Abandoned Woman Busy Farming
Chapter 1518: Let’s Get Rich Together_1

Chapter 1518: Chapter 1518: Let’s Get Rich Together_1

But as she shifted her gaze, she saw Du Zhongshu staring at Zhou Shibin with a mix of surprise and anger, having lost his previous courteous demeanor, looking more like his old self now.

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but snicker; she had realized that the idea had originated from Du Zhongshu. But as for how it had come to be spoken by Zhou Shibin, that remained unknown. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or maybe Zhou Shibin had sneakily played Du Zhongshu.

This situation was, of course, just what Bai Ruozhu liked to see, her eyes slightly narrowed as she watched the two men, unsure of what would happen next.

Following that, Du Zhongshu suddenly looked towards Wang Chengen; his proposal had been shared only with Wang Chengen, so how could Zhou Shibin have preempted him?

Wang Chengen’s face was also full of shock, and he harbored some doubts about Du Zhongshu, but as he met Du Zhongshu’s questioning gaze, Wang Chengen calmed down again.

He might seem impulsive on the surface, but he was actually an old fox with schemes up his sleeve.

"What a coincidence, my disciple Du Zhongshu had the same proposal," he said with a beaming smile.

Many people began whispering quietly amongst themselves, leaving the president of the Commerce Association to say, "Let us all share our thoughts freely. Even if our ideas align, a discussion is still needed."

Zhou Shibin continued to maintain his scholarly composure as he presented his views on the loan policy. Du Zhongshu’s gaze grew colder as Zhou Shibin spoke, but soon Du Zhongshu regained his appearance as an amiable gentleman, as if nothing had happened.

Once Zhou Shibin finished speaking, Du Zhongshu rose unhurriedly and bowed to the crowd, offering a polite bow to Zhou Shibin as well.

"Du is but an amateur, I would like to express a few thoughts for everyone to humor," Du Zhongshu said with a modest smile as he continued.

"As for loans, there must be collateral. If the borrower cannot repay the debt within the specified time, a policy could be adopted where half of the business ownership goes to the Commerce Association, who will then dispatch someone experienced in business to assist. If by the second year the debt is still unpaid, only then would the collateral be seized. This approach offers leniency to those desiring to go into business, thereby greatly encouraging their confidence to engage in commerce."

"Furthermore, apart from collecting interest on loans, the Commerce Association could also invest by taking shares, though this requires the entrepreneur to have a business plan. The Commerce Association would assess whether their venture has the potential to be profitable before making considerations."

"..."

Du Zhongshu rapidly covered five main points, offering a much more detailed supplement to what Zhou Shibin had said. Instantly, everyone looked quite amazed, making it obvious who was original and who was not, and Wang Chengen wore an expression of triumph as if he had just won a cock fight.

Zhou Shibin’s expression remained composed as he refrained from speaking further, but Bai Ruozhu found it curious. Could it be that this was all Zhou Shibin was capable of? His fighting power seemed lacking.

Others continued with their proposals, and soon it was Bai Ruozhu’s turn. She covertly glanced at Du Zhongshu and sure enough, he was keeping a close eye on her.

She stood up and bowed to everyone, observing the formalities perfectly. Since her last proposal had been adopted and implemented successfully, this time all eyes were on her, everyone eager for her to come up with another great idea.

She was not the least bit nervous, and with ease and poise, she said, "I, lacking in talent, have an idea. I propose that the Commerce Association establish large-scale supermarkets in the big cities. The premises would be divided into sections: the first floor selling various types of food and groceries; the second floor for clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, medicinal materials, and so forth; the third floor for restaurants and tea houses. Then, the divided booths could be rented out to merchants, creating a major hub for trade and business."

"How is what you’re proposing any different from the Market? Is it really necessary to go to all that trouble?" Wang Chengen immediately threw cold water on the idea.

Bai Ruozhu smiled and replied, "If Elder Wang wants to buy a Hua Xiangrong bag, he might go to the East Market. Then, after buying it, if he wishes to buy some fabric, he’d have to cross two more streets. Later on, if he wants to buy some medicinal materials, he might need to go to a familiar Pharmacy in the West Market. And then he still has to return to the main street to dine at Welcome Guests. Doesn’t all that running around get tiring?"

"What’s there to be tired about when you’ve got a horse carriage?" Wang Chengen curled his lip disdainfully.

"What if there was one place where you could shop for all those things, and when you’re tired from shopping, you could go upstairs to eat and drink tea? Why wouldn’t anyone want that?" Bai Ruozhu continued with a smile: "Of course, the Supermarket would need to be adapted to different cities. For instance, in the Capital, the items for sale should be more upscale, and the Commerce Association can organize regular events to attract a lot of customers."

Lin Zhenghui, upon hearing this, applauded the idea, laughing as he said, "I have full confidence in my disciple. I don’t even ask what she’s thinking. This is the first time I’m hearing this, and I already find it brilliant. If a lady buys clothes there and the Shoe and Hat Shop is right next door, she will probably be tempted to buy more, right? And if the Commerce Association builds this large-scale Supermarket, just collecting rent every month would be a substantial income."

"This market could be located in a more remote area, even outside the City walls, it wouldn’t matter. As long as it gets a good reputation and hosts regular events, customers would still be willing to come," Bai Ruozhu added.

After all, the Commerce Association is not an official body. Too many policies aren’t suitable for it to launch. Instead, it’s more appropriate for them to lead merchants underneath them in conducting business.

Thinking it over carefully, someone curiously asked, "What sort of events would attract customers to go there?"

With a charming smile, Bai Ruozhu answered, "For example, during the Pot Orchid Festival, the Weaving Pavilion of Hua Xiangrong in the Supermarket could offer a ten percent discount, and the cosmetics could have a buy-three-get-one-free deal, and so on. Wouldn’t the ladies be tempted?"

Because the proposal was so innovative, many were struggling to wrap their heads around it. The Chief of the Association spoke up, "We still need to discuss this proposal further. Let’s put it aside for today and continue with our other business."

After bowing, Bai Ruozhu sat down. Lin Zhenghui quietly gave her a thumbs up, but her heart was somewhat uneasy. The ancient people’s capacity to accept new ideas wasn’t as good as she had thought, and it wasn’t certain whether this venture would succeed.

After a short half hour, the meeting finally concluded. Wang Chengen walked over to the pair, looking quite pleased with himself, and said, "Old Lin, don’t forget about our bet."

Lin Zhenghui snorted coldly, "The results aren’t out yet; you’re a bit too anxious. Besides, do you have any proposals?"

There was a slight dip in Du Zhongshu’s expression, but he quickly concealed it again. He had learned to control his emotions better, which truly could not be underestimated.

Once everyone had left, Lin Zhenghui consoled Bai Ruozhu, saying, "Don’t worry, your idea is the best in the master’s view. If it can make money, they won’t refuse to do it."

Bai Ruozhu also began to smile, "Not just make money but make lots of it. I didn’t finish earlier; if merchants are initially unwilling to rent a shop, we could offer it to them for free and have their sales revenue shared with the Commerce Association. Master, which do you think is more profitable?"

Lin Zhenghui laughed heartily, "Indeed, the buyer is not as shrewd as the seller. You are planning to include all the subordinate merchants in the Commerce Association’s calculations."

Bai Ruozhu chuckled, "It’s all about making money together."