Chapter 9: Meeting with the patron and discussing the future.
Ang Lee quickly wrote to Zhang Ting to inform her that the matter had been settled.
When Zhang Ting received the message from her maid, she had just finished turning over the soil behind the house and scattered some vegetable seeds, so that she could be self-sufficient from now on.
She couldn't put all her eggs in one basket. She hadn't been idle these past few days, going to the county every day to inquire about information and refine her plans. If things didn't work out with Li An, she planned to hire a craftsman to set up a stall. Now that she had also established connections with the county magistrate, making some extra money was still possible.
She was expecting to hear from her at the end of the month, but Ang Lee's swift action was a pleasant surprise.
Zhang Ting first invited the maid to sit down, washed her hands and changed her dirty clothes, and then personally poured her a bowl of hot water.
"My humble abode is simple and unadorned, please forgive me, sister."
The maidservant was flattered and accepted the bowl that Zhang Ting handed her. She had accompanied the three of them to a snow-viewing gathering a few days ago and knew that Zhang Ting was a close friend of her two young ladies, but she never expected that such a scholar in a simple robe and scarf would treat her with such courtesy.
"Miss Zhang, you're too kind. I'm more than grateful."
Zhang Ting smiled faintly at her, her charm radiant, "Sister, you flatter me."
Li An's reply essentially stated that Xu You was taking the matter very seriously and planned to meet her at noon the next day on the third floor of Qingfeng Tower. He also said that Xu You was short-sighted and narrow-minded, and if Xu You spoke rudely, Zhang Ting should not hesitate to punish her without fear of reprisal. Finally, he told Zhang Ting about his recent activities, what books he had read, and his insights, hoping for a reply from her.
Zhang Ting nodded in satisfaction, picked up his pen, and wrote three pages in a flowing style.
First, she thanked Ang Lee for her attention, praising her decisive and efficient work style, which she herself could not match, and said she was extremely fortunate to have such a friend. Then she said she would definitely keep their appointment the next day and would not let her down. Finally, she discussed her recent affairs for a few moments, praising her for becoming even more outstanding, and then mentioned that she had recently written many pastoral poems and invited her to come and appreciate them when she had time.
Once the ink has dried, take out the letter paper, fold it in, and then seal it with sealing wax.
He handed the envelope to the maid and gave her one hundred coins, saying, "I'll trouble you to make another trip, sister."
The maidservant accepted them all with a smile, thinking that she had unexpectedly gained wealth while delivering the letter today, and felt even more favorably toward Zhang Ting.
After the maid left, Zhang Ting pulled out the business plans he had written over the past few days and carefully organized and copied them.
The next morning, after having breakfast, Zhang Ting carefully washed and dressed, put on the blue satin robe he had bought earlier, and changed into new shoes.
There was no mirror at home, so Zhang Ting looked at her reflection in the water vat in the yard for a long time, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes before she was satisfied.
I carefully prepared the planning documents I had organized yesterday, and to keep my shoes and clothes clean, I spent a lot of money to hire a driver to take me home.
The rickety oxcart arrived at Qingfeng Tower at 1:45 AM.
Zhang Ting paid the driver and walked in with her head held high.
Qingfenglou is the largest restaurant in the county, with a constant stream of customers. The interior is decorated in a fresh and elegant style, but the style of the furnishings is different from the last time Zhang Ting came.
The waiter was attending to the guests in the lobby when he saw a beautiful woman in a blue brocade robe walk in, so he quickly ran over.
"Greetings, Your Majesty! Which private room did you reserve for dinner today? May I show you the way?"
"It's on the third floor. I've come to accept the invitation from Lady Xu. Please lead the way, sister."
Seeing her extraordinary demeanor and gentle manners, the waiter guessed that she was the son of some high-ranking official in the prefecture. Upon hearing that she wanted to go to the third floor, he became even more enthusiastic.
The waiter couldn't help but flatter her, saying, "Miss Xu has booked the entire third floor to entertain your distinguished guest today. So you are the esteemed guest!"
He then invited her upstairs, saying, "Please come in, Your Majesty!"
When the diners in the lobby saw the waiter suddenly being so obsequious to a strange woman, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves, trying to find out who this person was.
As the waiter led Zhang Ting to the second floor, a group of people strode in from behind. The woman at the head of the group, seeing that they were blocking the way, shouted, "Hey, you in front, get out of the way!"
The waiter was so frightened that he shrank to the side and dared not make a sound. Zhang Ting frowned and looked back, only to meet one of the people in his eyes, who was an acquaintance.
Zhang Ting looked pleasantly surprised: "Senior sister, what a coincidence, you're here for lunch too."
When Magistrate Niu saw that it was her, he reprimanded the leader and then turned to her and said, "Please forgive the rudeness of the attendants, junior sister."
Zhang Ting naturally didn't blame her, and even said that she had blocked the way because she was walking too slowly.
County Magistrate Niu was already somewhat fond of her because of her good looks. He was even more impressed to see Zhang Ting looking completely different today, dressed in elegant and refined clothes, with a graceful demeanor. She seemed very presentable. He even introduced her to the officials behind him as his junior sister, who had already achieved academic success at a young age.
All the officials praised Zhang Ting for her talent at such a young age, saying she was truly worthy of being the master's junior sister.
County Magistrate Niu was delighted and even invited Zhang Ting to have dinner with him.
Normally, Zhang Ting would be happy to accept County Magistrate Niu's invitation, but today she had important business to attend to, so she thanked him for the invitation and politely declined.
County Magistrate Niu didn't try to persuade her to stay, only saying that he would invite her to dinner again when he had time.
Zhang Ting nodded in agreement and watched County Magistrate Niu leave.
On the other side, Xu You, who was waiting anxiously, ran down to greet her and happened to see this scene.
Xu You saw that this person was outstanding in appearance and poised, and seemed to come from an extraordinary family. He wondered which powerful clan's queen this was, and why he had never seen her before.
However, she saw the other person walk towards her, bow to her respectfully, and say softly, "Greetings, Lady Xu. I am Zhang Ting, here to keep our appointment."
Having been discriminated against in the circle for a long time, Xu You was not used to being treated with such respect. He quickly helped the other person up, saying, "Sir, there is no need for such formalities. It is Xu You who has been negligent."
Zhang Ting was unclear about the specifics of what Li An and Xu You had discussed, but Xu You's description of her as a wise woman gave her a vague idea of what was going on.
The two chatted about their recent lives in the hallway. Xu You had gone ice skating a few days ago. Zhang Ting had no experience in this area, but recalling her past life and combining it with the original owner's memories, she also shared her own opinions and praised Xu You for her agility and activity.
Xu You was delighted, thinking she shared the same interests, and then asked her what she had been doing lately.
Zhang Ting said she stayed away from worldly affairs, farmed the land herself, and wrote articles, poems, and songs in her spare time, chatting with her neighbors about farming.
This woman, dressed in such luxurious clothes, is supposedly a scholar, yet she's doing manual labor herself? Xu You thought to himself: This person truly deserves to be called a reclusive master who doesn't care about fame or fortune.
Thinking this through, she decisively concluded that Zhang Ting was the guide she was looking for.
Before she came, her mother specifically instructed her to maintain control and not to take the initiative.
Before long, they arrived at the third floor. Unlike the fresh and elegant lobby, the third floor was magnificent and luxurious. The porcelain was exquisite and intricate, and the tables, chairs and railings were precious and exquisite. The prices were also incomparable. However, Xu You specially booked the entire floor to entertain Zhang Ting in order to show his regard for her.
He's so rich! Zhang Ting is head over heels in love with her new sugar daddy.
But one should not be hasty in anything; the more important something is, the more one should proceed slowly and steadily.
The two sat down, and Xu You summoned the waiter, who then laid out a table full of dishes.
The dishes served were even more abundant and expensive than those that Zou and Li had invited that day.
Xu You poured her a glass of wine, and Zhang Ting obliged her by drinking with her.
The two drank and ate while chatting, discussing everything from court affairs to poetry and songs, from delicacies and fine wines to private matters of the inner quarters, from wealthy families to rural life. As long as Xu You didn't bring it up directly, Zhang Ting never spoke of merchants.
Xu You was amazed by Zhang Ting's extensive knowledge and outstanding talent; no wonder she was valued by a woman as proud and arrogant as Ang Lee.
However, whenever the topic of business management came up, Zhang Ting would always evade the question, which only made her more anxious.
Ignoring his mother's instructions, he went straight to the point: "Sir Zhang, I know you are extremely skilled in business and have long admired you. May I ask if you could offer some guidance?"
Zhang Ting had been waiting for this moment. Her mouth was already dry from talking. She took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, shook her head and said to Xu You, "I only know a little bit. I am grateful to Sister Li and Sister Zou for their high regard. I can't say I am an expert."
Xu You could easily tell she was being rejected, so he quickly promised, "Sir, there's no need for you to be modest. Please teach me. Whether it succeeds or not, I will give you a generous gift."
The fish took the bait, and Zhang Ting smiled with satisfaction.
Zhang Ting then asked Xu You what business he planned to pursue and how much money he had.
"To be honest, I know nothing about business, except for some experience in the silk and cloth trade. I have about five thousand taels of silver left."
Zhang Ting's eyes turned red with jealousy. After calming himself down, he said, "Your Majesty has plenty of money, which may be enough for other businesses, but silk and cloth are expensive. If you want to keep things running, you will probably need to raise more funds."
Xu You sighed when she saw that silk was not an option. She had chosen silk because it was expensive and could be sold for a lot of money.
But Zhang Ting said there were other businesses to make a living, and she asked, "If silk doesn't work, what other industries can earn money?"
Zhang Ting saw right through her thoughts. “Now that the world is at peace, the population is large, and the people are prosperous, I think the food industry is the most booming.”
"Your Majesty, look at Qingfeng Tower. People come and go every day. Although the cost of a single meal is not expensive, over time, the monthly income is quite substantial. If managed properly, it will surely rival the silk industry."
Xu You thought it made sense and was immediately tempted, but she was troubled about how to run the business and was completely unfamiliar with food.
Zhang Ting then told her that restaurants should be located in bustling, densely populated areas, and that she should first report to the government, then pay taxes, determine the decoration style according to market conditions, purchase all necessary supplies, formulate operating standards, and train and cultivate professional personnel, speaking in great detail.
Xu You didn't like reading to begin with, and these words, filled with unfamiliar vocabulary, made her dizzy and confused. Exhausted, she asked about the meanings of some words, and Zhang Ting patiently explained them to her.
Seeing her distressed expression, Zhang Ting feared that the new investor would be so easily defeated by difficulties and simply give up on doing business. So he painted a rosy picture for her: he said that the opening of the restaurant would surely bring wealth from all directions, and that in the future, she could accumulate money and open branches of the restaurant all over the country. Furthermore, the restaurant she, Xu You, opened would have her unique logo, so that others would immediately recognize it as her business, and so on.
If you lure her with money and fame, she'll be tempted.
A note from the author:
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