Chapter 13: Flower Banquet, Fame and Fortune
On that day, the flower farmer was released from the prison of the Criminal Justice Department. The flower farmer who transported him told Lu Tingwan about this matter. She then felt that this person was trustworthy and at least kept his promise.
The merchants don't know who the flower farmers are relying on, but as long as they can find out where the flowers are sent, there will be a connection.
In addition, the business of Zhichunli is becoming more and more prosperous. The 30-day deadline has arrived. Lu Tingwan has fulfilled his original promise and will be eligible to draw a mysterious gift in Zhichunli if he collects ten different handkerchiefs.
Everyone went to Zhichunli with handkerchiefs to wait for the prize draw.
The gifts that people were waiting for were not valuable things, but Zhichunli's new rouge, jewelry, and rejuvenating cream. At first, people were not interested because they were just ordinary rouge and powder with the Zhichunli trademark engraved on the box.
When Lu Tingwan heard this, he immediately announced that Zhichunli had launched new products, all of which were made from fresh flowers. These rouges were made from freshly picked flowers through a process of craftsmanship, with unique fragrance, bright colors, fine powder and uniform paste.
Especially the Rejuvenating Cream, as the main selling product this time, is even more effective and can moisturize the skin, whiten and remove wrinkles.
It was useless to exaggerate the efficacy of the product. She applied the product on the maid's face and showed it to everyone. Her skillful makeup application technique was as smooth as flowing water, which amazed everyone.
The rejuvenating cream applied on the maid's face only takes half a quarter of an hour to be completely absorbed. The skin that has absorbed the rejuvenating cream becomes visibly smoother.
Then apply rouge, and the makeup fits perfectly, as if she is naturally beautiful. Even if you look closely, you can hardly see any excess powder.
Lu Tingwan was full of confidence. "You'll know how our rejuvenating cream and powder perform after you try them. Today only, we'll offer ten handkerchiefs with different patterns in exchange for a complete set of Zhichunli custom boxes worth thirty taels. Inside, there's a set of rouge, jewelry, and a box of rejuvenating cream."
"Thirty taels? This box of rouge and jewelry costs thirty taels?" Aunt Miao exclaimed, "I, an old woman, can't even earn thirty taels a year."
"Then I, a man, have no use for this rouge." Other male guests also had different opinions.
"Don't worry, everyone. These rouge jewelry and rejuvenating cream are not easy to make. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and the raw materials used are all top-grade. It takes a long time, so their high price is justified. Of course, I have also considered your concerns."
Lu Tingwan took out a set of custom boxes and unfolded them one by one. "It doesn't matter if you don't use these rouge and jewelry, my brother. Your wife, elders, and sisters at home can all use them. If you find the price of a whole box too high, you can just pick out one or a few of the items you need."
"Also, to prevent you from wasting money, we've prepared some sample packs for you. They're smaller than the regular packs. If you find them useful at home, you can decide whether to return to our store later."
"However, the number of sets is limited. Today, only twenty sets are available, and they will be sold out while stocks last."
"You can still try it?" Everyone was incredulous. "This trial package doesn't require money?"
"Of course, no money is needed, but you have to exchange it with the handkerchiefs in our store." Lu Tingwan pointed at the handkerchief in one of the people's hands, raised his eyebrows and smiled.
"I haven't collected all ten of these handkerchiefs, and they have no other use for me. So I'll exchange them for a sample of the rejuvenating cream and let my wife try it." The man stepped forward to exchange items.
Feng Xin shouted in an orderly manner and led people aside to register.
The twenty sets of custom boxes were sold out in one go. Those who collected ten handkerchiefs were eligible for a lottery and won different products in the Zhichunli custom box. However, only three people were eligible to win the entire set.
This item is worth thirty taels. Even if no one in the family can use it, if someone wants to buy it and sell it at a low price, it will not be a loss and he can make dozens of taels for free. Therefore, Lu Tingwan is not afraid that these people will not be willing to exchange it.
Scarcity makes things valuable. Can it be sold for thirty taels? There will be people willing to buy it for fifty taels.
Within a few days, the customized boxes from Zhichunli were placed on the counter of Shopkeeper Luo in Yanyu Tower on Weiyang Street.
The rouge and powder shop that Gongsun Xue often visited was also one of the best shops in Kyoto.
Her slender fingers traced the trademark. It belonged to the owner of Misty Rain Tower. Her tone was lazy yet charming. "Maple Forest Lane, Zhichunli, this is the first time I've heard of a rouge shop. When did it pop up? I knew nothing about it."
The person who delivered the custom box was none other than Shopkeeper Luo. She passed by Fenglin Lane today, delivering rouge to a wealthy family, and happened to be attracted by the commotion in Zhichunli and walked in.
"It's not a proper rouge shop, but a small flower shop. The owner is young, a man, and his flowers are unusual. Anyone who buys flowers in Zhichunli can get a random handkerchief. Collect ten different handkerchiefs and you'll get a first-class or a second-class one, plus discounts in the store. You'll also be entered into a lottery, and the prize is something inside a custom-made box."
"Oh?" The host's palm-leaf fan half-hidden the view, revealing a beautiful face of unknown age. "So interesting."
"The business in Kyoto has remained the same for a hundred years. There has been no new ideas for a long time."
In the study, Feng Xin looked at the handkerchiefs he had collected with a bit of worry. He wrote down the new income and expenditure in the account book. As the pen tip was raised, Lu Tingwan paused, hesitated for a moment, and then started writing.
"Feng Xin, find someone to collect those handkerchiefs together. I still need them." Lu Tingwan's voice was filled with fatigue. She had been going back and forth to the farm these days just to urge the workers to finish their work.
Announcing the launch of a new product when the exchange is most crowded on the day saves her the expense of printing leaflets and also allows her to spread the word, killing two birds with one stone.
Fortunately, the feedback was as good as she had expected, and she would now have to rush the farmers to finish the remaining custom boxes. If she wanted to keep her rouge business going, relying solely on these farmers wouldn't be enough to support her grand plan.
When the pen stopped again, she stuffed the written letter into the letter paper and asked Feng Xin to deliver it to Jiangling.
After this, Zhichunli became famous again. It crossed Changqing Street and turned into Weiyang Street, which is also the most famous Yanzhi Street in Kyoto.
As for the things that were sold on Weiyang Street, she was not afraid of having no market. Thirty taels was indeed expensive for the customers in Fenglin Lane, but it was different in Weiyang Street. She wanted to create a product for noble people in Zhichunli.
As soon as the customized boxes from Zhichunli came out, other rouge and jewelry shops followed suit, and their business was no worse than Zhichunli's. These shops originally sold cosmetics and jewelry, and already had their own regular customers.
Zhichunli is famous for selling flowers. The shop has been open for less than two months and has not yet accumulated enough regular customers. Those customers who have exchanged handkerchiefs for superior and top-class seats are just the tip of the iceberg.
Her goals go far beyond that.
Zhichunli produces two loads of flowers every day, which are sold out in half a day. The items in the customized boxes are naturally insufficient to be sold by the farmers on the farm, and the daily quantity is limited.
The price of one box is thirty taels. If ten boxes can be sold in a day, there will be a profit of three hundred taels. After deducting the wages of farmers and the cost of raw materials, the net profit of one box is twenty taels.
This custom box is her way to open up the Kyoto rouge market.
Half a month later, several elderly matchmakers came to Jiangling. These matchmakers used to make a living in Jiangling by selling rouge and hairpins. They had their own specialties and skills.
When Lu Tingwan was doing business in Jiangling, he got to know many skilled matchmakers and was able to invite people from Jiangling to Kyoto. Money alone was not enough.
She settled the people on the farm and asked the matchmaker to teach the flower farmers the skills. The flower farmers not only made a living by selling flowers, but also could produce and sell their own products, and the person who bought them was Lu Tingwan.
With the skills of the toothmasons, farmers can produce better rouge and rejuvenating cream.
Many of the officials and their families in Kyoto were using the rejuvenating cream.
In Yingyue Pavilion, Gongsun Xue sat at the dressing table, with a jade ruyi rolling along her chin. A bottle of rejuvenating cream was placed on the table, a gift from her close friend.
Gongsun Xue is the only daughter of the current Minister of the Central Secretariat. She has seen many good things, so it was not surprising for her to hear about the Rejuvenating Cream for the first time. It is a good thing that is naturally chosen as a gift from a friend. After using it for a few days, her skin is indeed much more translucent.
It was the fifteenth day again, the day when Cheng Xianzhi came to Yingyue Pavilion. She dressed up carefully. Cheng Xianzhi did not like overly fancy clothes. As a girl of her age, she loved bright red fabrics, jewelry, and cosmetics. Gongsun Xue was no exception. For Cheng Xianzhi, she was willing to change her preferences just to please her husband.
But she didn't know that what Cheng Xianzhi disliked was never the brightly colored fabrics, or the flashy hairpins and rings, or the heavy makeup.
After using the rejuvenating cream, her skin was as smooth as a baby's. Just a light layer of rouge was needed to make her skin look rosy. No matter how self-assured and resolute he was, Gongsun Xue didn't believe that he could really be so hard-hearted and pure-hearted.
At night, the cool summer breeze accompanied by the chirping of cicadas wrapped the city of Kyoto in a refreshing breeze. The moonlight was as bright as silver. Cheng Xianzhi returned home from the Ministry of Revenue and handled official business in the study. He did not go to Yingyue Pavilion until 12:00 am.
Gongsun Xue lay on the chaise longue, her shawl hanging on the floor, her feet bare, enjoying the coolness of the summer night.
The noise outside the door attracted people. The young girl was in love. She stepped on her boots as if she was walking in the clouds, and her overflowing joy could not be hidden.
Behind the screen in the outer room, Cheng Xianzhi came in bathed in the moonlight. After not seeing him for many days, his temperament became even colder.
"My lord, you are so busy with official duties today. You haven't returned yet by midnight. Xue'er is worried." Gongsun Xue held his arm, wanting Cheng Xianzhi to see her more clearly.
Cheng Xianzhi smiled politely and quietly withdrew his arm. "I've been busy with cases lately. I wanted to come see you after returning from the Six Ministries, but the files have to be sent to the Ministry of Revenue at dawn tomorrow, so I'm forced to delay."
Gongsun Xue was filled with shame upon hearing this. "Xue'er is being willful. She can't help the master with his worries, and she's even causing him to lose focus."
"What does this have to do with you?" He rubbed his forehead. "I've been busy with things all the time, and I just regret that I have no time to take care of you. Are you used to being in the mansion during the day?"
She had been married for two months, and had seen him only a few times. It was boring to stay in the mansion for a long time, not to mention the people from Yansheng Hall, who had rarely been seen since they entered the mansion.
"Luckily, a few days ago, Xue'er's best friend came to talk to me at my residence. She also brought me the most fashionable rejuvenating cream in Kyoto. That rejuvenating cream is much better than the one from Yanyu Tower."
Gongsun Xue rarely had the chance to talk to him, and she was eager to tell him all the interesting things that had happened in the past few days. Unconsciously, she was leaning towards him, "Master, look, Xue'er has used the Rejuvenating Cream and thinks it's good. When you have time, I want you to accompany Xue'er to Zhichunli to buy a box."
He had no interest in cosmetics, but the name sounded familiar, "Zhichunli?"
Gongsun Xue thought he had agreed, and said happily, "Well, when is the master's day off at Zhichunli, the new store in Fenglin Lane? Can you go with Xue'er?"
Cheng Xianzhi remained calm, thinking, "The shopkeeper of Zhichunli is a florist. How could he have started a cosmetics business?"
A barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said absentmindedly, "Okay, but I have to wait until the house tax case is settled before I take Xue'er with me."
Without waiting for Gongsun Xue to speak again, he pinched his brow with his slender fingertips, leaned on the table, and shook his head. Gongsun Xue was confused and worried, and her voice trembled as she asked, "Master, what's wrong with you?"
Cheng Xianzhi paused for a moment, then said in a weak voice, "Maybe it's because I've been busy lately. I just felt dizzy. I'll be fine after a rest."
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Xue helped him inside to rest. Cheng Xianzhi hadn't showered yet. "Xue'er, did you prepare some hot water for me? I'm sweating."
Gongsun Xue had prepared everything early. Cheng Xianzhi entered the bathroom. The gentle look on his face just now was gone, replaced by a bone-chilling coldness. He took off his clothes and stepped into the bathtub. After a few days of trouble, this bucket of hot water could make his mind clearer.
In the misty water vapor, he leaned his head against the wooden barrel, his chest rising and falling, with clear lines and narrow waist and abdomen. When he closed his eyes and dozed, he seemed to be dreaming of a big drama.
After he left the bathroom, he became dejected again and dragged his sleepy body into the inner room. Gongsun Xue was only wearing a gauze nightgown, and her breasts were faintly visible. He lowered his eyes, not looking at her, and got on the bed.
Gongsun Xue wanted to say something, but seeing that he fell asleep quickly, she blew out the oil lamp. After the room became dark, a pair of black pupils broke through the darkness, staring at the fiery red curtain, and the figure walked out of Yingyue Pavilion.
With the clues given by Lu Tingwan, Cheng Xianzhi finally made some progress in the case. From the cases in the files of recent years, it was found that the occupation of private houses was true and there were quite a few of them.
Most of the buildings built in recent years are vacant. According to the registers of the Ministry of Household Affairs, no one lives there, but the house procedures are complete and in compliance with the regulations, and there is nothing wrong with them.
To gather information, Lu Tingwan had become close to Luo Yunchu, visiting him several times at the Luo residence, always bringing a bouquet of flowers. Luo Yunchu was a leisurely man, concentrating on collecting debts during the first few days of the month. He only went on weekdays when someone wanted to rent a shop and needed him to be present.
Luo Yunchu thought she was still thinking about Fang Ya's business, so he revealed the key points to her many times so that she would give up.
But Lu Tingwan was very careful and pretended to be puzzled. His real intention was not to ask her to introduce one or two officials who had a say in the court to her.
Luo Yunchu stated that he knew some officials, but they were not powerful enough.
She wanted to send the Zhichunli custom-made box to the officials' banquet, but she couldn't do so as the second lady of the Lu family, nor as the second wife of the Cheng family.
She must enter the noble mansion as the shopkeeper of Zhichunli Jiang, and Luo Yunchu is the person who can introduce her.
"There have been quite a few banquets in Kyoto recently, and summer flower-viewing banquets are popping up one after another. Literary men and women also have small gatherings on Changqing Street. Do you want to open up sales channels in Zhichunli?" Luo Yunchu saw through her.
"That's right, but the purpose of a gathering of scholars is to express poetry and songs. Selling calligraphy and books is fine, but it doesn't quite fit in with the cosmetics business. A flower viewing banquet is fine, but I wonder if Master Luo could help me get an invitation?"
"Then what can I get?" Luo Yunchu negotiated with a smile.
"Both fame and fortune." Lu Tingwan suddenly moved closer to him, raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly, "I will never let Master Luo suffer any loss."
She thought Luo Yunchu was a good-looking man, and his temperament was somewhat similar to that of a scholar, but he also had a bit of a stock market savvy in his heart, which was quite interesting. When she teased him again, she found that he would blush and show shyness.
It's quite fun.
Luo Yunchu's heartbeat was erratic. He wasn't one to be easily distracted, so he feigned composure and said, "Gain both fame and fortune? I'd like to hear how you do it."
"If I attend the banquets of officials' wives, I can spread Zhichunli's reputation among the powerful and wealthy. This will also make Zhichunli famous. Wouldn't more customers come here because of its reputation? If I make money, wouldn't your 30% profit, Mr. Luo, be even higher?
"Besides, whose shop is this one I rented? It belongs to Mr. Luo. Will there be fewer people looking to you to rent a shop in the future?" She became more and more excited as she spoke, and the back of her hand had already slapped Luo Yunchu in front of her chest.
Luo Yunchu held his folding fan against his hand before opening his chest. "Three days from now, the Zhongshu Ling Mansion in Kyoto will hold a flower viewing banquet. The families of important officials in the court will be attending. I just happen to have an invitation here."
Lu Tingwan thought to himself, "The Minister of the Central Secretariat is Gongsun Yin, Gongsun Xue's father. If that's the case, then Gongsun Xue will go, and her mother and elder sister will surely go too. If I go, won't I run into them?"
She shook her head, a little timidly.
"That's for Young Master Luo. Isn't it inappropriate for me to go?"
"I didn't say I was giving it to you."
Lu Tingwan: “…Ah?”
"But I can take you there."
She was in a daze and still hesitant. If Liu and her elder sister knew that she was doing business in Fenglin Lane, they would definitely tell her father.
By then, both the Lu and Cheng families, as well as the Queen Mother, would know about it. But since this was a great opportunity, I had to take it. There was a risk of being exposed, so I had to be cautious. After careful consideration, I decided to go to the flower viewing banquet together.
When she returned to Yansheng Hall, she asked Feng Xin to prepare the items for the flower viewing banquet. The man who called himself Han Jinzhang came to Zhichunli twice more. Lu Tingwan gathered some clues from Luo Yunchu, picked up some useful ones and reported them, but she never saw him again.
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