I really don't want to take shortcuts anymore

The actions of the Cui family's eldest daughter, Madam Da Nongling, are extraordinary.

A complete set of red gold headpieces inlaid with emeralds, two white jade ruyi handles, a pair of fine mutton-fat white jade bracelets, ten pieces of embroidered satin, a hundred gold cakes, and a shop located in the South City of Xijing.

That shop previously sold cosmetics, and the manager was originally a servant of the Cui family. Three generations of his family had made a living in the Cui family, so it was naturally impossible for them to pass it on to Luo Qianhuai - but the shopkeeper was hired from outside.

He was a thin man, about fifty years old, with a few sparse gray goatees. He was wearing a clean and refreshing blue-gray tussah silk robe with a straight hem. He was holding a box that was two feet wide and one foot long, and was standing respectfully behind Shi Niangzi, who was sent by the Cui Mansion to deliver the message.

Lady Shi handed the gift list to Xing Xuan with a smile, pointing at the shopkeeper and introducing him, "This is the shopkeeper Qian Duoqian. He was in charge of all matters of the shop before, and he is a very diligent and capable person. Madam said that the raw materials and inventory of the shop, as well as the hired clerks, will all be handed over to you. You can deal with them according to your wishes. If you want to continue working there, that's fine, or you can change your career and do something else. It has nothing to do with her anymore."

Rich? This name is really suitable for mixing in the business circle.

"Thank your wife for me." Luo Qianhuai did not refuse. She knew that Madam Cui was so generous that she even gave away the shops in the most prosperous South City in Xijing. It should not only be for yesterday's matter, but also to thank her younger brother and send a gift on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture.

After all, Xing Xuan just said yesterday that Lou Zhiping and Mr. Mo are friends. It seems that in his position, it is not easy for him to interact with Mr. Mo openly, and he can only act in secret.

The shops in the South City of Xijing are not just valuable. Each of them has a backer. The products they sell are rarely repeated and most of them represent the highest standards in the industry. They target the top customer groups of the Dayu Dynasty. It is no exaggeration to say that they make a fortune every day.

Mrs. Shi spoke very swiftly. After she had explained everything, she took her leave very tactfully. Before leaving, she also let out a hint that the maid Qian'er who had gone out with her young mistress the previous night had accidentally contracted a serious illness and died before dawn.

"Hey, look at my mouth." She showed an apologetic expression: "I just pour out everything. How can I use these messy things to affect Madam Jing's good mood?"

She apologized and walked away briskly, showing no sign of regret.

Luo Qianhuai had gradually adapted to the local customs recently, and did not think that there was anything worthy of sympathy for these slaves who sold their masters. He turned around and called the shopkeeper Qian into the main hall in the backyard.

She sat in the main seat and asked Qian to take a seat, but he refused: "Madam, please take a seat. I can stand. This box contains the total income and expenditure of Su Jinzhai in the past five years. Please review it first. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Xing Xuan stepped forward, took the box from his hand, opened the lid, revealing a pile of silk scrolls inside, and then presented it to Luo Qianhuai.

Luo Qianhuai glanced at the red hibiscus flower carved with gold powder on the box and felt that it looked familiar.

She did not reach out to take the scroll to read, but turned her eyes to Shopkeeper Qian: "I don't have much time, why don't you ask Shopkeeper Qian to introduce me to the business situation of the store in recent years."

Qian Duo's expression remained unchanged. He replied respectfully, "Yes," and then he began to speak:

"Madam, our Su Jin Zhai specializes in cosmetics. Peach Blossom Powder, Jasmine Hairpin Powder, and Flawless Cream are the most popular. In addition, there are more than a dozen kinds of lip balms and five-color rouge, all of which are uniform in color and of excellent quality. I am not bragging, not to mention the dignitaries in Xijing, even the surrounding small countries and Western Regions merchants will buy some when they come to Xijing. I heard that they can often make ten times the profit after returning."

Luo Qianhuai then remembered that the bottles and jars on his dressing table seemed to have a golden hibiscus flower painted on them, exactly the same as the one on the box just now.

Although she seldom uses it, when she does, she feels that it is of high quality.

It turns out that those cosmetics came from Su Jin Zhai.

In this era, it is definitely considered a top international cosmetics brand and is simply a goose that lays golden eggs.

Cui Yingniang's gift was indeed too valuable. I felt ashamed to accept it, but it would be disrespectful to refuse it. Luo Qianhuai's mind raced as he said:

"No need to talk about the products. Just briefly introduce the revenue, cost, and net profit of the past five years."

Qian Duo originally thought that this young lady, who was so beautiful that she looked like an extraordinary person, would like all the cosmetics in his shop and would ask about the fragrance, color, and how to use them together. Unexpectedly, she just sat there quietly, without any excitement in her eyes, and the issues she was concerned about were completely different from those of ordinary women.

He had a very good memory and had long been told by Madam Lou that he could tell Luo Qianhuai everything, so he told her everything in detail: "Before last year, the store's operating income was relatively stable, about 2,000 gold cakes per year. After deducting various expenses, the net profit was as much as 500 gold."

The net profit of 500 gold cakes a year is almost the same as the share of the wine and beverage he earned last year. But this is the top cosmetics brand in Dayu. If it is willing to expand the scale of production and actively expand sales, the income may increase by more than ten times.

Qian Duo reported the data of each year in detail, and when he looked at Luo Qianhuai again, he felt that he could not understand it at all.

The prince's betrothal gift was only one thousand gold pieces, which was just the net profit of Su Jinzhai for two years. If it were any other young lady who had been kept in seclusion, she would have jumped for joy when she heard about such a huge source of income.

But the person in front of him didn't even blink. His pair of dark and clear almond-shaped eyes just looked at him calmly, waiting for his next words without saying a word.

Qian Duo's standing posture unconsciously became more upright and straight. Before speaking, he couldn't help but go over it in his mind again and again, and then continued:

"Last year, due to the death of the late emperor, the whole country was forced to wear plain clothes for a year, and all industries were in decline, so business was naturally very depressed. In addition, there was a large backlog of raw materials and cosmetics, and they were all not banned, so not only did we not make any profit, but we also lost nearly two thousand gold. Fortunately, the ban has been lifted now, and we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am confident that sales this year will definitely increase significantly..."

"Well, let's not talk about these for now." Luo Qianhuai spoke in time to interrupt Qian Duo's ambitions.

She briefly asked about the recipes and staff structure used in the shop, and learned that in addition to the shop itself in Nanshi, Su Jinzhai also had two large production workshops in the suburbs of Xijing. Cui Yingniang was very generous, not only leaving the workshops and dozens of secret recipes to her, but also hundreds of skilled workers who signed life contracts.

This means that everything from the production line to the physical store is packed up and sent to her! Luo Qianhuai already had an idea in his mind, so he said, "Put these account books away first and take them back as they are."