Chapter 75: Doubts
While Su Yaoguang was ordering a banquet spread for Zhou Wangshu, Jiang Jing drove the ox cart to the ready-to-wear clothing shop to pick up Chun E, the shop owner. By the time they arrived, the ordered dishes were also served.
Today they collected the remaining payment, everyone was happy, Su Yaoguang ordered quite a few good dishes to celebrate. She originally wanted to order wine too, but then thought that they still had to drive the ox cart back to the village later, and moreover Zhang Zhaodi felt that the wine in the restaurant was several times more expensive than what was sold outside, really not worth it, planning to buy wine from the wine shop later and drink heartily at home in the evening.
Before parting, Chun E suddenly said: “Right, just now a little beggar came looking for you, saying that he had found out about the things you wanted him to check, and he’s waiting for you in the ruined temple.”
“Thanks, older sister Chun E, I got it.” Su Yaoguang took out a sachet and stuffed it over, “We still have to trouble you to continue selling our remaining goods.”
“Who are we to each other? These are all things done in passing. To tell the truth, when those customers come to buy your goods, we can sell quite a few clothes in our shop too.”
After Chun E left, Zhang Zhaodi asked: “Daughter, who is that little beggar older sister Chun E mentioned?”
“I asked the little beggar by the roadside to help me inquire about some matters. Mom, you all go buy things first, I’ll go to the ruined temple.” Su Yaoguang said.
“It’s not too safe for you to go to a place like the ruined temple alone, better have Chunni go with you.” Zhang Pandi spoke up, “Chunni has great strength, she can help you out at critical moments.”
No matter how great Jia Chunni’s strength was, it wasn’t as great as Su Yaoguang’s, but sometimes she needed someone to lend a hand, so having one more person accompanying was good too.
The two sisters arrived at the ruined temple, and that little beggar named Feng Chaoyang had been waiting at the doorway the whole time. Seeing her appear, he strode over: “Older sister, you’ve come.”
“You said you’ve already found out the news I wanted, tell me what you heard.”
“Older sister had me wait at the doorway for that fat uncle, that fat uncle soon came out with people, but he didn’t leave the city, instead he went to a cosmetics shop.”
“That cosmetics shop is the biggest Jin Le Fang in the city.” The little beggar nearby supplemented.
“Cousin, is that Boss Li fake?” Jia Chunni had understood from listening nearby. “Why would people from Jin Le Fang buy our cosmetics?”
“Is that fat uncle the owner of Jin Le Fang?” Su Yaoguang asked the little beggar.
“No, he’s not. The owner of Jin Le Fang is a young man.” The little beggar said, “That fat uncle is just an errand runner.”
Su Yaoguang took out a string of copper coins and handed it to Feng Chaoyang: “Take it and split it with your people!”
“Older sister, if there’s anything in the future that needs us to run errands, just tell us.” Feng Chaoyang happily took the copper coins.
“There really is, I need you to help me run one more errand…”
Coming out from the ruined temple, Jia Chunni still hadn’t figured out why the biggest cosmetics shop would buy goods from them. Su Yaoguang led her straight to the doorway of Jin Le Fang.
The two stood in front of the biggest cosmetics shop door, watching the customers coming and going around them, then seeing their disdainful expressions, pulled Jia Chunni into the nearby ready-to-wear clothing shop, each buying a nice dress, then changing shoes and socks, borrowing their changing area to apply exquisite makeup, then putting on veiled hats, and standing at the shop doorway again.
At this time, Feng Chaoyang arrived panting, hugging a box.
“Older sister, I’ve brought the thing you wanted.”
Su Yaoguang handed him the sesame seed cake she had just bought at the stall: “Thanks, I’ll thank you properly another day. Today I still have important matters to handle.”
After speaking, she had Jia Chunni hold the box well, and led her towards the gate of Jin Le Fang.
Feng Chaoyang watched Su Yaoguang’s figure enter the shop. Several little beggars ran over and said to Feng Chaoyang: “Boss, what did the kind older sister say?”
“She bought sesame seed cakes for us. Brothers, split them and eat. Also, older sister gave me one hundred copper coins, we’ll each get five copper coins.” Feng Chaoyang said.
The little beggars cheered.
Five copper coins was just pocket change for snacks to ordinary people, but to them it could keep them fed for ten days or half a month.
“Two distinguished guests, please come in, we’ve just launched new products, buying today comes with discounts, don’t miss this great opportunity!” The young boy at the doorway smiled and greeted them.
“Wow…” Jia Chunni looked at the luxurious decor, then at the shop packed with people, exclaiming in admiration. “So many customers, that must earn a lot of money!”
“Two distinguished guests, I wonder what you need, so I can introduce it to you.” A female shop assistant smiled and greeted them.
“I heard you have new products here, and there’s an event today, I want to see how the goods are.” Su Yaoguang said.
“Of course they’re excellent. Look over there, right there, it’s packed with people, all customers buying the new products.” The female shop assistant said.
“So many people, I don’t like queuing, how about you bring it for me to try first, if I think it’s good I’ll buy even at a higher price, no problem.”
“Alright, please wait a moment.”
The female shop assistant brought over a large wooden box, and when that large wooden box was opened, inside was a dazzling array, from skincare to makeup, a whole set with everything one could want.
“This is our new product today, the whole set originally sold separately for eighty taels, now only fifty taels.”
Su Yaoguang opened a porcelain vase, sniffed it near her nose, it was the familiar scent.
She continuously opened several porcelain vases, all familiar scents and familiar recipes. Only the porcelain vases were different from hers, Jin Le Fang’s porcelain vases had their logo, and were clearly more exquisite.
Actually, she had also left her unique mark in her own porcelain vases, with a “Su” character inside the bottom, and “Peach Blossom” on the bottle surface.
She had even thought of the name for the shop she was about to open next, calling it “Peach Blossom Workshop”.
Jia Chunni pulled at Su Yaoguang’s sleeve: “Cousin, what’s wrong?”
Su Yaoguang suppressed the anger in her heart and said loudly: “Oh, this stuff is really good, but the price seems off, right? I bought the exact same thing from another shop, the whole set only twenty-five taels, how could it be this expensive?”
Jin Le Fang had long invited their old customers in advance, precisely to do this wave of promotion and make a big profit. So when Su Yaoguang spoke so loudly, everyone looked over.
That female shop assistant sensed something wrong and wanted to stop Su Yaoguang from speaking recklessly, but before she could open her mouth, Jia Chunni blocked in front of her, not letting her get close to Su Yaoguang.
“You’re talking nonsense, right? How could the exact same thing be only half the price?”
Su Yaoguang took the box from Jia Chunni’s hand, opened it and looked, similarly twenty-five bottles large and small, from the scents of several face creams to several scented dews, even the face powder, rouge, lip balm, and shampoo were the same material and scent.
The crowd wasn’t stupid, from the set box Su Yaoguang was holding to Jin Le Fang’s set box, although the porcelain vases inside were different, the materials were identical, clearly the same goods.
“This Peach Blossom is the new product launched by the newly opened shop Su Ji, said to be made according to an ancient recipe. Jin Le Fang must also be made according to the ancient recipe, so it’s identical to Peach Blossom Workshop’s goods. However, Peach Blossom is a new shop, mainly to attract customers, so they sell at cost price, the whole set only twenty-five taels of silver!”
