After becoming a widow

241-250

Chapter 241

Some time ago, Lin Zhen and Gu Lin traveled to Lizhou by land, which took half a month. However, they arrived in Kyoto on the fifth afternoon after boarding the ship from the river mouth of Dongyang County.

Lin Zhen could clearly feel the transition period between the climate of Kyoto and Lizhou. When he boarded the ship, he was still wearing autumn clothes. On the third day of the ship's voyage, he couldn't stand the sun above his head. He returned to the cabin and changed into a green Luoshan, and never let go of the fan in his hand.

When he entered Kyoto, the temperature was even higher.

Lin Zhen stood on the deck, holding a fan in his hand to cover his forehead. His masked face was hidden behind it, with only his eyes visible in two frames. He looked at the merchant ships in front and behind: "Brother Yan, our ship will not move after it docks. It will stay here for three to five days, and I will turn back after I sell all the goods."

Yan Canghai looked at his eyes that were slightly squinted because of the sunlight, and said, "How can you sell this stuff if you don't go to Kyoto?"

"Wait for customers to come and buy it," Lin Zhen smiled and instructed Zhou Zhengchu and others behind him, "Just follow the method I said. First, tell the servants of the ladies and ladies one by one according to the names and addresses on the list that new Jade Face Powder Flower Dew and lipstick have arrived. If you want to buy them, go to the merchant ship with the Yan flag at the mouth of the canal."

"Then spend a little money to hire the children of the Yitang on the street, and let them shout loudly in the streets and alleys, saying that those who want to buy Yurong Powder Flower Dew lipstick can buy it here. There is not much stock, and

it will be sold out while stocks last." Yan Canghai, who was standing next to him, understood what he meant. What Lin Zhen said before about making rouge and powder in Kyoto was not false, and he even had some reputation. He was sure that those girls and boys who loved beauty would come to buy it after hearing the news.

Yan Canghai looked back at the cabin loaded with eight horse-drawn carts of goods, and really wanted to see how long it would take Lin Zhen to sell them all.

Zhou Zhengchu and his friends had never been to Kyoto, but Lin Zhen's request was not difficult. After they saluted Lin Zhen with their fists, they got off the boat, casually called a coolie who was moving things, and pointed to the place above to let him lead the way.

The coolie was from Kyoto. When he heard the names of the mansions and residences mentioned by Zhou Zhengchu and his friends, sweat broke out on his forehead: "Gentlemen, these are people that I cannot afford to offend. If I offend you, I will lose my life." Zhou

Zhengchu was also surprised when he took the booklet handed to him by Lin Zhen. At the top of the booklet was written:

Shi Mansion, Mrs. Shi, living in xxx, Dongcheng, and it was also noted that her husband was the Minister of Industry.

The second line was the detailed address of the mansion of the Marquis of Yong'an.

The third line was the detailed address of the mansion of the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

...

At a glance, these people were all wives or juniors of high-ranking officials and nobles in Kyoto. Each of them was a big name.

But they were all a string of words in Lin Zhen's booklet, waiting for Zhou Zhengchu and his friends to notify the arrival of new goods made by Lin's Water-Powder Shop.

Zhou Zhengchu said: "You are only responsible for leading the way, and we will take care of the rest. Even if there is a disaster, we will be the first to suffer. What are you afraid of?"

Coolie: "..."

This seems to be true.

Zhou Zhengchu walked towards Kyoto City: "Come on, run this trip with us, and you will be paid for four jobs."

When he heard about the money for four jobs, the worry on the coolie's face disappeared a lot. He followed the steps of Zhou Zhengchu and others, and took them to Shi Mansion first according to what Zhou Zhengchu said.

Shi Mansion is one of the courtyards closest to the palace. In such hot weather, the servants guarding the gate are still meticulous, and their clothes are neatly dressed without even a wrinkle.

Seeing Zhou Zhengchu and others coming here, the gatekeeper of Shi Mansion looked at them.

Zhou Zhengchu asked a few people to wait more than ten meters away from the gate of Shi Mansion, and walked over by himself.

"Stop, this is the Shi Mansion, you cannot approach casually." Zhou Zhengchu had just taken a step when the gatekeeper who noticed his intention stood in front of the majestic and solemn gate and said.

Zhou Zhengchu clasped his fists and said, "Big brother, I'm a foreign merchant. My master was asked by Mr. Lin from Lizhou to bring a few words to Madam Shi."

"That Mr. Lin's surname is Lin Zhen. He used to do business in Kyoto selling Jade Face Powder Flower Dew and lipstick. Now he has opened a new gouache shop in Lizhou. As Mr. Lin was busy and couldn't come to Kyoto in person to handle this batch of goods, he sold the goods to my master. The goods have now been shipped to Kyoto and will be sold on the Yan family merchant ship on the canal from today."

"When my master bought this batch of goods, Mr. Lin said that the high-end Jade Face Powder Flower Dew and lipstick shipped to Kyoto would only be bought by old customers like Madam Shi first, and then sold to other new customers."

The servant who was guarding the door had a deep impression of Lin Zhen. He had worked in the Shi Mansion for so many years and had seen countless noble ladies, but no one could compare to Lin Zhen. The gatekeeper even secretly gave him the title of the most beautiful woman in Kyoto in his heart.

Moreover, the master had been coming in and out these days, and he had heard the name Lin Zhen several times, saying when he would return to Kyoto to sell Yurong powder and other things.

The gatekeeper said, "Did Boss Lin bring any other words? I will report them to Madam in full."

Zhou Zhengchu said, "No."

"Okay, then you wait here, I will report to Madam and see if there is anything to say back to you." The gatekeeper said to another person and walked to the backyard of Shi's mansion.

Madam Shi was talking to the daughter of the Minister of Works and the third daughter of the Yong'an Marquis to relieve her boredom, when she heard the maid say that the gatekeeper in front had something to report.

The people in the Shi's mansion were all selected by Madam Shi herself. Knowing that ordinary small matters could not be handed to her, she leaned back on the chair and said, "Send someone in."

The daughter of the Minister of Works and the third daughter of the Yong'an Marquis, who were talking to her, were tactful and sat quietly aside.

Soon, the gatekeeper came in, saluted first to Madam Shi, then to the two noble ladies, bowed slightly and said with lowered eyes, "Madam, there is a man outside the courtyard who claims to be a servant of a foreign merchant. He said that the merchant bought a batch of Jade Face Powder Flower Dew and lipstick made by Boss Lin in Lizhou, and started selling them on the Yan merchant ship on the canal today."

"And Boss Lin also specifically told the merchant to let old customers such as Madam buy first, and then sell the rest to new customers." When

Madam Shi and the two noble ladies heard the words "Jade Face Powder Flower Dew and Lipstick", their eyes all fell on him. The two noble ladies showed surprise on their faces, and Madam Shi said, "Didn't Lin Zhen come to Kyoto?"

"Madam, the merchant's servant said that Boss Lin is very busy in Lizhou and can't spare time."

Madam Shi didn't ask Lin Zhen any more. Looking at the two noble ladies who couldn't help themselves, she told the maid beside her, "Go buy two batches of Jade Face Powder Flower Dew and lipstick now."

"Yes."

The daughter of the Minister of Works and the third daughter of the Marquis of Yong'an also hurriedly told the people around them: "Cuihuan, you also go with the people around the lady and buy two sets."

"Yanyan, you go too."

The tone was so impatient.

Of course, Lin Zhen has been away from Beijing for more than half a month, plus the time he spent on the road, it has been a month.

The flower dew he sold to them when he was in Beijing was used up more than half a month ago. There was some jade powder and lipstick left, which could be used together with the previous rouge and powder.

But they have become addicted to applying a little flower dew after cleansing their faces in the morning and evening to make their skin smooth and tender before putting on makeup. Without the flower dew, no matter how they put on makeup, it would be wrong.

When Mrs. Guangshi went out to attend banquets of all sizes, she heard many people who had used the flower dew asking why Lin Zhen hadn't brought new goods to Kyoto. They were so impatient that they wanted to send people to Lizhou to check.

Zhou Zhengchu, who was waiting outside, saw the gatekeeper coming out of the gate and took two steps forward.

The gatekeeper was more enthusiastic than before and said, "Our madam has already known. The person who is going to buy the Jade Beauty Powder Flower Dew will come out immediately."

Zhou Zhengchu was shocked. He didn't expect that the master here would buy it just after he handed it over.

After saying goodbye to the gatekeeper of Shi's mansion, he led people to continue to visit the addresses in the book. Only then did he know that Madam Shi's mansion was still reserved. What's more, the servants went directly to the mouth of the canal after reporting...

Zhou Zhengchu and others were also excited by the atmosphere of competition. After running through all the addresses in the book, they spent some money to hire the children raised by Yitang on the streets to shout in the streets as Lin Zhen said.

The children of Yitang were abandoned by their parents for various reasons, and were lucky enough to be picked up and raised by Yitang.

Yitang could only ensure that they would not starve to death, but could not guarantee that they would have enough food and good clothes. When they heard that Zhou Zhengchu was using copper coins to invite them to shout, they all rushed over.

After a while, with Zhou Zhengchu and his friends as the center, the voices of the children rang out from all directions.

"Lin's Water-Powder Shop's Jade Face Powder, Flower Dew, and Lipstick are now on sale at the Yan's merchant ship at the mouth of the canal..."

After completing what Lin Zhen had ordered, Zhou Zhengchu and his friends gave the silver to the coolie and walked towards the mouth of the canal.

Along the way, they felt that it was more lively than when they entered the city, especially the young girls and boys, who appeared more and more frequently.

When they arrived at the mouth of the canal, the place that was originally filled with traveling merchants, casual merchants, coolies and other men, was filled with so many brightly colored dresses that the men were almost used as embellishments.

"It is indeed the Jade Face Powder, Flower Dew, and Lipstick made by Boss Lin, not the fake ones that appeared in Kyoto before?" In front of Zhou Zhengchu, a slightly fat but cute young girl anxiously grabbed the sleeve of the person next to her and asked.

The girl whose sleeve she grabbed was also anxious. She stood on tiptoe and looked at the crowded canal in front of her: "It's true. You know my cousin is an official. I went to play with my cousin today and happened to hear someone report that the merchant who bought the Jade Face Pink Flower Dew lipstick got the message from Boss Lin and went to the mansion to tell him to buy it here." The

lovely girl said: "But... our two families are just wealthy merchants. The people who sold the Jade Face Pink Flower Dew lipstick before were all the wives of officials. Can they buy it?"

When they talked about this, they were discouraged. They had silver in their hands but had no place to spend it. They felt uncomfortable

. But the Jade Face Pink Flower Dew lipstick was too tempting, and they couldn't help but come and take a look.