is opening tonight, and everything is ready. Would you like to go and watch the rehearsal?"
"Yes, we absolutely must!"
The opening ceremony, originally scheduled for last night, was postponed to tonight because many procedures were not perfect.
If we open it badly tonight, it will affect the feng shui.
Once or twice is acceptable, but not a third time.
Tang Huan immediately said to Wu Lanxi, "You two are busy, I'll take my leave first."
After watching Tang Huan and the others leave, Wu Lanxi handed the contract to Lin Wan'er for safekeeping, and then looked at Xue'e, who was sweeping with a feather duster.
What is an entertainment center?
While carefully tidying up the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on the table, Xue'e said, "It was designed by our adults. It's a large-scale entertainment venue that integrates a theater, amusement park, children's playground, zoo, and more."
theater?
Amusement park?
Children's playground?
What is this?
Wu Lanxi was completely bewildered, but she suspected that if she asked any more questions, she would be met with a disdainful glare, so she could only suppress her curiosity.
Entertainment, theaters… Lin Wan’er pondered for a moment and said, “This entertainment complex, could it be a brothel?”
"Pah! What brothel? Your brothel even has a children's playground?"
Xue'e wasn't just contemptuous this time; she got angry.
"Let me tell you, in our Seven Locust Trees County, you can do any kind of business, but you're not allowed to run brothels! If the authorities find out, anyone who dares to force a woman into prostitution or secretly engage in that shameful flesh trade will have their throat slit."
As she spoke, she made a beheading gesture across her neck.
Lin Wan'er was astonished. A corrupt official actually banned the opening of brothels?
It should be noted that those who could afford to run brothels were inevitably either rich or powerful, and had to pay a considerable amount of protection money to local officials every year.
Despite his greed, he preferred to forgo the protection fee in order to protect the innocent girls who were being bought and sold.
This...isn't this a living Bodhisattva?!
Seeing their curiosity, Xue'e took the initiative to recommend, "If you have nothing to do, you can go and have some fun tonight. Let me tell you, once you leave Qihuai County, you won't find another entertainment center where young ladies can have fun."
Can girls play this too?
Lin Wan'er was immediately moved upon hearing this and looked at Wu Lanxi with delight, but Wu Lanxi gently shook her head.
The Imperial Guards have arrived and are stationed about thirty miles away.
She also told her confidants that she would leave today.
As an emperor, how can one act arbitrarily and go back on one's word?
We must set off this afternoon.
Fortunately, Qihuai County is not far from the capital, and it only takes a little over three days to travel there at a fast pace.
I'm really curious, I'll come back another time.
Meanwhile, Tang Huan, with Li Da Kui in tow, headed straight for the entertainment center.
But they were stopped by the soldiers guarding the city halfway there: "Sir, there is an urgent report."
"explain."
"Some civilians discovered a strange force about 200 people about 30 miles away. They were dressed in plain clothes, well-equipped, and all riding tall horses. They are very likely the bandits we shot down earlier."
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