The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 40 I'll give double

"I won't marry. If I do, I'll forget my mother."

Zhao Minghua's answer made Mrs. Zhao both angry and amused. This kid just hasn't grown up yet and doesn't know the benefits of getting a wife.

Xiao Chunlan of the prominent Xiao family is no longer mentioned, which means that he has no chance with any girl from the Xiao family.

It makes sense once you think about it. Even the eldest granddaughter of the clan chief hasn't found a husband, so which branch of the Xiao clan would be suitable for a daughter to marry into the family?

Mrs. Zhao felt that her son was always laughing and joking around and had no sense of propriety, so she really thought he needed a daughter-in-law to keep him in check.

But which one is better?
If that doesn't work, see if your eldest daughter-in-law has any good friends among young women, even if they are from humble families, as long as they are well-known and have good personalities.

Don't let his unreliability fool you, he has high standards.

He'll only talk to people he finds agreeable.

Every time I try to ask my son if he's seen anything he likes, he always says he's busy.

I don't even know what I'm busy with.

At this time, Zhao Minghua went to the courtyard under the banyan tree almost every day.

This made even Zhu feel that something was wrong.

"Second sister, what's wrong with that young master Zhao..."

"Sister-in-law, let him be."

This person often brings medicinal herbs to me for processing, and he insists on supervising the processing. It seems he not only wants to do business, but also wants to become an apprentice.

If you're willing, you don't need to be taught; if you're not willing, you can't be taught no matter what.

It wasn't that she underestimated Zhao Minghua, but judging from his impulsive nature and his anxious and irritable manner, he was not the kind of person who could properly process medicinal herbs!
There's no secret recipe involved, so Chunnuan doesn't need to be wary of him at all.

According to my grandfather, it's a good thing if more people can learn good skills, at least the tradition won't be broken.

Moreover, Zhao Minghua's purpose in coming here seemed more like to guard against her, as he kept asking about Master Zhang's affairs, intentionally or unintentionally.

As a result, less than half an hour after he arrived that day, Uncle Ma arrived.

Uncle Ma came to deliver the tea shop's herbal tea ledger and bonuses. Chunnuan quickly welcomed Uncle Ma into the study. After reading it, she signed for the bonuses. She was very confident in the tea shop's business. In just one month, she had received six taels of silver.

Six taels of silver would be nothing to Chunnuan, a young lady in the capital.

However, Chunnuan, who was in distress in Shu, received a large sum of money and was extremely grateful to Master Zhang.

After seeing Uncle Ma off, I wondered if I should give him another herbal tea recipe.

As she turned around, she almost bumped into Zhao Minghua.

"Young Master Zhao, what are you doing standing here?"

It startled her.

"You still say you have no business relationship with Master Zhang's family?"

That's Butler Ma, the person who can make decisions on behalf of Master Zhang. Why do you have to go to the study to discuss anything?
He came three times a day, but he wasn't even allowed into the study.

As expected, Grandfather was right. Good things must be kept secret, otherwise they will be intercepted.

"..."

Spring is here... Why is this person acting like they haven't grown up, even putting on a wronged act?

No, why is she afraid of him?

She is upright and honest, and has nothing to hide.

"Don't say anything, let me guess." Zhao Minghua thought for a moment and suddenly slapped his thigh: "I know, it's Yuanlai Teahouse."

Chunnuan looked at him in shock.

You found out about that too?
"I knew it! The Zhang family's Yuanlai Teahouse has been open in Changzhou since I can remember, and business has never been this booming. In the past month or so, they've been offering some herbal tea, and a lot of people like to drink it, saying it's good for clearing heat and relieving summer heat."

"So it was you who did it."

"Young Master Zhao, what do you mean I tampered with things?" It was an open and aboveboard business deal, yet the words coming out of his mouth sounded like a conspiracy.

"Did you give me the recipe for the herbal tea?"

"You are very smart."

"Of course, any place in Changzhou that has a decent business for eating, drinking and entertainment will not escape my notice, and I will definitely go and investigate."

What does it matter to you if I find out?
"Miss Xiao, this is where you're wrong." Zhao Minghua was extremely frustrated. She was keeping an eye on her every day, but her wealth was being flaunted. "You have a herbal tea recipe, why don't you cooperate with me? Are you afraid I can't afford it, or is my sincerity in seeking cooperation with you insufficient?"

"Young Master Zhao, isn't your family Baicaotang? It's a pharmacy, a place for diagnosis and treatment. You can't possibly be selling herbal tea, can you?"

"Fine, I won't pretend anymore." Zhao Minghua was so aggrieved because the prosperity of Yuanlai Teahouse was built on his suffering: "My Liufangyuan Teahouse is right across from Yuanlai Teahouse. Originally, our businesses were evenly matched. It was you who broke the balance between us. I'm jealous!"

What?
"Your teahouse?" Chunnuan was a little surprised: "Your family owns Baicaotang, and then you also have a teahouse?"

"Bai Cao Tang is a property of the Zhao family. Liu Fang Yuan Tea House is a shop that I secretly took over when I was fourteen years old with my life savings. It hasn't made much money since it opened, but it hasn't lost money either."

"Besides Qingsheng, you're the only one who knows about this."

"Young Master Zhao, you are truly skilled."

He dared to secretly open a shop at the age of fourteen, without telling his family.

“Well, my skills aren’t that great, and I haven’t made much money.” Zhao Minghua said, “You gave Yuanqi Teahouse the herbal tea recipe, what benefits did Master Zhang give you? Give me a recipe too, and I’ll give you double the benefits.”

With spring in full bloom... I think this kind of competition is acceptable.

However, giving Master Zhang a recipe for herbal tea and giving Zhao Minghua another herbal tea recipe seems a bit unfair to Master Zhang. He was given a 20% commission as soon as he arrived. We can't just forget about the benefits for him, can we?

Will we continue to cooperate in the future?
One should always be kind and considerate.

"Miss Xiao, could you please give me the recipe for herbal tea?"

"Don't you think this kind of competition is a bit unfair?" Chunnuan thought for a moment, "I'll be embarrassed if you two start fighting."

"I would never betray you."

"So, Master Zhang can't guess it?"

You're not the only smart person in this world. Do you think the managers Master Zhang hired are all useless?

"Competitors are enemies. Besides, our Zhao family is a family of doctors with a long history of medical skills. It's perfectly normal for us to know how to make herbal tea."

"So, Master Zhang also knows that Liufangyuan Teahouse is owned by you, Young Master Zhao?"

"No, no, I've been hiding it all along. No one except the shopkeeper knows I'm the owner."

Therefore, the herbal tea recipe should not be given to Zhao Minghua.

"Miss Xiao, what about the cooperation we agreed on?" We should make money together, why are you being so inflexible?
"I'll think about it later and get some other unique items for your shop. That way, the two of you can compete healthily without things getting ugly."

"Alright, I like hearing that," Zhao Minghua said. "Tell me, what benefits did Master Zhang give you?"

Chunnuan stopped hiding it and directly gave him ten taels of silver and a 20% bonus.

"This old man is quite generous." Zhao Minghua was starting to regret it. He had said he would give double, but he decided to keep his word: "Give me the recipe, and I'll give you twenty taels of silver and a 40% commission."

"Is this true?"

"A manly man, once he says something, it's hard to follow him!"

His heart was bleeding, yet he spoke with remarkable boldness.

However, when Zhao Minghua thought that Liufangyuan's business could take off from now on, he felt that it was worth the money.

Having received Chunnuan's approval, Zhao Minghua left happily.

Zhu looked at the way the two were interacting and hesitated to speak.

That's enough. Chunnuan is the one who holds this family together and is in charge. I can't help her much, so what right do I have to remind her?
Anyway, there aren't many people in the small town, so no one should care. But if it were in a village, people would worry about gossip spreading.

Babies, the new year is almost here! Wishing you, me, and everyone else all the best and many happy things to come.

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(End of this chapter)