RMCF: Chapter 59

 

Chapter 59

Zhang Fangyuan unhurriedly finished serving a customer buying meat before finally acknowledging the young clerk who had come.

“Who sent you?”

The young clerk, facing Zhang Fangyuan's sharp gaze, didn't dare lie. “It was Jiuniang. She wanted to see if Brother Zhang could supply another bottle of perfume.”

Hearing this outcome, Zhang Fangyuan couldn't help but frown. He had expected someone else to come looking to buy, which would have allowed him to drive up the price. In the end, he had underestimated these women's competitive nature. Once they got their hands on something good, they wouldn't easily reveal its source. This made his business a bit harder to conduct.

He said, “The question is whether she can afford it.”

The young waiter quickly replied, “Jiuniang said the price is negotiable. She only hopes Brother Zhang won't make things difficult.”

“Five thousand wen.” Zhang Fangyuan said matter-of-factly. “If she wants it, I'll sell her one as a favor.”

The young clerk didn't argue further. He immediately pulled out five teals of silver, very straightforward. Of course, since he wasn't the one actually paying, just had to get the job done. 

Zhang Fangyuan took the money and handed over a bottle of perfume to the clerk, then curled his lips in a slight smile. An easy profit of four thousand nine hundred and eighty wen.

He had long seen the spending habits of these brothel women. Some men would throw away a fortune on them, so naturally they themselves also spent lavishly. Ordinary folks pinched and saved every three or five wen, but these women thought nothing of spending hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousand wen. 

The pleasure house was a den of decadence and wealth. The ladies there had few places to spend their money when going out for leisure, so they poured it all into silk fabrics, gold and silver jewelry, perfumes, and cosmetics. 

But not everyone had such deep pockets. Just as villages had rich and poor, the pleasure house had its own hierarchy. The ones who could spend freely were the top courtesans; the low-ranking ones or those past their prime also had to scrape by. 

But someone like Yin Jiuniang—Zhang Fangyuan watched the young clerk scurry back to report—deserved to be fleeced.

It wasn't his fault for being a lion; it was just business. The young clerk returned and handed the Rose Dew to Yin Jiuniang, reporting the expense. Yin Jiuniang was happily examining the bottle of perfume, but before she could fully enjoy it, she heard the price and couldn't help but curse under her breath. “That Zhang Fangyuan might as well have robbed me!”

The young clerk scratched his head. “I didn't dare haggle with Brother Zhang. Whatever price he named, I had to pay it. I was afraid of ruining the deal for you, miss.”

“Fine. Someone will fill my coffers again anyway.” Yin Jiuniang waved the young clerk away. Looking at the crude perfume bottle—plain ceramic of poor quality—she wrinkled her nose in disdain. It made the perfume look cheap. She turned and transferred the Rose Dew into a small glass vial, where it shimmered beautifully, looking quite valuable. 

Smirking, she went to the room of another top courtesan in the Yunliang Pavilion, a girl named Wanxia.

“Good sister, this is truly fine stuff.”

“My things are never inferior. It's only because it's you, little sister, that I'm willing to part with it. Use it sparingly; this perfume is hard to come by.”

“Good sister, I'll follow your advice.” Wanxia played along expertly. “I wonder how much this perfume costs? I can't very well take it from you for free.”

Yin Jiuniang sneered inwardly; as if she'd give for free even if she wanted it. “The price isn't high. About what you'd spend on a bolt of satin. Just give me ten teals of silver. With our friendship, no need to stand on ceremony.”

Wanxia's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. She might as well be robbing her! 

But she was truly delighted with the perfume. Even if it was a bit expensive, it wasn't beyond her means. So she generously paid up.

Yin Jiuniang smiled sweetly, inwardly weeping tears of joy as she pocketed a net profit of five thousand wen. 

With the two top courtesans using the same perfume, sales quickly took off. Within just a few days, Yin Jiuniang's man sought out Zhang Fangyuan again.

“I can't even sell  all my pork as fast as your ladies use up perfume. Are they burning money? Pouring it all into their bathwater?”

The young clerk said, “How would I dare question the ladies' affairs? Perhaps the perfume is so good they use it more frequently.” 

Zhang Fangyuan stared hard at the clerk, making his scalp tingle. Just as the clerk was about to beg for mercy, Zhang Fangyuan named his price. “The stuff is good. The price has gone up. This time, eight thousand wen.” 

“Ah!” The clerk gasped. “Th-this...!”

“Take it or leave it.”

The clerk scratched his head anxiously. “I'm just afraid the price rose so fast the lady will think I'm cheating her.”

“What cheating? Go back and ask her before you buy. The price changes every day anyway. It's up to your lady whether she wants it.”

To be safe, the clerk decided to go back and check with his superior first. He couldn't afford to make up the difference out of his own pocket.

Zhang Fangyuan wasn't in a hurry. He ate a leisurely lunch in the afternoon, and seeing the man still hadn't come by, he stretched out on a reclining chair with his feet up and dozed off. Some time later, the clerk finally returned. 

“Brother Zhang, our lady would like to invite you for a drink.”

Zhang Fangyuan took the large palm-leaf fan off his face, squinted at the clerk, and gave a light snort. He asked the stall keeper to watch his stand for him and followed the clerk to Yunliang Pavilion.

In the afternoon, the establishment was tidying up to open for business. Early guests were already sitting in the main hall listening to opera, while the back courtyard buzzed with the chatter of women. Yunliang Pavilion served food and drink to its guests, and in the afternoon, the street behind the building was filled with delicious aromas. Many peddlers gathered there, hoping the house would buy their leftover vegetables and fruits.

The cooks sometimes obliged, since at this hour the peddlers were eager to sell everything before leaving town, and prices were very low. 

Zhang Fangyuan was used to entering through the back door. As he passed through, the little alley was just as lively as the front street where women beckoned to customers.

“Buying something and calling the seller inside to buy—how many customers can afford that kind of service?” 

“Brother Zhang, what an honor.” Yin Jiuniang poured wine for Zhang Fangyuan. “I invited you here to discuss business.”

Zhang Fangyuan declined the wine. He had pretty much guessed Yin Jiuniang's intention, otherwise he wouldn't have come.

“Just say what you have to say. You know I don't like beating around the bush.”

Yin Jiuniang felt the same way, since she'd have to receive guests soon. She said, “How many bottles of perfume do you have left, Brother Zhang? Sell them all to me.”

Zhang Fangyuan raised an eyebrow. “The ones you sent your man to get—you sold them to someone else, didn't you?”

Yin Jiuniang smiled but said nothing.

If Zhang Fangyuan wasn't interested in the deal, he wouldn't have come.

“I have twenty bottles left. Name your price.” Zhang Fangyuan reached for a cup of tea but, remembering where he was, put it back down. Who knew what might be added to things in a place like Yunliang Pavilion? 

“Brother Zhang, for the sake of our long acquaintance, give me a little room for profit. I can see my prime years fading; I won't be able to stay in this place much longer. Young, pretty faces come along all the time. Jiuniang is not what she used to be. I want to save up some money in these few years to redeem myself, and go to a small place where no one knows me, buy some land, and live out my days.”

Zhang Fangyuan looked at her sideways. An ordinary man might be moved by such words, perhaps even feel pity and generously offer help. But… he was Zhang Fangyuan. He had worked here too and heard such lines countless times. Any person of the pleasure quarters could spin this tale.

He patted the back of his hand to signal Yin Jiuniang to stop. “Enough. We're all doing business. Why waste your breath? Hurry up and name a price. If it's fair for both sides, it’s a deal. If not, we can still be acquaintances.”

Yin Jiuniang rolled her eyes. She'd heard from An San'er that this man had changed since getting married. Changed how? He was exactly the same.

“Make it a round number. One hundred teals.”

“You could turn around and sell them for over a hundred. Never studied the books, but you sure know how to work an abacus.” 

Zhang Fangyuan said, “One hundred and fifty.”

“Brother Zhang~” Yin Jiuniang couldn't help a tantrum and try using her charms. “You think I'll take them and jack up the price, but I still need people to buy them! If the price is too high, they won't sell!”

“One hundred and twenty.”

Zhang Fangyuan selectively deafened himself to everything except the price. “Deal.”

Yin Jiuniang thought to herself she’d been careless.

“Day after tomorrow, at noon. Cash on delivery.”

“Can't we do it tomorrow?”

“Brother Zhang, I need two days to scrape together the money.”

Zhang Fangyuan shook his head. This business was so profitable, how had she not managed to save a hundred taels after all these years?

But he didn't say it out loud. He stood up. “I'm generous. The bottle I gave you before—I won't charge you for that.”

“…”

Having known countless men, she had rarely encountered one as peculiar as him.

Zhang Fangyuan left Yunliang Pavilion with a light step, thinking that in two days he would bring He Ger to collect the money. They would have something to celebrate together.

…

“He Ger, I need to tell you something. You should take it to heart.”

Xu He had been busy all day, but now things were winding down. He was leisurely scooping soy sauce for a fulang from the village who had come to buy some. 

This fulang wasn't much older than Xu He—maybe three to five years. He looked all around the tea stall, his eyes practically dripping with envy. Seeing Xu He come and go, acting like the boss, he couldn’t help but sigh with admiration.

The Xu He who used to be as dark as a mountain monkey, black and scrawny —who would have thought he'd live such a comfortable life after marriage? Glowing with health, and his husband had even built him a tea stall to manage. Which girl or ger in the village had such good fortune?

By the riverside and on the field paths, everyone who gathered together couldn't help but sigh with envy. 

Hearing about it was one thing. Actually seeing someone live the good life—that was truly bitter and maddening.

Xu He didn't understand what the ger was hinting at. #What is it?”

“You'd better keep an eye on Zhang Fangyuan. He's been going to the pleasure house again.”

The word ‘again’ was very telling. It brought to mind Zhang Fangyuan's frequent visits to such establishments in the past—and now his old habit had resurfaced.

Xu He felt that bringing this up out of the blue carried ill intent. Many in the village were jealous of their household and would love to see it fall apart. He didn't take it to heart. “How do you know?”

“My husband told me. He went to sell pears outside Yunliang Pavilion today and saw Zhang Fangyuan swagger in. There was some seductress waiting for him inside, looked like one of the top courtesans.” 

Xu He's brow twitched. “Your husband knows the top courtesans?”

The ger was rendered speechless, then grew flustered. “I'm kindly telling you this, and you turn it back on me?”

With that, he slammed down his money, picked up his jar of soy sauce, and stormed off. 

Xu He watched him go and pursed his lips.

What was he doing at a pleasure house again?

He hadn't run out of the stuff at home, had he? And he knew where it was kept. There was no need to buy more.

To see a courtesan? That didn't seem right either. Zhang Fangyuan accounted for the stall's profits every day when he came home. With the little money he had on him, how could he afford a top courtesan,...

Tsk, though… come to think of it, not long ago he had given him a fair amount of money, which Zhang Fangyuan had insisted on keeping on him.

***

T/N

He baby, no need to worry, A-Yuan is working hard making money for you 

ヾ( ˃ᴗ˂ )◞ • *✰ 

 

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