Chapter 541 Ruixuanzhai
"4.5 million RMB? Mr. Zhuang. Didn't we agree on 600,000 a year? 7 years should be 4.2 million. This extra 300,000 RMB is..."
Zhao Hanxuan picked up a contract from the table and first looked at the amount. He was stunned when he saw it. He didn't know why the amount on the contract was 300,000 yuan more than what had been agreed upon.
As the saying goes, one should not accept a reward without merit, and there is no such thing as a free lunch. Zhao Hanxuan had just suffered a big setback a while ago because he wanted to take advantage of others, and now he was quite frightened.
"Old Zhao, take a look at the other contract first, then we can talk..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and waved his hand. Seeing his niece curiously looking at the shop, he bent down, picked her up, and walked to a square table that was waist-high.
Shops selling stationery must have writing desks, which are also a place to showcase China's unique traditional culture. Many foreign tourists who come to China are often drawn to the magical calligraphy and end up buying Xuan paper, brushes, and inkstones.
Shuyazhai is no exception, with a table in the middle of the shop for customers to try out their brushes.
"Darling, shall your uncle write you a piece of calligraphy?"
Zhuang Rui spread out a three-foot square sheet of Xuan paper, picked out a wolf-hair brush from the brush holder, held it in his hand, rotated his wrist to test it, and felt it was pretty good.
Zhuang Rui had studied calligraphy since elementary school, but it was just a hobby and not something he could be proud of. Later, after studying antique appraisal, he gained a deeper understanding of calligraphy. He believed that although his writing was not very good, it should not be out of shape, so he dared to make a fool of himself in front of everyone.
"Uncle, what do you want to write?"
The little girl reached out to grab Zhuang Rui's calligraphy brush, and Zhuang Rui quickly handed the little girl to his brother-in-law, as it wouldn't look good to have her face covered in graffiti during the New Year.
Someone was going to demonstrate calligraphy on the spot, and the customers in the shop all gathered around. This was a great opportunity to observe. Little did they know that Zhuang Rui was just doing it spontaneously and was not a member of the calligraphy world at all.
"good!"
"Well written!"
After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui wrote down the words "May the New Year bring abundant joy and may the festive season last forever".
Although the distribution and smooth connection of the characters are slightly lacking, the strength of the strokes, achieved through the combined effort of all five fingers, is quite impressive. To the untrained eye, it looks pretty good, eliciting a chorus of praise from the audience.
"I'm making a fool of myself..."
Zhuang Rui bowed repeatedly to those around him. He was still self-aware enough to know that if his handwriting were placed in the eyes of an expert, it would be no different from that of a primary school student who had just learned to write with a pen. It was full of flaws and was just something he wrote for fun during the New Year.
"Boss Zhuang's couplet has a hidden meaning..."
It took Zhuang Rui more than ten minutes to come up with these words after thinking about them. Zhao Hanxuan had already finished reading the contract and came over to join in the fun. However, he said that the couplet was good, but he didn't say that Zhuang Rui's writing was good. Those who understood this laughed kindly.
The couplet written by Zhuang Rui, "May the New Year bring abundant joy and may the festive season last forever," is indeed very meaningful.
According to the "History of Song Dynasty: Shu Family", Meng Chang, the ruler of Later Shu at the time, once ordered the scholar Zhang Xun to write this couplet on a wooden board made of peach wood. This is the first Spring Festival couplet in China. Because it was originally written on peach wood, the Spring Festival couplet was still called "peach charm" until the Song Dynasty. Most Chinese people who can visit shops selling the Four Treasures of the Study are cultured people who love calligraphy. Some people who know this story explained it to others. Don't underestimate this simple couplet. To be able to write it requires a deep foundation in Chinese literature.
Zhuang Rui's suggestion sparked a flurry of responses from some self-important individuals, who also requested to write a few words. Since the New Year is all about having fun, no one cared about writing a few words. Zhao Hanxuan found a helper to arrange it for everyone.
"Mr. Zhuang, may we speak privately for a moment?"
There are currently twenty or thirty people in Zhao Hanxuan's shop outside. With someone wanting to do calligraphy on the spot, and a group of onlookers crowding in, it's quite noisy and not a place for conversation.
"good……"
Zhuang Rui nodded, and the two entered the inner cubicle.
"Old Zhao, you've read the contract. What do you think? Should you sign it or not?"
After today, Zhuang Rui will be busy and won't have time to beat around the bush with Lao Zhao. He went straight to the point.
"Boss Zhuang, I'm the one who got the better deal. No problem, I've signed it, and you can rest assured that I'll manage the shop. It'll be a sure thing..."
When Zhao Hanxuan faced Zhuang Rui, he felt not only admiration but also a sense of awe. He knew that if it were him, he would not have offered such a contract, even if he didn't kick him while he was down.
The extra 300,000 yuan in Zhuang Rui's contract was clearly stated to be an advance payment of 10 months' salary to Lao Zhao. Zhao Hanxuan didn't feel grateful to Zhuang Rui for this, but a later clause did tempt him, and he greatly admired Zhuang Rui's boldness.
Zhuang Rui gave Lao Zhao two contracts. One was the transfer contract for "Shuyazhai," which was very simple, consisting of only some transfer clauses. However, the other contract, an employment contract, contained several unusual points.
In this contract, Zhuang Rui included a clause stating that once the inventory of the goods in Shuyazhai was cleared, Zhao Hanxuan would receive 20% of the gross profit from the sale of the newly acquired Four Treasures of the Study. In other words, Zhuang Rui was giving Zhao Hanxuan more than 20% of the stationery without him having to invest any capital.
Some people might think that 20% isn't much. But that's a mistake. What's written above is the gross profit, which is the profit after deducting the main operating costs from the total sales amount. To be more specific, it only deducts the cost of goods purchased.
This doesn't include expenses like utilities, rent, depreciation, and employee salaries. Zhao Hanxuan, having been in business for so many years, knew that if he calculated it carefully, Zhuang Rui might end up earning less from stationery than he did.
Old Zhao knows the business situation of "Shuyazhai" best. The inventory can be sold in six months at most. In that case, after six months, Zhao Hanxuan will be running his own business without having to bear any risk. If he does well, he may earn no less money than before.
Zhao Hanxuan also realized that Zhuang Rui planned to focus on antiques and jewelry, but his shop was big enough that setting aside such a section would not affect the sales of stationery.
Zhuang Rui offered these conditions, so he wasn't worried that Zhao Hanxuan wouldn't work his butt off. That was what he admired most about Zhuang Rui: if you want a horse to run, you have to feed it first.
To be honest, Zhao Hanxuan was still somewhat dissatisfied before. He was selling the shop instead of selling himself, but Zhuang Rui had linked the two things together, taking advantage of his urgent need for money to tie him to this year.
When Lao Zhao called Zhuang Rui, he agreed verbally, but he wasn't very happy about it. However, after seeing the contract, his dissatisfaction vanished.
"Old Zhao, you don't need to thank me. I know absolutely nothing about the business of stationery items. Even if you train two apprentices for me in the future, I'm afraid I'll still be clueless about the business. You've been in this business for so many years, so handing it over to you will make money for everyone. Why not?"
Zhuang Rui made this contract after a long period of consideration. Although he had two candidates in mind to take over Lao Zhao's job, upon closer examination, he realized that even if those two studied for two years, they might not be able to graduate. In that case, he would definitely not be able to continue working in the field of calligraphy and painting.
The shop is large enough that Zhuang Rui only needs a small space to run his antique and jade business, so he wants to continue his stationery business. This means that Lao Zhao will need to continue working here for another year.
Zhuang Rui knew that people who had been bosses before would find it difficult to work for others again, because many people couldn't psychologically accept this change. They would rather start over from scratch with a small business than listen to someone else's sales pitch.
Especially for someone like Lao Zhao, who comes from a cultural circle, is rather aloof and values face highly. If there isn't a contract that satisfies the other party, Lao Zhao will definitely leave the store after the one-year agreement.
If that were the case, Zhuang Rui would not be able to continue running his stationery business a year later. So, while it might seem like Zhuang Rui was at a disadvantage by offering Lao Zhao this condition, he was actually actually getting a good deal. After all, he didn't expect to make a lot of money from the stationery business, so having an additional source of profit was like getting something for free.
"Old Zhao, I'm leaving Beijing tomorrow. I'll trouble you to handle the paperwork and other formalities. Also, find a few workers to do some minor renovations on the exterior, like making some high-end glass display cases. We'll talk about the rest when I get back..."
After giving Lao Zhao a few instructions, Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "By the way, we need to change the name of this shop. Let's call it Ruixuanzhai..."
Zhuang Rui took out paper and pen and wrote the name down for Zhao Hanxuan to see.
Although Zhuang Rui also wanted to name it something like "Rongbaozhai," it was a century-old brand with a registered trademark. So, as a second choice, he simply combined one character from his own name and one character from Qin Xuanbing's name to create the shop's name.
"Okay, tomorrow is the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, everyone should be back to work soon, I'll go and take care of these paperwork tomorrow..."
Zhao Hanxuan nodded and agreed. The conditions Zhuang Rui offered him were already very generous, and changing the store name was not something he couldn't accept.
Chapter 542 Seeking a Calligraphy (Part 1)
Upon seeing Zhao Hanxuan sign and affix his fingerprint to the two contracts, Zhuang Rui handed him a cash check for 4.5 million yuan. From that moment on, the shop was considered Zhuang Rui's property.
Zhao Hanxuan also handed Zhuang Rui a list of all the goods in the store. He had compiled it in great detail. The list included not only the purchase price but also the retail price, including several valuable antique inkstones, all of which were clearly listed, giving people a clear understanding at a glance.
Zhuang Rui's expertise is in finance. Looking at these lists, he was quite satisfied with Zhao Hanxuan's competence and character. Zhao Hanxuan had initially said that the goods in his store were worth around 1 million yuan, but now, looking at the lists, the total price was 1.18 million yuan, which was slightly higher than he had said.
After finishing his business, Zhuang Rui put away his two contracts and was about to leave when Zhao Hanxuan stopped him: "Boss Zhuang, could you please arrange for another accountant to come over..."
"Finance? I work in finance myself. I don't think I need that."
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment. This tiny shop didn't need an accountant. He could manage all the accounts by himself.
"Boss Zhuang, it's really necessary to hire an accountant and a cashier. I used to be quite unprofessional in many things, and it wouldn't be good if the accounts got messy..."
Previously, it was his own private shop, and Zhao Hanxuan controlled all the money. The expenses were quite chaotic, and he would use the shop's money for any expense without thinking. Zhao Hanxuan was afraid that he would get used to spending the shop's money and accidentally treat it as his own.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui agreed. Even close brothers keep clear accounts. Although he trusted his employees, it was better to be open about some things. So he asked, "Old Zhao, how's the security in Panjiayuan? Have there been any thefts or robberies?"
Old Zhao was a little puzzled. How did the conversation turn to finances and then to public security? But he still replied, "Panjiayuan is now a window for Beijing to promote Chinese culture. The public security is very good. Robberies are absolutely nonexistent. However, pickpockets are another story. Sometimes when there are many tourists, wallets are stolen..."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand. He said, "I'm referring to whether there have been any thefts or robberies inside the shops, or if anyone has pried open the doors or locked the doors after closing time..."
"No, Panjiayuan always has security guards and police patrolling there. I've never heard of anything like this..."
Zhao Hanxuan shook his head.
"Okay, let's buy a good safe later and put it on the second floor. I'll arrange for a cashier to come once a day and put the daily turnover into the safe. If there's any need for expenditure, you can just call the finance department and ask the cashier to come..."
Zhuang Rui didn't plan to hire any more financial staff. He intended to have the accountant and cashier from Qin Ruilin Jewelry Store handle the work here. Since neither store was particularly busy, the cashier only needed to make one trip a day. If there were large transactions, the cashier could deposit the money into the bank.
Of course, since they're doing two jobs, their salaries should be increased appropriately.
"Okay, that's for the best. Sometimes, for small expenses, we won't have to go through the hassle of going to the bank..."
Zhao Hanxuan nodded in agreement with Zhuang Rui's idea. When he raised this issue, he was also a little worried about the inconvenience, but having a safe in the store would solve the problem of some small expenses.
There used to be a safe in the shop containing several antique inkstones, but after the incident, Zhao Hanxuan took the safe home because he was afraid that the creditors would seize it, and the value of the stolen goods would be impossible to calculate.
"Fourth Brother, please take my sister and the others home later. I still have some things to take care of..."
After leaving the private room with Zhao Hanxuan, Zhuang Rui stopped Ouyang Jun. Just now, when he was telling Zhao Hanxuan about the shop's name, Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered something: his shopfront probably needed a signboard. ...
After leaving "Shuyazhai" alone, Zhuang Rui squeezed into the crowd. He remembered that on the way here, there was a Daoxiangcun store set up in the temple fair. This year's Beijing New Year Temple Fair brought together the storefronts of all the century-old shops to showcase China's traditional culture and snacks to guests from all over the world.
Daoxiangcun was originally called "Lianjiapu". It makes all kinds of southern-style pastries and meat dishes, which are both beautiful and delicious. Not only are the varieties constantly being updated, but they are also rich in oil and sugar, and can be stored for several days without drying out, which makes them very popular in Beijing with its dry climate.
Back then, Daoxiangcun's winter melon cakes, Suzhou pepper salt cakes, and lard-filled steamed cakes made their debut in Beijing, allowing Beijingers, who were used to eating northern "big buns," to enjoy exquisite and authentic southern delicacies.
This Southern-style mixed food shop quickly became a hit, spreading like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys, attracting a constant stream of customers, from celebrities and officials to ordinary people.
Today, Daoxiangcun has grown into a large enterprise with annual sales of 700 million yuan. Zhuang Rui squeezed in front of Daoxiangcun and bought four boxes each of almond shortbread and ham cake. He carried them in his hand. These things are famous and really not cheap. Eight boxes of pastries cost several hundred yuan.
After Zhuang Rui got into the car with the snacks, he drove straight to Jin Pangzi's house. He didn't need to call to know that Jin Pangzi would definitely be staying at home today, since it was the third day of the Lunar New Year.
According to Chinese tradition, the third day of the Lunar New Year is also known as Red Dog Day, an unlucky day. The Red Dog is a god of wrath, and encountering it is believed to bring misfortune. Therefore, traditionally, older generations of Beijingers would absolutely stay at home on this day to avoid encountering evil spirits.
This wasn't a good time to visit, but Zhuang Rui was leaving Beijing the day after tomorrow, so he didn't care about that now. After driving into the neighborhood where Fatty Jin lived, he took out his phone and dialed the number.
Don't let Jin Pangzi's claim of being involved in traditional culture fool you; his place of residence is anything but traditional. It's a rather upscale neighborhood in Beijing, and in a great location. Even back in 2005, you couldn't buy it for less than three to five million yuan.
Sure enough, Fatty Jin was indeed at home, and Zhuang Rui took the snacks and went into the elevator.
"Happy New Year, Teacher Jin!"
As soon as Zhuang Rui entered the room, he placed the snacks by the door and clasped his hands in a respectful gesture.
Fatty Jin said with a big smile, "Hey, bro, why be so polite now that we're home? Call me Fatty Jin or 'brother' if you want, no need for all this 'teacher' stuff..."
The old traditions of Red Dog Day must be observed, but visiting in person is not a problem. Fatty Jin is a shrewd person, and besides, he knows a lot about Zhuang Rui's background. For him to personally come to wish me a Happy New Year is something I probably don't have the face for. He must have something else to say.
"Yanzi, come and bring out my tea set. We have a distinguished guest..."
As Fatty Jin shouted, the door to the inner room was opened.
A young girl with a ponytail and wearing a tight sweater walked out of the room. She had a baby face that resembled Jin Pangzi's round face somewhat. She looked to be no more than twenty years old. Zhuang Rui thought she was Jin Pangzi's daughter.
"Luckily, I brought a pearl pendant with me today. Otherwise, if I were to be on equal footing with Fatty Jin and had no gift to give to a junior like him, that would be quite embarrassing..."
When Zhuang Rui went out today, he remembered what happened to Meng Yatou that day, so he took a pearl pendant from the basement and put it in his pocket.