Time was pressing, and the sky was growing dark. They had already wasted nearly an hour here. Since they couldn't visit the night market of Weites City tonight, they had to make some profit!
Under the envious gazes of everyone in the hall, Su Muqing handed the mirror to Wan Yan'er. "Miss Yan'er, take a look. This is the quality of the unique glazed mirror I was talking about."
Wan Yan'er took it and looked at her reflection. She was startled when she saw the person in the mirror. "Who is this?"
Su Muqing couldn't help but wonder if this person had never looked in a mirror before. However, ladies of their status, wouldn't they have bronze mirrors at home? Why such a reaction?
Su Muqing's doubt stemmed from the fact that Wan Yan'er had never looked in a bronze mirror. The ancient bronze mirrors and these uneven glazed mirrors presented similar effects. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror, not even as clear as looking into a basin of water.
However, for families like Wan Yan'er's, whether it was washing their faces, dressing, or doing their hair and makeup, there were always dedicated maids and servants attending to them. Therefore, many people in ancient times, until the day they died, never truly knew what they looked like.
"This is you!" Despite her inner musings, Su Muqing was very pleased with such a strong reaction. She then handed Wan Yan'er the large pieces of broken glazed glass she had picked up from the ground, allowing her to compare them directly for a more intuitive effect.
"This, how can this be?" Wan Yan'er looked back and forth between her reflection in the two mirrors with astonishment, looking like a ghost one moment and a fairy the next. They were both mirrors, yet the results were worlds apart!
Seeing the confusion in Wan Yan'er's eyes, Su Muqing put on a profound expression. In reality, she didn't understand the principle of glass either, so she simply smiled and said nothing.
Everyone around craned their necks, trying to get a glimpse in Wan Yan'er's direction, curious about the mystery of the small item in her hand.
Wan Yan'er gazed into the mirror for more than ten minutes. She threw the broken glass on the ground and tucked the small mirror into her waist. "I want this small glazed mirror. Give me a price! Do you have any larger ones? This one is a bit too small to give as a gift."
"Miss Yan'er is a straightforward person. Then I will charge you one thousand gold coins for this small mirror. If you want a larger one, I have them, but the price... naturally won't be cheap. I wonder if Miss Wan Xuan'er can afford it?" Su Muqing said meaningfully, looking at the disheveled Wan Xuan'er beside her...
The people around were surprised by Su Muqing's price. What kind of treasure was this? As expected of the City Lord's daughter! She casually bought a small item for a thousand gold coins. A thousand gold coins were equivalent to ten thousand silver coins!
Wan Yan'er didn't give Wan Xuan'er a chance to refuse. "Miss, there's no need to worry. My stepsister said she would definitely buy a good glazed mirror to compensate me if I found one. In front of so many people, can she break her word shamelessly? So, Miss, just bring the mirror."
These words completely cornered Wan Xuan'er. If she didn't compensate, she would be considered shameless. As the noble daughter of the City Lord's mansion, she naturally couldn't afford to lose face! Wan Yan'er directly instructed several servants to keep an eye on the three of them, mistress and servants.
"Good! With the City Lord's daughter's word, Muqing has nothing to worry about." Su Muqing and Wan Yan'er settled the matter with their back-and-forth conversation.
She called Leng Ren and Leng Feng, and the three of them whispered a few words. Then, under their cover, Su Muqing entered the spatial store and quickly entered procurement mode.
After leaving the space, Su Muqing took out a Qiankun bag and handed it to the two. She told them to go to the rented boat, wander around, and then carry the items over. "Hurry up, we still need to travel tonight."
Leng Ren and the other nodded, quickly rushed out of the restaurant, and headed towards the pier.
Wan Yan'er walked over to ask for her opinion. "Since Miss's people have gone to get the treasure, why don't we let the shop assistants clean up the place, and we can sit aside and wait?"
Su Muqing graciously accepted the invitation and gestured to Wan Xuan'er, who was staring intently at Lu Yuzhi. "Miss Yan'er, please. Oh! Right... and Miss Xuan'er as well."
At a square table, Wan Yan'er took one side, Ke Bina immediately took another, and Su Muqing sat opposite Wan Yan'er. There were two people left, but only one spot remained.
Wan Xuan'er's mind started to stir again. If she sat with Wan Yan'er voluntarily, could this young master sit next to her?
Just as she was about to shyly walk towards Wan Yan'er. Lu Yuzhi, holding the little milk bun, naturally sat on Su Muqing's long bench, with Ke Bina on the other side.
The main issue was her obvious behavior, especially her eyes, which seemed glued to Lu Yuzhi. How could anyone else not see it?
Wan Xuan'er bit her lip with some unwillingness. Before she could even sit down, three "pa, pa, pa" sounds rang out.
Several attendants carried three large chests over. Under Wan Yan'er's instructions, the first chest was placed directly on the empty long bench, and the other two were placed on the ground. Now, Wan Xuan'er had no place to sit even if she wanted to.
Wan Yan'er ignored her plaintive gaze, got up, and opened the three chests one by one. "Hiss~" A chorus of gasps erupted from the surroundings.
It turned out that after Su Muqing mentioned the mirror costing one thousand gold coins, Wan Yan'er had directly sent someone to the nearest bank to withdraw money, fetching three thousand gold coins at once.
(One gold coin here weighs one tael.)
Wan Yan'er smiled and pointed at the three large chests. "Here is three thousand gold coins. I would like to trouble Miss to give me two more small glazed mirrors like that. I want to give them to my mother and eldest sister."
Su Muqing was overjoyed. Ten yuan for a thousand taels of gold, why hesitate? "Certainly, when my two supervisors return, I will help Miss select two more."
Hearing that she could choose, Wan Yan'er's interest was immediately piqued. If she could get a long-term supply... "May I ask Miss, how many of these small mirrors do you have in total?"
"There are only five at the moment. As for whether there will be more in the future, it hasn't been decided yet," Su Muqing said, glancing at Ke Bina beside her.
"Miss, may I buy one from you?"
"And me!"
"I want one too!"
"Sell it to me, I'll add fifty gold..."
"Who is short of your fifty gold! I'll add eighty gold!"
Hearing her say there were five left, other people in the hall also became interested. Those who could dine at Weites City's premier restaurant were generally wealthy and noble. A thousand gold coins was not a small amount, but it was not much for the rich.
The main thing was that this item was scarce in the market. If they could include a glazed mirror in their daughters' dowry lists, it would be a very impressive gesture. Moreover, if they bought early, perhaps it could appreciate in value later.
What is a one-profit-ten-thousand deal? This is it! Looking at the eager crowd wanting to buy mirrors, Su Muqing really wanted to shout. Don't crowd! We have as many as you want!
But she understood the principle of scarcity driving value, especially for these wealthy people. Were they buying mirrors? No! What they truly wanted to buy was face, the superior status of having something others didn't, the envious gazes from others!
Su Muqing raised an eyebrow at Ke Bina, feeling a bit proud. She meant, see? We haven't even finalized our cooperation, and the business is already this booming.
Receiving Su Muqing's gaze and looking at the bustling scene before them. Recalling the fleeting glimpse just now, this young lady must have other glazed treasures!
Ke Bina and Ha Ke exchanged glances, then nodded vigorously at the same time. After returning, they must persuade their father (the Prince) to cooperate with her!
"Seeing how much everyone likes them, I feel very honored. However, there are indeed no more goods at the moment. The price remains unchanged, only one thousand gold coins per piece. The remaining two mirrors will be for these two gentlemen who proposed first." Although she wanted to sell to the highest bidder, Su Muqing held back. She planned to develop the market here in the future and couldn't ruin her reputation for such small gains.
She casually took out two laser-reflective glass marbles from her sleeve pouch and gave them to the two gentlemen who had secured the mirrors. She also hinted subtly that she would be leaving Weites City shortly. So, the gods of wealth should hurry and get their money! Moreover, as a foreigner, she only accepted gold coins, not the silver notes of the Wanfeng Kingdom.
The two wealthy gentlemen from Weites who were pointed out immediately stuffed the glass marbles into their chests, afraid of being snatched by others if they were even a moment late. Then, they excitedly rushed out of the restaurant and headed straight for the bank.
Wan Yan'er also coveted those two glass marbles. Su Muqing naturally wouldn't show favoritism. She took out a delicate, colorful glass doll and handed it to her, then patted her sleeve pouch to indicate she had emptied it.
She had already taken out many things from her sleeve pouch. If she took out anything larger, it would likely arouse suspicion. It seemed she would need a small crossbody bag next time for convenience.
More than twenty minutes had passed when Leng Ren and Leng Feng, carrying an object about two meters long, entered the restaurant's main entrance, avoiding the crowd both inside and out.
"Make way, don't block..." Ha Ke stepped forward to usher the gathered people back. Leng Ren and Leng Feng then carried the object to the table where Su Muqing and the others were seated.
Looking at the standing glazed mirror, Wan Yan'er couldn't wait to see its true appearance. "It's indeed larger than the one I bought before. I just wonder if it will be as clear as this small glazed mirror under the red cloth."
Su Muqing smiled without saying much. She walked to the mirror and then, unexpectedly, yanked off the red cloth covering it, revealing an antique-style full-length mirror for everyone to see.
Hearing earlier that Wan Yan'er intended to give it to an elder, Su Muqing had specifically chosen a frame carved with motifs of blooming flowers and longevity of pine and crane. Coupled with the nearly two-meter tall mirror, it looked substantial and exuded an air of noble elegance.
A long time passed, and the entire venue was silent. After the silence, a torrent of excited discussion erupted...
The reflection was incredibly clear! It was as if a group of identical living people were standing opposite them. Everyone incredulously rubbed their eyes, then looked up at the mirror again. Could this be some sort of sorcery?
"My heavens! This..."
"This is too clear!"
"To witness this today is truly a blessing in three lifetimes, a blessing in three lifetimes!"
"A peerless treasure, this is absolutely a rare gem in this world!"
Wan Yan'er was very satisfied with what she saw. She quickly gestured for several wet nurses to cover the mirror with the red cloth again. "Not bad, it is indeed a treasure unique in the world. May I ask Miss, what is the selling price of this glazed mirror?"
Su Muqing sat back down on the bench. "I had originally planned to sell it for two hundred thousand gold, but I feel a strong connection with Miss Yan'er, so I'll offer it for a fixed price of one hundred and eighty thousand."
Upon hearing Su Muqing's quoted price, the hall fell silent again. This was truly a price that could bankrupt someone! However, for the City Lord's mansion, a mere one hundred and eighty thousand gold could only be considered a drop in the bucket.
When Wan Xuan'er heard the price, she immediately became furious. "One hundred and eighty thousand? You really dare to ask for the sky!"
The smile on Su Muqing's face faded. "Miss Xuan'er thinks it's too expensive? Then let's forget it! Brother Leng, Brother Leng Er, put away the glazed mirror. Once those two gentlemen bring the money, we will leave and won't delay the ship at the end of Xushi."
"Alright! Miss Su." Leng Ren said, preparing to wrap the mirror.
Seeing Su Muqing's expression change, Wan Yan'er quickly stepped forward. "Miss Su, please don't be angry. My stepsister has no foresight. Your glazed mirror is not expensive at one hundred and eighty thousand gold."
Hearing Wan Yan'er publicly call her ignorant, Wan Xuan'er's lungs were about to explode! This slut! How dare she belittle herself in front of outsiders.
Wan Yan'er walked to Wan Xuan'er's side, grabbed her arm tightly, and whispered threateningly in her ear. "Stepsister, your maid dropped my glazed mirror. You said you would compensate me if I found a suitable one. Now that I have found it, you're unwilling to compensate! You better think carefully. This is a birthday gift for Grandmother! If you dare to mess this up, I will sell you and your disrespectful concubine aunt to the brothels in the black market!"
Wan Xuan'er's eyes widened in shock at her words. She knew perfectly well this was for the old witch. It was precisely because she knew that she had asked Xiao Qin to cause trouble.
If she didn't pay the money today, and Wan Yan'er reported it to Grandmother, Xiao Qin would surely be severely tortured. If she couldn't withstand the torture and revealed herself. Then the consequence... No, she didn't even dare to imagine what the consequences would be!
Her grandmother was like the Empress Dowager of Weites City, her word carrying more weight than her father, the City Lord. Once Grandmother ordered her punishment, her father probably couldn't protect her.
Wan Xuan'er quickly grabbed Wan Yan'er, who was about to leave, her expression filled with panic. "Sister, it's not that I'm unwilling to compensate. Your glazed mirror only costs fifty thousand gold coins, and hers costs one hundred and eighty thousand gold coins. I don't have that much gold at once. How about... how about you let her bring out another one for fifty thousand gold coins, and I'll pay immediately!"
Wan Yan'er pushed her hand away, patting her clothes with some disdain. "Didn't Father prepare a dowry of one hundred thousand gold for you? And your concubine aunt, how much benefit has she reaped from the City Lord's mansion over the years, not less than one hundred thousand gold? You tell me you can't afford it? That's just telling me a joke."
"I..." If only she hadn't meddled in this matter for a man. They were all ready to leave then, and let those two servants take the blame for being beaten to death! Wan Xuan'er clenched her fist, regretting it deeply now.
Su Muqing looked at the black regret that rushed to the crown of the woman on the spatial screen and felt like laughing. What was she regretting? Was it regretting not letting the maid trip them, or regretting inexplicably framing someone and ending up in such a mess!
At this moment, the two gentlemen who had gone to retrieve the money and their retainers arrived by carriage. Lu Yuzhi, holding the little milk bun, stepped forward and opened the box, glancing at it. The name of the person who withdrew the money was also written on the box.
Su Muqing saw Lu Yuzhi nod, indicating that the gold was fine. So, she took the Qiankun bag from Leng Ren and took out five wooden boxes. Upon opening them, each contained a mirror and a comb.
She handed two new sets and one box containing only a comb to Wan Yan'er, and the other two boxes to those who had just returned with the money. Then, Su Muqing directed Leng Ren and the others to carry the three boxes of gold coins onto the carriage.
Seeing them carrying the gold coins and preparing to move the glazed mirror, Wan Yan'er quickly reached out to stop them. "Miss Su, please wait a moment. I want this glazed mirror, otherwise, let's go to the bank together to get the money!"
Su Muqing glanced at the Wan Xuan'er beside her, then nodded. "Okay! It's convenient for payment and delivery. We also need to prepare to board the ship."
Wan Yan'er turned around and instructed a few wet nurses. "Someone, tie up Xiao Qin and bring her with me. I want to take her to see Grandmother tomorrow. Stepsister, I'll take this servant away first. You better think it through carefully."
The wet nurses tied Xiao Qin up securely, stuffed a rag picked up from the ground into her mouth, and dragged her behind Wan Yan'er and the others.
As the onlookers in the restaurant slowly dispersed, Wan Xuan'er stumbled. Her maid quickly stepped forward to support her. She then tremblingly walked to the innkeeper and took away all the glazed fragments that had just been cleaned up. She knew very well that if she didn't pay the money today, her future days would likely be difficult.
Even if Xiao Qin didn't betray her in the end, as long as Wan Yan'er incited the old witch by saying she was reluctant to buy her a birthday gift, that old witch would surely torment her in the future, or even marry her off arbitrarily...
Wan Xuan'er felt a pang of heartache thinking about having to pay so much money. In fact, she had personal savings deposited in the bank, exactly one hundred thousand gold, no more, no less. Now, by taking these glazed fragments back, perhaps she could polish them and sell them for some money.
Wan Yan'er also knew that her stepsister probably couldn't come up with one hundred and eighty thousand, but she likely had eighty or ninety thousand. This time, she was definitely going to skin her alive. Not to mention, it felt quite good.
"May I ask where Miss Su is heading tonight?" Wan Yan'er suddenly asked about their itinerary.
Su Muqing did not hide anything. "Yes, we are setting off for the Tianzhao Kingdom shortly."
Wan Yan'er's eyes lit up when she heard they were going to Tianzhao. "Oh? Tianzhao Kingdom is the origin of glazed glass. I suppose Miss is going there for glazed glass too?"
"Precisely! We want to set up a glass factory, so we're going to Tianzhao Kingdom to gain some experience." Su Muqing said, looking at Ke Bina with amusement.
(Su: To gain some experience on how to sell frosted glass at diamond prices!)
(Ke: No need, you are already far surpassing the master!)
Wan Yan'er's eyes rolled, and she said nothing more. When the group arrived at the bank, they withdrew money, weighed it, packed it, and transported it. It filled six large boxes!
Everything went very smoothly. The largest bank was almost cleared out by them. Wan Yan'er saw them off at the pier and also inquired about their ship's departure time, which was at the end of Xushi. She said she had some matters to attend to, so she casually bid them farewell and left in a hurry...
Her speed left them all a bit baffled. Miss Wan was truly a person of strong emotions!
It was already past eight o'clock, and Su Muqing could no longer wander around. However, having just obtained over two hundred thousand gold, she didn't have the mood to wander around. Today was a good day, the god of wealth was scattering money!
Ke Bina felt it would be inconvenient for them to carry so much gold along the way. Moreover, with people coming and going on the ship, it would be troublesome if it were stolen. So, he suggested they deposit the gold coins in the bank.
Su Muqing and the others readily agreed. She opened each box and checked it (actually, she took the opportunity to collect the gold coins inside into the space). Then, in front of Ke Bina and the others, she loaded the few large boxes they had given her the previous night onto the carriage (which were actually empty). Then she quickly jumped onto the carriage and urged Leng Ren to drive away.
When they reached a corner where no one was around, Su Muqing put away the boxes, jumped off the carriage, and returned to the pier. Ke Bina found it strange that she returned so quickly.
"I asked Brother Leng to go to the bank himself. I have two more members coming soon. I need to wait for them here." Su Muqing found an excuse for herself and refused Ke Bina's offer to wait with her.
Lu Yuzhi knew what she was going to do, so he pulled Ke Bina to the boat they had rented. Seeing that they had all boarded the ship, Su Muqing returned to the secluded corner again. Then she released Hei Xiong, Fei La, and the Eagle.
The Eagle flew into the sky as soon as it came out. It had been bored all day. Hei Xiong and Fei La were also exceptionally excited, rolling on the ground several times, getting themselves covered in dust. Su Muqing stopped the frantic actions of the two and then led them out of the corner.
The workers on the pier were making preparations for departure. Suddenly, they felt a suffocating pressure from behind. The workers slowly turned around and saw...
"Ahhhhhh~"
"Ahhhhhh! Help!"
...
The already bustling pier was suddenly filled with earth-shattering screams. People around turned to look. In the lamplight, they could only see a massive black behemoth standing on the pier.
Ke Bina and the others were alerted by the workers' screams and quickly came out of the cabin. It was then that they saw a giant... bird? that had appeared on the deck at some point.
"This... this..." Ha Ke was so shocked that his speech began to tremble.
Su Muqing saw that the surrounding workers were frightened, and two workers had even fallen into the water in their terror. She quickly jumped onto Hei Xiong's shoulder and called out to comfort them. "Everyone, don't be afraid! They are my pets and will not harm you."
But it was evident that her comfort had little effect, and the workers were still too scared to approach. At this moment, Lu Yuzhi got off the boat with the little milk bun and handed the little milk bun in his hands to Hei Xiong.
Under everyone's astonished gaze, Hei Xiong, with remarkable intelligence, took the little milk bun and hugged it. His movements were quite skilled, showing he had held it many times. Moreover, the little milk bun showed no fear on its face; instead, it was smiling happily.
Seeing Hei Xiong with one child on his shoulder and another in his arms, apart from their large size, they didn't seem so terrifying anymore. Only then did the workers feel less panicked and cautiously approached, half-believing.