As night fell, the entire city of Luoyang was immersed in darkness. The night was long and stormy.

But at this moment, the lights in Yipinju were brightly lit. The shopkeeper and the waiters did not take a break because the door was closed, and everyone was busy working nervously.

Several shopkeepers were fiddling with their abacus, with stern expressions, and they were all meticulous. Although the rainy spring night made the climate extremely cool, and there was even a hint of warmth that turned cold, but the foreheads of these shopkeepers

, there were dense beads of sweat.

From time to time, they used their sleeves to wipe the sweat on their foreheads. They never dared to stop the abacus in their right hands, while their left hands kept flipping through the account folds and carefully checking the numbers on the accounts one by one.

During the Three Kingdoms era, thread-bound books had not yet been invented, so the account books used for accounting were naturally not notebooks, but account folds folded like memorials.

In fact, bamboo slips were originally used for accounting. Records on bamboo slips were called account books. After Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty improved papermaking, the application of paper gradually became more widespread. By the middle of the Three Kingdoms period, paper had basically replaced bamboo slips and became the most important accounting document.

writing materials.

However, after the creation of paper, the method of use has continued to be the use of bamboo slips. Bamboo slips are very heavy and need to be unfolded when used and rolled up when stored.

Although paper is very light, people are still accustomed to cutting the paper into long shapes and rolling it up when storing.

But when the paper roll is too long, it is inconvenient to open, so people invented the origami method in practical use. They folded the roll paper at intervals and recorded the text on the origami paper, thus eliminating the need to fold the entire roll.

Paper opening trouble.

Yipinju's business is complex, and all the accounts are piled here, like a mountain. The shopkeeper has been working hard for several hours to calculate the specific accounts clearly.

This was their third review, but the results were still disappointing. It would be strange for the shopkeepers not to break out in a sweat.

"Madam is here!" Following a high-pitched shout, several shopkeepers jumped up immediately as if on pins and needles, and stood up to greet her at the door.

But before they could go out, a lady in purple clothes had already stepped into the hall. There were still some raindrops on her high bun. Her expression was indifferent. Although she was extremely beautiful, she was so noble.

The overpowering aura made these first-class shopkeepers and stewards dare not have the slightest thought. They all knelt on the ground and said: "Slave, please see Madam."

The lady in purple waved her hand gently, opened her red lips and said, "Get up, how are the accounts for this month?"

Several shopkeepers looked at each other, and finally the big shopkeeper said: "Mrs. Qi, the accounts for this month have been calculated clearly. After the income and expenses were balanced, the balance was 2,454,860

Three coins."

The lady in purple was very surprised: "What's going on? In the past, Yipinju's monthly net profit was at least 10 million yuan, and at the worst, it was 7 to 8 million yuan. Why is it so bleak this month?"

The big shopkeeper had a grimace on his face and said: "Madam, Five Stone Powder has always been the flagship product of our store, accounting for at least 70% of the sales. Since this month, a large number of Five Stone Powder has been unsaleable, and sales have plummeted compared to before.

More than 80%, if it were not supported by other goods, I am afraid that just five stones alone would be enough to make ends meet."

The lady in purple frowned and said: "Our Five Stone Powder is the best in Luoyang City. Sales have always been good. Why did it drop so sharply this month?"

"Back to Madam, it's because a product called Xiaoyao Five-Stone Powder has appeared on the market. It has become popular in Luoyang in a very short period of time and there are many buyers. That's why the sales volume of our Five-Stone Powder is like this.

Plunge."

"Xiaoyao Five Stone Powder?" the lady in purple murmured to herself. In her opinion, this was a completely unfamiliar brand, an unknown brand. How could it be fully occupied in less than a month?

The Luoyang market undoubtedly left her feeling deeply confused and puzzled, "How is this possible? Everything struggled when it first came out. How difficult is it to monopolize the market? Please tell me, this market

Where is the store? I want to come and see it myself!"

The big shopkeeper smiled bitterly and said: "Madam, this kind of Five Stone Powder does not have a store, but is sold privately."

"Selling privately?" The lady in purple was even more puzzled. With a store as big as theirs, Yipinju, couldn't compete with a small shop owner who didn't even have a shop?

"Yes, madam, they raised the price of the five-stone powder to double that of our five-stone powder, and then returned 50% of the money to the hands of the sellers. In order to make a profit, those sellers will naturally

Spare no effort to promote that five-stone powder."

The lady in purple's eyes became cold, and she said quietly: "The price is doubled, and then 50% of the profit is returned. Based on this calculation, the profit of their five stone powder is exactly the same as ours. It seems that this seller

It really has ulterior motives and sophisticated methods. Have you found out who is behind this?"

The chief steward hesitated for a moment and said: "Because they are selling it privately, it is difficult to know who is the source. However, judging from the information that I have, the consort He Yan is suspected to be the mastermind. Many Five Stone Powders flowed out from He Mansion?

"

The purple-clothed lady's eyes were cold, and she snorted coldly: "This He Yan actually dares to eat inside and outside. Over the years, he has eaten so many five-stone powder from our first-grade residence, and he doesn't even want to be grateful. He secretly works against us. This month

Have you delivered the five-stone powder to your house?"

"I sent it to you, but the He government confiscated it and sent it back. Is it possible that you have a guilty conscience?"

"Being a thief with a guilty conscience?" The noble lady in purple shook her head gently and said, "I know He Yan quite well. He is flashy and extravagant, he loves face, and being a businessman is a lowly profession. So what if someone like him thinks of himself as noble?

They may be actively selling things, there must be someone behind the scenes, have you ever investigated carefully?"

The big shopkeeper didn't dare to raise his head at all and stood with his head bowed tremblingly, fearing that he might say something wrong and make his wife angry.

Although Madam doesn't come to Yipinju often, she knows all the business activities of Yipinju very well, and the big shopkeeper doesn't dare to tell a lie.

"Slave... I haven't had time to send someone to check."

The lady in purple didn't get angry this time, but there was a hint of cruelty in her cold words: "Then send someone to investigate immediately. Before tomorrow night, I want to clearly understand the truth of all this, even if
Chapter completed!