Chapter 53: Paid Knowledge from Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang!

Just as Hu Weiyong was fuming with rage, Qin Feng sat calmly in the newspaper office, sipping tea with Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang.

“Master, you’re truly incredible!”

“Yes! The palace is abuzz with tales of your legendary newspaper!”

“Not only does my father praise you, even the civil and military officials in court cannot stop singing your praises.”

“At first, those officials looked down on you, but now, you’ve finally earned their respect.”

Listening to Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang’s flattery, Qin Feng felt like his ears were about to grow calluses.

Since they stepped into the office, they’d been buttering him up nonstop.

But Qin Feng had long seen through their intentions.

He had personally taught them how to make money by giving them ideas about the sugar and perfume businesses.

They had earned quite a bit of silver to support their households thanks to those ventures.

Now that the newspaper was thriving under Qin Feng’s leadership, they were clearly looking to grab a piece of the pie.

Even if Qin Feng was the one feasting, they were content just drinking the broth.

With Qin Feng’s business acumen, teaching them a couple of tips would be enough to make them dominant figures in Yingtian Prefecture.

Frowning, Qin Feng said, “Why are you two so unambitious? You’re going to be vassal kings one day, yet all you think about is making money?”

Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang exchanged a glance and smiled wryly.

“Master, you don’t know how hard it is for us to serve as vassal kings in the capital!”

“Indeed! After establishing our households, we have to support a whole family. Every expense, big or small, far exceeds the meager stipend the court provides.”

“If it weren’t for the business skills you taught us, we’d still be barely scraping by.”

“Now that the household is no longer running a deficit, we can finally breathe easier. It’s all thanks to your guidance.”

Seeing their resigned attitude, Qin Feng shook his head in helplessness.

He recalled how nervous they had been when he first arranged for them to become river supervisors in the court, yet now, they brightened up when it came to making money.

Qin Feng beckoned them closer with a finger and said, “I have two new ideas. Would you like to hear them?”

Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang hastily set down their teacups, their eyes shining with anticipation.

They were desperate to hear them!

When their master thought of something, it was bound to be unique and unparalleled.

Qin Feng spread his hands and said, “If you want to hear, you’ll first have to give me the share of the profits you’ve made from sugar and perfume.”

Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang froze instantly.

Was the master really so cunning as to demand a share of their earnings?

Seeing their pained expressions, Qin Feng snapped, “Integrity is the most important thing in business! If you can’t even keep your word, how can you do business in the future?”

The two exchanged glances and quickly sent their servants to bring silver to Qin Feng.

“Master, this is all I have left.”

“I only have this much as well.”

Qin Feng looked at the sparse silver in the chest and pursed his lips. “How much profit do you make each month? Why does it look so little?”

Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang scratched their heads.

“We followed your instructions exactly, but the gross profit each month is just a few hundred taels.”

“But even that has helped solve many major problems in the household.”

Qin Feng asked, “What’s your business model?”

Both were stunned.

What was a business model?

“Could it be that you’re just selling directly at the market?”

They nodded simultaneously.

Qin Feng looked at them as if they were hopeless, scolding, “Don’t say you’re my students if you keep this up. How did I teach you back then?”

“When I said that as long as you produce these two items and find buyers, you could make a fortune.”

Qin Feng rolled his eyes. “But you can’t just sell at the market! You’re wasting resources.”

The two were bewildered.

They had struggled to find buyers at the market, and only then had their earnings gradually improved.

“You must remember, there is always a supply and demand relationship. Such fine goods should never be wasted by selling them at the market!”

“You must find precise customers for your products to sell thousands of them.”

“Right now, you’re selling at the market with no targeted customers — just some scattered buyers who only make a little money.”

Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang felt dizzy after hearing Qin Feng’s words.

They had accepted the idea of making sugar and perfume on a whim, just to supplement their income.

Who knew there was so much subtlety involved?

“Please, Master, teach us!”

Qin Feng shook his head helplessly. “Listen carefully, I’ll only say this once.”

He then gathered the silver from the chest.

“When you make money using my method, I’ll take a 20% cut of the profits. Do you agree?”

Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang looked at each other and reluctantly accepted.

“Alright! As long as the master teaches us how to make a fortune, we’re willing to give you 20% of the profits each month.”

“No verbal agreements — we’ll sign a contract. Businesspeople must behave like businesspeople.”

They could only sign the contract Qin Feng prepared.

That 20% was essentially payment for knowledge.

Qin Feng smiled warmly. “Listen carefully! Sugar is a seasoning. You should supply it to taverns first. Let them try it for a while. As customers gradually grow fond of the flavor, the taverns will naturally come to you for sugar.”

“Sugar is a consumable. Taverns need much more sugar daily than ordinary buyers. If you can supply several taverns in Yingtian Prefecture, you’ll make a fortune.”

After hearing this, Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang became especially excited.

“Master, what about the perfume? How do we find precise customers for that?”

“Think about it. Who usually uses perfume? Only wealthy gentry can afford such luxuries. You can supply the perfume to the brothels first, letting the women use it for free.”

“Also, give the women a commission. They’ll promote your perfume to the customers and sell it to their wives. In such a setting, most men won’t refuse to buy.”

“Moreover, at matchmaking events, use perfume as a branded endorsement, creating a trademark effect. People want a good first impression at these events and will definitely buy perfume. Then, you won’t worry about selling it.”

Hearing Qin Feng’s words, Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang felt the vast gulf between their business sense and his.

Why could Qin Feng think of these ideas while they could not?

“Master, your words today are like a sudden enlightenment!”

Qin Feng laughed, “You still have much to learn. I was planning to offer you two more products, but it seems you haven’t even mastered the first one. Take it slow.”

“Why are you still standing there? Go and find buyers!”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuo and Zhu Xiang immediately stood and left the newspaper office.

Their master had laid out the path clearly; if they couldn’t even make a good start, how could they still call themselves Qin Feng’s students?

“Brother Shen!”

“Hmm!”

Shen Changqing greeted acquaintances on the street with nods or brief hellos.

But no matter who it was, their faces bore no extra expression, as if indifferent to everything.

Shen Changqing had grown used to this.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution maintaining stability in the Great Qin, primarily tasked with hunting down demons and monsters, although it also had some side duties.

In fact, everyone in the Demon Suppression Division carried the stain of blood on their hands.

When one becomes accustomed to life and death, one grows indifferent to many things.

When Shen Changqing first arrived in this world, he found it hard to adapt, but over time he became accustomed.

The Demon Suppression Division was large.

Those who stayed here were either formidable experts or had the potential to become so.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter.

Within the division, there were two roles: Guardian Enforcers and Demon Hunters.

Everyone who entered started as a low-level Demon Hunter,

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then gradually rose through the ranks, with the ultimate goal of becoming a Guardian Enforcer.

Shen Changqing’s former self was an apprentice Demon Hunter, the lowest rank.

With memories from his past life, he was very familiar with the division’s environment.

In no time, Shen Changqing stopped in front of a pavilion.

Unlike the other grim places in the division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, offering a different, serene atmosphere amid the blood-soaked setting.

The pavilion’s doors were wide open, with occasional people coming and going.

After a brief hesitation, Shen Changqing strode inside.

Once inside, the environment changed noticeably.

An ink-like fragrance mingled faintly with the scent of blood, causing his brow to furrow instinctively, but then quickly relax.

The scent of blood on everyone in the division was nearly impossible to wash away.

Pen and Brush Department.