Chapter 336: Joining

**Chapter 336: Franchising**

Wu Xuanzhong asked in confusion, "What's franchising?"

Ye Xiaoxiao then explained the concept of franchising to the masters.

"Basically, it means integrating existing resources—bringing all the clinics and pharmacies under your control under the banner of Rende Pharmacy. Management methods, operations, and medications will all be standardized with headquarters’ practices.

Franchised stores can use the Rende Pharmacy name, while the headquarters provides training, supplies, and technical support."

Hearing it like that, franchising did sound like it could offer many benefits.

But the masters weren’t naive either.

After listening, Zhou Zhonghua asked, "How does franchising work? Are there any other requirements afterward?"

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "...There’s a modest franchise fee, and all medications must be purchased from Rende Pharmacy headquarters afterward. You’ll also need to follow Rende Pharmacy’s rules and policies. Break the rules, and you’re out."

Zhou Zhonghua exclaimed angrily, "So we’d still be under your thumb! And we have to pay for it too!"

Ye Xiaoxiao raised her voice confidently, "Not even close! You keep ownership, and you get help expanding your practice. Don’t you want to learn from my master’s success?

And the Rende Pharmacy name—wasn’t that what you’ve all been fighting over? Now no one has to fight; everyone can use it."

After Ye Xiaoxiao finished speaking, they all fell silent again.

It... did sound reasonable.

But if all the medicines had to come from Rende Pharmacy headquarters, wouldn’t Song Guangjing still pocket the profits?

Song Guangjing thought Xiao Xiao’s idea was brilliant.

This was a surefire way to control them.

These defiant juniors would never escape his grasp again.

"Xiao Xiao speaks for me. If you're not happy, get out of my sight and leave the capital."

Wu Xuanzhong said calmly, "We'll think about it for a few days."

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "No rush, masters. Once you've made up your minds, we’ll sign contracts, and you can start using the Rende Pharmacy name.

The first one to sign gets 15% off the franchise fee—only one spot available."

A con artist!

Absolutely a con artist.

They could’ve teamed up before.

But now, thanks to Ye Xiaoxiao’s words, they were rivals again, each guarding against being outdone.

Wu Xuanzhong coughed into his fist, "Ahem, no rush. We haven’t even discussed the franchise fee yet."

Zhou Zhonghua glanced at his brothers-in-arms, "Right, no rush. What’s urgent now is settling scores with that backstabber Wang Lei.

Just thinking about how smug he’s acting makes me furious."

Song Guangjing picked up the invitation, "Since he went out of his way to invite me, I wouldn’t miss it."

Song Guangjing was definitely going.

Hearing him say that, the others also insisted they were going too.

Despite being in their sixties, they still acted like feisty young guys.

And those who had just been bickering were now banding together against the same foe.

Ye Xiaoxiao watched as her master and uncles discussed things, then slipped out with Lu Hanchuan into the courtyard.

"We should find out what that seminar's about first—we can't go into this unprepared," she said to Song Xiaoguang.

Song Xiaoguang nodded. "I'll have someone look into it right away and see who's backing Wang Lei to dare host a seminar in the capital."

After Song Xiaoguang left, Lu Hanchuan made a call to have someone tail Wang Lei.

Outsiders like Wang Lei were easy to follow—once they located where he was staying, they could pin down his movements.

"Not going with Shifu?"

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded. "Right. I'm Shifu's disciple—I can't embarrass him."

Lu Hanchuan said, "As for medical knowledge, I'm not worried, but today showed me that Wang Lei doesn't strike me as someone who fights clean. I'll get some guys to watch over you and Shifu."

He even wanted to accompany Ye Xiaoxiao himself, but the invitation came late, and she was due back at base.

She didn’t refuse. "Alright, I’ll take extra security then. Don't worry—I can handle myself."

Lu Hanchuan sighed. "Wish I could actually stop worrying."

...

Song Xiaoguang soon returned with the information.

Turns out, that medical seminar was more than just some academic meetup—many companies would use it to promote new products and show off new tech.

A lot of pharma and med equipment companies would attend.

The whole point was mutual promotion.

They often sealed deals right then and there.

Similar industry events had been held before, with plenty of live deals signed on site.

"So Wang Lei thinks we'll make fools of ourselves if we're unprepared?"

Zhou Zhonghua’s thick eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this, making his already tough mug look downright scary.

Song Guoxian cut in, "It won't be that simple."

Wang Lei might be cunning, but he wasn't stupid.

If his goal was just to humiliate Rende Hall, he wouldn't make it this easy.

Song Xiaoguang said, "We'll get ready regardless—Rende hasn't been sitting idle either when it comes to new products."

Zhou Zhonghua growled, "I still say we grab that sonuvabitch Wang Lei and rough him up to blow off some steam."

Song Guangjing glared at him. "Enough!"

Ye Xiaoxiao also felt things couldn't be that simple, but she couldn't dig up any more details.

Who knew what was going through Wang Lei's mind?

"Master, I'll go with you when the time comes."

Ye Xiaoxiao thought her Master would definitely take her along.

But Song Guangjing said directly, "No need. You stay at Rende Pharmacy then. I'll take Xiaoguang and Guoxian with me."

"Master!" Ye Xiaoxiao was puzzled. "Why won't you take me?"

Song Xiaoguang said, "Xiaoxiao, Master isn't taking you for your own good. That Zhang Wanqiu was Master's former disciple. He's scheming and will definitely make things difficult for you."

Ye Xiaoxiao insisted, "Master, I'm not afraid of difficulties."

In the end, Song Guangjing couldn't out-stubborn Ye Xiaoxiao, so he had to take her along.

Before going to the seminar, Ye Xiaoxiao first saw off her family at the train station.

Then she spent a week alone with Lu Hanchuan.

Sleeping in until she naturally woke up, meals waiting—married life was pure bliss, and Ye Xiaoxiao was reluctant to leave this lifestyle behind.

Besides being with Lu Hanchuan, during that week Ye Xiaoxiao was also constantly badgered by the apprentices of several senior disciples about medical techniques.

Finally fed up, Ye Xiaoxiao dumped them all at Rende Pharmacy.

She made them compete—whoever treated the most patients in a day would be declared the top healer.

Those people thought Ye Xiaoxiao would join the competition too, but Xiao Xiao slipped away after sending them in.

Rende Pharmacy gained a group of free help, and Manager Ma was thrilled—free help was free help.

On the day Lu Hanchuan returned to the army, he didn't let Ye Xiaoxiao see him off at the station.

"The guards I hired will be here soon. Stay safe, and call me if anything happens."

Ye Xiaoxiao flashed a thumbs-up.