Chapter 24
Ye Jiao called for the ox cart to stop and lifted the curtain to get out.
Nanny Liu straightened up slightly and reached out to support her: "Second Young Mistress, is there something you want to buy? I can go. Second Young Mistress should rest in the cart."
Ye Jiao shook her head without speaking, just stepped on the cart stool and jumped down, moving with exceptional agility.
Nanny Liu followed her down, instructing the cart driver to wait well and not wander too far. Turning around, she saw Ye Jiao had already entered a shop.
Though the old woman couldn't read much, seeing the two garments hanging outside as display pieces, she knew it was a clothing shop.
She hurried to follow, walking beside Ye Jiao but not speaking.
Ye Jiao looked around left and right, as if searching for something.
The shop owner was sharp-eyed. Anyone running a shop had to have good eyesight. Just one glance told him Ye Jiao was a wealthy family's wife.
Not to mention anything else, just that hairpin was enough to show her status.
He immediately put on a big smile and approached, bowing: "Madam, are you looking to get new clothes for winter? Though our shop doesn't look big from the front, our craftsmanship has been passed down from our ancestors. We've always been in this trade. Whether it's knitting or embroidery, we're top-notch. We guarantee your satisfaction, Madam."
Ye Jiao didn't remember much of this flood of words poured into her ears. Anyway, she wasn't looking for something for herself, so she said directly: "I want to look at fur coats."
Fur coats? This was big business walking in!
The owner became extremely enthusiastic, trotting over to lift a curtain and display the fur coat styles inside: "Madam, look, these are all the most fashionable styles right now. The young ladies and wives in the capital all dress like this."
But Ye Jiao didn't even look, gently shaking her head: "I'm not buying for myself, I'm buying for my husband."
Nanny Liu was somewhat surprised to hear this.
Not that she doubted the relationship between Qi Yun and his wife, but she had seen how Fang Shi would arrange this and that for herself, spending money on herself. Suddenly encountering someone who went out to buy clothes for her husband, Nanny Liu found it fresh.
The owner's smile didn't change. He was in business after all, and these auspicious words came one set after another: "I can tell at a glance that Madam is virtuous. Whoever married you is truly blessed." Without stopping his steps, he went to another side to lift a curtain. Inside hung a neat row of men's fur coats.
It was just the beginning of winter now, and all kinds of winter clothes sold well.
Now that the Imperial Court was vigorously promoting commerce, common people had some spare money in their hands. Winter clothes were hard for ordinary families to make themselves, so many people came to buy them. Clothing shops prepared plenty.
But the owner usually liked to judge customers and adjust accordingly. When common people came, he introduced thick robes. When he saw wealthy people enter, he introduced more expensive brocade robes and cloaks.
But these fur coats weren't usually displayed openly. First, because the fur on them was hard to maintain. If they got dusty or damaged, the clothes would be hard to sell. Second, because fur coats weren't cheap. Ordinary people saving for a year might not be able to buy a good one. Even wealthy households only bought one to wear for ten years. Since no one usually asked about them, they weren't put on display.
Now seeing Ye Jiao specifically asking to buy them, the owner's face bloomed with smiles as he introduced them one by one.
The final choice was a black fur coat that felt extremely good to the touch. Ye Jiao wrapped it around herself to try it, found it very warm, and big enough that it should fit Qi Yun properly.
Seeing her like it, Nanny Liu asked the owner: "How much does this fur coat cost?"
The owner smiled brilliantly and held up three fingers: "Three taels of silver. This is selling it cheap. If it doesn't fit after wearing, our shop will help alter it. If it needs to be made smaller, we won't charge a penny for alterations."
Three taels of silver meant three strings of cash, exactly 3,000 copper coins. Ordinary families naturally couldn't save that much in a year.
But Ye Jiao had spare money and could afford three taels.
However, Nanny Liu leaned close to Ye Jiao's ear and asked softly: "Second Young Mistress, should I go negotiate the price with him?"
"Negotiate price" was a term Ye Jiao was hearing for the first time.
Fortunately, little ginseng's greatest virtue was listening to advice. Hearing this, she nodded and looked at Nanny Liu with curious eyes as she went to negotiate with the owner.
Though Nanny Liu usually didn't show off or seek attention in front of the master, when it came to getting things done, she was always decisive and efficient.
Usually things in shops like this were more expensive than outside, and these prices were inflated. Though the Imperial Court controlled prices, who among those doing business outside didn't like to earn more?
Looking at the owner's earlier shrewd manner, she knew he was sharp. Nanny Liu didn't believe three taels of silver was the real price.
But price negotiation was also a science. You couldn't start by hammering the price down to death, nor could you let the other party see that you really wanted to buy and wouldn't let go. It was all this back-and-forth, one saying "I don't want to buy," the other saying "I don't want to sell." But in the end, it came down to who couldn't hold out first. Little ginseng watched in amazement.
Finally, they settled at one tael and eight qian. When this price came out, Ye Jiao looked at Nanny Liu with admiration in her eyes.
Bringing Nanny Liu out was so right, she really saved money!
Nanny Liu modestly smiled and quietly walked behind Ye Jiao.
Though the owner was bargained down nearly half the price and put on a sorrowful expression, he wasn't too uncomfortable inside, thinking that even at this price he still had profit.
However, Ye Jiao paid with a small silver ingot. The owner had to go to the back to weigh it and make change, which involved quite a process.
Ye Jiao and Nanny Liu were invited to a side room to drink tea. Nanny Liu saw they served top-quality Longjing tea and regretted inwardly, figuring she probably hadn't bargained hard enough earlier. But she didn't show it on her face, having already gained praise from the master. There was no need to dig a pit for herself.
Ye Jiao held the tea cup but didn't drink, just held it in her hands for warmth.
At this moment, two people walked in from outside, dressed like scholarly students in plain clothes, seeming like academy students. They weren't received by the owner but by a shop assistant.
The two men looked around while chatting. Ye Jiao paid no attention, but then two gong sounds suddenly came from outside the window.
The gong sounds were loud and impossible to ignore.
After the gong sounds, came a loud shout: "Great victory at the border, the Dragon's countenance greatly pleased, general amnesty for all, taxes reduced by twenty percent!" Then two more gong sounds, repeating the same words, each shout louder than the last!
The scholars who had been chatting immediately stopped looking at clothes and ran out to see the excitement. The owner, who had been calculating accounts, actually ran out to the door, held his breath and listened carefully. After hearing clearly, he suddenly dropped to his knees on the ground, shouting "Heavenly grace is boundless!"
This left Ye Jiao staring in amazement, instinctively reaching out to grab Nanny Liu's wrist.
Nanny Liu immediately said in a low voice: "Second Young Mistress, don't panic. This owner isn't thanking heavenly grace, but the last four words."
For ordinary people, with heaven high and the emperor far away, border victories were certainly joyful, but this joy was also somewhat distant. Except for those families with members serving in the military who would genuinely thank heaven and earth, most were actually happy about the final benefit.
General amnesty for all, taxes reduced by twenty percent.
For merchants, if they could get a twenty percent tax reduction, the profits they could obtain would naturally be much more. That owner wasn't kneeling for any heavenly grace, but for bright silver coins.
After hearing Nanny Liu's explanation, Ye Jiao's face also showed a smile.
Her husband was also in business, so this could be considered good news. She should report this good news to her husband when she returned.
However, Ye Jiao vaguely remembered that Ye family's eldest son had gone to serve in the military for many years without returning. She just didn't know where he had gone. If he had also gone to the border, with this border victory, she wondered if Eldest Brother Ye could still return alive.
Ye Jiao thought carefully in the gong sounds, but ultimately couldn't recall any news about Eldest Brother Ye's situation outside from her memories.
After the officer carrying the copper gong walked away, the owner got up, patted the dust off his legs, and happily went back to continue making change for Ye Jiao.
The tray held the calculated change of two strings of copper coins. When seeing them out, the owner naturally had to say a string of auspicious words, hoping this madam would become a returning customer at his shop in the future.
Ye Jiao carried the cloth bundle containing the fur coat out the door and got on the ox cart. This time she didn't call for another stop and returned to the Qi family without stopping.
When Ye Jiao arrived at the Qi family, Qi Yun was sitting in his study, frowning slightly as he read a letter that Manager Song had sent through a young assistant.
Qi Yun knew in his heart who had come to cause trouble. He had prepared early, hiring skilled fighters for the shop. Previously, some people thought spending so much money on them wasn't worthwhile, but this time Qi Yun had silenced everyone's mouths. Facts proved this money was indeed well spent.
But Qi Yun hadn't expected his preparations to be needed so soon. He would probably need to keep these skilled people on permanently. When business grew bigger, there would always be matters to handle.
However, when Qi Yun saw Manager Song's praise of Ye Jiao at the end of the letter, he couldn't help but smile inwardly.
He knew his own wife. She was the most innocent person. Though Manager Song had interpreted her words as something else entirely, Qi Yun felt Ye Jiao's original intention was just to throw them out, nothing more.
But Qi Yun didn't plan to tell Manager Song the truth. He was happy to have his subordinates respect Ye Jiao. Even if this time was a misunderstanding, it was good. Subordinates would only listen when they respected you enough.
Qi Yun picked up his brush and wrote a reply to Manager Song, handed it to the young assistant to deliver, then heard Tie Zi come in saying: "Second Young Master, Second Young Mistress has returned."
Qi Yun, who had been serious-faced just moments before, suddenly smiled. He put on his thick robe, and with Tie Zi, quickly left the room.
Tie Zi, as usual, accompanied Qi Yun to the courtyard and then left. Qi Yun walked through the courtyard, gently pushed open the room door, and was met with warm air. The room was already warm as spring.
Usually when no one was in the room, the charcoal fire would be extinguished to prevent accidents. Now that it was warm, obviously someone had returned before him.
Qi Yun had lived many years alone and thought he was used to being by himself. But after marrying Jiao Niang, the man realized he was actually just an ordinary person too.
He liked warmth, liked life, liked having someone for company.
Even just the feeling of returning home to find someone waiting was enough to make him stand in the doorway feeling moved for a while.
Closing the door to shut the cold air outside, Qi Yun set down the hand warmer he was carrying on the table, then saw a basket and a cloth bundle on the table.
When leaving this morning, Qi Yun had told Ye Jiao to bring money with her. He guessed these were things Jiao Niang had bought back.
But Qi Yun didn't look closely. Instead, he first went to warm his hands by the charcoal brazier, letting his body warm up before entering the inner room.
Ye Jiao was arranging the folding screen. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned to see Qi Yun.
Little ginseng broke into a smile upon seeing Qi Yun, ran over to grab his hands, her eyes eager: "Husband, I have good news to tell you!"
Qi Yun's mouth curved upward: "What good news?"
Ye Jiao immediately told Qi Yun about the gong beating on the street.
Actually, Qi Yun had already learned about it from the young assistant. The border victory was great news, but what was closely related to Qi Yun was the tax reduction matter.
He had just been in his study making a series of plans. A twenty percent tax reduction was no small amount. Combined with the shops under Qi Yun's management starting up again, this twenty percent could accomplish many things.
But now hearing Ye Jiao's words, Qi Yun pretended he knew nothing and smiled: "This is really good news. Today the shop opened, and we encountered the Imperial Court's great victory. Double happiness. Tonight's pigeon soup won't be enough. Later we'll have someone cook two eggs too."
Ye Jiao added: "I don't want boiled eggs, I want them fried."
Qi Yun pinched her earlobe and turned to call Little Su to the window: "Go tell the small kitchen to fry two eggs. As for chicken soup..."
Little Su's heart jumped.
The young girl had never forgotten Qi Yun's previous look when watching her little black chicken, as if he wanted to stew it.
She had a premonition that if they really drank chicken soup, it would definitely be her Little Black in the pot!
Little Black's tail feathers hadn't even grown in completely yet!
Ye Jiao shook Qi Yun's hand: "We have pigeon soup, so we don't need chicken soup."
Qi Yun smiled, his voice sounding very gentle: "Good, as you wish." The man looked up at Little Su outside the window: "Then add a sugar cake. When good news comes, we should eat something sweet."
Little Su felt relieved, celebrating that she had preserved a chicken life for her Little Black, thinking that although Second Young Master was scary, Second Young Mistress was beautiful and kind-hearted, completely different from Second Young Master. She liked Second Young Mistress the most.
Ye Jiao said softly: "Husband, I also want to eat bamboo shoots."
Qi Yun immediately added: "Have the small kitchen add bamboo shoots too."
Little Su acknowledged everything, keeping it firmly in mind. Seeing no more movement inside, she ran to the small kitchen to relay the message.
Ye Jiao's heart was eager for dinner, but little ginseng hadn't forgotten what she hadn't finished doing earlier.
Letting go of Qi Yun's hand, Ye Jiao smiled at him: "Husband, can you help me bring the basket from the table?"
It was rare for Ye Jiao to ask Qi Yun to do something, so the man immediately obediently went out to fetch the basket for her.
But he didn't notice that when he had set down his hand warmer earlier, it had pressed down one corner of the basket's cover cloth. When he picked it up, the cloth on the basket was pulled off. Qi Yun looked down and saw the flower petals inside.
These petals were all carefully selected by Lady Dong, the most fragrant possible. Just lifting the cloth released delicate waves of fragrance.
However, Qi Yun didn't know what these petals were for, so he asked: "Jiao Niang, what are these flower petals for?"
Who knew that when Qi Yun turned around carrying the basket, he saw Ye Jiao standing in the inner room had already removed her jacket and was untying her skirt sash, her voice clear: "For bathing."