Fine, Sixty Percent It Is

Zeng Anmin's brows lifted slightly as he gently stroked his chin.

Clearly, Nan's identity had all but been laid bare before him.

Princess Wencheng of the Jiang Kingdom?

He had never expected Nan to be a girl!

Interesting.

"Young Master Zeng?"

Shen Jun called out cautiously, his voice extremely soft, pulling Zeng Anmin back from his daze.

"Mm." Zeng Anmin came back to himself and looked seriously at Shen Jun. He casually adjusted his robes, picked up his chopsticks and took a bite, then said as he ate,

"This cooperation is actually between Jin Taiping and me in my personal capacity."

"I understand."

Shen Jun nodded earnestly, then spoke with considerable respect.

"I am willing to offer thirty percent of Jin Taiping's profits to cooperate with Young Master Zeng."

?

Zeng Anmin's hand paused slightly as he reached for food. He looked at Shen Jun.

There was frankness in Shen Jun's gaze.

"You misunderstood."

Zeng Anmin could tell that Shen Jun had gotten the wrong idea.

With a solemn expression, he said,

"I did not come for Jin Taiping. This cooperation is solely because I was drawn to the character of my worthy younger brother."

"Brother Shen endured three months of torture in prison. After solving the case, you were even willing to take punishment in your uncle's stead. When faced with Xu Yunfeng's slander, you dared to step forward and argue with him."

"Such unyielding resolve, deep parental affection, and fearlessness before power have made me view you in a new light. I sincerely wish to be friends with you, which is why I chose you."

When it came to winning people's hearts, even Zeng Shilin, that veteran of officialdom, might not have been Zeng Anmin's match.

With every sentence Zeng Anmin spoke, Shen Jun's face reddened another shade.

For a moment, he stared blankly at Zeng Anmin, a thousand words in his heart with no idea how to voice them.

As a merchant's son, he had naturally felt inferior before Zeng Anmin.

Thus, he had never once considered becoming friends with Zeng Anmin. He had only thought that being able to serve as Young Master Zeng's follower, at his beck and call, would already be heaven's generous blessing.

Who could have expected that Young Master Zeng would actually...

"Brother Zeng..."

Shen Jun felt as though something were lodged in his throat, leaving him unable to speak.

"My courtesy name is Quanfu. From now on, just call me Brother Quanfu."

Zeng Anmin smiled as he picked up some food from his bowl. After taking a sip of tea, he drew a porcelain bottle from his robes.

"Brother Quanfu."

Shen Jun did not speak much, but his fists clenched tightly. There was less fear in his gaze toward Zeng Anmin, replaced by a measure of genuine emotion.

Well then, young people really were easily bewitched by a few honeyed words.

A faint smile appeared on Zeng Anmin's face. Then he took another porcelain bottle from his robes and set it on the table.

"This is the medium through which I came to cooperate with you."

"Oh?" Shen Jun looked at the porcelain bottle, profound confusion flickering between his brows.

"What is this?"

"Good question." Zeng Anmin's lips curled slightly upward.

He carefully picked up the porcelain bottle. After removing its stopper, he pointed at the steaming bowl of fresh soup on the table and said to Shen Jun,

"Have a sip first."

Shen Jun did not understand why, but he still did as he was told. He took up a ladle, filled a bowl, and drank a mouthful.

"How does it taste?"

"Wangxian Tower's soup has always tasted like this." Shen Jun looked over in confusion.

Zeng Anmin gave a mysterious smile.

Then he lightly shook the porcelain bottle over the soup bowl, pouring a small amount of granules into the hot soup.

The granules dissolved the instant they touched water. Zeng Anmin even used his chopsticks to stir the soup.

"Now that I've added my seasoning, try it again."

Although Shen Jun did not know what those granules were,

given Young Master Zeng's words, even if it were poison, he would accept it.

He carefully picked up the ladle and switched to a fresh bowl.

To show his sincerity, he deliberately filled it to the brim. Before Zeng Anmin's astonished eyes, he tipped back his head and drained every drop of soup in one go.

"No, wait..."

Zeng Anmin was speechless. Were you drinking soup or medicine? What was with that expression??

Hm?!!

After finishing the soup, Shen Jun was about to speak when he abruptly noticed the rich, savory fragrance flooding his mouth.

His eyes immediately widened.

"This..."

He suddenly looked toward the bowl of soup, then as if recalling something, sharply turned to the porcelain bottle in Zeng Anmin's hand.

"Th-this-this... What kind of seasoning is this?? How can it be this delicious?!!"

Shen Jun was incoherent for a moment.

Born into a wealthy household, Shen Jun had never lacked fine food since childhood.

But he swore that this was the first time he had ever encountered such supreme seasoning. Just a little of it could directly transform...

Seeing his expression, Zeng Anmin knew this was in the bag.

The impact Chicken Essence would have on people of the feudal era would be epoch-making!!

Though when he read novels in his previous life, this Chicken Essence plot had already been written to death by those flop authors,

there was no denying that once one truly transmigrated, Chicken Essence would absolutely bring staggering profits in a feudal era!

It was also the safest way for transmigrators to rise to wealth and prosperity.

Those of low status could open restaurants.

Those of high status could sell seasonings directly.

Zeng Anmin's lips curved faintly as he resealed the porcelain bottle, pushed it toward Shen Jun, and smiled.

"This seasoning is called Flavor Supreme. It can be added to any dish, and its greatest effect is making food taste even more delicious."

"It can be added to any dish?!"

That was the key point.

Shen Jun instantly caught the scent of a business opportunity within it.

The people regarded food as their heaven; in a feudal era, that was no joke.

Anything connected to food could be said to yield enormous profits.

"Yes, you can try it out."

Zeng Anmin relaxed inwardly and smiled as he pushed the porcelain bottle before Shen Jun.

Talking to smart people really was this effortless.

Shen Jun stared at the porcelain bottle, looking somewhat dazed. Clearly, he had not fully digested it yet.

He carefully removed the stopper and sprinkled a little Chicken Essence over the freshly served braised fish.

In only a moment, the fish, already delicious, gave off an even richer fragrance.

That scent alone made Shen Jun unconsciously swallow.

"First, establish restaurants and open branches across all eleven circuits and forty-three prefectures of our Great Sage Dynasty. Once our name has been thoroughly established, sell this seasoning and bring it into ordinary households."

"I will contribute the formula as my investment and take thirty percent of the profits."

Zeng Anmin's expression remained calm as he painted a beautiful blueprint for Shen Jun while beginning to secure profits for himself.

After all, building restaurants and hiring staff would all cost money. If he wanted to be a hands-off shopkeeper, he naturally had to yield some profit.

"Thirty percent?!!" Shen Jun looked up at Zeng Anmin in disbelief, a tremor in his voice.

"How could that be acceptable?!!"

Zeng Anmin frowned.

Thirty percent was not much, was it??

Had he misjudged him?

This boy looked decent on the surface, but was he actually a great villain masquerading as a loyal man?

"Though Jin Taiping is not some vast mercantile fortune, I have been influenced by what I have seen and heard since childhood. I still understand that merchants profit through secrets and schemes. For such a secret formula, thirty percent is far too little!"

Shen Jun stood and bowed to Zeng Anmin, his face grave.

"At least sixty percent. If Brother Quanfu does not agree, then Jun will have no face to speak of cooperation."

?

Zeng Anmin's brows relaxed.

Good lad... whose road could possibly be broader than yours?!

"Fine!" Zeng Anmin laughed heartily. "Sixty percent it is. Your elder brother agrees!"

The first step of Zeng Anmin's grand plan to make a fortune was decided so pleasantly.

The proprietor of this Wangxian Tower could never have imagined that the source of the future that would leave his establishment deserted as a birdless gate had been discussed within his own restaurant...