Zheng De from Wangjing Zhaixinglou has come again. They hadn't reached an agreement before, but this time he came with sincerity.
"Manager Tao, it's been several months since we last met in Wangjing. Your business at Zhaixinglou is even better now." Zheng De looked at the bustling crowds at Zhaixinglou and the efficient work of the staff, and his eyes were full of envy.
"I heard that Sifang City and Youzhou are going to open Zhaixing Tower. Manager Tao, after thinking it over, I think it would be better to join the alliance as you suggested!" Zheng De put on a polite but somewhat ingratiating smile, his eyes still looking around Zhaixing Tower.
Tao Wanniang didn't make any jokes and invited Zheng De to the room where Bai Yumei was working.
"Yu Mei, bring out the franchise agreement I've drafted," Tao Wan Niang said to Bai Yu Mei. "Manager Zheng, please have a seat."
Zheng De looked at the shelf of books in the room and felt inexplicably overwhelmed.
"Manager Tao, what's wrong? Do the people in your restaurant need to read books?" Zheng De asked curiously. "I've had a headache since I was a child. I can recognize the individual characters, but I can't recognize them when they're put together."
“Learning is endless, and it’s not all about books,” Tao Wanniang said casually. Soon, Bai Yumei found the contract that Tao Wanniang wanted.
"The only company that has signed a contract so far is the Zhu family of Sifang City. They will probably come to the capital in a few days. Sifang City will make sure that the restaurant here is the same as the one at Zhaixinglou in terms of both exterior and interior decoration. Once everything is set up, the menu here will be updated on the other side as well."
Tao Wanniang calmly said, "Of course, at this time, the Zhaixing Tower in Youzhou is already under construction, so there will be multiple Zhaixing Towers in the Great Yue Kingdom at that time."
“My restaurant is already open, it’s not like I can just tear it down and rebuild it!” Zheng De immediately objected.
"Manager Zheng, please review the contract first," Tao Wanniang said. "My suggestion is that you reorganize the restaurant. After all, you'll need to change all the menus, and it will take some time for the chefs to get up to speed."
"Suspension of business for rectification?" Zheng De was stunned. "How much money would that cost!"
"Manager Zheng, you need to broaden your horizons..." Tao Wanniang smiled and said slowly, "You've built up the reputation of Zhaixinglou in the capital, but those who have been here know that what you've done isn't authentic. Don't you want to appear more deserving of the name?"
"The menu at Zhaixinglou is never static; it's adjusted according to the seasons. Yes, I'm the one who adjusts it," Tao Wanniang said without any modesty. "If you want to be a true Zhaixinglou, shouldn't you keep up with us?"
Zheng Delai had already thought it through, but he still wanted to try his best. Now, the restaurant will have to be shut down for a while, but he has to admit that Tao Wanniang was right.
Although he previously said he could only read, Zheng De was quite focused when looking at the contract.
"If we join, we have to pay fees every year!" Zheng De looked at it and felt a little heartache. Three thousand taels of silver, that's enough to open two restaurants!
"Yes, once a year, and they also have to undergo an inspection by our head office. But Manager Zheng is a businessman; he can tell just by thinking about it whether this deal is a loss or not!"
Bai Yumei, who was standing to the side, did not go out either. She listened quietly as Tao Wanniang persuaded people. A look of fascination appeared in her eyes. Sister Tao is so amazing!
After talking with Zheng De for nearly an hour, Tao Wanniang finally led Zheng De to a private room with satisfaction.
"Manager Zheng, I wish us a pleasant cooperation." The contract was signed, and the three thousand taels franchise fee was not paid all at once. With a deposit of one thousand taels, Zheng Deneng was able to take back the blueprints of the entire Zhaixing Tower.
"Manager Zheng, please have a seat in the private room for a moment. I'll have someone bring you some of Zhaixinglou's specialty dishes," Tao Wanniang said with a smile.
Zheng De felt a pang of heartache; a thousand taels of silver had been handed over just like that, and all he got in return were these blueprints. "Manager Tao, go ahead and get busy. I'd like to be alone for a while."
Tao Wanniang left and went to the kitchen to cook a few dishes for Zheng De. He couldn't eat too much by himself, so naturally, he had to have his signature main dishes, plus a small meat dish, a small vegetable dish, and soup. She also ordered a platter of braised meat and a pastry.
Zheng De left satisfied in the end, and even packed up a delicate pastry to take with him.
"Manager Tao, Manager Lu, I'll be staying in the capital for one night. I'll come back to bother you again tomorrow!"
Although Shandong Luneng wasn't present, they were quite satisfied that Tao Wanniang had persuaded Zheng De.
"Manager Tao, does that mean the Star-Picking Tower in Wangjing will truly live up to its name?" Luneng said with some anticipation.
“Yes, Manager Lu, you can go to the stores to inspect them then!” Tao Wanniang said with a smile. “However, I still need you to arrange some manpower. Among the waiters, choose one who can manage everyone and is more eloquent than anyone else; then if you are inspecting the stores, you can bring an assistant, or someone who can inspect the stores on our behalf. He must have an absolute understanding of Zhaixinglou.”
Tao Wanniang told Luneng about the organizational structure of the restaurant she wanted, and some words, but she couldn't use anything too unconventional, because she was afraid Luneng wouldn't understand.
Luneng was stunned, wondering where Tao Wanniang got so many ideas from. However, this time she was more direct than before, and it seemed like she was training someone to take over the job.
“Chen Liansheng is not bad. Given time, if there are more Zhaixing Towers, he can also go and inspect them,” Lu Neng said.
"Then we'll see how Manager Lu teaches us," Tao Wanniang said. After chatting about a few other things, she went to the kitchen to get busy.
It was early spring, and there were very few vegetables available. Tao Wanniang thought about the potatoes, tomatoes, greens, cabbages, and a few kinds of peppers in her own estate. They had just been planted and would take some time to mature! For things that didn't exist in this era, she bought them from the trading system, and told others that they were bought from Youzhou and came from a foreign tribe.
The dishes at Zhaixinglou will be even more unique, and she will make sure that those who join the franchise will not regret it.
Tao Wanniang shuttled between the restaurant and the estate, keeping herself busy every day until March, when all things were coming back to life. Back at the estate, everything that needed to be planted had been sown; the rice seeds Tao Wanniang provided were simply not available on the market.
Although Lin Zhuangshi was very surprised, the rice grains were plump and full, and no farmer would be unhappy to be able to grow such rice.
"Don't worry, boss, I'll make sure everyone gives you a bountiful autumn!"
Yun Pingting and Zhu Yan, each accompanied by their own guards, finally arrived in the capital.
"Brother Zhu Yan, should we go straight to the Star-Picking Tower, or find a place to stay?" Yun Pingting felt that going to Youzhou with Tao Wanniang was more interesting than going to Sifang City at the end of January.
"Shall we find an inn to stay in first? It's a rare trip to the capital, don't you think it would be a shame not to explore first?" Zhu Yan looked at the bustling crowds in the capital, his mood fluctuating. The prosperity of the four cities could not compare to that of the capital.
"It's a bit of a pity, but let's play then." Yun Pingting was wearing a veil, and Zhu Yan said that he was afraid her appearance would cause unnecessary trouble.
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