An accident at the Freight Station has serious implications.
Qin Xuehua was ultimately worried about leaving Zhang Heng to handle the matter alone, so she took Zhang Wanning and Jiang Luohan with her.
Little did they know, their journey was destined to be in vain.
Because when Zhang Yu was in charge of the Freight Station, all the procurement channels were owned by Li Dagang.
At that time, in order to fulfill his role Simp, Zhang Yu had to generate massive wealth for the Marquis Estate to squander.
He couldn't just hand over the money, or he'd arouse suspicion.
So they used the Freight Station as a middleman to make it seem like the Freight Station was the one making the profit.
At this point, Zhang Yu had already turned against the Marquis Estate, so Li Dagang naturally wouldn't be a sucker anymore, and the Marquis Estate would definitely not be able to find another sucker.
Meanwhile, the Marquis Estate deliberately bypassed the several Merchant Guild controlled by Li Dagang and arrived at the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, a well-known shop in the south of the city that specialized in wild medicinal herbs from the north.
Upon entering, Zhang Heng immediately revealed his identity, his tone carrying his usual condescending air:
Where is the shopkeeper?
Zhang Heng, the Heir Apparent of the Marquis Yong'an's Estate, has come to discuss a large-scale purchase.
The shopkeeper, a lean middle-aged man surnamed Hu, immediately came out from behind the counter upon hearing the noise.
His face beamed with enthusiasm. "Oh my, it's a distinguished guest from the Marquis of Marquis Yong'an's Estate! My apologies for not recognizing you sooner."
Shopkeeper Hu's attitude pleased Zhang Heng greatly. He glanced at his mother and sister, his eyes saying, "See? I told you so."
Qin Xuehua's tense expression eased slightly, Zhang Wanning breathed a sigh of relief, and Jiang Luohan also cooperated by showing a hint of anticipation.
After the guests and hosts were seated, Shopkeeper Hu personally poured tea, his attentiveness bordering on obsequiousness.
"Heir Apparent Master, Madam, and Miss, what brings you here?"
But the Marquis Estate's Freight Station needs to import a batch of medicinal herbs from the north?
The reputation of Marquis Estate Freight Station is well-known throughout the northern trade routes; it's a golden brand with an astonishing throughput!
"If we have the opportunity to cooperate with the Marquis Estate, it would be an immense blessing for our small shop."
That's true. The Marquis Yong'an's Estate's Freight Station is indeed renowned, and this manager has the ambition to become a supplier to the Marquis Estate.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Heng's gloom caused by the supplier's previous betrayal vanished, and his sense of superiority returned to its peak.
He took a sip of tea and said slowly and deliberately:
Shopkeeper Hu is a sensible man.
Indeed, our Marquis Estate Freight Station has extensive distribution channels, large sales volume, and an excellent reputation.
As long as the price is right and the quality is excellent, it wouldn't be a bad thing if we became your 'Hundred Herbs Pavilion's' biggest customer in the future.
"Yes, yes, yes, what the Heir Apparent master says is absolutely right."
Shopkeeper Hu nodded repeatedly, his back almost bent under the table. "Being able to board the Marquis Estate's ship is fortuitous opportunity my shop has longed for. As for the price, I will definitely give the Marquis Estate the most favorable price."
Seeing his tactful manner, Qin Xuehua also spoke gently, "Manager Shopkeeper Hu, you're too kind. My Marquis Estate has always treated its merchants well. As long as we act with integrity, we will surely reap long-term benefits."
"Your words of wisdom are invaluable, and I will remember them well."
Shopkeeper Hu patted his chest and guaranteed, then gestured to his assistant to bring the price list:
"Heir Apparent Master, Madam, Miss, please see, these are the current market prices for various medicinal herbs in our shop."
Since this is our first collaboration with the Marquis Estate, I am willing to offer an additional 50% discount as a token of my sincerity.
Zhang Heng took the booklet and opened it with a smug look on his face.
Zhang Wanning and Jiang Luohan also leaned closer to take a look.
However, after reading only the first few lines, Zhang Heng's smile froze.
He suddenly looked up at Shopkeeper Hu, his voice rising abruptly. "Shopkeeper Hu, what do you mean by this?"
Qin Xuehua and the others were puzzled. Zhang Wanning took the booklet and looked at it carefully, her face turning pale instantly.
The price offered by the Hundred Herbs Pavilion was almost the same as, or even slightly higher than, the prices quoted by the other suppliers who had colluded to raise their prices.
They didn't know that this was the true market price.
The purchase price recorded in the Zhang Family Freight Station's ledger was already lower than the cost price of goods on the market, which they could not find.
Nobody does business at a loss.
"Are you taking advantage of me because I don't know anything about market prices? Your price is almost double our usual Freight Station price."
Zhang Heng slammed the booklet shut and glared at Shopkeeper Hu.
Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Hu's fawning smile froze instantly, replaced by a strange expression of disbelief.
His lips moved, but he resisted the urge to roll his eyes, as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back.
For the first time, his gaze towards Zhang Heng and the others revealed an undisguised look of astonishment, as if they were idiots.
He subconsciously turned his head to look outside the door, then at Zhang Heng, as if he doubted that he had misheard.
"It's double your usual purchase price?"
Shopkeeper Hu repeated himself, his respectful tone almost failing him, "Heir Apparent Master, this 'usual purchase price' you mentioned... when, where, and from whom were these purchases made?"
Without waiting for Zhang Heng's reply or caring about being impolite, he picked up the price list from the table.
He turned to a page, then pointed hard at the numbers with his finger, almost gritting his teeth, and whispered, word by word:
"A 100-year-old northern snow ginseng, even if purchased directly from the farmers in the producing area, after deducting losses and selection fees, will still cost at least this much in the market."
He pointed to a number forcefully.
"The costs of escorting goods from the north to the Capital City, the bribes at checkpoints, storage losses, and the wages of the workers... all these factors add up to at least this much more."
He then selected an even higher number.
"My Hundred Herbs Pavilion shop is a business, I have to pay taxes, support a large family, and bear the risk of unsold inventory. I have to make a profit, right?"
The price I quoted you was already a barely profitable "entry-level price," thanks to the Marquis Estate's name.
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his face flushing slightly, and his tone carrying a hint of a businessman's bluntness and sarcasm:
"Heir Apparent Master, the purchase price you mentioned, which is half the price of my 'sincere price'... Forgive my ignorance, but in my thirty years as a shopkeeper in this business, I've never even heard of it, let alone seen it."
He took a deep breath, barely suppressing his anger, but the meaning of his words was crystal clear:
"Or perhaps your Freight Station previously encountered a bodhisattva reincarnated, a living Immortal specializes in doing charity by selling goods at a loss;"
Or...
He paused, then gave Qin Xuehua a meaningful look.
"... The figures in that ledger are not the market prices."
I dare not presume to speculate on the intricacies of this matter.
"If you don't believe me, you can take this booklet to any pharmacy or warehouse in the Capital City and ask."
Shopkeeper Hu straightened his back, the enthusiasm on his face completely vanished, leaving only a distant calm:
"See if there's a supplier that can provide you with goods at the 'usual purchase price' you mentioned."
If that's really the case, forget half price, even if you cut it down another 30% from my price, I'll immediately close down and eat up the 'Hundred Herbs Pavilion' signboard.
Having said that much, it's tantamount to a formal invitation to leave.
Zhang Heng was stunned by the barrage of barbed and undeniably factual words. His face flushed red and then turned pale, and he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
Even though he knew nothing about business, he understood.
The price quoted by Shopkeeper Hu is the absolute lowest price a normal businessperson could possibly offer.
The ridiculously low purchase prices recorded in his Marquis Estate's Freight Station ledger simply do not exist in the normal business world.
Qin Xuehua's face had turned from ashen to deathly pale.
She wasn't Zhang Heng; she understood the unspoken meaning behind Shopkeeper Hu.
It's not that others are raising prices; it's that the Marquis Estate has been enjoying an abnormally low price for a long time.
Where does this low price come from?
The answer is almost obvious.
Jiang Luohan lowered her eyes, her heart feeling icy cold.
As expected... Zhang Yu.
Only he could have so quietly and unobtrusively supported the Marquis Estate's enormous expenses in such an incredible way.
Now, the Marquis Estate has personally severed this pillar.
Zhang Wanning was at a loss. Looking at her mother's pale face and her Brother's embarrassed expression, and then at Shopkeeper Hu's cold and distant manner, she felt dizzy.
Shopkeeper Hu stopped looking at them, turned to the shop assistant and said indifferently, "Our distinguished guest is leaving. See him off."
The intention to dismiss them was obvious.