I just wrote a love poem, how did that make me so powerful?

Xiao Wanjin was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Haha, Mr. Xu, you're so young yet you already know how to offer concessions, good."

He turned to look at Xiao Lanzhi. "Did you hear that? I'm not afraid you won't succeed on your end."

However, Xiao Lanzhi quickly waved her hand to refuse.

"No, no, no, a 10% dividend is far too much for me. I can't accept it. I can imagine how much money I could make if I managed this business."

Xiao Lanzhi refused no matter what.

Xu Qing smiled and said.

"Sister Lanzhi, there's no need for that. Even brothers keep clear accounts. If it's yours, just take it."

Song Yao chimed in, "Yes, Sister Lanzhi. You deserve all of this."

Xiao Lanzhi still refused, "No, I can't have too many."

Seeing this, Xiao Wanjin spoke up:

"How about this, a 10% share is indeed too much. Let's keep half a share. Lanzhi, please don't refuse anymore. This is all from Mr. Xu and Ms. Song's kind intentions."

Seeing that she couldn't refuse, Xiao Lanzhi had no choice but to express her gratitude profusely.

After they made their assignments, Su Man looked at Li Wan.

"Wanwan, why don't you go first?"

Li Wan gave a wry smile and said, "No, my family's financial resources can't compare to Miss Su's. You should go first."

Su Man was also aware that everyone was waiting for her to make an offer today.

So she stood up and said, "Then I'll subscribe to the maximum of 20,000 taels today. That'll be 10% of the shares. If anyone wants to invest more in the future, it can be transferred from my shares, and the remaining shares won't be used."

As soon as she said that, everyone gave her a thumbs up.

Because Su Man has a powerful background. Since she has made this statement, her various forces will no longer try to take a share of the profits, which is good for everyone and will not dilute everyone's shares.

Li Wan then stood up and said, "I'm willing to offer five thousand taels, that's my limit. And that's only with the help of my uncle's side; my family definitely can't afford it."

Then Madam Ma stood up. "Our Ma family is in the clothing business. The more shares we own, the better. But since there are two young ladies here, my family can't take too much. So we'll invest 10,000 taels, which is half a percent of the shares."

The other ladies and young women, however, were willing but unable to afford it; five thousand taels was simply too much for them.

However, they did manage to obtain operating rights for some small locations, so their trip wasn't entirely in vain.

They then discussed some details. Everyone signed and sealed the paper, thus reaching an agreement on the distribution of shares.

After it was all over, Song Yao was still feeling a bit dizzy even after she walked out of the main hall, as if she were walking on cotton.

She looked down at her hands.

These hands have done embroidery, chopped firewood, and washed clothes.

But now suddenly there's a business deal worth tens of thousands of taels of silver.

She didn't stop walking.

I took a deep breath after I stood still in the corridor.

I felt the pent-up emotions in my chest, which had been building up for years, gradually dissipating.

But then she coughed rapidly for a while.

Xu Qing quickly followed and patted her on the back.

"Yaoyao, try not to have such big emotional fluctuations; it's not good for your illness."

Song Yao looked up at him. She took his hand and nestled against his shoulder.

"Brother Qing, before I thought I would spend my last days by your side. But now I feel like I have more purpose in life. If I have the chance, I'd like to try to get treatment for my illness, okay? But that might mean we'll be apart for a while."

Xu Qing laughed and said, "Silly girl, of course you can go get treatment. As long as you are healthy, we can stay together for a long time."

"Yes, may it last forever."

Song Yao nodded vigorously.

On the other side of the corridor, Gu Zhiyi and Su Man stood at opposite ends.

They were all silently watching Song Yao and Xu Qing under the corridor.

Gu Zhiyi murmured softly, "Xu Qing, you really are no ordinary person."

Su Man whispered in return, "I knew it, Mr. Xu. The moment I saw you, I knew you were extraordinary."

……

……

In the following days, the Xiao family was as busy as a carriage running at full speed, making preparations in every aspect.

Su Man's side also acted quickly.

Her calling cards were sent to dozens of prominent ladies and young women in Hengyang City.

It is said that a tasting event, open only to female guests, will be held at Zhuangyuanlou in three days.

The invitation was specially made, with a subtle embossed pattern.

Those who receive an invitation can enter for free.

As for other female guests who wish to enter and watch, they need to spend one or two taels of silver to buy an admission ticket.

Furthermore, Zhuangyuanlou promised that the admission ticket purchased for one tael of silver would yield a return far exceeding one tael of silver.

Gu Zhiyi wasn't idle either.

The girls at Chunhong Courtyard began to try on bras in private. Some paired them with red gauze dresses, while others paired them with sheer, gossamer-thin veils.

However, they only tried them on privately and did not wear them formally to entertain guests.

It was only because Gu Zhiyi stipulated that it had to be done together with the tasting event at Zhuangyuanlou.

Above the main entrance of Xiao Family Cloth Shop, a newly made signboard has been hung, but it is still temporarily covered by a red cloth.

The other half of the fabric shop has been partitioned off and is currently undergoing renovations.

Passersby would look up, curious about what was going on inside.

When the news reached the Chen residence, Chen Shijin was having tea with Zhou Kang and Sun Decai in the flower hall.

A servant ran in and told him about the new developments at the Xiao family's cloth shop and the upcoming tasting event for female guests at the Zhuangyuanlou restaurant.

The three of them looked at each other for a moment, and then Zhou Kang was the first to laugh out loud.

"What the hell are they doing? Has the Xiao family gone mad from selling clothes?"

Sun Decai chimed in, speaking in a sarcastic tone.

"They haven't even completely settled the matter of that batch of beggar silk from the Xiao family's cloth shop, and they're already coming up with new tricks."

Chen Shijin put down his teacup and smiled slowly.

"Su Man was even dragged to the platform by them. The owner of Zhuangyuanlou, a prestigious restaurant, was fooled by a bunch of idiots. Doesn't she feel ashamed? Let them do whatever they want. The more they do it, the faster they will die."

Sun Decai was laughing so hard he almost covered his stomach.

"Su Man really has some ideas, making female guests pay one tael of silver for tickets. Who the hell wants to go?"

What kind of return could far exceed one tael of silver? Did she even know what one tael of silver meant to an ordinary woman?

Zhou Kang snorted coldly.

"Although Su Man has a powerful background, she is ultimately someone who is all talk and no action. I'm not surprised at all that she could come up with such an idea."

"Young Master Chen is right! She was fooled by a bunch of idiots, and now she's the idiot herself, hahaha."

The three of them were laughing together.

Chen Chengsong and Chen Chengbo walked in one after the other.

The three of them immediately stopped laughing, sat up straight, and placed their teacups back on the table.

Chen Chengsong sat down in the main seat, glanced at the three people, and asked.

"Have you all heard about what happened to the Xiao family?"

Chen Shijin nodded. "I heard about it. What kind of trouble is the Xiao family up to now? They're going to hold some kind of tasting event at Zhuangyuanlou."

Chen Chengbo chimed in from the side.

"If I were the Xiao family, I would also take this opportunity to promote ourselves. Although they suppressed the matter of that batch of beggar silks, their reputation has been damaged, especially in the silk sector. If they don't come up with something new, the ladies of those wealthy families will remember it."

Chen Chengsong took a sip of tea and said coldly.

"The more they cause trouble, the less we can let them succeed. Now, follow my instructions..."