Chunju fiddled with the jewelry box for a while, then placed it on the table.
Shen Qing then realized that there was more to the box than met the eye: a number of gold bracelets, gold necklaces, gold rings... all made using ancient methods, 100% pure gold.
Under the lamplight, a white, eerie light emanated from the goldware.
Shen Qing picked it out and saw that it was a sharp hairpin knife.
She thought for a moment, then inserted the hairpin into her hair bun.
Shen Qing hid the jewelry box and slept soundly without feeling at ease.
Although she has secured the monthly interest payment now, there is still the principal of 100,000 taels to go, as well as the person who wants to take her life.
In such a dangerous environment, she truly couldn't sleep or eat well.
After a few days, when all her injuries had healed, Shen Qing finally left home with the gold jewelry in her pocket.
She wanted to find a pawnshop to sell all her gold jewelry.
The sky was unusually clear, clearing away the heavy snow of the previous days. Sunlight shone on the bluish-gray stone road, melting the accumulated snow, and the air was chilly.
Despite the weather, the shops on both sides of the road were bustling with activity, each shop filled with customers selecting goods.
Shen Qing adjusted his shawl, breathing on his palms as he walked, and asked Chunju, "Is this the busiest street in Jiangzhou City?"
“Yes, young mistress,” Chunju raised her hand and pointed to the south side of the market, “the Gao family’s silk shop is in that direction.”
Shen Qing looked over, nodded thoughtfully, and considered going to check the pawnshop again after leaving.
"Young mistress, we've arrived. This is the largest pawnshop in Jiangzhou City."
Shen Qing stopped in her tracks and looked back.
The pawnshop occupies four storefronts and has a lot of people coming and going, so it looks quite legitimate.
"Let's go in and take a look." She clutched her purse tightly and stepped into the pawnshop.
A servant immediately came forward and, upon learning that she wanted to pawn her gold jewelry, eagerly led her to a secluded counter.
The shopkeeper pushed the wooden tray over, indicating that all the gold jewelry should be poured into the tray.
Shen Qingzhao did it.
Upon seeing the plate of antique goldware, the shopkeeper's eyes gleamed: "To pawn it permanently or to pawn it live?"
While he was speaking, his small eyes scrutinized her from head to toe.
Shen Qing knew that this person was observing whether he could be fooled.
She remained impassive, her gaze fixed on the tray: "Pawn it. How much is an ounce of gold jewelry worth now?"
The shopkeeper's eyes darted around: "One tael of gold jewelry is worth twenty-seven taels of silver."
Shen Qing frowned: "The gold price at the major jewelry stores is thirty-seven taels today, and yours is only twenty-seven?"
The shopkeeper's face stiffened for a moment, then he looked at the gold jewelry on the tray. He took out a few pieces with intricate workmanship, examined them for a while, and said with a forced smile, "But sir, this is old gold. After deducting the welding parts, it won't sell for thirty-seven."
“This is ancient gold, without any welding parts, it’s pure gold.” Shen Qing was too lazy to argue with him and simply said, “Thirty-three taels, that’s the lowest I can go.”
As he spoke, he reached out to collect the gold jewelry, already prepared to go to another pawnshop if they wouldn't accept it here.
Unexpectedly, the shopkeeper pulled the tray away, preventing her from taking the goldware, and said with a smile, "Sure, sure, thirty-three is fine."
Shen Qingsong released his hand, his gaze fixed on the gold jewelry being weighed piece by piece.
"Sir, this is ten taels of gold jewelry," the shopkeeper said, his abacus clicking rapidly, his movements so fast it was dazzling to watch. "The total is three hundred and thirty taels of silver."
Shen Qing coldly withdrew his gaze and said loudly, "Your abacus can swallow gold! Fifteen taels of gold, once it passes through your hands, becomes ten taels. Did your abacus eat the other five taels of gold?"
She deliberately raised her voice to attract the attention of other customers who were pawning their items.
The shopkeeper was indeed taken aback and whispered, "Sir, please allow me to calculate it again."
After some haggling, Shen Qing finally got a silver note for five hundred taels.
She put the money away and walked with Chunju toward the Gao family's silk shop.
Chunju asked, "Young mistress, how did you figure out that the shopkeeper had a short name?"
Shen Qing smiled and said, "He didn't use a short term. He deliberately made a mistake while using the abacus, so he undercounted five taels of gold."
She had been learning abacus since elementary school and had participated in abacus competitions. She could tell at a glance what tricks the pawnshop owner had played on the abacus.
As they were talking, the two arrived at the Gao family's silk shop.
The three shops are located in a prime location in the bustling city center, but they are deserted, with only the shopkeeper in the shop.
Shen Qing walked into the shop without making a sound.
Dozens of kinds of silk fabrics are displayed on the wall, some in solid colors and some in floral patterns, all with a soft and bright luster.
She touched it; it felt soft and smooth, like a baby's skin.
The shopkeeper, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, followed beside him: "Even the Empress Dowager praises the silks of the Gao family!"
Empress Dowager?
Shen Qing suddenly remembered that this was the Qing Dynasty.
Historical records state that Empress Dowager Cixi had a discerning eye; if even she praised a silk, its quality must have been exceptional.
"Even the Empress Dowager praised the silk, so why isn't it selling?" Shen Qing gestured with his chin towards the Wang Family Silk Shop across the street. "They sell the same silk, but their business is booming."
"The Wang family has switched to selling imported fabrics, but they haven't had time to change the brand yet."
"Foreign cloth?"
The shopkeeper sighed: "The foreign cloth has bright colors and a tough texture, which is no less than silk. Moreover, it is inexpensive and ordinary people can afford it. Therefore, more and more people are going to Wang's shop to buy foreign cloth."
Shen Qing then realized that "foreign cloth" was a modern synthetic fiber fabric, often used to make tablecloths and curtains, and it was indeed cheap and durable.
However, this fabric is not breathable, cannot be worn next to the skin, and has a rough feel.
Shen Qing observed the shops across the street.
The shopkeeper continued, "In recent years, due to the impact of imported cloth, no one is willing to buy expensive silk anymore. The imperial court has also been short of funds in recent years and has not been going south to purchase silk much. That's why we have been dragged down by this inventory."
in stock?
Shen Qing came to her senses.
That's right, besides their house, the Gao family also owned silk!
If we find a way to sell the silk in stock, we'll have money to pay off our debts, right?
She instantly saw a glimmer of hope and quickly asked the shopkeeper, "What about other silk shops? Have any of them withstood the impact of imported fabrics and managed to stay in business?"
Before she transmigrated here, she was the CFO of a luxury goods company and had some knowledge of fabric marketing.
While imported fabrics have advantages that silk lacks, silk also has advantages that imported fabrics cannot match—such as a soft texture, bright colors, and an excellent feel.
Expensive products have their own market and sales methods; it all depends on finding the right channels.
She refused to believe that once foreign cloth entered the market, no one would buy silk anymore.
“The Wang family sold over a thousand bolts of silk to foreigners two months ago, clearing out their inventory,” the shopkeeper said quietly, glancing at the shop across the street. “After receiving a sum of cash, they switched to producing foreign cloth.”
"How much cash did they sell?"
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