The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 40: The benefits of wealth and goods are endless

"Third sister, should we continue to rush to make our tea boxes?" Shang Wenshu came to find Shang Mingshu not only to laugh at the Shi family's jokes together, but also mainly to discuss.

That day, Shang Mingshu came up with the idea of ​​making tea boxes and joined forces with several uncles to launch them before the Mid-Autumn Festival. She was very attentive and repeatedly confirmed the firing of the tea cans with the Wu family porcelain craftsmen, and even made more than ten trips to Qimen County.

After hearing her idea, Uncle Wang from the bookshop wanted to add not only pens but also inkstones. After several arguments, Mrs. Wang gave enough concessions before she agreed. She put an inkstone in the box so that it would be heavier and the tea box would not be empty.

"You asked me to take advantage of the Shi family's predicament to sell it. Many tea merchants from other places who came for the literati gathering also ordered it, and rushed to ship it back to sell it before the Mid-Autumn Festival. 8,000 of the 10,000 boxes in the warehouse have been sold, and there are still 12 days until the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Today is the third day of August. The Autumn Examination begins on the ninth day of August, and the literary gathering of the Shi family will be on the seventh day of August.

"We'll make as many as we can before the tenth day of the first lunar month." Shang Mingshu had never expected that she would be able to take advantage of this favorable situation and bring prosperity to her Shang's Tea Shop.

Apart from the tea leaves, they did not invest any money in the tea boxes. Shang Mingshu came up with the idea and Shang Wenshu implemented it. The wooden boxes and porcelain jars were provided by the porcelain merchants Wu family, the silk cloth was provided by Lin's cloth shop, and the inkstone and pen were provided by Wang's bookstore.

Shang Wenshu asked the people in the orphanage to pack it according to the requirements: a tea cake wrapped in the shape of a mooncake on the upper right, a can of loose tea at the bottom, and an inkstone and a brush on the left.

The profits are divided among several parties, and Shang's Xiangmingzhai alone can get three strings of profit from one box.

"We might as well make more. If we can't sell them all this year, we can sell them next year." Shang Zishu said that if tea leaves, pens, inkstones, including wooden boxes and porcelain jars, are properly stored, they will not be damaged next year.

These words touched Shang Wenshu's heart, and she nodded vigorously.

"No," Shang Mingshu denied their plan. "This year we've achieved a surprising victory and are the top dog. Next year, there will be many imitators. Our early lead is the foundation for our success next year. If we stick to the old ways, we'll be in danger of falling behind. To stay ahead, we have to innovate. This year's tea boxes can't be used next year."

Shang Wenshu and Shang Zishu felt a little regretful after hearing this.

"The universe is vast, and the business world is endless. The profits from wealth are endless, but the methods of obtaining them are complicated and numerous. Instead of lamenting that the profits you made this time are not enough, my eldest and second sisters should take the trouble to explore new ways and find ways to make greater profits." Shang Mingshu smiled and comforted her two sisters.

"well said!"

Loud praises were heard from behind. The three Shang Mingshu sisters turned around and saw Shang Jinliang with a number of people, all of whom were close family friends. They included people from Wang's Bookstore and Wu's Porcelain. To Shang Mingshu's surprise, Cheng She was also there...

This man was born with excellent looks. He had been busy all year round, so his skin was not as fair as that of ordinary scholars. It made him look even more handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and he looked heroic and upright, standing out among a group of his fathers.

Shang Mingshu thought that although he was young, he was the head of Cheng's trading company, so it was only natural for him to stand with their fathers and uncles.

The corners of his lips curled up inexplicably, and he walked forward with his two sisters to greet them.

They were not in the backyard today, so they were inevitably careless at home. With so many guests coming, they were not alert at all.

When guests came to visit, after paying their respects, the three Shang Mingshu sisters immediately retreated to the backyard, and their praises could be heard from afar.

"My younger brother's daughters are all as capable as men. The third lady is so open-minded that even I am ashamed of myself."

"When I think of my good-for-nothing son who only knows how to play with birds and wander around the streets, I can't help but go home and give him another beating."

"I will ask Brother Shang for advice on parenting later. Brother Shang, please don't keep it to yourself."

"Mr. Shang, I have a useless son at home..."

"..."

"Oh my god, Dad won't just randomly find a husband for us, will he?" Shang Zishu turned the corner and made sure she was far enough away before she couldn't help but frowning on her bright face. Shang Wenshu teased her, "It's unlikely that my third sister and I will be together, you..."

"Why?" Shang Zishu was angry.

"Dad tacitly allowed me to have a relationship with Wen Sanlang. Cheng Sanlang is interested in my third sister. The two governments have discussed this, so you are left with nowhere to go." Shang Wenshu spread her hands.

Shang Zishu looked at Shang Mingshu.

Shang Mingshu blinked her eyes, looking helpless.

"I don't want to get married!" Shang Zishu sat down on the corridor beauty's backrest, "I also want to find a son-in-law!"

"Even if you want to marry a son-in-law, you have to find someone to marry." Although Shang Wenshu was competing with Shang Zishu for the right to inherit the family business, she did not stop Shang Zishu from marrying a son-in-law. She wished that all three sisters could marry a son-in-law so that they would not have to separate and could discuss everything.

As for the power to manage the family, it depends on one's ability.

"I'll go find it right now!" Shang Zishu suddenly realized that she was old enough to get married, and if she didn't look for one, her parents would have to make the decision.

She knew that Shang Jinliang and Xiao Yu would not let her marry blindly, and that the person she found herself would be more satisfactory than the one her parents found.

"I want to find someone who has no parents, no brothers or sisters, is honest, has a good appearance, can't be too stupid, and has to learn a craft."

"He came out of the orphanage, so you should go visit him more often." Shang Wenshu suggested, which met Shang Zishu's requirements.

"Among the ones who came out of our orphanage, only Wen Yan and Du Zhong are well-proportioned." Did he think she didn't go and see?

"Second sister, your Zhou Zheng is a bit...picky." Shang Mingshu couldn't help but tease.

Wen Yan and Du Zhong are not as rare as Cheng She and Cheng Mian, but they can also be considered as good-looking as those picked out of a thousand.

In the entire Huizhou Prefecture, it is also one of the most important.

"I'm so beautiful? I can't marry an ugly man? If I give birth to a child who looks like his father, do I still want to live?" Shang Zishu couldn't help shaking her head when she thought of finding an ugly husband and giving birth to an ugly child, trying to get rid of this terrible picture.

"Then let's choose Eucommia ulmoides." Shang Mingshu's eyes swept over Shang Wenshu.

Shang Zishu subconsciously looked at Shang Wenshu, and Shang Wenshu actually agreed with Shang Mingshu: "Du Zhong is good, he is devoted to our family."

Shang Zishu rolled her eyes almost to the sky, feeling sorry for Du Zhong. Even if she was desperate, she would never be tempted by a man who already had someone. "I'll find one myself. It's so annoying. Why do I have to get married? These men are not as interesting as my tea!"

Speaking of her tea, she said hurriedly, "Third sister, I'm at my wit's end. Jinya heard you've been reading The Classic of Tea these days. Do you have any insights?"

"I have a guess. The production method of West Lake Longjing is unique and exquisite. I sent people to Hangzhou to purchase some unroasted Longjing. When we roasted it using our method, it also had a bitter aftertaste. Will the roasting method of Longjing be effective for this new tea?" Shang Mingshu thought it was worth a try. They couldn't find any other way now.

"The method of roasting Longjing tea..." Shang Zishu was troubled. The Tea Classic only recorded the general idea, and the essence was inherited from family. How could she obtain it? However, there was a glimmer of hope. She wanted to give it a try. "I will go to Xihang myself."

　The tea box looks like this. The silk is not yellow but bright red. In the Ming Dynasty, people banned bright yellow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)