Chapter 5: Gifts in Urgent Need
Uncle Zhang stood up and went to the cabinet beside him, took out a small woolen purse and handed it to Lu Tingwan.
Lu Tingwan took the purse, gently put it close to her nose, sniffed it carefully, and raised her eyebrows slightly, "Is it the fragrance coming from this sachet?"
The uncle nodded with a smile, "Exactly. These spices are made from flowers we grow ourselves and then dry them. The fragrance is long-lasting and not too strong or pungent. The old woman in my family has always loved playing with these hanging ornaments."
Lu Tingwan immediately had an idea when he heard this. Seeing that the teacup was almost empty and taking advantage of the coolness, he took the initiative to say, "Uncle, can you take us to the flower field to have a look?"
The uncle readily agreed and led the two west of the village. Along the path, lush greenery grew on both sides. Dried flowers were drying on the thatched roofs of farmers' houses. A gentle breeze blew through, filling the air with fragrance. This was somewhat similar to her hometown in Jiangling, and Lu Tingwan couldn't help but feel a ripple in her heart.
In Fenglin Lane in Kyoto City, Luo Yunchu passed by the shop he had just rented out. He couldn't help but stop for a moment, fanning Tianshu behind him and asking, "Isn't Miss Jiang here today?"
"Not yet, but the shop has been renovated these days, and I think it will be open soon." Tianshu handed an account book to Luo Yunchu's palm.
Luo Yunchu flipped through the account book in his hand. "The Ministry of Revenue will send people to inspect the houses in Fenglin Lane this month. You should start preparing."
Tianshu said, "Yes, sir, there is one more thing. Mr. Fu has ignored our advice and insisted on expanding his mansion in the back street of Fenglin Lane, causing complaints from other neighbors. The Ministry of Revenue will be sending people to inspect it soon, and I'm afraid it will affect our leasing business."
"Mr. Fu is the cousin of the Minister of Personnel, and he's so confident because of this relationship. But it's different for us. A tiny profit for him is like a torrent for us." Luo Yunchu got on the carriage, his handsome face full of disdain. "But if it affects our business, he will be paid back with interest."
"Young Master, where are we going next?" Tianshu picked up the whip, lowered the curtain and waited for instructions.
Luo Yunchu was silent for a moment, his fan tapping lightly against his palm. Then he casually lifted the curtain, looked at the shop he had just rented out, and said absentmindedly, "Let's go back home."
After noon, Cheng Xianzhi returned to the Cheng Mansion from the palace and went straight to Yingyue Pavilion.
Gongsun Xue lounged in a rocking chair beneath a sycamore tree, enjoying the cool breeze. A maid fanned her with a palm-leaf fan. A table was laid out with a selection of exquisite delicacies. The sunlight bathed her brow, making her already delicate, rosy cheeks even more captivating. Her delicate hands pinched a piece of crystal cake, bringing it to her mouth and taking a small bite. A hint of melancholy lingered between her brows.
"It's already noon. Why hasn't the master returned from court yet?" Gongsun Xue murmured softly. She didn't know when Cheng Xianzhi got on the bed after she fell asleep last night. She only knew that the bedside was empty when she woke up.
"Maybe it will be soon. If you are tired, please go into the house and rest. I will call you when the master comes back."
Gongsun Xue was also tired of waiting and was about to get up when she saw Cheng Xianzhi approaching from the Moon Cave Gate. Her previously calm heart stirred with emotion. Every time she saw him, she wanted to get close to him, but his cold and distant aura always made her afraid to approach. He was like a solitary moon, intimidating and fearful, and she dared not to offend him.
When he approached, Gongsun Xue bowed and said softly, "The master has returned."
"Well," Cheng Xianzhi sat down on the stone chair in the courtyard, with no intention of going into the house. "Today, on my way home, I passed by the rouge shop and bought a few for you."
Gongsun Xue was overjoyed upon hearing this. Her heart surged like a tidal wave, and even her voice jumped with joy: "For me?"
She took the rouge, her fingertips trembling slightly as she thought to herself, it turns out that he was thinking of her in his heart.
Gongsun Xue was still worried about the rules he had set a few days ago. She was completely puzzled. Before, whenever Cheng Xianzhi went to Gongsun Mansion to discuss matters with his father, he treated her gently, although not very close.
But after getting married, he distanced himself from her intentionally or unintentionally. I don’t know if I was overthinking it or if it was really so. Now Cheng Xianzhi is choosing rouge for her, which seems to be my overthinking.
Cheng Xianzhi had a good sense of proportion. When he looked at Gongsun Xue, his eyes were expressionless, "I don't know what you like, so I asked the shopkeeper to pack them all up and send them to the mansion later. You can pick out the ones you like, and the rest are up to you."
Gongsun Xue didn't quite understand what he meant. Didn't he just say that he only picked a few things?
While she was still immersed in joy and confusion, Cang Zhu led five or six people into Yingyue Pavilion.
Gongsun Xue was slightly stunned. She stepped to Cheng Xianzhi's side and asked, "Master, what's going on?"
Cheng Xianzhi stood up and smiled gently. Gongsun Xue was like a gentle breeze, intoxicated without even drinking.
"This is the owner of the rouge shop. Keep whatever you like. If there's anything else you're missing, I'll take you to the street when I have time."
"Master, I'm flattered by your kindness. But," Gongsun Xue clutched the handkerchief between her fingers and whispered shyly, "Master, won't you accompany me to choose?"
Cheng Xianzhi hid his vigilance and raised his hand to invite him in.
"I still have official business to attend to, and it is enough for me to come back home to see you. I know Xue'er is the most considerate." He smiled.
Gongsun Xue's cheeks flushed at his praise. The maid covered her mouth with her hands and smiled. Gongsun Xue had nowhere to hide. She turned around, cleared her throat twice, and said softly, "Then, my lord, please come back soon and see the rouge and jewelry that Xue'er picked out."
Cheng Xianzhi said "hmm" and didn't take her shyness to heart. He turned around and walked out of Yingyue Pavilion.
The sun was still scorching hot at 3 p.m. Lu Tingwan climbed over the ridge of the field and got a hat from somewhere. The wind was not blowing fast enough, so Lu Tingwan had to stop and turn around to wait for a while.
In the gap, she looked down at the green fields from the high ridge of the field and asked, "Uncle Zhang, are all these fields yours?"
Old Zhang wiped off his sweat and pointed to a field on the left with narrowed eyes. "These are all here. This one is planted with laurel, and it's not blooming yet."
Lu Tingwan looked in the direction he pointed, then turned sideways to point to another field. "That one has more varieties, mainly roses, azaleas, peonies, and herbaceous peonies. The flowering season is almost here, but we haven't found a merchant willing to take over yet. The villagers are anxious. The village chief and my son have been in the city for several days looking for a buyer, but we haven't been able to find one yet."
"Did these merchants come uninvited in previous years?" Lu Tingwan asked.
When she was in Jiangling, she didn't need to look for flower growers in the village herself. Merchants from all over the country came to her to place orders. The flowers in this village were as good as those in her hometown of Jiangling, and some were even better.
"You are right, sir. But for some reason this year, the village chief has already inquired and found that flowers shipped from other places to Kyoto are more expensive. The long journey may not bring good quality. Add to that the high transportation costs, and these merchants will definitely not go far away and sacrifice capital for profit."
Lu Tingwan folded his hands, thinking about something. These people must have other intentions. If all the merchants in Kyoto reach a consensus, their purpose is to lower the price for flower farmers, leaving them with no choice and ultimately allowing the merchants to set any price they want.
The scorching sun made her sweat profusely, the farmers working in the fields faced the loess and had their backs to the sky, and it was not easy for flower farmers to grow flowers. It was no wonder that the uncle was in a hurry to drive Lu Tingwan out as soon as he heard the purpose of his visit, using such unscrupulous means.
A cunning glint flashed in her eyes, and she had a plan in mind.
Dusk fell, the setting sun in the sky was blood-red, casting mottled shadows on the flowers in the fields. Lu Tingwan stood on the edge of the field, her clothes fluttering in the wind.
Lu Tingwan couldn't help but say, "Uncle, if all the merchants in the city agreed on the same price, then the price would be hard to raise. I came to the farm today to discuss business with the villagers, but I run a small shop and it's difficult for me to handle such a large volume of goods."
In addition, Lu Tingwan also knew that in this situation, if any merchant went against the entire market, he would be an enemy of the entire business in Kyoto.
She had just arrived and was just trying to start a small business to save some money. Why would she risk her life?
Lu Tingwan didn't believe that merchants would be so rampant if there were no officials instructing them.
"Although I can't solve your urgent problem, if the village is willing to cooperate with me, I will do my best to purchase it at the market price of previous years."
Old Zhang was delighted. Lu Tingwan added, "But I do have my conditions. Every day before the city gates are locked, you must deliver the flowers I need for the next day to the shop. If business is good in the future, the quantity of goods I need will naturally increase."
She looked over the ridge of the field and said, "Fortunately, the flowering periods of these flowers are staggered, so your losses can be reduced."
"I see that you are sincere and not as evil as those unscrupulous merchants and evil people. As long as the price is fair, I can provide you with the quantity you need, but..." He paused, wanting to say something but stopped.
"Just what?" Lu Tingwan asked, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"But your action is really just a drop in the bucket and it is not enough to solve the problem of our village." The uncle sighed, and the worry between his brows deepened.
Lu Tingwan was silent, knowing in her heart that she was incapable of doing so. With her current abilities, she really could not help the villagers completely solve their predicament, but she could at least get the best quality and lowest price flowers here.
Merchants lower the price of flowers offered by flower farmers outside the city, and then raise the price for wholesale sales inside the city, making a lot of money in the process. Logically speaking, if the price that flower farmers offer to merchants is low, then the price that merchants sell to retail customers should naturally be lowered as well.
While she was thinking, Feng Xin finally caught up, breathing heavily. Lu Tingwan reached out to pull her up, then turned to the uncle and said, "Are there any guest rooms in the village?"
"Of course there are. In the past, many merchants came to see the flowers. The village has prepared some guesthouses. If you need anything, I can take you there."
"Then please lead the way, uncle."
Feng Xin had just come up and hadn't even caught her breath when Lu Tingwan was about to leave again. She was stunned, supporting her waist with her hands and watching the two of them walking away. Her master was really troublesome.
Helplessly, Feng Xin followed him again.
At night, the uncle arranged a guest house for the two of them to stay in. Lu Tingwan sat in the guest house, the flickering candlelight made her face look as beautiful as a painting.
She carefully calculated the accounts on paper, her brows sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed.
Feng Xin hung up the clothes the two had changed out of and asked softly, "How did the Second Madam talk with the villagers today? Did you agree on a price? When will you return to the city?"
It was not difficult to determine the required quantity from the villagers. Lu Tingwan was just thinking that if the flower shop only sold flowers after opening without any novelty, it would be a fantasy to expect it to gain a foothold in Fenglin Lane.
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