Chapter 117: A Flourishing Trade
In just a short dozen days, Jinxiu Garden and Buxian Tower had become famous throughout all of Jingling City.
Every day, a crowd waited outside the gates of Jinxiu Garden, trying their luck to see whether they might be able to enter and drink a cup of tea.
Wei Yi, Yun Chun, and the others, who were responsible for brewing tea, had also won over a group of supporters in a very short time. Some people even argued fiercely over which tea attendant’s brewing skill was superior.
Every day, Steward Qin flipped through the account books, feeling his heart leap with fright the more he looked.
He had never expected that selling tea could actually bring in such profit. In just a dozen days, there had already been more than ten thousand taels in income. And this was still because, during the early opening period, invitation cards had been issued to limit the number of people entering Jinxiu Garden. Otherwise, they would likely have earned even more.
Mu Yunyao was in the tea room, looking over a newly delivered batch of tea leaves.
This batch of tea leaves had all been dried and roasted according to her method. Each leaf had been handled with exceptional care, so the tea fragrance filled the air, especially pleasing to the senses.
Jin Lan entered and reported, “Miss, Steward Qin has come.”
“Invite him in.”
As Mu Yunyao spoke, she went out to welcome him.
“Greetings, Miss.”
Steward Qin was now filled with admiration for Mu Yunyao. More than once, he had written letters praising her, and he had repeatedly urged Old Cheng to say a few words at the side and encourage His Highness to bring this golden treasure back as soon as possible.
“Miss, these are the accounts from the past dozen days. Would you like to have a look?”
“Are the accounts not supposed to be settled at the end of the month?”
Earlier, it had already been agreed that she and Yue Wang would split the profit four to six. The month’s accounts were to be cleared only at the month’s end. Seeing Steward Qin bring the account books over now, she could not help feeling surprised.
“Miss, please have a look. In just thirteen days, Jinxiu Garden has already earned fifteen thousand taels of silver in net profit!”
Mu Yunyao took the account book and flipped through it, but she did not feel particularly astonished.
Those who could afford to savor tea had always been people with some family wealth. Therefore, she had shown no mercy when setting the prices. The most expensive Lotus Fragrance Dew was sold at three taels of silver per pot. After all, this was a tea that Governor Zhang and the others had praised endlessly after drinking. Naturally, it could not be judged by ordinary prices.
For ordinary commoners, three taels of silver could support a family of three for more than half a year. But for wealthy households, it was nothing more than a hair from nine oxen, something they could casually bestow as a tip.
Thus, every guest who entered Jinxiu Garden to drink tea would spend at least four or five taels of silver. The approximate amount they could earn in a month had long been within her expectations. After reading the accounts, she was not especially surprised.
Seeing Mu Yunyao’s unruffled expression, Steward Qin did not know how to react for a moment.
He had originally thought she would be extremely astonished. He had not expected her to be even calmer than he was. It immediately gave him the feeling that he was the one who had never seen the world.
“Showing Miss the account book was only by the way. I wished to discuss something with Miss. How about we settle the accounts every half month? Because the place where Fourth Master lives is rather far away, once there is too much silver, sending it becomes inconvenient…”
“Very well. As long as the accounts are clear, any method of settlement is fine.”
Mu Yunyao’s face remained calm, but many guesses flashed through her heart.
Steward Qin should not have said this for no reason. If silver was inconvenient to send, they could simply exchange it for banknotes and send those. There was nothing inconvenient about it at all.
The only possibility was that Yue Wang lacked money.
And lacked it greatly.
“I have thought of another matter that I wish to discuss with Steward Qin.”
“Miss, please speak freely.”
“Every day, when we roast and prepare tea, many broken bits of tea leaves are sifted out. Those leaves are of no use if left there, and selling them would not bring in much silver. I was thinking of setting up some tea stalls along official roads and docks. For one wen per person, travelers may drink as much tea as they like. It would bring convenience to others and also earn us a good reputation.”
Steward Qin nodded. “Miss truly has a kind heart.”
“It is only a small matter within our ability. Why not do it? However, we must also be especially careful. There are already people selling tea at many docks. We may do charity, but we must not interfere with others’ livelihoods.”
“Mm. I will have people pay special attention to that.”
Since they were doing a good deed, they ought to make it as complete and proper as possible and avoid provoking resentment from others.
Steward Qin moved quickly. In just two short days, tea stalls had been set up in many places.
One pot, one jar of tea, a stack of large black porcelain bowls, a few tables, chairs, and long benches. Such simple arrangements nevertheless won Mu Yunyao and Buxian Tower praise from every mouth.
Unexpectedly, the tea stalls set up at the docks actually brought many traveling merchants to Buxian Tower.
After those merchants saw the tea-brewing skill within Buxian Tower, they all sought out Steward Qin to discuss purchasing tea leaves from them.
Naturally, Steward Qin had no reason to refuse. In a short period of time, tea leaves alone sold for nearly twenty thousand taels of silver.
Yue Wang’s letter was once again delivered into Mu Yunyao’s hands. This time, the letter was even simpler. There were only two words:
Rest assured.
Mu Yunyao looked at the two words on the letter, sharp as blades, and could not help sighing that Yue Wang truly treasured words like gold. She had sent over twenty thousand taels in banknotes, yet had only received two words in return.
At the same time, she could not help thinking again of her earlier guess.
Could it be that Yue Wang truly lacked silver?
In her previous life, when she had seen Yue Wang, she had already become Jin Wang’s concubine. At that time, His Majesty’s health was poor, and the various imperial princes in court were fighting until their eyes turned black and blue. When Yue Wang returned to the Capital, His Majesty had already become too ill to attend morning court. He had even ordered Yue Wang to command the Imperial Guards and defend the palace city.
Jin Wang and the others had also been extremely wary of Yue Wang.
But before that, Yue Wang’s circumstances had indeed not seemed very good. In court, he had almost no presence. Whenever Jin Wang occasionally mentioned him, it was always with an expression of contempt and mockery.
It seemed she needed to find a way to understand Yue Wang better.
In any case, she already knew that three years from now, he would make a great reversal. If his current circumstances were poor, there would be no harm in helping him a little. Perhaps she might even receive an unexpected return.
Steward Qin received Old Cheng’s reply and was so happy he could hardly restrain himself. Looking toward Yu Yi, who stood at the side, he asked, “You said Master received Miss Mu’s letter and directly said he wanted to protect his own person?”
Did that not mean Master was also interested in Miss Mu?
Yu Yi, who had come to deliver the letter, could not help but carefully recall his own words.
“I heard from Yu Heng that Master’s meaning was to protect his own thing. I imagine he was referring to Niyun Pavilion?”
“Things are dead, while people are alive. How could a thing be more important than a person? Master’s meaning must be that we are to properly protect Miss Mu!”
Steward Qin cast Yu Yi a glance. This man, like Yu Heng, had a dead-straight mind.
Yu Yi carefully studied Steward Qin’s expression and felt it would be better not to refute him. He directly and stiffly changed the subject.
“Steward Qin, I see that Jinxiu Garden’s business seems extremely good.”
“Yes, it is all thanks to Miss Mu’s good fortune. When I first saw Miss Mu, I already felt she was extraordinary. How could an ordinary person possess such overwhelming grace and cleverness?”
At the mention of Mu Yunyao, Steward Qin’s face filled with smiles, and he praised her without pause.
“You simply do not have the good fortune to drink tea personally brewed by Miss Mu. Wei Yi and Yun Chun are still far from her level. Back then…”
Yu Yi could not quite react.
In the past, whenever he saw Steward Qin, the old steward would always keep asking about how Master was. Now, however, he was tirelessly praising someone else.
If Yu Yi did not know that Steward Qin was utterly loyal to Master, he would have suspected that the Steward Qin before him had been bought over by someone.
I wish I had half of Mu Yunyao's skills in business even in this modern era.
ReplyDeleteGood point!
ReplyDelete