Qi Kangping truly is a kind person. After finishing speaking, he reminded again: "Cousin Xiao Yu is soone who survived the famine."
Those who survived the famine are not easy to deal with, so don’t seek death.
Young Master Dou was already soone who cared about face, and having just lost face, he got even angrier when Qi Kangping said that, thinking: I know you’re being kind, but can’t you just leave?
Qi Kangping didn’t stay long, and left after giving his kind reminder.
"How do you want to cooperate on the new beverage business? Speak up," Gu Jinli pulled out a chair and sat down, placing her long knife on the table with a clatter, which almost made Young Master Dou stumble back. She then coldly smiled at him and said: "Don’t tell this is your excuse. If this business is fake, you’ll owe more than ten thousand taels today."
She gave Young Master Dou a look that said "you’re on your own."
Young Master Dou said: "The business is real, and I am a money-loving person who wouldn’t joke about moneymaking matters."
He felt extrely frustrated, being controlled and constantly threatened by Gu Jinli was simply unbearable, and he really wanted to call in his Shadow Guards to kill this shrew.
Gu Jinli knew Young Master Dou had a batch of Shadow Guards under him, but You An and You Ping were no less capable. If it ca to a fight, Gu Jinli was confident they would win. Otherwise, she might just poison Young Master Dou; she would not let Young Master Dou target her without retaliation.
"The new beverage you concocted is very tasty, especially with ham, its flavor is unmatched. Noble young masters from both the Capital and Jiangnan love it, so even offer a hundred taels of silver for a cup, it’s a great business opportunity. I’ve thought it over carefully, as long as we cooperate, we will definitely make a mountain of gold from this new beverage!" When Young Master Dou talked about making money, he was radiant and extrely excited.
After speaking, he handed two contracts to Gu Jinli: "We split the profits 50-50. You only need to provide the recipe for the new beverage and train one bartender. You don’t have to worry about anything else and you’ll earn a lot of silver every month."
Young Master Dou had spent a few months bidding on ham and was well aware of Gu Jinli’s love for money, her dislike of losses, and her hatred for troubleso matters. Therefore, he offered a generous 50-50 split and promised to keep any trouble stemming from the new beverage away from her.
Gu Jinli was quite pleased with this partnership, but: "I won’t give you all the beverage recipes at once, that’s impossible. I will only give you six flavors initially, and then every three months, one new flavor, until I’ve used up all the beverage recipes I have."
Young Master Dou frowned, sowhat angrily saying: "You’re implying you don’t trust , deliberately withholding the recipes?"
He had already given her a 50-50 split, what more did she want?
Does she not know how much work is needed to sell the new beverage at gold prices? He was taking on all this work, yet she wanted to manipulate him through withholding recipes. What a truly poisonous woman she was.
Gu Jinli glanced at him with a cold smile: "Considering what you did today, I’d be crazy to trust you."
Young Master Dou’s face was unpleasant to look at after hearing that. For the sake of face, he quickly waved his hand, saying: "Let’s not talk about that, we’re discussing the new beverage business now. I’ve shown my utmost sincerity in wanting to cooperate with you, so withholding recipes isn’t fair."
Gu Jinli: "Just like with ham, what’s being sold is the novelty and prestige. If we sell all the flavors at once, those noble young masters who’ve tried them all will lose interest. We need to release a new flavor every few months to keep them intrigued and draw in their silver."
Young Master Dou’s eyes lit up at this, finally understanding. The shrew was right; those noble young masters love novelties and competition, and to keep them intrigued, they should have sothing to compete over every three months, so he could make a lot of money.
However...
"Isn’t releasing a new beverage every three months too drawn-out? How about launching one every month?"
Gu Jinli said: "The timing is just right. Each new beverage needs ti to accumulate enough profits. If a new flavor cos out every month, the previous beverage wouldn’t have made enough before they chase after the new flavor, losing out on a lot of silver-gathering opportunities."
Gathering silver, you really are straightforward with your words, but I like it!
"Alright." Young Master Dou agreed, personally taking out paper and pen to rewrite the two contracts, including Gu Jinli’s promise to provide a new beverage recipe every once in a while.
After a mont, Young Master Dou finished writing two contracts, signed them, and pressed his fingerprint before passing them to Gu Jinli: "Sign and press your fingerprint."
Gu Jinli did not waste words, quickly writing her na and pressing her thumb, stained with red ink, on both contracts. After putting one away, she said: "Your maid, Dou Zhi, is quite good. Let her co learn how to concoct the new beverages."
Young Master Dou agreed: "Alright."
Gu Jinli is a woman and would not teach a male servant to mix drinks, only a maid. Since Dou Zhi was his confidant, it was natural to have a confidant learn such a money-making thod.
Gu Jinli was also very straightforward, to show sincerity, she said: "It’s still early today; I’ll first teach Dou Zhi to mix two new flavors of beverages."
She looked at Qi Kangle and said: "Cousin Le, help get the brewing tools."
She also told Xiao Ji: "Go and help, bring a bucket of cold boiled water and a cloth towel to wash the tools."
Qi Kangle nodded: "Alright."
Xiao Yu’s brewing tools were in a storeroom in the rear courtyard, and she had the key. Erqing was here, and Young Master Dou couldn’t beat Xiao Yu anyway, so she was assured as she left with Xiao Ji.
Young Master Dou seeing this, almost knelt to thank God. Not missing this opportunity, he directly told Gu Jinli: "You know his real na, so you must know his story too. Don’t worry, he saved my life. If it weren’t for him back then, I’d be dead. This ti, I wanted to et him personally, could you pass on a ssage for him to et ?"
He even swore an oath: "I, Dou Ke, swear, if I harbor any intention to harm him, may my whole family face a terrible end, and my descendants perish without good fortune!"
Dou Ke?
Gu Jinli laughed, no wonder Brother Qin called him Dou Ke.
However, in an era where descendants were crucial, Young Master Dou’s oath was given with sincerity, but...
"What are you talking about? Why are you swearing all of a sudden? Have you been possessed by a ghost, Young Master Dou?" Gu Jinli frowned, looking at Young Master Dou as if he were crazy.
Young Master Dou’s face turned green upon hearing this, feeling once again trapped by this shrew, his anger rushing to his head as he slamd the table: "Gu, are you ssing with ?!"
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