Princess Xinyue flinched and stuck out her tongue slightly when Chu Chen reminded her.
She also realized that directly stating the cost was a bit inappropriate.
"What's the big deal? They're all my good sisters, they definitely won't betray me!" Princess Xinyue pouted.
"That's not necessarily true," Shao Lili said with a soft laugh. "Business is business. If you really tell me the cost, then I'll definitely have to have a good talk with you about the price."
"You, how can you say that!" Princess Xinyue was angry for a moment. "I won't talk to you anymore!"
Shao Lili spread her hands. "What can I do? Our family is in business."
"It's not easy to be a businessman these days. If I don't calculate a little more, my whole family will be drinking northwestern wind!"
As she spoke, Shao Lili put on a look of about to cry, appearing extremely pitiful.
"Is that so..." Princess Xinyue hesitated. "Then, if you want it, I'll ask Xiao Chenzi to give you a discount..."
"Cough, cough." Chu Chen coughed lightly. "Miss Shao, please don't tease Her Highness the Princess anymore."
"If Miss Shao is truly interested in cooperating, please discuss it with me later."
"Tch, boring." Shao Lili rolled her eyes and stopped pretending.
Princess Xinyue realized she had been tricked again. Just as she was about to say something, Shao Lili's few words managed to fool her.
The few of them walked towards Shuangyue City, chatting and laughing.
Shao Lili and Princess Xinyue led the horses ahead, walking and laughing. Chen Shengnan followed a step behind them, walking with Chu Chen.
"You're smarter than I imagined," Chen Shengnan suddenly said with a smile.
"Miss Chen is too kind," Chu Chen replied quickly.
"Hey, between you and me, there's no need to be so distant," Chen Shengnan waved her hand. "You must have seen that we don't care about status or position among ourselves."
"Since you have Princess Xinyue's approval, we are friends from now on. There's no need to be so distant."
"This..." Chu Chen hesitated. "I dare not presume."
"I take back what I just said," Chen Shengnan glanced at Chu Chen sideways. "I don't think you're that fun anymore."
With that, Chen Shengnan quickly strode forward and joined the conversation between Princess Xinyue and Shao Lili.
Chu Chen shook his head with a wry smile.
Princess Xinyue's two friends, like herself, were quite... interesting.
Especially Shao Lili, although she talked a lot, she didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards Princess Xinyue.
Chen Shengnan and Princess Xinyue bickered constantly, like two sharp needles, but Chu Chen could see that it was more like friends teasing each other, not a genuine discord.
However, before he could figure out their temperaments, Chu Chen still didn't dare to be too presumptuous.
...
"Xiao Chenzi, I heard from Xinyue that you're preparing to open a shop specifically selling soap? Take us to see it?" Shao Lili suddenly turned her head and said.
"Of course," Chu Chen smiled slightly. "Miss Shao comes from a merchant family, so I hope Miss Shao can give me some advice then."
"Didn't we agree you'd call me sister? Why are you calling me Miss Shao again?" Shao Lili stared at Chu Chen, her resentful gaze making him's scalp tingle.
"This... Sister." Chu Chen called out with a forced smile.
Shao Lili's face immediately lit up with joy. "That's more like it!"
"Let's go, let me see how my little brother's shop is doing!"
Princess Xinyue was not very interested in this.
However, since Shao Lili wanted to see, and they had nothing else to do, she agreed.
"This location is quite good. You must have spent a lot of money when you acquired it?"
Standing at the entrance of the restaurant, Shao Lili sighed softly.
"Thanks to His Majesty, it didn't cost too much," Chu Chen said with a smile.
Inside the restaurant, a group of people were smashing all the decorations according to Chu Chen's requirements to renovate it.
At this moment, it was chaotic and uninhabitable.
"It seems we've come too early. It's still a long way from the official opening," Shao Lili smiled slightly.
"Why don't we go sit next door?" Chu Chen's expression was a little awkward. He hadn't expected the interior of the restaurant to be in such a state.
Fortunately, there was a teahouse next door, so they wouldn't be without a place to rest.
"Miss Shao is very interested in this soap business?"
As soon as they sat down, Chu Chen got straight to the point.
"You child, why are you so impatient? You didn't give me any preparation?" Shao Lili glared at Chu Chen, her fingers lightly tracing circles on the teacup, exuding charm.
Chu Chen lowered his head, not daring to look at Shao Lili again.
He had no way with people like her.
"However, since you've asked, let's talk," Shao Lili said with a soft smile.
"What price are you planning to offer me?"
Chu Chen immediately perked up. "Shao..."
Meeting Shao Lili's resentful gaze, Chu Chen had to change his words. "Sister, I can sell it to you at an 80% discount, how about that?"
"This price... Little brother, you have no sincerity," Shao Lili said with a slight smile. "You sell it to others for three taels of silver, and to me for two taels and four qian. Even at your price, I can only earn half a tael of silver."
"Such a small profit... it's really not enough..."
Chu Chen's expression remained unchanged, and he secretly grumbled, "It's clearly six qian of silver, how did it become only half a tael in your mouth."
"Besides, this Shuangyue City probably can't accommodate both of us selling this soap at the same time, right?"
"This is His Majesty's business," Chu Chen said meaningfully. "My ability to make decisions is limited. I hope Sister won't make things difficult for me."
Shao Lili pouted. "If you say that, then we can't do business."
Clearly, Shao Lili had also understood Chu Chen's unspoken meaning.
"Don't try to pressure me with His Majesty. If we're going to talk, Princess Xinyue and I are good sisters." As she spoke, Shao Lili put her arm around Princess Xinyue's shoulder. "Don't you think so, little Xinyue?"
"Yes, yes, yes, we are good sisters!" Princess Xinyue's eyes narrowed with joy.
Chu Chen sighed slightly.
Silly girl, she's using you!
"Since Sister says so, then I'll be direct with you," Chu Chen cleared his throat.
"I can give you a 50% discount, and I can even give you the formula, but I have only one condition."
"Sell the soap to the neighboring country."
"You say you'll give me the formula, is that true?" Nothing else mattered. The only thing that attracted Shao Lili was this sentence.
"This formula is not easy to get," Chu Chen smiled slightly. "Sister should know that this is His Majesty's business, not just for making money."
Chu Chen's reminder was obvious, this was a hot potato!