"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you dumbfounded? Have you never seen anything like this before?"
"It's quite lively, and the shops are very large."
"What's so special about this? This is just one shop. I've opened ten, but I'm too busy to attend the opening ceremony of just one. Oh, you probably don't understand the word 'opening ceremony.' All you can do is copy my milk tea ideas."
"..."
Jiang Shuwan chuckled inwardly, but outwardly asked with curiosity, "Won't you lose money with such a large investment? What kind of business are you planning to do?"
"Of course we sell ice! If an ice shop doesn't sell ice, what are we supposed to sell—fish!"
"Is it just about selling ice? If we don't do something else, it might not be good if all ten shops lose money."
"Ha! Who do you think I am? I'm running a highly profitable business, just you wait and see!"
After saying that, Jiang Yao ignored Jiang Shuwan and walked directly to the shop entrance when the auspicious time arrived.
There were no trees to provide shade in front of the shop; the scorching sun felt like it was baking you.
"People from the south and the north, come and take a look! The newly opened ice shop is great quality and inexpensive. You won't regret buying from them..."
She called out her wares with great enthusiasm, but the passersby didn't even bother to give her a second glance.
"Ice shops are nothing special; they're everywhere on the streets."
"And they even said it was good quality and cheap, isn't that a lie? These days, the cheapest bucket of ice costs one or two taels of silver."
"That's a tael of silver! My whole family might not earn that much in a month. Who could afford it..."
"Exactly, and she opened ten shops at once, she'll go bankrupt..."
A few onlookers pointed and whispered about Jiang Yao, while many children ran around on the ground.
"Sister, didn't you say you were going to sprinkle candy?"
"Why haven't they added the candy yet?"
"Yeah, hurry up and scatter the candy and coins, then we'll leave once we've collected them all..."
"Keep this expensive ice for yourself..."
"Who among us ordinary people can afford this..."
The onlookers were blunt, and Qingxing frowned as she watched, "Miss, where does the Second Miss get her confidence? Now look what's happened, this shop is definitely going to lose money."
"That's not necessarily true."
Jiang Shuwan shook her head. Looking at the confidence on Jiang Yao's face and recalling her earlier words, "a small investment yields huge profits," her heart sank.
She couldn't think of any other way to make ice from saltpeter, a business that would be extremely profitable.
God help me to believe it's not what she thinks.
"What do you mean by one tael of silver for a bucket of ice? Fellow villagers and friends, those are the prices of unscrupulous merchants. Those unscrupulous merchants who eat people alive will do anything to make money."
"But I'm different. When I do business, I, Jiang Yao, believe in sharing joy with the people. I offer high-quality products at low prices. In the sweltering summer, I'll also give you all a refreshing treat."
"So the ice in my shop is cheaper than elsewhere. I wouldn't even dare to sell it to you for half an ounce, let alone a tael of silver per bucket."
As Jiang Yao spoke, she clapped her hands, and the observant waiter immediately brought out a full bucket of ice for the onlookers to see.
"So much ice! It's crystal clear, like ice taken from the middle of the river. This isn't cheap. I remember yesterday, the ice shop next door was selling this kind of top-quality ice for two taels of silver..."
“Sister, you have excellent taste. The ice we sell in our shop is clean and beautiful, of the highest quality. But we don’t want two taels of silver, we only want three hundred coins.”
"!"
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
"What! Three hundred coins?"
Did I hear that right?
"How could such a good bucket of ice cost three hundred coins?"
"This boss must be crazy. Never mind, I'll buy a bucket first."
"I'll have a bucket too, it's too hot today."
"I'll take five buckets. I'm in business, sell them to me first..."
In an instant, the store entrance became crowded.
Actually, not many people bought ice at first, only about ten people, most of them were just watching.
After all, the ice was stored from last winter, which takes a lot of time and effort, and the price is already high.
In addition, the recent scorching sun has been so intense that it's melting people, causing ice cream prices to rise by another 10%.
That bucket of ice just now couldn't possibly have cost three hundred coins.
The shop owner is definitely lying to them.
However, as buckets of ice were carried out, the onlookers couldn't sit still any longer.
"Good heavens, it really is a full bucket! This is such a cheap price!"
"Waiter, give me ten buckets, I want to buy ten buckets..."
"I want twenty barrels, let me in, I'll buy the most first..."
The crowd was in an uproar, with everyone scrambling to squeeze inside. Before long, a long queue formed at the store entrance, and even more people who had heard the news rushed over.
Among them were many ordinary civilians whose clothes were patched.
Ordinary people don't have much money, and ice in the summer is a luxury for them. On ordinary days, when they can't stand the heat, they might spend a few coins to buy a bowl of crushed ice to quench their thirst.
They couldn't afford a bucket of ice that cost two taels of silver.
But three hundred coins could still be spared to buy a bucket, drizzle it with sugar water, and let the whole family of more than ten people enjoy a delicious meal.
"It's so cold, this ice is perfect..."
Those who managed to buy ice cream were overjoyed, while those who didn't were jumping up and down in frustration, fearing they wouldn't be able to get any.
"Don't worry, folks. I have plenty of ice. Once you get past this village, all the other stores will be mine."
"Not just this store, all ten of my Jiang's Ice Shop stores in the capital have the same price. Buy as much as you want, buy as much as you want, I'll sell you as much as you need..."
"We lack everything, but we don't lack ice!"
Jiang Yao's words only made people more excited, and more and more people came to buy ice. When all the customers had left, other ice shop owners also came to see what was going on.
Upon seeing the bustling crowd around Jiang Yao's group, he was completely dumbfounded.
"How could that be? She stole all the business..."
At that moment, Jiang Yao strolled over to Jiang Shuwan's side, smugly waving her fan.
"How's business? Isn't it great!"
"You said I'd lose money? You're the one who'll lose money!"
“I am the second young lady of the Jiang family and the young mistress of the Marquis’s mansion. I have always been accommodating to you and giving you opportunities to show off. Otherwise, you would never have had the chance to shine.”
"Of course, you shouldn't be too jealous of me."
"Your jealousy of my abilities is useless, hahaha..."
Hearing Jiang Yao's arrogant laughter, Jiang Shuwan felt her heart sink to the bottom.
In just a short while, Jiang Yao had already sold two or three hundred buckets of ice.
If she bought ice through legitimate channels and then resold it, she would have lost everything.
Yet she remains so arrogant...
It can only be said that she not only didn't lose money, but actually made a huge profit.
It's a business with no initial investment, yet incredibly profitable. The shopkeepers, who don't buy any goods, keep adding inventory to the store, while the ice is sold out bucket after bucket without end.
Suddenly, Jiang Shuwan's gaze fell on the atrium behind the shop.
There were no flowers or plants in the courtyard, only a well. The shopkeepers in the front yard were so busy that their feet barely touched the ground, and the servants in the courtyard were just as busy fetching water.
A bucket of water was brought up and taken into a dark room under strict guard. When it came out, it had turned into ice cubes to cool off and quench thirst.
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