After all, Bai Zheng was well aware of the saying "the early bird catches the worm, but also gets shot".
Otherwise, given Bai Zheng's meticulous nature, she would have started recruiting and training her own staff when the shops were being renovated. How could there have been a chance for Song Yiqing to come and ask for favors?
However, Bai Zheng had to admit that, given her current situation, she didn't have the ability to monopolize this big piece of the pie yet.
She needed someone to be the scapegoat and shield her from all the open and hidden attacks.
But in the business world, it's always the one who speaks first who loses the initiative.
Bai Zheng needed help, but she didn't want to be led around by the person who helped her.
So what could she do?
Naturally, she had to find a way to make others offer to be her scapegoat.
Looking across the whole Yongding, there was no one more suitable than the Song family, especially Song Yiqing.
"Sigh—" Bai Zheng let out a long sigh, her tone full of hesitation.
"Mr. Song, I appreciate your kind intentions. However, these shops have cost me all my efforts. Not to mention the early - stage preparations and capital investment, the later - stage operation is even more difficult.
Now, the Song family only lent some manpower, but wants to take a share of the profits for free. It's really..."
Song Yiqing quickly put down his cup and defended himself, "How can this be taking a share for free? This is a cooperation, a partnership."
"Then how does Mr. Song plan to cooperate?" Bai Zheng raised her eyes.
Song Yiqing held the handle of his fan and tapped his palm. After a moment of thought, he said, "As Miss Bai said, in business, one needs to have a long - term vision.
Although Miss Bai spent a lot of effort on these shops in the early stage, the later - stage operation is obviously more important.
When it comes to the later - stage operation, well, I'm not boasting.
My Song family has been in business for generations. We're quite experienced and have a lot of insights in this field.
Unlike Miss Bai, you rarely go out. As a young lady in the boudoir, you don't know the perils of the business world. How could you manage so many shops easily?
It's better to hand them over to my Song family."
"Hand over all my shops to the Song family?" Bai Zheng was a bit surprised.
She really didn't expect Song Yiqing to be so ambitious and try to snatch all her businesses.
Bai Zheng remained calm on the surface and instead asked in a negotiable tone, "If the Song family takes over, how should the profits of these shops be divided at the end of the year?"
Hearing this, Song Yiqing smiled, "After my Song family takes over, Miss Bai can just stay at home and enjoy the profits.
My Song family has to provide both manpower and money. Most importantly, we have to be the target of those wolves in Yongding City. The cost is quite high.
By this calculation, it's not excessive for my Song family to take 90% of the profits..."
At this point, Song Yiqing stole a glance at Bai Zheng. Although her expression remained unchanged, there was obvious coldness in her eyes and eyebrows. He quickly continued.
"Of course, I'm not the kind of person who doesn't know what's good for him and likes to take advantage. Moreover, considering Lin Yuan's relationship, his wife is my sister - in - law. We're all family, so there's no need to be so particular.
How about... 30% for you and 70% for me?"
After Song Yiqing finished speaking, he looked like "I've already made a big concession out of righteousness. Don't be ungrateful" and waited for Bai Zheng to nod.
Bai Zheng stared directly at Song Yiqing, "The Song family wants 70% of mine?"
Song Yiqing nodded, "Miss Bai only spent a few months' effort in the early stage. You don't have to worry about anything after that. It all depends on my Song family's money and effort. In fact, Miss Bai's 30% is already a great deal..."
Bai Zheng laughed. She picked up the cup in front of her, took a sip, and then slowly said, "If it's 70%, Mr. Song might as well just rob me. It would be more straightforward."
Song Yiqing's face changed, "What does Miss Bai mean?"
Bai Zheng tapped the cup lid, "Do you know what kind of businesses my shops are engaged in, Mr. Song?"
"This..." Song Yiqing was at a loss for words. Then he rolled his eyes and replied confidently, "It's nothing more than tea, cloth, rouge, and powder. My Song family has been involved in these fields. Miss Bai doesn't have to worry about the later - stage operation."
Bai Zheng put down the cup lid and looked directly at Song Yiqing without hesitation. She asked, "Does Mr. Song know what cosmetics are?"
Song Yiqing was stunned and shook his head.
Then he heard Bai Zheng continue to ask, "Then does Mr. Song know what blue - and - white porcelain, glass mirrors, and glazed lamps are?"
A series of unfamiliar words popped out of Bai Zheng's mouth like a machine - gun, leaving Song Yiqing looking completely confused.
The corner of Bai Zheng's lips curled up slightly, "To be honest, in the later - stage operation of my shops, if I, Bai Zheng, am absent, no one in the Song family can handle it."
Song Yiqing was unconvinced, "Isn't it the same as papermaking? As long as Miss Bai can teach us carefully at the beginning, the later - stage operation won't be a problem at all.
Look at my Song family. Even without Miss Bai this past month, we still managed the paper store and the bookstore quite successfully."
"Oh?" Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows, "I wonder how much profit the Song family's bookstore made last month?"
"I'm not exaggerating. Just last month, the bookstore had an income of 14,000 taels of silver!" Song Yiqing looked very proud.
Bai Zheng remained calm, "I'm not exaggerating either. If I were to manage this bookstore, it wouldn't be a problem to double the profit."
"Double it?!" Song Yiqing was so shocked that he stood up.
But soon he seemed to think of something and questioned with a suspicious look on his face, "It's impossible! If you have such abilities, why didn't you offer any advice this past month when you watched my Song family open the bookstore?"
Bai Zheng lifted the tea lid, blew the tea foam in the cup, and said leisurely, "This is the Song family's business. What does it matter to me?
Moreover, as Mr. Song said, the Song family has a lot of experience in business. As long as I teach the papermaking and printing techniques carefully, do I still need to interfere in the later - stage operation?"
"You!" Song Yiqing was so choked by Bai Zheng that his face turned red, but he didn't know how to refute.
"Besides, Mr. Song really has a short memory!
Just now, I don't know who said that I, Bai Zheng, was just a young lady in the boudoir who rarely went out and didn't know the ups and downs of the business world, and was not as experienced as your Song family with generations of business experience.
If Mr. Song asked me to give advice on your bookstore, would you believe me?" Bai Zheng glanced at him from the corner of her eye and sneered.
Once this point was touched, Song Yiqing felt a bit deflated.
He was actually aware of Bai Zheng's abilities.
As long as she said she had the ability to double the profit, Song Yiqing believed her.
He had said those words just now to negotiate with Bai Zheng and try to suppress her momentum. He didn't expect the other party to be so sharp - tongued and use his own words to block him!