Chapter 869: The Fragrance of Red Clothes and Snow-White Skin

Count's Prefecture, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

Seeing Seeing Baochan interrupt, the Xia young lady's words were very impolite, but she didn't think she was presumptuous.

The corners of her pretty mouth pursed slightly, revealing her beauty and a hint of cunning.

She was the eldest young lady of the Xia family, and there were some things she shouldn't say. Letting the little maid shout them out was just the right measure.

Hearing Seeing Baochan's sharp words, Matron Zhao's face was slightly awkward.

She said, "Young Lady, you can't say it like that. Things are always precious because they are rare. This black fox fur is truly hard to come by."

The Xia young lady said indifferently, "The Xia family also runs shops and does business, and we can even achieve the imperial seal. There is no reason we don't understand the routines and principles involved.

Asking for a sky-high price and paying back on the ground is just a common principle of doing business. Every family does it this way. Everyone relies on their own ability to earn silver; earning it is ability.

Having ability and means makes one a winner; having no ability and no vision makes one a fool.

This young lady only wants good things if I see them. I can afford any amount of silver; I'm just afraid you don't have proper good goods.

But if you want to make me a fool, I won't be willing. I am someone who cannot suffer grievances. If I let you know you are cheating me,

I will definitely shout it out. I guarantee that none of your fur coats will be sold. Don't think I'm scaring you!"

Hearing this, Matron Zhao felt a shiver in her heart.

This Xia young lady had such a pretty appearance and figure, like a beautiful young lady, but why was her speech so sinister and malicious?

She had thought that a daughter of an inner courtyard wouldn't have seen much of the world and would definitely be easy to cheat out of silver, but she didn't expect this young lady to be a fierce one in secret.

Matron Zhao knew that the Xia family were imperial merchants, one of the top wealthy families in the city. Their business was frighteningly large, and they had abundant connections in the imperial court.

How could her small family compare? If the silver was scraped too hard and this little ancestor of the Xia family was provoked, and she really used means to stir up trouble, her family would suffer a big loss.

She hurriedly apologized with a smile, "Young Lady, these words are too distant. Who doesn't know the name of the Guihua Xia family? How could this old woman dare to show off in front of you?

Since Young Lady has taken a fancy to this lined jacket, I also want to form a good bond, so I will sell it to you for seven hundred taels."

The Xia young lady played with the black fox lined jacket without saying a word, just snorted disdainfully.

Matron Zhao had a headache. This little girl was truly difficult to deal with. She said with a bitter face, "Young Lady, six hundred taels is the deal. It can't be lower. There's no profit left."

The Xia young lady smiled triumphantly, took out a stack of silver notes from her silver box, and took a five-tael silver ingot.

She stuffed it into Matron Zhao's hand and said, "I like to have clean ears. This ingot is to treat you to wine.

I bought this black fox coat. If you go around shouting blindly, I won't like it!"

Matron Zhao smiled apologetically, "Young Lady is still the most generous. I, this old woman, understand the rules of doing business. Young Lady, please rest assured, my mouth is very tight."

The Xia young lady waved her hand and was about to send the matron away.

Seeing that her young lady only cared about hooking up with her lover, and that she didn't even care about sending things to Jia Baoyu, her legitimate husband, Seeing Baochan felt a bit unconvinced.

She went up and whispered, "Young Lady, this black fox lined jacket is eye-catching. If you send it directly like this, what if it's seen by others?

Why not buy one for Jia Baoyu as well, and send them both as Lantern Festival gifts? It will be good to cover it up."

Although the Xia young lady was unwilling, she felt it made sense. After all, she hadn't entered the family yet, so she couldn't be too presumptuous. She said, "You were finally smart for once."

……

The Xia young lady stepped forward and took a look at the fur box, and then flipped through it listlessly.

She found a lined jacket with grayish fur that didn't look very eye-catching, but the fur looked okay.

She used two fingers to lift the lined jacket and asked, "What material is this? It looks quite neat."

The matron's expression froze slightly, and she said, "Young Lady, don't pick another one you like. This one doesn't match your status."

She picked up a flowery white fox fur coat and said, "Although this fox fur can't compare to the black fox fur, it is also top-notch. Young Lady, see if you are satisfied."

The Xia young lady frowned and said, "Who asked you to pick? I'm asking about this one."

The matron said, "The one Young Lady picked is gray rat skin. Although it is a bit ordinary, it is not something ordinary families can use."

Seeing Baochan was a bit curious and asked, "What kind of fur is gray rat skin? Why haven't I heard of it before?"

The Xia young lady looked disgusted and said, "What an ignorant girl. Gray rat skin is the skin of a pine rat.

In the southern provinces, it's called a squirrel. They are everywhere in the forest. Although it's a worthless thing, it's very warm to wear as a coat."

……

Seeing Baochan was a bit stunned. The young lady bought top-grade black fox fur for Jia Cong, fearing she wouldn't kill Jia Baoyu, but bought pine rat fur for him……

The Xia young lady said, "I want this one. Don't tell me that this kind of goods is worth over a hundred taels, or I'll spit in your face."

Matron Zhao's face stiffened. The Xia young lady not only knew the business but was also sharp-tongued and couldn't tolerate sand in her eyes. She was truly difficult to deal with.

How could she dare to play tricks? If she didn't scrape the silver and offended the imperial merchant Xia family, she would suffer a big loss.

She hurriedly apologized with a smile, "How could I dare to sell pine rat skin for over a hundred? We are an old shop with years of history and dare not do dishonest things.

This gray rat skin lined jacket, I'll give it to you for a real price, fifty taels market price. There's nothing more suitable.

Although it can't compare to the black fox skin, it is not something ordinary families can wear. Only wealthy families use it, and it is very decent to wear."

The Xia young lady said, "It's just right for him to wear. I want this one."

Matron Zhao thanked her repeatedly and accepted the silver. Although the black fox fur was extremely good, her being forced to cut the price was just a common merchant's tactic.

With both fur pieces sold, she still earned quite a bit. Seeing that it was time to stop, she hurriedly had people take the box and took her leave.

……

After Matron Zhao left, Seeing Baochan said, "Young Lady, is this gray rat skin too filthy?

Sending top-grade black fox fur to Jia Cong and letting Jia Baoyu wear gray rat skin—if someone sees the difference, will it cause idle talk?"

Hearing this, the Xia young lady's eyebrows twitched slightly, and she felt a few doubts in her heart.

She said, "Why do I feel you are a bit strange? You are always speaking for Jia Baoyu. Did I not notice for a moment that Jia Baoyu gave you benefits!"

Hearing this, Seeing Baochan was startled, her face turning pale with fear. If the young lady knew she had slept with her man, she would definitely sell her to a brothel.

She hurriedly shook her head and said, "Young Lady, what are you saying? I haven't even spoken to Jia Baoyu. How could I have received benefits from him?"

The Xia young lady snorted coldly, "I assume you don't have the guts. If you dare to have two hearts for me, unless you are tired of living."

She threw the gray rat skin lined jacket on the table and played with the black fox lined jacket, seemingly unable to put it down.

Seeing Baochan was terrified and blamed herself for talking too much. She had been a bit carried away just now, why did she feel sorry for Jia Baoyu, almost letting the young lady see the truth.

She hurriedly said, "I would never dare to have two hearts for you. I'm not helping Jia Baoyu; I'm considering things for you, Young Lady, to save you from suffering losses."

……

The Xia young lady said disdainfully, "Jia Baoyu is just a club. He is the same age as Jia Cong, but he can't even pass the scholar examination.

He hides in the prefecture every day, eating free meals and sleeping with maids. He actually keeps fifteen maids in his room. He is truly a shameless thing.

I haven't even entered the family yet, and he already got a big maid pregnant. He is a lowly embryo who doesn't know etiquette and has no vision.

Even his own father doesn't look up to him and tries to humiliate him every day.

He also has a hard fate. Not only was he not humiliated to death, but he also refuses to repent and will be effeminate for a lifetime.

If it weren't for taking advantage of others, he wouldn't be worthy of me buying him a coat to wear, and he wouldn't be afraid of shortening his life.

Although the Jia family is wealthy, it's not piled with mountains of gold and seas of silver. Even if there is, it belongs to Jia Cong.

Just based on his mother's stupid appearance of eating dirt, a third-rate product with no foundation, does Jia Baoyu's clothes each worth fifty taels? I'm already elevating him.

He is a side-branch product, unable to lift his hands or carry on his shoulders, a product fed by others.

Does he dare to dislike what I send? If he really does, I won't send it to him, and I'll send a pile of Four Books and Five Classics to suffocate him to death."

……

Seeing the Xia young lady getting more and more excited, seemingly enjoying humiliating Jia Baoyu, her little mouth chattering endlessly, Seeing Baochan felt her face turn pale.

She just wanted to quickly block the young lady's mouth and said, "Young Lady is absolutely right. A fifty-tael lined jacket is extremely precious, worth several months of my allowance.

I only ask Young Lady to act carefully, marry into the Jia family safely and steadily, so that you and the mistress can have dignity, and you can get benefits inside and out. There will be a long time in the future."

Hearing this, the Xia young lady stopped her cursing, her expression depressed and unhappy.

She said, "My mother asked me to marry into the Jia family just to find a backer for the Xia family.

The old families and relatives of the Xia family, who have been moving around since childhood, also have many descendants. I didn't think they were so bad before.

Now looking at these things again, they are actually the same as Jia Baoyu, all useless clubs.

They might be better than Jia Baoyu, but they are all vulgar and unbearable, neither literary nor martial, only knowing some trivial things for a lifetime, wasting their birth as males.

Every time these people see me, they have a lecherous, lowly look, which is truly disgusting.

Unlike Jia Cong, every time he sees me, he is polite in behavior and speech, and his eyes never look blindly. He is not only outstanding but also different from others.

How many men like Jia Cong can be found in the world? Others are all the same goods. I'm too lazy to pick, so I might as well follow my mother's wishes.

I am willing to marry Jia Baoyu, and others don't know how much they despise it. I have already suffered enough and lost face.

Jia Baoyu has taken such a big advantage, does he dare to be dissatisfied? I lose to him on this one, and he shouldn't think about managing me on others!

You have people lift all the festival gifts sent to the Jia family inside. I will arrange them again and send them to the Jia Prefecture today.

I have labeled every box of festival gifts. Have Matron Chen send them to the Eastern Prefecture, Western Prefecture, and Eastern Road Courtyard, and only send the gift list to Rongqing Hall.

If she sends it to the wrong place, I will peel her skin when she comes back!"

Seeing Baochan felt a tremor in her heart. Although the young lady was getting crazier, her brain was not half muddled.

The festival gift boxes were sent to the prefectures, and the young lady could write whatever she wanted on the gift list. Jia Cong would get good things from the young lady and would definitely guess the reason, so he wouldn't be stupid enough to spread it.

The young lady's means of hooking up with men were truly quite powerful. Could it be that she learned them from books? No wonder the young lady always read books.

Sending gifts this way also saved a lot of trouble, and there wouldn't be any changes before the young lady got married.

Otherwise, if Lady Jia knew that the young lady sent Jia Cong black fox fur and Jia Baoyu rat fur, she would definitely go crazy……

……

Count's Prefecture, Jia Cong's Courtyard. ===== CHAPTER 870 =====