Wan Shu thought that, given Emperor Hongxing's temper, he would definitely run away overnight after being scolded like that by her.
Unexpectedly, Emperor Hongxing not only didn't run away, but also took the initiative to help with the work.
To be precise, it wasn't really work.
It simply means offering to help serve the dishes and fetch the bowls.
For others, this would be a simple matter, but for Emperor Hongxing, it was a momentous occasion.
It should be noted that on the first morning of Emperor Hongxing's arrival, he did not lift a finger to cook a single meal, and even when he ate, it was only after Meng Wenyuan repeatedly invited him.
Now, not only did Emperor Hongxing come along on his own initiative, but he also helped serve the dishes and bowls. Isn't that a remarkable improvement?
To admit one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue.
Seeing Emperor Hongxing in this state, Wan Shu felt that there was still hope for him, so she didn't make things difficult for him and, as before, smiled and invited him to eat together.
After finishing her meal, Wan Shu checked the soap and found that it had completely solidified.
She beckoned to the little ones to split the bamboo tube open, take out the large bar of soap inside, and cut it into palm-sized pieces with a thin thread.
Even at this point, the little ones were still completely confused.
"Mother, what is this thing used for?"
Wan Shu: "This thing is called soap. Its use is similar to bath soap, but it's much better than bath soap."
Bath beans are a popular toiletries in the current Great Sheng Dynasty.
It is mainly made from soybean flour, spices, lard, and soapberry.
Although it contains lard, due to the low-quality manufacturing process, no alkali was added; instead, soybean powder was added to help with shaping. Therefore, neither the feel nor the effect is as good as soap.
The foaming effect was also quite poor.
However, due to the expensive materials used and the fact that they were primarily used by wealthy families, they were still quite expensive.
A single bath bean, about the size of a thumb, can only be used a few times before costing several hundred coins, making it an undisputed luxury item in the Great Sheng Dynasty.
Apart from Meng Wenyuan and Emperor Hongxing, none of the five children in the family had ever used such luxury items.
Upon hearing that soap works similarly to bath beans, and is even better, everyone became excited.
They gathered around the bucket, rubbing soap and chattering away.
"Wow, it's really bubbling!"
"These bubbles definitely look more numerous than those from bath beans!"
"Not only that! I heard that bath soap can be quite rough to use, but the soap my mother makes is different. It's not only fragrant, but it also leaves your skin feeling smooth and fragrant after washing."
"Mother, why don't we take the soap to the county town to sell? It's so good, we're sure to get a good price for it!"
Emperor Hongxing listened from the side and couldn't help but find it amusing.
Although he no longer considers Wan Shu to be an incredibly foolish woman, he even acknowledges her intelligence.
But bath beans are not easy to make.
How could Wan Shu, an uneducated woman, possibly create something better than bath beans?
It's probably just a few kids who haven't seen much of the world. They got carried away when they saw that they could make bubbles.
However, Emperor Hongxing remembered the words Wan Shu had said to him yesterday.
So when one of the little brats kindly invited him to try it out, he didn't refuse, nor did he show any coldness or disdain.
Instead, he pretended to be interested and decided in his heart that no matter how easy or difficult it was to use, he would definitely say that it was easy to use later.
Emperor Hongxing swore that he truly had no expectations for the soap Wan Shu had made.
But when he actually used it, he was quite surprised.
Whether it's the feel of using it, the fineness of the foam, or the rich and refreshing fragrance, Wan Shu's soaps are the best he has ever used!
Even the highest-grade tribute from the imperial palace couldn't compare to the seemingly ordinary bar of soap in his hand.
Wan Shu knew that, given Emperor Hongxing's past status, he must have used many fine things.
So when she saw the look of amazement on Emperor Hongxing's face, she immediately knew that her soap business was almost certainly going to succeed.
However, just to be on the safe side, I asked anyway.
"How do you find it to use? Is there anything that needs improvement?"
Meng Wenyuan: "Aunt Liang, are you planning to sell this?"
There was no point in hiding it, Wan Shu nodded frankly: "Yes, so I wanted to ask for your opinions."
Although Meng Wenyuan was taken away from the capital at a young age, his status was still there, and he had used many good things.
He stroked his chin, thought carefully for a moment, and then gave his advice.
"I think there's nothing that can be improved in terms of feel and use. It's just that the appearance could be made nicer, since the people who buy bath beans are mostly wealthy ladies who like pretty appearances."
Wan Shu nodded: "I've thought about that too. Actually, I've already ordered the molds. When I go to the county town for a trial sale tomorrow, I'll bring the molds back with me."
In fact, Wan Shu ordered it from a shopping mall. After all, it's really expensive to find workers in the county town, and the production period is too long, so she didn't have the patience to wait.
After saying that, she looked at Emperor Hongxing and asked, "Young Master Mu, do you have any opinions?"
From the respectful yet distant title "Young Master Mu," it's easy to tell that Wan Shu still harbors some dissatisfaction with him.
However, after a night of reflection, Emperor Hongxing understood many things. He realized that he had indeed gone too far before, and he did not lose his temper.
He simply lowered his head and replied humbly, "No need to be so polite, just call me by my name."
Then they gave me serious advice.
"If we were to sell it in the capital or other major cities, we could simply improve the appearance and it would be perfect. But in county towns, there are fewer wealthy families. If we want to increase sales, we probably have to focus on the working class."
The kids were completely bewildered by what he said.
Wan Shu immediately understood Emperor Hongxing's hint.
Hongxing Emperor's meaning was clear: there were too few wealthy families in Sishui County, and even if she sold high-end products at high prices, she wouldn't make much money.
Ideally, we could open another low-end production line to reduce costs, thereby lowering prices and selling to ordinary people, thus making a profit from that segment as well.
That was a good idea. Wan Shu thanked him and immediately returned to the kitchen.
The remaining lard, without adding hydrosol or milk, was used to make a soap that had no fragrance and looked quite ordinary.
Just as the soap was being made and molded, Dazhu delivered it back.
Wan Shu immediately called Da Zhu, grabbed about ten bars of soap, and went out.
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