The general kneels on the washboard again

In the private room, the man stood awkwardly, refusing to sit down. "Miss, do you really want to buy my spices?"

Ruoyan and the others pulled up the table and chairs, and Yue Niang politely asked the man to sit down: "Big brother, let's sit down and talk."

The man should be over 30 years old. He carried this thing and walked around all the inns in Rongzhou today, but no one was interested in it.

At this moment, looking at the young Yue Niang, his eyes were full of doubt.

Yue Niang poured him some tea and he finally sat down, but he still carried the basket on his back.

Yue Niang asked, "Could you please show me the spices you mentioned?"

The man was sincere in wanting to sell it, and without saying a word he took out the "stone" from his backpack, which looked to weigh about 20 to 30 kilograms.

Look carefully, this is not a "stone", it is clearly waxy.

After confirming that it was ambergris, Yue Niang asked the man, "Brother, how did you get this?"

Seeing the man's puzzled look, Yue Niang explained, "I sincerely want to buy this, but if it comes from unknown sources and I get into trouble, it will be more trouble than it's worth. I'm being direct, so please don't be offended, big brother."

The man was already somewhat discouraged, but now hearing Yue Niang's words, he naturally spoke sincerely, "Don't worry about this girl. I found this when I went out to sea two days ago. My little daughter thought it looked pretty, so she took it to play with. But after a few days of sun exposure, it actually gave off a strange fragrance. The village master told me it was spice and asked me to take it to the inn in the city to ask if I could sell it."

Yue Niang asked excitedly, "How much do you want to sell it for?"

The man thought for a moment and said, "Ten taels of silver."

If it is a spice, then the price is neither high nor low. If it is ambergris, then it is absolutely dirt cheap.

This thing is really of no use to ordinary people, and it has no value.

Everyone around was shocked. This big brother really doesn't know anything!

Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces, the man thought he had asked too high a price, and hurriedly offered a 50% discount: "Expensive? What about the five taels?"

The crowd was in an uproar again.

Yue Niang stopped the man from lowering the price any further. "No, big brother, that's not what we mean. Let me tell you the truth. This thing is useless if you keep it in your hands. It might even attract the covetousness of villains. It's very useful to me. If you are willing to sell it, I will offer fifty taels."

The businessman's considerations are fully demonstrated at this time.

The man didn't expect this result, and nodded hurriedly: "Sell, sell."

The waiter placed the dishes one by one, and the man couldn't stop smiling.

Most of the delicacies in Rongzhou are related to seafood, but Yue Niang really doesn’t like them and didn’t eat much.

After having a good meal and a few drinks, and having exchanged money, this trip was considered perfect. First, there were the pearls, and then there was the ambergris. It seemed that the land of the academy could be obtained.

After a night's rest, they rushed back to Qingshi Town the next day.

It seems that we will be busy these few days. Ruoyan and Wenshu will help to deliver it to Madam Du before the New Year.

Hard work pays off, and a bottle of perfume was born.

On the day they went to the Shen Mansion, Wen Shu did not go with them, and Yue Niang went to visit alone.

Influenced by outside rumors, Yue Niang had a bad impression of Du Niangzi and thought that Du Niangzi was just an old woman who could curse in the streets.

But when I actually saw Madam Du, she was wearing plain clothes and picking plum blossoms with buds in the small garden of her home, saying that they were for flower arrangement.

Hearing the footsteps, she turned around. She had dark eyebrows and a thin figure. She was about forty years old. Although her face was full of traces of time, it was not difficult to tell that she was a beauty when she was young.

When Madam Du heard that Yue Niang was the owner of Pinmingju, she could not help but admire her.

The maid led her forward and said, "Madam, Shopkeeper Fu is here."

Madam Du waved her hand at the maid: "Go down and serve tea."

After giving instructions to the maid, he led Yue Niang into the house.

Although it was winter, Yue Niang could still smell the body odor on Madam Du.

I was secretly worried that my perfume might not be effective. I wrote to my uncle a few days ago to ask him about it, and the perfume pills he gave me were still on the way.

The Hanxiang Pills are the only thing that can cure the problem.

Madam Du placed the plum blossoms she had just cut into a vase and asked Yue Niang, "I heard that Shopkeeper Fu has something that can cure me?"

After a long time, Madam Du also felt that the thing she was born with was sick, and it was because of this disease that she and that guy had such a fight.

Yue Niang presented the scented water she made with ambergris: "Mrs. Shen, please try this."

Madam Du burst out laughing: "Mrs. Shen? It's been a long time since anyone called me that."

As he said that, he gave Yue Niang the Xianglu to smell: "Hmm? Is this thing really useful?" He poured it out gently and patted it on his clothes.

"It might be helpful for Madam to bathe more frequently. I found a medicine a few days ago, but it's not in my hands yet. I'll send it to you after the New Year."

In the quiet room, Madam Du could be heard sighing, "Actually, at this age, I don't know what I'm still looking forward to."

These words sounded somewhat melancholic upon closer inspection: "Madam, why do you set limits for yourself? Age is not the standard for measuring expectations."

Madam Du was a little surprised and turned to look at Yue Niang: "You look young, but how can you say such mature words?"

At this time, the maid who had gone to prepare tea came back and entered the room and sniffed a few times: "Madam, what smells so good?"

The maid followed the smell and smelled it on Madam Du's clothes. Madam Du was startled and the tea spilled on her clothes: "You lowly creature."

On normal days, these servants would not dare to get close to her, but now they bumped into her.

The maid knelt on the ground in panic: "This slave deserves to die, this slave deserves to die."

Madam Du seemed to understand something suddenly, and she maintained her composure: "Get up, clean up, and get out."

After the maid left, Madam Du sniffed herself a few times and said, "What a nice smell."

The fragrance slowly evaporated and filled the entire room.

After a while, Madam Du calmed down and regained her senses: "What do you want?"

Yue Niang said, "The land next to the Qingshi Academy."

Madam Du raised her eyebrows: "What's it for?"

"Open a girls' school."

Madam Du directly and ruthlessly refused: "No."

Yue Niang was disillusioned: "Madam, the price is negotiable."

Madam Du said with a stern face: "I'll do anything except setting up a girls' school."

Yue Niang hadn't expected Madam Du to be so persuasive, and she began to speak without thinking: "Madam, are women's lives just about working, getting married, and having children? Women obviously have more choices. They shouldn't turn themselves into submissive puppets just to earn a living in front of men. Women can also engage in business, teach, and express their talents as freely as men."

Seeing that Lady Du's expression had softened, Yue Niang continued, "Madam, I offer a thousand taels."

Madam Du stared at Yue Niang in amazement. "Although I was born in the headmaster's family, my father was very old-fashioned. I still remember when I was little, he broke five canes because I crawled outside the door and listened to his lessons. He made me learn cooking from my mother every day. He believed that a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent. I knew he was wrong a long time ago."

After saying this, she actually started to cry. When she was almost done crying, she frowned and asked, "If your girls' school is established, can I go to listen to your lectures?"

Yue Niang responded: "Of course, every woman can go."

"Don't forget the medicine you found for me." Madam Du burst into laughter and finally agreed to give the land to Yue Niang at the normal market price.