Chapter 29 — Making a Small Fortune
“May I ask how Ling Gongzi plans to sell the recipe for this jam?”
A moment later, the four of them gathered in a private room. The shopkeeper got straight to the point as soon as he opened his mouth, but Ling Jingxuan simply smiled and shook his head. “I only sell the jam, not the recipe.”
Did he look like a fool? He wasn’t about to do something as shortsighted as killing the chicken for its eggs.
“I can offer a high price to buy it. Ling Gongzi might want to reconsider.”
Shopkeeper Zhang frowned almost imperceptibly and pressed on.
“Hehe… Shopkeeper, I’m sure you’re worried about two things: that I might sell it to others in the future, and the jam’s shelf life. You can rest easy on both counts. My jam is cooked fresh and sold fresh. As long as you store it in an ice cellar, it won’t spoil for three to five months. What’s more, I can sign a contract with you stating that all the jam I make will be sold exclusively to you. If I sell it to anyone else, you can take the contract straight to the authorities and sue me. Would that put you at ease?”
Ling Jingxuan was a smart man—how could he not understand the shopkeeper’s concerns? In fact, he had his own thoughts on the matter. Things are valuable precisely because they’re rare. Once something becomes widespread, the price drops. So even if the shopkeeper hadn’t brought it up, he would have taken the initiative to sign an exclusive sales agreement.
“All right then. How do you plan to price it?”
After a brief moment of thought, Shopkeeper Zhang agreed. That food was simply too tempting. Even if it could only be sold in summer, it would still bring them a hefty profit.
“One tael of silver per jar.”
Bang! Bang!
Before the buyer could even react, the two buns slipped off their chairs one after the other and landed on the floor. Their eyes were wide with shock—especially Big Bun, whose little face turned bright red as he stared at his father as if he were a monster. That jam was made from wild fruit picked off the mountain; it didn’t cost a single coin, aside from the jars. And Dad wanted to sell it for one whole tael of silver? Had he gone crazy?
“Hehe… sorry about that. It’s their first time at the market—they’ve been nervous all day.”
Ling Jingxuan laughed awkwardly, his face darkening as he pulled the two kids up. Where the shopkeeper couldn’t see, he shot them a warning look. Honestly—don’t sabotage him now. He was counting on making a profit.
“Haha… no worries, no worries. They’re just kids. Ling Gongzi, you should still have more jam at home, right?”
Shopkeeper Zhang laughed heartily and smoothly steered the conversation back to business, sparing the father and sons any further embarrassment. Business was about the long term, after all. If there were only two jars, no matter how attractive the recipe was, he wouldn’t be interested.
“If Shopkeeper Zhang can accept my price, then of course I do.”
In other words, if you can’t accept it, there’s no point continuing this discussion.
Shopkeeper Zhang was a shrewd man. He immediately replied, “One tael per jar is a bit expensive, but it’s still within what I can accept. That said, Ling Gongzi, the quantity I’ll need won’t be small. Are you sure you can supply enough?”
Every dish served by Xinyuan Restaurant sold for several taels of silver—some even for dozens. One tael really wasn’t much to him.
“Roughly how much do you need?”
His grand plan to get rich now had its backing—Xinyuan Restaurant was decisively generous! Besides, Yuehua Mountain was full of wild fruit, and jam didn’t have to be made only from wild grapes. Still, going up the mountain was dangerous, and for now he had no intention of venturing too deep into it.
“To be frank with you, Xinyuan Restaurant is the number one restaurant in the Qing Dynasty. We have branches all across Da Qing. For people who suffer through the summer heat, this dish is nothing short of a godsend. And it just so happens that it’s already June, with the hottest days upon us. Once it’s introduced, it’s bound to be wildly popular. At the very least, it will sell extremely well over the next two or three months. Just this Datong branch alone will probably need dozens of jars every month. Once I report this to the county and prefectural offices, the demand will be even greater. Ling Gongzi, it would be best if you could give me a precise figure.”
Shopkeeper Zhang looked at him solemnly. He had a feeling this dish would be even more popular than he had initially estimated.
“Hmm… how about this, Shopkeeper Zhang. I only brought two jars of jam with me today. You can try selling them first. If the response is good, you can send someone to Lingjia Village tomorrow to collect the goods. I still have a hundred jars at home. If you need more in the future, just send word in advance. However, the fruit’s ripening season is limited, and that frozen dessert can only be sold in summer. I’ll only supply it for three months—once September arrives and the weather cools, I won’t sell it anymore. What do you think, Shopkeeper Zhang? Would that work?”
Ling Jingxuan put on a serious expression, though inwardly he was already grinning from ear to ear. What sold better in summer than iced desserts? Even if he didn’t make a fortune this time, making a tidy profit was absolutely guaranteed.
“Very well. Then let’s sign a contract.”
The shopkeeper was a straightforward man. He casually took up paper and brush and began writing. Ling Jingxuan looked it over and, seeing no issues, decisively signed his name and pressed his fingerprint beside it.
“All right. This is the payment for the two jars of jam. Ling Gongzi, would you like me to pay a deposit in advance?”
“No need. Let’s settle the accounts on the spot—payment upon delivery.”
Taking the two silver ingots, Ling Jingxuan casually tossed them to Da Baozi, who was still standing there in a daze.
“Daddy…?”
Clutching the silver, Ling Wen looked up at his father with a complicated expression. His voice trembled slightly when he called out, “Daddy.” Was this money really theirs now? Was he dreaming?
“Hehe…”
Ling Jingxuan affectionately rubbed his head. He wasn’t unaware of his son’s shock, but he said nothing. This was only the beginning—what they’d earn in the future would be mountains of gold and silver.
“Shopkeeper Zhang must be very busy. I won’t trouble you any further.”
With the business concluded, there was no need to linger. As Ling Jingxuan spoke, he prepared to leave with the little buns. Shopkeeper Zhang also stood up in response.
“Take care, Ling Gongzi.”
“Please, no need to see us off.”
Turning back, Ling Jingxuan smiled and nodded. Guided by his memory, he took the two buns by the hand—one on each side—and walked out of the restaurant. Shopkeeper Zhang watched their figures until they disappeared from sight, then hugged the jar of jam and headed back to the kitchen. With a new delicacy on hand, of course it had to be launched as soon as possible.
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Translator: LazyHermitGal
Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal. A little support goes a long way! If you’d like to help me keep creating, you can do so at https://ko-fi.com/lazyhermitgal
