Chapter 63 I'll never be the first to stick my neck out again!
But......
Her lipstick is completely out of this era!
It's not that she's unwilling to supply goods, but once this business grows to a certain scale, it will attract the attention of wealthy ladies in the capital. If one day her shop has to close down, who will fill the gap?
They can simply walk away and no one can find them.
Will the Song family be able to withstand this storm?
Seeing that Jiang Ling had been thinking for a long time and had not given an answer.
Madam Song was anxious.
They knew their business depended on this one move; if they couldn't reach an agreement, Jiang Meimei wouldn't supply the goods. Not getting the lipsticks was tantamount to offending the noble ladies of the capital.
Closing the shop is the least of your worries; it could even involve your life.
After all, in this world, merchants have a lowly status, and offending the powerful can have unimaginable consequences.
Madam Song quickly gave Wang Yue a meaningful look, hoping she could speak up and persuade her.
Although Wang Yue despised her behavior, she couldn't bear to see her family suffer so much because they had been sisters for many years.
I was initially envious of her family's business, but after seeing how timid and fearful they looked, I instantly stopped being envious. It's better to keep a low profile.
“Sister Jiang, it was indeed Sister Song who acted unfairly before, making such a big fuss without informing you. Sister Jiang, please feel free to make any requests. I believe Sister Song will fulfill them.”
Madam Song nodded. "Yes, Sister Jiang, please feel free to ask if you have any concerns. To be honest, the Song family is currently in dire straits. Without your lipstick, we fear our entire business would have been reduced to ashes!"
The worst thing you can do in business is to reveal your hand, but she really has no other choice now.
Jiang Ling looked outside the shop; it was relatively quiet.
When Wan Furong came, he only mentioned needing suppliers, without mentioning Beijing.
This proves that Madam Song did not reveal in the capital that Jixiang General Store was the supplier of lipsticks.
Looking at Madam Song's eager eyes, Jiang Ling found it difficult to refuse.
Well, I'll help if I can.
Not helping them might not be a loss for Jiang Ling, but for the Song family, it could mean they have no way out.
As for what happens next... we can only take it one step at a time.
If conditions permit later, perhaps we can teach them how to make lipstick.
After Madam Song waited anxiously, Jiang Ling finally gave a reply.
"Madam Song, I can supply you with goods."
Madam Song excitedly grasped Jiang Ling's hand, "Really? Sister Jiang?"
"However, we will not sign any agreements because I cannot guarantee that I can continue to supply goods. As I said before, the goods in my shop are all sourced from very far away, so you should be prepared that the supply may be cut off at any time."
"I believe that your Song family has learned some lessons from this incident. How to protect yourselves from further trouble is up to you to figure out."
The Song family, having been able to run a business for generations and establish themselves in Ping'an County, must have had some clever members.
Mrs. Song's excited expression froze instantly.
What if the supply runs out? What will the Song family do if they run out of lipsticks?
Wang Yue chimed in from the side, "What are you waiting for, Madam Song? Shouldn't the most urgent matter be resolving the immediate trouble?"
Wang Yue's words jolted her awake.
Madam Song immediately realized, "That's right! Let's get past this hurdle first!"
"Thank you so much, Sister Jiang! Thank you so much, Sister Jiang! As for the price..."
When Madam Song left, she took with her one hundred lipsticks that Jiang Ling had just received, and also placed an additional order for two hundred more.
She originally wanted to order another 500, but Jiang Ling wasn't sure she could buy that many in one day, so she refused.
So Madam Song packed up the remaining cosmetics and also took a lot of scented soap.
Only after seeing them off could Jiang Ling finally have a peaceful meal!
————
Song Mansion.
The family was as anxious as ants on a hot pan. Ever since Wang Yue sent the news that Jixiang Grocery Store had reopened and Madam Song drove away, they hadn't been able to eat dinner.
The faces of both the old and the young were filled with worry.
Two-year-old Miss Song wanted to grab the lanterns on the eaves to play with, but her beloved grandmother slapped her hand hard, and she cried all night.
Even the two concubines, who were usually so arrogant and domineering, dared not cause trouble at this time. They could cause as much trouble as they wanted normally, but now they would definitely be kicked out of the mansion.
Master Song Qingshan was extremely restless, pacing anxiously outside the door, glancing into the distance from time to time.
They both anticipated and feared seeing Madam Song return.
I hope she brings back good news, but I'm also afraid she'll bring back bad news.
Their exclusive lipstick business was too eye-catching; they regretted taking that risky step.
And now, their supply has been cut off. How many people are hoping for their downfall?
Most of the anger of those high-ranking officials and nobles is ignited by their own peers!
A tiny shop of less than 20 square meters attracted a large number of wealthy ladies from the capital. This was not a blessing, but a death sentence!
It's pitiful that they are a family of merchants for generations. Although they have accumulated some wealth, they have no foundation in the face of real power.
That's how we've come to this point, where we're at the mercy of others!
He had already planned that if the Jiang shopkeeper agreed to supply goods today, he would definitely rely on this unique business to establish a connection with the government in order to seek protection in the future.
He had even decided on the candidates, and was just waiting for the good news to come!
At the end of the road, the Song family's carriage was approaching.
The lanterns hanging at the front of the carriage swayed more violently than usual.
Song Qingshan's heart pounded so hard with the swaying of the lantern that he almost forgot how to walk.
It's here!
Is it good news?
Or is it bad news?
The carriage had just come to a stop in front of the door when Song Qingshan rushed forward before Madam Song could even get out. His lips and voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Madam... are we almost there?"
The maid lifted the curtain, and Madam Song, carrying a cardboard box, bent down and stepped out of the carriage.
Her face showed a kind of excitement after extreme exhaustion, her eyes were red-rimmed, but her eyes were surprisingly bright!
"Sir, one hundred! And I've also pre-ordered two hundred more, to be picked up in five days!"
Song Qingshan's tense nerves finally relaxed, his legs went weak, and he stumbled, almost falling to the ground!
The Song family has finally overcome this hurdle!
He steadily took the cardboard box from Madam Song's arms. This wasn't just lipstick; it was his entire family's life!
God bless me! Ancestors bless me! I'll never be a troublemaker again!
How much does it cost?
He had previously considered that he would buy it even if the price was exorbitant. But if the price was truly astronomical, how would his family survive?
“Sister Jiang is kind and did not raise prices on the spot. She also asked us not to raise prices, and if it is retail, it cannot exceed one tael of silver per piece.”
Song Qingshan sighed softly and steadily walked inside, carrying the box.
"We are grateful for Miss Jiang's kindness. We are already quite conspicuous, so how could we dare to raise prices again?"
Madam Song hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up: "However, sir, Sister Jiang is unwilling to sign the agreement. She said that the supply of goods may be cut off at any time, and asked me to tell you to think of a way to protect yourself as soon as possible."
Song Qingshan was taken aback, but his grip on the cardboard box didn't loosen at all.
“Miss Jiang is right, we should have thought of this a long time ago.”
In that case, it's time to put his plans into action.
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