Chapter 245: The Ancient Garments Business Booms
Around eight o’clock, Jian Xingxia posted a job listing and summoned Ruan Xiang.
When Ruan Xiang saw the water ripple and churn, she was filled with pleasant surprise. The Manor Owner was calling for her!
The moment she raised her head, Shaoyin was already smiling and nodding at her. After saving each other from the brink of death and talking through the entire night, their relationship had grown remarkably close, to the point where they shared everything without reservation.
Ruan Xiang picked up the finished clothes, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Yinyin, it would be more fitting for you to go instead of me…”
Shaoyin smiled as she helped her pack her things. “Silly girl, it makes no difference which one of us goes.”
Ruan Xiang shook her head. “If you go, you can bring back more things.”
Both of them had visited the manor twice now, so they were well aware of the disparity in their wages.
However, they also knew the disparity in their working hours.
Shaoyin genuinely wanted Ruan Xiang to go to the manor. Although she had already redeemed Ruan Xiang’s deed of sale, it was a tragic reality that once a person sold themselves into slavery, they were no longer classified as a free citizen. Legally speaking, Ruan Xiang was now her servant.
Ruan Xiang had always possessed a proud and aloof disposition, and this change in status left her feeling unsettled remaining in the Dayong Dynasty.
There were currently over a dozen sisters staying in the courtyard. As they stitched the garments together yesterday, though a lingering anxiety about their unknown future remained, being free from Feiyue Pavilion and their families meant they weren’t suffering all that much. Instead, they found it liberating and comfortable.
This was especially true when Shaoyin brought the clothes back, announcing that a noble person had provided them with work and would offer rewards; everyone had been ecstatic.
Only Ruan Xiang, though she joined in the labor alongside them, remained averse to speaking, quietly immersing herself in the work.
It was completely different from her vibrant state at the manor.
Shaoyin understood perfectly why the Manor Owner would summon Ruan Xiang instead.
Shaoyin said to Ruan Xiang, “Ruan Xiang, you ought to understand me. The Manor Owner has already given us so many items. Once I bring them back and meticulously manage and calculate our expenses, it will be more than enough to sustain our daily lives.”
“The Manor Owner’s aid to us is like offering fuel in the dead of winter; our duty is to live our own lives well to truly make things flourish.”
Ruan Xiang froze for a moment, an epiphany dawning upon her. “Shaoyin, you’re right. The Manor Owner rescues us because of her benevolent heart, but we cannot rely on her forever…”
Shaoyin nodded with a smile. “Go on. The Manor Owner is calling for you, which means you can perform for the guests at the manor again. If I go, I can only stay for six hours and have to return in the afternoon, so I wouldn’t make it in time for the performance.”
Ruan Xiang saw the logic in her words. The clothes needed to be delivered early today, and tonight’s performance had to be taken care of, so she was indeed the more suitable choice.
Ruan Xiang’s expression remained crisp and lonely, yet a flicker of warmth surfaced in her eyes. “Thank you, Shaoyin.”
With that, before the other sisters could arrive, she leaped straight into the courtyard’s pond.
Butler Chen was sweeping the floor on the other side of the covered veranda. Out of the corner of his eye, he sensed something plunge into the pond with a loud thud. Startled, he promptly dropped his broom and ran toward the edge.
Shaoyin was also caught off guard, hurriedly following him over. “Butler Chen, what’s wrong?”
Old Chen rubbed his eyes, his gaze scanning the pond meticulously. Over the past two days, the previous tenants of the residence had moved out, and a group of industrious young women had moved in, long since clearing away the silt and withered lotus leaves until it was pristine.
Looking at the pond now, it was crystal clear all the way to the bottom, with only a few small fish darting to and fro.
The surface of the water was level with only faint ripples, showing no signs of a heavy object plunging inside.
Old Chen looked around, and amid his relief, a pang of sorrow hit him. “It’s nothing, nothing. Sigh, Young Miss, I am getting up there in years, and my eyesight is truly failing me more and more.”
To see things out of thin air in broad daylight was quite a depressing realization.
Shaoyin wanted to laugh but didn’t dare, forcing herself to maintain a thoughtful, sorrowful expression to comfort Old Chen. “Butler Chen, you watched me grow up. Now that we are about to enter a life of comfort, you don’t need to worry so much anymore. Just look forward to enjoying your blessings.”
Butler Chen looked at his young mistress, who was around the same age as his own granddaughter, letting out a bittersweet sigh.
This child simply didn’t comprehend how difficult it was to sustain a household. Their old debts had yet to be cleared, and now so many additional people had moved into the residence, yet the young miss declared they would no longer rent the rooms out to the public.
At this rate… they would likely have to pinch pennies even tighter!
Old Chen thought this way in his heart, yet facing his mistress, his expression remained as tender as if he were coaxing a child.
“Alright, then I shall wait to enjoy the blessings provided by the young miss.”
With that, he walked back to the other side to pick up his broom, resuming his sweeping of the courtyard.
Looking at Old Chen’s retreating figure, Shaoyin secretly made two absolute resolutions.
First, she must clear all their debts and show filial devotion to her wet nurse and Butler Chen.
Second, the next time either she or Ruan Xiang jumped into the water, they must be cautious, cautious, and exceptionally cautious!
Once Ruan Xiang reported for duty, all five sets of clothing were accounted for.
Jian Xingxia notified the guests via WeChat, delivering the goods in a timely manner.
The revenue amounted to 588 multiplied by 4, totaling 2,352 yuan.
Jian Xingxia smiled so wide her mouth couldn’t close.
Most importantly, the five tourists who had pre-ordered the ancient garments yesterday couldn’t wait to change into them today, posing and taking photos all over the manor, which instantly captured the attention of the other visitors.
Many asked out of curiosity, “How much is a set of this Hanfu? Can it really be custom-made?”
Smiling like a fortune cat, Jian Xingxia explained, “This is a new service we’ve launched to make it convenient for tourists to enjoy an immersive experience at the manor. For those who didn’t bring Hanfu or other period clothing, you can purchase them right on site. The ready-to-wear sets come in three fixed sizes for 588 yuan a set, while custom tailoring starts at 888 yuan, featuring manual measurements and bespoke designs…”
On the spot, a tourist placed an order. “Oh my, you should have said so earlier! I didn’t see you post anything about this activity yesterday, honestly! I want to buy a set right now.”
Jian Xingxia scratched her head. “But we don’t have any inventory left right now… The production cycle for our custom handcrafted Hanfu takes quite some time, and those five sets were our entire stock. If you want one now, we can only put you on the schedule.”
Jian Xingxia felt an absolute clawing sensation in her heart; for the first time, money was being shoved right into her hands, yet she had no goods to sell.
Hearing this, the guests discussed it among themselves.
“Being put on the schedule is fine too. After all, the scenery here is beautiful, the food is delicious, and my family and friends scrambled to grab the fresh fruits, vegetables, and signature mountain goods I brought back last time. I’m planning to come back next week to buy live river fish anyway, so place the order for me first.”
“Me too! I live right in the town. Whenever it’s ready, can’t you just hire a courier to send it over to me?”
The guest was even highly considerate: “I’ll cover the courier fee. For a set of Hanfu of this weight, delivery within the city should only cost around fifteen or twenty yuan.”
Jian Xingxia slapped her forehead. “Oh right!”
Her employees were from ancient times, but she was a modern person! How on earth had she completely forgotten about couriers?
“That works perfectly then! We’ll take pre-orders first. The standard production cycle is roughly a week, and once it’s finished, I’ll ship it to you.”
In just a single morning, an additional six pre-orders for Hanfu were secured.
Three people directly requested the existing silhouettes—the exact styles worn by Jian Xingxia, Lin Sanniang, and Ruan Xiang—divided simply into small, medium, and large sizes.
The other three had their own specific requirements, and based on the complexity of their tailoring requests, the prices were set at 888, 1088, and 1288 yuan respectively.
Having collected the deposits, Jian Xingxia felt her dream of solid-gold peaches was fast becoming a reality.
Lin Sanniang and Ruan Xiang took charge of taking the measurements, their hearts bursting with pure joy.
The manor selling clothes meant they would have steady work to do, and the better the manor’s clothing line sold, the better their lives would become.
Meanwhile, Jian Xingxia couldn’t resist opening the manor management mall, browsing left and right.
Items that had previously seemed expensive—requiring three to five management points—now looked entirely different: “They’re pretty cheap!”
By earning one point from completing her management missions every day and redeeming a bit of her income, she could go on a shopping spree every week!
It was absolutely fantastic!
