Chapter 0008 discusses business

After exiting the door of the Jubaozhai, Yang Feng's anger had not yet subsided. It seems that the phenomenon of larger establishments bullying customers exists in every era. Although the service attitude of this Jubaozhai appears to be decent on the surface, it fundamentally categorizes customers into different ranks. Such employees who dare to mock and ridicule customers would have been fired by their boss in the twenty-first century.

What a joke, the second method seems at first glance to be able to earn more money. However, Yang Feng is not foolish; this is the Ming Dynasty after all. Being all alone and without power or influence, entrusting goods to them for sale means that the price will be determined entirely by them. As a black household without even a travel permit, even if he realizes he has been cheated, he would have no place to seek redress. Therefore, the first method is the most suitable for him.

Yang Feng took out a palm-sized mirror from his bag and handed it to the shopkeeper Shi across from him

I ... ...

Manager Shi pondered for a moment and tentatively said: "Young Master Yang, I believe there are two ways we can cooperate. The first option is for you to sell this batch of goods outright to my shop, after which this batch will belong to my shop and will no longer concern you. The second option is for you to consign this batch of goods at my shop, and we can split the proceeds fifty-fifty. It all depends on your choice."

Oh... is this... actually a mirror?

Somewhat troubled, Yang Feng strolled slowly down the street, taking in the dazzling array of shops around him. Although the inn's waiter had informed him that Jubaozhai was the largest jewelry store in Nanjing, Yang Feng believed that in any industry, there would never be a true monopoly or oligopoly. While Jubaozhai was indeed large, he would never believe that it had no competitors. After all, the jewelry industry has always been a highly profitable sector throughout history; how could there possibly be a situation where one company dominates the market completely? Yet, Yang Feng maintained that in any industry, there would never be a true monopoly or oligopoly. While Jubaozhai was indeed large, he would never believe that it had no competitors. After all, the jewelry industry has always been a highly profitable sector throughout history; how could there possibly be a situation where one company dominates the market completely?

Yang Feng turned his head and said directly: "Shopkeeper Shi, the reason I came to your esteemed establishment is that I heard your business is the most honest, treating both young and old fairly. It seems that these are merely rumors, as even you would take advantage of an outsider like me."

Of course!

To speak frankly, glass is not a rare material for the Han people. The main raw materials for glass mirrors are quartz, feldspar, and limestone, which, after being heated and subjected to cold treatment, become soda-lime glass. The coating agent that provides the refractive effect primarily consists of mercury, known as cinnabar by alchemists, which appeared as early as the Warring States period. However, due to the underdevelopment of inorganic chemistry in ancient China, it was quite difficult to refine cinnabar into pure mercury, which is also the reason why ancient Chinese people predominantly used bronze mirrors.

Yes, for the time being, there are only these three types, Yang Feng nodded and said

Upon seeing the mirror that Yang Feng had escaped with, the shopkeeper Shi immediately displayed a look of surprise on his face. He took the mirror and examined it closely, and the more he scrutinized it, the more astonished his expression became

Yang Feng secretly complained to himself. Before coming here, he had not done nothing regarding his homework; he had inquired about the prices of mirrors from several shops. Given that the Ming Dynasty is currently unable to produce qualified high-purity mercury, all mirrors are imported from the West, making them extremely rare and valuable yet hard to find. A palm-sized mirror is priced at no less than fifty taels of silver in the market, while those the size of a basketball cannot be obtained for less than one hundred taels, and there is no source available. Now this guy is offering only one-fifth of the price; he truly deserves to be called a profiteer.

I see. Shopkeeper Shi pondered for a moment and said: "How about this? For the smallest of these three types of mirrors, I will offer you ten taels of silver each; for the slightly larger ones, I will offer you fifteen taels of silver each; and for the largest type, I will offer you twenty taels of silver each. What do you think?"

After examining the mirror in his hand from various angles, Manager Shi discovered that it was exquisitely crafted. The edges were encased in a material whose name he could not recall (it was actually plastic). The back of the mirror was adorned with lifelike floral designs, and the surface of the mirror was exceptionally smooth; it would not be an exaggeration to describe it as flawless. Manager Shi could even see every subtle expression on his face with remarkable clarity. He quickly concluded that the quality of this mirror was far superior to any he had seen before, and he further reflected that these mirrors would undoubtedly create a trend in Nanjing.

Damn, it's really dark!

Manager Shi, upon seeing this, became anxious and quickly grabbed him, saying: "Young Master Yang, what are you doing? Business is something that is negotiated. If you are not satisfied with this price, we can discuss it further. How can you just leave like this?"

While Manager Shi was sizing up Yang Feng, Yang Feng was also discreetly assessing the manager and the surrounding environment. Upon hearing the other party's question, Yang Feng introduced himself: "Manager Shi, my ancestors were Han people. During the Tang Dynasty, my family relocated to Nanyang, frequently traveling between Nanyang and Obaluo for business. Recently, I intended to come to the Ming Dynasty for trade, but due to an encounter with pirates, I lost all my crew and cargo, and I was the only one who managed to escape. I was forced to wander in Jinling, left without food or clothing. Now, out of necessity, I wish to sell some goods I have on me to your esteemed shop. I wonder if the manager would be willing to accept them?"

The proprietor of Donglai Silver Shop is surnamed Shi. He looks like most shopkeepers, with a plump and fair appearance, and a face adorned with a simple and honest smile, as if he could utter the words "wishing you prosperity" at any moment. He carefully scrutinized the young man who had suddenly come to his shop, dressed very ordinarily, and then slowly said: "Esteemed guest, may I ask what brings you to our humble establishment?"

hundreds of faces

Manager Shi suppressed his excitement, striving to maintain a calm expression, and feigned composure as he said: "Young Master Yang, this batch of mirrors is of excellent quality, and I quite like them. May I ask how you intend to handle them?"

Oh ... ...

Yang Feng felt a sense of emotion regarding the actions of Manager Shi. It seems that in any society, what is valued is strength. If one lacks strength, others may not even be interested in knowing one's name. From the moment he entered the store until now, although he has been greeted with smiles, it was only now that they inquired about his name. If what he presented could not pique the other party's interest, it is likely that this manager, who always appears to have a smiling face, would merely send him off with a gift and would not ask for his name at all. From the moment he entered the store until now, although he has been greeted with smiles, it was only now that they inquired about his name. If what he presented could not pique the other party's interest, it is likely that this manager, who always appears to have a smiling face, would merely send him off with a gift and would not ask for his name at all

Looking at the seven or eight mirrors of various styles placed on the table, the shopkeeper Shi could no longer maintain his formulaic smile, and his hand holding the mirror began to tremble slightly

Yang Feng said without hesitation: "I will choose the first method of cooperation. As long as the shopkeeper offers a suitable price, this batch of goods will belong to your store, and how to sell it afterwards will be your concern."

Manager Shi has been in business for so many years, so he naturally would not easily believe the words of an inexperienced young man who has never seen the world. He nodded calmly and said: "Guests are always welcome. Since you have arrived at our Donglai Silver Shop, you are our guest. Please feel free to present anything you have, so that I may have the pleasure of seeing it."

Even though Manager Shi had a thick skin, he couldn't help but blush. He said helplessly, "Alright, Young Master Yang, what price do you think is appropriate?"

My surname is Yang, and my given name is Feng, which means the peak of a mountain. Yang Feng glanced at the hand of Manager Shi, who was tightly gripping the mirror, then took out several mirrors from his bag and placed them on the table, saying: "Manager Shi, these glass mirrors were brought from afar, from Obalona, and there are approximately one hundred of them. I wonder if Manager Shi is interested in taking over this batch of goods"

"This is also good." It seemed that Manager Shi understood Yang Feng's concerns; he did not say much but instead carefully examined the mirrors on the table. There were three styles of mirrors: the smallest was only the size of a palm, suitable at most for checking one's face or shaving. The slightly larger ones were about the size of a textbook, while the largest was as big as a pillow. After inspecting them, he asked, "Young Master Yang, are all the styles of your goods here?"

The earliest glass mirrors in China appeared during the Ming Dynasty, brought by missionaries from Europe. Due to the long sea journey of tens of thousands of miles, the fragility and difficulty of production, these European glass mirrors were generally narrow and small for ease of transport. They were primarily used for shaving, with the mirror surface only sufficient to reflect a portion of the beard, and they were expensive, making mirrors a very rare commodity in the Ming Dynasty

Taking a deep breath, I suppressed my astonishment. Shopkeeper Shi once again revealed a smile on his face: "Esteemed guest, please forgive my rudeness; I have yet to inquire about how to address you."

The smallest one is worth twenty-five taels of silver, the medium one thirty-five taels, and the largest one requires fifty taels of silver!" Yang Feng quickly stated his price in his heart...

Although mirrors have now appeared in the Ming Dynasty, the dynasty is still unable to produce them independently and relies entirely on missionaries to bring them from the West. It is important to note that during an era when maritime conditions were still quite rudimentary, each voyage could be considered a brush with death, and since mirrors are fragile items, each mirror that arrived in the Ming Dynasty was quite expensive. The demand for mirrors among the noblewomen and dignitaries in Nanjing was significant, and acquiring this batch of goods would greatly benefit the Donglai Silver Shop. It is important to note that during an era when maritime conditions were still quite rudimentary, each voyage could be considered a brush with death, and since mirrors are fragile items, each mirror that arrived in the Ming Dynasty was quite expensive. The demand for mirrors among the noblewomen and dignitaries in Nanjing was significant, and acquiring this batch of goods would greatly benefit the Donglai Silver Shop.

Of course, it is for sale to you all? Yang Feng smiled and said, "I have traveled a long way to bring these items to the Ming Dynasty, so they are indeed for sale. However, I have brought them out for you to take a look. I wonder what price Manager Shi intends to offer?"

Only after the anger gradually subsided did Yang Feng begin to feel troubled again. In this unfamiliar place, who was he supposed to sell these goods to? It is important to note that he had invested all his savings from these past years to purchase this batch of goods. If he truly ended up with them unsold, he would have no choice but to go back and face a life of hardship.

Indeed, after walking less than 500 meters along the street paved with bluestone slabs, Yang Feng discovered a jewelry store named Donglai Silver Building. Unlike the Gathering Treasure Pavilion, in this jewelry store, Yang Feng's request to meet the manager was finally fulfilled

Yang Feng said nothing, silently putting the mirror back into his bag, and stood up ready to leave