Chapter 25 Chapter 25 When Shen Xuan first started selling tea…
When Shen Xuan first started selling tea, he thought his tea would sell well, but he didn't expect it to be so famous.
Nowadays, soon after he sets up his stall in the morning, there will be a long line outside his stall, but all his products are sold out within two hours.
For example, the gentlemen of Lezhou Academy, fearing that they would not be able to get tea, took the initiative to sign a long-term contract with him, gave him a few taels of silver at one time, and asked him to deliver tea to their door every day.
Honey custard tea was so famous that Shen Xuan received more rewards, but for some reason he felt that it was too much and there was always a hint of uneasiness.
However, the situation is calm now, and Shen Xuan can't stop doing business because of this little worry.
He still set up his stall every day as usual, and when he had free time in the afternoon, he began to help Zhong Xiaomei visit the embroidery workshops on Jinli Street.
Food, clothing, housing and transportation are essential necessities for the people, so there are three embroidery workshops on Koi Street alone.
Shen Xuan asked one by one and found out that each embroidery workshop had its own embroiderers. In addition, they also accepted embroidery works from outside. It’s just that the craftsmanship requirements for embroidery are relatively high.
Zhong Xiaomei is good at sewing shoe soles and clothes. Although she has good skills, almost every girl and boy in the city can do it, so it is not considered a skill, and she can't get much work in the embroidery workshop.
The most basic job in an embroidery workshop is embroidering handkerchiefs. They can charge two cents for embroidering a plum blossom pattern the size of a copper coin on a handkerchief. If the pattern is the size of an egg, you can get five cents.
A skilled embroiderer can embroider four or five handkerchiefs a day, and earn a dozen cents without any problem. She can earn at least three to five taels of silver a year.
If you improve your skills and can embroider more and more complicated pieces, you can earn a few taels of silver a month.
When Shen Xuan was making inquiries, he saw an embroiderer who was good at double-sided embroidery. She divided a silk thread into several very fine strands, and the embroidery she created was vivid and lifelike.
It took her more than three months to embroider a four-foot square double-sided screen, but once she took it to the embroidery workshop, she could sell it for twenty taels of silver and it was soon bought by a wealthy family.
This woman's craftsmanship has surpassed that of the employed embroiderers of the wealthy families in Lezhou City. With such skills, why should she worry about not being able to live a good life?
After Shen Xuan took a look around, he felt more and more that Zhong Xiaomei could become an embroiderer.
Even if you only learn the basics, it would be good if you can embroider some handkerchiefs or belts. If she could earn four or five taels of silver a year, the Zhong family would not be willing to marry her off.
After Shen Xuan inquired, he learned that these embroidery workshops also recruited apprentices.
There are two types of apprentices. One type pays for the apprenticeship out of their own pocket and can leave at any time.
There is also a free option, which lasts for a whole year and does not pay a penny. All finished embroidery products must be handed in to the embroidery workshop.
After learning the skills, I couldn't just leave. I had to sign a three-year contract with the embroidery workshop.
Within three years, embroidery products will be supplied to the embroidery workshop first, but the price will naturally not be higher than the market price, and the profit will be slightly less, which can be regarded as free tuition for studying in the embroidery workshop.
Zhong Xiaomei had no money, and the Zhong couple certainly couldn't pay for her to study, but Shen Xuan felt that the second model was quite suitable for Zhong Xiaomei, so he went back and told her about it.
"Although you won't make much money in the first year, as long as you learn the skills, you will be able to make it in a few years." Shen Xuan said to her: "If you have the skills of embroidery in the future and can earn five or six taels a year, what else do you have to worry about?"
Zhong Xiaomei was also very excited when she heard this. From her childhood to adulthood, the farthest she had ever been to was the neighboring village, and she didn't even know what Lezhou City looked like. But at this moment, I also imagined learning embroidery in the embroidery workshop.
If you can earn five or six taels of silver a year, you can catch up with the village gentry. Why should you worry about not finding a good marriage?
"Go back today and talk to your parents." Chen Xuan said to Zhong Xiaomei, "If possible, I can take you to the city when I set up the stall tomorrow. Then I will take you to sign the contract with the embroidery shop."
After Zhong Xiaomei thanked her and left, Xue Fenglin came out and said, "You treat her with great care. I hope she can cherish this opportunity."
These days, Zhong Xiaomei has been helping with some rough chores at home and has been performing quite well. Seeing that she seemed to be much more honest than Zhong Ge'er, Xue Fenglin was not so repulsive anymore.
Shen Xuan smiled when he heard this and said, "After all, he is just a half-grown child, how can he be so unbearable?"
However, just after the praise was given, the next day, Xiaomei Zhong did not come again. It turned out that she was sent by the Zhong couple to work temporarily in the home of Mr. Chang.
Shen Xuan went to ask specifically and found out that it was the Zhong family and their husbands who disagreed with her going to the embroidery workshop to be an apprentice. I just said that I have never heard of anyone working for others for free, so it would be better for him to stay at home and do some work.
What's more, Zhong Xiaomei will eventually get married, so there is no point in learning so many things.
It is now the end of summer and the autumn harvest will soon be here after the beginning of autumn. The landlords who had many fields were all too busy, so they recruited temporary workers from the village to help with farming. They were paid two cents a day and provided with a lunch.
In comparison, although doing housework for Shen Xuan also paid two cents and was easier, meals were not included.
The Zhong couple felt that saving food was more important, so they sent Xiaomei Zhong over.
Shen Xuan couldn't help but sigh in his heart when he heard this. The Zhong couple were so short-sighted. He didn't know whether Xiaomei Zhong could go to Chengxiufang and change her fate in the future.
Shen Xuan left Zhong's house and went to set up a stall on Koi Street as usual.
He arrived a little late today and classes had already started at the academy.
However, after he set up the stall, a lot of people came to line up. But after a while, Shen Xuan sold more than a hundred cups. At this time, the flow of people was slightly less, so Shen Xuan was able to take a break.
He had just sat down on the bamboo stool when another man in his early forties walked over. The man was dressed like a butler, and was followed by several servants.
When he arrived in front of Shen Xuan's stall, he said, "I am Liu, the housekeeper of Lord Dai, the magistrate of Lezhou. You are lucky today. Lord Dai ordered me to buy your recipe for honey custard tea."
It turned out that Shen Xuan's tea was sent to Prefect Wu by Master Wu that day. After he and several of his men drank it, they all praised it highly.
For a period of time afterwards, Magistrate Wu even sent his servant to buy it for him every day.
When Judge Dai saw it, he wanted to buy his prescription, so he sent his own steward over.
Shen Xuan was startled and looked at the man in front of him who claimed to be Butler Liu.
Although his clothes had no embroidery, they were made of fine silk. He had a Xiuyan jade waist badge tied around his waist, with a large word "Dai" engraved on it.
Why would the steward of a Tongpan family come to buy the tea recipe from my stall? Shen Xuan felt puzzled.
But this recipe is the basis for him to make money, so he naturally has no intention of selling it. So he refused very straightforwardly, saying, "This recipe of mine is a secret recipe that I will never sell. Sorry. Please tell Judge Dai that if he likes my tea, I will treat him to free tea some other day."
Butler Liu was stunned. He didn't expect that this small tea stall in front of him would dare to refuse the order of the judge. He immediately said angrily, "Don't be ungrateful. The judge is willing to spend two hundred taels of silver to buy your recipe because he is giving you face. If you refuse today, don't regret it in the future."
Everyone knows that prefects come and go but the Tongpan remains. Although Dai Tongpan's official position is not high, he is indeed the local boss in Lezhou City.
Shen Xuan didn't expect that a dignified Tongpan would actually force a sale, not to mention that two hundred taels of silver was less than his annual income. What was the difference between this and robbery?
"No!" Shen Xuan said with a stern face, "Not to mention two hundred taels of silver, I won't sell it to you even if it's two thousand taels of silver!"
"How dare you!" Butler Liu got angry when he heard it. He waved his hand and several servants following him were about to come up and smash the stall.
"I have to deliver tea to the prefect in a while. Do you dare to touch my stall?" Shen Xuan said loudly when he saw this.
In fact, the prefect was just an excuse for Shen Xuan, but when his name came out, it intimidated Butler Liu.
Butler Liu rolled his eyes and dared not let the servants go forward. He just pointed at Shen Xuan's nose and said, "I'll let you go today, but I'll see what excuses you can find in the future! If you don't hand over the recipe, don't even think about doing business on Koi Street anymore."
After saying this, he turned around and left.
After they walked away, Widow Ge walked out of the yard trembling with fear and whispered in Shen Xuan's ear: "Brother Shen, you don't know that Dai Yue Tower is the property of Dai Tongpan's family. They have opened several chain stores in Lezhou City. They are also a wealthy family."
"I guess he has taken a fancy to your tea recipe and wants to use it for Dai Yue Lou, so he sent someone to buy it. This Dai Tongpan has been doing business in Lezhou for more than 20 years, and his family is a prominent family in Lezhou, so you must not offend him, so you must be careful."
Shen Xuan frowned, he didn't expect that Dai Tongpan had such a background.
However, by not giving the secret recipe today, he has already offended Judge Dai, and this matter is unlikely to end well.
The Jin Dynasty was not a society ruled by law like the modern world. This kind of local official is used to lawlessness, relying on the fact that the emperor is far away. Today, he escaped with the help of Magistrate Wu, but he will be exposed sooner or later. Who knows what will be waiting for him in the future.
However, are we just going to give up the business that we have worked so hard to build? Shen Xuan felt reluctant again.
After he sold the remaining tea for the day, he decided to take a day off and wait and see what the situation would be.
The tea syrup made last time was almost used up, so Shen Xuan went to the city to buy some and prepared to go back and make a few more jars for backup.
The next day, Xue Fenglin saw that Shen Xuan did not go out, and then he realized that he would not go to Jinli Street to set up a stall today.
Since Zhong Xiaomei didn't come home again, Xue Fenglin continued to help Shen Xuan.
He washed the fruits that Shen Xuan bought and put them in the basket. While working, he heard Shen Xuan sighing beside him, looking a little sad.
“But did something happen?” Xue Fenglin asked, keenly noticing that Shen Xuan’s expression was different.
“It’s true that I encountered some difficulties.” Shen Xuan nodded. So he simply told Xue Fenglin everything about Dai Tongpan.
"This Tongpan is just a sixth-rank official, but he is so overbearing. I don't know if I can continue my tea business." Shen Xuan said with a wry smile.
Xue Fenglin frowned when he heard this. He had seen many people like Dai Tongpan who took advantage of their superiors in the capital. At that time he never took them seriously, but he didn't expect that the people under him would have such a hard time encountering such corrupt officials.
He has lived in Yunshui Village for almost a month now. Although his legs and feet are not fully healed, they have almost recovered.
Originally, Xue Fenglin was thinking of waiting a month or two until his legs and feet were fully healed before leaving, but now that he saw Shen Xuan being bullied by a small official like this, he felt that he really couldn't bear it.
If he was still the prince, this dog official would not have the energy to respect Shen Xuan, so how could he dare to bully him?
"Next time you set up a stall, I'll go with you." Xue Fenglin said to Shen Xuan, "I think the Mid-Autumn Festival is in half a month, and I'm almost ready to go back. I have to send a message home."
Shen Xuan was stunned when he heard this. He was silent for a long time before he said, "Your legs and feet haven't even fully recovered yet, and you're leaving?"
He knew that Lin Ye would leave sooner or later, but he didn't expect that this day would come so soon. It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone, and he thought the other party would at least wait until his legs and feet were fully healed before leaving.
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