Chapter 100 Economics

When people get busy, they don't even have time to think about other things, let alone think about trivial matters. They can't even remember other things.

For example, Li San Niang doesn't have time to think about her personal system right now. The Chang'an Medical Alliance is a mess. Besides the Bad Guys, there's also Shi Hua Lou and the Nu Niang Assistance Association, which wants Li's mother to stand up as the president. Not to mention the matter of detoxifying Fang Chengxian. She's really busy all the time.

Therefore, she had long forgotten about the important Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion, which was the most important festival of the year.

If Fang Chengxian hadn't come to the Li family to soak her in medicinal soup and bring holiday gifts, Li San Niang would never have remembered this!

Although Fang Chengxian did not hold an official position, a noble young man like him had no need to rely on a salary for a living.

Fang Chengxian's mother, who died young, was also a noblewoman. The dowry she left him was considerable, not to mention the money she earned from her land and shops each year, which was more than enough to support Fang Chengxian.

Therefore, the holiday gifts that Fang Chengxian sent were indeed very exquisite and high-class.

A box of uniquely shaped mooncakes that smell of oil and salt even without getting close; a small white porcelain jar weighing one pound that probably contains wine; another small white porcelain jar of about the same size with a bamboo pattern that probably contains tea; and finally, a brocade box with a unique pattern that is only the size of a woman's palm, I wonder what's inside.

Li San Niang carefully opened the bracelet after watching Li Da Sao place it on the table. Inside was a string of pearls, each pearl being the same size and gleaming with the unique luster of pearls.

Judging from the size of this bracelet, it must be for a young girl.

Sister-in-law Li and Third Sister Li exchanged a glance, both understanding that this was specially sent by Fang Chengxian for Luzhu'er.

“These pearls are quite rare; they’re seldom seen around here. When I was at my parents’ home, one of my father’s former colleagues came to the capital to report on his work and visited our home. At that time, my uncle was still in the Imperial Guard, and among the gifts he brought were pearls, though it was just a small box with about a dozen of them. My aunt was overjoyed, as my older sister had just gotten engaged and needed to save up for her dowry.”

Sister-in-law Li admired the rare jewelry she had never received in her youth, while chatting with Li San Niang.

"Well, after all, Chang'an is not by the sea, so things that are not common are naturally rare. Moreover, the beads of this bracelet that are about the same size are also rare. Young Master Fang is truly honest."

Sister-in-law Li closed the box and handed it to Li San Niang. “They gave this to you as a token of their gratitude. You can keep it and let Lu Zhu wear it when she’s a little older. If you go to a banquet in the future, take Lu Zhu with you and let her wear it. It will be a nice gift to impress others.”

"Okay, I'll wait for Mother to come back, then I'll show it to her first, and then give it to Dewdrop to keep."

When Li's mother returned home, she and Li's second sister-in-law admired the bracelet together. She then instructed Li's third sister-in-law to keep it safe and wear it when the dewdrops were bigger.

At this moment, Li San Niang suddenly remembered something, "Mother, it's Mid-Autumn Festival, shouldn't Lu Zhu'er go to the Wang family to deliver gifts?"

When Li San Niang mentioned it, Li's mother and the others also remembered that although Li San Niang had divorced Wang Ziheng, their biological child, Xiao Luzhu, would never disown Wang Ziheng as her biological father.

Furthermore, the Wang family now sends someone to the Li family on the eighth day of each month to deliver the monthly allowance for Lu Zhu'er's upbringing. Wang Dalang and his family are also good at socializing, and they always send someone to deliver some food and supplies to Lu Zhu'er every month, whether it's something new from the West Market or candy and pastries from a pastry shop, they always send it twice a month.

Although Wang Ziheng had never visited Lu Zhu'er since marrying his cousin, Li San Niang was happy to let her be. She didn't want Lu Zhu'er to suffer Wang Ziheng's disdain, and besides, Lu Zhu'er had plenty of male elders in the Li family who doted on her, so no one would let her suffer the slightest grievance.

However, the contract signed with the government stipulated that the young girl, who lived with her mother, must return to her father's home for a reunion on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Lantern Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival every year, in order to show filial piety to her elders and to enjoy the family happiness between father and son.

Therefore, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was only a few days away, Dewdrop had to go to the Wang family's house. Not only did she have to bring gifts, but she also had to have at least one lunch there before she could go home.

“Dewdrop will definitely be there for the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion. I’ll have your second brother go with you.”

Li Ersao nodded and said to Li Sanniang, "When the time comes, entrust Wulang to Mother's care, and your second brother and I will go with him."

“Wang Dalang is a smart man; he would never let Wang Pozi and Wang Erlang cause trouble on such a day.”

Sister-in-law Li also felt that she could still go, since her second brother and sister-in-law were with her, so she wasn't afraid of anything.

Only then did Li San Niang put this matter aside and listen to her mother's explanation of how to handle the Mid-Autumn Festival gifts.

As night fell, Qi Zhidie, wearing a cloak and hood, knocked lightly on the door of the Li family's backyard. After only two knocks, Li San Niang, who was waiting behind the door, asked a question. Upon hearing Qi Zhidie's voice, she opened the door.

The previous two times Qi Zhidie had knocked on the front door to enter, Li Sanniang felt that although it was already night and she couldn't see very clearly, it was still quite conspicuous. So she told Qi Zhidie where the small door in her backyard was, so that she could knock on the small door next time and be more discreet, thus reducing the possibility of trouble.

As soon as she sat down in the main hall, Qi Zhidie took out a purse from her bosom and took out the membership rules that Li Sanniang had given her the night before, which contained more than a dozen articles.

"Third Sister, I've already told the women in our brothel about the secret book for joining the alliance to treat their illnesses, and they all agreed. I also discussed the membership rules you gave me with the women yesterday."

Seeing Qi Zhidie's expression, Li Sanniang knew she still had something to say, so she pushed the teacup in front of her and said, "Qi Madam, just say what you have to say. If you disagree with any of the rules, that's fine, we can discuss it together."

Qi Zhidie accepted Li San Niang's invitation, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then carefully said, "Every rule in these regulations is written with our best interests in mind. I am their new mother, so it is only right that I can make the decisions regarding shifts and rest days. Not to mention that San Niang only charges 10% of the profit on the medicine, and she doesn't charge us a single penny for the consultations."

Hearing this, Li San Niang was even more confused. If that was the case, what did the women in Shi Hua Lou disagree with?

Seeing the questioning look on Li San Niang's face, Qi Zhidie continued, "San Niangzi is so righteous, treating people like us with such sincerity. We certainly cannot let San Niangzi suffer any loss."

Therefore, I discussed with the women in the building that since we were on the secret list, we were also members of the alliance, and it was only right that we pay some money to the alliance every month.

Furthermore, if Third Sister were to treat us, how could she do it for free? The consultation fee should naturally be paid to her.

We'll pay whatever the market price is for the medicinal herbs we need.

The fact that Third Sister was willing to treat us has already saved our lives; we can't let her down. Although we are courtesans, we're not fools; we recognize those who are truly kind to us.

Li San Niang understood; the women of Shi Hua Lou didn't want her to suffer a loss or make a wasted effort.

Previously, Li San Niang had thought that if she wanted the alliance to operate sustainably for a long time, she would have to find another source of income.

When it comes to charity, a crucial point is that the source of funds must be stable. Otherwise, if it only lasts for a few months and is just a flash in the pan, how can it truly help women?

But the several thousand taels of silver that Li San Niang had previously obtained could not fill this bottomless pit.

Originally, through the midwife Li's mother, and with Li San Niang's later desire to join forces with the surgeons of the Imperial Medical Bureau, they could find ways for the women to make money. Besides sewing and cleaning surgical gowns, Li San Niang also wanted to produce some finished medicines and experiment with herbal cultivation. Any one of these could open up a business, allowing the women and their families to earn some money.

But how could the women of Shihualou, whose names are on the secret register, make money from these things?

Therefore, Li San Niang thought about using the alcohol purification technology to see if she could get in touch with the Imperial Medical Bureau, and slowly planned to see if there were any other good channels.

Therefore, Li San Niang really didn't expect that the women of Shi Hua Lou would be willing to pay for it themselves.