Chapter 186: Purchasing Envoy
Su Yaoguang was tinkering with a new product in the backyard when she saw Jiang Jing come in. She greeted her, "Come quickly and have a look at how my new rouge looks."
Jiang Jing was in a hurry and pulled her outside, "There are a few troublesome people in the shop, and everyone is struggling to deal with them. You should take a look."
Su Yaoguang was puzzled. "Who are they?"
"I can’t really say, but they’re brought by that Young Master Cui from Jinle Square, and they look quite difficult to handle."
As they spoke, Su Yaoguang already arrived at the front shop from the backyard. She was making rouge and powder, dressed in clothes convenient for movement, so she appeared a bit casual.
As soon as she stepped into the shop’s main hall, she saw the delicate and pretty Young Master Cui, Cui Rong.
The reason he was called delicate and pretty was that this young master looked as rosy as a young lady, with fair and tender skin, and those eyes were bright and expressive as if they could talk. He enjoyed dressing up, wearing luxurious attire, like white jade, striving for perfection.
Such a person would most dislike someone ’sloppy’ like Su Yaoguang. Especially, since Jinle Square had suffered under Su Yaoguang’s hand, he disliked her even more.
Su Yaoguang’s gaze lingered on the young men beside Cui Rong.
These young men looked decent enough, just a bit effeminate.
"It’s an honor to have you visit, apologies for not welcoming you sooner," Su Yaoguang greeted with a smile. "Young Master Cui, have you brought important guests to introduce to me?"
Cui Rong said disdainfully, "Important guests indeed, whether they leave satisfied depends on Boss Su’s skills."
Cui Rong sneered at Su Yaoguang and then politely said to the people beside him, "Distinguished Purchasing Envoys, Taoyao Square’s rouge shop is the most famous around here. Boss Su is known for her skillful hands, I’m sure she can meet the noble’s demands."
"Purchasing Envoys?" Su Yaoguang asked the people beside her, "What are Purchasing Envoys?"
The others shook their heads.
"Truly a country bumpkin, doesn’t even know what a Purchasing Envoy is," Cui Rong said disdainfully, "Purchasing Envoys are officials who leave the palace on behalf of the nobles to find items outside. Sometimes, when the nobles are tired of the palace’s things, they want to look for something novel outside. The Purchasing Envoys are here to buy a batch of rouge and powder for the palace’s nobles, something special. Since Taoyao Square is so satisfying to the locals, I brought the Purchasing Envoys here to your shop. Boss Su, this is a great opportunity, let’s see how you grasp it."
"So that’s how it is." When Su Yaoguang heard it was for the palace, she understood after seeing them.
No wonder they seemed effeminate, turns out they are eunuchs from the palace.
One of the Purchasing Envoys, holding his hand delicately, said, "Since it’s the best rouge and powder in the area, bring out your best goods for us to see."
Zhang Zhaodi and Zhang Yingdi brought out their best-selling rouge and powder sets.
The Purchasing Envoys inspected the goods on the spot.
"Small place is just a small place, these common rouge and powder are hardly worth such acclaim, wasted our time," Wang Gui, the lead, said disdainfully, putting down the item in his hand.
Zhang Zhaodi felt dissatisfied, but seeing they were from the palace, dared not speak rashly.
Su Yaoguang smiled and said, "We’re just a small business, naturally can’t compare with the rouge and powder made by the master craftsmen in the Capital City. However, we’ve mixed some fine fragrances, the noblemen can take them to scent their clothes for a touch of elegance."
As she spoke, Su Yaoguang signaled to Jia Chunni.
Jia Chunni quickly brought out the best-selling incense.
Su Yaoguang then had Zhang Zhaodi bring a few sets of beauty kits and dressing items, ostensibly so the Purchasing Envoys could take them back to consider slowly, and directly gave them the items.
After sending off the Purchasing Envoys, Zhang Zhaodi said heartachingly, "They didn’t buy anything, we wasted so many good items on them."
"They are serving the palace, do you think after they fancy our things they would spend money on them?" Su Yaoguang said, "It’s better that they don’t like it! We just want to do a small business to make a living, not involve ourselves with big people. We just lost some goods, fortunately to avoid bigger troubles."
"I thought that Young Master from Jinle Square had a change of heart and was really introducing us to business, turns out he was bringing trouble our way?"
"If those palace people took a liking, they’d come to take from us often. Of course, Young Master Cui wouldn’t be so kind, he just wanted to direct trouble to us."
"So why did you give them so much rouge and powder just now?" Zhang Zhaodi said, "Since you knew they wouldn’t pay even if they liked it, you should’ve given them something not good."
"What we gave are the best-sellers, meaning the common folks love them. Those from the palace always think highly of themselves, how could they be willing to use the same products as ordinary people? I’m just doing this to keep them quiet, to avoid them causing us trouble. Alright, everyone, get back to your work and don’t mess up."
After those Purchasing Envoys left, Su Yaoguang returned to developing new products.
Zhang Zhaodi was happily chatting with a customer.
"Curator, you know about that Boss Lady Zhong opposite driving away her daughter and son-in-law, right?" A woman beside her said as she selected items.
"Of course we know. We are right across the street; we know anything that happens over there. Sister Wang, why did you suddenly bring up what’s happening across the street?"
"I passed by the abandoned temple yesterday and saw that young couple still laying on the floor there! I heard that in the middle of the night, a few beggars came in and scared the young lady to tears."
"Tsk tsk, truly pitiful. They’ve been driven out for days and still live in the abandoned temple? Both are adults, don’t they know how to look for work?"
"He’s known as the ’Shit Scholar.’ In the past, people would still ask him to paint murals, write articles, but now he doesn’t even have a chance to copy books. That Jiang Yihuan is quite skilled at needlework; I heard she’s already found some embroidery work. I suppose it won’t be long before their life improves."
Nearby, Su Yaoguang was attending to customers. Listening to Aunt Wang’s conversation with Zhang Zhaodi, she felt a moment of sentimentality.
In a previous life, she found a job at the Rouge Shop to earn money to support him and pay for his education. She and her mother labored day and night, giving selflessly, only to meet such an end. At that time, Jiang Yihuan and he secretly rendezvoused while she worked hard; the two were affectionate. Now Jiang Yihuan is also living a life earning money to support Xiao Yanci. Is this not a cycle of cause and effect?
She really wanted to know if, in the face of daily worries about livelihood, those two could still continue as devoted lovers through thick and thin. If so, she was willing to admit she was the loser.