Chapter 164 One Hundred Taels, Has She Seen It?
Xu Zhichun had expected this, so he remained calm and shook his head gently, "I'm truly sorry, Master Zeng. I've signed a contract with Shopkeeper Tang of the Lotus Restaurant. This ice jelly is only supplied to his family."
Shopkeeper Fang snorted disdainfully, "How much money can we make from this? We bought your recipe and will give you 100 taels at a time. Is that sincerity enough?"
One hundred taels, has she ever seen it?
You don’t even dare to think about it, right?
Xu Zhichun smiled awkwardly but politely: It’s not even close!
"Of course I'd choose a steady and long-term approach over a one-time buyout with no further successors. Even that small vendor knows that if they have a recipe, their descendants won't have to worry about it. So of course I want to keep my family's recipe."
Young Master Zeng smiled with an ambiguous smile. "Madam Xu, you're overthinking it. Small vendors and small businesses don't have recipes like yours. At most, they can roast mutton better than others, and make sweet-scented osmanthus cakes that are more delicate, fragrant, and soft. Such skills can be retained. But only your family has this ice jelly. I think you know it's a good thing, right? Lotus Restaurant and Bishui Teahouse have attracted so many customers with this. Everyone who goes there would order one. After all, except for their family, no other place has it."
"Not only do you have ice jelly, but you also have gray tofu, gray bean shreds, and even your braised meat is better than other places. Now many wealthy families in the city have their eyes on your stall, and once the braised meat is available, they rush to buy it out quickly. Madam Xu, if people knew that even something like ice jelly was yours, do you think you could still live a peaceful life?"
Xu Zhichun's hands and feet felt cold.
The thing she was most worried about finally happened.
She even secretly wiped a cold sweat. Fortunately, the ice jelly was not sold retail but exclusively to Shopkeeper Tang. Otherwise, she would have been in trouble long ago.
Shopkeeper Fang sneered, "Mrs. Xu, you're probably not stupid. Do you understand now? For a small family like yours, earning a little money to get by is good enough. Your humble origins and high aspirations are destined to lead to a bad end. We're trying to be reasonable with you and even give you a hundred taels of silver, which is considered generous. But some of you are scoundrels, setting up traps or pestering us endlessly. Forget the hundred taels, I'm afraid you'll even have to pay more."
Young Master Zeng: "If one hundred taels is too little for you, we can discuss it. We in the Zeng family don't do forced buying or selling."
Xu Zhichun almost laughed out of anger.
Isn't this just forced buying and selling? So she should be grateful to Master Zeng and Shopkeeper Fang for not forcing her to pay for it?
It's true that there are people like this in the world, but is that reasonable? Is this her only choice? What good thing has become her fault?
Xu Zhichun still refused. "I have already cooperated with Shopkeeper Tang, and the written contract cannot be disregarded. I am really sorry."
"you--"
"If you don't accept my toast, I'll punish you!"
"Do you two have anything else to say? If not, we should go back."
"you!"
Shopkeeper Fang was furious and glared at Xu Zhichun, about to start scolding him, but Young Master Zeng spoke first, "Madam Xu, don't be so hasty to refuse. Why don't you go back and think about it first? Our Zeng family is truly sincere."
"Don't think about it. The recipe is mine, and I have my own ideas."
"Madam Xu is on good terms with Xiaoyan, but she's working with the Lotus Restaurant. Doesn't she really take our Zeng family seriously?"
Xu Zhichun was a little surprised and even more disdainful.
This is the extent of the Zeng family's development.
When did Master Zeng and Zeng Mingzhu start treating Xiaoyan like a younger sister? Whenever they saw Xiaoyan, they were either disdainful or condescending, never even looking her in the eye. When they spoke, they were either disgusted or blaming her. He actually used Xiaoyan as a plea, which was ridiculous.
If he hadn't brought up Xiaoyan, Xu Zhichun wouldn't have despised him so much.
Having come to this point, she must speak up for her good sister to avoid being wrongly accused. Some people think that everyone is the same as them.
"Master Zeng, you misunderstood. For Xiaoyan's sake, I originally planned to sell this ice jelly to your Sifang Restaurant. But when I went to tell them, your owner probably thought I wasn't worthy of entering your restaurant. He interrupted me before I could finish my words and kicked me out. That's why I went to the Lotus Restaurant to try my luck."
Young Master Zeng couldn't help but look at his uncle.
The reputation of Sifang Restaurant was not very good. Some of the waiters were flatterers and looked down on the weak. He had heard some of this, but he didn't take it seriously.
Their restaurant is a high-end restaurant that serves wealthy guests. Why should the opinions of ordinary people matter?
Ordinary people can’t afford it anyway.
Some people become more cunning the poorer they are, and their mouths are full of sour words. You don't need to pay any attention to such people.
But he didn't expect that because of this, Sifang Restaurant lost a great development opportunity!
Shopkeeper Fang was stunned for a moment, a little embarrassed: "What do the guys down there know? If you really wanted to, couldn't you just let Xiaoyan come directly? It seems you still don't have a heart."
"So, Shopkeeper Fang still thinks your guy is right and I'm the one who's wrong?"
"Why don't you just ask Xiaoyan to go back to her parents' home? Is there anything that can't be solved?"
"This is truly my fault. I never imagined your restaurant's staff were so powerful! I came here with good intentions, yet I was humiliated for no reason. Manager Fang, don't you think I'm worthy of having a temper? I don't have to give you the things, so why should I consider you and let Xiaoyan return home even after being humiliated?"
"So you did it on purpose!"
"Manager Fang is worthy of being the manager. It doesn't matter whether he's being reasonable or not. What matters is that he has to be powerful and have a loud voice."
"you--"
"It's pointless to talk about this now," Young Master Zeng interjected. "It's not surprising that the servants are ignorant. After all, they don't have much knowledge. Madam Xu, why bother with them? Madam Xu, go back and think about it. Honestly, if this ice jelly matter gets exposed, the consequences may be worse than Madam Xu imagines."
"Don't think about it, just expose it."
"Oh, let me advise Madam Xu again, don't be so naive."
"Thank you for your kindness. I really have an idea."
Shopkeeper Fang grew impatient and sneered, "Why bother nagging her? When she hits a wall, she'll naturally come to us for help. Madam Xu, by then, the price won't be this high."
Xu Zhichun deliberately said, "Can't we do it for Xiaoyan's sake?"
Shopkeeper Fang scoffed. "What kind of face does Zeng Xiaoyan have in the Zeng family? She's just something everyone hates."
"Of course not."
"That's true. In business, no one cares about face."
"Humph, you're quite sensible."
"It's as it should be. We shouldn't have considered Xiaoyan's face in the first place, so as not to put her in the middle and make things difficult. If you do this, I will do the same."
“.”
Shopkeeper Fang always felt like something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
Young Master Zeng's face was a little embarrassed, and he felt a little hot. He had just brought up Xiaoyan. He clearly didn't like this concubine sister, so why was he bringing her up? He was really hot-headed, and he was being ridiculed and mocked for nothing.
Xu Zhichun said goodbye and left.
(End of this chapter)
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