Qin San Niang cleared her throat and began to hawk her wares.
"Ladies and gentlemen, uncles and aunts, don't miss it if you're passing by!"
We have the latest style of gloves and earmuffs here. They're stylish, warm, and comfortable! With the weather getting colder, visiting relatives and friends will be much easier, and you can withstand the cold and snow! They're definitely the most fashionable choice for visiting relatives and friends during the Spring Festival!
Hey, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! These are the latest styles from Kyoto this year, we're having a clearance sale because we're short on funds! Don't miss out!
Qin San Niang shouted loudly, and it must be said that her sales pitch was quite novel among the cries of those selling eggs, buns, and steamed bread. Many young women and married women gathered around. What was this woman saying? This is the latest style from the capital!
As Qin San Niang called out, she put ear warmers on Liu Shi and the others' ears, making a more direct impression!
Especially the little ones, with the earmuffs on, looked like they had two chubby little ears. Paired with their cute expressions and matching cotton coats, they were just as festive as the lucky babies in New Year paintings! Many older women also came over when they saw this. If they could dress up their own children like this, they would be so proud!
"Hey, young lady, what are you selling? We've never heard of this before!" The speaker was a plump woman in a dark blue cotton-padded jacket with maroon trim, paired with a matching skirt; she clearly came from a wealthy family. Farmers would never wear such clothes—they're too inconvenient for working!
Although Qin San Niang and the others were in better condition, they were still wearing dark blue cotton-padded jackets, with narrow sleeves.
Upon hearing the inquiry, Qin San Niang quickly bent down and picked up a hand warmer, explaining, "Sister, these are hand warmers. They're the latest style from Kyoto, and they haven't reached us yet! Luckily, we moved here from the north, so we made some to sell!"
Look at this fabric, this print, and this workmanship! But none of that matters. What matters is that they're incredibly warm when you wear them, and your ears won't get cold anymore!
For someone like you, wearing one when you go out shopping in the morning or visit relatives and friends is both stylish and practical! Look at my sister wearing one, doesn't she look very energetic!?
As he spoke, he pulled Liao Hongying over. She looked refined and elegant, and the earmuffs made her even more beautiful.
The plump woman glanced at it, then examined it closely. It looked like silk? But she wondered how the print was applied, as it was so vibrant and lifelike. Even the big cloth shops in the county town probably didn't have this kind of craftsmanship. So she nodded in satisfaction.
"This is indeed a nice item, the pattern is beautiful, and the fabric is good too. I just don't know how it will look when worn? Is it really as good as you say?" The woman touched it with her hand. Was it stuffed with kapok? She thought to herself, "These people really are willing to spend money!"
He said that just to give it a try.
Qin San Niang knew exactly what she was thinking, and with a wave of her hand, she said, "Big sister, you can try it on and see if it's warm enough! Come on, don't be shy, this thing won't break! I haven't opened for business yet, but if you want it, I'll give you a discount!"
As she spoke, she handed her a pair of ear warmers embroidered with lotus flowers. The woman didn't hesitate and put them on with Wu Chunhua's help. She really felt how warm they were. Her ears were almost red from the cold after coming out to shop so early in the morning!
"Indeed, these ear warmers are a new trend in Kyoto. They're so comfortable and warm to wear! How much is a pair for you?" She planned to buy a pair of ear warmers, not for herself, but to give to her young mistress.
The plump woman was the head maidservant of the young lady. Her mistress had not had a good appetite these past few days, which made her very anxious. That's why she took advantage of the early morning to come to the market to see what fresh ingredients were available.
Unexpectedly, instead of finding fresh ingredients, I found such a novel thing!
Very well, Miss has always loved these exquisite and unusual trinkets. If she knew this was a new style from Kyoto, she would be overjoyed! She'd be able to eat a couple more bowls of rice then! As servants, we can only be well if our masters are well!
Seeing the woman's expression, Qin San Niang knew she genuinely wanted to buy them. Seeing many other women around her also looking eager, she smiled and said, "These ear warmers are only half a tael of silver a pair!"
"Why is it so expensive? It's just a few pieces of cloth!" someone scoffed, questioning the price.
"Yes, that's way too expensive! You could buy a lot of grain with that money!"
...
Hearing the discussions around her, Qin San Niang was not annoyed, after all, buying and selling things should be based on mutual consent.
“Our ear warmers are already very cheap. Look, everyone, this is top-quality silk cloth, brought from Kyoto.”
The print is also very beautiful, and it won't fade no matter how many times you wash it! Plus, it's filled with kapok!
This isn't a one-off deal; if you use it carefully, it can last for several years without any problems! Thinking about it, it's really a great deal!
In this era, such printing technology did not yet exist. Even if a fabric merchant came, he would probably be amazed!
In addition, kapok is very expensive, and with labor costs, half a tael of silver is really not expensive! Besides, Qin San Niang's original target was families with surplus wealth; those families who had to worry about food and clothing were not within her scope of consideration!
She has many other good things and ideas. Only those who can afford ear warmers and gloves will form a stronger bond, which is why the ear warmers are priced at half an ounce.
Moreover, imitations will soon appear, which will inevitably impact their business! Even so, Qin San Niang does not intend to lower the price, after all, their raw materials are unique.
“Oh, yes! Come and feel it. Their fabric is silk, and it's lined with cotton. The print is probably from a famous dye house in Kyoto. We've never seen anything like it here! Plus, it's handmade. The price is really not expensive!” The plump woman who had just tried on the earmuffs said. “Besides, this thing is all about the thought behind it. I think it's worth the price!”
"Here, give me two pairs of earmuffs, the ones with lotus and peony patterns, they're really pretty! And two pairs of gloves too, are these the same price?" The woman said, putting the gloves on and exclaiming in surprise, "Oh my, these gloves are really nice, they fit perfectly! They won't interfere with my work!"
I thought to myself, even when she just goes out to buy groceries, she doesn't have to worry about her hands getting cold if she wears gloves! In previous years, she would inevitably get frostbite on her hands!
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