Feng Chen saw Gu Liyue out and then said, "There's another shop on Zongsheng Street. There are several good items in it. Would Miss Gu like to go and take a look?"
Gu Liyue readily agreed. She went with Feng Chen to the other shop. Perhaps because she hadn't discussed embroidery so happily with anyone for a long time, Gu Liyue seemed to have found a kindred spirit.
More than that, she was curious. "You're just a merchant. How do you know so much?"
Feng Chen replied, "My father often taught me that in our Feng Family's business, we should know everything we deal in. We don't need to be highly specialized, but we should have a broad and in - depth knowledge."
Gu Liyue asked in surprise, "So it's not just embroidery? You know about other things too?"
Feng Chen nodded confidently. "From antiques and calligraphy to the accessories on a lady, I can basically tell you something about them."
Gu Liyue clapped her hands. "I used to think that all you merchants needed to do was recognize goods, buy them and sell them. I didn't know there were so many nuances in it?"
Feng Chen smiled. "That's enough for ordinary merchants, but my father wasn't willing to be limited. In the past, when he personally delivered goods to the royal mansion, he had to introduce each item one by one. How could he know what the next nobleman's sudden preference would be? It's impossible to bring all the shopkeepers of the goods every time, right?"
He was so witty and well - informed that as he talked, Gu Liyue forgot about the time. When she finally remembered that she should go back, it was already noon.
Seeing that it was getting late, Feng Chen invited her, "There's a newly opened restaurant nearby. Would Miss Gu do me the honor of joining me?"
Gu Liyue naturally agreed and followed Feng Chen to the restaurant next door. This restaurant was different from others. It was clean and bright, and the whole building was painted sky - blue. As usual, there was a main hall on the first floor, but it was partitioned into private rooms with hollowed - out wooden boards. One could see the surrounding scenery while dining alone without being disturbed. It was really interesting.
"The owner of this restaurant has quite an idea. It's really well - done."
Feng Chen smiled. "Do you know who owns it?"
Gu Liyue was taken aback and then realized. "Yours? Did you come up with this idea?"
Feng Chen shook his head. "It's my family's, but not my idea. I have a friend from the Nanyang who gave me a lot of ideas. This restaurant is one of them. I just opened one to try. If it's suitable, I plan to open more in other places later."
Gu Liyue looked around curiously. "This idea is really good."
"Liyue."
Gu Liyue stopped and saw Lu Jinchen standing on the stairs. How... How did he get here?
Lu Jinchen's eyebrows were calm. He walked up to Gu Liyue and sized up Feng Chen from head to toe. "Second Master Feng."
Feng Chen didn't know Lu Jinchen. He just bowed and said, "Sir, you have good eyes. I'm Feng Chen."
Gu Liyue quickly introduced them. "Feng Chen, this is... the Crown Prince of the Liang Palace."
Feng Chen nodded. "It's an honor for the Crown Prince to come. Let me be the host today..."
Lu Jinchen waved his hand. "No need. It's a rare encounter. Seeing that you're chatting so happily with my fiancée, why not come up and have a chat?"
Hearing this, Gu Liyue felt something was off. Lu Jinchen was a cold person. He usually didn't talk much to others, but when necessary, he was polite and humble. Today, however, he seemed quite assertive.
She frowned slightly but still followed him upstairs.
Feng Chen was eloquent. He subtly praised Lu Jinchen and also said that he and Gu Liyue were a perfect match. Lu Jinchen's previously gloomy face relaxed a bit.
"Your Feng Family's business is now all over the Great Zhou. It's really well - done."
Feng Chen smiled modestly. "Hard work pays off. I have new plans recently, but I encountered difficulties when registering with the government. It's quite troublesome. Since I met the Crown Prince today, I wonder if the Crown Prince would listen to me for a while?"
Seeing Feng Chen's calculating look as a merchant, Lu Jinchen's slight unhappiness disappeared. He nodded. "I'm free today. A Le, go to the teahouse and pick up the two young ladies and take them back to the mansion."
Gu Liyue knew that the two young ladies he mentioned must be Lu Jinxuan and Shu Mingzhu, but she still wasn't happy. Lu Jinxuan was the biological daughter of the princess. She had never heard that Lu Jinchen and Lu Jinxuan had a good relationship.
She lowered her head, not showing her thoughts. She fidgeted with the corner of her clothes while listening to them talk.
Feng Chen quickly told his idea. "Currently, all banks can only handle deposits and withdrawals, and cross - regional cash exchanges are quite troublesome. Moreover, the way to make money, for example, in our Feng Family's bank, is basically to do business and earn the profit from the time difference between deposits and withdrawals. If there has to be a bank in a small county for the convenience of cross - regional cash exchanges, but the business isn't large, the local bank will basically be in a loss state."
Lu Jinchen nodded. "If it's not a big merchant like the Feng Family, a bank can't be opened."
Feng Chen smiled. "That's true, but the Feng Family doesn't cover everything in every place. If there were other ways to make money, wouldn't it be better?"
Lu Jinchen asked, "What's the way?"
"Loan - sharking."
Lu Jinchen's face changed. There was loan - sharking in the Great Zhou, but it was all done privately. The court strictly prohibited it. However, every year, there were countless cases of families being ruined because of loan - sharking. Such things...
He squinted at Feng Chen and asked, "What's your idea?"
Feng Chen was overjoyed. He didn't expect that this time, he hadn't found the wrong person. The Crown Prince's first reaction to this matter wasn't extreme disgust or greed for profit, but a calm question about his idea.
"What if our bank could lend money to those in financial difficulties according to normal circumstances? It could be for business turnover or temporary major expenses. For example, poor scholars who go to the capital for the imperial examinations often have to give up their talents if they don't get help from the rich. If their families are willing to take a chance, they often have to mortgage their fields and houses. But if the fields and houses are appraised and the bank issues a certain amount of money and then collects interest, wouldn't it be a win - win situation?"
Lu Jinchen thought carefully. "How to appraise and how to set the interest rate both need certain rules."
Feng Chen nodded repeatedly. "Yes. When I wanted to do this before, I calculated all the details, but I didn't bring that booklet with me today. If the Crown Prince is interested, I'll make another appointment with you later and explain it to you in detail?"
Lu Jinchen tapped the table with his fingers, seemingly thinking about the possibility of this matter.
Feng Chen immediately added, "Crown Prince, you may not know in the capital what the consequences are for ordinary people who have to borrow money from loan - sharks when they have temporary financial difficulties. Once they get the money to solve their immediate problems, all that awaits them is family ruin and separation!"
Hearing this, Lu Jinchen's gaze darkened. "I'll be free in five days. Still here. Come and find me."