Chapter 10, The State of the World
The pricing and services of the products sold by wholesalers are not our concern; that is the wholesalers' business. We only need to focus on our products and brand, and we need not fear the absence of wholesalers.
Well, I can accept your allegiance. However, I cannot make any promises to you at this time
I believe this can be done. Construct a three-story building, with the first floor accommodating items valued at less than 50 taels of silver, the second floor for items valued at less than 100 taels of silver, and the third floor for items valued at more than 100 taels of silver
It is not such a simple matter to want to be my advisor
The practice of martial arts is flourishing like never before, yet resources are more scarce than ever; this situation is intensifying, to the extent that the streets are filled with Qi Refinement stage cultivators, while Foundation Establishment stage practitioners are few and far between. As for the Golden Core stage, they remain absolute experts, and the Nascent Soul stage is still dominated by ancestral figures
For bulk purchases, tiered pricing can be offered. For example, a discount of 5% can be applied for transactions exceeding 100 taels of gold, a 10% discount for transactions exceeding 500 taels of gold, an 12% discount for transactions exceeding 1,000 taels of gold, and a maximum discount of 15%.
This is the current basic situation
"What the young master did is correct." Xu Ren not only did not mind, but even expressed some admiration: "If the young master had not acted this way, it would have made me, Xu, look down on him."
Attempt to increase the number of female staff, but it is essential to ensure that the female staff are not subjected to harassment
Nowadays, it is not only the loose cultivators who have established nations; even some of the past families and sects have successively founded their own states. They utilize the power of the state to amass wealth and gather skilled individuals
It is said that in the past, during the Qi Refining period, everyone possessed a magical artifact; however, looking at the present, even those in the Foundation Establishment period may not necessarily have a magical artifact
I understand. I will now go to the Brilliant Stars Trading Company. You may go to the Li residence to wait. Here is my waist token
Xu Ren's expression was solemn, "Before answering this question, may I ask one question: Young Master, do you know what a strategist is?"
Li Xian smiled without speaking, turning to look at Xu Ren, implying—it's your turn to answer
Having discussed the premise, let us now address the current form
It is said that in the past, during the Refining Qi period impacting the Foundation Establishment period, there was a type of Foundation Establishment elixir that could assist, but now it is difficult to even find century-old medicinal materials
Master Li's words may seem unfeeling, yet they are sincere. Furthermore, I must clarify that if I am unable to fully utilize my abilities in Master Li's presence, I will choose to leave on my own.
Appropriately increase the salaries of the staff to enhance their sense of honor and enthusiasm for their work. We aim to establish a brand business, and the staff must possess the confidence of a brand business.
All shop assistants must undergo training and wear standardized uniforms. However, the attire for regular assistants, team leaders, managers, and security personnel should be distinct, while still maintaining a sense of approachability. The uniforms for the first, second, and third floors should also differ. This will provide employees with a clear sense of advancement and progression.
I see. Shangguan Yong and Yuan Zhao suddenly understood
First, there are two major premises. The first is that, for countless thousands of years, the immortal arts have completely scattered among the common people. The once highly guarded techniques of numerous prestigious sects are now widely known. Naturally, practitioners are now everywhere.
"Strategist? ! Do you know my identity?" Li Xian was somewhat surprised that someone had actually taken the initiative to come forward. Could this be what is referred to as an overwhelming presence? But what exactly is a strategist?
Li Yulong did not expect this, but was quite surprised to find that Xu Ren was not an unknown figure; he was somewhat well-known in the circle of strategists in the Great Xia Kingdom, being the chief strategist of Gao Bin, a local high-ranking official and the governor of Songzhou, who held the third rank.
In addition, the third floor can be divided into several offices to accommodate a large number of purchasing clients and even external wholesalers
This Wuyang City is the imperial capital, filled with powerful and influential figures. Although Li Youwei is quite capable, he still finds it somewhat overwhelming.
No need. Xu Ren declined Li Xian's waist token, saying, "I will just stay by the young master's side"
Do you have any questions, young master?
A group of people continued to stroll leisurely forward, but Shangguan Yong could no longer hold back and spoke up, "Xian Di, you haven't mentioned why the purchasing power of the middle class and the affluent class is the greatest. It should be the two classes of the extremely wealthy and the exorbitantly rich that have the highest purchasing power, shouldn't it?"
Xu Ren observed Li Xian's performance with evident excitement, stating, "Now I will get to the point. Since the era of the nation has been established, certain matters must undergo change. For instance, in the past, a sect or a family might have had at most tens of thousands of members, with many consisting of only a few hundred, which did not require much management. When the sect leader issued a command, who would dare to disobey? However, the era of the nation is different. Taking our Great Xia Kingdom as an example, it spans five thousand miles east to west and four thousand miles north to south, with a population exceeding seventy million and a complex web of various forces. In the past, battles during the sect era involved only a few sects with a few thousand people; the necessary battle supplies were carried in storage rings. Yet, in the era of the nation, battles easily involve armies of a hundred thousand. The largest battle in the last thousand years was between the Wei and Zhao states, where both sides mobilized over ten million troops, more than twenty million laborers, eight hundred thousand horses, and over thirty thousand craftsmen, with the battlefield covering an area of five hundred miles. The weapons and armor used amounted to over twenty million pieces, with arrows exceeding three million bundles, provisions surpassing thirty-seven million stones, and treasures including gold, silver, and jewels totaling eight hundred seventy million taels of silver, along with five million bolts of cloth and eight hundred thousand carts of medicinal herbs. Young master, may I ask, in such a situation, can it be managed solely by a hundred or so people from a sect?"
Li Xian laughed heartily: "What you have said is excellent and remarkable, sir. This is the first time I have gained such a systematic understanding of the changes and circumstances in this celestial realm. Please continue, sir."
Such a store is simply a complete mess. Li Xian looked on with a frown. He immediately sought out his equally overwhelmed third uncle, Li Youwei.
In the present celestial realm, there are known to be eighty-one states. Just in our own Yingzhou, the land spans over one million miles, with hundreds of large nations and countless small nations.
All products must be clearly priced, and bargaining is not accepted; however, a lottery can be added to enhance the enjoyment
Soon, the five individuals arrived at the store "Brilliant Stars," only to find a somewhat crowded entrance. Inside, the place was packed with people, lacking any semblance of order, accompanied by a cacophony of haggling voices
"Sir, I beg your pardon." After formally confirming his identity, Li Xian first expressed his apology, even changing his form of address.
Xu Ren smiled confidently, "Since you wish to seek refuge, you must certainly understand the identity of the young master. The son of the Minister of Justice, Li Xian, am I correct?"
It is said that tens of thousands of years ago, storage rings were standard equipment for foundation-building stage cultivators, but now even nascent soul stage cultivators may not possess storage rings
This is a very long story
Please enlighten me
Xu Ren did not hesitate, "This class of people is the most numerous! A rough estimate suggests that they account for almost one-twentieth of the entire population. In contrast, the truly wealthy and the class that is beyond description is extremely small, not even reaching one-thousandth."
Some of the attendants nearby are also overwhelmed with busyness. In the face of these wealthy and noble guests, the attendants are merely scapegoats
In the following half day, Li Xian personally trained the staff, established relevant regulations, and also redefined the prices of the products. During this time, Xu Ren also showcased his skills, particularly in the specific etiquette regulations, such as what to say to different people and how to address them. The meticulous arrangements left Li Xian impressed.
Third Uncle, this establishment cannot continue like this; otherwise, it will inevitably lead to trouble sooner or later
Until evening, Li Xiancai bid farewell to three younger brothers amidst the clamor of "Xian Di" and returned to the Li residence with Xu Ren. Upon returning, Li Xian first took Xu Ren to meet his father, Li Yulong, hoping that Li Yulong could assist in assessing Xu Ren.
A dedicated reception staff is established on the third floor, and custom orders are accepted. Drawings and samples can be provided, but this is limited to providing drawings and samples only, and no supervision or other ancillary conditions will be accepted
In fact, Xu Ren was equally astonished by Li Xian; the business concepts articulated by Li Xian had an even greater impact on Xu Ren. It turned out that business could be conducted in such a manner! After hearing about the new system, the employees were so excited that they could hardly wait to train overnight and officially start their positions the next day to increase their salaries
Due to resource scarcity and the diffusion of cultivation methods, the immortal realms that were previously based on sects and families have undergone changes. A large number of independent cultivators have risen, leading to the emergence of numerous factions. The result of this emergence is the establishment of their own forces, which, after an unknown number of years of development, gradually formed the current structure, which is the nation, the nation of the central group
Most importantly, Li Xian promised to promote the one who performs well to the position of store manager! To be a store manager!
That young man dared to ask a few questions. Why did you leave the original Gao Bin and instead have faith in me, this notorious fellow
The second issue is the extreme scarcity of resources. Whether it is the materials for refining tools or the rare treasures used for cultivation, they are all in extremely short supply. With practitioners being ubiquitous, the result is that almost all cultivation resources have been completely depleted
That is fine
It is said that in the past, cultivation was supported by a large number of spiritual stones and celestial stones, but now only the lowest quality spiritual stones exist, while celestial stones have long become a legend. Moreover, even the lowest grade spiritual stones are scarce in the Great Xia Kingdom.
Additionally, a tea house will be established in the area where the first and second floors meet, and a cup of tea will be offered to every visitor, making every effort to prevent any disputes among guests