Xiao Jingnan stood on the Muyun Pavilion, looking at the frost - covered scenery below. The whole city was in mourning. A faint smile crept onto his lips. "My lady, are you at ease now?"
Li Wanming stood beside him, her mind in turmoil. She didn't know how to react.
All she could think was that she had underestimated the creativity of the noble families in the capital when it came to spending money.
There were actually people who would squander tens of thousands of taels of silver on a single memorial ceremony...
It was beyond her comprehension.
"Don't think like that," Xiao Jingnan said. "If they don't spend, how can the common people earn money?
Money has to circulate. If the aristocratic families hoarded their wealth like misers, it would be a disaster for the country."
Li Wanming didn't bother to think about whether what he said was right or not. He often spouted nonsense anyway. Her attention was completely drawn to the mourning procession in the street.
The memorial ceremony was extremely extravagant.
Even the paper money scattered was dusted with silver powder, which made the common people on both sides scramble for it.
Li Wanming had always thought that Xiao Jingnan's showy display at the opening ceremony of the paper - making shop was already quite ostentatious. Now she realized that compared with these aristocratic families, he was just a small fry.
"Even so, we've only earned 23,000 taels. We're still short of 7,000 taels..."
And now, there was no more time.
There were less than twelve days left until the end of the bet.
Where could she get 7,000 taels in just twelve days?
Xiao Jingnan shifted his gaze to the street and said calmly, "My lady, don't be in a hurry. After today, all the wealthy families in the capital will come to you."
"Come to me?" Li Wanming looked up in confusion.
Xiao Jingnan nodded. "My lady, have you forgotten? In seven days, it will be the Zhongyuan Festival."
The Zhongyuan Festival falls on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month.
It is said that on this day, the gates of the underworld open.
Ghosts with descendants will return home to reunite with their families and receive sacrifices and offerings from their descendants.
The wandering souls without a home will linger in the world, wandering in the streets and alleys.
So on this day, besides offering sacrifices to their ancestors at home or at their ancestral graves, people will also hold sacrificial and almsgiving activities at the City God Temple outside the city to redeem the wandering souls.
The Zhongyuan Festival is a day when the whole city offers sacrifices.
— It definitely requires a large number of paper - made objects and sacrificial offerings.
Li Wanming's heart skipped a beat. She saw a huge business opportunity.
She composed herself and asked slowly, "The sacrificial activities during the Zhongyuan Festival do require a large number of funerary objects, but most of the buyers are common people. Our paper - made objects are so expensive. Will anyone buy them?"
Their gold paper ingots cost ten taels of silver a string, which was equivalent to half a year's expenses for an ordinary family.
If they couldn't sell, what did the bustling Zhongyuan Festival matter to them?
"My lady, you're wrong," Xiao Jingnan said. His eyes were calm and gentle, and his voice was soft. There was not a trace of panic in it.
"Who said we're going to sell to common people?"
"Huh?" Li Wanming was confused again.
If not to common people, then to whom?
Were they going to find another Duke Qing?
Although there were many nobles and aristocratic families in the capital, it didn't mean that everyone would buy things without considering the price.
Who else but the Duke Qing's family, the richest and most generous family in the world... No, the most aristocratic family in the world, would buy paper ingots that cost ten taels of silver a string?
Come on, they were rich, not stupid...
Xiao Jingnan said, "Of course, we'll sell to those who need to buy."
He stretched out his long arm and pointed at the mourning procession on the street. His wide robe and long sleeves fluttered in the wind, as if he were directing the country.
"Don't just see this as a memorial ceremony. See it as a performance."
"Performance?" Li Wanming didn't understand.
"Yes, a performance," Xiao Jingnan nodded. "A performance specifically designed to showcase the products of our paper - making shop."
Li Wanming looked into the distance, overlooking the noisy and frosty procession gradually disappearing. Suddenly, she understood.
The memorial ceremony of the Duke Qing's Mansion was witnessed by the whole capital!
Wasn't this setting an example for all the high - ranking officials and noble families in the city?
If the Duke's Mansion had a memorial ceremony of this scale, what about the Marquis's Mansion, the Earl's Mansion, the General's Mansion, and the Prince's Mansion...
Wouldn't they all have to follow this pattern?
Xiao Jingnan was right.
What did the rich people in the capital like to do most?
They liked to compete!
Now that the Zhongyuan Festival was coming soon, if the Duke Qing's Mansion used such luxurious paper - made objects, how could other aristocratic families be willing to be outdone?
Wouldn't they rush to their paper - making shop?
After all, looking at the whole city now, who else could make such luxurious works?
Even if they couldn't be as wealthy as the Mu family, the Duke Qing's family, they could still buy a couple of paper figures to show off.
Many a little makes a mickle.
If every noble family came to buy one paper - made object, their shop would probably be swamped!
Thinking of this, Li Wanming turned around and ran downstairs.
"My lady, where are you going?"
"To tell Tian Erya to step up production!" By the time Li Wanming finished speaking, she was already downstairs.
Xiao Jingnan watched her disappearing back, shook his head gently and smiled. "She's still so impatient. She never changes..."
When Li Wanming gasped and ran to the paper - making shop, she found a large crowd gathered at the door.
Qing Lan was shouting in the shop, sweating profusely as she tried to maintain order.
"There's no more paper money!"
"That's a paper horse. It's just been booked... No! You can't buy it! The customer has gone to pay!"
"There are no paper figures left. There are only two paper rabbits left. Do you want them?"
In less than an hour, all the finished products made by Tian Erya had been snapped up.
More people were still pouring in.
Qing Lan couldn't stop them. "There's nothing left. Really nothing left. Even the half - cut paper money has been bought... When will there be new stock? Well..."
Li Wanming made a prompt decision. "Qing Lan, take orders! We'll continue to pre - sell!"
This situation had happened once in the Li Family Wine Shop, and Qing Lan was quite familiar with it.
She quickly called two girls with paper and pens and started taking orders one by one.
But paper - made objects were different from wine. Different customers had different requirements.
Every time Qing Lan took an order for a special paper - made object, she would turn to ask Tian Erya if she could make it.
At first, Tian Erya nodded, but gradually, a troubled look appeared on her face.
Li Wanming pulled her aside and whispered, "What's wrong? Can't you make it?"
"I can make it," Tian Erya said. "But they all need it for the Zhongyuan Festival. The time is too tight. I'm afraid I won't be able to finish in time..."
Li Wanming suddenly realized.
Right.
This situation was different from that of the Li Family Wine Shop.
There was a time limit this time.
Once the Zhongyuan Festival passed, the price of paper - made objects would drop immediately.
Moreover, the three - month period was almost up, and she couldn't wait.
Li Wanming turned to Qing Lan and asked, "Do the current orders amount to 7,000 taels?"
Qing Lan took a rough look. "Almost."
"Good!" Li Wanming said. "Close the shop and turn away customers!"