The broker's expression was one of genuine heartache as he spoke, as if he were truly pained.
Clearly, the price had cost him dearly.
"Eighteen hundred, the rest is a tip for you," Chu Chen said with a light smile, handing over the silver notes.
The broker's expression quickly shifted from gloomy to sunny.
"Ah, yes, yes, thank you, Your Excellency, you are truly a benevolent person!"
"May your promotion and fortune be prosperous!"
The broker happily accepted the silver notes, his smile so broad that the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.
Not only did he avoid losing money, but he also made a small profit. How could he not be pleased?
"Do you have any suitable shopfronts available? If so, I'll take them all."
"You know, I actually do know of a restaurant owner who wants to transfer his establishment. I wonder, Your Excellency, if you are looking to..."
"A restaurant, you say..."
Chu Chen pondered for a moment, "A restaurant is fine too. Take me to see it."
If he were only selling soap, any small shop would suffice.
But Chu Chen's plans extended far beyond that. He still had a great many good things he hadn't revealed yet.
He had no intention of returning to the palace this time.
Therefore, for the sake of his future, the larger the shop, the better.
If possible, Chu Chen even wanted to create a modern supermarket, which would undoubtedly be a powerful tool for amassing wealth!
Following the broker, Chu Chen soon arrived at the restaurant he had mentioned.
It was then that Chu Chen understood why the owner wanted to transfer the establishment.
The location of the restaurant was indeed excellent, situated in one of the most prosperous areas of Shuangyue City.
However, the competition on this street was simply brutal.
At a glance, on this not-so-long street, there were as many as three restaurants. In addition to these, there were numerous other shops selling a dazzling array of goods.
There were also many street vendors selling all sorts of items.
Logically, in such a location, as long as the taste was acceptable, even if it wasn't profitable, it shouldn't have reached the point of needing to be transferred.
After a brief inquiry, Chu Chen learned what had happened.
Of the three restaurants on this street, besides the one about to be transferred, one catered to high-end consumers, charging a tael of silver just for a cup of tea.
Another was slightly inferior in quality, with its prices catering more to the slightly wealthier common folk.
And the remaining vendors satisfied those who couldn't afford to dine at the restaurants.
The restaurant about to be transferred, however, had very high aspirations, aiming to cover all three tiers: high, medium, and low.
The outcome of trying to have it all was neglecting one aspect while focusing on another, achieving nothing.
During festivals and holidays, it could make a small profit, but at the end of the year, it was merely breaking even, a year's worth of hard work for naught.
He had considered transforming, learning from others and specializing in one direction.
But the reputations and goodwill of the other establishments were already established, making it impossible to compete.
After toiling for two to three years, he hadn't made any money; instead, he had lost over a thousand taels of silver.
It was no wonder the owner wanted to transfer it.
After signing the contract, the owner hesitated for a moment before warning, "Your Excellency, I am a cautionary tale. If you plan to open a restaurant, you absolutely must not be like me."
"It's alright, I'm not planning to run a restaurant business after taking it over." Chu Chen looked at the owner with interest, "May I ask what the owner plans to do next?"
"This..." The owner gave a wry smile, "After all this struggle, my savings are all gone."
"I've seen clearly now, I'm simply not cut out for business!"
"I plan to return to my hometown, buy some land, and live a quiet life as a wealthy gentleman!"
"You really don't plan to continue in business?" Chu Chen raised an eyebrow.
"What business!" The owner shook his head repeatedly, "If I struggle for another two years, I might end up on the streets!"
With that, he prepared to leave.
Chu Chen lightly tapped his fingers on the table, "The owner should know that I came from the palace."
"This time, I'm out of the palace to start a business. If the owner is willing, why not try working with me?"
The owner's body stiffened upon hearing this.
"After all this struggle, you've achieved nothing. Are you content with that, owner?" Chu Chen said softly.
"You know whether royal businesses are profitable or not."
"Working with me, while I can't guarantee you riches, this is doing business for the royal family. You..."
Undoubtedly, the owner was swayed by Chu Chen's grand promises.
Profitability was secondary; if he could establish a connection with the royal family, even a small favor from the court would be enough to make him rich.
"Of course, let me be clear from the start, I will not tolerate any corruption or illegal activities," Chu Chen stated calmly, "This money belongs to His Majesty."
However, these words did not dampen the owner's enthusiasm.
Even if there were no profits, the network of connections was invaluable.
If he could build good relationships with important court officials, they could tip him off when necessary or lend him a hand within permissible limits, ensuring a lifetime of prosperity.
Even if he didn't consider himself, he had to consider his descendants.
If he laid the groundwork now, it would be much easier for his son to climb higher in the future.
As this thought emerged, it spread like wildfire in the owner's mind.
He decided!
He gritted his teeth inwardly.
"Since Your Excellency has spoken, I can only respectfully accept," the owner's expression became extremely respectful.
"My surname is Yu, and my given name is Guan. If Your Excellency doesn't mind, you can call me Yu Guan."
Yu Guan hesitated for a moment, "Your Excellency, since you are not opening a restaurant, what about the staff here..."
"Keep them all," Chu Chen stood up, "I'll have them trained later, and they can continue working."
"Trained..." Yu Guan mumbled the somewhat strange word, unable to understand its meaning for a moment.
Before he could ask, Chu Chen rattled off all his future tasks.
"Demolish everything in the restaurant and redecorate. I will tell you how to proceed later. The staff..."
"For now, that's all. Once you've completed these tasks, I will assign you the next assignment."
"When you work with me, you only need to know what to do and when. Don't ask questions you shouldn't."
Yu Guan quickly nodded in agreement.
After Chu Chen left, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
From being the sole decision-maker as the owner to now being a subordinate who could only follow orders, he wondered if it was a blessing or a curse.
However, this concern did not last long. Yu Guan quickly collected his thoughts and busied himself with the tasks assigned by Chu Chen.
Meanwhile, Chu Chen returned to the palace to meet the Empress.
If the Empress was willing to cooperate, expanding the soap business would be much easier.