Chapter 2922 - 2923: Good Deeds

Chapter 2922: Chapter 2923: Good Deeds

"Doing business is nothing more than buying low and selling high, and harmony brings wealth. Father, are you going to let Ruozhu eat or not?" Si Yihuan’s father joked.

The Prime Minister laughed, "Yes, let’s eat, eat, and talk slowly. I’m just competitive, when I was young I took the Imperial Examination, thinking of becoming a Champion, and I really achieved that. Later, as an officer, I aimed to become a Prime Minister, and I indeed became one."

His smile deepened, but there was no boastful tone in his voice.

"Later, I summarized that you must dare to dream and set goals for yourself to possibly achieve them."

Bai Ruozhu smiled and said, "How would you know without trying? Perhaps inadvertently, it might come true?"

"Hahaha, well said, maybe it will come true." The Prime Minister looked at his son, "You all must have goals too, don’t always think it’s impossible to surpass me. You all have more insight than I did back in the day, and encounter more things."

His three sons hurriedly agreed, showing particularly high respect for their father.

Bai Ruozhu only learned that the Prime Minister had once been a Champion, and felt immense admiration for him.

"Come, let’s eat and talk. We don’t need to be formal, just be at ease," the Prime Minister said with a smile.

Everyone started eating. Bai Ruozhu had some dishes and raised her glass to the Si family, thanking them for the banquet.

"Come on, girl, keep talking to me. I’m competitive, but if I try to do something badly when I’m old, it’ll be embarrassing." He said with a hearty smile.

Bai Ruozhu nodded. In ancient times, there were few recreational activities, and the Prime Minister was used to being busy. If he retired to only tend flowers and tease birds, he probably wouldn’t adapt.

"I think what’s most important in business is being innovative, but also considering local conditions, and service." She smiled, "Like my Hua Xiangrong Weaving Pavilion, our promise to customers is that anything sold with non-human damage can be repaired for free. If it accidentally snags, or a bead falls off, it’s repaired free of charge for life."

"What is non-human damage?" someone curiously asked.

"For example, if someone intentionally cuts it into pieces with scissors or burns it, then it’s hard to repair unless we send a new one, which violates the principle of mutual respect, and the business would suffer losses." Bai Ruozhu explained with a smile.

The person continued to ask, "If your expensive bag was slashed, how do you determine if it’s intentional or accidental? Is it deliberate?"

Bai Ruozhu swiftly glanced at the person, feeling a bit confrontational.

The individual was a middle-aged woman, previously introduced as part of the Si family’s marriage relations, named Mrs. Wu.

"Every shop has a manager to judge the situation. I trust they have that ability." Bai Ruozhu said.

The Prime Minister nodded, "Use people wisely, or many rules can’t be implemented."

Mrs. Wu’s eyes rolled, "Listening for a while and not hearing any secrets, is Lord Bai withholding private techniques?"

She chuckled, amusingly, but some detected a hint of gunpowder.

Si Yihuan’s mother felt a bit awkward; Mrs. Wu was her sister. She roughly knew the reason.

Before the banquet started, Si Yihuan privately told his mother about this matter, intending to just mention it, unaware that the Wu family blamed Bai Ruozhu for it.

Si Yihuan’s mother was astute, not thinking much then, but now immediately realized.

She quickly spoke, "Second sister, these are specific arrangements, Ruozhu really can’t say."

"Then let’s use an example. The Prime Minister isn’t good at running a Beauty Pavilion or Weaving Pavilion, what about an ointment shop?" Mrs. Wu smiled, but her eyes closely watched Bai Ruozhu.

She knew toothpaste business was Bai Ruozhu’s earliest venture, and others had bought her toothpaste to study its composition, intending to make imitation toothpaste, but unfortunately, it didn’t sell well.

She didn’t believe Bai Ruozhu would impartially share toothpaste experience.

Bai Ruozhu calmly smiled, "Toothpaste mainly relies on formulas, though formulas aren’t absolute. We’ve sold toothpaste for so long, and some eventually manage to research formulas and make similar toothpaste."

"So branding is critical. Initially, I worked with the Du Family, but they only targeted sales in Capital and Big City. Later, after ending the collaboration, I appointed many managers, assigned to smaller cities and towns to first promote dental care knowledge, then teach brushing habits. Once they accepted it, they recognized our brand."

"Dental health avoids many troubles. My initial wish was for everyone to have clean, healthy teeth. Last year, we had managers conduct surveys; in 80% of cities, toothache rates dropped more than 60% from two years ago. But some factors influenced, like a Village largely using toothpaste, yet having a high tooth damage rate. We promised to treat them for free and sent doctors to investigate."

Everyone listened intently, the Prime Minister hurriedly asked, "Did you find the reason?"

"It’s the local water quality, containing substances damaging to enamel." Bai Ruozhu paused, "The tooth’s surface has a smooth layer, not unlike jade, which can be eroded. Water with special properties corrodes teeth, loosening them, so many locals lose teeth before turning forty."

"Is there a solution?" the Prime Minister asked.

Bai Ruozhu continued, "We’ve researched a drug to neutralize water quality issues, added to toothpaste, alleviating dental damage. Subsequently, all toothpaste sold to such villages contains drug powder, priced the same as regular toothpaste."

"Additionally, we’ve decided to subsidize these places yearly with some drug powder to improve water quality, although solving the root water source problem is challenging."

These are charitable acts, but Bai Ruozhu never specifically told anyone, so outsiders weren’t aware.

The Prime Minister listened, nodding repeatedly, but worried, "Wouldn’t you incur losses like this?"

Bai Ruozhu smiled, "Selling toothpaste to these places and subsidizing them costs more than sales revenue, but profits from other cities can cover it. Business shouldn’t just focus on profit. Earning money while giving back to the people is a clear conscience."