“I thought you could hold out longer.”
Tang Xiao Bei chuckled inwardly, but kept the previous smile on her face and replied faintly: “Five taels of silver per piece!”
“What, five taels of silver?!” Mum Shen jumped up: “How is it so expensive?”
“Mum Shen, soap is made by my husband using precious materials like South Sea pearls, Western Region spices, and Tianshan snow lotus, refining day and night for three days and nights, is five taels per piece expensive?”
Tang Xiao Bei started bluffing again: “Besides, with soap, the girls won’t need to apply so much rouge and powder, in the end, you save a lot of money.”
This batch of soap was specially remade by Wan Niang at Tang Xiao Bei’s request, with Jin Feng’s help, different from the soap Jin Feng used in his previous life, the biggest difference being the extremely rich fragrance.
If in the previous life, too strong a fragrance on soap might make people think it inferior, but in Da Kang with backward material conditions, it was the opposite.
The rouge and powder on Da Kang’s market were also very poor quality in Jin Feng’s view, but the prices were not low, the Music Bureau’s monthly purchase of rouge and powder was a large expense.
Mum Shen smelled the soap Lu Liu brought back last night and was immediately attracted by the rich fragrance in the soap.
She came early this morning, also planning to buy soap and then buy less rouge and powder in the future.
Perhaps this is the gap brought by different eras, a very cheap bicycle in the previous life, if brought to Da Kang, could sell for sky-high prices.
By the same logic, bearings common everywhere in the previous life, Jin Feng had busied himself in Xihe Bay for so long and still couldn’t make them.
“Miss Xiao Bei, although I haven’t seen much of the world, I’ve lived for decades, not so easily fooled.”
Mum Shen was tempted but far from losing reason: “If soap is really made from precious materials like Western Region spices, five taels probably isn’t nearly enough?”
“Mum Shen truly has sharp eyes.” Tang Xiao Bei smiled upon hearing this, not refuting: “Of course soap isn’t entirely made from these precious materials, there are other ingredients inside.”
“What else?” Mum Shen asked curiously.
“Sorry, that’s husband’s secret, I don’t know either.”
Tang Xiao Bei shook her head.
Joking, if she told her soap is made from pig fat and plant ash, how could she continue to deceive… make money?
“Miss Xiao Bei, five taels is really too high.” Mum Shen said with difficulty: “If I buy more, can it be cheaper?”
“Mum Shen, one piece of soap can last months, just a few dozen cash per day, the girls can easily earn multiples back for you.” Tang Xiao Bei continued bluffing.
For common folk, dozens of cash might be a considerable sum, enough to buy grain to feed the family for a long time, but the Music Bureau is the best brothel in the county town, dealing with the rich, casually listening to a girl sing a tune costs several taels.
Tang Xiao Bei had considered repeatedly before setting this price.
The Music Bureau could definitely afford it, and she could maximise soap’s profits.
Amortisation is a trick commonly used by previous life e-commerce, an item originally thousands of yuan, but the system tells you how long it lasts, then amortised daily to just one or two yuan, or just a few jiao.
This way, doesn’t it seem very cheap?
Many people are moved by such prompts and buy in instalments.
Perhaps this is human weakness, Mum Shen couldn’t escape it either, hearing Tang Xiao Bei say this, she was indeed tempted.
But still unwilling: “Miss Xiao Bei, we’ll deal long-term, give me a discount.”
Then, leaning to Tang Xiao Bei’s ear, whispered: “As long as you discount, I’ll give you two maids!”
“No need.”
Tang Xiao Bei shook her head without hesitation.
Jin Feng had just bought hundreds of girls and children from the tooth market, what kind of maids couldn’t he have?
Moreover, Tang Xiao Bei could see Jin Feng disliked enslaving others, the only Run Niang at home was like family, not a maid.
Knowing Jin Feng disliked it, Tang Xiao Bei would have to be mad to accept maids.
“Don’t shake your head yet,” Mum Shen blinked and said: “The maids I give are different from ordinary, all carefully trained by me, top-notch in bedchamber arts, with them helping, guaranteed Mr Jin goes to your room every night, can’t leave you.”
“Sorry Mum Shen, soap’s cost is already high, really can’t go lower.”
Tang Xiao Bei shook her head with a face full of black lines.
“This…”
Seeing Tang Xiao Bei unmoved, Mum Shen sighed, gritted her teeth: “Five taels it is, I accept, but the girls must promise me one condition.”
“Please speak, Mum Shen.”
“Soap can only sell to my Music Bureau, not to others!”
“Mum Shen is joking, impossible!”
Tang Xiao Bei shook her head without hesitation.
“Then I won’t buy.” Mum Shen threatened.
Then stared dead at Tang Xiao Bei’s face.
Unfortunately, Tang Xiao Bei’s face showed no panic, still with a faint smile: “I’m not a robber, can’t force buy or sell? Buy or not is Mum’s freedom.”
At this, Tang Xiao Bei slightly raised her head, proudly: “Besides, soap is made by husband for our own sisters, never thought of selling outside, extras given to my sisters in Chunfeng Tower, only yesterday Miss Lu Liu inquired, Xiao Bei then had the idea to sell some.
Husband has noble character, but home not very affluent, Xiao Bei, thinking of husband’s kindness, presumptuously decided to sell some thick-skinnedly, see if can subsidise household, succeed great, fail then so be it.
In any case, with husband’s ability, won’t let Xiao Bei go hungry.”
In feudal times, merchants’ status was extremely low, no matter how rich useless.
Da Kang no exception, scholars all self-important, unless really couldn’t survive, no one willing to be merchant.
Hearing this, Mum Shen’s face fell.
If everyone didn’t use soap, Music Bureau still big sister of Fengyue Workshop.
But now Chunfeng Tower has soap, young masters all go there, if she doesn’t act, Chunfeng Tower surpasses Music Bureau.
Mum Shen sighed, resigned.
“Miss Xiao Bei, how much soap do you have here?”
If not much, Mum Shen planned to buy all, cut off other brothels’ paths.
“Not much this time, only three hundred pieces.” Tang Xiao Bei smiled and replied.
Immediately shattering Mum Shen’s little scheme.
