Since the day she donated 30,000 taels of silver as merit for Cang Xuan at the City God Temple, Su Yuanyuan had stopped going out casually. Instead, she completely calmed down and whole - heartedly rushed to draw design samples for the shop.
After spending a few quiet days in her boudoir, having just finished a design sample, Su Yuanyuan put down her brush and stretched with a big yawn.
"Miss, Miss!"
Caiyun rushed towards her from outside, beaming as she said, "There's news about the shop you asked me to inquire about!"
The sunlight outside was just right. Hearing Caiyun's words, Su Yuanyuan jumped up happily.
"Really? Where is the shop?!"
"Just now, the brothers from Liuyun Pavilion sent a message to me. They said that a teahouse across the street from Zhenxuan Lou has hung a sign today indicating that it's for transfer. The shopkeeper seems quite eager. To gain the upper - hand, Shopkeeper Zheng has rushed there first to calm the person down. Miss, what do you think..."
A teahouse? Su Yuanyuan recalled for a moment and then remembered the location of the shop.
That shop was opposite Zhenxuan Lou. Its location and size were both extremely suitable, and it was exactly the one she preferred the most.
She never thought it would be such a coincidence. She had just thought of asking someone to keep an eye out today, and now the shop was up for transfer!
Opportunities come but once. Of course, she had to seize such a good opportunity!
Su Yuanyuan immediately said, "Get my clothes ready, prepare the carriage, and call Third Brother. Let's go out of the mansion together to take a look!"
Su Huaisheng was the second owner of the shop. Upon learning that there was news about the shop, without saying a word, he immediately put down what he was doing and went out with Su Yuanyuan.
In a short while, Su Yuanyuan and Su Huaisheng got on the carriage and galloped in the direction of Zhenxuan Lou.
Next to Zhenxuan Lou, the teahouse that used to be bustling with customers had its doors closed, and a transfer sign was hanging at the door, looking desolate.
The carriage stopped steadily in front of the teahouse. Su Yuanyuan, wearing a veil hat, got off the carriage with the support of two maids.
Su Huaisheng dismounted and threw the reins to a page boy. He nodded at Su Yuanyuan and said, "Yuanbao, the location of this shop you've taken a fancy to is really good."
Su Yuanyuan said, "Naturally. Yuanbao's taste will never go wrong."
The siblings looked around and then walked into the half - open door of the teahouse together.
Inside the teahouse, Shopkeeper Zheng from Quyang Cloth Shop had been waiting for a long time. When he saw the two of them coming, he immediately stepped forward to greet them. "Young Master Su the Third, Young Lady Su the Fourth, you're here. Let me introduce you. This gentleman here is Boss Xu, the owner of the teahouse."
Next to Shopkeeper Zheng stood a middle - aged man. He looked decent and amiable. Sensing Su Yuanyuan and Su Huaisheng's gazes, he clasped his fists in greeting and said,
"Xu pays his respects here."
Without further ado, after introducing themselves to each other, everyone sat down to discuss the matter of the shop transfer.
"Boss, your teahouse has a good location and a large customer base. It's been doing well all along. Why do you suddenly plan to transfer it and quit?" Su Huaisheng asked the teahouse owner.
Boss Xu frowned, looking worried. "To be honest, my mother is seriously ill. The doctor said there's no cure and she doesn't have much time left. I originally wanted to earn some more silver and then take her to find a better doctor. But she doesn't want that. She said she wants to travel to the south of the Yangtze River during her last days to see the scenery there. As her son, I naturally have to fulfill her wish."
"Seriously ill?" With Xiaoba and having cured Master Jiao, Su Yuanyuan had unconsciously developed some interest in medicine. She asked tentatively, "What kind of illness does your mother have?"
"She has a tumor on her body. The tumor is as big as a baby's head. No matter how many doctors we've seen, we've always received the same result." Boss Xu sighed. "Forget it. Let's not talk about these sad things anymore. If you two are interested, I'll transfer this shop to you."
Su Yuanyuan also knew that she shouldn't ask too much about other people's affairs. She said, "I wonder at what price you plan to transfer the shop?"
Boss Xu said, "Not much. Five hundred taels will do."
Su Yuanyuan was shocked. Given the location of this shop, if it were her, she would think even a thousand taels was too little, but he was only asking for five hundred taels?!
Su Huaisheng was also shocked. He had seen people do business, but he had never seen someone do business like this. Transferring a shop with a good location and a large customer base for only five hundred taels. This teahouse owner was too generous!
Su Yuanyuan and Su Huaisheng didn't notice that behind them, Caiyun and Shopkeeper Zheng had been winking at Boss Xu.
Boss Xu immediately got a bit flustered and said, "Does the young lady think it's too much? Actually, four hundred taels is also okay."
Su Yuanyuan's eyes widened even more. "How come..."
Sweat dripped from Boss Xu's forehead. "Do you still think four hundred taels is too expensive? Three hundred taels... I can't go any lower!"
No, what Su Yuanyuan wanted to say was, why was the price getting lower and lower?
However, three hundred taels was indeed very little. For her at present, it was just a drop in the bucket, not to mention that their Yongguo Duke's Mansion was never short of money.
It was Su Huaisheng who said, "Let's make it a thousand taels. Your shop is worth this price, and we can afford this amount of silver. Your mother is seriously ill. Even if she travels to the south of the Yangtze River for a visit, she still needs silver. We can't let the old lady suffer."
Su Yuanyuan also chimed in, "My third brother is right. It'll be a thousand taels."
Saying so, she waved to the maid behind her. Chunxiao stepped forward and counted out ten silver notes and placed them in Su Yuanyuan's hand.
Su Yuanyuan offered the silver notes to the teahouse owner and said, "Please accept them. Don't decline."
The teahouse owner couldn't help but be teary - eyed. He raised his sleeve to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes and sighed, "Young Master Su the Third, Young Lady Su the Fourth, you two are really good people. I'm sure that when your shop opens, it will become well - known in Shengjing City and be a great signboard here."
"However, I really can't accept all of this thousand taels..." The teahouse owner took half and returned the other half, saying, "I appreciate your kindness, Xu Yong. We agreed on five hundred taels, and that's what it'll be. Giving and taking is the way of business."
Su Yuanyuan laughed. "Right. Giving and taking is the way of business."
After that, there were no more objections.
Su Yuanyuan immediately signed a document with Boss Xu, clearly stating that the shop would belong to Su Yuanyuan from then on. As long as this deed was officially registered and stamped by the government, the ownership of the shop would completely belong to Su Yuanyuan. In the future, she could open a jewelry store or even a coffin shop. It would all be up to her.
When they were about to part, Su Yuanyuan asked the teahouse owner, "Boss Xu, when are you leaving for the south of the Yangtze River?"
The teahouse owner replied, "Since the shop has been transferred, I won't stay any longer. I'll probably leave within three days."
Watching the teahouse owner leave in the distance, Su Yuanyuan turned around and looked at the two - story shop behind her, smiling happily.
The matter of the shop was settled. Next, all she had to do was renovate the shop, make all the jewelry to attract customers for the opening, and choose an auspicious day to open the business!
This was truly an exciting piece of good news!
Just as she was feeling happy, out of the corner of her eye, Su Yuanyuan saw a carriage stop outside Zhenxuan Lou. The next moment, she saw a group of people walk into Zhenxuan Lou in a cluster. Although it was just a fleeting glance, Su Yuanyuan still keenly caught the appearance of one of them.
It was Cang Xuan.