Chapter 739 - 741: Idea
Chapter 739: Chapter 741: Idea
After making the necessary arrangements downstairs, Jin Qianqian naturally didn’t forget to attend to her VIP guests.
Since they all lived in the same area, even if she disliked some of them, she still maintained proper etiquette and extended an invitation to every single one.
The moment she arrived on the second floor, a chorus of congratulations rang out. Beaming with festive joy, she repeatedly thanked them.
No matter how many conflicts they had in their daily lives, on occasions like this, everyone put on a flawless facade. Even the sour remarks previously made behind her back seemed nonexistent, as everyone greeted her with smiling faces.
Today, Jin Qianqian had opened the doors to all the private rooms on the second floor, reserving the space exclusively for female guests.
"It’s truly bustling today," Lady Wu said. Today had been quite an eye-opener for her; the decor of such a restaurant was a breath of fresh air.
She wondered how the food here would be. If they had a few signature dishes, Tianfu Restaurant would quickly establish its footing in East City.
She didn’t have to wonder for long. Jin Qianqian invited everyone to take their seats, and the kitchen, which had prepared everything well in advance, began sending dish after dish up to the second floor.
The sight of the exquisite dishes and their mouthwatering aromas was enough to make anyone drool. For the sake of promotion, the waiter announced an auspicious name for every dish served. Occasionally, he would crack a witty joke, heightening everyone’s anticipation for the meal.
Once the banquet began, even the most fastidious of guests couldn’t find a single flaw. They only silently calculated how much silver this entire table would cost, planning to come back again to satisfy their cravings.
Just like that, Tianfu Restaurant, Heavenly Blessing Inn, and other establishments seemed to spring up in East City overnight. Anyone with some spare money at home would find a chance to visit and experience it for themselves. The once-quiet East City was suddenly bustling with people, presenting a thriving scene.
Seeing this, the other households grew even more eager. They urged their craftsmen to work day and night, all for the sake of opening their doors to customers a day sooner.
At the dinner table, Mrs. Liang He looked at Liang Shi, hesitating to speak several times.
Liang Shi unhurriedly drank the last spoonful of soup from his bowl, and a maid immediately came over with a handkerchief to wipe his hands.
"Go on, what is it? You’ve been staring at me for half the day."
Mrs. Liang He had a nearby maid take Liang Feiling away before she finally spoke, "My lord, you already have a few shops built in East City. Have you thought about what to do with them?"
"You don’t need to worry about those things," Liang Shi replied. "I’ll have the steward make the proper arrangements."
"My lord," Mrs. Liang He personally took a cup of hot tea from a maid and placed it in front of him. "Look at me, cooped up in this backyard all day. It’s truly stifling. Since your shops will be rented out to others anyway, why not let me open a few businesses?"
"Isn’t the inner courtyard enough for you to fuss over?" Liang Shi grew a little impatient. "Just stay in the backyard, raise the children well, manage the household, and be a good Governor’s Wife. That’s better than anything else."
"Mrs. Gu is also a titled lady, yet she can manage such a large enterprise all by herself. What’s wrong with me taking a few shops to practice with?"
Liang Shi looked up and stared at her. "You two might be of similar age, but it’s not that I look down on you—you simply lack her boldness.
"I remember you have a few shops under your dowry, right? I haven’t seen you do anything with them; aren’t you just relying on collecting rent?
"You’ve lived like this for so many years. What could you possibly achieve now?"
"My lord, now you’re just underestimating me," Mrs. Liang He said, feigning anger. "You know I was born in Jiangnan, so I know a thing or two about fabrics and spices. Right now, there’s still a gap for those in East City, and I want to give it a try."
"You women always act on a whim." Liang Shi, who had been about to flick his sleeves and leave, sat back down to explain. "Do you think business is that easy?
"Do you know how far the journey is to transport goods from Jiangnan, and how much is lost along the way?
"Jiangnan is a region of immense wealth. But what about Yongchang County? How many people here can afford fine silks, satins, rouges, and powders?
"These things change styles every year. By the time you transport the trendy goods here, they’ll already be out of season."
Who wouldn’t want to earn more silver? But pouring money into something knowing full well it was a terrible idea—that was just plain foolish.
"Then... how about running a coarse cloth shop?" Mrs. Liang He asked.
"Aren’t you just talking nonsense?" Liang Shi was even more disappointed in his young wife. Acting on a whim and speaking without thinking—she was far too naive. "The general stores in Yongchang County already sell all kinds of coarse linen. If you invest in a shop like that, I might as well rent it out and make some silver instead."
"Wasn’t Mrs. Gu Jin’s restaurant in the same situation before? Without others doing it, her business is now booming. Moreover, the prices she set aren’t low. According to the servants’ reports, it’s packed every single day.
"This proves that Yongchang County isn’t as impoverished as you think, my lord. People can still afford to spend silver."
Liang Shi was rendered speechless.
"My lord, just let me have my way. Give me a few shops to practice with. If I truly lose money, the worst that can happen is you rent them out later." To achieve her goal, Mrs. Liang He completely lowered her pride this time, even resorting to acting spoiled.
Looking at her youthful face, Liang Shi ultimately softened a little. "I can let you use the shops, but I won’t give you the property deeds."
He knew that the He Family’s true purpose might not be to do some business, but to get their hands on his savings. Liang Shi felt he saw this very clearly. He had more than just this one young son by his side. If the property deeds fell into the hands of the He Family, over time, he would never get them back.
"You still don’t trust me, my lord," Mrs. Liang He said. "I admit I am a bit selfish and favor Feiling in small matters. But I only have this one child, and he’s still so young. If I, as his mother, don’t think of his future, who will?"
"Nonsense. I’m his father—how could I not think of him? Rest assured, Feiling won’t be shortchanged in the future."
Liang Shi was truly impatient with this topic. He stood up directly and said, "Tomorrow, I’ll have the Chief Steward hand over the keys to a few shops to you. If you want to play around, go ahead. If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll just turn around and rent them out."
Left behind, Mrs. Liang He gritted her teeth and let out a long breath.
From the very beginning, she never expected to get her hands on the property deeds. Since the rent wouldn’t end up in her own hands if they were rented out anyway, it was better to take control and do something with them herself.
Relying on Liang Shi’s status as governor, as long as she opened a few shops, the people around here would naturally have to show some respect. No matter how much, it would be an income. It was always better than collecting the rent only to send it all back to their hometown to support those other children of his.
"Madam, does this mean we can open the shops?" The maids and older servant women nearby were also filled with burning enthusiasm. They were the Madam’s closest confidantes; such lucrative errands would surely fall to them.
"Yes, we can open them." Mrs. Liang He was full of ambition at this moment. If Mrs. Gu Jin could rake in such a daily income, the He Family was no less capable.