Shopkeeper Zheng instructed from the back, "Don’t neglect your studies during this ti..."
Zheng Gu angrily went downstairs, and as soon as he entered the main hall, he saw a young lady curiously standing in front of the dicine cabinet, staring at their dicine cabinet.
Zheng Gu thought she looked familiar, so he stepped forward and asked, "Miss, are you here to see a doctor or to buy dicine?"
Zhou Lijun turned to look at Zheng Gu. As soon as their eyes t, Zheng Gu recognized her and smiled, "Is Miss Zhou here to find the master or the fourth junior sister?"
Lijun smiled, "I’m here for both. I didn’t see Little Aunt in the hall."
Zheng Gu smiled, "The master and fourth junior sister are in the backyard. Please, follow ." He then led Zhou Lijun to the backyard.
The two had t before. Last year, at the opening of Zhou’s Restaurant, Shopkeeper Zheng brought a large group to present a gift. They had t then, and had seen each other a few tis since, but they weren’t very familiar.
Zheng Gu led Zhou Lijun to the backyard, where Manbao was testing Zhou Liru on her herbal identification. Seeing Lijun coming over, she glanced at Zhou Liru identifying the herbs while asking, "Why are you here?"
Zhou Lijun watched as her sister skillfully identified the herbs. Standing next to her aunt, she said, "Fourth Uncle sent a letter back; Fifth Uncle asked to bring it to Little Aunt."
Zhou Lijun carefully looked around Jishi Hall’s backyard, especially at the herbs drying in bamboo trays on the shelves. She gazed intently, "And Little Aunt, didn’t you say last ti that when the holidays ca, you’d teach us how to make the moisturizing balm and ulcer ointnt?"
Last holiday, Bai Dalang sent a letter ho, and Manbao sent back the moisturizing balm and ulcer ointnt she got from the palace with the Bai family’s servant.
Even Ms. Fang and Ms. Lu received a bottle each.
Zhou Lijun and Zhou Liru curiously scraped a little bit to apply on their faces and hands. Within a couple of days, Zhou Liulang’s bottle of ulcer ointnt ended up in Zhou Lijun’s hands.
Although Manbao said the materials for the two ointnts were quite precious, Zhou Lijun thought the noblewon in the capital might disdain everything but wouldn’t disdain expensive things.
She had sold flowers for two taels of silver that were only worn for one day; these ointnts, just a small amount, could last for about a month at five taels of silver. Wouldn’t those noblewon use them?
That’s right, Zhou Lijun had even calculated the pricing.
Of course, this was also because Manbao had helped her calculate the cost of making a large jar of ointnt.
Having gained a lot of knowledge over the past two years from Fourth Uncle and Fifth Uncle, Zhou Lijun knew that when calculating costs, you also need to factor in labor and other miscellaneous costs.
She thought it was hard for Fourth Aunt and Fifth Aunt to make ointnts while taking care of children, so she significantly increased the labor costs.
So, she wasn’t just here to deliver a letter, but also to urge Little Aunt to quickly buy the herbs.
The sooner they make them, the sooner they can earn money.
Manbao finally rembered this matter, wrote a prescription for Zheng Gu, and asked him to help get the herbs before opening Fourth Brother’s letter.
Zhou Lijun had already read it in advance. Sitting on a chair beside, she said, "Fourth Uncle’s letter says he went to the grasslands with so people."
This was why Zhou Wulang was anxious for her to deliver the letter.
Manbao scanned through the letter quickly; it was written by Datou Zhou Lichong, and was very detailed. He told Manbao and the others that he and Fourth Uncle took ceramics to Xiazhou. After selling them, they encountered people from the Bald Hair Tribe and also ran into Xiang Mingxue and his group. The people from the Bald Hair Tribe invited the two uncles and nephews to the grasslands, saying the herbs they wanted were more abundant and cheaper on the grasslands.
Coincidentally, Xiang Mingxue also wanted to go to the grasslands, so they all went together.
After so consideration, Fourth Uncle and he felt that with a familiar person like Xiang Mingxue leading them, they could definitely take a trip to the grasslands. Besides, the weather was hot, and the grasslands were cooler, and they didn’t urgently need the herbs, so they went with the Bald Hair Tribe people.
However, they feared the family would wait for a long ti at ho, so they wrote a letter to bring back and set their minds at ease.
Datou also ntioned in the letter that Xiang Mingxue was going to the grasslands for business and knew several people there.
Manbao was even less worried about them and folded the letter, saying, "I want to go to the grasslands too."
Zhou Lijun knew she would say that, "Fourth Aunt will definitely worry."
She glanced outside and got up, "Little Aunt, can I go watch your apprentice get the herbs?"
"What’s so interesting about getting herbs?"
Getting the herbs might not be interesting, but getting them for making profitable ointnts certainly was.
Zhou Lijun ran out; she also wanted to discuss with Jishi Hall whether they could give her a discount if she regularly bought herbs from them.
Shopkeeper Zheng happened to be there, and the two leaned on the counter chatting while waiting for Zheng Gu to get the herbs. Shopkeeper Zheng was very interested in the prescription his son had in hand, not to ntion Zhou Lijun’s visit.
"What’s this prescription for?"
Zhou Lijun carelessly replied with a smile, "It’s my Little Aunt’s newly concocted moisturizing balm and ulcer ointnt. It gives a nice color when applied."
Shopkeeper Zheng recalled the ointnt prescription that Zhou Man had given, which sold very well. His eyes sparkled, and after glancing at the amount of herbs his son was getting, he smiled and asked, "So, is your family planning to make and sell them yourselves?"
Zhou Lijun said, "We’re just making them for fun."
"With Doctor Zhou Junior around, you’ll surely make them well," Shopkeeper Zheng laughed. "Once made, you’ll want to sell them. My pharmacy sees a lot of traffic; how about we put them up for consignnt here?"
Zhou Lijun’s eyes twinkled, and she laughed, "Why don’t you ask my Little Aunt, Shopkeeper Zheng?"
Shopkeeper Zheng replied, "Your Little Aunt doesn’t really handle such things. Business matters should be clearly discussed."
Zhou Man wasn’t very concerned with such matters. If he brought it up, she might generously give him the prescription, allowing him to supply the ingredients and manpower, sell it, and give her a commission in return...
Of course, that wasn’t bad, but it was too good, potentially creating an emotional debt, which might not be conducive to maintaining good relations in the future for both sides.
Besides, it wasn’t easy for Shopkeeper Zheng to bring it up, but it was different with Zhou Lijun.
He knew the accounts for the Zhou family were all in this young lady’s hands. When he attended the housewarming banquet last ti, it was she who handled the gift records.
He liked discussing dicine with doctors and discussing business with businesspeople.
As for Zhou Man, well, he’d rather wait for Zhou SiLang to return to the capital for a discussion than make a muddle-headed deal with Zhou Man now.
Zhou Man was the type you might take advantage of now, but she’d definitely take double back on you later. Otherwise, she’d surely have sothing even better in her hand to make you regret it.
So it’s better to be clear when discussing business. Zhou Lijun looked like soone who was clear.
Zhou Lijun was indeed clear. She already had her ntal abacus clattering away.
Thus, while Zheng Gu was gathering the herbs, Zhou Lijun had already sorted out the consignnt thod with Shopkeeper Zheng and even discussed future herbal purchase discounts.
Zheng Gu, watching them go back and forth, couldn’t help but glance at his father, then at Zhou Lijun. Shaking his head, he turned around to continue gathering the herbs.
When Manbao ca out, the two of them had already reached a satisfied agreent. Zheng Gu tied up the wrapped herbs and placed them on the counter for Zhou Lijun.
Zhou Lijun took out money from her purse to settle the bill, then left with Manbao, happily carrying the herbs.
"So happy?"
Zhou Lijun nodded and then said, "Little Aunt, Shopkeeper Zheng, out of respect for you, gave a ten percent discount on the herbs."
Manbao was surprised, "He won’t lose money, right?"
Zhou Lijun said, "No, I saw so of the procurent prices for the herbs from Fourth Uncle. Though he looked pained, he’s definitely not losing money."
Manbao was relieved, "If it’s not a loss, then haggle away. That’s your skill."
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