Chapter 84
The next day dawned clear and much warmer compared to the previous two.
Early in the morning, after breakfast, Fu Wei hurriedly left with County Magistrate Zhou for the Governor’s Mansion.
After a quick wash, Yu Ying reapplied the “freckles” on her face using the bronze mirror in her room.
Once ready, she set out to find Song Sanlang.
Yu Ying ran into the wives of the county magistrates just as she was leaving the courtyard.
The wives of the county magistrates were walking in the yard with their children and Mrs. Qian.
Upon seeing Yu Ying, Mrs. Qian subtly frowned.
Yu Ying paused and then respectfully greeted the county magistrate's wife, who asked her, "Are you going out, Mrs. Fu?"
Yu Ying replied, "Yes, I have some errands to run."
"It might be unsafe for Mrs. Fu to go out alone. Shall I send someone to accompany you?" the county magistrate's wife offered with concern.
Yu Ying smiled and responded, "I spent about half a month in the provincial capital over a month ago, so I’m somewhat familiar with the place."
The county magistrate's wife, recalling when Fu Wei joined the yamen, expressed surprise, "Did you come here alone?"
"Not exactly. I initially came with my brother-in-law and his wife, along with some acquaintances from our village. Later, I set up a small stall here to do some business. The acquaintances stayed to continue their trade. Since I'm here, I thought I’d pay a visit," Yu Ying explained.
Mrs. Qian's eyes revealed a hint of disdain upon hearing about the stall.
In contrast to Mrs. Qian's reaction, the county magistrate's wife was curiously inquired, "What kind of business do you run, Mrs. Fu?"
Yu Ying answered, "I know a bit about herbs, so I make my own face creams. If you don’t mind, I can bring some for you to try when I return today."
The county magistrate's wife warmly smiled, "A woman who knows herbs and can make face creams is rare. Why would I mind?"
Mrs. Qian looked somewhat displeased upon hearing the county magistrate's wife's praise.
After a few more words, the county magistrate's wife excused herself to let Yu Ying continue with her errands.
As Yu Ying left, Mrs. Qian remarked, "Knowing herbs and making face creams is a skill, but setting up a stall in public still lacks refinement. Mrs. Fu really embarrasses Mr. Fu."
The smile on the county magistrate's wife's face faded slightly, and she said gently, "I don’t see it that way. After all, every great river starts as a small stream. Today it’s just a small stall, but who knows if Mrs. Fu might turn it into a shop in the future?"
Mrs. Qian laughed lightly, "If Mrs. Fu does open a shop, I’ll be sure to send her a grand gift."
The county magistrate's wife smiled, "I’ll remember that for Mrs. Fu."
Due to the recent cold weather, there were fewer people on the streets than when Yu Ying visited the provincial capital over a month ago. Still, it was much busier than Yu County.
The bustling market was filled with the shouts of vendors hawking their wares, creating a lively atmosphere.
Yu Ying noticed that many stalls looked different from before.
The previous stalls were set up for convenience, but now almost all had signs, and low stalls were gradually being replaced by taller ones.
It seemed that the vendors were starting to put more thought into their stalls.
Yu Ying sighed softly, relying on her memory to find the place where she used to set up her stall.
Seeing the familiar sign, her stall, which used to stand out, now appeared less remarkable amidst the similarly styled ones around it.
Yu Ying frowned slightly, but seeing a few people gathered around her stall, she breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that business was still going well.
As Yu Ying happily approached, she realized that the person at her stall wasn't Song Sanlang, but a girl around sixteen or seventeen years old.
The girl, seeing her, eagerly greeted, “Madam, are you looking for face cream? Not to boast, but our Ruyu Fang's face creams, made from various herbs, are more effective than the usual ones.”
Yu Ying, looking at the unfamiliar face, inquired, “I remember a man surnamed Song running this stall. Why has it changed hands?”
The young girl, surprised by the question, then turned her head to look towards the end of the street.
Following her gaze, Yu Ying saw a man eating noodles at a stall not far away - it was indeed Song Sanlang.
Song Sanlang, who was eating, looked up towards the stall, and upon seeing Yu Ying, showed a look of astonishment. He quickly finished his noodles and hurried back.
Arriving at the stall, Song Sanlang exclaimed in surprise, “Mrs. Fu, what brings you here?”
Yu Ying responded, “My brother-in-law had business in the provincial capital, so I came along.”
After speaking, she glanced at the girl at the stall and then back at Song Sanlang, asking, “What’s going on?”
Seeing the two knew each other, the young girl also looked surprised and asked Song Sanlang, “Shopkeeper Song, who is this lady?”
Song Sanlang quickly explained, "This is my employer."
The young girl looked surprised upon hearing this.
Song Sanlang said to her, "You keep busy."
Then, turning to Yu Ying, "Mrs. Fu, may I have a word with you in private?"
Yu Ying followed him to the side of the street, where Song Sanlang began to explain.
It turned out that after they left the provincial capital, business at the stall dwindled day by day. Song Sanlang thought it might be because his intimidating appearance deterred customers.
Furthermore, since the business mainly catered to women, he considered hiring a woman to run the stall for a few days to see if it made a difference.
In the alley where he lived, he fortuitously met this eloquent young girl, and after some negotiation, they agreed on her managing the stall for a daily wage of seven wen.
Miss Su agreed to a trial period.
The result was unexpectedly positive.
Consequently, Song Sanlang had her manage the stall while he stayed nearby to prevent any disturbances.
Upon hearing this, Yu Ying calculated the finances.
If Song Sanlang was paying the girl out of his own earnings, then they would need to sell three jars of the better-quality face cream daily to cover his monthly expenses in the provincial capital.
Realizing this, Yu Ying's expression grew serious, "So how is the business doing?"
Song Sanlang replied, "Miss Su has a way with words. In the past forty-odd days, over thirty-two days of operating the stall, we’ve sold over a hundred jars of face cream. I’ll bring the earnings to you tomorrow."
Yu Ying hadn't expected the business to be quite successful and responded, "There’s no rush."
She glanced at the stall, watching the girl enthusiastically engage with customers, and after a moment’s thought, suggested, "I think we could employ her long-term."
As she spoke, Yu Ying looked at the bustling street and added, "This isn’t the best place for a detailed discussion. Let’s talk more after closing the stall, at the inn we stayed at before."
Song Sanlang looked towards the stall and agreed, "Alright."
Yu Ying took two jars of the more expensive face cream from the stall and then returned to the inn.
By the time she got back to the inn, it was already noon.
Just as she entered her room, Fu Wei returned.
Yu Ying lit the stove to heat some tea and asked him, "How was your meeting with the Governor of the provincial capital today?"
Fu Wei stood up from his wheelchair, shaking his head with a hint of helplessness, "There's a song and dance feast arranged for tonight. He doesn’t seem like someone capable of great things."
It was supposed to be a meeting to report on the conditions of each county, but starting with a grand feast on the first day suggested he was not the kind of person to accomplish significant things.
"Are you going to attend?" she asked.
"I have to go."
Fu Wei recalled how earlier that day, while accompanying County Magistrate Zhou to the Governor's Mansion, he had waited outside. Due to his conspicuous wheelchair, the Governor noticed him immediately upon leaving the building.
The Governor's gaze held a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Clearly, this look was tinged with condescension.
If Fu Wei had truly been disabled, he might have had to swallow the insult and put on a forced smile.
However, being able-bodied, Fu Wei responded to the Governor's unusual gaze with a calm bow.
Perhaps the Governor thought Fu Wei could add to the merriment, so he specially instructed him to attend as well.
Fu Wei didn't share these details with Yu Ying. Instead, he asked her, "Did you manage to find Song Sanlang today?"
Yu Ying nodded, "Yes, I did. He has hired a girl to manage the stall, paying her seven wen a day. But after some calculations, it seems that, after his living expenses, he doesn’t save much."
The tea was now warm. Yu Ying flipped open two cups, slowly pouring the tea. She pondered, "I think I should bear this expense. After all, I didn’t provide Song Sanlang with a basic salary before..." realizing Fu Wei might not understand, she rephrased, "Which means just the bare minimum wage, for selling the goods. But the profit is very minimal."
Saying this, she set down the teapot and picked up a cup to drink.
Fu Wei thought for a moment and analyzed, "It should be covered. After all, Song Sanlang must stay in the provincial capital. His role isn't just to sell the face cream, but to keep an eye on the business there. Even if the girl sells a lot of face cream, she’s not someone you trust."
Yu Ying agreed, "Moreover, if it weren’t for him hiring that girl, the business wouldn’t have been so good."
Continuing, Yu Ying added, "Song Sanlang told me he sold over a hundred jars of face cream. I originally thought it would be around eighty at most. I didn’t expect it to exceed that by so much."
Fu Wei was surprised by the number as well.
Although the profit was only a few taels of silver, it was still a significant amount for a small stall to earn in just over a month.
"I’ll talk to Song Sanlang about it today. But knowing his nature, he won't easily accept it. I need to think carefully about how to arrange this."
Seeing her deep in thought, Fu Wei rested his hand on the table and propped his chin, quietly watching her concentrated expression.
Yu Ying, absorbed in her thoughts, noticed him staring and quickly covered his eyes with her hand, "Don’t stare at me like that. Be more reserved."
Fu Wei's lips curled into a slight smile, "Alright, I won't look."
Yu Ying removed her hand and gave him a light glare.
At that moment, a servant knocked on the door, announcing, "Master, Madam, lunch is ready."
Yu Ying looked towards the door, and after Fu Wei settled in his wheelchair, she got up to open it.
She took the meal brought by the servant, placed it on the table, and then turned to close the door.
Although staying at the inn did not cost money, the meals were paid for out of County Magistrate Zhou’s own pocket.
The meal consisted of one meat dish and two vegetarian ones, quite a decent spread.
After lunch, Yu Ying and Fu Wei took a midday rest.
Once in bed, Fu Wei took Yu Ying’s hand and gently held it in his.
Since the night they acknowledged their feelings for each other, Fu Wei had enjoyed falling asleep holding her hand.
Although it was a bit shy for her, Yu Ying decided to indulge him, as it was not too much to ask.
After their nap, while Fu Wei went to see the county magistrate again, Yu Ying took the two jars of face cream to visit the county magistrate’s wife.
The county magistrate's wife, having just finished her midday rest, was preparing to take her two children out for a walk, but she postponed her departure when Mrs. Fu came to see her.
Yu Ying presented the two jars of face cream to the county magistrate's wife.
The county magistrate's wife examined the jars for a moment.
The porcelain jars looked exquisite, not like something one would find at a small street vendor’s stall.
Opening one jar, she observed the face cream's translucent orange-yellow color, which looked quite attractive.
She scooped out a little and spread it around her wrists, then lifted her hand to smell it, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
The fragrance was fresh and pleasant.
The county magistrate's wife looked up at the young woman before her and generously praised, "It seems Mrs. Fu has put a lot of effort into this face cream. Its quality compares favorably with those sold in shops, not inferior in the slightest."
Yu Ying modestly responded, "There are still some differences."
The county magistrate's wife shook her head, "The best-selling face cream in Yu County's shops probably can't match up to Mrs. Fu's."
Yu Ying smiled lightly, looking down.
Her face cream formula was an improved version of an ancient recipe, naturally making it more effective than common ones.
In this era of limited knowledge, most effective medical formulas came from well-known medical families and were closely guarded secrets. This gave Yu Ying, who had studied medicine for over a decade, a means to make a living.
"If this face cream proves effective, when I return to Yu County, I will help you attract some business," the county magistrate's wife offered.
Yu Ying quickly thanked her, "I am grateful for your high regard for my small business."
The county magistrate's wife put down the jar, "Although it's a small business, the product is good. Mrs. Fu needn't worry about not being able to sell it. You might even grow wealthy from this face cream."
Yu Ying responded with a smile, "Then I'll take it as a good omen from you."
As the county magistrate's wife had plans to go out, she didn't keep Yu Ying for long. After a short while, Yu Ying left the magistrate's courtyard.
When it was about time, Yu Ying left again to meet Song Sanlang at the inn as arranged.
Arriving at the inn's lobby and finding Song Sanlang not yet there, Yu Ying ordered a pot of tea and two snacks.
After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Song Sanlang finally arrived, a bit late.
He entered carrying a bamboo basket.
The basket was wrapped in cloth, obscuring its contents, but when placed on the table, it gave a slight thud, indicating something heavy inside.
Yu Ying immediately realized that the basket must be filled with copper coins.
Surprised, she asked, "Why bring it today? Wasn’t it supposed to be delivered tomorrow?"
Song Sanlang smiled, "Since Mrs. Fu arranged to meet today, I went back to fetch everything."
He glanced at the basket and continued, "Our stall has gained some reputation. Many people come specifically for our Ruyu Fang brand. Coupled with Miss Su’s eloquence, we sold fifty-eight jars of the fifty-wen face cream and eighty-seven jars of the thirty-five-wen one."
Lowering his voice, Song Sanlang added, "Some haggled for a wen or two, so it's a few dozen wen less. In total, there are 5,905 wen in this basket."
Although costs hadn't been deducted yet, the figure of over five thousand wen pleasantly surprised Yu Ying.
She regained her composure and said, "Let me do the accounts tonight, and I’ll bring your share tomorrow."
Song Sanlang replied nonchalantly, "No rush for mine."
Yu Ying smiled, then thoughtfully said, "Since you’ve helped me earn so much, I should pay Miss Su’s wages from my end."
Song Sanlang quickly objected, "That won't do, that won't do. She was hired by me; how can I let Mrs. Fu pay for it?!"
Yu Ying calmly responded, "Don't worry, Song, just hear me out first."
Chapter 84
The next day dawned clear and much warmer compared to the previous two.
Early in the morning, after breakfast, Fu Wei hurriedly left with County Magistrate Zhou for the Governor’s Mansion.
After a quick wash, Yu Ying reapplied the “freckles” on her face using the bronze mirror in her room.
Once ready, she set out to find Song Sanlang.
Yu Ying ran into the wives of the county magistrates just as she was leaving the courtyard.
The wives of the county magistrates were walking in the yard with their children and Mrs. Qian.
Upon seeing Yu Ying, Mrs. Qian subtly frowned.
Yu Ying paused and then respectfully greeted the county magistrate's wife, who asked her, "Are you going out, Mrs. Fu?"
Yu Ying replied, "Yes, I have some errands to run."
"It might be unsafe for Mrs. Fu to go out alone. Shall I send someone to accompany you?" the county magistrate's wife offered with concern.
Yu Ying smiled and responded, "I spent about half a month in the provincial capital over a month ago, so I’m somewhat familiar with the place."
The county magistrate's wife, recalling when Fu Wei joined the yamen, expressed surprise, "Did you come here alone?"
"Not exactly. I initially came with my brother-in-law and his wife, along with some acquaintances from our village. Later, I set up a small stall here to do some business. The acquaintances stayed to continue their trade. Since I'm here, I thought I’d pay a visit," Yu Ying explained.
Mrs. Qian's eyes revealed a hint of disdain upon hearing about the stall.
In contrast to Mrs. Qian's reaction, the county magistrate's wife was curiously inquired, "What kind of business do you run, Mrs. Fu?"
Yu Ying answered, "I know a bit about herbs, so I make my own face creams. If you don’t mind, I can bring some for you to try when I return today."
The county magistrate's wife warmly smiled, "A woman who knows herbs and can make face creams is rare. Why would I mind?"
Mrs. Qian looked somewhat displeased upon hearing the county magistrate's wife's praise.
After a few more words, the county magistrate's wife excused herself to let Yu Ying continue with her errands.
As Yu Ying left, Mrs. Qian remarked, "Knowing herbs and making face creams is a skill, but setting up a stall in public still lacks refinement. Mrs. Fu really embarrasses Mr. Fu."
The smile on the county magistrate's wife's face faded slightly, and she said gently, "I don’t see it that way. After all, every great river starts as a small stream. Today it’s just a small stall, but who knows if Mrs. Fu might turn it into a shop in the future?"
Mrs. Qian laughed lightly, "If Mrs. Fu does open a shop, I’ll be sure to send her a grand gift."
The county magistrate's wife smiled, "I’ll remember that for Mrs. Fu."
Due to the recent cold weather, there were fewer people on the streets than when Yu Ying visited the provincial capital over a month ago. Still, it was much busier than Yu County.
The bustling market was filled with the shouts of vendors hawking their wares, creating a lively atmosphere.
Yu Ying noticed that many stalls looked different from before.
The previous stalls were set up for convenience, but now almost all had signs, and low stalls were gradually being replaced by taller ones.
It seemed that the vendors were starting to put more thought into their stalls.
Yu Ying sighed softly, relying on her memory to find the place where she used to set up her stall.
Seeing the familiar sign, her stall, which used to stand out, now appeared less remarkable amidst the similarly styled ones around it.
Yu Ying frowned slightly, but seeing a few people gathered around her stall, she breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that business was still going well.
As Yu Ying happily approached, she realized that the person at her stall wasn't Song Sanlang, but a girl around sixteen or seventeen years old.
The girl, seeing her, eagerly greeted, “Madam, are you looking for face cream? Not to boast, but our Ruyu Fang's face creams, made from various herbs, are more effective than the usual ones.”
Yu Ying, looking at the unfamiliar face, inquired, “I remember a man surnamed Song running this stall. Why has it changed hands?”
The young girl, surprised by the question, then turned her head to look towards the end of the street.
Following her gaze, Yu Ying saw a man eating noodles at a stall not far away - it was indeed Song Sanlang.
Song Sanlang, who was eating, looked up towards the stall, and upon seeing Yu Ying, showed a look of astonishment. He quickly finished his noodles and hurried back.
Arriving at the stall, Song Sanlang exclaimed in surprise, “Mrs. Fu, what brings you here?”
Yu Ying responded, “My brother-in-law had business in the provincial capital, so I came along.”
After speaking, she glanced at the girl at the stall and then back at Song Sanlang, asking, “What’s going on?”
Seeing the two knew each other, the young girl also looked surprised and asked Song Sanlang, “Shopkeeper Song, who is this lady?”
Song Sanlang quickly explained, "This is my employer."
The young girl looked surprised upon hearing this.
Song Sanlang said to her, "You keep busy."
Then, turning to Yu Ying, "Mrs. Fu, may I have a word with you in private?"
Yu Ying followed him to the side of the street, where Song Sanlang began to explain.
It turned out that after they left the provincial capital, business at the stall dwindled day by day. Song Sanlang thought it might be because his intimidating appearance deterred customers.
Furthermore, since the business mainly catered to women, he considered hiring a woman to run the stall for a few days to see if it made a difference.
In the alley where he lived, he fortuitously met this eloquent young girl, and after some negotiation, they agreed on her managing the stall for a daily wage of seven wen.
Miss Su agreed to a trial period.
The result was unexpectedly positive.
Consequently, Song Sanlang had her manage the stall while he stayed nearby to prevent any disturbances.
Upon hearing this, Yu Ying calculated the finances.
If Song Sanlang was paying the girl out of his own earnings, then they would need to sell three jars of the better-quality face cream daily to cover his monthly expenses in the provincial capital.
Realizing this, Yu Ying's expression grew serious, "So how is the business doing?"
Song Sanlang replied, "Miss Su has a way with words. In the past forty-odd days, over thirty-two days of operating the stall, we’ve sold over a hundred jars of face cream. I’ll bring the earnings to you tomorrow."
Yu Ying hadn't expected the business to be quite successful and responded, "There’s no rush."
She glanced at the stall, watching the girl enthusiastically engage with customers, and after a moment’s thought, suggested, "I think we could employ her long-term."
As she spoke, Yu Ying looked at the bustling street and added, "This isn’t the best place for a detailed discussion. Let’s talk more after closing the stall, at the inn we stayed at before."
Song Sanlang looked towards the stall and agreed, "Alright."
Yu Ying took two jars of the more expensive face cream from the stall and then returned to the inn.
By the time she got back to the inn, it was already noon.
Just as she entered her room, Fu Wei returned.
Yu Ying lit the stove to heat some tea and asked him, "How was your meeting with the Governor of the provincial capital today?"
Fu Wei stood up from his wheelchair, shaking his head with a hint of helplessness, "There's a song and dance feast arranged for tonight. He doesn’t seem like someone capable of great things."
It was supposed to be a meeting to report on the conditions of each county, but starting with a grand feast on the first day suggested he was not the kind of person to accomplish significant things.
"Are you going to attend?" she asked.
"I have to go."
Fu Wei recalled how earlier that day, while accompanying County Magistrate Zhou to the Governor's Mansion, he had waited outside. Due to his conspicuous wheelchair, the Governor noticed him immediately upon leaving the building.
The Governor's gaze held a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Clearly, this look was tinged with condescension.
If Fu Wei had truly been disabled, he might have had to swallow the insult and put on a forced smile.
However, being able-bodied, Fu Wei responded to the Governor's unusual gaze with a calm bow.
Perhaps the Governor thought Fu Wei could add to the merriment, so he specially instructed him to attend as well.
Fu Wei didn't share these details with Yu Ying. Instead, he asked her, "Did you manage to find Song Sanlang today?"
Yu Ying nodded, "Yes, I did. He has hired a girl to manage the stall, paying her seven wen a day. But after some calculations, it seems that, after his living expenses, he doesn’t save much."
The tea was now warm. Yu Ying flipped open two cups, slowly pouring the tea. She pondered, "I think I should bear this expense. After all, I didn’t provide Song Sanlang with a basic salary before..." realizing Fu Wei might not understand, she rephrased, "Which means just the bare minimum wage, for selling the goods. But the profit is very minimal."
Saying this, she set down the teapot and picked up a cup to drink.
Fu Wei thought for a moment and analyzed, "It should be covered. After all, Song Sanlang must stay in the provincial capital. His role isn't just to sell the face cream, but to keep an eye on the business there. Even if the girl sells a lot of face cream, she’s not someone you trust."
Yu Ying agreed, "Moreover, if it weren’t for him hiring that girl, the business wouldn’t have been so good."
Continuing, Yu Ying added, "Song Sanlang told me he sold over a hundred jars of face cream. I originally thought it would be around eighty at most. I didn’t expect it to exceed that by so much."
Fu Wei was surprised by the number as well.
Although the profit was only a few taels of silver, it was still a significant amount for a small stall to earn in just over a month.
"I’ll talk to Song Sanlang about it today. But knowing his nature, he won't easily accept it. I need to think carefully about how to arrange this."
Seeing her deep in thought, Fu Wei rested his hand on the table and propped his chin, quietly watching her concentrated expression.
Yu Ying, absorbed in her thoughts, noticed him staring and quickly covered his eyes with her hand, "Don’t stare at me like that. Be more reserved."
Fu Wei's lips curled into a slight smile, "Alright, I won't look."
Yu Ying removed her hand and gave him a light glare.
At that moment, a servant knocked on the door, announcing, "Master, Madam, lunch is ready."
Yu Ying looked towards the door, and after Fu Wei settled in his wheelchair, she got up to open it.
She took the meal brought by the servant, placed it on the table, and then turned to close the door.
Although staying at the inn did not cost money, the meals were paid for out of County Magistrate Zhou’s own pocket.
The meal consisted of one meat dish and two vegetarian ones, quite a decent spread.
After lunch, Yu Ying and Fu Wei took a midday rest.
Once in bed, Fu Wei took Yu Ying’s hand and gently held it in his.
Since the night they acknowledged their feelings for each other, Fu Wei had enjoyed falling asleep holding her hand.
Although it was a bit shy for her, Yu Ying decided to indulge him, as it was not too much to ask.
After their nap, while Fu Wei went to see the county magistrate again, Yu Ying took the two jars of face cream to visit the county magistrate’s wife.
The county magistrate's wife, having just finished her midday rest, was preparing to take her two children out for a walk, but she postponed her departure when Mrs. Fu came to see her.
Yu Ying presented the two jars of face cream to the county magistrate's wife.
The county magistrate's wife examined the jars for a moment.
The porcelain jars looked exquisite, not like something one would find at a small street vendor’s stall.
Opening one jar, she observed the face cream's translucent orange-yellow color, which looked quite attractive.
She scooped out a little and spread it around her wrists, then lifted her hand to smell it, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
The fragrance was fresh and pleasant.
The county magistrate's wife looked up at the young woman before her and generously praised, "It seems Mrs. Fu has put a lot of effort into this face cream. Its quality compares favorably with those sold in shops, not inferior in the slightest."
Yu Ying modestly responded, "There are still some differences."
The county magistrate's wife shook her head, "The best-selling face cream in Yu County's shops probably can't match up to Mrs. Fu's."
Yu Ying smiled lightly, looking down.
Her face cream formula was an improved version of an ancient recipe, naturally making it more effective than common ones.
In this era of limited knowledge, most effective medical formulas came from well-known medical families and were closely guarded secrets. This gave Yu Ying, who had studied medicine for over a decade, a means to make a living.
"If this face cream proves effective, when I return to Yu County, I will help you attract some business," the county magistrate's wife offered.
Yu Ying quickly thanked her, "I am grateful for your high regard for my small business."
The county magistrate's wife put down the jar, "Although it's a small business, the product is good. Mrs. Fu needn't worry about not being able to sell it. You might even grow wealthy from this face cream."
Yu Ying responded with a smile, "Then I'll take it as a good omen from you."
As the county magistrate's wife had plans to go out, she didn't keep Yu Ying for long. After a short while, Yu Ying left the magistrate's courtyard.
When it was about time, Yu Ying left again to meet Song Sanlang at the inn as arranged.
Arriving at the inn's lobby and finding Song Sanlang not yet there, Yu Ying ordered a pot of tea and two snacks.
After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Song Sanlang finally arrived, a bit late.
He entered carrying a bamboo basket.
The basket was wrapped in cloth, obscuring its contents, but when placed on the table, it gave a slight thud, indicating something heavy inside.
Yu Ying immediately realized that the basket must be filled with copper coins.
Surprised, she asked, "Why bring it today? Wasn’t it supposed to be delivered tomorrow?"
Song Sanlang smiled, "Since Mrs. Fu arranged to meet today, I went back to fetch everything."
He glanced at the basket and continued, "Our stall has gained some reputation. Many people come specifically for our Ruyu Fang brand. Coupled with Miss Su’s eloquence, we sold fifty-eight jars of the fifty-wen face cream and eighty-seven jars of the thirty-five-wen one."
Lowering his voice, Song Sanlang added, "Some haggled for a wen or two, so it's a few dozen wen less. In total, there are 5,905 wen in this basket."
Although costs hadn't been deducted yet, the figure of over five thousand wen pleasantly surprised Yu Ying.
She regained her composure and said, "Let me do the accounts tonight, and I’ll bring your share tomorrow."
Song Sanlang replied nonchalantly, "No rush for mine."
Yu Ying smiled, then thoughtfully said, "Since you’ve helped me earn so much, I should pay Miss Su’s wages from my end."
Song Sanlang quickly objected, "That won't do, that won't do. She was hired by me; how can I let Mrs. Fu pay for it?!"
Yu Ying calmly responded, "Don't worry, Song, just hear me out first."
