klisemfg Chapter 2181 Examining Spices
Chapter 2181 Examining Spices
On the second floor of the spice shop, Huo Zhongmao led Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe to sit down and personally poured them hot tea.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, you're finally back. The situation at the shop these past few days has been truly baffling."
Yan Ruyu held the warm teacup and looked at him calmly: "Speak slowly, there's no need to rush."
“Back then, people were coming in so many times to return goods that the shop was practically breaking down the door. The shop assistants were so busy they didn’t even have time to drink water.”
Huo Zhongmao sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Fortunately, most of the goods that were sold before have been returned, and there have been far fewer people coming to return them in the past few days."
Huo Zhongmao frowned: "There are fewer returns, but even fewer people are coming to buy spices."
At this time of day, there used to be at least a few customers in the shop, but now, sometimes not even a single person asks about prices all day.
He paused for a moment, then continued, "At first I was thinking, should we do some promotional activities, such as discounts or buy-one-get-one-free, to attract some customers back?"
But then I thought about it again, and this was too strange. Our spices have always been of high quality and have always had a good reputation. How could it be that suddenly no one is buying them?
And it's not just us; several spice shops in this secluded city are doing the same thing.
"I figured it was better to stay put than to take action. So I decided to take advantage of the slow business during this period and have the employees take a thorough inventory of the goods in the warehouse, so that we would have a clear understanding of the situation."
Aside from taking inventory, I didn't dare do anything else unnecessary, for fear of causing any unforeseen complications.
Yan Ruyu put down her teacup, her tone appreciative: "You did the right thing. Staying calm and dealing with things in a calm manner is the prudent approach."
She changed the subject and asked, "By the way, did you register all the returned goods?"
"It's done," Huo Zhongmao replied hastily. "The Second Young Master specifically instructed that all returned goods must be carefully registered and cataloged."
Not only do you have to remember the type and quantity of spices, but you also have to copy down the name, address, and even contact information of the person returning the goods. You can't miss a single detail.
I've done them all.
Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu smiled gently, inwardly marveling: Changxu has truly grown up. He used to be such a rash and impulsive boy, but now he can think so thoroughly and consider so many details; it's truly remarkable.
"Well done," Yan Ruyu praised. "This information might come in very handy in the future. Take me to see the returned goods."
"Alright, Your Highness, this way please." Huo Zhongmao immediately stood up and led the two of them to the storeroom at the back of the second floor.
The warehouse was very tidy. Rows of shelves were filled with various returned spices, each with a small wooden tag in front of it, indicating the date of return and related information.
The air was filled with the aroma of various spices, including the richness of agarwood, the elegance of sandalwood, and the sweetness of osmanthus, without anything unusual about it.
Yan Ruyu stepped forward, picked up a small box of agarwood, and examined it carefully.
This agarwood has a warm and lustrous color and clear texture. When you bring it close to your nose and take a light sniff, the aroma is pure and lingering, without any off-flavors. The quality is exactly the same as when it was sold before.
She then picked up several boxes of different kinds of spices, including sandalwood, musk, and various floral and fruity scents. After checking them one by one, she found that all the spices were intact, of normal quality, and had nothing wrong with them.
She casually flipped through the register next to her.
The list of returned spices included a wide variety of types, ranging from high-end, expensive spices to inexpensive spices commonly used in ordinary households.
There is no discernible pattern among them, and they do not seem to be targeted at any particular spice.
“These spices are all fine.” Yan Ruyu put down the spices in her hand and turned to Huo Zhongmao, saying, “Have the workers keep these returned goods as they are; there’s no need to do anything special with them.”
In addition, there's no need to make the workers too anxious. The slow business is only temporary. Everyone should rest when they need to, and their wages will still be paid.
This is a good opportunity for everyone to rest and recuperate.
Upon hearing this, Huo Zhongmao breathed a sigh of relief and showed gratitude on his face: "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness."
Actually, that's what I was thinking too. Everyone has worked hard these past few days, so this is a good opportunity to catch our breath.
I was thinking of using this free time to research a few new petal-shaped incense varieties; maybe it could bring some new opportunities to the shop.
"That's a good idea." Yan Ruyu nodded with a smile. "Fragrance is an elegant art form, and many literati and scholars enjoy it these days. If we study it carefully, we might be able to find a new path. If you need any help, just let us know."
"Thank you, Your Highness." The worry on Huo Zhongmao's face dissipated considerably.
When I left the spice shop, the sun was shining brightly outside, and the streets were bustling with people.
The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, haggling, and carriages mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the quietness of the spice shop just moments before.
Huo Changhe walked beside Yan Ruyu, his gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd on the street, and asked in a low voice, "Now, do you have any clues?"
Yan Ruyu slowed her pace, looked calmly ahead, and said slowly, "I do have some clues."
It is certain that the other party is not only targeting our Huo family's spice shop.
The other spice shops in Youcheng were also experiencing slow business, suggesting that the other party's target might not be spices at all.
"We just checked the returned goods, and there were no problems with their quality. The types of goods returned were also random and without any pattern."
The problem with spices surfaced first, simply because these are the most sensitive substances; even slight deviations in smell or quality are easily detected.
Huo Changhe nodded thoughtfully: "In that case, their purpose is probably not simple, and they may have a bigger scheme."
Yan Ruyu nodded slightly: "This matter still needs to be carefully investigated; we cannot rush into it."
Let's wait and see what they do next.
The two chatted as they walked along the street.
The shops on the street were thriving.
As I passed by a shop, I could see a long queue in front of it from afar, with many people standing on tiptoe to peek inside, their faces filled with anticipation.
Yan Ruyu glanced at it curiously and saw a brand-new plaque hanging at the entrance of the shop with the words "Yishengtang Medicinal Cuisine Shop" written on it.
"A new medicinal cuisine shop has opened here," she said softly.
Huo Changhe followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow slightly: "Medicinal cuisine? Restaurants may occasionally have one or two medicinal dishes, but it is rare to see a shop that specializes in medicinal cuisine."