This is Manager Liu of Liu's Furs, truly making a big purchase, spending twenty guan without batting an eye!
Of course, their shop's annual rent is several thousand guan.
It seems only people like them can afford this "bicycle."
Indeed, twenty guan could buy four cows!
The shop assistant led the errand boy to the store and relayed the discussions to Liu Hu zi's ear.
Liu Hu zi's smile stretched so wide it almost reached his ears.
It was damn worth it!
He had never been so glorious in his life.
Who were the people gathered outside?
They were no ordinary folk, but merchants from all directions!
Through their mouths, the reputation of Liu's Furs would spread even further.
Ice Maiden, these are copper coins. Please examine them.
Bing'er didn't move. The soldiers from the Sky Fire Army, responsible for guarding and assisting in the store, stepped forward to count.
Seventeen guan, seventeen thousand copper coins. Naturally, they wouldn't count them one by one, but weigh them.
One guan of coins weighed seven catties and six taels, so seventeen guan was one hundred and twenty-nine catties and two taels.
After weighing, the soldier reported to Bing'er, "Ice Maiden, it's a total of one hundred and thirty catties."
The extra weight was from the ropes, which was unavoidable.
With so many copper coins, no one would pursue a shortage of thirty or fifty.
Congratulations, Manager Liu. Take this. You are the first to buy a bicycle. His Lordship said that within three years, any problems with the bicycle can be returned for repair without extra charge. This is your proof.
Bing'er bowed slightly to Liu Hu zi and handed him a thick paper card.
This paper card was printed by Fang Er using a printer.
It featured a colorful bicycle with Fang Er's personal signature next to it.
What exquisite artwork!
Liu Hu zi's eyes widened.
At this time, most artwork was impressionistic. Liu Hu zi, who had never even seen a sketch, was stunned by the photograph of the bicycle on the card.
This drawing is probably more valuable than the bicycle itself!
Thank you, Ice Maiden, thank you, Ice Maiden!
After bowing repeatedly, Liu Hu zi walked out of the shop, holding the after-sales service card.
Seeing the card in his hand, Ge Yi Dao walked over with a smile and gestured to the five bicycles.
Manager Liu, please choose one.
Liu Hu zi circled the five bicycles and picked one that caught his eye. Originally, they were mass-produced and looked almost identical. To highlight the differences, Fang Er had specially carved five animal heads onto the handlebars yesterday.
Wolf head, tiger head, leopard head, lion head, bear head.
The character "King" on the tiger head was clearly visible. Liu Hu zi abandoned it with just a glance.
He was not qualified to use such a thing.
He then turned his gaze to the lion head.
He didn't recognize a lion. Few in the Great Tang had seen a lion, except for merchants who had traveled to the Western Regions.
But he had to admit, the male lion's beast head, with its wide-open mouth, sharp fangs, and lifelike mane, looked exceptionally imposing.
This one it is!
Liu Hu zi pointed to the only Great Tang "Lion" branded bicycle and said to Ge Yi Dao.
Liu Er Mao, you are responsible for teaching Manager Liu how to ride.
Ge Yi Dao called out to one of the four deputy division commanders who had accompanied him.
Liu Er Mao, Deputy Commander of the Fifth Division.
He wasn't called this name before. It was just that after Zhang Tian became "San Mao," at some point, a group of deputy division commanders of the same rank gave him this nickname.
Certainly!
Liu Er Mao stepped forward, helped Liu Hu zi push the bicycle, and shouted to the crowd.
Make way, make way!
The crowd quickly parted, clearing a path for him.
Liu Er Mao pushed the bicycle forward, with Liu Hu zi following behind.
After exiting the crowd, Liu Er Mao first demonstrated, explained the structure and precautions, how to mount and dismount, and how to brake. Then he had Liu Hu zi sit on it while he held the rear seat from behind.
The crowd gathered in front of the nameless shop did not disperse, nor did a second buyer appear.
It was only an hour later, as Liu Hu zi proudly rode the bicycle around the marketplace, passing the central intersection twice, that the second buyer appeared.
Officer, Zhou Mou is the owner of Zhou's Grain Store, Zhou Dong Lai. I wish to buy a bicycle, and I have brought the money.
Zhou Dong Lai smiled and pointed to the basket carried by his subordinate.
This fellow was plump, and his eyes narrowed into slits when he smiled.
Owner Zhou, please come in!
After Zhou Dong Lai entered the store, Ge Yi Dao once again called out in his long, drawn-out voice.
Congratulations to Zhou's Grain Store for acquiring a bicycle!
Zhou's Grain Store, good grain, good price, even better people!
Hearing this, Zhou Dong Lai turned and bowed to Ge Yi Dao, "Thank you, officer, for your praise!"
Then, he went to pay Bing'er.
When he received the warranty card, his reaction was the same as Liu Hu zi's. First, he showed it to Ge Yi Dao. After choosing a bicycle, he carefully put away the warranty card like a treasure.
He chose the wolf head bicycle.
The third buyer was Zheng Zai Hao, who dealt in medicinal herbs. He bought the leopard head bicycle.
The fourth buyer was Wu Gu Liang, who dealt in mountain goods. He bought the bear head bicycle.
The fifth buyer was Feng Chun, who dealt in timber. However, he encountered an awkward situation when choosing his bicycle.
Only one bicycle with a tiger head remained, and the "King" on the tiger head was clearly visible.
After staring at the tiger head for a long time, Feng Chun returned to the store with a wronged expression, "Ice Maiden, Feng dare not take that bicycle outside!"
Bing'er asked curiously, "What's wrong? Is there any problem with the bicycle?"
Feng Chun: "Ice Maiden, that bicycle is carved with a tiger head, and the character 'King' on the tiger head is too clear. It's an extravagance!"
Bing'er: "..."
Alright, his Lordship has done something unreliable again.
She walked outside, examined the tiger head for a while, and then said to Feng Chun, "Shopkeeper Feng, what kind of beast head would you like? I will ask my Lord to remake one for you."
Feng Chun, who had been hesitant, was overjoyed by this.
"Ice Maiden, could you please ask His Lordship to make a horse head? My surname is Feng, so a horse head on it would be appropriate."
Bing'er nodded, then asked Ge Yi Dao to ride the bicycle back to the mansion to have Fang Er reprocess it.
Feng Chun did not leave and waited in the store.
The large crowd of onlookers outside, seeing that the last bicycle had also been bought, dispersed.
Ge Yi Dao didn't go to Fang Er. It was just a horse head, and any craftsman in the workshop could make it.
In less than half an hour, he returned to the store riding the bicycle with the horse head replaced.
The five bicycles, over the next few days, created a sensation in Shenyang City.
Merchants who had originally paid little attention or found the price too high watched as the managers of the five businesses, Liu, Zhou, Zheng, Wu, and Feng, used the bicycles to attract customers in the marketplace, and the effect was remarkably good!
Foreign merchants, having never seen a bicycle, were immediately drawn to them.
What is this called? In later generations, this would be called driving traffic!
The bicycles became the traffic-drawing tools for these five businesses.
It was like two shops facing each other, one ordinary, the other with a cool sports car parked outside. Which shop would attract more people?
After looking at the cars, people went to the adjacent shops. Since the prices were similar, they would naturally go to the closer one!
ps: A word of announcement, we are preparing for a massive update at the end of the month, starting with 30 chapters and no upper limit, depending on your rewards and requests~~