Chapter 130: Snow-skin Mooncakes

Thinking of Wang Mu's bruised and swollen appearance, Yan Ning felt a bit worried: "He's going to fall... Wang Mu, the craftsman who makes these, is already covered in bruises from falling."

Looking at Chancellor Ji, who was quite old with graying hair, he really could not withstand such tossing and turning.

Chancellor Ji felt a bit regretful.

After the morning court session, Yan Ning skipped another class.

She had an important matter to attend to today.

She changed into a plain-colored dress and took a carriage to find a suitable shop to sell all sorts of strange and curious items.

She also brought along a trusted aide who could serve as the Manager.

Yan Ning toured the area and spotted a spacious shop; the location was good, but the rent was a bit expensive.

The shop next door was just as spacious, with a monthly rent of ten taels, while the shop Yan Ning had her eye on cost fifteen taels a month.

Yan Ning walked in, saw a woman dressed in red, and asked: "Is this shop for sale?"

The woman in red smiled and said: "Naturally it is for sale, but our place has two floors, so it is a bit more expensive."

The woman in red, Du Ruo, looked Yan Ning up and down; although her dress was plain-colored, one could tell at a glance that it was made of top-quality Soft Smoke Gauze.

Looking at the hairpins she wore, they were all exquisite and beautiful, so the price would not be too cheap.

Du Ruo smiled and said: "How about one thousand taels of silver?"

Yan Ning pondered for a moment and bargained directly: "How about three hundred taels?"

Du Ruo stood up straight: "Three hundred taels won't buy it; nine hundred and ninety taels at the very least. Look at my shop, the location is spacious and it's in such a prime spot; buying it for nine hundred and ninety taels is not a loss."

Yan Ning repeated: "Three hundred taels."

Du Ruo's smile turned cold: "Little sister, are you here to stir up trouble?"

Yan Ning smiled and said: "The asking price for this shop is too high; I don't think it's worth that much money."

Du Ruo: "How about nine hundred and fifty taels!"

Yan Ning continued: "Four hundred taels; if you don't sell, I'm leaving."

Du Ruo hesitated.

Yan Ning waited for three breaths, then turned to leave.

Du Ruo hurriedly said: "Five hundred taels, this is truly the lowest price."

Yan Ning nodded immediately: "That works."

As she spoke, she took out a five-hundred-tael Silver Note.

Du Ruo looked regretful, feeling she could have asked for a higher price.

Yan Ning had been coming to the market frequently during this time and was very familiar with the surrounding prices; this shop normally sold for five hundred taels of silver.

It was just that this proprietress saw she was young and deliberately quoted a high price.

The inside of the shop was very clean, with a few shelves currently piled in the corner.

Yan Ning pulled several crates out of the carriage.

She said to Eunuch Liu: "Tomorrow, have a craftsman make a better-looking sign."

This shop was originally called a Grocery Store, and the plaque above the door read: Du Ji Zahuopu.

Eunuch Liu smiled and said: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will have it done tomorrow."

Yan Ning and Eunuch Liu moved the crates out together, which contained three boxes of coarse paper.

Speaking of this coarse paper, she had originally been worried that her father wouldn't be able to meet any trading partners from modern society, so she started trying to make toilet paper herself.

Unfortunately, toilet paper was a technical job; she racked her brains and watched all sorts of time-travel video guides, but still couldn't make it.

She could only make some coarse paper.

But it would do for now; it was much better than using a bamboo spatula.

Besides the coarse paper, Yan Ning also brought two Bicycles, which the carpenters had worked overtime to rush out.

There were two wooden crates left; one was filled with mutton-fat soap, and the other was filled with various Seeds.

The Seeds were packed in silk pouches, with many varieties written on them; these were all produced by Steward Feng from the Imperial Farm.

These Seeds were not expensive to sell; a dozen copper coins could take them away.

At this moment, someone walked in, looking very anxious.

He asked: "Do you have bamboo spatulas?"

Yan Ning shook her head: "No."

This person was a bit unhappy: "If your Grocery Store doesn't sell bamboo spatulas, what do you sell?"

Yan Ning pointed to the stacks of snow-white paper: "We sell toilet paper; it cleans better than a bamboo spatula and is much gentler."

Xu Maoguang pointed to the toilet paper and asked: "How much for a stack of this?"

Yan Ning thought for a moment: "Thirty copper coins a stack."

The cost of this coarse paper was low, but it was labor-intensive; Yan Ning didn't plan to rely on it to make money, intending instead to write down the method for making coarse paper and sell it at the Grocery Store.

Xu Maoguang glanced at the simple shop, where a few Bicycles stood out particularly well.

Xu Maoguang asked: "What are these things?"

Yan Ning took a look and said: "These are Bicycles; if you ride them, you can go very fast."

As she spoke, Yan Ning demonstrated it for him.

Xu Maoguang's eyes lit up instantly; this vehicle was truly great!

His uncle-in-law was an official, but his family couldn't afford a carriage, so every time he went to court, it was very difficult; if he could buy one, that would be great.

Yan Ning moved the vehicle back, and Xu Maoguang immediately crowded over: "How much for this vehicle?"

Yan Ning: "Three taels of silver each."

Xu Maoguang began to take out his silver.

Yan Ning reminded, "Let's be clear, you won't be able to balance the first time you ride this bike, and you might fall."

Xu Maoguang waved his hand dismissively, "No matter, I should be able to learn after falling a few times."

Seeing that the items she had just put on display were being bought, Yan Ning was in a very good mood.

It was just that there were a bit too many people lurking around for the Bicycles lately, and she couldn't make that many in such a short time.

Yan Ning put the Bicycle blueprints up, and one hundred copies were snatched up immediately.

Quite a few people also came to buy the method for making rough paper.

For things like this that didn't make much money but benefited the people, Yan Ning put all the blueprints in the Grocery Store to sell.

There was one month left until the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Yan Ning's pastry shop could start preparing.

Since she was selling food, Yan Ning didn't know how much she could sell at first, and she worried the Mooncakes would spoil.

With twenty days left until the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Snow-Skin Mooncakes Yan Ning had people make were already finished and placed in the pastry shop for display.

Pink and white, pink and blue, blue and white, yellow and white...

These color combinations, added to the translucent Mooncake skin, looked very beautiful.

Besides that, Yan Ning also made various flower shapes for the appearance.

Yan Ning took out the custom-made Mooncake boxes and carefully placed the Mooncakes inside; this one Mooncake gift box contained four Mooncakes, and the price for one box was one tael of silver.

The cost of these Mooncakes was very low, and the gift box looked flashy but was also cheap; moreover, each one only contained four Snow-Skin Mooncakes. She had originally wanted to sell them for two taels, but after thinking it over, Yan Ning still felt one tael of silver was more appropriate.

Who would have thought that as soon as the Snow-Skin Mooncakes hit the shelves, several hundred small gift boxes of Snow-Skin Mooncakes were snatched up within an hour.

Yan Ning had still underestimated how wealthy the people in the Capital were.

Besides the Snow-Skin Mooncakes, Yan Ning had also made other Mooncakes, only their appearance was not as beautiful as the Snow-Skin Mooncakes.

After the Snow-Skin Mooncakes were sold out, many people who had seen the Snow-Skin Mooncakes wanted to come and try their luck, but they were all sold out.

The Manager said, "The Snow-Skin Mooncakes are sold out; new stock will arrive tomorrow. Everyone can also try our other Mooncakes; they are all very delicious."

A man wearing luxurious clothing was somewhat dissatisfied, "I want to buy these Snow-Skin Mooncakes today!"