Chapter 124: Starting Up
Li Yin Zhu arrived quickly.
Sister Mei saw she was still wearing silk clothes and quickly took a skirt belonging to Li Yu Zhu, wrapping it around her silk skirt.
Li Jin Zhu watched Li Yin Zhu wrap herself up and sit down, then sighed, “I settled the accounts with Sister-in-law Yin the day before yesterday. I originally thought we could look for a house in the latter half of the year, but this little girl, A Nan!”
Li Xiao Nan shrunk her head and said nothing. Li Yu Zhu laughed, “Xuedong is still far from getting married. Perhaps A Nan’s business can let us move to a three-courtyard house.”
“We’re not living with Xuedong, so why do we need three courtyards? Two are enough,” Li Jin Zhu sighed again.
“Then let’s have a big garden!” Li Xiao Nan quickly added in a fawning tone.
“Then let’s buy two houses in one go,” Li Xuedong also said with a fawning smile.
“Eldest Sister should buy a house, I’ll provide the capital, I have the silver!” Li Yin Zhu patted the sachet at her waist, and a jingle of keys came from it.
Including Sister Mei, the five people in the circle looked at Li Yin Zhu with various expressions.
Li Yin Zhu quickly picked up her sachet, “If the silver isn’t enough, I have many other things. Erlang said they are all valuable items.”
Li Xiao Nan patted Li Yin Zhu, cutting off her words.
“You know about A Nan’s business?” Li Jin Zhu looked at Li Yin Zhu, then at Li Xuedong.
“I told her on the way,” Li Xuedong nodded first.
“A Nan, tell us, what are your plans?” Li Jin Zhu said.
“The fine cloth we collect needs to be sold. Currently, the quantity is small, so it’s best to put it in the preserved egg shop for consignment sales. This can save on shop rent. Besides, most of the people who buy preserved eggs are housewives, who are precisely the ones who would buy fine cloth,” Li Xiao Nan said.
Li Jin Zhu frowned and looked at Li Yu Zhu.
“We’ll have to discuss it with Sister-in-law Yin,” Li Yu Zhu met Li Jin Zhu’s gaze and also frowned.
“Continue,” Li Jin Zhu turned to Li Xiao Nan.
“Families who can’t afford a loom won’t be able to afford fine cloth. Families who can afford a loom likely won’t weave themselves. I want to lend looms on credit to families who can’t afford them, collect the fine cloth they weave, and sell it to families who can afford fine cloth but not silk,”
“In the future, I also want to teach girls and wives who don’t know how to weave to weave fine cloth, weave jacquard, and weave jacquard fine cloth. It’s not difficult. You’ve told Eldest Sister and Second Sister, and Third Sister has also been told,” Li Xiao Nan continued.
“This is a good business. We do business, and we also provide a way for poor girls and wives to earn money,” Li Yu Zhu said with a smile.
Li Jin Zhu knitted her brows. After a moment, she looked at Li Xiao Nan and asked, “The cloth you, your Second Sister, and Third Sister weave are all different. Your Second Sister’s weaving is the most even and fine, your Third Sister’s cloth is too tight and hard. This fine cloth will surely be different from each person. How will you price it when you collect the cloth? And when you sell it? Do we have to price each bolt of cloth individually?”
“I haven’t thought about it in detail. The current collection price is almost the lowest. I’m thinking that if the cloth is good, giving more will surely make them happy, but if we give less, they’ll argue,” Li Xiao Nan said with a dry laugh.
“There must be rules. At least we need to set the weight of a bolt of cloth. If we don’t set rules, the looser the cloth, the less thread it uses, and the more cost-effective it will be,” Li Yu Zhu added.
“If you lend looms on credit, what happens if people don’t honor the agreement?” Li Jin Zhu continued.
“Sue them,” Li Xiao Nan answered quickly.
“Good idea!” Li Xuedong immediately agreed.
“Don’t speak if you don’t understand!” Li Yin Zhu slapped Li Xuedong.
“Are you relying on that Young Lord?” Li Jin Zhu’s face darkened.
Li Xiao Nan gave a dry laugh and didn’t dare to answer.
“These are still far off. Besides, such matters can only be dealt with as they arise. For now, each bolt of cloth is different. We have to look at each bolt when we collect it. Fortunately, how will we sell it?” Li Yu Zhu interjected, changing the subject.
“Sigh, we’ll discuss this later. Now, she has already started this business. Sister-in-law Lu already has two looms. Once Sister-in-law Lu earns some copper coins, others will surely follow suit and borrow looms to weave cloth. We two need to have one person help A Nan manage this business,” Li Jin Zhu said, looking at Li Yu Zhu.
“It’s best if Eldest Sister goes. Collecting cloth, buying looms, lending looms on credit – these all involve dealing with people. I’m not as good as Eldest Sister. If the two of us go, we’ll have to discuss it with Sister-in-law Yin,” Li Yu Zhu said.
“Yes, it’s still early. Sister-in-law Yin is probably still tallying accounts. Xuedong, go and invite Sister-in-law Yin over. Don’t mention the business for now,” Li Jin Zhu signaled to Li Xuedong.
Li Xuedong gave a crisp “yes” and jumped up to run out.
Sister-in-law Yin arrived quickly. After Li Jin Zhu briefly explained Li Xiao Nan’s business, she looked Li Xiao Nan up and down and said with a smile, “Our A Nan is amazing! She always gets involved in big business.”
Li Xiao Nan gave a dry laugh.
“I’m telling the truth! Can I get a few shares in this business?” Sister-in-law Yin turned to Li Jin Zhu and asked seriously.
Li Jin Zhu looked at Li Xiao Nan, and Sister-in-law Yin also looked at Li Xiao Nan.
“It’s possible, but not too many. Our family, Eldest Sister, Second Sister, Third Sister, Brother, Sister Mei, and me…”
“I don’t want any!” Sister Mei answered very quickly. “I’m a single person, I don’t want any!”
“It’s best if she doesn’t want any.” Sister-in-law Yin knew Sister Mei’s past and bowed, patting Sister Mei’s shoulder.
“Ten shares for one share, is that okay?” Li Xiao Nan asked, looking at Sister-in-law Yin.
“Okay!” Sister-in-law Yin readily agreed.
“Then the matter of selling cloth will be managed by Sister-in-law Yin,” Li Xiao Nan immediately replied with a smile.
“Okay! I’m good at this,” Sister-in-law Yin praised herself without modesty. “First, our preserved egg shop is small, not because of this cloth, it was always small. We’ve discussed this.”
Sister-in-law Yin patted Li Jin Zhu, and Li Jin Zhu nodded.
They had indeed discussed finding another shop, and originally planned to do so in the latter half of the year. Now it seemed they had to do it earlier.
“We have to start looking tomorrow. Let Da Bao’s Weng Weng look for it. The old man has a good eye for shops!” Sister-in-law Yin clapped her hands loudly. “In my opinion, we should just find two shops, or one with three bays, or a five-bay one would be best! One for selling preserved eggs, and the rest for selling cloth!”
The five Li siblings, plus Sister Mei, six pairs of eyes stared at the incredibly generous Sister-in-law Yin.
“The quality of this cloth varies, but buyers also have their preferences. We’ll spread it out and let them choose. Our fine cloth should be sold primarily by the piece. Even if they buy a whole bolt, we must spread it all out, let them examine it inch by inch, and get their approval on the spot. That means hiring an extra shop assistant,” Sister-in-law Yin said, clapping her hands.
Li Xiao Nan stared at Sister-in-law Yin.
She hadn’t spoken with Sister-in-law Yin for quite some time, and Sister-in-law Yin’s current demeanor was extraordinary!
Sister-in-law Yin discussed a few more details with Li Jin Zhu, then stood up, patting her clothing placket. “That’s all for now. We’ll discuss anything else tomorrow. I need to hurry back and tell our Old Man. He’s going to the carpentry workshop tomorrow to find someone to repair the inn’s house. Let him find shops for us first, our matters here are more important!”
After seeing Sister-in-law Yin off, Li Jin Zhu returned and looked at her younger siblings. “We also need to finalize our shares. Yin Zhu is the wife of the Hong family, Xuedong is already engaged, and Yu Zhu also needs to get married. Even siblings should keep accounts clear.”
“I’ll be with Eldest Sister, taking fifty percent. Second Sister, Third Sister, and Brother will each get one share, and there will be one share for household expenses,” Li Xiao Nan immediately replied.
“This is your business, the capital is yours, and your reliance is yours. I’ll also take one share, and you’ll have forty percent,” Li Jin Zhu said.
“How much silver is one share?” Li Yin Zhu asked, touching her sachet.
“We don’t need silver now. We’ll talk about it when we need silver,” Li Xiao Nan said with a smile.
