CHAPTER 318: CHAPTER 301: PURPLE GLASS VASE

Mentioning chili peppers, Yu Xiaolian told Zheng Yuanfeng that she had successfully cultivated them and planted ten acres of them this spring, resulting in a bountiful harvest.

Now she not only has chili peppers but also spicy hotpot base material in her hands.

Zheng Yuanfeng slapped his thigh, "Great, how much chili peppers and spicy hotpot base do you have? I’ll take them all!"

Yu Xiaolian glanced coldly at Zheng Yuanfeng, "Do you have cash?"

Zheng Yuanfeng was embarrassed, "A little..."

Hehe, he was going to open a money shop, how could he not bring cash? Although he didn’t bring much, just two carriages.

"Besides chili peppers and the base, I also have canned yellow peaches, sesame paste, and sesame oil. Do you want them?"

Zheng Yuanfeng nodded, "Yes... Can I buy on credit?"

"Get lost..." Yu Xiaolian couldn’t hold back her foul language.

Faced with Yu Xiaolian’s wide-eyed glare, Zheng Yuanfeng scrunched his neck guiltily, "Cash... cash... no credit, alright?"

Seeing Yu Xiaolian’s expression improve slightly, Zheng Yuanfeng continued, "It’s just that I’ve been expanding a bit too fast lately, and I’m out of funds, can’t you be a bit accommodating?

What kind of relationship do us siblings have?"

Yu Xiaolian wasn’t swayed by Zheng Yuanfeng’s sob story. If you’re so out of funds, why open two shops at once, and that too in the pricy west of the city?

Does he really think I’m that gullible?

Yu Xiaolian’s face turned stern, "Even blood brothers have to settle accounts clearly. Besides, your little sister is also short on cash recently. See that run-down shop next to my store? That’s mine too. I want to tear it down and rebuild it, but I don’t dare to because I don’t have money.

If you want the hotpot base material, you must pay in cash, no credit.

Let’s be clear upfront, I don’t want silver notes like just now, I want solid, hefty Silver Ingots."

Zheng Yuanfeng snorted, "Money in my hands can turn one into two, two into three; what you’re doing is small-scale..."

Yu Xiaolian was not convinced, "I’m just starting out and short of initial funds. Wait until I build the commercial street in the east of the city, then you’ll have to look at me with new eyes."

"Alright, alright, I’m waiting for that!" Zheng Yuanfeng stood up, "Come on, let’s go to your place for a meal. I’ve come a long way; I should at least know which way your door opens."

Yu Xiaolian tucked her sleeves, glanced at her conceptual watch, and noticed it was almost four o’clock. It was indeed time to return to Xiangyang Lane for dinner.

Fortunately, she had already sent Zhao Sanyan back to tell Granny Gao to cook a lavish meal, not for Zheng Yuanfeng, but to improve the meals for the Sun Family girls in the workshop.

As for Zheng Yuanfeng wanting hotpot, let him take a few packets of hotpot base back and have it himself for dinner, she wasn’t going to bother coordinating that.

Thinking about the dividends yet to be received weighed heavily on her heart.

When the two got downstairs, there were still many customers on the first floor. After finishing her tasks for the day, Sun Feixue also came over to help Zhao Erya take care of the customers.

Seeing them so busy that their feet didn’t touch the ground, Yu Xiaolian decided she’d take time to buy more help tomorrow.

She’d buy maids, long-term workers, and stewardesses who were literate, if possible.

"When you’re not busy, take turns to go eat first. I’ll head over there now." Yu Xiaolian greeted Zhao Erya and led Zheng Yuanfeng to Xiangyang Lane.

While waiting for Yu Xiaolian, Zheng Yuanfeng had already wandered around the first floor of Zhenpin Pavilion. He was quite surprised to see many precious glazed potteries and curious artifacts there.

Zheng Yuanfeng couldn’t help but try to probe Yu Xiaolian about her supply channels.

Yu Xiaolian snorted, "Didn’t you say I’m small-scale? Why are you interested in my supply channels?

If you want to sell things from my shop, you can, but I must be a middleman and earn a margin. Any issues with that?" Even if there are, keep them to yourself!

While wandering just now, Zheng Yuanfeng actually eyed a purple glazed vase in Yu Xiaolian’s shop; this color of glaze he had never seen.

He didn’t know what price Yu Xiaolian had set for this item.

Moreover, such a rare treasure should be unique in the world, yet Yu Xiaolian was willing to sell it. Sigh, what’s going on in her mind?

As they walked, Zheng Yuanfeng curiously asked Yu Xiaolian about which artisan made the purple glaze item, how much it cost to buy, and how much to sell.

Could Yu Xiaolian really tell Zheng Yuanfeng that the purple vase was bought for nine yuan nine from a bargain platform?

No way!

"Bought for two thousand taels from an old craftsman, planning to sell for five thousand!" Although Zhenpin Pavilion had sold some glazed potteries since opening, these items were too expensive to sell more than one or two a month, and those who could afford it were familiar faces.

Besides the Zhao Family and Bai Family, there was the new wealthy Feng family in Luocheng.

Yu Xiaolian didn’t know how deep the Feng family’s pockets were, but on the surface, they seemed quite wealthy, at least much more affluent than County Magistrate Ma.

Yu Xiaolian thought to herself, Old Lady Gao’s story of the Feng family selling half their servants due to financial struggle was not too reliable.

It’s not that Old Lady Gao was deceiving her; she was just a rough servant in the back courtyard and didn’t get to see her masters. How could she know that much?

Also, if Feng Daquan truly relied on assistance from his young husband, he wouldn’t squander like this, nor would his two granddaughters live so lavishly.

You see, every time Feng Suyun and her sister came to chat with Yu Xiaolian, they’d pick some good stuff from Zhenpin Pavilion and leave, never showing any restraint.

Thus, Yu Xiaolian deduced that the Feng family had its own depth.

"Tsk tsk..." Zheng Yuanfeng truly admired the insight of the people in Luocheng, such a good treasure, such a cheap price, yet no one took it?

Sigh, eyes that can’t see the gold inlaid jade!

Hehe... fortunately, no one else took it, otherwise, how would it be his turn?

"That purple glazed vase, I’ll take it. Go back and give the order quickly, don’t let someone snatch it first!" Zheng Yuanfeng thought this vase, if taken to the Capital, could sell for thousands of taels, and he felt delighted.

Though their family had been ordered by the Emperor not to return without a summons, he could entrust the vase to his cousin. Let Zheng Yuanye sell it for him, that would work too.

"Don’t worry, second brother, I have a pair of these purple glazes, not afraid of selling one." In fact, she had more than just one pair, she had plenty.

If Zheng Yuanfeng knew the true reason why nobody snatched this purple glazed vase, he would probably be blown away on the spot.

Yu Xiaolian smirked slightly, not intending to tell Zheng Yuanfeng the truth. Who told this guy to dig a pit for her?

"A pair? Oh, these should not be sold separately!" Zheng Yuanfeng criticized Yu Xiaolian for not knowing how to do business; how could such pair items be sold separately?

"I’ll take the pair. Considering I’m your second brother, give me a discount, eight thousand taels, how about it?" Zheng Yuanfeng began to bargain.