“I have already sent the men. The city gates were still open that afternoon. Two men, six horses, rushing back at top speed.”
Han Feng replied, then sighed. “If we had known the new soap would sell so well, we should have left the old ones behind and brought only new stock.”
Even Jin Feng and Tang Xiaobei had not foreseen that, thanks to Chen Ji’s praise, the new soap would explode in popularity. So when they left, Iron Hammer’s group brought over a dozen carts, mostly old stock.
Now only a few dozen old bars had sold. The rest sat unsold.
“That is what I wanted to discuss,” Luo Lan said. “We hauled soap all the way to the capital. New or old, we must sell it all.”
“But no one buys. We cannot force them,” Iron Hammer asked.
“Of course not,” Luo Lan shook her head. “Have you two not noticed? The capital’s brothels have not bought any soap.”
“Right, the brothels!” Iron Hammer’s eyes lit up.
In Guangyuan, the frenzy among women had passed. Apart from daily use, few rushed to buy. But brothels became major buyers, bringing the chamber steady silver each month.
“The capital brothels do not buy because they do not yet know how to use soap,” Luo Lan looked at Iron Hammer, covering her mouth with a smile. “This task falls to you two brothers.”
“Sister Luo Lan, why stare at me? I am an upright man. I never visit brothels. I do not know how soap is used there.” Iron Hammer denied quickly.
“Go on, keep talking,” Han Feng said, eyes narrowed. “I love watching you lie with a straight face.”
“Who is lying? When did you ever see me in a brothel?” Iron Hammer stuck to his guns.
“Oh, I wonder if Miss Liu’er or Miss Narcissus would be heartbroken to hear that.”
Han Feng sighed. “Right, and Miss Sparrow, Miss Xiaquan…”
“You old Han, you spied on me?!”
Iron Hammer glared. “The master and Brother Liang gave you Jingming for intelligence, not to tail your own people!”
“You think too much. With your little schemes, do I need spies? One drink and you spill everything.”
Han Feng smirked. “Now everyone in Xihe Bay knows your Guangyuan escapades. Even three-year-olds know you visited four brothels in one night.”
“Enough, Old Han. Miss Luo Lan is here.”
Iron Hammer’s thick skin finally faltered. His dark face flushed red.
“Tch, why do you think Miss Luo Lan picked you?” Han Feng asked sideways.
Luo Lan laughed behind her hand. “Brother Iron Hammer, we do need your help.
If successful, I will ask the master for credit. All expenses reimbursed.”
“Iron Hammer, what a chance. I am tempted,” Han Feng teased.
“You two are too much!”
Iron Hammer’s beard quivered with anger. He pointed at Luo Lan. “Sister, reimbursement is real?”
Pfft!
Han Feng spat his tea. “Old Iron, you are really going?”
“Sister Luo Lan is right. We hauled soap from Jinchuan. It must sell. For the master, I will sacrifice.”
Iron Hammer declared righteously.
“Old Iron, I never knew your face was this thick. Impressive!”
Han Feng gave a thumbs up.
“As long as Brother Iron Hammer spreads soap’s fame in the brothels, expenses are covered,” Luo Lan nodded, smiling.
“Trust me, Sister. Five days at most, task complete!”
Iron Hammer thumped his chest.
“Brother Han, jokes aside, help Brother Iron Hammer promote,” Luo Lan said.
“Understood.”
On serious matters, Han Feng’s face turned grave.
That night, Iron Hammer, bearing the heavy duty, set off with men on his brothel campaign.
To finish quickly, he gave his all. He broke his own record that night. By morning, his legs shook.
Thanks to Iron Hammer’s tireless efforts and Han Feng’s hype, the soap craze that swept Guangyuan brothels repeated in the capital.
Capital brothels were far wealthier and sharper.
In days, all stockpiled old soap sold out to them.
Brothels that missed out regretted deeply, sending people to camp at the chamber door daily.
Other shops had customers picking through goods. Only Jinchuan Chamber had customers waiting for stock.
Neighbouring shopkeepers turned green with envy, but they knew no soap recipe. Envy was useless.
“Miss Luo Lan, old soap is gone. We open daily. We cannot sell nothing,” Han Feng said, wincing at the maids and scholars outside.
“We underestimated the capital’s demand,” Luo Lan admitted helplessly. “Black knives could have held us longer, but Ninth Princess took them all.”
The Ninth Princess, daughter of Chen Ji and Consort Qing, ranked ninth among princesses. Eighteen years old, long past marriageable age in feudal times, yet Chen Ji doted on her and kept her unmarried in the palace.
Perhaps inheriting the Qing family’s martial blood, she loved military and state affairs.
Other princes and princesses feared Chen Ji’s scholarly tests, but she revelled in them. She often sat by as he reviewed memorials, serving tea, grinding ink.
Likely why he favoured her.
Ninth Princess leaned hawkish. She once admired cousin Qing Huai most. After Qingshui Valley, she turned to Jin Feng.
The more she learned, the greater her curiosity. But as princess, she could not run to Xihe Bay like Qing Mulang.
Hearing Iron Hammer’s arrival, she rushed to the Qing home, eager to see the soap and black knives Qing Mulang praised.
She fell for the black knives instantly.
All knives, cases included, went with her…
“I thought Miss Mulang was fierce enough. Her cousin is worse.”
Iron Hammer slumped in his chair, drained. “What does a girl need so many black knives for? No payment. Just robbery using status?”
As he spoke, a woman in lavish robes entered slowly.
She said nothing, only stared coldly at Iron Hammer with bright eyes.
Iron Hammer froze, leaping from his seat.
“This humble one greets Ninth Princess!”
