The neighbor of the Fang residence in Chang Le Fang, Steward Zhang, who was also the uncle of Zhang Zhimin, was strolling on the street with a friend.
Suddenly, he saw Fang Er standing at the entrance of the shop, smoking.
"Greetings, Marquis of Liaodong."
Steward Zhang walked over warmly to pay his respects and greet him.
"Yo! It's Steward Zhang, please come in."
Fang Er extended his hand and made a gesture of invitation.
"Is this a new shop opened by the Marquis?"
Upon entering the shop and observing the furnishings, Steward Zhang asked curiously.
Fang Er nodded, then pointed to the counter and said, "Steward Zhang, take a look and see if there's anything you need. Our shop is opening today, so I'll give you a 1% discount."
Steward Zhang walked around the shop and suddenly his eyes lit up.
Beneath the counter was a small box of blue pills, which had been accidentally dropped on the ground during the struggle between Changsun Chong and the others.
Steward Zhang rushed over, picked it up, and walked to Fang Er's side.
"Marquis, are you selling this miraculous medicine?"
"That's right, starting today, this medicine will be available for public sale."
Steward Zhang's excited expression caused Fang Er to step back a couple of paces before replying.
"This guy is too frightening, his eyes turned red staring at the blue pills."
"Marquis, how much is this box!"
Steward Zhang opened the box, looked at the twenty-four small pills inside, and asked with a trembling voice.
Fang Er took another two steps back and held up one finger.
"Ten thousand taels?"
Steward Zhang suddenly felt a pang of pain, but then he saw Fang Er shaking his head.
His face froze, "One hundred thousand taels?"
After saying this, he shook his head and was about to put the medicine back on the counter.
"My heart aches, I can't afford a hundred thousand taels..."
Fang Er was taken aback and quickly said, "It's not that much."
Steward Zhang was overjoyed, directly pulled out a thousand taels of flying money from his embrace, placed it on the counter, and stuffed the medicine box into his robe.
"A thousand taels, it's settled. I'll be going now, Marquis. Farewell."
After saying that, he scurried out of the shop.
The scene suddenly became quiet.
Changsun Chong, Cheng Chumo, Yuchi Baolin, and Zhang Daxian watched his retreating back, looking at him as if he were an idiot.
Fang Er was completely stunned. "What the hell, one finger meant a hundred taels!"
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man who had accompanied Steward Zhang hurried after him.
"Brother Zhang, what treasure is that? Can you share some with your brother?"
When Steward Zhang saw his friend chasing after him, wanting to share his miraculous medicine, how could he allow it?
He had been scolded by his wife as a good-for-nothing for half a year.
With that thought, his short legs churned, and he finally managed to lose his friend behind him.
After entering his home, he rushed straight to the backyard.
"Wife, look what I bought!"
A woman's voice came from the backyard: "Why don't you just go die! You're a useless piece of trash, what could you possibly buy!"
"If it weren't for the fact that you can still earn a little money, I would have gone to the government office for a divorce long ago!"
"Get lost! Don't bother me!"
The voice was so loud that it could be heard outside the Zhang residence.
Steward Zhang, the butler, squatted in the gatehouse as if he hadn't heard anything; he had heard these words so many times that his ears were practically calloused.
Steward Zhang was unfazed and directly followed the sound to his wife, then waved the small box of pills in front of her.
"Hey, still scolding? Come on, continue scolding!"
The woman's voice instantly became as soft and gentle as water: "My dear! Quickly take one, and I'll go close the door."
Looking at his wife's sudden shy expression and her beautiful, captivating face, Steward Zhang felt that the thousand taels were well spent!
Back in the shop, Fang Er closed his astonished mouth.
After staying in the shop for a while longer, Changsun Chong and the others were smoking and glanced at the sky outside.
"Brother, shall we have a drink tonight?"
Fang Er shook his head: "No, I have things to do back at the manor. We'll drink another day."
Changsun Chong was a little disappointed but understood that Fang Er had many matters to attend to: "Then, Brother, we'll be heading back."
After they left, Fang Er said to Da Li, "This shop will be managed by you from now on. There's a piece of paper behind the counter with the prices of various goods. Work hard."
With that, he patted Da Li's shoulder.
Hearing this, Da Li was overjoyed: "Young Master, rest assured, I will manage it with all my heart and not disgrace you."
"Yu Chen, let's go back."
Fang Er nodded, then left the shop with Xie Yu Chen.
After picking up the motorcycle at the Drunken Immortal Inn, Xie Yu Chen sat nervously behind, and the two of them headed back to the Fang family manor.
Upon returning to the Fang family manor, Fang Er asked Xie Yu Chen to go to Zhao Gang to request a shop sign. The name would be "Tang Yan Jiu" (Sugar, Tobacco, and Liquor). Once it was ready, Xie Yu Chen was to deliver it.
Time passed day by day.
The hot air balloon was completed, and Hua Niang and the others had begun sewing cotton padded jackets. The manufacturing of the Zhongshi rifle at the shipyard was also proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Lai Yifa selected thirty quick-witted individuals from the manor and the Tianhuo Army. They followed him to learn the art of stealth and practiced in the manor and the surrounding forests every day.
In the days that followed, Fang Er went to the training grounds every morning to watch the soldiers train, and in the afternoon, he went to the school to teach the children knowledge not found in books.