Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 053

Chapter 53: Profit

It costed fifty taels of silver to order the cheapest Shu brocade clothes in Shuiyun Studio. After deducting the labor and material costs, the profit can be about thirty taels.

To put it in perspective, two taels of silver could buy a maid, and the annual expenses of an ordinary farmer were only two taels of silver. The profit of thirty taels was very considerable.

An Zhi checked the account books. Business was slow in the early part of last month, with only one order every two days. By the end of the month, she had six or seven orders every day. This meant her profit for the previous month had reached two thousand taels of silver. With a 70% cut, she could pocket fourteen hundred taels of silver, more than her other four or five shops combined.

“Miss, you are smiling so happily. Did you make a lot of money?” Binglu could read, but she couldn’t read the account books. Besides, she would not take the initiative to look at her young lady’s account books.

“Yes, now I know that making a fortune every day is not just an exaggeration, but it is really possible.” An Zhi stroked the account book happily.

But she also knew that she couldn’t always make that much money, because the production of Shu brocade was limited. At the current sales rate, the Shu brocade in her warehouse would only be enough for three months. So she planned to sell 70% of the Shu brocade first, leaving 30% to sell slowly, and then sell it again when the Shu brocade supply was available next year.

Thinking of this, An Zhi suddenly froze.

This year’s Shu brocade was obtained for her by Pei Que, but what about next year? She didn’t know any Bashu merchant, so how could she get the goods?

Thinking of this, An Zhi became worried again.

If she snatched something from Pei Que, she would probably have to pay for it herself.

So no, she needed to expand her business into other brocades.

“Binglu, go downstairs and tell Sister Zhang to come upstairs and talk to me when she’s not busy.” An Zhi took the fan and shook the jade disc lightly. A gentle breeze blew towards her, bringing a cool feeling.

“Okay, Miss.” Bing went out of the private room and delivered the message for her young lady.

As she walked down the stairs, she saw Lin Shuyao there and quickly turned around to hide in the corner of the stairs. Although she was dressed as a man, anyone familiar with her could still recognize her.

Hearing that Lin Shuyao was also here to order clothes, Binglu went back upstairs and told An Zhi about it.

“Fusheng,” An Zhi called out, “Go and call up any embroiderer and tell her I have something to tell her.”

Fusheng was a man, and usually An Zhi would not bring him to banquets, so Lin Shuyao and the other wives did not know Fusheng. Even if they had met him, it would take more than a few times for them to know that Fusheng was An Zhi’s person.

“Miss, if I had to say it, we shouldn’t sell these clothes to Young Lady Lin.” Binglu was quite indignant. Thinking of how Lin Shuyao had spread bad things about her young lady behind her back several times, she wanted to rush down to find Lin Shuyao to argue with her.

An Zhi smiled and said, “We are doing business, there is no reason to kick customers out. She may be annoying, but since she is here, she is a customer.”

As soon as An Zhi finished speaking, she saw the embroiderer named Yuan come in. She ordered, “A Young Lady Lin just came in. She’s the most wealthy person. Give her your best and squeeze as much money as you can out of her.”

The shop was located on the street. If you chased away a customer at will, it would affect the reputation of the entire shop. It was better to take the opportunity to make more money.

After explaining this matter, An Zhi stretched. She hadn’t been out for a long time, and today was a rare opportunity, so she planned to take Binglu to Chunfeng Tower for a meal.

After coming out of the back door of Shuiyun Studio, An Zhi asked the driver to go to Chunfeng Tower. She missed the lotus root powder, osmanthus cake, and shrimp tofu there.

She was very familiar with Chunfeng Tower. She asked for a private room, ordered five or six dishes, and then leaned on the railing to watch the acrobatics below.

Chunfeng Tower had three floors with a patio in the middle and a stage. When it didn’t rain, jugglers and storytellers would come to make a living.

Right now, in the courtyard, someone was performing a stone-breaking performance. Binglu was afraid and didn’t dare watch, so she stood far away. Fusheng, on the other hand, stretched his head, and An Zhi was also watching with great interest.

Seeing the stone was really smashed, An Zhi exclaimed and asked Fusheng, “Fusheng, don’t you think that person would feel any pain? Such a thick stone falling on him, let alone smashing him, would have crushed him to death.”

Fusheng didn’t say much. He retracted his head and guessed, “It must hurt, but there’s nothing we can do.” Because he had to support his family, he couldn’t cry out even if it hurt.

The stone-breaking performance downstairs was over and An Zhi’s dishes were served.

She invited Binglu and Fusheng to eat together. “I’m outside the mansion now, no one knows me, so there’s no need to be so formal.”

Binglu was already used to this. After setting the table for An Zhi, she sat down next to her. However, Fusheng refused to move and kept looking at the ground with his head down.

An Zhi winked at Binglu, and Binglu pulled Fusheng over. “Our young lady is kind and generous. She’s happy today, so don’t be so stiff-faced. You’re so young, and you have no expression all day. Do you want to be a monk when you grow up?”

As she spoke, Binglu picked up a piece of shrimp with chopsticks and fed it into Fusheng’s mouth.

An Zhi picked up a piece of lotus root powder and osmanthus cake for herself. It was sweet but not greasy, smooth and soft. She licked her lips with satisfaction. Just as she picked up the second piece, the door of the private room was pushed open.

“I knew I was right. I’m hungry too. Can we eat together?” Pei Que came in with a smile, followed by Shunzi. Although he asked in a questioning tone, he stopped in front of An Zhi and found a chair to sit down on.

When An Zhi saw Pei Que, she paused with her chopsticks, and the lotus root powder and osmanthus cake broke into two pieces. Binglu and Fusheng immediately stood up and stepped aside.

“Is there something wrong, Fourth Master Pei?” An Zhi wanted to say no directly, but thinking of the agreement between her and Pei Que, she changed the subject to ask, hoping that Pei Que would be sensible and leave on his own.

But Pei Que was as shameless as ever. After sitting opposite An Zhi, he turned around and instructed Shunzi, “Ask the waiter to bring another set of bowls and chopsticks. Also, take them to the next door and get another table. Just order whatever you want. Master An… and I will stay for a while.” He deliberately raised the ending tone of the last sentence. When he saw An Zhi’s shyness, his eyes flashed slightly, and his chest softened.

“Okay.” Shunzi was so happy about his master’s generosity that he couldn’t stop smiling. He waved to Binglu and Fusheng, “Sister Binglu, Brother Fusheng, shall we go?”

Binglu looked at An Zhi hesitantly. As long as her young lady didn’t let her go, she would definitely not leave.

An Zhi received Binglu’s inquiring gaze, and seeing Pei Que opposite her smiling at her, she nodded to Binglu tactfully.

When only An Zhi and Pei Que were left in the private room, An Zhi told him about Shuiyun Studio making money. “Fourth Master Pei, how about the money for the Shu brocade? Should I pay you monthly, or wait until the last time?”

She spoke carefully. After all, Pei Que was notoriously bad-tempered. If she made him angry, it would be bad. In addition, after the last time she made a one-year agreement with Pei Que, An Zhi always felt a strange feeling when she saw him.

Pei Que hadn’t planned on asking An Zhi for money from the beginning. Seeing that An Zhi wanted to settle accounts with him, he knew that this was An Zhi’s plan to distance herself from him after a year. He picked up some food for An Zhi with chopsticks and replied, “I don’t need your money. Whether it’s Shu brocade or anything else, it’s all my betrothal gift. Even if you don’t want to marry me after a year, I won’t ask you to pay it back. But if you are willing to marry me, in the future, let alone the Shu brocade business, I can help you with anything you want to do.”

An Zhi looked at the crispy meat that Pei Que had just placed in her bowl, and her cheeks couldn’t help but heat up. “Fourth Master Pei, I think… brothers should settle accounts clearly. What should be settled should be settled clearly.”

“You said we’ll settle accounts only when we’re brothers.” Pei Que put down his chopsticks, raised his eyebrows slightly, and smiled, “I don’t want to be brothers with you.”