Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 25 The boss shows off his power
Tan Huaike didn't expect his face to be so dirty. Fortunately, Shentu Zhuo reminded him, otherwise it would be too embarrassing to go out like this, and he would be gossiped about by people in the mansion.

She and Pei'er went out to eat some Hu pancakes with mutton soup, and then went to look for the woodcutter that Ah Hui mentioned.

Ringing Bell Street was the most prosperous section of the city, consisting of several crisscrossing streets and alleys. It was well connected and housed many famous businesses, taverns, restaurants, shops, and pawnshops. The woodcutter, wanting to start a firewood business, should be in an area with many restaurants. However, Tan Huaike didn't rush to that street. Instead, he went to check out his own shop first.

Her dowry included two shops, both of which had been losing money year after year, and Tan Li was eager to sell them. According to her uncle Shen Tuji, one was a medicine shop that was running out of medicinal materials, and the other was a cloth shop that was about to close. Tan Huaike had never been able to personally see what was happening with these two shops before, but today was a good opportunity.

When he arrived at the herbal medicine shop, Tan Huaike found that the shopkeeper was not there and there was no doctor on duty. There was only a young apprentice in charge of dispensing medicine who was dozing off in front of the medicine cabinet.

Tan Huaike revealed his identity and asked the apprentice, "Where is the shopkeeper?"

The apprentice knew that his boss had been replaced by a widow. This was the first time he saw her. He found her to be just a young lady with a fresh face. He did not take her seriously at all and replied vaguely, "Boss, of course I am going to buy herbs."

"Where did you go shopping? When did you go? When did you come back?"

"How would I know this?"

"Is there no doctor in the shop?" Tan Huaike walked around and noticed that there was a layer of dust on the desk.

"We used to have some, but as you can see, business isn't good here. Those who come to get medicine are either just following the old prescriptions or looking for a last-minute replacement. We're just hiring doctors for show, so why waste the time and money?"

"Okay, okay." Tan Huaike was so angry that he laughed, "If there are not many people coming to get medicine, then we won't invite doctors to see patients. It would be strange if this business can be successful!

"I'm not an expert on medicine, but I know patients' conditions change constantly. Even when I'm writing prescriptions for regular customers, I need to ask about their current condition and see if there's anything I need to add or subtract. And when new customers come in to buy supplements, I can ask about their condition, show them my concern, and even offer a discount to encourage them to come back here for their medicine. But now, I've neglected everything."

She lifted the railing and went to the medicine cabinet to check the various herbs one by one.

The apprentice tried to stop him, but Pei'er opened his hand and pulled him aside.

Pei'er had received Tan Huaike's instructions earlier. If a conflict arose, she didn't need to be polite to the shop assistants. She immediately shouted, "How dare you lay hands on our lady!"

The apprentice was shocked by the unexpected ferocity of the master and servant.
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Tan Huaike opened the cabinets containing dozens of medicinal herbs in succession, occasionally picking out some to sniff. His expression grew worse as he looked, and he questioned, "You said the shopkeeper went out to buy herbs. How much did he have to buy to restock the cabinets? We still have a decent stock of valuable herbs like Ganoderma lucidum, ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and Cordyceps sinensis, but why are the cabinets containing commonly used herbs like Atractylodes macrocephala, Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica sinensis, and Bupleurum chinense all empty? We have quite a bit of licorice and hawthorn leaves, but they smell strange. They must be old herbs!"

The apprentice retorted aggrievedly, "Those common herbs are available in every pharmacy. I don't know how they find the means to buy them, but their purchasing costs are lower than ours. Even if we bought them, we wouldn't be able to sell them. The shopkeeper said we should just save the money and stock up on rare and precious herbs. We can have what other shops don't have, so those who need them won't care about the price. If it weren't for this, our pharmacy would have collapsed long ago..."

Tan Huaike suppressed his anger and argued with the apprentice, "It's true that things are valuable because they are rare. But treating illnesses and prescribing medicine is the most common thing. No matter how rich or poor, people should take the medicine that suits their illness. How can you only do business with the powerful? No matter how generous the rich are, they can only use precious herbs. Ordinary people also use ordinary herbs. Doing business like this is like picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons!"

"If other shops have lower purchasing costs, we should look for the reasons and investigate who their suppliers are and why they can offer such low prices. If the products are of good quality and low prices, then we should also go to them to purchase. If they are passing off inferior products as good ones, then we have a reason to charge higher prices and can also suppress other shops. How can we just sit there and wait for death?"
"Never mind. There's no point in telling you. The shopkeeper must know all this, he just doesn't want to do it. The previous owner just thought the shop was a burden and couldn't wait to get rid of it. He didn't care if you lived or died. Even if the shopkeeper wanted to change, I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. It's better to keep it going like this."

The apprentice didn't dare say a word. The boss's wife knew everything, and he felt like he was being seen through. Tan Huaike said nothing more, only saying, "Show me the account books for the past three years."

The apprentice looked embarrassed and said, "Boss, the account books have been locked up by the shopkeeper. I don't have the key and can't get them out. How about you wait for the shopkeeper to come back and then check the accounts?"

"Where is the lock?"

"In the inner room of the counting-house. The door is locked..."

Tan Huaike nodded, went out to find a big stone, walked into the accounting office, and banged on the inner door several times, breaking the copper lock.

The apprentice had never seen such a decisive boss and was stunned.

The wooden slips of account books filled several shelves, and it was impossible for the two of them to move them alone. Tan Huaike looked at the marks on the slips and picked out six volumes from different years to take away.

She said to the frightened apprentice, "I'll take care of anything that happens. When the shopkeeper comes back, tell him. I've taken a few rolls of account books home to look at, and I'll come back here later to look at the rest. If there's anything that doesn't add up, I'll come and ask him in person, and then we'll discuss how to run the shop."

The apprentice said he understood and sent them out respectfully.

Then he hurriedly closed the shop and went to the shopkeeper to report: The new owner has become powerful, and we can no longer fool people!
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Next, Tan Huaike went to Zhiyun Cloth Workshop.

That area was more prosperous, with many shops with large frontages and many makeshift stalls, which made the streets and alleys smaller. Pei'er followed with six volumes of account books in his arms, and he couldn't avoid being bumped by passers-by.

Tan Huaike wanted to help carry a few scrolls himself, but Pei'er refused: "Madam, you are someone who is capable of great things and needs to be respected as a boss. Just leave these small things to me."

After witnessing the majesty of the lady when she inspected the shop, Pei'er was even more convinced of her master.

Tan Huaike smiled and said, "Then you have to bear with it for a while. If you forget to bring your bag when you go out, go to the cloth shop and get a piece of your own cloth to wrap it up and tie it up. It will be convenient for you to carry it."

As they were talking, they were almost at the cloth shop. Tan Huaike looked around and couldn't help frowning.

Why does this street look so strange?
　Next chapter: Take advantage of weapons.

　　【Double update in progress, scroll back.】

　　
　
(End of this chapter)