Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 666 - 342: Golden Corn_2

After much persuasion, everyone finally agreed to continue eating.

"Sister, how are we going to sell this corn?" Xiao Qi asked after finishing the corn.

"I’ve thought it all through. Tomorrow, we’ll invite Shopkeeper Wu over..." Lian Manman outlined her plan in detail.

The next day was Wu Lang and Xiao Qi’s day off. Wu Lang got up early in the morning and went to town to invite Shopkeeper Wu to the breakfast diner.

"...As soon as I heard there was something delicious, I came right away," Shopkeeper Wu said with a laugh after some small talk upon entering the private room.

"We’ve got it all ready for you." Lian Manman brought out a steaming dish and uncovered the muslin cloth to reveal two short sections of freshly boiled corn.

"Golden Corn, Shopkeeper Wu, please try it," Lian Shouxin offered a section of corn to Shopkeeper Wu, with each section spearheaded by a chopstick for easier handling.

"Is this corn the one you got from the Shen Family?" Shopkeeper Wu had never seen corn before, but he had heard about Lian Manman obtaining corn seeds from the Shen Family.

"That’s right, the very same corn," Lian Manman smiled.

"It really is a rare delicacy; it smells so good," Shopkeeper Wu said, examining the corn closely without rushing to eat it.

Shopkeeper Wu took a while to inspect, prompting Lian Manman to hide a smile, handing another section of the corn to Xiao Qi to eat.

Xiao Qi was very clever and immediately understood Lian Manman’s intention, starting to eat in front of Shopkeeper Wu.

Seeing Xiao Qi eat, Shopkeeper Wu finally took a bite.

Once he finished a section, Shopkeeper Wu was still eager for more.

"It’s no wonder it’s treasured even in the Imperial Palace; it really is good. Today, I’ve had quite the treat. I bet there aren’t many in the entire prefecture and county who have tasted this Golden Corn," he said.

Lian Manman nodded. She couldn’t be sure if anyone had tried fully ripe corn, but she was certain that no one had eaten tender corn like this; otherwise, such a delicious item wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by Fatty Shen.

"Shopkeeper Wu, what do you think about selling such rare Golden Corn in your restaurant?" Lian Manman asked.

"Are you planning to sell this Golden Corn in my restaurant?" Shopkeeper Wu inquired.

"That’s right," Lian Manman nodded.

Rarity was precious, and many wealthy people enjoyed the novelty. Not to look too far, just in Jinyang County, tender corn was something only Lian Manman’s family had. (The Shen Family in Prefecture City definitely had it, but they would surely not sell tender corn. Thus, Lian Manman’s family really could claim to have a unique offering.) Given its rarity, the inherent deliciousness of the young corn, and its extraordinary origin, Lian Manman believed many rich people would be willing to spend money to try it.

"What price are you thinking of setting?" Shopkeeper Wu pondered, then asked.

"How about fifty wen money for such a section?" Lian Manman proposed.

Lian Manman cut a cob into four sections. The two sections she served Shopkeeper Wu were half of a cob. Selling each section for fifty wen money meant one cob would sell for two hundred wen money.

When Lian Manman discussed this pricing with her family yesterday, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang worried it was too high and feared no one would buy. After Lian Manman persuaded them with the principle of rarity and other reasons, they accepted the price.

In reality, setting this price required Lian Manman herself to overcome a psychological barrier. Lian Shouxin and the others simply felt that fifty wen money was a lot to spend on a small section of corn, fearing people would be reluctant to buy. In Manman’s former life, corn was a commonly cultivated crop, almost equivalent in price to sorghum. Here, however, sorghum could be bought for less than ten wen money per jin.

"Are you planning to sell all this Golden Corn to our restaurant?" Shopkeeper Wu asked Lian Manman.

Lian Manman glanced at Shopkeeper Wu, wondering if it was her imagination, but she felt she saw a glint in his eyes just then.

A thought struck her, and she internally adjusted her original plan.

"If we’re going to sell it in the restaurant, your establishment would naturally be our first choice. Besides, we also plan to sell it in our own shop, and in addition, we intend to ship some to sell in the county town," Lian Manman thought it over and said, "Golden Corn is unlike other goods, selling it at your restaurant works on consignment. I’ll bring the corn over and you don’t need to pay me upfront, we’ll settle the account after it’s sold. If the day’s corn doesn’t sell, I’ll take it back, and you won’t owe me a wen."

"Golden Corn is rare, and each day, I can only deliver about twelve sections of such corn to your restaurant," she added.

"Ah, I see," Shopkeeper Wu seemed somewhat disappointedly contemplative.

"What do you mean, Shopkeeper Wu?" Lian Shouxin inquired.

"If we’re going to sell Golden Corn, I’m afraid this price won’t do," Shopkeeper Wu said slowly.

"The price is too high?" Lian Shouxin asked hesitantly.

"Not at all, the price is actually quite low," Lian Manman, observing Shopkeeper Wu’s expression, stated confidently.

"Fifty wen a section won’t work, but for one hundred wen a section, we can settle the deal right now," Shopkeeper Wu asserted.

Lady Zhang, Lian Shouxin, and the others were naturally surprised, and even Lian Manman was somewhat taken aback. However, upon reflection, she couldn’t help but admire Shopkeeper Wu’s shrewdness.

It seems she was still too green, not ruthless enough. Fortunately, her meticulous planning compensated for this, and even a wily fox like Shopkeeper Wu couldn’t take advantage of her.

"You think it will sell at one hundred wen a section?" Lian Shouxin questioned.

"It will sell better than at fifty wen a section," Shopkeeper Wu nodded. "Fifty wen pays for a novelty, but one hundred wen pays for a status symbol."

"I believe that," Lian Manman chuckled. Those golden kernels seemed to transform into nuggets of gold rolling towards her.

***...*** 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Delivering a second update, begging for votes. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)