Chapter 93: An unusual guide
Lu Ke looked through it carefully. "A national travel permit? Not everyone can get one. Madam Yun doesn't seem to be telling the truth. If you don't have one, it's impossible for a single woman like you to travel this far safely."
Yun Wansheng didn't expect that the eldest son of the Lu family would become suspicious of her just because of a pass. She thought that people who went on a long journey would have such a pass. It seemed that she still didn't know enough about the things here.
The man's words just now made her think of that man. It turned out that when Mu Xingci let her leave, he had already cleared all the obstacles along the way for her.
No wonder every time she entered a town, not only would the innkeepers treat her well as soon as they saw the pass, but even the officers in charge of town security would be polite to her when they saw it.
At that time, I thought that the people of Shunshang Kingdom were kind-hearted! It turned out that all this was helped by this seemingly insignificant pass.
"Young Master, my husband had a good relationship with the governor of Lizhou. When he saw that I was leaving, he specially gave me this pass to help me." This was all Yun Wansheng could say.
Now if someone says that he doesn’t know the powerful and influential, he won’t believe it.
"Since you already know the prefect, why did you leave your hometown because of bullying?" A gleam flashed in Lu Ke's eyes.
"My dear, you probably understand that when people leave, the tea gets cold. How can a powerful person like the prefect always help others? Moreover, without my loved ones, I am a lonely and helpless widow. He is busy trying to avoid suspicion, so how can he always stand up for me? It's good enough that he can help me this time for the sake of my husband."
Lu Ke pondered her words carefully, and the doubt in his eyes dissipated a little: "You said that these drawings were all drawn by you yourself?" As he spoke, he flipped through the drawings in his hand.
"Yes."
"How does Madam Yun want to cooperate?"
Yun Wansheng's face lit up when she heard this: "The eldest master agreed?"
"Tell me your conditions first and then I'll make a decision." Lu Ke said with a slight smile on his lips.
"Okay! Young Master, this is what I plan to do. All the designs I draw before the end of the year will belong to your Luji. During this period, I will only provide drawings for the lantern's appearance. As for the style and type of the lantern design, I have no right to interfere.
I will charge fifty taels for each design, with a maximum of five per day. Our cooperation will end on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. If my design fails to sell due to unpopularity, I will not be responsible for anything else and will return all the money I paid for the designs."
Lu Ke listened to her earnestly and laughed. "Madam Yun, you're really good at this no-cost business. We at Luji took on the risk, and you only returned the price for the pattern. You don't take any risk at all. How can I cooperate with you like this?"
"My Lord, you are running a business, and any business involves risks, not just mine.
With your years of experience in business, you must know what business is worth doing and what business is not worth doing.
If you think my designs are unmarketable and you're worried about losing money, you can choose not to cooperate with me. I'm just trying my luck here, so it's okay if you disagree," Yun Wansheng said gently.
Lu Ke looked at the confident, calm and modest young woman in front of him with a slightly raised eyebrow. She didn't look very old, but her conversation revealed a calmness and restraint, as if she was a business person with a long history in the business world.
"I wonder what business Madam Yun is doing in her hometown?"
"My husband's family is in the silk business. Since he's often out collecting bills and negotiating business deals, I'm usually the one who manages the workshop at home."
Yun Wansheng lied without blushing or beating his heart. Anyway, Lizhou City was very far away from here. By the time he asked someone to inquire, the New Year would have passed and the deal would have been done.
"No wonder you have the shrewdness of a businessman. Okay! I'll cooperate with you. I'll buy these ten designs today, but I want to pay half of the money first. If they sell well, I'll give you the balance." Lu Ke said after some consideration.
"As you say, we can write a document first. The cooperation contract must also be written in duplicate."
Yun Wansheng was not stupid either. With these, she was not afraid that he would default on his debt. After all, the Lu Ji brand was a household name in Qizhou City.
Hearing this, Lu Ke just smiled and said, "Of course." He thought to himself that this woman was worthy of being the mistress of the house, and she was indeed careful in doing things.
She asked Manager Zhang to write the contract and receipt for her, and then he signed his name and put his fingerprints on it, and then paid her two hundred taels of silver.
"Where does Madam Yun live now? If your pattern sells well, I can send someone to find you."
"I'm temporarily staying in Yangliu Hutong, Xicheng Street. When the time comes, you can ask the new tenants and they'll know where I live."
"I've made note of this."
"Young Master, now that the matter has been settled, I will go back first. You are busy." Yun Wansheng stood up and said goodbye.
Lu Ke didn't try to persuade her to stay. After she left, he looked at the drawing in his hand again. Shopkeeper Zhang then said, "Master, this drawing looks very marketable, but to avoid making the same mistake as last time, we should make a small batch first. Once we're sure no one else is making it, we can ship it in large quantities."
"Well! I will go to the workshop now and ask the workers to make a batch overnight. I hope that this time it is not some thieves setting up a trap for the merchants in our Qizhou City." He said with some concern and left the shop.
Yun Wansheng also returned home in a nervous mood. She slept very uneasily that night, worrying about the pattern and afraid that it would not succeed.
Occasionally, she would think of that dog marquis, but when she thought of that man, she couldn't help but curse, then turned over and continued to sleep.
The next day, when she was waiting for news at home, someone knocked on the gate.
Yun Wansheng came to the yard and asked casually, "Who is it?"
"It's me, Lu Ke!" Young Master Lu outside the door announced his name.
Yun Wansheng felt relieved when she heard this. It seemed that her design was successfully sold.
He opened the gate with a smile on his face, and saw Lu Ke standing in front of the gate wearing a moon-white mink cloak. His gentle and elegant appearance made it clear at first glance that he was a nobleman.
"Young Master, why are you here?"
"Shouldn't I come? Then I'll be leaving." Lu Ke looked gloomy and was about to turn around and leave.
"Uh! Sir, that's not what I meant." Yun Wansheng hurriedly stepped out of the door and stopped the nobleman: "Sir, what I meant is that if you want to see me, just send someone to pass on the message. I'm a little flattered that you came in person."
Lu Ke looked at her hurriedly explaining, the corners of his lips slightly curved: "So that's how it is, I thought you didn't welcome me to your house?"
"No, no! Please come in." Yun Wansheng enthusiastically let the person into the yard, but his servants were waiting outside the door.
Lu Ke entered the house and naturally glanced at the small main room. He saw that although the house was clean, the walls were black and the ground under his feet was bumpy, without even a tile.
The kitchen utensils were simple, and the pots and stoves were covered in dirt that couldn't be wiped clean. He frowned and asked, "Why did you rent such a shabby house?"
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