Su Ziji did not immediately answer Wild Daoist's question. Instead, he asked, "Mr. Lu, how much does my residence need for expenses?"
"My lord, in the first month, the household expenses for twenty-three households came to five hundred taels. Adding the one-time purchases of weapons, leather armor, carts, oxen, coal, candles, brooms, and sundry items, it was about fourteen hundred taels of silver, for a total of two thousand taels."
"After this month, the monthly allowances, clothing, food, and salaries can be reduced to around three hundred taels a month. But including the main household's expenses, it may still require five hundred taels each month. Social obligations, rewards, and ancestral sacrifices are not included."
"A marquis residence needs at least six thousand taels of silver a year to keep running." At this point, Wild Daoist drew a sharp breath.
"That is why we must open new sources of income." Su Ziji smiled as he spoke. Seeing that Wild Daoist had more to say, he waved a hand. "For now, I am only asking about manpower, not expenses. Do we have enough hands?"
"We have enough manpower," Wild Daoist said. After taking over Gathered Distance Tower, he had renovated the place and changed its name. Business was fairly good, making it one of their more stable sources of income among their current properties.
Through running this restaurant, they had gained experience and trained people who could be sent in an endless stream to new restaurants. There was no shortage of managers or attendants.
"Still, at most, we can only open another three to five."
"I know. I only need three to five." Su Ziji smiled faintly, indicating that he understood.
Many people considered chain stores an invention that created an era, but in truth, this model of opening branch shops already