Zhao Tai communicated with Zhao Fan for a while, gave Zhao Fan some distilled wine and soap, and then left the Zhishi Yamen.
Hu Zhen wanted to place Zhao Tai in Manchun Tower, but Zhao Tai was also a person of status now and had to pay attention to his reputation. He was not suitable for staying in Fengyue places, so he stayed at his own inn in Chuzhou.
More than half a year later, with the money given by Wanyan Shouxu, the Cathay Trading Company established by Zhao Tai in Chuzhou has developed into a large trading company with many industries including entertainment, wine shops, inns, and theaters.
The inn where Zhao Tai stayed was called Cathay Inn. It was different from the ordinary inns in Chuzhou City. The inn had an elegant environment. In addition to guest rooms, it also provided various services such as reception rooms.
Many businessmen who came to Chuzhou to do business did not want to rent a house, so they stayed here.
At this time, Zhao Tai was sitting in the reception hall provided by the inn, drinking tea, looking through the account books sent by Hu Zhen, and listening to his report and introduction.
"Sir, this is the shopkeeper Qian hired by my subordinate in Chuzhou. He is in charge of the restaurant." Hu Zhen introduced.
"Qian Yifeng has met his boss!" Shopkeeper Qian is in his forties, has a kind face, is slightly chubby, has a pair of particularly bright eyes, and looks very shrewd.
Zhao Tai looked at the account books of the wine shop. Generally, it is difficult for a newly opened wine shop to balance its income and expenditure. Only by building a good reputation can the business gradually improve. But this shopkeeper Qian was able to make the business better in a short time. The fact that Cathay Restaurant turned a loss into a profit shows that he is a talented person.
Zhao Tai nodded slightly and said with a smile: "Shopkeeper Qian did a good job. As long as you run the business well, the merchant society will reward you with 10% of the wine shop's profits at the end of the year."
A boss who knows how to draw a pie can always make his employees excited and full of energy.
In the market now, shopkeepers like him usually get a monthly salary, and the boss gives him something during the holidays, which is considered a conscience. It is really rare for someone like Zhao Tai to use profits as a reward.
This made Qian Yifeng's face flush and he saluted excitedly, "I will definitely run a good wine shop for my boss."
Zhao Tai nodded and then got to the point, "This time I will bring a batch of spirits. You can sell them in the wine shop and see how the response is."
Qian Yifeng had already heard about the distilled liquor, "Master, I wonder if this liquor has a name?"
Zhao Tai attaches great importance to brand building and said with a smile: "The name of this wine is Songhe."
"Song He!" Qian Yifeng nodded and patted the horse: "What a name!"
Zhao Tai immediately gave him a note and asked him to go to the warehouse to pick up a batch of wine and bring it back to the wine shop for trial sale.
This time Zhao Tai brought a lot of goods, and there was a steady stream of goods shipped to the Southern Song Dynasty.
Such a large amount of goods cannot be sold just by relying on the industry in one's own name. Other sales channels must be found.
Brewing takes time. Zhao Tai mainly purchases alcohol on the market for distillation, and the output is not very large.
The key is the soap workshop. The output is somewhat astonishing. It can make five to six million pieces in a month. Such a huge output cannot be digested by Chuzhou alone. It must be sold to Yangzhou, Lin'an, and Suzhou with a population of hundreds of thousands. Go to a big city with nearly a million people.
After Qian Yifeng left, Zhao Tai asked Hu Zhen, "You have been in Chuzhou for more than half a year. You should have some connections here. Find a way to sell distilled liquor to major liquor stores and deliver soap to various grocery stores." Go. Also contact some merchants to see if they are interested in these products."
Hu Zhen hurriedly saluted, "I understand my humble position!"
Zhao Tai nodded slightly, then waved for him to do it, while he continued to look at the account books.
His property in Chuzhou has gradually been on the right track. Zhao Tai made a rough calculation and found that, excluding various expenses, it would not be a problem to earn ten thousand yuan a year.
This made Zhao Tai quite happy. He put down his account book and it was already evening.
Just when he felt a little hungry, the guard outside reported that there was a Miss Sun who asked to see him.
A figure immediately appeared in Zhao Tai's mind, and he asked the guards to invite her in.
It was Xiaoqiong who came. She hadn’t seen her for several months and seemed to be growing again.
She came in and saluted Zhao Tai, then took out a food box, took out a few dishes, put them on the table, and said shyly: "My mother heard that the young master has arrived in Chuzhou, and asked me to bring some food for the young master to eat!"
Zhao Tai was quite happy to see Sun Qiong. He happened to be hungry, so he sat down at the table and picked up his chopsticks, "Xiao Qiong, you can eat too!"
Sun Qiong blushed, a little embarrassed, "I've eaten."
When Zhao Tai heard this, he picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. Hey, it was a bit bland. Didn't he add salt? Then he picked up a piece of chicken. This one was too salty.
Zhao Tai picked up the chopsticks and didn't know what to say for a moment, but Sun Qiong's eyes looked at him eagerly, and his breathing became rapid.
Zhao Tai raised his head, and Sun Qiong immediately asked expectantly: "Master, how are you?"
Seeing this, Zhao Tai understood what she meant. What girl wouldn't like a man as handsome and capable as him.
"Haha~" Zhao Tai smiled and said, "It's not bad!"
Sun Qiong immediately became happy after hearing this, "Young Master, you can eat it!"
Zhao Tai couldn't bear to hit the little girl, so he could only eat more rice and less vegetables.
Sun Qiong was in a good mood, sitting on the side, swinging her long legs, waiting for Zhao Tai to finish.
Zhao Tai took a few bites and then asked casually: "Xiao Qiong, how is the situation in the troupe recently?"
Sun Qiong suddenly said: "I don't want to sing anymore, my mother wants me to get married."
"Married?" Zhao Tai was stunned, "So early!"
Sun Qiong said, "I'm almost eighteen. My mother said that in our hometown, it's too late to get married at seventeen. In another year, I'll be an old girl."
Zhao Tai realized that women in ancient times were indeed quite young when they got married.
"Who are you marrying, Liu Changsheng?" Zhao Tai asked. If so, he must destroy this marriage, not because he covets other girls, but purely because he opposes incest.
Sun Qiong shook his head, "He! Now that he has money, he will stay in Manchun Tower every day. Who will marry him?"
Zhao Tai brought the Sun family class to Chuzhou and opened a theater for them. Liu Changsheng was the main actor, and he was also good-looking. After singing in a few plays, he became popular immediately.
There are many young girls and young wives here in Chuzhou who have never seen such a touching play before. After watching The Peony Pavilion, many of them took themselves into Du Liniang, regarded Liu Changsheng as the male protagonist Liu Mengmei, and fell in love with him to death.
These girls and wives not only gave money and gifts to Liu Changsheng, but also wanted to give themselves to Liu Changsheng. If the old man of the family hadn't been watching, it might have caused a disaster.
Liu Changsheng did like his cousin Xiaoqiong before, because there was such a young and beautiful girl on the ship. But after he went to Chuzhou and became popular, he was sought after by many young ladies, especially after he went to Manchun Tower and experienced all kinds of amorous feelings. , Xiaoqiong was neither gentle nor virtuous, and had a bit of a shrewd temper, so he was no longer interested.
Now Liu Changsheng has a private room in Manchun Tower, and except for singing opera, he lives there almost all the time.
Zhao Tai breathed a sigh of relief, "It's not Liu Changsheng! Who is that?"
Sun Qiong glanced at Zhao Tai and said, "My mother has taken a fancy to a scholar in Chuzhou City. Although his family is poor, he is very talented and can write poems. He is more handsome than you, young master."
Zhao Tai smiled and said, "Scholar, that's pretty good."
"I have something else to do, let's go!" After hearing this, Sun Qiong put down the food box in his hand, got up and left.
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