Chapter 217: Big Order
She circled the shop once more, and Shang Wan went behind the counter to flip through the account book.
Lu Chengjing used Arabic Numerals and tables that Shang Wan had taught him for recording accounts. He was smart and learned quickly, so after Shang Wan taught him twice, he used them with ease and created several kinds of tables to make accounting convenient.
Shang Wan truly felt it was a pity he didn’t become an accountant.
Lu Chengjing poured a cup of sour plum drink and placed it by Shang Wan’s hand. Today’s sour plum drink was supplied for free to customers who made purchases at the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion.
Many people drank it and found the taste good. Even after walking out the shop door, they turned back and went to the medicine cabinet to get a package to take away.
“There are more people coming than we expected.”
Shang Wan nodded. “It’s all thanks to that nursery rhyme you wrote.”
More than half of the customers in the shop had come after hearing the nursery rhyme.
Lu Chengjing: “It was Niangzi’s idea that was good.”
The two were mutually praising each other’s business skills when Qiao Yu’an suddenly appeared from somewhere. “Great, A Le and I have been greeting customers over there, our throats are hoarse from talking, and you husband and wife are hiding here being idle.”
He handed the empty bamboo cup in his hand to Lu Chengjing to fill up.
Lu Chengjing picked up the porcelain teapot and poured him a full cup.
Qiao Yu’an took a big gulp and glanced sideways at Shang Wan. “How did you think of using glass for the cabinet?”
No shop in the city did that.
Shang Wan shrugged. “I just thought of it casually. Haven’t you thought of it?”
Qiao Yu’an: “…”
He really hadn’t thought of it.
“Shopkeeper Shang.” Steward Zhong walked through the crowd to the counter. “May I borrow a moment to speak?”
Shang Wan put away the account book and led him to the backyard.
At the blue door curtain leading to the backyard lay a big black dog. It bared its teeth at approaching customers, not allowing them to go to the backyard.
The adults were busy in front, and the children were all playing in the backyard.
Seeing Shang Wan leading someone in, Chu Xu held Yuan Yuan’s hand and waved his small hand at everyone. “Let’s go over there to play hide-and-seek. I’ll be the ghost.”
“Okay!” The children all followed, and this side of the low table instantly cleared.
Shang Wan invited Steward Zhong to sit. “I wonder what instruction Steward Zhong has?”
“I wouldn’t dare call it instruction.” Steward Zhong kept a straight face without expression, but his tone was very amiable. “The owner sent me to order a batch of all-purpose ointment and golden wound medicine.”
Shang Wan understood the implication and smiled. “Today’s half price is only for retail. If it were bulk wholesale, I wouldn’t need to keep the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion open.”
Steward Zhong, who indeed planned to take advantage: “…”
Sure enough, there was no one so foolish in the world.
Shang Wan asked: “How much do you want to order?”
Steward Zhong: “Three hundred boxes of all-purpose ointment, five hundred bottles of golden wound medicine.”
Shang Wan: “!!!”
A big order!
Shopkeeper Shang, receiving her first big order, was a bit excited. She tried to suppress her upturned lip corners and said: “All-purpose ointment comes in red, blue, and white types with different prices. Which kind do you want to order?”
Steward Zhong didn’t hesitate at all. “Red box.”
Ten taels per box, three hundred boxes would be three thousand taels. Even with some discount, there would still be two thousand taels, not counting the money from selling golden wound medicine.
Shang Wan secretly sighed that selling medicine was indeed exorbitant profit.
She asked: “When do you need delivery?”
“As soon as possible,” Steward Zhong said. “Best within three days.”
Shang Wan thought for a moment and politely declined. “Boss Zhong is willing to patronize my Spiritual Medicine Pavilion’s business, and I’m naturally grateful. But the quantity Boss Zhong needs is really too large.
I can barely scrape together the golden wound medicine, but all-purpose ointment has a complex production process and is time- and labor-intensive. In just three days, I really can’t make three hundred boxes.”
It seemed he hadn’t expected Shang Wan to turn away the silver delivered to her door. Steward Zhong looked at Shang Wan with unconcealed surprise.
Shang Wan lowered her eyelashes slightly. She had her own considerations.
Although the big order tempted her, she had to first consider if she could handle it.
The golden wound medicine was effective because the herbs from the spiritual field were potent, but all-purpose ointment was different. Its excellent efficacy relied almost entirely on the spiritual spring water inside.
Within three days, she could certainly make three hundred boxes of all-purpose ointment. With so many people in the village, if each made a portion, they could put it together.
But she had to consider the future.
There was no impenetrable wall in the world. Ointment with such outstanding effects produced in large quantities in a short time would definitely attract attention and covetousness.
With so much attention, something Shang Wan didn’t want to happen might occur.
If she took this big order from Boss Zhong, it could very likely turn into a poisoned pastry that backfires on her.
One must eat rice one bite at a time, and earn money step by step. She needed to accumulate some capital first, lest she fail to eat the pastry and instead break a tooth.
Steward Zhong stood up and bowed to Shang Wan. “The owner urgently needs this batch of medicine. Please, Shopkeeper Shang, for the sake of past affection, think of a way.”
Affection? Affection for beating people?
Shang Wan chuckled inwardly. Why wasn’t he urgent before? Now that her Spiritual Medicine Pavilion had just opened, Zhong Li was urgent. Who was he fooling?
Besides, although all-purpose ointment was good, there were thousands of good medicines in the world. She didn’t believe someone of Zhong Li’s status couldn’t obtain medicine with similar effects.
“This… three days is really too short. Even if you knelt down to me, I couldn’t produce that much medicine.”
Shang Wan sidestepped to avoid the bow, her face showing difficulty. “If I may be bold to ask, is Boss Zhong buying so much all-purpose ointment and golden wound medicine to resell or for some other use?”
Steward Zhong kept a blank face and silently stared at Shang Wan, clearly not convenient to answer this question.
He only said: “Please help out, Shopkeeper Shang. The price is negotiable.”
“I’m open for business. If I could do it, how could I push the deal away?” Shang Wan sighed faintly and picked up the small teapot on the table to pour a cup of tea for Steward Zhong.
Steward Zhong knew Shang Wan had more to say, so he held the tea cup and waited for her to continue.
Shang Wan said: “Including the stock in the storeroom, within three days, I can prepare at most one hundred boxes of all-purpose ointment and three hundred bottles of golden wound medicine. If that’s acceptable, let’s talk price. If not, I’m helpless.”
With so much less all-purpose ointment and golden wound medicine, Steward Zhong didn’t dare decide on his own and said to Shang Wan: “I must go back and consult the owner first.”
“Of course.” Shang Wan gestured toward the doorway with her hand.
Steward Zhong didn’t say more, cupped his hands to Shang Wan, and took his leave, his steps very hurried.
As soon as he left, Chu Xu, the little clever one, came over and quietly asked Shang Wan: “Aunt Shang, it’s so lively in front. Can we go play in front?”
“Not now.” Shang Wan reached out and rubbed his little head. “Wait another hour. Once the customers in front thin out, you can come out.”
“Okay.” Chu Xu wrinkled his nose and went back to being his ‘ghost.’
But Yuan Yuan stood without leaving. She climbed onto Shang Wan’s lap with hands and feet, hugged her neck and rubbed affectionately, softly calling: “Mother.”
“What’s wrong?” Shang Wan held the little baby girl and rubbed her, silently sighing that the little dumpling felt so good.
Yuan Yuan didn’t say what was wrong. She just rubbed against Shang Wan, her little mouth pouted, looking a bit unhappy.
Because of preparing for the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion’s opening, Shang Wan had been spinning like a top and hadn’t properly accompanied her daughter for several days in a row, so Yuan Yuan had been very clingy to her lately whenever she saw her.
Shang Wan gently patted the little baby girl’s back and said softly: “In a few more days it will be Mid-Autumn Festival. Then Mother will take you to release river lanterns, okay?”
