After leaving the shop, the shopkeeper escorted her for several blocks, fearing that he might neglect Song Tangxue and cause her to be punished later for any mistake.
The shopkeeper left, glancing back every few steps. Song Tangxue's beautiful eyes darkened: "Haitang, go and send a letter to all the shopkeepers under my name, asking them to come to Yipinlou for a get-together tonight."
This matter cannot be left unresolved.
The shopkeepers were already uneasy when they heard that their shops had been sealed off. When they heard their boss summon them, they all ran as fast as they could, wanting to get a definite answer. They never imagined that this was a trap.
And yet, he hastily walked right into the trap.
The first innkeeper generously booked the most luxurious private room in Yipinlou, ordered a large table of dishes, and waited anxiously, only to be met by one equally anxious innkeeper after another.
Everyone looked dejected, worried about whether they would lose their jobs.
Song Tangxue arrived late and sat in the main seat, with Haitang and Cuixi standing behind her, each carrying a large bundle.
Although the shopkeepers were curious about what was in the bundle, their lives and fortunes were clearly more important to them. One shopkeeper asked impatiently, "Miss Song, I heard that Treasure Shop was sealed off today?"
"Won't this affect us?"
"Yes, a lot of customers have asked us about it today."
"..."
The shopkeepers started chattering amongst themselves, all just wanting to put their minds at ease.
Song Tangxue raised her hand, and the shopkeepers immediately shut up: "Since you know about the Treasure Shop, you should have also heard about Princess Tingyu's attitude."
"Actually, it's not just Princess Tingyu; Lord Xie will also take care of things. You don't need to worry about your business; just do as he says."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeepers were overjoyed. Although Miss Song did not have the support of the Song family, the influential figures behind her were all of high status.
Now who would dare to mess with them?
The shopkeeper sitting next to Song Tangxue picked up the wine pot on the table and personally filled it for her: "Miss Song, this is Yipinlou's signature drink, Pear Blossom Wine. It's not intoxicating, and many ladies have loved drinking it for years."
"I arrived early and ordered several pots. This cup is for you, please try it, and I wish you great wealth in the future!"
The shopkeeper drank the wine in his cup heartily, turned it upside down to show his appreciation, and sat down with a big smile, revealing his teeth. Song Tangxue did not move.
The pear blossom wine spilled from the glass, and the clear, transparent droplets fell onto her fingertips. The shopkeeper's noisy celebrations gradually subsided, until finally, he fell silent.
Song Tangxue glanced at Haitang, and Haitang and Cuixi cleared some of the dishes from the table and placed the square bundle on the table.
The bundle was opened, and inside were ledgers.
The room was completely silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, except for a few soft swallowing sounds.
The shopkeeper, who had just drunk the pear blossom wine, trembled as he asked in a voice, "Miss Song, what do you mean by this?"
Song Tangxue moved, her dark eyes fixed on her, as if brewing boundless storms: "The shopkeepers are all smart people, they shouldn't need me to say anything more."
Thump.
A shopkeeper dropped his wine glass, and large beads of sweat rolled down his face.
"Have you all decided what to say?" In the silence, Song Tangxue slowly spoke, picked up the pear blossom wine in her cup, and took a small sip.
It has a sweet taste upon entry and a lingering sweetness in the aftertaste.
The shopkeepers were so frightened that they stood up on the spot, and Nuonuo dared not speak, none of them willing to be the one to take the lead.
"Who arranged this banquet today? It's truly a feast of delicacies." Song Tangxue leisurely observed the shopkeepers, who all kept their heads down when they met her gaze.
He suddenly threw the ledger out.
It hit the shopkeeper who was paying the bill right away. The shopkeeper knelt down with a thud, begging for mercy: "Miss Song, spare me! I was bewitched by that ghost! I will never dare to do it again."
"Are you at ease holding onto so much money? If you don't hand it all over today, then we'll see the authorities, and your whole family will be exiled!" Song Tangxue was shocked by what she found out.
Every single account doesn't match the shop's books, and some of the bolder ones even only hand over 10% of their profits!
“If you hand it over now, it will be considered as making amends for your crimes, and your punishment may be reduced accordingly.” Song Tangxue’s words were light and casual, yet they struck the shopkeepers’ hearts like heavy hammer blows.
The shopkeeper, kneeling on the ground, kowtowed repeatedly: "I'm willing to hand over all this money, please, Miss Song, have mercy! Spare my life, spare the lives of my family!"
The other shopkeepers also quickly knelt down and begged for forgiveness, expressing their willingness to hand over all the silver.
The sounds of kowtowing rose and fell, mixed with heavy breathing and chaotic pleas for mercy.
"Alright, since you've decided to hand it over, get up." Song Tangxue placed the wine glass on the edge of the table, making a soft clinking sound.
The shopkeepers wiped the sweat from their faces, stood up with trembling legs, and remained silent, not daring to utter a word.
"I will set this money as an anti-corruption allowance, which will be given to managers who perform well every month. You can also take an extra 0.5% of the profits each month as dividends."
The shopkeepers looked at each other in bewilderment. How could this be a good thing? Were they dreaming?
"You've all worked hard. Just because we didn't hold it against you this time doesn't mean you'll be so lucky next time. Now you have the Princess and Lord Xie standing behind you. Work hard, manage your shops well, and you'll reap the rewards," Song Tangxue said calmly.
The shopkeepers were grateful and felt relieved, as these words implied that they were letting bygones be bygones.
Amidst the turmoil in their hearts, the cold wind blew across their sweat-soaked clothes. Though their bodies were cold, their hearts were not. They repeatedly exclaimed, "Thank you, Miss Song!"
Song Tangxue waved her hand to signal them to be quiet: "I called you here today because I have something to ask of you."
The shopkeepers immediately rushed to express their willingness to do everything in their power to help Song Tangxue.
"From today onwards, when purchasing grain stores, each store must build a large warehouse to continuously stockpile grain, ensuring that each store has sufficient surplus grain."
"In addition, we should also stockpile cloth."
Song Tangxue calmly gave the instructions, her mind flashing back to the drought of her past life, a time of great drought, crop failure, and widespread suffering.
One shopkeeper expressed his concern with puzzlement: "Although grain is profitable, the weather has been favorable in recent years, and there is no shortage of grain at all. Won't stockpiling large amounts of grain lead to it being unsellable and spoiled?"
"You just need to do as I say, and I will send someone to inspect. Every grain store must be built according to the specifications, understand?" Song Tangxue didn't want to waste any more words, knowing that no one would believe her anyway.
Sensing the impatience in Song Tangxue's words, the shopkeepers quickly nodded in agreement, and Song Tangxue dismissed them.
The shopkeepers ran off faster than rabbits, and Haitang and Cuixi packed up the account books and prepared to leave as well.
As dusk settled over the earth, it was tinged with a reddish-yellow hue.
As I closed the door to the private room, I heard a noise from the side. Turning my head, I was met with a pair of familiar eyes.
Xie Qianzhong...
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