Making money, taking exams and supporting the family

chapter 75: Trying One's Hand at the Sword

Lin Ze had a decisive and swift personality; he either did not do something or did it with thunderous speed.

To prevent the Luo family from making a move first and catching his family off guard, the day after Lin Dakun's visit, Lin Ze and Zhang Xu hitched up the ox cart and went to town.

Given the Lin family's background, they were naturally not taken seriously by the Luo family, and using the excuse of a private school might not necessarily convince the town's officials and gentry to help him.

But that did not matter. What do businessmen seek most in life? Profit.

Lin Ze absolutely believed that the businessmen and gentry in town had noticed what he had been doing these days. As long as he revealed a bit of modern advanced business ideas and benefits, these people would be more than willing to help him.

The couple split up to take action, and with the help of the Li and Guo families, half of the merchants in Nanyang Town secretly gathered at the villa provided by Master Guo that same day.

What Lin Ze wanted to do was simple: take advantage of the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere and launch a promotional event.

This event would be different from the previous ones. It would not be just their family participating; instead, most of the merchants in Nanyang Town would join in. Lin Ze called it the "Alliance Discount."

The name sounded grand, but it was essentially a common modern-day mall promotion, offering coupons, discounts, and other deals based on spending amounts to attract customers and stimulate consumption.

In ancient times, there were no malls or unified commercial streets, but they could cooperate among themselves, achieving the same effect.

Lin Ze originally did not plan to implement this idea right now. After all, he had been drawing too much attention lately, and without a strong background, being targeted could be quite troublesome.

But since the Luo family came to his door over the recipe, if he did not respond, others would see him as a paper tiger. Anything he revealed from his mind would be taken by others one by one.

This was no joke. The law of the jungle is a fundamental and timeless truth of the world, whether in the open or in the shadows.

Whenever he thought of such consequences, Lin Ze could not help but feel grateful. Fortunately, the body he had transmigrated into was that of a scholar with an official title to protect him. If he had been a commoner without any other advantages, he could easily have been done for.

To carry out the "Alliance Discount" plan, Lin Ze alone, no matter how eloquent he was, might not be able to command the merchants in the town. It was very likely they would take his idea and implement it themselves instead.

However, with the support of Li Guangcai and Master Guo, things were different. The Guo family held high prestige among the merchants in Nanyang Town, and the Li family had been in business for generations, making them seasoned veterans. With both families backing Lin Ze, the other merchants found the idea appealing and were naturally willing to give face.

Although some had their reservations about Lin Ze bringing his husband to business negotiations, they thought it made sense since Lin Ze was a scholar. It was expected that he would leave the business to his husband in the future. This understanding changed their attitude toward Zhang Xiu.

While it was generally frowned upon for women and Ger to show their faces in public, there were precedents. Some families in attendance had wives or husbands running businesses because their spouses were scholars.

Moreover, Lin Ze's "Alliance Discount" genuinely interested everyone. Although it offered customers discounts, it also boosted sales. If successful, the merchants would make a significant profit overall.