Chapter 71: Selling Pearls and Earning Ten Thousands of Dollars a Day
"Oh my god..."
"These are so beautiful."
The individual pearls in this string weren't very large, only about 4mm.
But what was rare was that they were all the same size, the same white color, and very round, with no flaws visible to the naked eye.
"This must be very expensive..." Jiang Nan, the youngest daughter of the Minister of Justice, exclaimed softly.
"What a silly child!" The Minister's wife, Ma, sighed helplessly: such words can only be thought of in the mind, how can they be said out loud?
Jiang Nan was only ten years old and rarely went shopping. This time, she came with her mother. Looking at this string of pearls, her eyes were almost welded to them!
Madam Ma was also attracted: this pearl necklace is really rare, and Jiang Nan is still small, so wearing a pearl of this size would look very noble and suitable.
In a few days, the Minister of Justice's residence would hold a flower viewing banquet, and she was thinking of taking Jiang Nan with her.
Madam Ma thought for a moment and softly asked, "How much silver does this necklace cost?"
Ruyi smiled gently, "Madam Ma, this necklace costs one hundred taels of silver."
Madam Ma: "..."
She felt a pang of pain at the price.
She was only ten years old. Wouldn't it be a bit wasteful for such a precious pearl necklace?
Even if her jewelry was a bit more ordinary, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Madam Ma was about to convince herself when Ruyi pulled out another brocade box. "Madam Ma, here are two pairs of earrings. Do you like any?"
The box opened, revealing two pairs of very simple pearl studs.
They were still small, just 4mm in size, with 925 silver needles.
One pair was white, clearly a set with the pearl necklace.
The other pair was surprisingly light pink!
Jiang Nan couldn't take her eyes off the light pink pearl earrings. "Mom, I want these!"
The pale pink hue, the lustrous pearls, and the small size made them look perfect for Jiang Nan's age.
Mrs. Ma also took an immediate liking to them and couldn't help asking, "How much are these pink earrings?"
Ruyi's smile was as gentle as ever. "Pink earrings are cheaper than necklaces, and since they're not perfectly round and have some imperfections, they're fifty taels of silver a pair."
Mrs. Ma frowned. "Fifty taels of silver... isn't cheap at all.
" Ruyi smiled and explained, "Pink pearls are rare, and they're both exactly the same size, color, and shape... To say they're one in a million is an understatement..."
Mrs. Ma believed Ruyi's words, but that couldn't hide the fact that they were expensive!
Just as Madam Ma was still hesitating, Ruyi smiled again, saying, "These white pearl earrings are cheap and perfectly round. Only ten taels of silver will do."
Without waiting for Madam Ma to reply, Jiang Nan made a direct request, "Mother, I like this pink pair."
Ruyi praised her, "Miss Jiang has good taste," and continued to smile softly at Madam Ma, "If you haven't made up your mind yet, you don't have to wear them for now."
Madam Ma hesitated and asked, "Can I keep them for two days?"
She actually liked them, too...
Ruyi smiled apologetically, "I'm so sorry, but if the next distinguished guest takes a fancy to them, I might not be able to keep them for you."
"Mother..." Jiang Nan was anxious. Who would be happy if the earrings she liked didn't sell, only to be snapped up by someone else?
"Then buy them," Madam Ma finally agreed.
Just as Madam Ma was about to leave, Ruyi pulled out another box. "Madam Ma, take a look at this pair."
They were a pair of white pearl earrings with a slight flaw, just enough to thread a silver needle. They were much larger than the previous ones, and looked like they could be worn by a grown woman.
"This pair is also fifty taels of silver. It fits Madam Ma perfectly..."
Madam Ma was also stunned by the sight.
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She really likes it!
But her husband has just become the Minister of Justice, and his annual salary is not much.
The dowry given by her parents only includes a few shops with ordinary profits, and it is really painful to spend it like this.
Ruyi did not force her to make a decision immediately: "Madam Ma, why don't you try it?"
The red and tender hands, the white pearls, were gently worn on the ears. After looking at herself in the mirror that showed every detail, Madam Ma was overwhelmed: "I will buy it!"
After Madam Ma spent a hundred taels of silver and left, Ruyi smiled and received the next person.
This was Fan, the wife of the prince of the old Duke's Mansion. Her parents' family was also an old and aristocratic family, and they were not short of money.
Ruyi smiled and took out an 8MM light gray pearl set: a necklace and two earrings, and two loose pearls of the same color for her to set other jewelry by herself.
"Madam Fan, the first time I saw this pearl set, I thought of you. It's understated yet elegant, and ordinary people simply can't match its beauty..."
Ruyi said pleasantly, thinking, "Where did the General find such a coaxing statement? How many women in the family could resist it?"
As expected, without a second thought, Madam Fan forked out a thousand taels of silver and purchased the light gray pearl set...
In the evening, Fu Chenan came by as usual to take stock.
While few complete cosmetic and body care sets had sold today, the ordinary pearls had sold almost half.
Aside from a few high-end items that were specifically selected for those who could afford them, the ordinary small pearl jewelry went to women in the family like Ma, the wife of the Minister of Justice.
Ruyi and Qiuyue were thrilled, reporting in hushed tones, "General, we sold over ten thousand taels of silver today!"
Fu Chen'an glanced at the accounts, nodded, and ordered his personal guards, "Tell the steward to find someone to renovate the mansion and furnish the living quarters."
"We'll all have the best furnishings and furniture in my father's room, as well as in the west guesthouse..."
If he didn't spend the money, the suspicious emperor would surely suspect him of ulterior motives.
If that were the case, people would think he was just enjoying himself.
Besides, if the money was spent freely, no one would know how much he had spent.
Fu Chen'an took the remaining banknotes home, picked up Bai Lu's prepared meal, and then closed the gate to go back to Xiao Yingchun.
Today's beef was in clear soup, served with two large bowls of noodles mixed with the sauce.
Xiao Yingchun took her own bowl, and Fu Chen'an gave her a small bowl. He then enthusiastically recommended a bowl of clear beef soup, and then he began to eat from the large bowl.
Xiao Yingchun ate the chewy, fresh, and fragrant noodles and drank the seemingly plain but incredibly fragrant beef broth. It finally dawned on her: Is the Daliang Dynasty in the north?
She'd already eaten several meals of noodles.
After a satisfying meal, Fu Chenan told her about the huge sales of pearls today, feeling both happy and worried.
"It's not that these pearls can't be sold, but I'm afraid to sell them freely..."
I'm afraid they'll sell too well and offend someone again.
Xiao Yingchun thought for a moment and said, "How about you buy some smaller, cheaper ones and sell them back?"
Caroletu has been giving daily rewards for a month, which is a great encouragement and affirmation for Qin Zhi, who just released a new book.
Thank you for your companionship and encouragement along the way.
I'm deeply touched by your kindness. I
'd like to express my deepest gratitude to every one of you who has silently supported, commented, and sent me tickets.
Your little bit of recognition and support makes the backend data look good, and Qin Zhi feels a greater sense of accomplishment.
(End of this chapter)