Her original plan had been to establish a grocery store with a stationery section. The grocery business would provide a steady income, while the stationery section could attract scholars, clerks, messengers, and other people who regularly moved through the capital's administrative circles.
It was a practical arrangement.
There was only one problem.
Paper was ridiculously expensive.
The moment Heena began approaching wholesale merchants, she discovered just how costly quality stationery could be in this era.
Fine rice paper, carefully prepared ink sticks, and calligraphy brushes made from high-quality animal hair were luxury goods, primarily purchased by wealthy households, scholars, and the aristocracy.
Stocking an entire section with such products would require a substantial investment. Worse, several merchants seemed reluctant to conduct business with a disgraced member of the Lu family.
