Ch. 381..385: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 381-385
Chapter 381: Chapter 381 - The Transition from Old to New (7) _1
"Miss, according to the recipe you provided, the scented soap and lye soap have taken shape. Here are the first batch of products, please review them." Xu Lianfa handed a few blocks of soap to Lin Ziyin.
Lin Ziyin took the soap, let Qiaoqiao bring water and personally tried them out. She also had Qiaoqiao wash some clothes using lye soap and found the effects to be not bad. She heaved a sigh of relief. Originally, the formulas given to her by her friends were mainly for testing one type, she could not remember any of the other beauty formulas.
Thankfully, she knew some of the processes. Master Hui Zhen and Xu Jin had experimented together, producing several kinds of beauty creams. As for the moisturising series using distillation, it was also in the research and development stage.
"Very well. Once it’s successful, we can start mass production." Lin Ziyin was delighted.
In the continuous mountains of the Northern Lands, there were many wild fruits and herbs. She specifically had people produce pine nut soap, along with other medicated soaps and fruit soaps.
"From April to September, wildflowers on the mountains can also be used. Next spring we will plant some distinctive flowers in the mountains, which can later be used to extract essential oils." Lin Ziyin said.
"Should the first batch of fruit soaps be sold in Feng City?" Yu Shaohui was good at doing business. In many aspects, he could hold his own, so he was one of the people Lin Ziyin valued.
"Miss, I think it’s better to sell the fruit soaps elsewhere first." Another important person by Lin Ziyin’s side was Jue Ming. Despite living in Ding’an Temple for so long, he surprisingly had a knack for business when placed in charge. He often proposed unique ideas and suggestions, hence, Lin Ziyin could comfortably leave the business to Jue Ming and Yu Shaohui.
"Share your thoughts." Jue Ming’s suggestions often coincided with Lin Ziyin’s.
"The situation in the Northern Lands is unstable, but it’s also a good opportunity for foreign merchants. Feng City is a place where merchants from the south and north converge. If we have good goods to offer, we can attract more merchants and exchange with them for things we want." Jue Ming replied.
Lin Ziyin nodded, "Don’t rush, there will be merchants coming tomorrow. We’ll discuss when the time comes. You guys prepare by packing these soaps in the meantime."
"Yes."
"Also, the first batch of potted tomatoes has ripened. For any merchant who comes to purchase goods, they can take the pot away." Lin Ziyin instructed again.
"Understood."
The Lin Family’s business was not affected by external factors.
The merchants who were supposed to come still arrived continuously. After a year and a half of renovation, Shili Village was no longer the small village it used to be. To facilitate the transport of goods by the merchants, Chu Suifeng generously built a green stone road specifically between Feng City and his own manor. This road unavoidably passed through Shili Village, which greatly improved the village’s traffic situation.
With the high number of daily merchants, the more alert villagers had already started small-scale trading along the roadside outside Shili Village, forming a small market in front of the village.
"Why have you become so thin?" Chu Suifeng, busy dealing with the internal troubles of Feng City, hadn’t seen Lin Ziyin for a long time. This was the first time he saw her in half a month, and at one glance, the Prince was displeased.
"I always get this way during the summer, no matter how much I eat, I don’t gain weight." Lin Ziyin was very satisfied with her body, thinking it was great as she could stay slim no matter how much she ate.
"Eat more." Chu Suifeng commanded sternly.
"Prince, I’m eating a lot, but if I’m not gaining weight, it’s not up to me." Lin Ziyin felt Chu Suifeng was being odd today. The Prince was a busy man, but he was actually showing concern for her health.
"1 I had someone send you seafood, store them well in the ice cellar." Chu Suifeng changed the subject.
Lin Ziyin felt she couldn’t keep up with his train of thought, but there was no reason to decline the Prince’s gifts, especially when he gave her seafood which she loved. "Thank you, Prince."
"These people are currently doing business in cloth, pick one to cooperate with." Chu Suifeng introduced the people who just arrived.
"Prince, Miss Lin." Upon seeing Chu Suifeng and Lin Ziyin, the newcomers greeted enthusiastically.
"Since you all are introduced by the Prince, I naturally trust you." Lin Ziyin responded with a smile, "However, before we talk business, I’d like to invite you all to take a look at our workshop."
"Please, Prince and Miss Lin." The merchants immediately politely made way. Among them, some were locals from the Northern Lands, while others were foreign merchants.
Upon receiving Chu Suifeng’s invitation, all were initially surprised, then ecstatic.
In Feng City, the Zhang family, Ji family, and Xia family pretty much monopolized all businesses, leaving foreign merchants with leftovers. Now that these three families have fallen, the Bai family, Ma family, and Chen family were showing signs of replacing them. The strong dragon would not crush a local snake, many foreign merchants were waiting and watching, waiting for the final internal situation of Feng City to stabilise.
Chu Suifeng’s invitation signified the Northern ruler’s acknowledgement of them. For these merchants, having the protection of the prince in Feng City meant that future businesses would have security, hence no one who received the invitation was absent.
Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Warming Feelings(1)_1
"Ladies and gentlemen, please follow me to the workshop to see our new product first, after which we can discuss our potential cooperation." Lin Ziyin courteously addressed all the merchants present.
Could there be any changes to the business? All of the businessmen present unanimously turned their eyes to Chu Suifeng, who was silent.
However, Chu Suifeng briskly stepped up, positioned himself next to Lin Ziyin, and started leading the procession.
Upon seeing this, everyone sighed softly, then chatted and laughed as they nonchalantly followed the two of them towards the workshop.
Located not far from Shili Village was the Lin Family’s workshop, a series of buildings standing in a row. As the Lin family’s primary business was in the food sector, these workshops were all located together. Although customer traffic was high, access to the workshops was usually restricted.
All products desired by the customers were stored in a large warehouse located at the village entrance. Anyone who wanted to stock up could simply collect the goods from the warehouse.
This opportunity to visit the Lin Family’s workshop excited all the traders, each guessing what the workshop’s interior might look like.
Upon entering the first workshop that Lin Ziyin led them to, everyone was stupefied. The place she brought them into appeared to be a girl’s room. It was quite spacious, divided into sections by large screens. Behind one of the screens was a massive bed with bright pink blankets, next to which sat several quirky stuffed toys. Some of these toys were laughing, some were staring at them, and some were making mischievous faces. However, all of them were captivating.
The décor of the bed was unique, elegant, and lavish. The furniture around was unlike any they had ever come across before.
To be frank, every trader chosen by Chu Suifeng had deep pockets. But even they had never encountered such unusual types of furniture. Some were even tempted to reach out and touch, but due to decorum, refrained from fulfilling their desire.
"This workshop is dedicated to producing the Lin Family’s newly designed product range." Lin Ziyin began, "You can all look around and feel free to ask any questions."
With the host’s permission, the guests started walking around freely, touching and feeling the products. Identifying a good product isn’t just reliant on vision; sometimes, observation also plays a crucial role.
"The room behind the screen is designed for men, you are also welcome to take a look there," Lin Ziyin suggested smilingly.
Rooms designed separately for males and females. Since the host proposed it, the guests naturally obliged and some walked behind the screen to check.
Chu Suifeng was not seeing this room for the first time. He had a set of Lin Family’s furniture in his villa.
"Please take a look," Qiaoqiao acted as the guide, "Our Lin Family’s bed and furniture are designed together. These beds are not as simple as you see."
If she explained while revealing the head of the bed, "It may look small, but it can store a lot of things. The backrest is designed according to the human spine, making sitting on the bed very comfortable. You all can try it later. But this is not the main feature of this bed. Yu Shao’en, could you please bring over a cushion?"
Having waited on the sidelines, Yu Shao’en promptly brought over a mattress as soon as he heard her, causing everyone to be stunned once they took a good look at the mattress.
"The top layer of the mattress is cotton, giving it great elasticity, but the filling isn’t cotton. Please, come and try it out," Qiaoqiao encouraged everyone.
Earlier, even though everyone had touched it, no one had actually tried laying on it. But upon hearing Qiaoqiao’s invitation, many gathered around the mattress and sat down. With this try, they immediately sensed the difference of this mattress––not even the softest cotton quilt could compare to its elasticity and comfort.
Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Warming Feelings (2)_1
"The mattress has two sides; this side is a cotton mattress, suitable for winter. It can be said that its warmth rivals that of a quilt. But on its reverse side, it’s equipped with a cooling mat for summer use. Even during the hot weather, it maintains its elasticity, yet provides a cooling effect." As Qiaoqiao explained, Yu Shao’en and He Dingyi flipped the mattress over again. Sure enough, everyone found that this side was made of a straw mat, intricately embedded into the mattress itself.
Someone voluntarily sat on it, feeling quite comfortable with its coolness and elasticity!
"The cooling mat has a variety of patterns to cater for a wider choice for customers. The third advantage of this bed is that it has a substantial usable space in the middle." Qiaoqiao boasted with a hint of pride in her bright smile.
Yu Shao’en and others cooperatively removed the mattress on another bed nearby, followed by the bed slats, which sparked quiet discussions among the customers.
Underneath the slats were compartments divided with planks. These compartments, assembled through a series of intriguing small components, offered an indeed large storage space, big enough to store four or five quilts. It was a clever design!
"Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the slats are all made from Red Pine, a speciality of the Northern Land, and the engraving designs on them are done by special artisans." Qiaoqiao grew more enthusiastic the more she spoke.
Lin Ziyin smiled as she listened, approving of Qiaoqiao’s performance with her eyes as a form of affirmation and reward.
Receiving her approving gaze, Qiaoqiao beamed so much that her eyes almost turned into slits.
"Now that you’ve seen our beds, we welcome you to look at the Lin Family’s uniquely designed cabinets." Qiaoqiao swung open the cabinets’ doors. In fact, all the merchants had already examined them. These cabinets stood out from the crowd. For one, they could be used to categorize and hang clothes, making it a marvel in itself.
Moreover, these cabinets’ overall appearance was uniquely innovative.
Qiaoqiao spared no effort in introducing the functions and uses of the cabinets. However, this part might actually be redundant, as anyone with eyes can comprehend the cabinets’ purpose from just examining it.
"Are these the lounge chairs to sit and rest?" An astute observer among them asked while looking at the sofas surrounding them.
"Correct, although these pieces of furniture are not called lounge chairs, but sofas," Qiaoqiao answered with a grin, "How about you all try sitting on them? Sofas, generally speaking, are usually placed in the living room."
Before she even finished speaking, someone eagerly took a seat. Indeed, it was comfortable and elastic!
"In case the cushions get dirty, they can be detached and washed." Qiaoqiao reminded everyone, "There are two types of sofas; the ones made out of wood are generally cheaper, but those made from the same material as the mattress are several times more expensive."
Their prices did not matter; the merchants knew that these pieces of furniture would be in high demand wherever they were sold.
"Miss Lin, while your furniture is impressive, I’m afraid transportation might be a bit troublesome," a merchant stepped forward and spoke in respect.
Having read his information beforehand, Lin Ziyin knew he was the eldest grandson of Jiangnan’s top merchant, a sharp and astute businessman.
"Mr. Mo overthinks. The biggest convenience of Lin Family’s furniture lies in its disassembly capability. When you all purchase the furniture, everything, except the mattress, will come as planks. As long as you send a person you trust to learn assembly here, once your customers purchase the items, this person can assemble it right at the customer’s residence. There won’t be any problem with transportation," Lin Ziyin explained at leisure.
Capable of disassembly! This was another innovative point, which began to tempt quite a few people.
"Actually, the new business that Lin family plans to expand is far beyond just furniture. Everyone, look." Lin Ziyin walked towards the adolescent girl’s series beds. "These dolls are cute and versatile, we intend to sell them in combination with comic books. As we are all business people, I believe all of you have already identified the commercial opportunities." Lin Ziyin didn’t elaborate on the dolls because it was obvious. She instead emphasized on the quilts. "You may wonder why it seems so effortless for me to lift up a quilt."
Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Warming Feelings (3)_1
"Is it silk?" someone guessed.
"Jiangnan is the home of silkworms, we can’t raise silkworms in the Northern Land." Lin Ziyin joked with the crowd. "Although we don’t have silkworms, we have found something great for the chilly weather of Northern Land. It’s lightweight and soft, most importantly, its insulation is much better than cotton. Everyone, come and try it."
Everyone has a quilt at home, so no one was genuinely interested in it, let alone bothered to touch it.
Upon hearing Lin Ziyin’s call, in order not to be disrespectful, they also became intrigued. Many of them went over to feel the quilt.
Upon touching it, they immediately felt the difference. The quilt was indeed as Lin Ziyin had described - lightweight, soft, and warm.
Chu Suifeng narrowed his eyes. How did such a good thing exist? How come he hadn’t known about it?
"Miss Lin, what’s inside?" an impatient one asked.
"Duck down and goose down." Lin Ziyin’s answer surprised everyone.
"Impossible. There is no smell at all." someone objected.
Others also had a look of doubt.
"Does fur stink? If handled well, the nobles in the Capital City can’t wait to get their hands on it. Rest assured, all the duck down from the Lin Family have undergone special treatment. I’m not bragging, but to others, even a pile of duck down in front of them would be considered trash." Lin Ziyin saw a glint in people’s eyes and added with a smile.
Everyone heard this and thought, wasn’t that the truth? Everyone had seen duck down before, but no one had ever considered it valuable.
"If the duck down is not processed correctly, it’ll have a strong smell in cold weather, and it might even suffocate one when it gets warmer. We have an 18-step process to sterilize, deodorize, and comprehensively clean the duck down." She gestured, and Yu Shao’en handed her a little bag of duck down.
The merchants looked at the duck down in the bag, and their thoughts of replicating the process instantly vanished.
"Duck down can be used not only for quilts but also for clothes. However, clothes made of duck down can’t be worn directly against the skin, so we’re also launching a type of clothing with excellent thermal insulation and can be worn close to the skin." She clapped her hands, and Yu Shao’en presented a cotton coat on each side, and Qiaoqiao carried several peculiar clothes behind him.
There was no need to say more about the down jackets – they were lightweight, warm, and beautifully trimmed with fur. Everyone stared at them. However, nobody understood the clothes in Qiaoqiao’s hands.
How do you wear this? It doesn’t even have a front opening.
Yu Shao’en quickly demonstrated to everyone.
Oh, so that’s how it is! Seeing it in person, everyone suddenly understood.
"What kind of material is used to weave this?" After trying it on, many people realized that the clothing wasn’t made of cotton.
"Sheep’s wool, or cashmere. However, the price of cashmere will be ten times that of wool," said Lin Ziyin. "Apart from making sweaters, we also sell wool blankets, and even sell wool thread. If any of you can secure the exclusive distribution rights, you can definitely find embroidery ladies to knit sweaters to sell."
Distribution rights? Upon hearing this sensitive term, many people perked up. Were the Lin Family not planning to sell to everyone? Thinking of this possibility, a wave of anxiety swept over them as they began to rack their brains on how to acquire those rights.
"What are the conditions, Miss Lin?" Mo Gongzi asked, speaking for everyone present.
"Let’s not rush into the details. We still have some more products to introduce. After that, we can start discussing terms," Lin Ziyin waved her hand and responded. "However, I should mention that once you see the effects, don’t get any funny ideas. I did not invite the ladies from the Flower Building here with any ulterior motives. I just wanted everyone to see the effects."
Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Warming Feelings (4)_1
A girl from the Flower Building? Chu Suifeng’s gaze suddenly cooled, and he fixed a piercing stare on Lin Ziyin.
Lin Ziyin felt somewhat embarrassed. In the modern era, lingerie shows were simple affairs, but in this ancient time, everyone seemed to imagine lascivious scenes upon hearing them mentioned. Especially as it was a young girl like herself inviting girls over from the Flower Building.
"The girls truly are here for business purposes, to help out. I’ve paid them with Silver as appearance fees. Please be understanding when you see them later. I’ll step out first and leave you in the care of the Prince." Having said this, she ignored Chu Suifeng’s murderous look and fled, leading Hong Ying Qiaoqiao and several maids away.
"Miss, the Prince seems very angry," Qiaoqiao asked anxiously once they were outside.
"Let him be angry, I’m doing this for business. I have no other good methods to sell my lingerie," Lin Ziyin kicked a small stone on the ground, her head lowered.
Hong Ying and Lun Luo wanted to laugh, but dared not. They guessed there was no one else under heaven who would dare to have the Prince entertain guests by watching girls from the Flower Building strip. Remembering Chu Suifeng’s dark face, Hong Ying and Lun Luo couldn’t help but sympathize with him internally.
The people left in the workshop showroom were even more awkward. Why did the women clothed so scantily appear so enchanting?
Though everyone frequently visited the Flower Building, either out of lust or for business needs, it was a first to see several women standing lined up, wearing barely anything, with so many onlookers. Some even had nosebleeds.
"Go." Chu Suifeng held back his disgust until everyone had seen what they were supposed to, then gave the cold order.
The girls from the Flower Building were indeed invited by Lin Ziyin using Silver coins. Initially, seeing the handsome men clothed in fine silk, they had intended to put on a show, but the man in the middle had already spoken. After seeing Chu Suifeng’s deadly gaze, even the girls with little schemes were scared speechless, obediently following Congyi’s lead away.
"Ahem, Prince, pardon my presumption." An awkward, blue-eyed, bearded merchant asked, "How can we obtain the rights to the merchandise?"
"Yes, Prince." The men who had just seen the lingerie show had flushed faces, a mix of embarrassment, excitement, and anxiety.
"Bring the girl in." Chu Suifeng gave a low order to those beside him. This cunning girl, leaving him with this mess while she hid away.
Lin Ziyin stood under a tree’s shadow outside, nearly dying from the heat. The weather in late August, it was truly hot. She gazed at the distant wheat fields revealing a hint of gold, contemplating about what to do at harvest time.
"Miss Lin, the Prince requests your presence," Congsan stepped forward and respectfully told Lin Ziyin. They were all personal guards close to Chu Suifeng; they clearly understood how Chu Suifeng felt about Lin Ziyin. After multiple interactions, they had been conquered by Lin Ziyin’s personal charisma.
"Alright." Lin Ziyin happily agreed, then mischievously asked Congsan, "How was the lingerie show just now?"
Congsan’s face turned red. Why did he feel like he was being teased by Miss Lin? But when he looked at Lin Ziyin’s serious face, he felt he was thinking too much. He wasn’t young anymore, it was time for him to get married. Earlier on, seeing those lightly dressed girls from the Flower Building, he felt quite shy.
"Many people were enquiring." After giving an ambiguous answer in a low voice, Congsan quickened his steps.
Lin Ziyin laughed secretly, covering her mouth with her hand, and then followed him into the room.