The already bustling entrance became even more crowded. Those who had a little extra money at home lined up to become VIPs. After all, the green ointment was expensive, 5 liang of silver couldn't even buy two boxes.
Zou the manager saw the opportune moment had arrived, so he had the tables at the entrance moved aside to reveal the door draped with a red ribbon. There were three red knotted flowers on the cloth bag, dazzling people's eyes.
"What's this for?"
"Since it's a new store opening, we prepared a ribbon cutting ceremony for good fortune," Zou the manager quickly explained. "Madam county magistrate, may I ask you to help cut the ribbon?"
"Ribbon cutting? This is my first time hearing about this. Was this also Li Yao's idea?"
"Yes, exactly."
"She really is a smart woman, an ordinary person couldn't think of so many good ideas," the county magistrate's wife was very generous with her praise of Li Yao, "But since this is your store, it's not very appropriate for me to cut the ribbon alone. Why don't we ask Li Yao to come out and have the two of us cut it together."
"Alright, she should be arriving soon."
Just then, Li Yao arrived with her family members in an ox cart driven by the robust Dazhuang.
Li Yao wore new clothes today, with her sleek hair tied at the back. As a widow, she couldn't wear anything too ostentatious. She also didn't wear any flowers or kingfisher feathers. Her whole outfit was simple.
Far less glamorous than those madame's and young ladies, but it gave her a completely different kind of unrestrained temperament. Although petite and delicate, with charming features, her brows and eyes contained a heroic spirit, which was very unexpected.
Many people already knew about her, but it was still the first time seeing her, and they whispered to each other.
"So this is Li Yao? You can tell just by looking she's no ordinary person."
"To use the words of us scholars, this is called transcendent and extraordinary, akin to a fairy."
"But I heard she was a shrew?"
"How could a widow not be a bit fierce, or she'd be bullied everywhere... Her temper doesn't matter much..."
...
Li Yao walked through the crowd and greeted the county magistrate's wife first.
The county magistrate's wife held her hand, the two of them like best friends for many years, "Li Yao is indeed graceful and dignified, a rare talent in our Baichuan County. We should get to know each other better in the future."
Li Yao sneered internally.
She really didn't know why the county magistrate's wife came to flatter her, and even told blatant lies with eyes wide open.
Graceful and dignified?
A talent?
She dared to guarantee she was neither, and didn't want to become that kind of person either. She just wanted to lazily lounge at home every day.
However, since this county magistrate's wife came uninvited and praised her like this in front of everyone, it was unlikely just a whim. Everyone knew officials and their wives had at least a hundred ulterior motives.
It seemed that after cutting the ribbon, she had better hurry home.
"The county magistrate's wife flatters me, I'm just an ordinary village woman, how could I have any talent?"
"Don't be so modest," the county magistrate's wife smiled, "It's getting late, everyone's waiting, why don't we start?"
Zou the manager announced loudly, "The Li's Specialty Shop in Huanwan is officially open for business!"
Dang dang dang -
Dong dong dong -
The street parade team had returned and immediately began beating gongs and drums. An old man in a red hat puffed up his cheeks fully and played a celebratory tune on a suona horn.
Li Yao and the county magistrate's wife took up the scissors at the same time and snipped the red ribbon at the door.
"Grand opening!"
"Welcome customers!"
Several assistants stood at the door, wearing uniform white tops, smiling at everyone, "Welcome!"
Seeing the crowd filing into the store, Li Yao lamented that if there were firecrackers going bang bang bang, that would be lively.
But there were no firecrackers in this era, only fireworks, so they would have to wait until later.
Although there was only one product, green ointment, the three assistants manning the counters were still busy beyond compare. Snowy white silver, strands of copper coins, clattered noisily into the money boxes.
The accountant to the side busily recorded the transactions, wishing he had two more hands.
The county magistrate's wife was true to her word, buying 20 boxes of green ointment in one go, a huge investment.
After Song the county magistrate was demoted to govern this poor place, he stuck here like mud, without any thought of returning to the capital city. So it was up to her as his wife to find ways to help him get ahead.
She hoped that sending these green ointments back to the capital would gain favor with the palace ladies.
After accompanying the county magistrate's wife for tea upstairs, Li Yao made the excuse of going to check on the sales situation to slip away.
But before she could sneak off, He Jiajing, the owner of He's Restaurant, arrived with Fan the manager and some servants.
"Li Yao, congratulations, grand opening!"
"Boss He, what brings you here personally?"
"How could I miss Li Yao's boutique grand opening?" He Jiajing laughed heartily, "It's just that you didn't let me know in advance, so I didn't prepare a gift. I brought some casual things, please don't look down on them."
As He Jiajing spoke, his servants brought up an exquisite small wooden box. Inside was an extremely refined set of porcelain.
With much experience, Zou the manager recognized at a glance the extraordinary nature of this porcelain set.
To be made so exquisitely, even if one was wealthy, it may not be obtainable. It belonged to the upper class that only high officials could enjoy.
He didn't know what connections He Jiajing used to obtain a set as a gift. His lavish generosity was impressive.
So he whispered to Li Yao, "This is Guanyun kiln porcelain."
He expected that hearing something so valuable, Li Yao would show at least some mild surprise. But he discovered that Li Yao's gaze just swept over the porcelain once, and didn't look at it again.
It was as if in her eyes, something so precious was no different than a bowl of stew.
This made him sigh internally that Li Yao was indeed Li Yao. Faced with such valuables she was actually able to remain expressionless and unperturbed, which made him feel utterly inferior.
Of course, in Li Yao's opinion, this set of porcelain was basically crudely made junk.
How could street stall goods excite her?
Absolutely impossible.
After entertaining Boss He and Fan the manager, Li Yao thought she could finally sneak away, but before reaching the door, another group came in carrying a large box.
"Li Yao, congratulations!"
Seeing the visitor's face, Li Yao frowned involuntarily.
Zhang Guangsheng?
How did this guy come too?
Compared to He Jiajing, Zhang Guangsheng's aura was even more powerful, exuding a local tycoon's air all over.
He casually waved his hand, and his servants immediately opened the large box.
"Wow - "
"At least 100 liang!"
"As expected of Boss Zhang, so generous!"
There were low exclamations of surprise from the crowd. Inside the box was actually a whole box of luxurious silk fabric, with a wooden tray on top neatly filled with shiny silver ingots!
Compared to the porcelain He Jiajing gifted earlier, this was even more eye-catching.
Nothing to be done about not recognizing value, just don't compare goods to goods.
Anyone with eyes could see Zhang Guangsheng's gift was much more valuable.
This made He Jiajing's expression very awkward, and his heart nervous.
If Li Yao accepted this gift, it meant she might also cooperate with Zhang Guangsheng. The stewed geese in the future, or any new dishes Li Yao created, might not be his He's Restaurant's exclusive anymore.
There was even the possibility that after the contract period ended, she could hand everything directly to Zhang Guangsheng.
After all, in Baichuan Market, Zhang Guangsheng had more money than him.
"Li Yao," Zhang Guangsheng's face was full of insincere smiles, "Just a small token, don't stand on ceremony and accept it with a laugh."
He thought that since he was smiling and had brought such a big gift in front of so many people, how could this village woman refuse?
How could she bear to refuse?