The servants of the capital officials who bought the imitation silver frost charcoal returned to the capital.
This type of charcoal, which was both affordable and practical—comparable to silver frost charcoal—quickly became popular in the capital.
The trend started from the household of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
They were the first to buy the charcoal. Since the household's several madams and the elderly matriarch were urgently pressing, the servant had sailed the boat at full speed, delivering the charcoal to the residence almost without stopping.
With imitation silver frost charcoal available, who would endure the choking and miserable taste of gray flower charcoal anymore?
Especially the Third Madam of the household—she had just discovered she was pregnant and needed to be extra careful. The gray flower charcoal burned at night choked her throat; she was afraid that coughing might cause her to lose the child she had worked so hard to conceive. She sent her maid to the gatehouse every day to check if the charcoal buyer had returned.
Almost as soon as the charcoal arrived at the back door of the residence, she had it brought for use.
Coincidentally, the day the charcoal arrived was her birthday. Being pregnant didn't stop her from hosting a birthday banquet at the residence.
Charcoal basins filled with imitation silver frost charcoal were placed everywhere—in the rooms, in the garden. Since it wasn't very expensive, she used it however she pleased.
This shocked all the women attending the banquet. Was the Third Daughter-in-Law of the Vice Minister's household mad? How dare she use silver frost charcoal so openly and extravagantly!
"Third Madam, what a grand display—using silver frost charcoal however you like!"
Several madams had already noticed the wives of the censors growing restless, eager to return and inform their husbands.
Knowing these people would misunderstand, the Third Madam immediately spoke up: "This isn't silver frost charcoal—it's imitation silver frost charcoal that looks very similar."
"How can that be? This is clearly silver frost charcoal!" Some didn't believe her. "The temperature and the external frost layer are exactly like silver frost charcoal!"
Was the Third Madam trying to fool them, inventing a name for silver frost charcoal to deceive them?
"Really, it's not," the Third Madam said, seeing their disbelief. She pointed to the charcoal basin. "If you don't believe me, smell it—doesn't it lack the fragrance of silver frost charcoal?"
As everyone knew, silver frost charcoal had a unique woody fragrance. When burned, the entire room would be filled with that scent.
Hearing this, the madams sniffed. Aside from their own makeup and perfume, there was indeed no trace of the distinctive silver frost charcoal aroma. With so much "silver frost charcoal" burning, the fragrance should have been very strong—it couldn't possibly be odorless.
"I told you it's not silver frost charcoal," the Third Madam said leisurely, sitting on her soft couch. "Silver frost charcoal costs a thousand taels per cartload—how could our household afford that? This imitation silver frost charcoal is different—it's only thirty taels per cartload. Even ordinary wealthy families can afford it. Why shouldn't we use it?"
"Thirty taels!!!"
All the official's wives were astonished at this price. So cheap?! Was the Third Madam tricking them?!
Even ordinary, slightly better gray flower charcoal cost more than that. How could charcoal resembling silver frost charcoal be only thirty taels? Surely it was mispriced?
"Many lower-ranking official households in the capital have bought it. You can easily verify this with a little inquiry," the Third Madam waved her handkerchief. "Why would I lie to you?"
"Really at that price?!" The officials' wives were half-convinced, half-doubtful.
The Vice Minister of Personnel was, after all, a third-rank high official. Those associating with his household couldn't be from minor families either. The guests today were all from major official households—families that could afford silver frost charcoal. However, because the Emperor disliked civil officials this year, none had dared to use it openly.
Now, seeing this affordable and effective imitation silver frost, many households were tempted.
Not only because the charcoal was effective and inconspicuous, but also because it was as cheap as thirty taels per cartload!
Those who don't manage a household don't know the cost of firewood and rice. Although capital officials' families wore silks and satins, adorned with gold, silver, and pearls, seemingly without worry for food or clothing, with money that could last generations—
Only those who have managed a household know how high the expenses in the capital are. Everything requires display, from clothing and accessories down to flowers and trees—everything has its standards.
Where do these standards come from?
From money, of course.
Where does the money come from? It comes from women managing every tael with careful calculation. Otherwise, how could one maintain both display and face? Does the family have a gold or silver mountain to squander so recklessly?
These women all had some authority in managing their households. Now, reminded of this, by switching from silver frost charcoal to imitation silver frost, they immediately realized they could save thousands to tens of thousands of taels each year.
With these savings, no matter what they needed to buy next year, their funds wouldn't be tight, and household expenses would look better. They all asked the Third Madam: "How come we haven't heard of such good charcoal? Whose product is it?"
"It's just become popular in the capital. It's not from any particular merchant—it's from a small prefecture..." The Third Madam paused. "What was it called... Yong'an Prefecture? Yes, that's it—it comes from Yong'an Prefecture. It's not sold in the capital; you have to sail there to buy it yourself."
"—Ah?!" Hearing this, most of the women were disappointed. "In this freezing weather, the rivers around the capital have long been frozen over. You can't sail out now—how can we buy charcoal?"
Going by land wasn't impossible, but traveling from the capital to a place like Yong'an Prefecture—which they'd never even heard of—would probably take until next spring. By then, who would still need charcoal?
"Exactly!" The women had been intrigued by the Third Madam's words, only to be doused with cold water—it left them feeling frustrated.
If they couldn't buy it, why even talk about it?
"It's not that you can't buy it," the Third Madam offered a solution. "I heard this imitation silver frost charcoal was promoted by Song Yunfan, a compiler from the Wenyuan Pavilion. Many seventh- and eighth-rank officials have sent ships to buy it. Some might have bought more than they need—why not purchase some from their families?"
The women thought it over—it made sense. Whether by family background or status, they were all higher than the families of seventh- and eighth-rank officials. By hosting a banquet or having their husbands mention it to subordinates during morning roll call, someone would surely deliver the charcoal to their doors.
They were buying, not stealing—it shouldn't be a problem.
So, these women, obsessed with saving money, finished celebrating the Third Madam's birthday and went home to persuade via pillow talk with their husbands, insisting on buying this thirty-tael-per-cartload imitation silver frost charcoal.
Not only would it allow their households to use good charcoal openly, but it would also save them a lot of money. Driven by these huge benefits, the officials actually started asking around among their subordinates to find out who had imitation silver frost charcoal.
Never underestimate the power of pillow talk. In no time, all the civil and military officials in the court were talking about imitation silver frost charcoal.
Until one day, after handling official business, even the grand secretaries casually joked with their subordinates: "I wonder if your household has any imitation silver frost charcoal?"
Just like that, from top to bottom, the trend spread.
This trend for imitation silver frost charcoal spread quietly but powerfully throughout the capital, reaching even the palace.
One day, the Empress summoned the head of the Imperial Household Department to Wutong Palace and asked him: "Grand Steward, have you heard of the imitation silver frost charcoal that's popular in the capital lately?"
The head of the Imperial Household Department was taken aback: "Your Majesty, what is imitation silver frost charcoal?"
"It's a type of charcoal that's recently become popular privately in the capital—affordable and similar to silver frost charcoal," the Empress explained. She had heard about it from a sister who visited her from outside the palace; it hadn't yet trended inside. "I heard it's only thirty taels per cartload. Perhaps you should also purchase some."
After the Huayin flood two years ago, the Emperor had taken much of the Imperial Household's silver for relief. Life in the palace had been hard since; in winter, many low-ranking concubines, eunuchs, and maids couldn't even use charcoal.
The Empress thought that replacing silver frost charcoal with imitation silver frost charcoal would allow everyone in the palace to use charcoal, making life easier for low-ranking concubines and servants.
"Thirty taels?!" The head of the Imperial Household Department was stunned. Was charcoal this cheap really any good?
The Empress, with her good temper, added: "All the families in the capital are promoting this charcoal—it can't be too bad."
If only one family said it was good, there might be something fishy. But if most households in the capital praised it, it must be fine.
Just as the head of the Imperial Household Department was about to leave and inquire, the Emperor walked in: "What is it that has the Empress and the whole capital promoting it?"
The Empress and the Emperor were childhood sweethearts with a deep bond. Hearing the Emperor's interest, she told him all about the imitation silver frost charcoal trend in the capital.
"Actually, this was started by that newly promoted compiler from the Hanlin Academy's Wenyuan Pavilion," the Empress said. Since she wanted to replace the palace's charcoal, she had naturally investigated the details.
"Oh?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow with great interest. "Is that imitation silver frost charcoal really so good that it's captivated all the capital's families?"
"This subject does not know." The Empress had only heard about it; she hadn't seen it herself.