Wanjin Lady

Chapter 197: Small Figure
Yao Shizhen stroked his beard and said, "Your godmother said that your fruit wine is suitable for those wealthy women. The name doesn't have to be catchy, as long as it is elegant and pleasant."

This is a very pertinent opinion.

Since we are going for the boutique route, the name must be high-end, elegant and classy!

Never call it wine, fruit wine or something like that.

Yao Shizhen's brow furrowed slightly, as if he were brainstorming. Old Madam Yao, however, smiled and suggested, "How about a name inspired by poetry: Purple jade milk rounds, autumn ears of corn, crystal beads, shimmering dew condenses into slurry... How about the last three characters, 'dew condenses into slurry'?"

Yao Shizhen disagreed. "It's beautiful, but it feels like it's shrouded in mist. It doesn't sound like the name of a fruit wine. It sounds more like... rouge and powder."

The two academic masters were arguing with each other, and Wen Wan, who was clueless, could only watch them and start racking her brains.

Yes, yes, yes, you are all right.

You all said it well!

This name is good, that name is good too.

"This fruit wine is bright red and has a fruity aroma. The name should be eye-catching and also make people know what we're selling. Red is called Chixia. Grape is also known as Ruiguo, which sounds auspicious and joyful."

Madam Yao smiled and said, "Then is it Chixia Dew? Or Ruiguo Juice?"

Wen Wan quickly raised her hand, "Auspicious fruit juice, that sounds appealing. After all, who doesn't like auspicious things?"

Yao Shizhen looked down on it a little, but he didn't object.

Mei Qing also said, "Rui Guojiang is good. It's easy to remember and sounds good."

Wen Wan smiled and looked at Mr. Yao: "Godfather, I'm still in need of a spokesperson for my Ruiguo Juice. Are you interested?"

Prince Yao saw Wenwan's flattering smile and knew that this girl had bad intentions. "What is a spokesperson?"

"That is... I'll have a small portrait of you painted, carved into a seal, and affixed to the yellow paper that wraps each jug of wine. Then your portrait will be sold throughout the country along with my syrup! You'll become famous!"

Yao Shizhen saw through Wen Wan's plan at a glance, "Oh, you want to print my portrait on it so that all the students of Qingshan Academy will come to buy your Ruiguo Juice? You little girl, you want to tie Ruiguo Juice and me together!"

Wen Wan shrank her head and said with a grin, "Godfather, this Ruiguo pulp of mine is destined to be passed down through the ages! It's worth it to have your portrait pasted on it!"

"Your godmother said you're selling this to wealthy young ladies. Why print an old man like me in it? If you want to make your name known through the ages, why not use your own little portrait?"

Wen Wan thought about it and realized that this was the truth.

As the four people were talking, the silk paper screen in front of them was pushed open with a "rustle". Cheng Yunzhang was dressed in a plain Hangzhou silk with a Buddha-head green color. He was tall and graceful, and his eyes, as cold as bamboo leaves on the snow-capped mountains, swept around and finally fell on Wen Wan's face.

"Junior sister, you're in a good mood..." Those narrow, almond-shaped eyes were tinged with a hint of mockery and slight annoyance. "You brought Master and Master's wife to taste wine... and you even sent me away."

Wen Wan saw Hongmei's facial features twitching as she followed closely behind her, and she quickly gave her a look.

Wen Wan frowned, trying to understand the meaning of Hongmei's fluttering features, but Cheng Yunzhang had already sat down with a flick of his sleeves. "Junior sister, there's no need to argue with me. You're quite clever. You said you needed some books on military strategy and asked me to help you pick them out at the bookstore. I noticed she was acting suspiciously along the way, as if she was trying to divert attention, so I deliberately turned back halfway."

He glanced sideways and said, "I never thought that my junior sister would leave me here alone to taste the new wine with my teacher and his wife."

The two old men looked at each other with their eyes and noses, indicating that they would not get involved in the children's fight.

Wen Wan felt guilty at first, but then she became confident and even gathered the wine glasses and teacups in front of her into her arms. "Brother, I'm sorry. Our two families are both in the winemaking business. My new wine is a top-secret trade secret and cannot be seen by our rivals. I believe that you will understand my difficulties."

Cheng Yunzhang sat down, tapping the table with his slender fingers, and said in a long voice: "Junior sister, I made a profit of 560 taels by selling the gifts sent by Senior Brother Jinyu——"

"Here! Here! Here!" Wen Wan could easily tell that this man was threatening. She chuckled and pushed a wine glass towards him, her smile mockingly cold. "Why be a scholar, Senior Brother Xiuwen? It would be much better to be a shrewd businessman." Cheng Yunzhang sneered.

He raised his glass, sipped it slowly, and said, "What a shame for this dazzling color. If it were served in a glass, it would surely be breathtakingly beautiful."

"Glass cup?" Wen Wan's eyes lit up. "Where can we make glass cups in Ping County?"

Wine should be drunk with a clear glass!

"Give up the thought. Colored glaze is very expensive, and it was only used as tribute to the palace. The maritime customs along the coast may have had a small amount of it, but the price was high."

Yao Shizhen dispelled Wen Wan's thoughts with just one sentence.

Cheng Yunzhang put down his wine glass and looked at the young lady sitting opposite him with her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Didn't you say you wanted to paint a portrait of Junior Sister?"

He pointed to a corner of the room and said, "Junior sister, there's light over there on the desk. Go sit there."

Yao Shizhen smiled and said, "Xiu Wen is quite accomplished in painting. This small portrait... is worth a fortune."

"I don't have a thousand gold coins." Wen Wan smiled, "If Senior Brother Xiu Wen's painting is good, I can buy it for ten taels of silver as a reward for his painting."

As he spoke, Cheng Yunzhang had already spread out the paper and started painting. He then instructed Wen Wan, "Junior sister, sit still."

Understand.

She Wenwan is now just a vase with only good looks.

In the spring sunshine, the young lady sat motionless by the window. The room was bright and warm.

She looked full of life, her cheeks rosy from nourishment, and she wore a sunset-colored double-breasted jacket, which made her eyes look as dark as the sea. Even her hair was healthy, thick and shiny, and she looked like someone who could eat, run and jump, and live to be a hundred years old.

Cheng Yunzhang suddenly discovered that Junior Sister Fox was... quite pretty.

Her appearance is different from others.

The other women were delicate and beautiful, as pitiful as delicate flowers wet in the drizzle.

Her beauty gives people a vitality that comes to them, like the weeds that can never be burned, like the holly trees that keep growing, like the flowers that climb along the cliffs.

Rich and bright.

He looked into her eyes. The woman smiled gently, with a soft smile on her face, as if that moment also diluted the inextricable sorrow between the man's brows.

Cheng Yunzhang hesitated, holding the pen... but couldn't put it down.

and so……

Why didn’t you give the fox lantern to Wen Wan at that time?
Is it to avoid suspicion?
Or are you afraid that your unintentional actions will cause trouble to your junior sister?

Or——

He didn't have the courage to uncover the layers of answers.

He was destined to rise to a high position, while his junior sister was just a small merchant in Ping County. The two of them were destined to be two parallel lines that would never intersect.

Once your mind is clear, you can write as if inspired.

(End of this chapter)