lcionline Chapter 978 Jurchen Tribe's 36 Franchise Stores
Chapter 978 Jurchen Tribe's 36 Franchise Stores
Bai Lu humbly replied, "These are just some ordinary skills I use to make a living; I am only grateful for your kind words."
"Home-style craftsmanship?" Wanyan Zonghan laughed loudly. "Lady Bai is too modest. Your skills are far more valuable than the butchering skills of our tribe, which have been passed down for generations!"
Bai Lu instructed the waiter, "Bring the best ginseng tea, and prepare two bowls of 'Family Reunion' potato noodles, with plenty of toppings." Then she sat down again, smiling at the two men, "May I ask what brings you two distinguished guests here today? If you wish to join our franchise, according to the rules, you still need to fill out an application form." She said this half-jokingly, probing their intentions.
Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin exchanged a glance.
“Since Lady Bai speaks frankly, then we’ll cut to the chase.” Wanyan Zonghan leaned forward slightly. “We’re here today not for a franchise of any particular store, but for the entire Jurchen tribe.”
Bai Lu's heart stirred, but her face remained calm: "Oh? I'd like to hear the details."
The Great Shaman Wanyan Xiyin took over the conversation, "Lady White Snake, you may not know how much of a stir your potato noodles and your franchise method have caused within our tribe."
“I heard from my fellow villagers that since your shop opened, many young people who used to be idle have stopped drinking and fighting all day and are now thinking about how to raise money to open a shop like this.”
“Some wealthy noblemen who only knew how to hunt and enjoy themselves also began to gather together to discuss your chain and win-win strategy.”
"In all my years, I have never seen anything that could fascinate my Jurchen men as much as strong liquor and swords. You have done it." The Great Shaman's tone was full of emotion.
Wanyan Zonghan nodded in agreement: "The Great Shaman is right. Lady Bai, we talked about teaching people how to fish all night after we got back, and we deeply agree with what you said that day."
"Instead of letting our tribe's wealth flow into your pockets, let us learn how to fish ourselves."
"This is not just a matter of money, but also a matter of the future livelihood of my Jurchen tribe."
Bai Lu listened quietly, having already grasped their intentions. This was exactly the situation she had hoped for, even smoother than she had anticipated. She had originally thought that persuading these proud tribal leaders would require considerable effort, but she hadn't expected them to have such foresight and courage.
"So, what do the King of Shunyi and the Great Shaman mean?" Bai Lu asked knowingly, handing the initiative back to the other party.
“We want to work with you!” Wanyan Zonghan’s answer was firm and resolute. “Moreover, we won’t talk to them one by one; if we’re going to do it, we’ll do it on a big scale!”
He extended three thick fingers and tapped them on the table: "Lady White, you probably can't believe it. In just three days since you announced your joining, we've already identified a total of thirty-six families within our clan, with the Great Shaman and I leading the count!"
"Thirty-six potential franchisees who have the ability and existing stores!"
"Thirty-six?" Even though Bai Lu was somewhat prepared, she was still taken aback by this number.
“That’s right!” Wanyan Zonghan’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “These thirty-six families are scattered throughout the towns, fortresses, and even some large settlements under our tribe’s control.”
“Some of them are from collateral branches of our clan, some are Meng'an and Mouke who have made great military achievements, and some are wealthy and resourceful members of the tribe.”
"They all have one thing in common—they trust me and the Great Shaman, and they also trust your reputation as the Seven Fairies of Bailu!"
The great shaman Wanyan Xiyin added, "Lady White Snake, this is just the beginning."
"We Jurchens believe in speed in everything we do, whether it's fighting a war or making money!"
"These 36 companies are just the first batch; they are the seeds we selected."
"As long as they succeed and make money..."
He paused for a moment, then said, "When spring comes next year and the ice and snow melt, I guarantee that the entire land of the Jurchen tribe will be covered with the banners of Seven Fairies Potato Noodles!"
Bai Lu's heart began to pound violently.
blossom everywhere!
The impact of these four words is far more shocking than the number thirty-six.
“King Shunyi, Great Shaman,” Bailu’s voice returned to normal, but her eyes became sharper than ever before, “Your courage and vision are truly admirable to me.”
"It is an honor I would much rather have hoped for to cooperate with the entire Jurchen tribe."
"But rules are rules."
She looked at the two of them and said, word by word, "Thirty-six is fine, three hundred and sixty is also fine. But every single one of them must strictly abide by the franchise rules I have set."
"From store location selection and decoration specifications to staff training, ingredient procurement, and even the standardization of taste... all of these must be reviewed, supervised, and guided by our personnel."
"The franchise fee and management fee are non-negotiable. The core sauce recipe must still be sourced exclusively from me. There is absolutely no room for negotiation on this point."
This is her bottom line.
Upon hearing Bai Lu's unwavering words, Wanyan Zonghan was not angry at all. Instead, he exchanged a smile with the Great Shaman, a smile full of approval.
"Hahaha, good!" Wanyan Zonghan clapped his hands and laughed. "Lady Bai is indeed a person who can do great things! If you were blinded by these thirty-six families and agreed to everything, we would have to doubt your sincerity and ability."
"Without rules, there can be no order! We Jurchens place the utmost importance on military discipline in battle, and we understand this principle!"
The high shaman nodded slowly: "That is indeed the case. Since we have chosen to believe in your model, we will naturally abide by your rules."
"Otherwise, wouldn't what we bought with our money be nothing more than an empty shell?"
"What we need is a goose that can actually lay golden eggs, not a dead bird that is all show and no substance."
He continued, "Please rest assured, Lady White Snake. We will organize these thirty-six families together. Whatever kind of people you need for training, we will send them to you."
"Wherever you need to renovate your shop, we'll send our best warriors to protect your safety."
"As for the fees, we will pay them all at once and without delay. We have only one requirement."
"Great Shaman, please speak."
"We need to be as fast as possible!" Wanyan Xiyin's eyes sharpened. "We need all thirty-six stores to be open for business within a month!"
"We need you and your team, give it your all!"
One month!
Bai Lu quickly calculated in her mind. Thirty-six stores, scattered in different locations, needed to be completed within a month...
She was silent for a moment.
Seeing Bai Lu deep in thought, Wanyan Zonghan said, "Lady Bai, I know this is difficult. But if you can do it, what you will gain will be more than just the profits from thirty-six stores."
He lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of seduction: "You will gain the friendship and trust of the entire Jurchen tribe."
"From now on, it will be very convenient for you to do any business you want in my Jurchen territory."
"Even if you encounter any trouble, I, Wanyan Zonghan, and the tribe behind us will be your strongest support."
Bai Lu raised her head, meeting the expectant gazes of the two men. Her eyes no longer held any hesitation, but instead burned with fierce fighting spirit.
"Okay!" She nodded vigorously. "One month it is!"
"King Shunyi, Great Shaman, go back and organize manpower and a list of shops."
"Within three days, I will provide you with a detailed plan. Starting from the fourth day, my people will be dispatched to various locations to open shops simultaneously!"
"Great!" Wanyan Zonghan slapped his thigh and stood up. "I've been waiting for you to say that! Lady White, it's been a pleasure doing business with you!"
"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you!" Bai Lu stood up, smiling and extending her hand.
Wanyan Zonghan was taken aback for a moment, then realized that this was a kind of Han Chinese etiquette. He imitated Bailu, extending his broad and strong hand and firmly grasping her seemingly delicate hand.
As Wanyan Xiyin watched this scene, a gratified smile appeared on his aged face.
After seeing off the two distinguished guests, Bai Lu stood alone by the window, gazing at the gray sky outside, and let out a long breath. That breath turned into a wisp of white mist in the cold air, rising gently.
Her heart, however, was burning hotter than the fire in the shop's stove.
She knew that from this day forward, she was no longer a lone businesswoman; behind her stood the entire Jurchen tribe.
"Someone come here!" she called, turning around.
"Shopkeeper, what can I do for you?" The accountant and several quick-witted assistants immediately surrounded him.
Bai Lu's gaze swept over them, her eyes bright: "From today onwards, everyone be on your toes! We're going to pull off something big!"
A month is but a fleeting moment for the vast northern lands, like the cold wind sweeping across the grasslands.
Bai Lu practically stretched one day into two. The franchise rules she drafted were over thirty pages long, detailing every process to the extreme, from store measurement, blueprint design, and construction standards, to personnel selection, phased training, and onboarding assessments, to the production, packaging, and secure delivery of core sauces, and the unified planning of opening marketing activities. Just like modern franchising.
One month later, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
This is not a particularly important day in Jurchen tradition. According to Bailu's unified plan, within the Jurchen territory, from Huanglongfu, a major town in the south, to Supinlu, a coastal city in the east, and Huligailu, which is close to the deep mountains in the north, thirty-six Qixiannv Potato Noodle franchise stores will simultaneously light firecrackers and open their doors to welcome customers at noon today!
Huanglong Prefecture was the heart of the Jurchen people, lined with shops and frequented by Jurchen nobles. The newly opened Seven Fairies Potato Noodle Shop was located on the most bustling South Street in the city. The shop owner was a cousin of Wanyan Zonghan, the Prince of Shunyi, named Wanyan Alubu.
At this moment, the shop was already packed with people, even more lively than during a festival. A huge red silk cloth covered the shop's lintel, and two strings of ten-thousand-shot firecrackers hung from the eaves, trailing all the way to the ground. On both sides of the shop, congratulatory flower baskets were displayed, with all sorts of inscriptions, including "Congratulations from Meng'an Wanyan XX," "Congratulations from Mouke XXX," and even "Congratulations from the Prefect of Huanglong Prefecture."
Wanyan Alubu, dressed in a brand-new mink robe, was beaming with excitement, unsure of what to do with his hands. Standing beside him was Zhou Quan, a capable middle-aged man sent by Bailu.
“Mr. Zhou…” Alubu nervously rubbed his hands, “This…this is too much!”
"In all my years, I've never seen a restaurant with such an impressive presence!"
Zhou Quan smiled slightly and said calmly, "Manager Lu, you'll get used to it. When we Seven Fairies open a shop, we're all about a great start!"
"The bigger the show, the more guests will come. Remember the lines I taught you; shout them out loud after the ribbon-cutting ceremony!"
"I've got it! I've got it!" Alubu nodded repeatedly. "Same taste, same dream!"
"Seven Fairies Potato Noodles Huanglongfu Store Grand Opening! For the first three days, all potato noodles are 20% off!"
“Very good.” Zhou Quan nodded in satisfaction.
Among the crowd, several Jurchen noblemen were craning their necks and discussing amongst themselves.
"See that? This is the shop that kid Alubu runs!"
"I heard they invested a lot of money; the franchise fee just for that White Snake Lady was enough to buy dozens of fine horses!"
"More than that! Look at this shop, it's bright and clean, and the tables and chairs are all the same style. It's even more upscale than the restaurants we usually go to!"
"I heard that the blueprints were provided by Bai Lu, and even the thickness of the table legs was specified!"
"Hmph, all that fancy stuff! It's just a bowl of noodles, what's so special about it? I don't believe it's better than the whole roasted lamb in our manor!" A seemingly conservative young nobleman curled his lip.
His friend, however, disagreed: "You can't say that. I went to Pingzhou a while ago and ate there once. The taste... tsk tsk, it was really weird!"
"It's numbing, spicy, and fragrant; you'll want a second bowl after finishing one."
"And haven't you heard? The Prince of Shunyi and the Great Shaman have both personally come forward to support this. This is no small matter!"
"It's noon!" Zhou Quan's clear voice rang out.
Wanyan Alubu took a deep breath and, together with several elders of the imperial clan who had been invited to cut the ribbon, stepped forward, grasped the scissors, and with a snip, the red silk fell to the ground, revealing a black plaque with gold lettering that read "Seven Fairies Potato Noodles".
"Fire!"
“Crackling—!”
A deafening explosion of firecrackers erupted instantly, sending red paper scraps flying everywhere and filling the air with the pungent smell of gunpowder. Wanyan Alu roared at the surging crowd:
"Same flavor, same dream!"
"Seven Fairies Potato Noodles Huanglongfu Store, Grand Opening!!"
"Bravo!" Thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.
"20% off! 20% off!" The impatient young people rushed in, instantly filling the entire lobby.
"Hey buddy! A bowl of 'Family Reunion'!"
"I want a bowl of beef, extra spicy!"
"This table is so clean! And these bowls are beautiful too!"
"Quick, quick! I can smell the aroma!"