Chapter 445 – No Fear of Price, Buy Buy Buy (Part 2)
“Why not bring out the best?”
“Of course, it’s to test the ladies’ acceptance of these Colored Glaze Artifacts; otherwise, how can we set the highest price?”
The Shopkeeper maintained a calm smile, soothing the atmosphere without haste.
“Lady, please don’t take offense. This isn’t meant to be disrespectful; it’s just… sigh, if our little shop immediately presented our finest treasures, it would spoil your taste. What treasures could we show next time to captivate your attention and keep you lingering here?”
The Lady Wu Libai blushed furiously, clicking her tongue, “You’d better just bring out the best! Are you saying every item I’ve bought here over the years has been fake? Have I not always boosted your business?”
The Shopkeeper smiled gently, then turned to fetch the truly valuable set of glass tea utensils from upstairs.
The previously displayed set was already striking, but in comparison to this new set, its flaws were magnified.
Lady Wu Libai stated directly, “I want this set! Just quote the price; not a single coin less.”
The Shopkeeper chuckled helplessly, “If any businessman encounters a customer as generous as you, they’d wake from their dreams laughing.”
Lady Wu Libai shot back boldly, “Will you laugh tonight because of me?”
“Naturally.”
Originally, the boss had set a price of twenty thousand to thirty thousand guan, but the Shopkeeper felt there was room for appreciation.
The most successful businessman is one who maximizes the value of a product, right?
He pondered, choosing his words carefully to avoid making big promises in case better Colored Glaze Artifacts came along later.
If these ladies made a fuss, his old bones wouldn’t withstand it. With a quick thought, he devised a way to handle it.
“This set is the highest quality of this batch, just a tad pricier than the previous one, at forty-one thousand guan.”
Lady Wu Libai wasn’t foolish; she caught on to his implication. “Are you saying there will be even better Colored Glaze Artifacts?”
This wouldn’t do!
She wanted the most expensive; it had to match her status.
The Shopkeeper then unveiled a prepared narrative, saying, “Ladies, do you know the origin of these Colored Glaze Artifacts?”
The ladies shook their heads, “No, never heard of it.”
They had seen all sorts of treasures, with the various items sold at the Gathering Treasure Pavilion, but beauties like Colored Glaze Artifacts, which could awaken their long-dead youthful hearts, were nearly nonexistent.
Though a bit pricey, they weren’t broke, but they preferred to buy things that were worth the cost to avoid devaluation.
“There’s a record in the Strange Chronicles of the Great Xia: A golden phoenix descended in Mei County, coinciding with the birth of a girl. This girl later became one of the founding fathers of the Great Xia Dynasty, posthumously honored as marquis.” The Shopkeeper elaborated, detailing the story to the ladies, “These Colored Glaze Artifacts were found where the phoenix landed—each one is stunning. However, the person who discovered them was too rough and ignorant, resulting in some damage, so they’re not as breathtaking as they once were.”
Lady Wu Libai, the most cultured among them, delighted in showing off her knowledge.
“I’ve heard of this tale! They say that Marquis Xu had the fate of a golden phoenix, a heavenly gift. So, could these Colored Glaze Artifacts be celestial treasures descending with him?”
The Shopkeeper hesitated, “That’s unknown… These artifacts had been buried deep underground for hundreds of years; it was only after the recent earthquake in Dongqing that they finally resurfaced. Our shop also utilized many connections just to obtain these few sets. As of now, this particular set is the best we have in our collection…”
The ladies couldn’t help but look surprised, their wavering hearts leaning increasingly toward desire.
Even without the legendary background, they were intrigued, and after hearing the story, they practically wanted to snatch them!
Seeing the expressions of the other ladies, Lady Wu Libai regretted mentioning celestial treasures!
The Shopkeeper caught every expression and said warmly, “Will you ladies purchase?”
Lady Wu Libai decisively confirmed without waiting for others to chime in, “Of course! It’s only forty-one thousand guan. Shopkeeper, wrap them up and send them to my residence. Also, if you have even better Colored Glaze Artifacts here, don’t forget to notify me.”
The other ladies actually considered increasing their offers, but this Gathering Treasure Pavilion had its own rules and wouldn’t resell. Raising their bids might offend Lady Wu Libai, which would be a loss for everyone.
Each treasure had a fixed price, and if a customer was the first to purchase at that price, no matter how much later customers offered, the items wouldn’t be resold. The ladies were regulars, well aware of the Shopkeeper’s temperament.
The more upright he was, the more it showcased his integrity. While he reveled in making money, he retained none of the vulgarity, attracting many noble ladies from the Northern Border who wished to recruit him, but he remained loyal to his old wife. Even the Northern Border Princess once offered him a chance, but he was unmoved.
Such integrity, charm, looks, and talent…
There wasn’t a single aspect of him that wasn’t attractive—how could he not draw attention?
Another chubby lady piped up, “Shopkeeper, bring out all your Colored Glaze Artifacts!”
The Shopkeeper smiled in response and personally brought them all out.
As nine sets of glass tea utensils lined up, the dazzling visual spectacle even captured the attention of those who were initially uninterested in buying.
At that moment, everyone had a singular thought—don’t fear the price, buy buy buy!
Having interacted with these noblewomen for years, the Shopkeeper knew their immense purchasing power well; they always preferred the most expensive over the best. These nine sets of glass tea utensils started at twenty-three thousand guan, and apart from Lady Wu Libai’s set, the most expensive was thirty-three thousand guan.
The ladies directly purchased five sets, leaving four of the cheapest behind.
Total: one hundred forty-six thousand guan!
Ah, how easy it was to make this money—it felt even better than robbery.
The Shopkeeper silently sighed, growing even more respectful of his little boss.
He had witnessed the money-making schemes of Old Lady Gu.
Ever since Old Lady Gu passed away, the Shopkeeper had not met anyone as ruthless in making money as her, until… he encountered her child. He could only lament—such a rich heritage! When Liu Zhi entrusted him, his long-dormant heart came back to life.
He loved making money but preferred the thrill of tearing customers apart until there was nothing left. The other party might feel they had scored big… As Old Lady Gu may have evaluated him, perhaps he found satisfaction in exploiting customers who didn’t quite know better?
In any case, that superior feeling truly captivated the Shopkeeper.
Silently, the unscrupulous Shopkeeper said, “Ladies, please wait a moment; there’s one more item you must see.”
