"That will require your cooperation with the investigation, brother. Once it's proven you're unrelated to this matter, they'll naturally release you." Zhang Liunian had no interest in playing along. After speaking, he left the police station and went to the braised meat shop.
"Old Huang, did you find anything out about the Tang family that I asked you to investigate last time?" Zhang Liunian sat at the head of the table and looked at Master Huang.
"Aside from some unfavorable rumors, I still haven't found any solid evidence." Master Huang looked embarrassed. Zhang Liunian had assigned him this task a while ago, but he hadn't made any progress.
Zhang Liunian knew this would be the outcome. He thought of the Chinese medicine shop and said, "Starting tomorrow, use money to break through. Find people who have worked for the Tang family for a long time but aren't too important. I'm sure we can dig up some information.
"Oh, and send two more people to investigate the Chinese medicine shop in South City tomorrow and see if there's anything unusual."
"Alright, I'll get right on it." Master Huang responded, turned, and went to handle it.
After Master Huang left, Zhang Liunian went to check the renovation progress of the new shop. He hadn't done extensive work on this shop, just painted the walls white and built a kitchen.
With these renovations, which could be completed within two days, the opening could be set for three days later.
Meanwhile, in Jiang City, Huang Da and Li Shu quickly received thirty thousand bottles of preserved vegetables.
As soon as the goods arrived in Jiang City, the two of them began having people load them. The process was swift, and within an afternoon, all thirty thousand bottles were sold out. Even this quantity was far from enough.
That evening, Zhang Liunian received a call from Huang Da, requesting ten thousand bottles to be delivered the next day.
Zhang Liunian inquired about the situation and was very pleased with his decision upon learning they already had a customer base there.
"Ten thousand bottles? Alright, I'll have everyone work harder." Zhang Shan's enthusiasm soared when he received Zhang Liunian's call saying that Jiang City needed ten thousand bottles tomorrow.
Sales in South City had been sluggish for the past two days, and he had been worried whether Zhang Liunian could hold on. Fortunately, Zhang Liunian was clever and immediately thought of Jiang City, successfully securing the market there.
Now, even without South City, their factory wouldn't go bankrupt.
"For Jiang City, continue using our original recipe. For South City, use the one I modified later. Don't mix them up." Zhang Liunian specifically instructed Zhang Shan not to confuse his preserved vegetables.
"I remember, I won't make a mistake." Zhang Shan was still on probation and wouldn't dare neglect Zhang Liunian's instructions.
After their conversation, they both got busy.
"Zhang Family Preserved Vegetables upgrade and launch! Free tasting available. Don't miss out if you're passing by."
The next morning, Zhang Family Preserved Vegetables promotion began again in the streets and alleys of South City. This promotion used a better recipe adjusted by Zhang Liunian, and the taste was naturally beyond description. Anyone who walked past could smell the aroma.
"It smells better than what I bought before. Can we really try it for free?" An aunt who was cooking stopped involuntarily upon smelling the aroma and asked one of Huang Bang's younger subordinates selling Zhang Family Preserved Vegetables.
"Of course. This is an upgraded flavor and tastes even better than before. Here are some bamboo chopsticks, you can try a piece." The Huang Bang subordinate eagerly offered the chopsticks.
The aunt took them, picked up a piece of meat, and put it in her mouth. The next second, her eyes lit up, and she chewed faster and faster.
"It's really tastier than the last batch. What exactly did you put in it? How can it be so delicious?" The aunt, so engrossed in eating that she nearly swallowed her tongue, praised the new preserved vegetables incessantly.
"How would we know? But I heard they added several ingredients and seasonings, which is why the taste is so good," the Huang Bang subordinate replied with a smile.
"Is the price still one dollar and eighty cents?" The aunt licked her lips, the lingering exquisite taste still in her mouth.
"We've invested more, but the price remains the same."
"Alright, give me a bottle. It's truly delicious, much better than the Tang Family Preserved Vegetables that came out these past few days." The aunt was conquered by the taste and paid without hesitation.
Seeing the aunt's enthusiastic praise for the new flavor, passersby followed suit to try it. In the end, without exception, they were all conquered by the taste.
"It's truly delicious. This doesn't taste like preserved vegetables at all; it's real gourmet meat dish."
"Give me two bottles, I'll take one back as a gift for a friend."
"I want three bottles, to send to my brother who's in the army."
"..."
Such scenes were not isolated to this one location; they were happening all over South City, which caused Tang Family Preserved Vegetables to be immediately suppressed by Zhang Family Preserved Vegetables.
Zhang Liunian was not surprised by this outcome.
After all, people who have tasted deliciousness have no desire for plain vegetables.
Initially, they could still afford to be cheap, but when the quality difference between the two preserved vegetables was so vast, there was no comparison.
One was merely to fill the stomach, while the other could fill the stomach and provide enjoyment. Even at a higher price, there were still people willing to pay.
People in any era crave enjoyment, especially those who have tasted such luxury, and find it difficult to resist.
This is what the old saying means: it's hard to go from luxury to simplicity.
"We sold forty thousand bottles this morning. The people coming to pick up the goods are lining up again. I wonder if the factory can keep up," Du Ziteng said with a smile as he tallied the morning's sales of the new flavor during lunchtime.
The downturn had finally been reversed, returning to the glorious moments of the past, and Du Ziteng felt a sense of satisfaction.
"Uncle Shan will handle that. I've entrusted all of this to him." If production can't keep up, they can just hire more people. Zhang Family Village has hired everyone who can work in the factory.
If they needed to recruit more staff now, they would have to look to the entire brigade.
Du Ziteng thought that they truly didn't need to worry about this matter. Everyone should do their own job well.
"Brother Liunian, Ziping can take over my work now. I'll continue to assist you."
Zhang Liunian did not object. "Certainly. Remember to practice the techniques I taught you diligently, so you won't be bullied when you go out."
"Yes," Du Ziteng, Zhang Ziping, and others responded in unison.
In the afternoon, the preserved vegetables continued to be sold in South City, and the daily sales even surpassed one hundred thousand bottles.
On this single day, the money that entered Zhang Liunian's pocket increased from the previous hundred thousand to over the three hundred thousand mark.
Zhang Liunian kept only half of this money, intending to send the other half to Zhang Shan for the production of large-batch sauces.
On his way back, Zhang Liunian was once again welcomed by everyone. However, this time, it wasn't just Zhang Family Village; everyone in the entire brigade who saw Zhang Liunian stopped to greet him.
"Liunian, you're back?"
"Liunian is back!"
"Liunian?"
"..."
Facing the sudden warmth from these villagers, Zhang Liunian waved in response to each of them.
Upon finally returning to Zhang Family Village, he received another wave of warm welcome.
"What's with them? They all seem to have changed quite a bit." Zhang Liunian looked at the villagers who were still lingering outside the factory, still reluctant to leave, and asked in confusion.
Zhang Shan, standing beside him, smiled. "It's all thanks to you, the Zhang Family Preserved Vegetable Factory. You probably don't realize how far the influence of our factory has spread. The entire brigade is now making sauces and selling them to us. We've also recruited many from the brigade this time. The living standards of our entire brigade have improved several times over because of you.
"We can now afford to eat meat, which we couldn't before. We can also buy new clothes, which we couldn't before. Many people from other brigades envy our brigade for having you.
"Moreover, because of your factory, marriages within our brigade have become several times more competitive.
"Now do you understand why everyone is so enthusiastic? You've brought them a better life and hope."