The next morning, early, Lin Shanyue went out again.
Before leaving this time, she specifically greeted the Mirror Demon Young Master and fed Xiaobao a meal. Xiaobao loved the rice cake and drank a bowl of milk as well, so she figured he wouldn't be hungry before she returned at noon. Auntie Pang was as warm and welcoming as ever, and Lin Shanyue felt deeply grateful to her.
Once she was making steady money, she would repay the neighbors too, she thought, but suddenly sending too much stuff over right now would probably just give people a fright. Everything had to be done gradually.
Lin Shanyue waited for a mule cart at the mouth of the alley and headed straight for Huayue Pavilion.
To her surprise, Liu Niang was actually waiting for her.
"Little lady, you're finally here!"
Lin Shanyue was rather taken aback. "Were you waiting for me?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Let's go up to the second floor and talk." Liu Niang was exceptionally enthusiastic today. After going upstairs, she even had a young flower-girl named Queniao brew a pot of tea and bring over some pastries.
"Little lady, what did you say your name was yesterday?"
"Lin Shanyue."
"Sister Shanyue, I'll just call you that from now on, alright? That Storax Incense of yours is truly wonderful. I used it a few times yesterday, and quite a few guests praised it—I even got more tips than usual! Did you bring more today?"
Hearing this, Lin Shanyue was overjoyed. "I brought some. Have a look, please."
Liu Niang immediately took her basket to inspect the contents. "Not bad, though the quantity is a bit small... Sister Shanyue, can you make more? I was just testing the waters yesterday, but if it's this good, we'll use it in all the girls' rooms."
"This..." Lin Shanyue found herself in a bit of a difficult spot.
"It's not that I'm unwilling, ma'am, it's just that I'm on my own, and what I can make each day is limited. But if you truly find it good, I will do my best to make more in the future."
Liu Niang understood. "I see, and it is hard on you... Well then, for now, I suppose I can only use this Storax Incense for our most important guests. How do you make it? Do you do it all by yourself?"
Lin Shanyue nodded with an embarrassed smile. She had no choice; aside from making this, she also had to cook meals and prepare food to sell, so her time was genuinely limited.
An idea suddenly struck Liu Niang. "You know, at the slave market over in the West Market, you could go pick out a reliable helper."
Lin Shanyue was struck speechless. "I don't have the means for that yet."
She knew buying people was a thing, but she had never even considered it for herself.
Liu Niang thought for a moment and said, "I'll advance you three taels this time. Do your best with it. I hope you can supply my volume as soon as possible; price is no object."
Lin Shanyue nodded with deep gratitude. "Thank you, ma'am."
Giving it some thought, she took a small plate of pastries out of her basket. Lacking a proper fine plate, she had to use a steamer basket instead, but she had put thought into it, selecting some attractive leaves to line the bottom. "Ma'am, I made some pastries when I had spare time. Please accept them as a small token of my appreciation."
Liu Niang glanced at them casually and said, "Just leave them here. Thanks."
Compared to pastries, she valued the Storax Incense far more. Lin Shanyue smiled and said no more. "Then I'll be leaving first."
***
Stepping out of Huayue Pavilion, Lin Shanyue headed straight for the snack street she had visited yesterday.
She truly knew very few places well in the Imperial Capital, and the first area she had explored was right here in Pingkang Ward. The snack street was still bustling with life, and the old man selling sesame flatbreads was still calling out his wares yesterday.
The stalls here were rented out publicly; as long as one paid a market tax of two cash, a spot could be chosen. However, at this hour, all the prime locations were practically gone. Lin Shanyue searched around until she found a remote one, paid the patrolling official two cash, and exchanged it for a "green tag" so she could set up her stall.
The green tag served as proof that the tax had been paid and was mandatory when leaving the market, or else one wasn't allowed to leave. Lin Shanyue hurriedly tucked it away safely.
She had left the Marquis's Estate with a total of ten taels. After expenses and renting a house, she had about eight taels left. Yesterday's earnings of one tael were basically all spent, but today she had gained another three taels, leaving her with a total of eleven taels now. Having this much money was entirely thanks to the Mirror Demon Young Master, otherwise expenses would have been everywhere.
Eleven taels... she couldn't even afford to rent a small shop in Pingkang Ward. She still needed to hustle and make money.
At this thought, Lin Shanyue displayed the milk cakes and, imitating the auntie next to her, began to hawk her goods:
"Freshly made milk cakes~ Little ladies, come take a look~"
"Auntie, would you like to buy a milk cake? Steamed fresh today."
Lin Shanyue tried calling out just like the others, but for some reason, it yielded no results. She shouted for quite a while longer with great effort, yet not a single person came over. Lin Shanyue felt rather discouraged.
The auntie next to her, who sold steamed cakes, couldn't bear to watch any longer and said, "Young girl, are these genuine milk cakes of yours?"
Lin Shanyue nodded. "Of course."
"Then you can't sell them like this. Don't you see that everyone around here sells steamed cakes, flatbreads, and steamed buns? The people here are all hardworking folk. Who is going to look at your fancy pastries? They aren't cheap, right?"
Lin Shanyue thought about it. They weren't actually expensive... but the auntie's words woke her up. Could her milk cakes sell for the same price as steamed cakes? Of course not. Doing that would just be wasting fine goods.
Yet, selling such high-quality goods now, could she command any persuasive power?
She looked around. She was dressed in coarse cloth garments and carried a simple bamboo steamer. Lin Shanyue suddenly understood. "I get it."
The steamed cake auntie laughed. "As long as you understand. The food business isn't easy; there's a lot of know-how to it. Since you're just starting out—here, I'll buy a piece of your cake."
Lin Shanyue smiled and handed one right over. Before selling them, she always cut the milk cakes into neat, square shapes, which looked extremely appetizing.
"How much?"
"No charge, consider it a gift!" Lin Shanyue smiled, and right as the other woman wore a look of astonishment, she turned and left. The auntie called out "Hey!" several times behind her, but Lin Shanyue had already packed up her stall, handed the green tag back to the official, and left the snack street.
Instead of rushing back, she went straight to the East Market.
The Imperial Capital was divided into the East and West Markets. The East Market mostly sold miscellaneous everyday items, such as what she needed right now: porcelain plates and bowls.
Well-fired porcelain wares were sought after by all the upper-class nobility, and their prices were frighteningly high, but this was a necessary investment. Forcing down the heartache, Lin Shanyue hunted down six exquisite porcelain plates, spending two taels of silver in a single stroke.
Expensive—they were truly expensive.
Yet she had no choice.
Next, she hunted down two gorgeous food boxes made of delicate red-lacquered wood, carved with lifelike designs. They had about three tiers inside, which fit her needs precisely.
Another two taels spent.
Lin Shanyue didn't dare buy anything else and caught a mule cart home from the edge of the East Market.
As she reached the mouth of the alley, she spotted Xiaobao from afar. Xiaobao was actually squatting at Auntie Pang's doorway waiting for her. Lin Shanyue's footsteps paused, and Xiaobao seemed to sense something, turning his head to beam at her. At that instant, Lin Shanyue felt as though all her hardships had been completely worthwhile.
Raising a little cub was genuinely so healing...
"Be a good boy, Xiaobao." Lin Shanyue walked over to pick up her son and take him home, once more thanking Auntie Pang. She also unceremoniously handed Auntie Pang two pieces of milk cake; since they hadn't sold today, she might as well give them all away. Auntie Pang assumed she had bought them and declined for a long time, but ultimately couldn't out-insist her.
The first thing Lin Shanyue did upon returning was wash her hands and face, then settle Xiaobao onto the bed. Today she had bought quite a few things, which she casually set down on the table.
Giving it some thought, she also politely greeted the Mirror Demon Young Master.
Huo Yi had already figured out her routine: she went out earlier than a rooster crowed in the morning, but hurried back at noon to cook. So he just let out a casual, lazy grunt.
He was busy reviewing records. Having seen ghosts lately, several affluent patrons had come to the antique shop; besides the one looking to hunt down a jade pendant earlier, someone was now after porcelain. Huo Yi was swamped.
Could it be that this young girl brought him a stroke of financial luck? Huo Yi amusedly glanced into the mirror, and then, his eyes suddenly widened.
"You—you, where did you get these porcelain plates?!"