"What about your master's family? Don't you come to solve these problems when business is bad?" Xu Shichu asked knowingly. The people in Ningyuan Marquis's mansion were not good at doing business, so it was naturally impossible for them to revive the spice shop. After the original owner got married, she was still self-pitying and lived in her own world. She didn't even bother to take a look at the dowry shop. No wonder the shop was barely surviving.
"Oh, don't say anything. Our master doesn't care about this business at all. The last time he came to see this shop was a manager a year ago. After that, he never cared about it except to get the account book. Three months ago, he said that this shop was given as a dowry to the married aunt of the master's family, and that aunt didn't send anyone to take care of it..." sighed the middle-aged clerk.
Xu Shichu was also stunned after hearing his words. He didn't expect that the Ningyuan Marquis' Mansion was really a waste. This decent shop didn't want to revive and do business to make money, but only wanted to haggle in the mansion. No wonder it became so dilapidated.
"Boss, don't have any hope. That girl must not think highly of this shop and will close it sooner or later! You should find another way out as soon as possible. With your skills in identifying and imitating scents, are you afraid that you won't be able to find a job?" said the young clerk nonchalantly.
"You have skills? Then why have you wasted so long here?" Xu Shichu was a little surprised that the shopkeeper was willing to stay here.
The middle-aged shopkeeper smiled bitterly and said, “I fled from my hometown when I was a teenager and ended up here. It was the old shopkeeper in this shop who took me in and taught me the skills of identifying and imitating incense. I have been working in this shop ever since. I have spent most of my life in this shop. How can I bear to leave so easily
I refused to give up, and kept thinking that if I persisted a little longer, maybe the owner would start to value this shop again? Then I would have a place to use.
Alas, I also know that this may be my extravagant hope. If there is no income this month, I can't hold on. The whole family must eat..."
After hearing this, Xu Shichu felt a little sad and touched. This shopkeeper was a man who valued friendship and had some skills, so he could consider staying and continuing to be the shopkeeper.
So she stopped hiding her identity and said to the middle-aged shopkeeper with a smile: "Luckily I came today, otherwise I would have no employees in my shop. Shopkeeper, you don't have to look for other jobs."
The shopkeeper didn't understand what Xu Shichu said at first, but after a while, he widened his eyes in shock, his eye sockets suddenly turned red, and he was so excited that he was at a loss and spoke incoherently:
"No, no need to look for work... No, no... You, you are our new master? That's great, I've finally been waiting for this..."
"Yes, I plan to renovate the shop and reopen it after tidying it up. You, the shopkeeper, will have to keep an eye on these things. You won't be able to be so idle in the future." Xu Shichu said with a smile.
The shopkeeper was so excited that he kept saying, "It's good to be busy! It's good to be busy! I will definitely help you, Madam, to keep an eye on the things in the shop..."
"Okay, then you guys should first collect and organize the remaining spices in the store and empty the store. After that, I will draw the blueprints for the renovation and you can find someone to renovate the shop." Xu Shichu instructed.
The shopkeeper's expression suddenly became visibly lively, and his spirit was different now that he had hope.
As for the young man who was stunned by Xu Shichu's change of identity, Xu Shichu said calmly: "Since you have already decided to find another way out, I will not hinder your future."
It was still early when Xu Shichu came out of the spice shop, so he went to his own bookstore to take a look.
To her surprise, the bookstore looked much better than the spice shop. At least the location and traffic were normal, and there were some readers flipping through books inside.
However, Xu Shichu watched outside the door for a long time, but did not find any customers paying for books. It turned out that most of those readers who browsed the books were just taking the opportunity to read, not to buy books. As the shopkeeper and the clerk, he could not refuse these people.
There were no major problems with the bookstore, but there were plenty of small ones. However, Xu Shichu was not in a hurry to deal with the bookstore. After all, she was busy taking care of her health and decorating the spice shop, so she couldn't rush.
"Madam, it's almost the evening hour and it's getting late. Do you want to go back home?" asked Zhichun, Xu Shichu's new maid.
It was only five o'clock in the afternoon. Xu Shichu didn't want to go back so early. She suddenly had an idea and said, "Zhichun, which restaurant has the best and most popular food? Let's eat first and then go back."
She would be eating alone when she got home anyway, so she might as well dine in a restaurant and listen to the excitement.
Zhichun was a little surprised by her master's interest, but she quickly said dutifully: "The largest restaurant in our capital is Wankelou. It is said that it is full almost every day, and many dignitaries also like to entertain guests there."
Zhichun's previous master was a high-ranking official who committed a crime and was exiled. When she was sold out, she happened to meet Xu Shichu. Xu Shichu needed an experienced and capable maid, so Zhichun, who had been in a large family, was a good fit.
"Then let's go there." Xu Shichu said.
She only brought two maids and a coachman with her today. It wasn't a big deal and no one outside knew her, so she felt very comfortable.
Wankelou is worthy of being the largest restaurant in the capital. It is decorated in a luxurious and magnificent manner. The tables, chairs, and cups are all exquisite and beautiful. The guests who can enter here are either rich or noble, and their status is extraordinary at a glance.
"Brother Luo, the allusion of 'Qu Zhi Fei Hu' that you used in the college exam last time came from which book? I am so ignorant..." An elegant and deep male voice came into Xu Shichu's ears.
When Xu Shichu heard the voice, he looked over and saw four or five young students surrounding a handsome young man who was walking in from the restaurant entrance. The one who was speaking was a young man with a tall stature and gentle looks.
Xu Shichu just felt that the handsome young man looked a little familiar, but he couldn't remember who he was for a moment.
But soon someone cleared up her confusion. Zhichun whispered to her, "Madam, the young master is here too. Should we go over and say hello?"
It turned out to be his adopted son. Xu Shichu suddenly realized what was going on and said, "No need. He is having a dinner with his classmates. What are we going to do over there? There is no need to disturb him."
Zhichun stopped talking. During the days she had been at the Prime Minister's Mansion, she had come to a general understanding that the Madam did not interact much with the three masters of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and their relationship could even be described as unfamiliar.
Seeing her cheap stepson being wooed and surrounded by others, and looking so full of energy, Xu Shichu felt no ripples in her heart, and had no interest in pleasing him. She just wanted everyone to keep out of each other's way, so she went straight to the side room.
Xu Shichu had very sensitive ears, and the walls between the rooms were made of wood, so the sound insulation was not very good. So while waiting for the food to be served, she heard people next door talking about the young master of the Prime Minister's Mansion.