I'm the Source Supplier

Chen Ankang said calmly, "Just ignore these things and pretend you don't know anything about them."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review nodded firmly and said:

"I don't care, I absolutely don't care. I still want to live a good life."

If something like that happened to me, I wouldn't be able to sleep at all.

Chen Ankang smiled faintly; his master did indeed have the ability to drive people crazy.

Zhou Wanwan looked at the things the Empress Dowager had given them and said:

"Oh my! These things are really nice. The Empress Dowager is really generous to this Old Madam Zhou."

Old Madam Zhou is staying in my house, so naturally she has to pay rent. These things are just enough to cover the rent.

The Old Ancestor outside the window nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes, these things are just right to cover the rent."

The Old Scholar Tree's lips twitched. The things the Empress Dowager gave him were quite valuable; they could buy several courtyards like this.

The house they've chosen now has a good location and a good environment.

Although there are only five courtyards, it's enough to live in.

Just as Zhou Wanwan was about to write, she saw Zhou Qingyan, Zhou Qingchen, Zhou Qinghe, and Gu Sinian hurriedly walking over.

Zhou Qingyan asked, "Wanwan, what happened? I heard you were kicked out, is that true?"

Zhou Qingchen clenched his fists in anger and said:

"This is outrageous! How can they treat people like this?"

We've been targeting you ever since we arrived in the capital.

They've been targeting us constantly; now the entire academy looks down on anyone from Dongshan Prefecture.

Zhou Qinghe frowned and asked, "Wanwan, have you been wronged?"

Zhou Wanwan shook her head and said, "No! I was quite happy in the palace, but they wouldn't let me stay there anymore, so I had to come back."

Zhou Qingyan couldn't help but sigh:

"Our shop hasn't been doing too well lately either."

Xie Cheng'en and Princess Jianing have opened many shops now, taking away most of our business."

Gu Sinian took out his money pouch and stuffed it into Zhou Wanwan's hand, saying, "I heard your shop's business hasn't been good lately, this is my personal stash."

Gu Sinian genuinely enjoys giving Zhou Wanwan money.

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said, "Oh dear! I do look pretty miserable right now, but it's not that bad."

Zhou Qingyan looked at her and said:

Why are you being so stubborn, little girl? We know your situation.

Our family only has a dozen or so shops. Whatever you open, they'll open the same thing. We simply can't compete."

Zhou Wanwan said speechlessly, "I just don't want to compete with them. How can I possibly lose to them?"

Gu Sinian looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "We just don't want you to be under too much pressure."

Zhou Wanwan sighed and said, "Have you ever thought about where their suppliers come from?"

Zhou Qinghe looked at her and said, "Huh? You mean, these suppliers are all your people?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said, "Otherwise what? Look at the things sold in those shops, who can make them this good?"

Zhou Qingyan looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "I just don't understand. The goods you supply to them are even better than the goods in your own shop. What are you after?"

Zhou Wanwan did the math for them:

"Have you ever considered that what I want is their ability to drive sales?"

The shop doesn't cost me any money, the labor costs are all free, and I don't even need to worry about managing it.

But my profit margin is indeed very high, even higher than the profit margin of my own shop.

Gu Sinian looked up at Zhou Wanwan and asked, "What?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"That's right! That's how business works. If your goods are good, you don't need to worry about anything."

I'm the original supplier; if they can make money, I can make money too. Why not?

Besides, I'm managing so many shops all by myself; I'm too busy to handle everything."

Zhou Wanwan is indeed quite busy right now. Luckily, she has many subordinates, otherwise, how could she possibly manage?

All manufacturing is now located within the palace; who would believe it if I told them?

She placed her manufacturing operations in the most unlikely place, but the palace really is a good place.

Those people in the Imperial Household Department were all top-notch talents.

Like embroidery, how long does it typically take to teach a good embroiderer?

But we don't need that now.

She was properly trained in the palace, and she would give the things made in the palace to Princess Jianing to sell.

Princess Jianing has a wide network of connections and an exceptional ability to drive sales, so she earns even more.

Zhou Wanwan explained things to her brothers to avoid worrying them.

This is equivalent to making a major strategic move.

Zhou Qingchen chuckled, "So, after all this time, Princess Jianing and Xie Cheng'en are both your subordinates?"

Zhou Wanwan thought about it and realized that the analogy was quite apt.

Princess Jianing and Xie Cheng'en have now unknowingly become his subordinates.

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and asked, "Are you confident about passing the imperial examination this time?"

Gu Qingyan said, "I'm somewhat confident, and I'm definitely confident with Sinian, but it will be much harder with Qinghe and Qingchen."

The imperial examinations were extremely difficult, not as difficult as they imagined.

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "I will participate too. I also want to see just how difficult the imperial examination is."

Gu Qingyan continued, "We people from Dongshan Prefecture are being trampled underfoot in the capital. It's truly hard to swallow this insult."

Zhou Wanwan raised an eyebrow and said, "Isn't my restaurant now only open to people from Dongshan Prefecture?"

Gu Qingyan sighed:

I know, including my own family.

More than 50 people participated in the imperial examination this time, but those candidates from Jiangnan and the capital were really too much.

Even if a student from our Dongshan Prefecture went to buy a pen, they wouldn't sell it to him."

Zhou Wanwan never imagined that students from Dongshan Prefecture would face such difficulties in the capital.

She sighed, "I'll go to the restaurant tomorrow when I have time! What exactly happened?"

The next morning, Zhou Wanwan went to her family's restaurant.

As soon as I arrived at the restaurant entrance, I saw a large number of students standing there, discussing the matter.

"You know this restaurant, right? They say it's run by a kid, only 6 years old!"

"Can a child really run such a big restaurant?"

"Why not? Besides, this child comes from Dongshan Prefecture, and all the students from Dongshan Prefecture are currently staying at this restaurant."

"Hahahaha... The students of Dongshan Prefecture actually have to rely on a child?"

"And it's all thanks to a girl, it's absolutely hilarious, these students are utterly shameless."

The students from Jiangnan were represented by Ji Huai, while those from the capital were represented by Huo Lingchuan and Cheng Huaiyu.

Students from several universities gathered together, creating a lively atmosphere.

The students from Jiangnan were discussing among themselves, saying, "This Dongshan Prefecture is truly an eye-opener. A group of men living off a little girl. Even if they become officials, they will still be looked down upon."

"I heard Shen Wanjun is Zhou Wanwan's lackey? Hahaha..."

I never imagined that the richest man in Jiangnan would actually become Zhou Wanwan's lackey.

Cheng Huaiyu sighed and said, "So what? My Cheng Family has produced a lackey too!"

Cheng Huaiyu is Cheng Chao's cousin.