Song Jiyun had not expected Magistrate Jiang to have such a profound background.
She was slightly stunned before she began to ponder the purpose of Madam Wang’s visit.
The Imperial Court didn’t allow officials to engage in business, so the businesses owned by the officials’ families were always registered under other people’s names.
Registrar Wang had registered the porcelain business with the Song Family under his brother-in-law’s name.
When she visited the Wang Residence last time, she had already discussed with Registrar Wang that, once she had obtained the Deed from the Imperial Kiln Factory and produced the Jade Porcelain, the Wang Family would review the products before signing a contract with them.
Yet, this time, Madam Wang had come with a different proposal.
Madam Wang certainly couldn’t make decisions on her own, so this must have been Registrar Wang’s intention. However, since the women of the Song Family were in mourning, it was inconvenient for him or his brother-in-law to visit the Song Family personally, so they had to let Madam Wang use the excuse of visiting Madam Qian to pass the message.
Song Jiyun mused, "You mean to start the shop first?"
"Of course," Madam Wang replied with a busy smile, "My no-good brother has already set out for Luzhou. Once your shop here is up and running, his preparations on that end should also be nearly complete, definitely in time for this year’s Spring Festival peak season."
Song Jiyun thought she had heard wrong and couldn’t help asking, "Are you saying that Old Master Chen plans to sell Jade Porcelain in Shanghai?"
Hearing this, Madam Wang chided, "Wasn’t this already agreed upon before? To carve out the Jade Porcelain business from your family separately, our family will take the goods from your family, and profit depends on our own abilities."
There are currently two sales models for Jingde Town Porcelain. One is for kiln factories to set up shops in bustling sections of Liang County, with merchants from various places coming here to stock up. Another is establishing branches in different locations, producing and selling uniformly.
The Song Family’s everyday porcelain uses the former model while the high-grade porcelain uses the latter.
Song Jiyun, drawing on her experience from future generations, intends to gradually shift the Song Family’s porcelain to a distribution model.
It would be up to the Song Family to distribute the products and set the prices uniformly; sales would be handled by franchisees who, the more they buy, not only earn more but also receive a certain percentage of rewards based on their sales revenue, encouraging the franchisees to be more active in selling the goods.
She planned to use the Jade Porcelain as a pilot project.
Madam Wang’s intention was to hasten the opening of the Song Family’s shops, not, as she had misunderstood, for the Wang Family to open shops jointly with the Song Family and make money from the merchants coming to Jingde Town.
Registrar Wang had no intention of changing their business cooperation.
Could it be that Registrar Wang specially sent Madam Wang to convey that from now on, the Song Family could benefit from Magistrate Jiang’s influence in their business dealings?
Song Jiyun chuckled, "The Imperial Kiln Factory hasn’t stamped their approval yet; I’m afraid Eunuch Wan won’t be happy if he finds out."
If he were to obstruct it, they wouldn’t be able to produce the Jade Porcelain.
Listening, Madam Wang waved her hand dismissively and whispered with a chuckle, "Isn’t there still Lord Jiang?"
Song Jiyun knew that Lord Jiang’s words yesterday had already been passed around.
Although she felt this was too fast, she didn’t take it to heart and chuckled, "There is only one name card; we can’t always ask for Lord Jiang’s help for everything, right? Good steel should be saved for the edge of the blade."
Madam Wang smiled without saying a word, then turned to say to Madam Qian, "Our master always feels this is a great opportunity, one not to be missed as it won’t come again, and hesitating will surely lead to regret later."
Madam Qian, always ignorant of these matters, never expressed her opinion or interfered in things she didn’t understand.
She could only manage a vague smile and said, "Thank you, Registrar Wang, without your help, who knows how others might have taken advantage of our plight as orphan and widow? Lord Wang’s kindness is deeply engraved in our hearts!"
Madam Wang smiled awkwardly, and the two of them started to chat about family matters.
It was not until Song Jiyun went to arrange lunch that Madam Wang brought up the past conversation again, saying, "In business, who doesn’t need a protector? Thanks to the oversight from my family’s patriarch, my family’s business has thrived. I think, while Magistrate Jiang holds a good impression of your eldest daughter, you might consider visiting more often."
Madam Qian did not really understand what she meant by visiting more often.
Madam Wang then clarified outright and whispered in her ear, "I have investigated clearly; that Magistrate Jiang isn’t married yet. This time to his post, he only brought two legal advisors, a personal attendant, a servant boy, and a nanny who has taken care of him since childhood."
Madam Qian’s heart pounded.
She had seen Magistrate Jiang from a distance.
Whether it was his appearance, scholarship, or demeanor, he was the most distinguished man she had ever encountered.
If her daughter Jiyun could marry such a husband, she could wake up laughing from her dreams.
But this thought was just a flash in her mind before she felt as if she had been doused with cold water and came back to her senses.
Magistrate Jiang came from a scholarly family. Even if they were interested in connecting with the Jiang Family, the Jiang Family might not think highly of them. Even if Magistrate Jiang took a liking to Song Jiyun, the best outcome would be that she ends up as a concubine.
Her husband had raised their daughter with utmost care, not to be meticulously brought up only to be ruined by someone else.
Madam Qian suddenly felt that Madam Wang’s words were somewhat inappropriate.
However, the Wang Family had assisted their family a lot, so she could not really criticize Madam Wang.
"Men and women are different," Madam Qian said, "we must maintain a sense of propriety. Moreover, since Magistrate Jiang doesn’t have a wife like Lady Ru, our Jiyun should be even more cautious."
She deliberately twisted Madam Wang’s meaning and, with gratitude, took Madam Wang’s hand and said, "Thank you for telling me. Otherwise, having a young girl like Jiyun, who lacks experience, could lead to misunderstandings which would be unfortunate."
Seeing her tears and sincere words, Madam Wang for a moment couldn’t tell if she had really understood or not.
"Not at all, not at all!" Madam Wang, seizing the moment, added ambiguously, "I only hope the best for your family and your eldest daughter, right?"
Fearing Madam Wang might speak more absurdities, Madam Qian quickly led her to the garden to look at the flowers, "Jiyun is dutiful; she went to Wensi Building just a few days ago to enjoy the flowers and even spent a generous amount to buy two pots of Jian Orchids for me. I don’t understand much about these, since you are here rarely, why don’t you help me have a look?"
The two spent some time in the garden, had lunch, and then Madam Qian and Song Jiyun together saw Madam Wang off.
Madam Wang, not giving up, pulled Song Jiyun aside, "You are a courageous girl. A daughter’s marriage is like her second reincarnation. If you marry well, not only will you live a life of comfort, but it also elevates the status of your parents, siblings, and children. If it turns out poorly, not to mention assisting your parental home, even you would suffer. Some decisions, you must make yourself!" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Song Jiyun was stunned.
Madam Wang added, "In our small place, Magistrate Jiang is the best man you could meet; you must know how to seize the opportunity!"
Only then did Song Jiyun realize Madam Wang’s true intention for visiting today, recalling her earlier words, which indeed had profound implications!
Her expression instantly turned cold.
Her engagement to Yuan Yunzhong was known to everyone; what was Madam Wang’s intention in saying this?
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