Chapter 069 The Advent of Soap
In fact, Xu Qingying most wanted to employ members of the Fang family. They were well-educated, sensible, obedient, and easy to get started. Unfortunately, the old man of the Fang family was clearly showing signs of making a comeback, so naturally, it was not easy for him to get involved in business affairs.
And when talking with Qian Zhenniang that day, Xu Qingying had finally cultivated two loyal people, so naturally she wanted to make the best use of them.
Qian Zhenniang has a soft personality and is still a little unsure of herself. She needs some time to be trained.
But Feng'er is bold and smart. Perhaps because she follows a weak master, her personality is rather aggressive.
Therefore, Xu Qingying brought Feng'er along this time, hoping that she could see more of the world, broaden her horizons, and become independent more quickly.
But Xu Qingying still couldn't help feeling upset. There were still too few people she could use. Whenever she needed someone, she always felt stretched to the limit.
Especially this time in the soap business, she had no worries about money, but she could only use the manpower from Zhao Bantou.
But Zhao Bantou will go back after arriving in Qianzhou, so she must cultivate her own confidants as soon as possible, otherwise she will be too busy to cope with the situation.
It's a pity that the ones in the first wife's house are not up to the task. The eldest cousin Xu Huijia likes to be sneaky and cunning at work, and he is also a smooth talker.
My second cousin is very pedantic in his studies. He speaks in a lot of nonsense, which makes people want to stop studying.
The third cousin is about the same age as her and seems to be a little impulsive in his actions, but nothing can be seen at the moment.
As for those in the second house, considering the power struggle between her and Xu Deyuan, it is best not to touch them.
As for the fourth room, Xu Anping is a good candidate. He has a calm temperament and is meticulous in his work. Maybe he can be trained?
The Xu family didn't know yet that Xu Qingying had already evaluated their labor and value.
The group split into several groups, and Xu Qingying led the team to the city of Henan Prefecture. When she saw the towering city gate of Henan Prefecture and the three big words "Henan Prefecture" with gold edging, Xu Qingying couldn't help feeling excited.
Today, she finally accepted her fate.
She is no longer Xu Zhenying, but Xu Qingying of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
No matter where she is or what her identity is, she will not let down Old Man Xu's sincere expectations and she will live a good life.
Feng'er looked at Xu Qingying from time to time.
Xu Qingying had naturally observed Feng'er and saw that although she was a maid from a small family, she knew when to advance and when to retreat, and was bold but cautious. In this situation, she did not wander around and look around like other people, so she was indeed a good seedling.
But at this moment she seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Xu Qingying then asked, "Ask if you have any questions. Don't be afraid. I like people who ask questions; it proves they are thinking."
Feng Er stopped being coy and said, "Miss, since we are here to sell soap, why do we only bring two bars of soap? How can customers know that our products are good? What if we meet someone who really wants to buy it and we can't produce the goods on the spot?"
Xu Qingying smiled and said, "Just observe this question for now. You'll know in the evening."
Feng'er agreed, but she was worried in her heart.
She had also seen other people selling things. People like them who had no connections could only peddle their goods on the streets. Why were Miss Xu Liu's methods different from others?
What's more, six thousand bars of soap filled up an entire carriage. How could such a large amount of cargo be cleared out in one day?
Not to mention Feng'er, even those who followed Xu Qingying into the city were all in panic.
The initial joy faded away, and everyone began to feel uneasy as they watched the cart full of soap.
Everyone was thinking, what if this can’t be sold?
But when everyone saw that Xu Qingying was calm and composed, they gradually became less panicked.
At this point, there is no turning back, just do it!
"Team Leader, Miss Xu!" As the group reached the city gate, someone arrived to greet them. Two days prior, Ming Xiaoshuang had been assigned by Xu Qingying to investigate the situation in Henan Prefecture. Now, dressed in casual attire, he ran over, saluted Team Leader Zhao, and joyfully reported on the city's situation.
"Squad Leader, Miss Xu, I've been checking the situation throughout Henan Prefecture these past two days and discovered that almost all the grocery and rouge shops in the city already know about soap, but no one has ever seen what it looks like. I also privately inquired, and they said the rumor started in Pingyang County, and now it's spread around that soap is a royal item in the palace, and only a few noble ladies can afford it. Furthermore, this soap has been praised to such an extent that even the wife of the prefect has come to inquire about it several times. Right now, these people are like flies, asking about the soap everywhere. I guarantee that as soon as our goods enter the city, they will be snatched up!"
Everyone cheered. No one had expected to hear such good news right after entering the city. Zhao Bantou's worry disappeared from his face. He looked at Xu Qingying with great joy, suppressing his pounding heart. "Miss Xu, this is great news!"
Xu Qingying nodded. "That's taking advantage of the information gap. News in the Great Zhou Dynasty is delayed, and the people are accustomed to spreading rumors. Even this falsehood can become true. By the way, can you tell me more about the situation in the city? Which shopkeeper is worthy of our cooperation?"
Ming Xiaoshuang quickly shared the details he'd gathered. It turned out there were dozens of grocery stores in Henan Prefecture, large and small, but the largest were Fengqi Pavilion and Zhaoji Grocery. Personally, Ming Xiaoshuang preferred Zhaoji because its goods were of good quality, and the owner was said to be wealthy and well-regarded.
Seeing that the two had almost finished their conversation, Feng Er whispered, "Miss, is this the hype you mentioned earlier?"
Zhao Bantou suddenly slapped his head, as if he had realized something belatedly. He looked at Xu Qingying with awe and respect, "No wonder Miss Xu only promoted it in Pingyang County before, but didn't sell it. I guess she was waiting for these rumors to ferment and hype up our soap!"
Xu Qingying smiled and said meaningfully, "Sometimes, if you keep the news secret and then let it fly, the effect can be twice as good with half the effort."
Ming Xiaoshuang also quickly flattered him: "Miss Xu is really a mastermind. Even though she's not in Henan Prefecture, she can still stir up a frenzy of buying soap in Henan Prefecture!"
Zhao Bantou finally couldn't help it this time, and pulled his people back, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and ask them to bring the soap into the city to sell it. It would be a pity to miss such a golden opportunity! Xiaoshuang, we are going to make a fortune——"
"Don't worry. Our identities are sensitive. Large quantities of soap entering the market will inevitably cause panic and make buyers doubt the source of the goods." Xu Qingying stopped Zhao Bantou, and Zhao Bantou immediately sobered up from his frenzied state.
Yes, they are exiled prisoners after all. Once soap is put on the market, it will definitely attract the attention of those who are interested. If they are followed and investigated, won’t everything be exposed?
Zhao Bantou wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at the calm Xu Qingying. He suddenly felt that he had lived in vain for decades and was not as calm as a little girl.
But on second thought, is Xu Qingying's mother an ordinary girl?
This girl is not a girl at all, she is clearly a boy who gives away money!
If Xu Qingying wasn't a girl and an exiled prisoner, Zhao Bantou would really want to have a good fight with her!
Xu Degui said, "That's true. Qingying, do you have any good ideas?"
"Of course there is a way. But..." Xu Qingying looked at Ming Xiaoshuang with a smile, hesitant to speak, "I have to inconvenience Master Xiaoshuang a little."
Before Zhao Bantou could say anything, Ming Xiaoshuang had already patted his chest, "Miss Xu, why call me Master? It's too distant. I'm a few years older than you, so just call me Brother Xiaoshuang. I feel uncomfortable when you call me Master. I always feel like I'm going to be struck by lightning at any moment."
Xiao Shuang's words made everyone laugh.
But some people marveled at Xu Qingying's abilities.
In just a few days, she had gathered the entire escort team like her own private army, and each of them was willing to go through fire and water for her.
"Besides, it's a great honor to work for Miss Xu. Our escorts are all jealous. How can I say I'm wronged?!"
Xu Qingying smiled, "In that case, I won't be polite."
Xu Qingying whispered a few words to Ming Xiaoshuang, who listened with his eyes rolling. Then Xu Qingying patted his shoulder and said, "Go ahead. Bring the soap with you, and remember to wear more clothes."
Ming Xiaoshuang clasped his fists and left.
For some reason, Zhao Bantou was actually a little envious of Ming Xiaoshuang at this moment.
In Henan Prefecture's largest grocery store, business was light in the morning. Shopkeeper Wang lounged leisurely on a chaise longue, sipping tea and taking a piece of pastry before letting out a comfortable sigh.
Soon, the errand boy came back, drenched in sweat. Before he could even have a sip of tea, Wang, the shopkeeper, pulled him over and asked with a sly look, "How's it going?"
"Don't mention it. I've asked around in several surrounding counties, and no one has ever seen the soap. Boss, could this be fake news?"
Shopkeeper Wang hit the servant on the head with his fan and cursed, "Bullshit! He described the soap so clearly, someone must have seen it. You don't understand. I heard it costs four or five taels of silver a piece. How can ordinary people afford it? And how can ordinary people get their hands on it? If we don't stay alert, what if the Fengqi Pavilion across the street gets the soap first? The boss will definitely kill us!"
"But is the soap really so magical?"
"You don't care if it's magical or not. It doesn't matter if the thing itself is valuable. What matters is that the masters and ladies think it's valuable. Even if it's stinky dog shit, you have to sell it to me for a sky-high price! Whatever the rich want, we sell it—"
The servant also knew that this was a serious matter. "Someone said the soap came from the capital. Why don't we send someone to the capital to take a look? There might be good news!"
The two were whispering when they suddenly saw a figure peeking outside stealthily.
Shopkeeper Wang thought it was a guest and was about to greet him with a smile, but he saw that the man was dressed in tattered clothes and looked furtive. He kept looking around as if someone was chasing him.
Shopkeeper Wang's heart skipped a beat; the most dreaded thing in business was encountering trouble. He treated the situation as if he were facing a formidable enemy. He exchanged glances with his servants and was about to kick the man out when he suddenly rushed in, lifted his clothes, and shouted in a low, urgent voice, "Shopkeeper, do you want the soap?"
Shopkeeper Wang looked astonished, but his eyes were fixed on the thing in his arms.
They were two palm-sized pieces of jade paste, translucent as snow. When Shopkeeper Wang tried to take a closer look, the man had already taken them away and wrapped them up. He said in a panic, "Shopkeeper, this is soap. It came from the capital, and it's been sold for three taels of silver a piece. Do you want some?"
Shopkeeper Wang's heart began to beat wildly. He had just mentioned soap when the soap appeared.
The servant beside him didn't care about anything else and secretly pulled Manager Wang frantically.
Shopkeeper Wang's eyes gleamed with brilliance, and he wanted to take it immediately, but the man's mysterious mumbling made him hesitate, so he deliberately lowered his voice and said, "Soap, I've seen it before, it's not a rare thing--"
"Okay, if you don't want it, I'll go to the Fengqi Pavilion next door to take a look."
It turned out that Manager Wang thought that this person had an unknown origin, so he had to pretend to be a bit arrogant. But the person left as soon as he said he would, wrapped up the soap and ran out, as if someone was chasing him.
Shopkeeper Wang quickly winked at the servants, and several servants stepped forward to block the man's way.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the man trembled and said, "You...what do you want to do?!"
"Hey, little brother, why are you in such a hurry? This business always needs to be discussed slowly. You are in such a hurry, is it possible that you didn't get this soap through legitimate channels?"
"You're talking nonsense! This soap of mine was shipped from the capital. I've bought all the soap produced in the capital. How dare you say it's fake?"
Shopkeeper Wang looked at the man's evasive manner and felt a little relieved.
This guy must have stolen his things from somewhere.
No wonder there was no soap flowing out of Henan Prefecture. It turned out that it had all been taken away.
This guy is really generous!
"Okay, it's business. As long as it's good stuff, I don't care where you got it. At most, I can turn a blind eye. But you have to let me inspect the goods first."
The man seemed hesitant, but after some thought, he took out one of the pieces and handed it over. "Okay, you can check it here. Hurry up!!"
"Okay. Go get a basin of water." Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shopkeeper Wang immediately began to solicit information. "How much soap do you have, little brother? I'll buy it all."
"There's not much left, just these two pieces!"
Shopkeeper Wang had a pair of fierce eyes, but he smiled and said, "You stole it, didn't you?"
The man puffed out his chest and said, "Why are you asking these questions? Hurry up and check the goods! If you keep dawdling, I'm leaving!"
"Oh, don't be anxious." A servant brought a basin of water. The use of soap had been passed down in various ways, but in short, it was used for washing things, whether it was for washing face, hands, or clothes.
Shopkeeper Wang first squeezed a little oil onto his hands, then dipped them in water and washed them with soap. Rich and soft foam immediately formed, and his hands felt incredibly smooth.
Even the servant on the side couldn't help but exclaim!
This is washed so clean!
The more Shopkeeper Wang washed, the more astonished he became. He had previously thought soap was a myth, but now, after using it, his years of experience immediately told him that soap would change the entire Great Zhou Dynasty!
He couldn't help but tremble, but he washed slower and slower, while his mind was furiously calculating.
I learned from this kid that someone in the capital produced a batch of soap, but someone bought it all. So where is this person, and where does he plan to sell the soap?
If he could get to know this person, he would be willing to spend more money to buy it from him. If he couldn't buy it, he would ask the owner to help, even if he had to rob it!
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