"This is?"
Xu Jie looked curious.
Gu Chi smiled and invited him to come in and take a look...
While introducing: "This is the shop opened by Zhisuo."
"The shop opened by Zhisuo? Was it Mr. Shen's idea?"
"yes."
"That's a strange thing."
Xu Jie didn't expect that the young Mr. Shen also understood business affairs. You know, no matter in the past or now, local policies are mostly based on suppressing business. Merchants do not engage in production but control a lot of money, and have always been feared by those in power.
Small merchants were fine, doing small business to support their families, but the big merchants all had the shadow of aristocratic families behind them. They usually had a group of private soldiers, and when they went out for business, they would line up in a procession with a large number of carriages and horses.
Otherwise, how can we protect the safety of valuable goods
The bigger the merchant, the stronger the private armed forces he has, which in itself is a destabilizing factor that people are wary of.
Therefore, it has always been necessary to restrict the status of merchants and set high city taxes, which is also conducive to the stability of people's livelihood under the rule.
Merchants were not considered to be in the mainstream and had the lowest status. Even the Xu family behind Xu Jie rarely got involved in business themselves, leaving it all to servants, relatives or distant relatives. It was rare for a county governor to do business personally.
It's actually quite embarrassing to say it out loud.
However, as the head of the Xu family, Xu Jie naturally wouldn't think so. The Xu family couldn't have been what it is today without the various basic industries in the family. Without these, how would the children of the family eat, wear and chew? No matter how tall a person is, his legs still have to step on the ground.
He followed Gu Chi into the "Fugu Department Store" chatting and laughing, and a small bamboo basket was stuffed into his hand as soon as he entered.
"This is?"
Gu Chi said: "It's a bamboo basket."
Of course Xu Jie knew that this was a bamboo basket.
I even know that there is a bamboo forest near Fugu.
But what's the point of handing him a bamboo basket
Gu Chi also asked the "shopping guide" for a bamboo basket and put it on his forearm: "My lord calls it a 'shopping basket', which is used to carry the goods in the sundry shop. Note, if you want something on the shelf, just call someone over, open it and take it down for you."
After a period of development, the variety of goods in the department store increased, unlike the few shabby items at the beginning. The shelves were also rebuilt and added with small bamboo doors.
When customers want to buy something, they ask the "shopping guide" to open the door and take it down.
This is also done for safety reasons.
Shen Tang was not reluctant to use the worst side to speculate on human nature. Fugu was a poor place after all, and poor mountains and bad waters produced unruly people. Open shelves were prone to frequent theft. It was unrealistic to send someone to watch every customer, so he simply put a door on the shelf.
Customers come into the store, select the goods, and then have someone pick them up.
Of course, some of the more expensive goods are not placed on the shelves. There is only a sample, which you have to pick up from the warehouse.
Then just go to the checkout counter.
Xu Jie listened intently and murmured, "Can it be like this
The area of department stores is much larger than before.
Two people can easily stand between the shelves.
Xu Jie also noticed that there were bamboo strips hanging under the goods on the shelves.
This kind of bamboo slip is usually used to mark prices, he also knew, but what was new was that there were no familiar words on the bamboo slip, but some strange patterns. He asked: "What is this?"
Gu Chi said, "Price. Mr. Shen felt that it was difficult for common people to understand complex numbers, so he took a few simpler patterns to replace the different numbers. The first line of the sign outside the store has numbers from zero to nine. It is easy for common people to remember. Just remember the number corresponding to each pattern. When entering the store, they no longer need to ask the price frequently. They can just look at the price sign directly."
Xu Jie listened carefully and took notes seriously.
"I see. It's really novel." The letters and numbers are simple, but it's still hard for common people to remember.
Under normal circumstances, a shop as big as Fugu Department Store would require a lot of people to run it, but since customers can check the prices and choose the goods themselves, it has invisibly reduced the shop's costs and made management more convenient.
In Xu Jie's opinion, these are all "business secrets", but Gu Chi has no intention of hiding them. He is surprisingly frank and straightforward. Not only does he show them to him generously, but he also explains them to him in detail. His hospitality is so warm and hospitable that Xu Jie is flattered. It even makes Xu Jie a little suspicious - this frail young man in front of him, is he really... a scholar
This style of painting is not right.
Xu Jie couldn't bear to lose face as he didn't buy anything when he came in to shop, so he bought some expensive things as a token of his respect.
From the perspective of the head of the Xu family, the goods in the store are not high-end. But on second thought, it is understandable. After all, it is a shop for the common people. If the goods are too good, people cannot afford them.
Accompanied by Gu Chi, Xu Jie looked at every shelf and actually discovered some interesting patterns.
For example, goods will be classified according to how they are used, which can greatly save time in the store and the time spent searching for goods, and the purpose will be clearer; for example, more frequently used goods will be placed where they can be easily reached, and items that are not used too frequently will be placed too high or too low...
Xu Jie figured all this out.
He said: "Mr. Shen's move is not for profit."
Gu Chi asked what he meant.
Xu Jie smiled and pointed at the shelves around him: "If you are a merchant, you must try to make customers stay longer in the store. The more they stay, the more they buy. Then put the expensive and profitable items in the most convenient position... But looking at the layout of the store, it is completely contrary to this. Therefore, Mr. Shen is not interested in profit."
Gu Chi: “…”
Good job!!!
As expected of the eldest son of the Xu family in Tianhai, this guy is really a profiteer! He has been thinking about this for only a short while since entering the store!!!
Oh, and now he’s the head of the family.
He is worthy of being the man who can become the head of the family!
Gu Chi adjusted his micro-expressions to avoid giving away the truth.
At this time Xu Jie also called the "shopping guide" and asked for a few jars of wine.
The "shopping guide" was a burly man.
He was a bandit before.
Later, he was recruited by Shen Tang. Because he was sensitive to numbers, had good arithmetic skills, and looked friendly, he was transferred here to work. He glanced at Gu Chi and said with difficulty: "This is limited to a daily supply, in exchange for 'wine bars'..."
Xu Jie was stunned for a moment.
What is "limited supply"
What is "exchange for wine bars"
Another strange and new word.
Just ask Gu Chi these questions, and Gu Chi indicated with his eyes that he would explain in detail later, and turned to the "shopping guide" and said: "Wen Zhu is Mr. Shen's distinguished guest, different from others. You can just go and get it, and if anyone asks, just say it was my idea."
"But this is against the rules..."
The shopping guide is becoming more and more embarrassed.
Xu Jie was just wondering what this meant when he heard a strong male voice in his ear, with a hint of inexplicable ridicule: "I don't think it's a big deal. Rules are rules. How can they be ignored just because of you, Gu Wangchao?"
Xu Jie looked in the direction of the sound and his eyes lit up.
There is no other reason, this person looks extraordinary at first glance.
Gu Chi smiled bitterly: "Mr. Yang."
He turned sideways to reveal Xu Jie behind him.
Captain Yang only took a quick glance and knew that this was a "distinguished guest". He exuded a "distinguished" air, and gave up the idea of watching the lively scene at the pond. He waved to the "shopping guide" and ordered, "Go to the back and get my jars, quickly."
After that, he said to Gu Chi, "You pay for the wine."
Gu Chi laughed: "Okay, okay, I won't break the rules."
After a while, several jars of wine were brought out.
At the counter, Captain Yang asked Xu Jie to check every item for any problems, and then said to Gu Chi, "Check out."
Only then did Xu Jie see the so-called "wine bar".
Just ordinary wood chips.
It looks like something like a deed.
Xu Jie asked in confusion: "Can't we pay with silver?"
What's the trick here
Captain Yang recorded the account and said, "Others are fine, but the daily supply limit is not allowed. It must be settled with the 'Wine Ticket' deed. In the future, when the common people are a little more affluent, perhaps this restriction will be removed."
Xu Jie nodded. When you come to someone else's territory, you should abide by their rules. He didn't insist on making exceptions. He just converted the money into silver according to the normal price and gave it to Gu Chi. After all, he was the one who had to pay the "Shuxiu", so how could he let Gu Chi pay
He just didn't expect that there would be such good wine in this remote place - he just checked the goods and the clear aroma of wine was overwhelming. Based on his experience, this is definitely a wine of high quality.
No wonder there is a “limited supply”.
Maybe it's because the supply is scarce
After asking, Xu Jie realized that this was not the case.
There was a lot of wine. A lot of it.
Gu Chi began his performance of making up stories with his eyes open - Shen Jun's ancestors were in the wine business, and they had passed down many wine-making recipes, which could allow them to brew the highest quality wine with the least loss.
We guarantee that every jar is of similar quality!
Most importantly—
Gu Chi paused deliberately to keep the audience in suspense.
After Xu Jie looked at him with curiosity and thirst for knowledge, he continued to make up a story. The ancestral wine-making recipes in Shen Jun's hands were all inspired by the words, improved, and refined by generations of people.
Therefore, these wines have more magical uses than ordinary wines, and are quite beneficial to scholars with literary talent and warriors with martial spirit.
When Xu Jie heard this, he was surprised and asked hurriedly.
"Can you take this seriously?"
"Of course it's true! My lord regards Lord Wu as his elder brother, how could he hide such a small matter?" Gu Chi seemed to be offended, with an expression that said, "How can you doubt the pure brotherhood between the two lords? Are they really brothers and sisters if they can't even keep such a little secret?" His true feelings were so real that even Xu Jie was stunned.
My heart couldn't help but beat fast.
Their relationship is so good
Or—
Was it that when young, Shen Jun took his master's casual friendship seriously, so he did not hide anything and treated him sincerely? With this guess in mind, Xu Jie felt a little panic, as if a shameless liar had deceived an innocent child.
However, Xu Jie is not so easy to appease.
Whether it is true or not, you can find out when you go back and check.
If this wine is really that precious and rare, there is no reason to put it on the shelves of a grocery store. Ordinary people can also exchange it with "wine notes". Xu Jie also saw notes of other different categories.
However, there is no need to tell lies that can be easily exposed.
Xu Jie had to test it out.
What are you testing
Test this "touching brotherhood"!
He just didn't believe that anyone would take a casual fling seriously.
Xu Jie pretended to be curious about those "tips".
Gu Chi said: "The notes mentioned those deeds? It's because although the lord has food and the property confiscated by the local tyrants in Fugu, he doesn't have enough copper coins. However, privately minting coins is illegal! Common people mostly use copper coins for transactions. In desperation, he exchanged the money and food in his hands for these deeds, which temporarily replaced copper coins, to at least get through this period..."
What he said was logical and coherent.
At least it makes perfect sense logically.
"Tiaozi" represents copper coins.
Represents the money in Shen Tang's hands.
But she didn't reveal the real purpose of the "tips"! She didn't even say that Shen Tang used these "tips" to recycle limited resources. These "tips" can be used as money! And under the premise of not collapsing, she can get as much as she wants.
Gu Chi warmly entertained Xu Jie.
Take him to visit every corner of Fu Gu.
Xu Jie saw Fu Gu's poverty, but also her radiant vitality and potential life. After a heart-to-heart talk, Xu Jie's defensiveness seemed like a mean person.
Two hours had passed after the tour and explanation.
Gu Chi looked at the sky and smiled: "At this time, Dayi should be back from outside the city. I heard from the lord that Wenzhu and Dayi are close friends and have a close personal relationship?"
Xu Jie's mouth twitched slightly: "..."
I wonder if there is something wrong with Shen Tang's subordinates.
A little politeness can make a lot of exaggeration.
One point of friendship can be regarded as twelve points of sincerity.
He had some personal relationship with Zhao Feng, but the two families were just on normal terms. Xu Jie also had a good relationship with the other five brave generals under Wu Xian. After all, there was no benefit in offending these powerful generals.
If you can make friends, make friends. If you can’t, don’t offend.
－－－－－－－Off-topic－－－－－－－