Chapter 332

Zheng Ruqian swung open his fan and shouted loudly, "Good question!"

The maid was so frightened that she immediately buried herself in her mother's arms, not daring to peek out again.

"The Liao Family must know about the Sichuan lychees, but the sour-sweet taste and thin flesh destined they could not raise the price high." Zheng Ruqian sneered coldly, "Only the lychees from Hejiang can compete with the Lingnan lychees, but from Fengjing to Hejiang takes at least seven days, not much less than going to Lingnan."

The Liao Family chose the latter between thin profits and high returns through hardship.

Sufficient quality and ten days of rushing about were key for the Liao Family to raise prices with the aristocratic families.

Even "lychees must be eaten completely on the day they were picked" was one link in their scheme.

If you eat them all today, won't you have to buy again tomorrow if you still want to eat them?

No matter which dynasty, businessmen would stop at nothing for profit.

The aristocratic families looked down from their high positions, not missing that bit of money.

It was just miserable for other commoners who wanted to try the taste of lychees but couldn't save up enough for even two bites in half a lifetime.

"Today, my Jiuzhen Store will act on heaven's behalf!" Zheng Ruqian pointed at the lychees all over the floor, "Xiaosong, go tell the people of Fengjing that our Jiuzhen Store is selling lychees for five taels a catty!"

"Got it!" Wang Xiaosong sprang up, more agile than a monkey.

His mouth had always been loud. As he sauntered over, he would greet every shop he passed, "Brother Zhang selling dried goods! Wanna try lychees? Oh they're not expensive, five taels of silver per catty. If you mention my name to your master, I'll give you two more."

"Really, no kidding, just five taels of silver per catty. Go take a look quickly before they're sold out!"

In just over half a hour, before the cart of lychees was cleared out, a crowd had already gathered at the door of the Jiuzhen Store.

"I say, is it really five taels per catty?" A man wearing brocade robes stood on tiptoes and asked.

While peeling off the shells, Jiang Sheng kept nodding his head and stuffed them into his mouth, making sure to slurp the juice.

The man stared fixedly at him, adam's apple bobbing up and down as he kept swallowing.

If the best way to showcase clothes is by modeling them, then the best way to sell food is to have someone munching away, aromas wafting. Moreover, the taste of Sichuan lychees was not bad.

Initially used to purely sweet flavors, the slight sourness was unlikable, but after a few more bites the unique blend of sweet and sour emerged, more refreshing than pure sweetness, the acidity making it less cloying.

"C'mon, gimme two catties." Unable to endure any longer, the man took out ten small silver ingots from his clothes. With him leading the way, business flowed smoothly and naturally.

None were filthy rich, but all had some pocket change. Afraid to touch the fifty tael per catty, they could all afford to sample the five tael ones.

Zhang Xianglian was in high spirits, often throwing in a few extra as a bonus, ensuring every customer left smiling.

The hundred catties of Sichuan lychees had sold out in half a day.

Although the profits were not comparable to Lingnan lychees, they were still considerable.

Most importantly, they had shown the Liao Family their skill.

"But we didn't sell Lingnan lychees. The Liao Family isn't stupid to be fooled." Jiang Sheng mumbled worriedly.

Zheng Ruqian remained unruffled, "So what if that's the case? When lychees are mentioned everyone will only think of the five taels per catty at our Jiuzhen Store. In terms of price we have triumphed over the Liao Family."

From a certain perspective this could be seen as compressing quality to ensure profits.

But in the eyes of Fengjing's commoners, it became the Jiuzhen Store's lychees were cheaper than the Liaos'.

"What about the lychees for the aristocratic families?" Jiang Sheng reminded. "The third batch is about to arrive. Sister Yao ordered fifty catties. I don't have the cheek to still sell to her at fifty taels per."

The aristocratic families placed orders owing to the Jiang Family's face. The Jiuzhen Store could not treat them as fools.

Even the Liao Family making that grueling trip to Lingnan in order to raise prices wouldn't have dared to pass off Sichuan lychees as Lingnan ones.

The aristocrats had lots of money but were no idiots.

Thankfully Zheng Ruqian had made preparations early on, "Have the lychee cakes and pastries I told you guys to prepare ready?"

Zhang Xianglian at the side nodded.

It was not easy to make desserts with the flavor of lychees. With the high costs of the fruit as the base, pricing high or low was inappropriate. High prices meant no customers, low prices meant definite losses.

Initially they thought to take the high-profit-low-volume approach like with Lingnan lychees, but unexpectedly Zheng Ruqian waved his hand grandly, "Anyone at Jiuzhen Store who orders Lingnan lychees, will get one catty of lychee desserts plus five catties of Sichuan lychees for every catty ordered."

Zhang Xianglian was slightly confused.

The dessert they had painstakingly researched, not only did they lose money, but they had to give it away for free too.

Only Jiang Sheng's eyes lit up, "The reputation for price of lychees cannot recover once lowered, or our actions would be no different from the Liao Family. Giving away so much means the aristocratic families won't feel they lost money, and the final decision to keep giving remains in our hands." So what if they lost a little money? The lychee desserts were produced by Jiuzhen Store, the Sichuan lychees were transported by them, the profits still returned to them in the end.

"Second brother, you're capable!" After sorting things out in his mind, Jiang Sheng suddenly came to a realization. "Did you prepare these tricks ten days in advance? Were you never planning to wage a price war against the Liao Family using Lingnan lychees in the first place?"

"Details, just details." Zheng Ruqian waved his hand smilingly, "Like auntie said, fighting a price war is neverending. The Liao Family may be willing to lose money, but I am not."

Now that's a sufficiently cunning and sly businessman!

Unfortunately, things would definitely not end just like this. The Liao Family would also not keel over obediently.

"Deliver the third batch of lychees first." Zheng Ruqian reminded them, "If you want the aristocrats to feel they got a good deal, the pastries still have to be sold. Price them as high as the market will bear. Doesn't matter if they don't sell, the main thing is everyone feeling they're worth it."

Zhang Xianglian seriously nodded, committing it deeply to heart.

In another two days' time, Jiuzhen Store's third batch of lychees arrived. Wang Xiaosong brought Jiang San and Jiang Si to deliver goods to the various prominent families.

The aristocrats likely already calculated a deal in their hearts, prepared to spend some wronged money this time.

But unexpectedly, Jiuzhen Store directly filled their entire compound, Lingnan and Sichuan lychees, the newly introduced lychee desserts, dozens of vats full to the brim.

"Our master said, we cannot be seen to lower prices openly, but will send more goods to make up." Wang Xiaosong maintained a steady attitude, neither servile nor overbearing. "In future when you order desserts from Jiuzhen Store, you will get priority service."

Lychee desserts sold for forty taels a catty at the Jiuzhen Store. Sichuan lychees were five taels per. Carefully calculated, they had sent even more than matching the price decrease.

Most aristocrats placed orders owing to the Jiang Family's face, and understood they hadn't spent wronged money, so they were relatively satisfied.

The rare few unhappy, Wang Xiaosong decisively refunded their payments, never pestering them.

Not only were there still some aristocratic families placing advance orders after delivery had completed, they specially requested the lychee flavored desserts. Coupled with the fiery sales of Sichuan lychees, the Jiuzhen Store's business grew instead of dropping.

"The number of advance orders for Lingnan lychees decreased, but Sichuan lychees increased greatly." Jiang Sheng deftly maneuvered the abacus with one hand. "Overall profits declined."

This was also unavoidable. After all it was commercial warfare, the Liao Family had already broken a leg, losing them a little profit was nothing.

The crux was who would win this silent battle.

So far, Jiuzhen Store had pulled back one match through the lychee desserts and Sichuan lychees, but what about the future?

The Liao Family could also transport Sichuan lychees, also lower prices to two or three taels. Snatching back the market share.

Jiang Sheng had already made preparations, ready to counter depending on circumstances.

But unexpectedly, news arrived that the Liao Family had lowered prices again!

The original twenty five taels per catty of Lingnan lychees, now sold for ten taels!

The Liao Family has gone mad.