Chapter 105

"In this world, there actually exists such a wondrous object!"

Two old men, a group of literati, accompanied by courtesans, servant girls and manservants, and the madam.

Everyone's gazes all fell upon the standing mirror.

Looking at themselves and the people beside them inside, lifelike as can be, all were greatly amazed.

"This object." Ruan Dacheng stroked his beard. "It should be called a rare treasure."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

An undisputed rare treasure.

"The Frankish machine people of the Wanli Mirror don't have mirrors this large either."

Qian Qianyi over here was still showing off, recounting his past experience of buying a Frankish machine person's mirror. "Their largest is only a bit bigger than Brother Zi Hou's box mirror."

One year, about three ten-day periods, literati came forward to observe, praising continuously. "We all have copper mirrors at home."

"But no matter how smoothly a copper mirror is polished, it cannot reflect such light and shadow."

"Marvelous beyond marvels, truly marvelous beyond marvels~~~"

This thing called a mirror, at first used reflections from river water and lake water.

Later it was water in a basin, polished stones.

It developed all the way to polished copper mirrors, which was pretty much the limit of the handcraft era.

After that, you need physics and chemistry knowledge.

"Brother Zi Hou."

A literatus cupped his hands toward Lin Dao. "This object has affinity with me; just name your price."

"Fang Mi zhi!"

The crowd came to their senses, and someone immediately laughed and scolded. "How shameless~"

Such a good thing, seeing it makes one want it.

Everyone has the same thought, all expressing their stance for Lin Dao to name a price.

As for the accompanying courtesans, their gazes flowed with charming smiles, their eyes toward Lin Dao carrying a glint.

Only the young man who previously had his spot taken by Lin Dao sat there with a sullen face, drinking dull wine.

A companion beside him patted his arm. "Brother Bianjiang needn't be like this; after all, he's just a barbarian merchant doing foreign market business."

Even the most down-and-out scholar, in front of other strata, still carries a sense of superiority.

He smiled and said nothing, but in his heart he grew increasingly dissatisfied.

'I, the dignified young master Mao Xiang, actually lost face to a barbarian merchant!'

Feeling everyone's enthusiasm, Lin Dao nodded in satisfaction.

This standing mirror is so popular; it seems later we can restock more.

But things are valued for their rarity; still need to control quantity, maintain the price so it doesn't plummet.

"This matter is not urgent."

Lin Dao signaled. "There are still many other things; let's talk after we've finished viewing them."

Qian Qianyi and the others are all people of reputation and status; even if they like the standing mirror ten thousand times over, at this moment they can only temporarily endure.

Everyone's thoughts are also different from each other.

Qian Qianyi and Ruan Dacheng, almost all have the same thought.

'Present it to the palace!'

The literati's thoughts are various.

Some want to take it home as a family heirloom.

Some want to use it as a gift to curry favor with powerful nobles.

There are also those thinking of giving it to a female confidante, to steal a moment of intimacy.

As for the courtesans, no one is putting on airs anymore; one by one their eyes are circling around Lin Dao, carrying hooks.

Dong Xiaowan personally held the wine kettle and poured wine for Lin Dao; the smile on her pretty face left no trace, faint like a chrysanthemum.

Seeing this scene, Mao Xiang's expression grew even heavier.

Originally these two days, he was already enraged because of Chen Yuanyuan's disappearance.

Dong Xiaowan, who was treated as a backup, at this moment actually

You should know, this time it was Dong Xiaowan who invited him to bring friends to prop up the scene!

You, the real host, what are you doing right now!

Lin Dao took out glass cups and placed them on the table.

Crystal-clear glass cups, very pretty.

Only their stunning degree is obviously not as good as the standing mirror.

Scanning everyone's expressions, Lin Dao smiled. "I suppose the Frankish machine people also sell these things?"

"Haha~"

Ruan Dacheng laughed. "What Brother Zi Hou says is very true; my family also bought a few."

"But the Frankish machine people's goods are few; if Brother Zi Hou opens a shop to sell them, one or two taels of silver each, there'd be no worry of no buyers."

Lin Dao nodded, expressing understanding.

Then he took out glass tea sets: glass tea pots, tea cups, bowls, plates, wine cups, and such.

"Unique design, very good-looking."

"This object sold as a set has even higher value."

"Those who fancy the tea ceremony will likely want to acquire a set."

"Used for drinking wine, it is perfectly suitable."

In the late Ming Jiangnan, the sprouts of capital had already appeared.

Even scholars, in their gatherings, would not be ashamed to speak of commerce.

Of course, this was all in private; on the surface they still maintained the Confucian rule of not speaking of commerce.

Seeing the audience's expressions, Lin Dao understood clearly.

These things likely wouldn't sell for much money.

The last of the glass products was the kerosene lamp.

"Western glass lamp?" The literatus who first proposed buying the standing mirror spoke up on his own initiative, "This item is actually quite valuable; two hundred taels each is putting it low."

It was indeed putting it low; the glass lamp in Dream of the Red Chamber was valued at four hundred fifty taels each.

"I am Fang Yizhi, courtesy name Mizhi."

The literatus said with a smile, "Brother Zi Hou, this Western glass lamp burns very brightly at night."

"Brother Zi Hou's shop is opening; I naturally ought to buy some to hang at home."

He really was a self-made acquaintance.

And a wealthy noble scion at that.

Whatever caught his eye, he opened his mouth wanting to buy it.

"Easy to say, easy to say."

In his heart, Lin Dao had an estimate of the selling price and demand for these glass products.

Next, he took out two bottles of red wine.

"Huh~~~"

Seeing the red wine, a certain literatus exclaimed in surprise, "This grape wine in a glass bottle, I saw it at Bai Hua Lou two days ago."

Lin Dao's mind stirred slightly, "Exactly the same?"

That literatus stepped forward and surveyed it carefully.

Then he nodded vigorously, "Right, exactly the same."

"I am Chen Zhenhui, courtesy name Ding Sheng; I have met Brother Zi Hou."

"Young Master Chen." Lin Dao seemed thoughtful, "A few days ago I lost several cases of alcohol in the city interior."

"Ha~"

Chen Zhenhui laughed and clapped his hands once, "Then that matches up."

"Two days ago when I was at Bai Hua Lou I heard it said."

"Bai Wei Tang's Old Master Wang's sedan bearers and attendants sold glass-bottled wine of unknown origin."

"Old Master Wang reported it to the authorities; under the three wooden presses they still talked tough, saying they picked it up on the street and hadn't seen the owner."

"Because there was no owner, it was hastily settled."

Lin Dao laughed lightly, "Hastily settled? How did my wine end up at Bai Hua Lou?"

"Brother Zi Hou." Chen Zhenhui appeared somewhat helpless, "Behind Bai Hua Lou connects Ying Tian Fu."

"Your wine, I'm afraid, cannot be recovered."

Not only can it not be recovered, he Chen Zhenhui two days ago even drank a cup of it at Bai Hua Lou.

The wine was drunk dry, the glass bottles collected by different people; where to go look for them.

"Zi Hou."

Ruan Dacheng spoke to show goodwill, "This old man in Ying Tian Fu still has a bit of thin face."

"Send a calling card, give those sedan bearers and attendants a good lesson, vent anger for you — how about it?"

Everyone knew the goods definitely could not be gotten back.

Then one could only vent on people.

In any era, what is most neglected is always people.

Lin Dao shook his head, "No need for so much trouble."

Indeed it was no trouble needed.

Wait until he raised a force and seized Jinling City.

At that time tear down Ying Tian Fu!

Dare to swallow my goods?

Like drinking wine, right? At that time I'll soak you in wine vats and let you drink your fill.

This matter is briefly passed over; Lin Dao took out a corkscrew and opened the red wine bottle.

With a 'Pop!' sound, the cork was pulled out.

"Oh~~~"

Chen Zhenhui to the side exclaimed in surprise, "So this wine is opened like this."

"Hm?" Lin Dao was confused, "What do you mean?"

Chen Zhenhui said with a smile, "That day at Bai Hua Lou, everyone didn't know how to remove the cork."

"In the end they actually summoned a craftsman, who used a chisel to pierce the cork."

"When drinking, there was always a taste of wood chips."

The corkscrew would have to wait several decades to be invented.

Before this, Europeans opening wine bottles usually just quickly smashed the bottle neck.

Lin Dao smiled without speaking and handed the bottle to Dong Xiaowan beside him.

At this time Dong Xiaowan also no longer put on airs.

She smiled charmingly and, together with her good sisters, poured wine for everyone.

Two bottles of wine, three tables of people, sharing with the glass wine cups Lin Dao brought out — not even enough for one cup per person.

"The mouthfeel is very good~"

"Soft, fragrant, and sweet, excellent."

"The ancient Pu Tao Wine must have been like this."

"Astringency wrapping sweetness, sweetness retaining fragrance, fragrance overflowing~"

Watching the literati narrow their eyes, shake their heads and sway as they tasted the wine, Lin Dao held back laughter.

Industrially bottled, a bottle costs only a dozen yuan or so, yet you really know how to drink.

"Young Master." Dong Xiaowan at his side, her gaze flowing, asked timidly, "Why do you not drink?"

Lin Dao glanced at her. "There's plenty at home, I'm tired of drinking it."

His attitude was somewhat distant, unlike the flattery and fawning of other young masters and literati.

But Dong Xiaowan did not mind at all.

She glanced at that standing mirror without leaving a trace, then smiled charmingly and picked up a piece of white diced chicken with her chopsticks.

"This is a dish this slave made herself."

Lin Dao tasted a bite; unexpectedly, the flavor was not bad.

He glanced at her slender jade hands. "You really do cook a good hand of dishes."

Dong Xiaowan excels at cooking; she is one of the Ten Great Chefs of history, one of the Six Great Culinary Goddesses.

It counts as a novel approach, starting by capturing a man's stomach.

Lin Dao took the opportunity to open the other several bottles of wine as well.

There was high-proof baijiu, sweet sparkling wine, and pale yellow beer.

The reaction to the baijiu was ordinary.

This era already had it long ago, only the number of people who like it is not many.

The beer was alright, even more popular than the baijiu.

The most popular, however, was the sparkling wine.

The women all praised the sweet taste incessantly.

The literati, holding up the rising foam, made remarks about it; there was even a literatus who composed a poem on the spot, drawing exclamations of admiration from everyone.

Lin Dao also exclaimed in admiration.

These Confucian disciples — other matters they may not be good at, but in composing poetry and matching couplets, they are absolutely masters of the craft.

At the very least, Lin Dao could not produce a line like "Waves rise, foam forms, spinning, illusory, extinguishing; time since ancient times is like a bubble's shadow."

Seeing the literati wanting to compete in composing poetry, Lin Dao tore open the packaging and took out the cultured pearls.

"Grains plump, luster bright and gorgeous."

The literati held the pearls and exclaimed in admiration, "They are all top-grade pearls."

As for the various Ming Qi, their beautiful eyes shone with light, they clutched their chests, breathing rapidly.

Jewelry, jewelry — the original meaning of 'zhu' refers precisely to pearls.

It comes even before 'bao'; from this one can know the preciousness of pearls in the ancient world.

The box of pearls Lin Dao took out, in the eyes of the crowd of Ming Qi, was simply comparable to modern young women encountering big-brand luxury goods.

Just as they were chatting and laughing, clamor and noise suddenly transmitted from outside the flower boat.

Before long, a group of fierce, evil-looking ruffians burst in.

"Dong Xiaowan!" The leader, upon seeing Dong Xiaowan, immediately laughed strangely. "You really know how to hide — you even dare run from the imperial consort selection?"

Dong Xiaowan was frightened until her face turned pale; subconsciously she leaned toward Lin Dao's side.

Qian Qianyi, who was about to fly into a rage, also swallowed his voice.

"They are Tian Guo Zhang's household servants."

"Huh?" That Tian servant saw the standing mirror and was instantly overjoyed. "Good thing, good thing~~~"

"Hahaha~~~"

The Tian servant laughed without end. "Such a good thing, it should by rights be presented to my master."

Lin Dao frowned, staring at the Tian servant, his eyes revealing fierce light.

'You have already chosen the path of death!'

(End of Chapter)