"This can't be rose jade! It's just ordinary pink quartz. Rose jade is clear and pure, without a single impurity. The finest rose jade can even refract starlight!"
"This painting is a good imitation, but it's not a genuine work by Zhang Jianzhi. Zhang Jianzhi's painting skills were highly proficient, with bold and unrestrained brushstrokes. His paintings often captured the essence of landscapes... Tell the person who pawned this that if he knows the artist, he should encourage the artist to focus on honing his skills. Maybe one day he'll achieve great success. There's no need to simply copy others and be dishonest."
"This Jun ware with its rose - purple glaze is genuine. The body is fine and the glaze is magnificent. It's a pity it didn't undergo a kiln transformation. It's just a notch below the best..."
Some girls nearby asked, "Sir appraiser, what is a kiln transformation?"
They were students from Zhaoyu Academy and now apprentices at Wanfu Pawnshop.
However, they knew nothing and could only learn by following the Princess of Ning.
Since yesterday, these girls had been staying in the back hall. Every time the Princess of Ning evaluated an item, they would jot it down in their notebooks, making records for the pawnshop while trying to learn.
The Princess of Ning said gently, "If copper is added during the glaze - firing process, colors like rose - purple, begonia - red, sky - blue, and moon - white can be formed. They are as gorgeous as the sunset."
"But if you adjust the body and the temperature slightly, when the porcelain comes out of the kiln, it will display magnificent and colorful patterns on the same piece. This is called a kiln transformation."
"This is also a unique feature of Jun ware, known as 'the same color goes in the kiln, but a myriad of colors come out'."
Everyone nodded in understanding and quickly noted it down.
The Prince of Ning was also kept busy.
After the Princess of Ning finished her evaluation, he had to set a price accordingly.
"This one is not worth much. Two taels."
"This one is better. Ask him if he's willing to pawn it for fifteen taels. If not, we can raise it to eighteen taels."
"This is a precious item. Offer him a hundred taels!"
...
Seeing how busy everyone was, Li Wanming said goodbye and left.
Looking at how well - organized the place was, she felt a mixture of relief, happiness, and a hint of melancholy.
"It's much better than my Changxing Inn..."
Xiao Jingnan understood her feelings and comforted her, "The inn will reopen after the renovation. The Emperor and his people won't cause trouble again. Our inn will surely get on the right track."
Yes, the poor business at the inn yesterday was entirely due to some troublemakers!
If it could be run in a normal way, it should be able to make a stable profit.
Moreover, they didn't even suffer a loss yesterday...
Not only did they not lose money, but they also made a fortune.
Thinking of this, Li Wanming regained her confidence.
She clenched her fist and said to Xiao Jingnan, "You're right. Our inn will surely make money if it's run properly!"
She pulled Xiao Jingnan out of the door. "Come on, let's go and check on the paper - crafts shop!"
...
The paper - crafts shop in the south of the city was in stark contrast to the bustling Wanfu Pawnshop.
The entrance was completely quiet.
There wasn't a single soul in sight.
Not only at the entrance, but even the half - street near the shop was deserted.
Occasionally, when a passer - by walked by, they would instinctively lighten their steps and lower their voices.
It was as if saying one more word or taking one more breath would be a desecration of the high - end paper - crafts shop inside.
Li Wanming stood at the street corner for a long time, not knowing what to say.
Not only the passers - by, but even she herself was a bit reluctant to enter the shop, which was as magnificent as a glass palace.
Li Wanming turned to Xiao Jingnan. "There's no business."
"I know."
"Tian Erya said the person who bought the paper boat yesterday returned it."
"Ah, I heard her say that."
"She also said there hasn't been a single customer this morning."
"Yes, she told me too."
Li Wanming stood in front of Xiao Jingnan. "Don't you have anything to say?"
Xiao Jingnan raised his hand to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight and said lazily, "My dear, we're running a paper - crafts shop, not a restaurant. How can there be customers every day?"
"So you know it's a paper - crafts shop!"
Li Wanming really wanted to poke him in the forehead.
"We spent thirty thousand taels on this paper - crafts shop. If there's no business like this every day, how can we earn that money back?"
When she made a bet with Chen Jinde, she said that all three shops had to make a profit within three months.
That meant the paper - crafts shop had to earn more than thirty thousand taels in three months.
Although Xiao Jingnan had shared his ideas with her that day, Li Wanming still felt unsure.
After all, it was thirty thousand taels, not three!
Xiao Jingnan stepped into the shop.
"It's just the beginning. Why are you in such a hurry, my dear?"
"We have three months. There are so many nobles in the capital. There's bound to be a death, isn't there?"
Li Wanming said angrily, "What if everyone is blessed with good fortune and good luck for these three months, and all the family members are safe and sound? What will you do then?"
"Huh?"
Xiao Jingnan scratched his nose. "What can I do? Of course, I'll wish them good health and a long life. My dear, this thought of yours, always hoping for people to die, is not good. Really not good..."
Li Wanming glared at him angrily and then rushed to the counter to look at the ledger.
Xiao Jingnan walked up to Tian Erya, pointed out some minor flaws in her paper - crafts, and told her not to worry about the short - term business. Whether there were customers or not, she should always strive to improve her craftsmanship.
Only in this way could they seize the opportunity when fortune came knocking.
Tian Erya nodded vigorously, saying that she had been working day and night to study and make paper - crafts these days.
Li Wanming curled her lips. "Fortune? Big business? There's not even a single customer in the shop. Where's the big business?"
Xiao Jingnan was examining a paper lantern carefully. Hearing this, he said, "If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools. We need to be well - prepared to ensure success."
"Moreover," he paused for a moment and then continued, "we've already bought all the raw materials. Should we just let them mold in the corner?"
Li Wanming was instantly speechless with anger.
Yes, they had bought a large amount of gold foil and silver paint. What else could they do but make paper - crafts?
Should they stuff it all into his mouth and make him eat it?
Li Wanming tried to hold back her anger and said, "I'm just afraid that all our efforts will be in vain in the end. After all, it's thirty thousand taels..."
Xiao Jingnan strolled to the counter and took the ledger out of her hand.
"Don't look anymore, my dear. No matter how long you look, the numbers on it won't turn into a flower."
Li Wanming pouted angrily. "I just want to see if the row of numbers will change from ten - thousand to a thousand, and from a thousand to a hundred if I look at it for a while!"
"Oh, my dear, what nonsense you're talking."
Xiao Jingnan smiled and pulled her out. "Are you tired out from working these days? No problem. I'll take you out for a good meal to relax."
Li Wanming said, "I don't want to go. I'm not in the mood for a meal..."
"You have to eat even if you're not in the mood. You need to be well - fed to fight a tough battle."
As he said this, Xiao Jingnan forcibly pulled her into the carriage and shouted to the coachman in front, "Let's go to Muyun Pavilion."
Li Wanming retorted angrily, "Muyun Pavilion? Are you crazy?"
Muyun Pavilion was the most expensive restaurant in the capital!
They were already in debt up to their necks, and he still wanted to go there for a meal?
"Stop the carriage. I'm not going!" Li Wanming lifted her leg and was about to get off the carriage. "We can hardly make ends meet at home. How can we go to Muyun Pavilion for a meal?"
Xiao Jingnan laughed and held her down. "How can we not make ends meet? Didn't we just borrow a hundred thousand taels? There are probably not many merchants in the capital richer than us now."
"But it's borrowed..."
"If it's borrowed, it's yours," Xiao Jingnan said. "As the saying goes, if you have too many lice, you won't feel itchy; if you have too much debt, you won't worry. There's not much difference between owing a hundred thousand taels and owing a hundred thousand and one hundred taels."
He leaned back lazily against the carriage and said with a smile on his lips, "Today, I'll show you how to spend the money borrowed with skill!"