The strongest eldest son of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 68 Zhu Yuanzhang: Bah! Shady merchant! But...it feels so good!

Zhu Yao felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this and sincerely thanked him.

"Thank you for your kindness, Madam. This is the first time in my life I have received such a thoughtful and warm gift. I am very happy with it."

Seeing the two getting along so well, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately smiled and changed the subject.

"Yao'er, speaking of your things, your sweet potatoes are truly a treasure. Bringing them back to Jinling this time has caused a sensation throughout the entire city."

"In just half a month, I made a fortune. I'll have the housekeeper explain the accounts to you in detail."

Zong Yonghe quickly stepped forward, respectfully cupped his hands to Zhu Yao, and reported the truth.

"Young Master Zhu, the sweet potatoes are selling for a high price in Jinling this time, and the supply can't keep up with the demand. We've made more than a thousand gold coins in just half a month, and the nobles are still chasing after them. The popularity is not waning, and there will still be plenty of money to be made in the future."

Zhu Yuanzhang then looked at Zhu Yao and said earnestly, "So the reason I came this time is to continue to buy sweet potatoes from you in large quantities and transport them to Nanjing for sale, so that we can make money in the long run."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao raised an eyebrow slightly, smiled calmly, and said with a confident tone, "Father, Steward Zong, if we only rely on selling sweet potatoes, we'll only earn a small amount of money, which is a real waste."

"I have a method that can earn several times more profit than simply selling sweet potatoes, allowing you to easily accumulate wealth."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zong Yonghe immediately became interested. They exchanged a glance, their faces full of surprise and doubt, and simultaneously asked questions.

"Oh? There's an even more profitable way? Sweet potatoes are already incredibly expensive these days, is it really possible to earn several times more? Is that really feasible?"

The two men were filled with doubt. With sweet potatoes now costing as much as gold, they couldn't think of any other way to make a profit.

Zhu Yao spoke calmly and slowly, explaining his business strategy in a clear and logical manner, breaking it down layer by layer.

"First of all, we no longer sell in bulk, but instead use graded packaging. Premium sweet potatoes are packaged separately, labeled with an exclusive brand name, creating a high-end brand name and doubling the price."

"Secondly, we don't just sell raw sweet potatoes; we also sell roasted sweet potatoes, dried sweet potatoes, sweet potato noodles, sweet potato pastries, and other derivative products, making multiple uses for one product and generating multiple sources of profit."

Finally, by limiting sales and creating scarcity, a fixed daily quota was sold without any increase, making it difficult for wealthy and powerful families to purchase the product and thus raising its price.

These few simple words hit the nail on the head, overturning all their previous understanding of business.

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned and completely dumbfounded. His mind went blank, and he never thought that business could be done in this way.

Zong Yonghe's eyes widened in shock, his face filled with astonishment. He was completely taken aback and stood there dumbfounded for a long time.

The same thought arose in both of their minds: There's actually a way to do business like this in the world!

Zhu Yao's mind and vision are truly terrifying.

Zhu Yuanzhang: Bah! Shady merchant! But... it feels so good!

.....

In the stillness of the night, the lights in the Pentagon gradually went out, and the bedroom was quiet and cozy, with Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma lying side by side on the bed.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned over, looked at Empress Ma beside him, and asked softly.

"Young lady, today is your first meeting with Yao'er. After spending a day together, what is your impression of this child?"

Empress Ma gazed at the top of the tent with gentle eyes and sighed softly, her tone full of sincere praise.

"Yao'er is a child of good character, polite and sensible, insightful and intelligent. What is rare is his composure at such a young age, neither arrogant nor impetuous. He is truly a good child."

Her tone shifted, and she spoke with deep concern and pity.

"It's just that he has suffered too much. He grew up alone without parents, and his only maternal grandfather has just passed away. He has no other relatives in the world."

"His current business, knowledge, vision, and skills are all the result of his own hard work and struggle. He has worked his way up step by step without anyone's help. It's really not easy."

Zhu Yuanzhang, however, did not seem to care much. He waved his hand and jokingly remarked.

"I think so. This kid is always cheerful and carefree, living a more leisurely life than anyone else. He eats and drinks well and lives in a mansion. You can't see a trace of pitifulness in him."

Empress Ma immediately rolled her eyes at him, her tone both reproachful and insightful.

"That's because you're careless and don't understand people at all! I'm a mother, after all. I can see through the coldness and warmth of people's hearts and the forbearance of young people at a glance."

"His carefree and nonchalant demeanor was nothing more than a forced facade; he never revealed a trace of the loneliness and hardship in his heart."

Empress Ma paused for a moment, then continued speaking slowly.

"Moreover, when I looked closely at Yao'er's eyebrows and demeanor today, I found that he resembled you in your youth, calm, stubborn, and insightful."

"If you hadn't confessed everything to me beforehand, I would have really suspected that this was your biological child whom you had abandoned years ago."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately became anxious and raised his hand to defend himself, his tone extremely firm.

"Don't make wild guesses, girl! Ever since we married, you know everything about me—who's by my side, what happened in my past—there's been absolutely nothing I've hidden!"

"My adoption of Yao'er was purely out of love and pity for his exceptional talent, stemming from his tragic past and unparalleled genius. I had no other intentions!"

Empress Ma looked at his eager explanation and nodded gently, responding softly.

"Of course I believe you. I can also see that Yao'er, though seemingly indifferent, actually cares a lot about you, his father who suddenly appeared."

"It's just that the relationship isn't officially established yet, so there's still some distance between us. You should find a suitable opportunity in the future to formally clarify things with him and firmly acknowledge the father-son relationship."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly and solemnly agreed.

"I know, but not now. For some reason, this kid seems to have a certain aversion to me. Being too hasty will only make things worse."

Empress Ma hummed softly in response, and said no more. The two of them drifted off to sleep in the quiet night.

The next day, as dawn broke and the morning light began to appear, Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma rose early and, taking advantage of the cool morning air, strolled leisurely through the courtyard of the old Liu Mansion within the building.

The courtyard is filled with ancient trees, flowers and plants, clear springs winding around stones, and secluded paths, lacking the ornate carvings and luxurious complexities of imperial palaces.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every pavilion, and every stone is naturally elegant. A gentle breeze caresses the face, refreshing the mind and body, making one feel relaxed and incredibly comfortable.

Empress Ma strolled around slowly, sincerely praising, "This Liu residence looks simple and unadorned, yet it possesses a unique charm. Compared to the solemnity and oppression of the palace, this place is truly relaxing and pleasant."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and agreed, his tone carrying a hint of enjoyment.

"I discovered the wonder of this place the first time I came here. It is full of spiritual energy and has a peaceful state of mind. Even sleeping here is more pleasant than in the palace."

As the two were chatting, they suddenly saw two figures slowly swaying their limbs to the rhythm in an open space in the courtyard.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Zhu Yao and Liu Bowen, their movements synchronized and graceful, stretching and bending in an orderly manner.

Zhu Yuanzhang, intrigued, quickly stepped forward with Empress Ma and asked the question.

"Yao'er, what are you and Mr. Liu doing? Instead of reading or doing anything this morning, you're all twisting and turning here?"