The shopkeeper was sweating even more. Was Young Master Lou here to kill him? If word got out that his goods were fake and shoddy, who would come to buy from him? Those families had lost their lives. It would be strange if they didn't kill him!
"In all honesty, Young Master Lou, please don't slander me. I've been selling groceries here for 30 years. I've never sold shoddy goods against my conscience! My whole family depends on this business to make a living. You're digging up my roots!
The rope is made of high-quality coarse hemp. The cloth is made of new high-quality cotton. The water bag is also sewn with real cowhide … "
Lou Xiaoyi smiled. "What about the wind lantern? I mean, what about the lamp oil inside? "
The shopkeeper was taken aback. He did not expect that the entire set of exploration equipment was genuine goods. Due to an accident, there was a lack of oil in this wind lantern, so some other things were added. It was only one stop out of ten, but this young master of the Lou family was able to see through it. It was truly inconceivable!
Lou Xiaoyi continued. "You know, in an enclosed space, a little light is completely different from no light at all. Especially for injured people, it means hope and can see their companions around them.
If you're in the dark, think about it, that kind of despair … "
The shopkeeper's face was pale. He didn't think there was much of a difference. It was just a matter of burning a quarter of an hour less. The lamp oil of the wind lantern was specially made and more expensive than ordinary lamp oil because it had to be considered to play its normal role in a special environment. But how could it have anything to do with human lives?
What was this Lou Province Young Master thinking by forcing him like this?
"Young Master Lou, this is all an accident! It's not intentional, and it's not cheating! There's only one wind lantern left. Before you came to buy it, my grandson lit it to catch crickets and wasted some lamp oil. He was afraid that I would scold him, so he secretly took some dolphin thread incense, which is the same color as the lamp oil, and dripped it in. You have to know that dolphin thread incense is more than ten times more expensive than lamp oil. Even if I want to cheat, I can't cheat at such a loss, right?
A child's unintentional act is not a crime. You can't put this on us. Our small shop's profits are small and can't withstand the torment of big waves. You're a magnanimous person … "
Lou Xiaoyi stopped him. "A child's mistake? Then there's no need to investigate further. But are you sure you added dolphin thread incense and not something else? "
The shopkeeper swore. "It's definitely not a lie! If you don't believe me, I'll get the child here. I can't lie, can I? On the second day after selling the wind lantern, his mother found out that the dolphin thread incense had decreased by a lot. After asking, she found out the truth and gave him a few beatings. I'll get him here now … "
Lou Xiaoyi pulled him back. "Forget it, I'm just asking because I feel that there's something wrong with the smell. Since it's a child's prank, I won't go too far. Only heaven, earth, you, and I know about this. I won't spoil your business.
How about this, bring me the remaining dolphin thread incense. I'll see what it is! "
The shopkeeper was still in a daze, but he still asked his assistant to bring him a bottle of dolphin thread incense. It was an amber-colored liquid in a porcelain bottle. He opened it and took a sniff. There didn't seem to be any strange smell.
"What's this thing for? It seems to be very expensive? "
The shopkeeper hadn't recovered from the rapid changes in the mind of this young master from Lou Province. Until now, he still didn't quite understand what this young master's real intention was.
Therefore, he could only answer mechanically, "Dolphin thread incense isn't a product of the Ye Kingdom. It's a new product from the South Sea Country. It's only been a few months since it spread to Pu City, so many people don't know much about its functions.
This dolphin thread incense isn't actually a fragrance. It's more similar to a mosquito repellent. It's used to remove armpits, keep the skin tight, and maintain moisture. The noble ladies in the southern countries are used to using this dolphin thread incense as a base. They first apply it on their head and face before applying other fragrances and rouges. This way, they can ensure that insects don't fall off, and they don't lose moisture. It can also remove the smell of sweat and armpits from long-term activities outside.
However, this thing has just spread to Pu City and hasn't spread to the upper class yet, so it's not selling very well … "
Lou Xiaoyi nodded. "So it's used for both medicine and skin care. It's amazing! This small bottle isn't cheap, is it? "
The shopkeeper laughed dryly. "Because it's still in the market stage, we're not selling it at an expensive price. It's only five taels of silver per bottle. We're just making some money from advertising … However, if you like it, this small shop will give it to you. I think the Old Madam in the residence will need it!"
Lou Xiaoyi smiled. "Am I here to take advantage of you? How about this, I'll take two bottles of this and try it out. If it's good, I'll even take care of your business! "
He turned around and called for Ping An. "Come and pay the bill!"
On the way back, Ping An kept nagging. He talked about how ten taels of silver was too expensive and had already exceeded his monthly allowance. Recently, the residence seemed to be a little tight because of his mischief, and so on.
Lou Xiaoyi ignored him. When they passed by a teahouse, he looked at Ping An, who had been nagging all the way, and thought to himself,
"Ping An, I'll treat you to tea!"
In the teahouse, Ping An was a little restrained and uneasy. He also knew that this little ancestor was up to no good, but he couldn't refuse. He could only take one step at a time and hope that it wouldn't conflict too much with the Old Madam's instructions.
After a quarter of an hour, the master and servant walked out of the teahouse. Lou Xiaoyi was full of smiles, but Ping An's face was full of worry.
In the past few days, Lou Xiaoyi's movements were confusing in Ping An's eyes. He didn't know what he wanted to do. In any case, the people he looked for were the natives of the Gobi Desert, which was rarely seen in Pu City. They were ordinary people who had settled down in Pu City with their children and grandchildren when they were older.
When he thought of the Gobi Desert, Ping An's heart kept beating like a drum. He had the impulse to inform the Old Madam, but the conversation with his little husband in the teahouse made him hopeful again.
After another three days, Lou Yaoshi and Aunt Caihuan went to the Jokhang Temple in the west of the city to worship Buddha. This was one of the Old Madam's few hobbies, and it was also a common point among the upper-class ladies of Pu City. Generally, they would go there two or three times a year. If something happened, they would go there more often.
This time, they were going to the Jokhang Temple mainly to ask for a fortune for that unlucky brat! They would donate money for incense and oil to ask for Bodhisattva's blessing.
This was a kind of spiritual sustenance. Although Lou Yaoshi wasn't an ignorant woman, she was still different from the men who worked hard outside.
Worshipping Buddha, asking for a fortune, offering a fortune, and eating vegetarian food. In addition, the journey wasn't short, so they wouldn't be able to return until nightfall.
Just as the two Old Madams' small sedan chair headed to the Jokhang Temple, two figures flashed out of the corner gate. Two fast horses went straight to the north of the city.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
