The higher the unit price, the higher the profit. In Great Jin, the disparity between rich and poor was immense. Common people barely had enough to eat, so where would they get money to spend?
Shen Xuan had studied financial management in university in the modern world, and his family also had a family business. He had never considered operating on low profits and high sales. He always aimed to earn money from the wealthy.
Just like Sheng Ruzhi, who personally bought a set of soaps, spending twelve liang of silver.
These twelve liang might be a common family's monthly food expenses in the capital. To Sheng Ruzhi, it was just a bit of pocket money, like sprinkling water.
Indeed, in the afternoon, Sheng Ruzhi returned, bringing several Sheng family siblings with her.
"Ruzhi? Is this the fragrant soap shop you mentioned? It certainly looks unique."
"It smells so good, the scent is indeed fresh and sweet. I've only been in here for a while, and I feel like my hair already smells fragrant."
Sheng Ruzhi had bought a set of soaps from Xuanzi Fang in the morning. Before lunch, she took them out in front of her family and showed them off to her siblings and relatives.
The Sheng family was a prominent clan with hundreds of years of history. Their cloth business was enormous, and they even had relatives serving as fifth-rank officials in the Ministry of Revenue.
The Sheng family's female members had long been using soap, with some even specifically using coconut oil soap imported from the south. However, the kind of fragrant soap Sheng Ruzhi had was the first they had ever seen.
"This fragrant soap is indeed rare; it looks crystal clear, exquisitely shaped, and smells good," even the Sheng family's Old Madam couldn't help but praise.
Sheng Ruzhi's mother was known for her filial piety. Hearing the Old Madam's words, she immediately said, "Since Mother likes it, Ruzhi, give this set of soaps to Mother to use first."
Sheng Ruzhi also immediately said, "Mother is right. This set of soaps is a gift from your granddaughter to Grandmother. It's not very precious, but please, Grandmother, don't disdain this cheap gift."
"Not at all, not at all," the Old Madam's face immediately lit up with smiles upon hearing her granddaughter-in-law's words.
This bit of soap was only a little over ten liang of silver, not a particularly valuable item. But her daughter-in-law and granddaughter were filial and thoughtful, which made her very happy.
Due to her good mood, after eating, the Old Madam sent someone to retrieve some silver from her private stash. She then called the gers and young ladies of the household, inviting them to go buy some fragrant soaps together, simply for the novelty and fun of it.
The Sheng family's Old Madam was wealthy. She gave each of them twenty liang of silver as pocket money, which was enough for them to buy a set of soaps with some left over.
Thus, these younger members of the Sheng family came to Xuanzi Fang on Zhijin Street together to purchase Shen Xuan's fragrant soaps.
"I want to buy a set for my mother and my sister-in-law too," Sheng Ruzhi said.
She was already perceptive. As a legitimate daughter who wasn't short on money, and seeing that her mother and sister-in-law also found these soaps quite rare, she simply bought a set for each of them as a gesture of goodwill.
Even the less favored illegitimate son of the Sheng family, having received a reward from the Old Madam, bought a set of soaps.
In just half an hour, Xuanzi Fang sold another ten sets of soaps, totaling one hundred and twenty liang of silver in revenue!
The few employees of Xuanzi Fang were numb from handling the mone. They never expected this newly opened shop to be so profitable!
After shenshi (3-5 PM), Shen Xuan went to check the accounts again. He found that Xuanzi Fang had sold eighty-six bars of soap in just one afternoon, earning one hundred and seventy-two liang of silver, several times more than in the morning!
Of course, the reason for such a large profit in the afternoon was mainly due to big orders like the Sheng family's.
Such large orders wouldn't be common, but even once every few days would bring in a substantial amount of silver!
There were many such prominent families in the capital. If the use of fragrant soaps became fashionable among them, there would be dedicated people from their households coming to purchase, becoming Shen Xuan's largest and most stable source of customers.
Later in the evening, as darkness fell, most respectable gers and young ladies on Zhijin Street had already returned home, and the courtesans of the pleasure houses began their work. Business in the shops almost ceased.
Shen Xuan simply closed the shop before youshi (5-7 PM), allowing his employees to rest more in the evening.
On the auspicious first day of opening, Shen Xuan sold one hundred and fifteen bars of soap throughout the entire day, earning two hundred and thirty liang of silver. After deducting approximately thirty liang of production costs, he made a net profit of around two hundred liang!
Such impressive earnings made even Shen Xuan, who was usually quite composed, a bit excited.
He took out two liang of silver to reward his few servants, telling them to buy themselves a table of food and drinks. He then hurried back to the Shen residence with Jinzhi and Jin Gui.
Because it was the first day of opening, Shen Xuan returned a bit late today.
As soon as he arrived home, Mama You, who was waiting at the door, seized the opportunity and began to interrogate him incessantly.
"Shen Ger, where did you go today?" Mama You asked.
Jingui quickly interjected, "He just went around Zhijin Street, had some tea at a teahouse, then watched a play at the opera house, and it just got a bit late."
"You are now Xue family's fiancé, bearing the Xue family's reputation," Mama You said upon hearing this. "For a ger to come home so late, what kind of proper conduct is that? Just on Zhijin Street, where you frequently go to play, there are numerous pleasure houses and taverns. What would it look like if someone saw you?"
"I must report today's matter to the madam. If she knows you returned so late, she will certainly be displeased, and might confine you to your quarters. You should be more vigilant in the future!"
Mama You, after returning home to care for her son for a few days, had given Shen Xuan a few days of freedom.
But after only five days, she returned to the Shen residence and began to assert her authority over Shen Xuan again.
She didn't know what Lady Bai had told her after she went back, but upon her return, she actually began to enter Shen Xuan's room without permission.
On two occasions, Shen Xuan returned to find her standing in his study, claiming to be tidying it, but in reality, he didn't know what she was rummaging through.
He suspected that his actions in the Ye family's hunting ground had reached Lady Bai's ears, making her wary, which led to these developments.
Originally, not wanting to alarm Lady Bai, Shen Xuan had been very patient with Mama You. However, as his business grew and he needed more freedom of movement, Mama You became increasingly annoying.
Today, Shen Xuan was in a very good mood, but her scolding from out of nowhere made him almost unbearable.
He thought to himself, since Lady Bai was already suspicious, there was no need to keep such a spy by his side. It would be better to simply drive her away and be done with it, saving himself from listening to her nagging every day.
"Mama You, is your son's leg fully recovered?" Shen Xuan suddenly asked.
Mama You was startled, not knowing why Shen Xuan suddenly asked this. She shook her head and said, "I had a physician look at him. He said it was a tendon and bone injury and would require at least three months of recuperation."
"Is that so?" Shen Xuan raised an eyebrow and said, "I see the New Year is almost here. I'll give you a holiday here and let you go back to celebrate the New Year. You can return after your son's leg is completely healed."
"Shen Ger, what do you mean by this?" Mama You was shocked and immediately frowned, saying, "I was sent by the madam. Are you trying to drive me away?"
"Mama You, don't speak nonsense. What 'driving away'?" Shen Xuan coldly chuckled. "It's precisely because you are a favored Mama by the madam's side that I'm giving you a long holiday. Besides, apart from you, aren't Jinzhi and Jin Gui also sent by the madam? Aren't they also serving me closely?"
"That's right, Mama You." Jin Gui immediately stepped forward and said, "Anyway, I see you don't have much to do every day, so you might as well go back and take care of your son's leg injury. Shen Ger has Jinzhi and me serving him, so there's nothing to worry about."
Jinzhi also quickly caught on and immediately followed Jin Gui, saying, "Exactly, we're used to serving Shen Ger. Mama You, you should go back and serve your precious son!"
"Jinzhi, Jin Gui. Tomorrow, pack some New Year goods and have Mama You take them back. Consider it me letting her go home early for the New Year," Shen Xuan said.
Jinzhi and Jin Gui immediately agreed in unison, not giving Mama You a chance to speak.
Mama You looked at Shen Xuan's eyes again and realized that this ger, who usually seemed to have no strong opinions, had no hint of submissiveness in his eyes. Instead, he was very firm, clearly having made up his mind to send her away!
Mama You was shocked and felt very strange. 'Why did this Shen Ger, who had almost always followed her instructions before, suddenly change his demeanor so drastically?'
Since Shen Xuan came to the capital, Lady Bai had continuously made Mama You brainwash him. She told him that Lady Bai was his only backer in the capital, and that The Shizi and the Ye family were unwilling to let him into their household.
Shen Ger had previously shown fear when hearing about the Ye family, clearly intending to rely on Lady Bai. Now, he suddenly turned hostile. Could it be that he had found another backer?
Mama You had no idea that Shen Xuan's previous display of weakness was merely an act. Instead, she carefully recalled what Lady Bai had told her when she went home last time.
'Since Shen Ger was invited to the Ye family banquet last time, it's rumored that Xue Fenglin also took a temporary leave from the Imperial Academy to attend, and was very concerned about him at the banquet.'
Lady Bai then told Mama You to keep a closer eye on Shen Xuan, to prevent him from being swayed by Xue Fenglin.
'Could it be that Xue Fenglin put on a thoughtful and gentle facade, making him believe it was real, and think he could rely on Xue Fenglin from now on?'
Mama You's expression instantly light up with realization! She immediately attributed Shen Xuan's sudden change of heart to this.
'No wonder Xue Fenglin sent him expensive clothes and accessories to show goodwill during the Mid-Autumn Festival last time. So that was his intention all along!'
Mama You secretly cursed Xue Fenglin for being cunning, while also thinking Shen Xuan was a fool for being easily deceived by Xue Fenglin's few words.
***
Early the next morning, Jinzhi and Jin Gui picked some inexpensive New Year goods like cured meats and dried vegetables from the storeroom, packed them up, and sent Mama You back to the Xue residence.
As soon as Mama You returned home, she immediately went straight to Lady Bai to report Shen Xuan's sudden change of heart.
The weather was cold now, and silver charcoal was burning in Lady Bai's room. She lay on a concubine's couch, being served freshly imported kumquats from the south by Qiong Zha.
"Madam, this old servant is useless," Mama You immediately knelt on the ground upon entering the room, weeping as she spoke to Lady Bai. "That Shen Ger now has hardened wings, feeling he has a backer, and has driven this old servant out of the Shen family."
"How dare he! He knows you are my person. How could he dare to drive you away?" Lady Bai asked, frowning upon hearing this.
"Madam, it was after he went to the Ye family banquet last time. I don't know what Young Master said to him. Perhaps he felt he had gained a backer, which is why he no longer cares about this old servant or Madam's words! And Jinzhi and Jin Gui, who serve him, I don't know what benefits they received, but they are all helping him speak. This old servant has no say in the Shen family anymore!"
Hearing Mama You's words, Lady Bai grew angry and threw the kumquat in her hand. "This clueless fool, truly from the countryside, with no discernment whatsoever! Does he really think Xue Fenglin's gentle and considerate facade means he likes him?"
Qiong Zha, standing by, quickly said, "Replying to Madam, that Shen Ger is from the countryside. How could Young Master possibly fancy him? Even if he did, the Ye family would never agree. This matter must be their delaying tactic."
Lady Bai glanced at Qiong Zha and said, "You understand this logic, but that country ger does not."
"I originally thought this ger was sensible, but I didn't expect Xue Fenglin to win him over with just a little kindness. He's truly useless!"
After Lady Bai finished speaking, Mama You looked at her expression before asking, "Madam, what should we do about Shen Ger now?"
Lady Bai thought for a moment and said, "First, call Jinzhi and Jin Gui back, then select two trustworthy attendants to send over again."
After speaking, she called Steward Zhao and told him to choose two attendants close to the Bai family and exchange them for Jinzhi and Jin Gui.
To her surprise, Steward Zhao looked troubled upon hearing this. "Madam, sending people over is easy, but Jinzhi and Jin Gui may not return."
"I am the head of the household. If I tell them to come back, whether to punish or sell them, can they refuse?" Lady Bai was furious upon hearing this. She glared fiercely at Steward Zhao and said, "You are getting increasingly inefficient at your work. Why are you making excuses over a few servants! Is it because I haven't given you enough benefits?"
At this point, Steward Zhao was sweating profusely as he said, "Madam, you gave this humble servant stewardship over the farmlands in the capital's suburbs. This humble servant is grateful, and my loyalty is clear! However, the deeds for Jinzhi, Jin Gui, and their families were taken by The Shizi some days ago."
"What! When did this happen? Why do I know nothing about it?" Lady Bai was even more enraged upon hearing this. She immediately stood up from the concubine's couch and overturned the fruit platter on the small table.
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