That little slut Li Youran, which family's young master did she hook up with? She's so generous, casually sending over a whole cartload of gifts.
If his wife could find a husband like that, wouldn't he be able to live a life of luxury, eating and drinking well and wearing gold and silver?
I never expected that my honest and kind older brother would learn to keep something to himself. He said he didn't know any rich people, but secretly he found such a family for his daughter.
Li Erzhu's eyes darted around. He had long heard that there were no poor places near the capital, so it seemed he would have to raise his standards for finding a husband for Hongxing.
"Why has Madam Wang become so generous, buying so much food all at once?"
Zhao Lanzhi saw that Wang Niangzi had bought a large piece of braised beef, a whole roasted chicken, and a roasted duck from the deli across the street.
"Today is the day Wang Xiangyu returns to her parents' home. Early this morning, I heard the Wang family members cleaning and packing their things in a great hurry."
Aunt Zhou took the steamed bun and casually remarked, her words full of disdain.
"Ever since he found this scholar as his son-in-law, he's been so arrogant he's practically wagging his tail in the air. It's just like the old saying, 'When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.'"
Zhao Lanzhi smiled but didn't say anything, after all, her position was rather awkward, and it wouldn't be appropriate for her to say anything.
"Little sister, those hairpins are selling really well; they were all snapped up by the peddler." Li Haoran said breathlessly after downing a cup of water in one gulp.
Li Haoran was increasingly impressed with his younger sister; her mind was just too quick.
She designed the hairpin design, then ordered some raw materials and commissioned the women to make each hairpin for one coin. They then resold them to peddlers for six coins each, and the peddlers snapped them up.
What a brilliant scheme! After deducting the initial investment, they made four coins in profit. Ten thousand hairpins would be worth forty taels of silver.
“Brother, you don’t understand. My hairpin designs are novel and the prices are not expensive, so it’s natural for peddlers to like them,” Li Youran said with a smile.
Moreover, the novel designs of the hairpins will attract more customers, and the peddler's other goods will also sell well.
Li Youran felt that her brain wasn't working properly. She had known for a long time that the women's business was easy to do, but after all the twists and turns, she was only now starting to do it.
However, even if I wanted to do it before, I didn't have that much capital. Now that I have several hundred taels of silver, opening a jewelry shop or a cosmetics shop is not a problem.
Women love beauty and enjoy comparing themselves to others. Li Youran thought that if she were to open a cosmetics shop or a jewelry shop, she would have to aim for high-end and sophisticated products.
In this society, the gap between social classes is vast; the rich feast while the poor starve. The wealthy in the upper class can spend a fortune on a single word, while the poor can't even afford a two-cent steamed bun.
A few hundred taels of silver is neither a small amount nor a large amount. If one wants to open a shop like this, the money on hand is probably not enough.
Li Youran felt as if she was always on the road of running, from a few taels of silver to tens of taels of silver, and then to hundreds of taels of silver, constantly striving forward.
"Brother, I'm just running errands, and I feel really bad for taking half of your money for nothing. How about this, just give me five taels of silver."
Fearing that Li Youran might disagree, Li Haoran took out a five-tael silver ingot, hurriedly stuffed the remaining forty-five taels of silver into Li Youran's jewelry box, and then left.
Li Youran shook his head and smiled bitterly. There was nothing he could do; his older brother always kept such clear accounts.
But it's good, even close brothers should keep clear accounts. It's always better to clarify things from the beginning than to have unclear accounts and conflicts later.
After finishing her work in the kitchen, Li Youran found a basket, filled it with some New Year's goods, and drove away in her carriage.
The hairpin business should continue, since it's an easy way to make money.
Uncle Tang is skilled and honest, and always delivers on time, so Li Youran plans to go to Tang Lei's house again to order another batch of wire from Uncle Tang.
She didn't know if Tang Lei had returned from his trip. Worried that Uncle Tang wouldn't have prepared enough New Year's goods by himself, she brought a lot of New Year's goods with her.
"Why are you here?" Li Youran had just gotten off the carriage when she met Hua Ruyu sweeping snow at the door.
Tang Lei left, but Hua Ruyu was still keeping an eye on the docks and had placed spies there to inform Hua Ruyu of any developments.
Hua Ruyu maintained contact with Tang Lei and also kept in touch with the Second Prince, providing him with the latest information.
"It's almost Chinese New Year, so I've come to give the guys some perks." Li Youran patted the basket on the carriage and then laughed, "Why wouldn't you welcome me?"
Hua Ruyu snorted, turned her face away, and gave Li Youran a look that said, "I can't be bothered with you."
Although she acted unwelcoming, her actions betrayed her true feelings. She took the initiative to help Li Youran carry the basket on her back and carried the things into the house.
"This batch of goods is urgent, and we'll have to trouble Uncle Tang again."
"You're too kind, young lady. Why bother with business that's offered to you?" Uncle Tang smiled kindly and said, "I'm getting old and my strength isn't what it used to be, so I found a young apprentice. Making wire is a good opportunity for him to practice."
"That's good. Don't push yourself too hard. You're getting older, so you must take care of your health." Li Youran then reminded Uncle Tang to take good care of himself and to come to him anytime if he needed anything.
"What a wonderful girl. If my son Tiedan could find a woman like her to marry, I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore..."
Uncle Tang watched Li Youran drive away and couldn't help but sigh.
As soon as Li Youran entered the alley, she was blocked by a tall carriage. The narrow alley could hardly accommodate two carriages passing side by side.
Li Youran felt that the carriage looked familiar, so he peeked over and saw Wang Xiangyu getting off the carriage with red eyes, and their eyes met.
"snort!"
Wang Xiangyu snorted coldly, avoided Li Youran's gaze, and lowered her head as she got off the carriage. Then she raised her head again, walking with an air of pride.
"The carriage will remain here; it is not to be moved an inch."
Wang Xiangyu suddenly turned around and said to the coachman.
Wang Xiangyu believes that Li Youran is plotting against her, and if she is not having an easy time, Li Youran will not have an easy time either!
"Anyway, I've made it home, but some people can't get home."
Li Youran was no pushover either. Since Wang Xiangyu was unjust, she wouldn't be so ruthless in return. With that, Li Youran jumped off the carriage, led the horse, and made the carriage back a few steps, blocking Wang Xiangyu's only way out of the alley.
"How could such a wonderful marriage not have happened?"
“The matchmaker said…” Li Hongxing glanced at Li Erzhu, then hesitated.
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