Chapter 249: Each Has Their Own Difficulties
Li Xiaonan returned to Pingjiang City from Kunshan County and first went to the Yueyang Cloth Shop.
Sister-in-law Yin happened to be there too. Seeing Li Xiaonan and A Wu, she hurried out, “You two came at just the right time. I just got back with some roasted chestnuts, they’re piping hot, come and eat! You’ll only be able to eat them for a few more times before they’re out of season.”
Li Xiaonan and A Wu sat on either side of Sister-in-law Yin, eating chestnuts.
After eating a few, Li Xiaonan asked vaguely while biting into a chestnut, “Sister-in-law, are our fine cloths selling well?”
“They sold well before the New Year, but we just opened after the New Year. It won’t be until the middle of next month, when the weather warms up, that people will buy fabric to make spring clothing,” Sister-in-law Yin said with a smile.
“I see that on this street, it’s just us and the Yu Family Cloth Shop selling fine cloth,” Li Xiaonan craned her neck to look at the Yu Family Cloth Shop opposite.
“They can’t compare to us!” Sister-in-law Yin spat towards the Yu Family Cloth Shop opposite. “Even though they sell cheaply and stand in the middle of the street to attract customers, they use all sorts of underhanded tactics, pfft! They just can’t sell as well as us!”
“I mean,” Li Xiaonan cracked open a chestnut, “as A Wu and I came along, we didn’t see any other fine cloth shops. Did Eldest Sister tell you how much fine cloth we can collect each month?”
“You mean this.” Sister-in-law Yin put down her chestnuts and clapped her hands. “I was just worrying about this. According to the amount your Eldest Sister mentioned, even if we sold like we did last December all year round, the amount collected in a month could last for a year!”
Li Xiaonan knitted her brows. Sister-in-law Yin’s words were about the same as her own calculations.
“Fortunately, your Eldest Sister said that we won’t reach this volume for the next two months,” Sister-in-law Yin said, sounding relieved, but then sighed.
“It will be about the same in March, and even more in the second half of the year,” Li Xiaonan stopped eating chestnuts and looked at Sister-in-law Yin. “Is there any solution?”
“I’ve been thinking about it since before the New Year, but I haven’t come up with anything yet,” Sister-in-law Yin said with a smile, then bowed forward. “I want to go to Linhai Town to see. The volume of trade overseas is large.”
“Going overseas incurs heavy taxes, and our fine cloths are of varying quality, so it’s not easy to do large-scale trade,” Li Xiaonan sighed.
“Regarding the taxes, can’t you think of a way?” Sister-in-law Yin winked at Li Xiaonan.
“No, there’s no room for maneuver on that front,” Li Xiaonan replied crisply and directly.
“Then we have to move the goods. I’ve thought about this for a long time too. It’s best to sell them alongside silk. This year’s silk will definitely be expensive. Our fine cloths are fine and soft, and when embroidered and worn, they look very beautiful. Compared to silk, they only lack a bit of luxury, but silk is so expensive!” Sister-in-law Yin immediately pulled back and started calculating.
Li Xiaonan listened absentmindedly.
Their family had little capital, and a large portion of it was used by her to buy looms and set up a weaving school. Even less was used for buying cloth on credit. With this, there was still so much fine cloth in inventory. How much would other families have? Where would they sell it?
Not to mention anything else, the fine cloth from Li Family Market alone, in a month or two, would probably pile up like a mountain.
Sigh, if it weren’t for the turmoil in the weaving workshop, her weaving school would have gradually expanded, the output of fine cloth would have slowly increased, and the fine cloth market would have gradually expanded from Pingjiang Prefecture to Jiangnan, and then to the north and south of Jiangnan…
But now, in one winter, weaving schools have spread throughout Jiangnan, and the output of fine cloth is about to surge. If the market cannot be opened up in time, this fall will be a severe one, possibly damaging the foundation.
Where can this market be opened up?
It would be best to find an expert for advice. Who is the expert in this area?
Hmm, I’ll ask the Young Lord. He definitely won’t know, but he has many people around him and many talented individuals, so he’ll surely know who to ask for advice. Coincidentally, I also need to tell him about Second Sister’s matter.
Li Xiaonan made up her mind and set off for Linhai Town early the next morning.
Gu Yan had been staying in Linhai Town during this period.
………………………………
Matchmaker Miao managed to secure the marriage proposal for the Huang Zhubo’s residence in the Weaving Bureau. After thinking about it for a night, she went to Huang Zhubo’s residence the next morning.
Huang Zhubo had gone to the Weaving Yamen, and Huang Da Lang was also not at home.
Matchmaker Miao followed the maidservant who opened the door inside, greeting Mrs. Wu, Huang Zhubo’s wife, while talking and laughing as she introduced herself.
“You must be Mrs. Wu? Your bearing is extraordinary at first glance.
“My humble self is named Miao, and I am an official matchmaker for the area around Academy Street. The other day, I met Zhang Amei, the official matchmaker from your household. Zhang Amei entrusted the marriage of your Da Lang to my hands.
“Choosing a marriage and forming a family is a major event. In my humble opinion, there is no more important or significant matter than this, wouldn’t you agree, Madam?
“After receiving Zhang Amei’s entrustment, I didn’t dare to delay for a moment. I quickly reviewed suitable families and suitable girls, and then came to see you, Madam.”
Matchmaker Miao appeared efficient and her words were clear and concise, leaving Mrs. Wu with a very good impression of her.
“Please sit, Mama Miao. Have a bowl of tea brewed for Mama Miao. What is it, Mama Zhang? Why was it entrusted to you?” Mrs. Wu instructed and then looked at Matchmaker Miao, asking with concern.
“Madam, please rest assured, it’s nothing. It’s just that, according to the customs in our Pingjiang City, when arranging marriages in the Prefectural School area, it’s better for us to handle it,” Matchmaker Miao replied vaguely, hinting at something.
“What custom is this?” Mrs. Wu frowned slightly.
“Madam, you can tell you come from a scholarly family, and you married into a scholarly family, so you wouldn’t know about matters in the streets and markets,” Matchmaker Miao said with a smile. “Madam, you also know that in our Prefectural School, there are many more affiliated students than legitimate Xiucai Scholars. And our Pingjiang Prefecture is famous for its flourishing literary tradition and abundance of talented scholars. People who are affiliated with our Pingjiang Prefectural School come from all sorts of families.
“We who are around the Prefectural School naturally know more than those outside. When people from outside want to arrange marriages in the Prefectural School area, it’s more convenient for us to handle it than for outsiders.”
Matchmaker Miao leaned forward, lowering her voice and smiling, “We can also gauge the depth of their background, so as not to offend noble families.”
Mrs. Wu suddenly understood. What she said was very true.
“It’s good that Madam understands. These are all things that are not easy to say directly,” Matchmaker Miao continued with a smile.
“Mama, please rest assured, I have learned my lesson,” Mrs. Wu bowed slightly to show her gratitude.
“Does Madam have a family in mind?” Matchmaker Miao asked, smiling and looking at Mrs. Wu.
“There is a Li Xiucai in the Prefectural School. I heard he has a Second Sister who is very capable and virtuous?” Mrs. Wu replied with a smile.
“Li Huixuedong? Li Xiucai?” Matchmaker Miao looked surprised.
“Yes.” Seeing Matchmaker Miao’s surprise, Mrs. Wu asked again, “Mama, what is it?”
“Nothing, nothing!” Matchmaker Miao replied very quickly. “I’m a simple person, I can’t hide things on my face. It’s really nothing!”
Mrs. Wu frowned upon hearing this. Clearly, there was something.
“Has Madam met Li Family’s Second Sister? Have you spoken to her?” Matchmaker Miao asked.
Mrs. Wu shook her head.
“Where did Madam hear that Li Family’s Second Sister is capable and virtuous? Is the person who said this reliable?” Matchmaker Miao asked, knitting her brows.
“I just heard, they said she’s quite good,” Mrs. Wu said vaguely.
This marriage was her husband Huang Zhubo’s idea. The reason for the marriage was primarily because of the rumored connection between the Li family and the Young Lord. This reason could not be stated.
“Madam, you’re not looking at this marriage with the Li family for their capability and virtue, are you?” Matchmaker Miao said, looking at Mrs. Wu with certainty.
“Why does Mama say that?” Mrs. Wu provoked.
“It’s not just your family!” Matchmaker Miao flicked her handkerchief disdainfully and sighed. “I followed the nuns behind Hanshan Temple to cultivate, and I never tell lies. I always speak my mind. Alas, this is difficult for me to say.”
“Is Li Family’s sister not very good?” Mrs. Wu asked, frowning.
“It’s not that she’s not good. I mean what Madam heard. How to put it, they say seeing is believing. If Madam heard something, it doesn’t count. You have to see it with your own eyes!” Matchmaker Miao said earnestly.
“How can this matter be seen with one’s own eyes?” Mrs. Wu asked helplessly with a wry smile.
“Why not?” Matchmaker Miao leaned forward. “On our Academy Street, across from Cai Lian Lane, there’s a tea house. It was doing well, but suddenly changed hands last year. Have you heard about this, Madam?”
“I didn’t know about that.”
“Madam will know once you inquire. Madam, inquire first, and after you’ve inquired, I’ll discuss with Madam how to see it with your own eyes,” Matchmaker Miao said as she stood up.
“Mama…”
Mrs. Wu stood up as well. Before she could hesitate whether to inquire herself or ask Matchmaker Miao to stay for more details, Matchmaker Miao had already left, shaking her handkerchief.
