The paint was dry after a few days, and the preparation of various bowls, dishes, and sauces was also complete. Honestly, pushing the cart out now, its appearance was quite eye-catching, the three-dimensional pattern depicting a small bamboo forest, and the five characters for "Bamboo's Preserved Duck Eggs." Whether or not the preserved duck eggs could be sold for twenty coins seemed to depend on this. Of course, although Nie Yunzhu appeared confident in front of Ning Yi, she probably didn't really believe it in her heart. Ning Yi naturally understood this, but since the matter was not yet settled, there was no need to explain too much. Saying more was not as effective as seeing the results after the deed was done.

Next, it was his job to figure out how to get several restaurants to agree to consign Nie Yunzhu's preserved duck eggs.

Actually, this was quite simple. If they weren't willing to let Nie Yunzhu bring them over, he would just have to get them to take the initiative to get them. Once a business was monopolized, there were many ways to open it up.

That afternoon, he asked Su Chonghua for leave, saying that he would be late in the mornings for the next few days, and asked Su Chonghua to arrange someone to supervise the students' reading – anyway, the first hour was just reading and reciting with head-shaking, so it didn't matter much whether Ning Yi was there or not.

At the end of February in Jiangning, it was truly the season of singing orioles and growing grass. The branches were covered with fuzzy green new buds, and the catkins were elegant, fluttering like絮. In the early morning, one could hear the birds singing on the streets. The wind still carried a slight chill, and the scholars and talents got up relatively early. Many would call their friends and choose to cruise the Qinhuai River by boat in the morning. When the faint and lingering music floated from the distant painted boats, among the willow catkins filling the sky, the feeling it gave was naturally a scene of literary and artistic elegance.

As the sunlight rose, Ning Yi walked on the streets of Jiangning. Although this was his first time experiencing the spring season in Jiangning, he was already accustomed to the ancient atmosphere as the willow catkins fell all over the sky. With the arrival of spring, there were also more pedestrians on the road, merchants gathering from all directions, scholars carrying their scrolls, and occasionally bodyguards and martial artists, big and burly, so it was hard to tell who really had true skills. A chubby child was teasing a dog on the side of the street, making faces, and finally angered the dog, which barked and chased after him desperately, causing the child to fall into the river with a splash. The child paddled and swam far in the water, turning back to make faces, and his mother, seeing this from a distance, stood on the riverbank with her hands on her hips and scolded loudly.

Nie Yunzhu's stall was a few streets away. Today was the first day it was pushed out, but the two had already talked in the morning. At this time, Ning Yi was not going to see the degree of shock the cart gave people. His purpose was just to go to the nearby restaurants to take a look. On the way, he ran into Li Pin coming towards him, probably on his way to the school.

"Liheng." As colleagues for a month, Li Pin went to listen to stories every morning, knowing that Ning Yi was always prepared. Seeing him not planning to go to the school at this time, he was slightly puzzled. After asking, Ning Yi only replied that he had some things to do. Since he wasn't going to class, it was fine for Li Pin to go to Yushan Academy, so he asked, "Can I help you?"

"Hehe, it's just a small matter, no need." Ning Yi thought, "Brother Li lives nearby?"

"Just in the alley in front. If Liheng has time, you might as well come to my humble abode for a little sit-down." Li Pin smiled, "My wife has also long admired Liheng's name and wanted to meet you."

Ning Yi declined with a smile, and then said, "Since Brother Li lives nearby, do you know which are the best and most expensive restaurants and teahouses here?"

"Chunyi Tower, Yangxu Tower, and Sihai Tower in front are all good, and there are a few others on that street. I have nothing to do at this time, so if Liheng wants to go, I can accompany you."

Li Pin seemed casual and洒脱, and could be considerate in his speech and actions. Ning Yi smiled at this time, "There's no need today, just find an expensive one. If Brother Li has an appetite at this time, why not go have breakfast together, my treat."

Afterwards, the two went to the most magnificent restaurant on that street. It wasn't yet the busiest time of the morning. When Ning Yi and Li Pin arrived, there were still some empty seats in the restaurant. Ning Yi casually tipped the waiter a tael of silver, and the waiter immediately became attentive, leading Ning Yi and Li Pin upstairs. Then Ning Yi casually ordered some expensive meat porridge and snacks, while Li Pin only ordered a bowl of Three-Fresh Soup Noodles.

"Does Brother Li often come here?" Ning Yi asked as he poured tea.

Li Pin smiled, "Things are a bit more expensive than outside, but the taste is still good. I come here occasionally."

"Then... is this Chunyi Tower's busiest time of the day?"

"Heh, not really. In about another quarter of an hour, this building will be overcrowded."

"Hmm." Ning Yi nodded.

Li Pin was obviously curious about Ning Yi's reason for coming here, but he didn't show it on the surface. He drank tea and chatted with Ning Yi, but the topics were not about the principles related to those stories and the Analects that he usually seemed to care about, but just trivial things. A dispute caused by the cutting down of a willow tree in front of the building two years ago was also interesting when he told it. As time gradually passed, the things that Ning Yi and Li Pin ordered also came up. The restaurant was gradually full of customers and noisy. Ning Yi took a sip of porridge, knocked on the table, and the waiter raised his hand before immediately coming over.

"What else can I do for you two gentlemen?"

"Give me two preserved duck eggs."

"Preserved... preserved duck eggs?" The waiter was bewildered.

"...Don't have any?" Ning Yi was slightly surprised, then thought for a moment, took out fifty or sixty copper coins from his body, and pointed outside, "Go past here, turn a corner, there's a seller at that intersection, the cart is very beautiful, buy two over, for condiments... vinegar and soy sauce will do, you have those here too. Twenty coins each, the rest is yours, go."

He just finished speaking lightly, waved his hand, and turned to talk to Li Pin about other things. After the commanding aura that he had developed in his previous life came out, the waiter was stunned for a moment, but for a while, he didn't dare to refute, only remembering preserved duck eggs, vinegar, and soy sauce, took the money, and left. If a restaurant wants to be big, the rules still don't allow objecting to these simple requests from customers, especially since this customer gave a tael of silver when he came in.

After a while, the waiter bought the preserved duck eggs back, probably asking Nie Yunzhu how to eat them and about the vinegar and soy sauce, and even thoughtfully brought a small dish to hold some vinegar and soy sauce. Ning Yi gave one to Li Pin, "Try it, it's something new. If you're not used to it, you can dip it in vinegar or soy sauce... actually, the best part is the appearance."

The business in the restaurant was still lively. After the two finished eating the preserved duck eggs, Ning Yi looked at the lively scene and waved his hand again, "Waiter."

The waiter came over again, and Ning Yi took out dozens of coins, not even looking at him, "Buy two more." He turned to talk to Li Pin.

The waiter was a little embarrassed and hesitated for a while, "Sir, business is really busy at this time, I can't leave..."

"Hmm?" Ning Yi's words were interrupted, and he glanced at him, then tilted his head and looked at him for a few seconds, his expression was calm, but he didn't blink. Then he folded his hands on the table and frowned, "Can't leave?"

"No... I... I'll find a way..."

The waiter took the money and left. After a while, he bought the preserved duck eggs back. Ning Yi put the preserved duck eggs on the table and said after the waiter left, "It's not good to eat too much, but you can take them to the academy and let others try them. Brother Li, do you want to take one back?"

Li Pin laughed, "Brother Ning, did you come here today for these preserved duck eggs?"

"Heh, that's right."

"I wonder why specifically?"

"It's nothing, just a small bet." The food was actually finished, Ning Yi smiled and stuffed the preserved duck eggs into his pocket and stood up, "Brother Li, let's go."

The two went downstairs together. There were many more pedestrians on the street. Ning Yi exchanged a few words with Li Pin and looked at the restaurants over there, "I made an agreement with someone to sell at least thirty of these twenty-coin preserved duck eggs every day within a month. After all, they are new, so if I send them directly over, they won't be willing to put them on the counter to sell. Judging from the daily income of this restaurant, it's not worth bribing those stewards for the business of thirty preserved duck eggs, and they look down on it. I can only do the opposite. Tomorrow, I'll hire a few idlers and invite them to have breakfast here every day. After six or seven days, the nearby restaurants will probably go and get the goods. The appearance is still good, cut one open and put it outside for display, twenty coins should be no problem... But, are the nearby restaurants this busy every morning?"

"With the nearby merchants coming and going, it's always lively here except in winter, so there shouldn't be a problem." Li Pin thought for a while and looked at Ning Yi, "Thirty, that's just a business of six hundred coins a day. With Liheng's current reputation, as long as you can make this preserved duck egg famous, it will easily be more than thirty. Why go to so much trouble?"

"Heh, that item is set in the bet..." Ning Yi laughed. Actually, doing various businesses is often a competition of connections. With Ning Yi's reputation at this time, he could either write a poem for the preserved duck eggs, or say hello to the Puyang family. The business of hundreds of coins for preserved duck eggs is just a drop in the bucket and doesn't need to be taken seriously, but in that case, how is it different from Kang Xian helping to promote it at the banquet with just a few words? The reason why Kang Xian set the standard so low was also to stipulate that Ning Yi could only use some ordinary people's methods, spend a little capital, and spread the sales channels of this thing, the preserved duck egg.

This matter was just a small trick, and there was nothing surprising about it. Li Pin thought for a long time, "This matter is indeed interesting. In that case, there's no need to bother with hiring people too much. Some idlers are not very reliable. I know many friends here who have breakfast in this neighborhood every day. It's just a simple matter for them to put on a show, and... naturally, there won't be any flaws."

He looked at Ning Yi, then waved his hand again, "I won't let Liheng's name be revealed, I will instruct them, so that everyone will never do anything superfluous, just follow the rules of ordinary people, how about that?"

He was a talent on par with Cao Guan. If he really wanted to operate, most of his friends were also of this type. If Li Pin really wanted to operate, perhaps his influence would be even greater than Ning Yi's current one. Therefore, after making such a guarantee, Ning Yi thought for a moment and nodded, "Then thank you, Brother Li."

The next morning, Nie Yunzhu happily reported the results to Ning Yi by the steps in front of the small building: "Yesterday, we sold six preserved duck eggs, and the pancakes sold out so quickly. This is the first time we've sold out of pancakes, so I and Hu Tao are going to make more today. And it's also the first time we've sold so many preserved duck eggs..." She was obviously happy for the pancakes, and looked at Ning Yi's expression, "It's a good start, as long as the reputation is established, there's definitely no problem selling thirty preserved duck eggs."

Ning Yi curled his lips and laughed along with her. He wasn't worried about the sales channels of preserved duck eggs. After three days, the first restaurant began to ask Nie Yunzhu to send preserved duck eggs over. Li Pin's group of friends didn't cause any flaws. However, unexpectedly, this enthusiasm later caused some trouble for Nie Yunzhu...

*************

My sleep schedule is messed up again, I'll adjust it. I'll try to update earlier today.

Seeking recommendation tickets, it is said that everyone can directly right-click on the reading interface, and then the voting options will appear, vote for the loving Banana^_^