Chapter 635 Contracting
Good business naturally leads to quick sales, and the shopkeeper beamed with joy, his eyes narrowing into slits. "It's hotter this year than in previous years. In previous years, we would have had plenty of stock at this time, but this year we're all gone."
Once the initial and final transactions are completed, the shopkeeper can close the shop and rest early, as there's no guarantee when the next shipment will arrive.
"The Qin family has been buying a lot lately, and they've already taken two truckloads away today."
The shopkeeper assumed Lin Yuesha didn't know which Qin family it was, so he emphasized, "They are related by marriage to Lord Lin, the Prefect of the Capital. The two families will hold a wedding soon."
Finally, Lin Yuesha didn't leave empty-handed; she only bought some crushed ice.
Once in the carriage, she sighed again, "I hope I'm just overthinking it."
If the cart of ice seen in front of the Qin residence today is unusual, then repeated purchases would be even more suspicious, since the Qin residence does not have an ice storage like the Luo Prince's villa, and can only use ice anytime, anywhere.
With plenty of time, Lin Yuesha first went to the shops in Taipingfang to look at the ornaments. Just as Granny Fang had said, the shops had good things.
In Taipingfang, you'll never have to worry about not having money to spend. For example, valuable antiques from previous dynasties can be taken home anytime you can afford them.
Lin Yuesha was unfamiliar with the business and afraid of being fooled, so she decided to meet with the pockmarked man that night to learn from him. However, based on her understanding of her scumbag father, she was unlikely to be willing to spend too much money.
"Master has married a virgin, so naturally he has to pamper her. He can tell me what Miss Qin wants, and he has to buy it for her."
Lin Shusheng said that the money would be withdrawn from the account, and the money left in the account would be Qin's money, so he wouldn't have to pay any money himself.
Qin left in a hurry without leaving a will, and she implicitly agreed to leave her dowry to the male members of the Lin family. Given the Lin family's strong preference for sons over daughters, Old Madam Lin would never leave Lin Yue'e anything.
"You know, my scumbag father wants to be a sucker, but that depends on whether the old lady agrees or not."
Grandma Lin always said that daughters-in-law can be replaced, but Lin Shusheng, whom she gave birth to, cannot be replaced. She is still the most important.
Lin Shusheng had already been brainwashed and was completely obedient to Old Madam Lin.
"If I drink an extra bowl of bird's nest porridge, the old lady wants to strangle me. That face of hers..."
Lin Yuesha thought that this was her reason for staying. If she left, wouldn't the Lin family be even happier? No way!
She spends her days idly, eating and wearing the Lin family's food and clothes, and occasionally goes to visit Old Mrs. Lin to provoke the old woman, just to keep going.
After browsing around, Lin Yuesha saw that she had enough time and headed straight for the shops near Qingzhu Academy.
As it approached dinnertime, Lin Yuesha arrived at the shop entrance and was almost startled by the sight before her.
There were oxcarts, horse-drawn carriages, and carrying poles in front of the shop, and about a hundred people were loitering around, creating a chaotic scene.
"Sister Yue Sha, you've arrived?"
Jiang Baozhu was engrossed in calculating with an abacus when she saw Lin Yuesha's overwhelming joy. She quickly pushed the abacus to the laborer, Young Master Bai, and told him to continue working.
"Xiao Bai is hardworking and quick at accounting. He's helped me a lot, so we should give him a raise."
Jiang Baozhu smiled. Because she was busy with business, she left early and returned late. Now she and Hongtao took turns. Hongtao went to the surrounding villages to talk about ingredients and find better and fresher vegetables, meat and eggs to supply.
There weren't many customers dining in the shop; it mainly relied on delivery. The person at the door was responsible for delivering food to the scholars up the mountain.
When it's mealtime, the shop sends a few workers up the mountain to pack food in wooden buckets and prepare boxed meals with a mix of meat and vegetables to sell.
"At first, Qingzhu Academy did not allow its students to go out to buy food. However, the group of pedantic scholars in the academy did not know how to hire a chef, and the food they made was hard to swallow. In the beginning, it was the teachers who secretly went out to buy boxed lunches."
When the gentlemen bought food, the scholars objected and staged a collective protest, which proved effective.
"The people from the academy will check us first, and then let us in to sell."
A meal costs a few dozen copper coins, enough to fill you up and keep you warm. The idea behind Qingzhu Academy is that it's not good for too many people to crowd the entrance, so they invited the shop's head chef to cook at the academy.
"Let us take over the cafeteria?"
Lin Yuesha instantly understood. This way, the crowd could indeed be separated, and those who wanted to have their meals delivered separately could still find a rider to deliver their food.
"Yes, we pay Qingzhu Academy to rent their large kitchen to cook, but we will prepare our own meat and eggs, and the prices must be fair."
Jiang Baozhu had been wanting to discuss this with Lin Yuesha, but hadn't found an opportunity, so she put it off for the time being.
Women are not allowed to enter Qingzhu Academy, so naturally a manager needs to be found. Jiang Baozhu thought that Young Master Bai was a good person, witty and humorous. Moreover, he was a scholar, and it was an accident that he did not pass the imperial examination this year, which was also his regret.
“If we can send him to the academy, he can learn from the scholars, which will benefit him.”
"This is definitely something we should consider."
Lin Yuesha immediately nodded. The conditions offered by Qingzhu Academy were quite good. As long as the rented large kitchen wasn't too expensive, there would always be money to be made.
Moreover, the academy's consideration was entirely correct; too many people crowding together would delay the students' study time.
“Recently, besides our shop, several other shops have adopted the same model and have also found delivery riders to deliver meals.”
As long as there's money to be made, many business people immediately sniff out the opportunity, their noses are sharper than a dog's. However, the people who hire food deliverymen are of questionable character, and some even steal food on the way. By the time the food is delivered up the mountain, a full box of braised pork only has two or three pieces left.
This problem had occurred in our own shop before, so once a scholar complained, the person delivering the food was immediately fired and never hired again.
Third-party delivery involves uncontrollable factors, which is unprecedented in Daqi, and neither Jiang Baozhu nor Lin Yuesha can control it.
"Our shop hasn't been open for long, so things are going well. But if it goes on for a while, some people will get jealous of how successful the business is, and then they might try to sabotage us."
If someone were to put something like croton oil in the food, all the hard work and reputation they've built would be ruined.
It was precisely because of this that Lin Yuesha was even more satisfied with the conditions offered by Qingzhu Academy. The ingredients would be transported to the mountain first, which would be a bit troublesome, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about unfair competition or being sabotaged by villains.
As for the other food delivery workers, they also have to go through layers of selection, and they will receive a fixed monthly salary as part of the shop.
“Sister Yue Sha, you always say you have no business sense, that’s too modest.”
The two agreed, and the future of the shop began to become clear. There were still several large academies in the capital, and if their own business was large enough, they could gradually expand this model.
"Fang Dazhuang is more suited to be the head chef than the servant."
In less than half a month, Jiang Baozhu had already given Fang Dazhuang a lot of rewards. He was tall and strong, but agile and hardworking.
"Of course, let him bring out a few apprentices."
Lin Yuesha also believed that Fang Dazhuang was talented. If she had the time, she would have liked to teach a disciple to inherit his mantle.
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