Ye Youchun turned around, her back to Xie Yushu, and quietly wiped herself down.
Meanwhile, Xie Yushu dressed and took out the paper and brush she carried with her. She began sketching and making notes, mapping out her plans for building wealth in her mind.
Tang Zhiyi’s first order was for one thousand jin—less than Xie Yushu had anticipated.
It wasn’t that she was being greedy; it was simply that the steward’s invitation had raised her expectations.
She had initially been quite hopeful, but now she figured that Tang Zhiyi might have some reservations.
An order of this size, given the scale of Tang Zhiyi’s “Shanhai Trading Company,” was—to put it mildly—unremarkable. To be blunt, it was conservative, even small.
Along the journey, the Tang family steward had seemed steady and experienced, but he had also sung his mistress’s praises constantly, his words dripping with pride and confidence, as if determined to make sure no one could miss how capable his employer was.
By the end of the journey, Xie Yushu’s ears were nearly calloused from hearing it all. By now, she had some understanding of the “Shanhai Trading Company’s” standing in Jiangzhou.
She also knew that even several thousand jin would be easily absorbed by “Shanhai.” One thousand jin was merely a foot in the door—a test of her production capacity.
If this batch sold well and the quality remained consistent, the Tang family would place long-term orders with her. That way, she wouldn’t have to waste effort scrounging for scattered business deals.
Moreover, the price they had agreed upon was forty-five wen per jin, set by Tang Zhiyi, with delivery required within five days.
Five days? Whatever. Xie Yushu wasn’t worried about the delivery timeline at all.
Her workers were practically automated. One batch would be dried, stored in the warehouse, and then they’d move on to purchasing and drying the next batch—all without her needing to urge them. Everyone worked with full effort, and seeing the warehouse stuffed to the brim kept their morale high.
This cycle repeated constantly. The inventory in the warehouse changed daily, the accounts were kept meticulously, and she, as the boss, had things pretty easy.
It was the perfect season for selling dried kelp. Fresh vegetables were scarce in winter, and families needed ingredients for soups, cold dishes, and braised stews. Those with a little extra money to spend were happy to stock up on dried kelp at home.
It didn’t take up much space, kept well, and could be rehydrated in just a quarter of an hour. Nutritious too—the benefits were plenty.
Xie Yushu’s bottom line had been forty wen, so getting five wen more than that naturally pleased her. Still, she was careful not to show it, merely offering a faint smile as if reluctantly accepting the price.
One thousand jin at forty-five wen per jin came to a total of forty-five strings of cash.
To Tang Zhiyi, that sum was pocket change—she probably tipped her subordinates more than that.
Clearly, the dried seafood market was still a blue ocean. Otherwise, Tang Zhiyi wouldn’t have personally invited her to negotiate. Businesspeople didn’t take on losing deals.
She must have had her eye not just on Xie Yushu’s dried kelp, but on a wider variety of dried goods—and more stable supply sources.
Tang Zhiyi had also asked whether Xie Yushu planned to expand into other dried products. Xie Yushu revealed only half the truth, saying she had some other ideas but didn’t elaborate.
The rustling sounds in the room ceased. Ye Youchun wrung out the towel, dressed, and carried the basin downstairs to empty the water.
When she returned, Xie Yushu handed her a slip of paper and some copper coins, instructing:
“There’s a courier service downstairs. Give them this note—it has the address of the Qingshi Base on it. Have them deliver it to Xiu He, so they can prepare in advance.”
On their way back from the Tang residence, Xie Yushu had noticed such a shop downstairs. A white banner hung above the doorway with a large character for “post” (yi) on it. She knew immediately that this was a courier service for delivering goods and messages.
The shop owner had chosen a prime location, right next to the busy inn, ensuring a steady stream of customers.
It perfectly illustrated what the Tang family husband had said: “Tang’an County is convenient in every way.” The words rang true.
Courier services had emerged in recent years, specializing in human-powered transport—by land or sea—and handling deliveries and messages of all kinds. Shipping fees were calculated based on weight and distance, with clear standards and well-defined rules. Their coverage spanned the entire Jiangzhou region, saving customers from many urgent predicaments.
Worried that the couriers might mix up the message, Xie Yushu had written everything down in black and white—far more reliable than word of mouth.
The note specified the preparation timeline and required quantities. Xiu He was the only literate person at the base, making him the ideal recipient.
They wouldn’t be able to return for another day or two, which would eat up two days of time. Fearing delays, Xie Yushu decided to have the courier deliver the message so everyone could get ready.
Ye Youchun took the instructions and went downstairs without a word to carry them out.
The paper, which had been pristine just moments ago, was now densely covered in Xie Yushu’s brushwork.
She was about to draft a plan for her next product.
Earlier, she and Aunt Hong had collected some laver from the villagers. Together, they had washed it, processed it, and sun-dried a small batch, specifically for Su Chi’s shop to use in their fresh noodle dishes.
The quantity wasn’t large—just enough for the shop’s needs, with no surplus to spare.
But this stuff has low yield—sporadic and hard to harvest, and much more troublesome to process than kelp.
However, once it’s dried into round laver sheets, or made into roasted seaweed snacks that both the elderly and children love, that’s a different story altogether.
Once properly dried, it sells much better than kelp, and the price can be pushed even higher.
If turned into a snack, its value immediately shoots up—far more profitable than plain dried goods. Wealthy families buy this for the taste alone; they don’t care about the price, only that it’s delicious. Expensive snacks are how they flaunt their status.
She understood the principles and techniques for turning laver into roasted seaweed snacks, but right now she was constrained by the era’s hardware limitations—her hands were tied.
This process required a dedicated space, specialized kilns built by skilled masons, a high-temperature environment, and experienced masters to handle the roasting—not a single element could be missing.
High operational difficulty, extensive preparation, significant capital investment.
It could be done, of course—but the groundwork required would take an enormous amount of effort.
If she wanted to pursue this line of business, she’d first need to solve the laver supply issue. Xie Yushu would have to mull that over carefully.
·
The two of them rested well at the inn for a full night. The next morning, fully refreshed, they went downstairs for breakfast and then headed out to explore the town.
Having finally made it to the county, they weren’t about to waste this rare opportunity—they had to take a good look around.
Xie Yushu gave Ye Youchun a sum of money as a “business trip allowance” for accompanying her. She told her to go wander around on her own, see the sights, and pick up some things for her family along the way.
Ye Youchun took the money, thanked her, grabbed a bundle, and headed out the door.
The smooth, fluid motion caught Xie Yushu’s eye—she hadn’t expected this usually quiet woman, who kept her head down and focused on work, to know her way around such matters. It seemed she did know a thing or two about buying gifts for people.
She wondered—was it for family, or for someone else?
Xie Yushu let out a soft chuckle, then tidied herself up and stepped out as well.
She was the one who truly needed to do some shopping—she had a proper, well-behaved husband back home to dote on.
Tang’an County was divided into four districts—east, south, west, and north—with countless streets of all sizes. Just the street below the inn was already much wider than anything in Songwan Town, not to mention the roads in the county’s central hub.
As soon as Xie Yushu stepped out, she followed the flow of well-dressed pedestrians to the main commercial street. The storefronts here looked far more impressive than elsewhere—clearly, the best goods were gathered here.
Inside the jewelry shops, rows upon rows of dazzling gold and silver ornaments gleamed—hairpins, bangles, and pendants catching the sunlight with scattered glimmers. Elegant tea houses wafted the aroma of fine tea and the gentle plucking of zither strings, audible even from across the street. Large restaurant entrances bustled with constant comings and goings—clearly popular establishments.
But the most conspicuous of all was the Sun family pharmacy. Though its signboard looked aged, a long line of people had already formed out front. Apprentices maintained order at the entrance, softly directing those with severe illnesses to be seen first.
With such practices in place, no one dared to complain—they must have long grown accustomed to the Sun family’s rules.
There was also a young, bold-looking woman who seemed unafraid of the cold, dressed in a sharp red riding outfit, galloping down the street on a tall horse.
She stopped in front of a large silk fabric shop, momentarily dazzled by the fabrics on display inside. Rows upon rows of brightly colored brocade were stacked within, and even the ordinarily plain shop banners here were woven from silk and embroidered with gold thread, shimmering brightly in the wind—impossible to look away from.
Even the shop assistants greeting customers at the door seemed better dressed than the shopkeepers back in town.
Xie Yushu inwardly marveled and discreetly clutched the money pouch at her chest. Taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage and stepped inside.
She browsed every shop with care. The sharp-eyed shop owners and assistants could tell at a glance that this strikingly beautiful woman was shopping for her husband back home.
Whether she bought anything or not, the shopkeepers didn’t rush her. Instead, they spoke in unhurried, pleasant tones, smiling as they remarked how fortunate her husband was to have a wife who thought of him so tenderly even while away on business.
The words were perfectly measured and genuinely heartwarming.
Xie Yushu thought to herself—the merchants of Tang’an County really did have skill. They knew how to talk. This was far more service-oriented than some counter clerks in modern big-brand stores.
She moved from shop to shop, browsing and selecting, unaware that she had quietly attracted someone’s attention.
A pair of slightly weathered eyes lingered on her for a moment—first in shock, then disbelief—before discreetly looking away.
“Mother, look at this—” Xie Yumo cradled a creamy, milk-fat little puppy in her hands, seeking her mother’s permission to take it home.
This little creature was quite the opportunist. She hadn’t been on this street long before this wobbly, unweaned little furball had latched onto her—round and chubby, barely able to see where it was going, yet determined to bump into her toes.
But before she could finish her sentence, she noticed her mother had frozen, staring blankly off to the left for a long, long while.
She followed her mother’s gaze in that direction but didn’t see anything particularly noteworthy. She glanced around as well, but nothing in that direction seemed worth her mother’s attention. Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, “Mother, what are you looking at?”
Xie Xiao was jolted back to reality by her daughter’s clear, youthful voice. She paused for a moment, then slowly spoke:
“I thought I saw your eldest aunt,” Xie Xiao said, turning to her daughter. “Your aunt, Xie Lan.”
Xie Yumo was startled by this. Her grip on the puppy unconsciously tightened, causing it to let out a series of whimpers. Her clear pupils widened: “Aunt? But—but isn’t Aunt she…”
She had never met her eldest aunt in the family. She knew her name was Xie Lan, and she also knew that she was a source of pain that could not be spoken of in the household.
Whenever the eldest aunt was mentioned, Grandmother would fall into a brooding silence, and Grandfather would begin to weep. Her mother, along with her older sister and brothers, had repeatedly warned her, drilling it into her head that she must never, ever bring up the eldest aunt in front of the two elders at home.
Xie Xiao let out a sigh, as if speaking to herself: “I must have been mistaken. How could it be her? Your eldest aunt left home years ago.”
Xie Yumo was only around ten years old, still at an age where playfulness reigned supreme. After hearing this, she couldn’t dwell on it too deeply—she quickly pushed it all to the back of her mind. Now, cradling the puppy in pure bliss, she only wanted to hurry back and play with it. Her eyes sparkling, she asked her mother, “Mother, when are we going home?”
Xie Xiao took her daughter’s hand and also took the plump little puppy from her: “We’ll head back this afternoon. We’ve been away for a few days—your father must be missing you by now.”
·
After finishing her shopping, Xie Yushu returned her purchases to her room at the inn, then went out for a simple lunch. Once she was fed and satisfied, she decided to go look for Ye Youchun.
She wondered what the woman had gone to buy—she had been out for so long and still hadn’t returned.
She was a grown adult—surely she wouldn’t get lost.
But the more Xie Yushu thought about it, the more anxious she grew. That wasn’t necessarily a safe assumption. This was Ye Youchun’s first time in such a large county town—unlike the village or the small town, where you couldn’t get lost no matter where you went.
Even if she did get lost, though, she could always ask the locals for directions back to the inn. There was no reason she’d be gone this long.
Xie Yushu fretted with concern and decided she should go look for her.
She walked down a couple of streets, wandering until she found herself back on the bustling main commercial street. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she heard several startled cries from in front of the Sun family pharmacy.
Her heart uneasy, Xie Yushu walked over and discovered that someone had collapsed.
In the long queue that had been waiting quietly, an elderly woman had fallen straight backward onto the ground. Her lips were purple-blue, her breathing faint, and her eyes tightly shut.
The people still waiting in line scattered in panic at the sight, and the crowd quickly fell into commotion. The apprentices were flustered, none of them knowing what to do.
“What are you standing there for! Go get Doctor Sun!”
“Doctor Sun isn’t here right now! She just finished treating a patient, washed her hands, and was called back by the head of the household!”
“What about Doctor Zheng?”
“Oh! She said she had an upset stomach and went to the outhouse!”
“It’s mealtime right now—Doctor Zheng was the one on duty, and all the other doctors have gone to eat!”
The apprentices quickly assessed the situation and felt their heads spinning. They were only apprentices—they hadn’t learned much yet. With all the senior practitioners away from the pharmacy, they didn’t dare to handle a patient with such symptoms on their own.
One of them decided to carry the unconscious elderly woman inside first and was about to act with her companions when a cool, clear voice stopped them.
“Don’t move her!”
It was Xie Yushu who had spoken. She strode over quickly, reaching out to place a hand on the apprentice’s arm, signaling her not to move.
An unconscious person should not be shifted carelessly. Seeing the apprentices about to move her, Xie Yushu had been jolted into action and rushed forward to stop them.
“Did she mention any symptoms before she collapsed?” Xie Yushu crouched down to observe the elderly woman’s complexion, looking up to ask the surrounding crowd.
Everyone exchanged glances, none of them sure of what had happened. Only one patient who had been queuing behind the old woman seemed to recall something, and called out excitedly to Xie Yushu: “This auntie said she felt uncomfortable in her chest—it seemed like a heart condition.”
Another person chimed in with agreement: “Yes, yes! She said she had chest pain!”
Xie Yushu now had some idea of what she was dealing with. She told the apprentice who had been about to carry the patient inside to fetch a clean cloth.
The apprentice gave her a baffled look—who was this person? What right did she have to order her around?
But then she was caught off guard by the resolute determination in Xie Yushu’s eyes. Her legs moved of their own accord, and she actually went to fetch a clean cloth and handed it to Xie Yushu.
Xie Yushu then loosened the elderly woman’s collar, folded the cloth, and placed it under the woman’s tongue.
She had a general understanding of how to handle emergency situations. This would help the patient hold on a little longer until a reliable physician could provide proper care.
But this was about all she could do—ultimately, it was up to the doctor to handle the rest.
“You did well.”
A pleasant but cold voice came from above her. Xie Yushu stood up and turned to look at the speaker.
The newcomer was a woman around thirty years old, tall and slender, dressed in a cyan brocade robe. Her features were stern and cool, but she had an air of reliability about her.
The moment she arrived, all the apprentices crowded around her.
“Doctor Sun.”
“Second Madam.”
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