The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

The elegant man, dressed in a moon-white gown and holding an ivory folding fan, walked up to Tang Youyou in a gentle and elegant manner, bowed and said, "Madam Tang, my surname is Zheng. I manage an ocean-going fleet. I heard that you are interested in expanding overseas markets, so I came to visit you."

Tang Youyou looked at Captain Zheng and nodded secretly at his extraordinary bearing and knowledgeable conversation. She had been worrying about how to safely transport the goods to a farther place, but the appearance of Captain Zheng was undoubtedly a timely help.

"Captain Zheng, you've come all the way here, thank you for your hard work." Tang Youyou warmly entertained him and asked about the fleet's situation in detail.

Captain Zheng had long heard that Mrs. Tang's goods were exquisite and in high demand overseas, and he had come hoping to strike a partnership. He confidently explained his large fleet and extensive experience, demonstrating their ability to safely and reliably deliver goods to various overseas ports.

After a conversation, Tang Youyou had a good impression of Captain Zheng and immediately decided to cooperate with him and Gang Leader Ma to establish a stable maritime trade route.

When the news reached their family, Tang Wan and Tang Jin were overjoyed. They had longed to share their mother's burdens, and now their chance had finally arrived. Tang Wan, a discerning and skilled manager, offered to open an overseas branch and oversee daily operations. Tang Jin, a man of exceptional intelligence and a keen curiosity about overseas markets, volunteered to join the fleet and learn about trade.

Tang Youyou looked at her two children with satisfaction, as if she saw the stars and the sea in their future. She passed on her years of business experience to them and carefully reminded them to pay attention to safety and to unite and help each other in a foreign country.

With the encouragement and support of their mother, Tang Wan and Tang Jin took their carefully selected goods and followed Captain Zheng's fleet on a journey to a foreign country. They overcame various difficulties such as language barriers and cultural differences and successfully opened their first branch in the local area.

Tang Wan, with her keen market insight and excellent business acumen, managed the store in an orderly manner, attracting numerous overseas customers. Tang Jin, with his natural talent for languages, quickly mastered the local language and made many business friends, thus expanding business opportunities for the store.

The branch business is booming, and Tang Wan and Tang Jin's efforts are recognized by local official Wu Dehua.

"The Tang brothers and sisters are truly young and promising!" Wu Dehua exclaimed. "They bring not only the exquisite goods of the Tang Dynasty, but also the spirit of diligence and wisdom."

"Yes," translator Chen nodded in agreement. "The youngest sister of the Tang family, Tang Xiaoya, although still young, is quite knowledgeable about promoting Tang culture. She often gives her handicrafts to local children and teaches them Tang nursery rhymes and songs..."

Before Translator Chen finished speaking, he heard a burst of silver bell-like laughter coming from outside the door...

"Uncle Chen, you're praising me again!" Tang Xiaoya came bounding in, holding a small animal woven with colorful silk threads. "Look, this is something I just learned. Isn't it cute?"

Translator Chen took the little animal with a smile and praised it, "Xiaoya is really clever and skillful. This little rabbit is so lifelike. I want to take it back home for my granddaughter."

Tang Xiaoya narrowed her eyes happily after hearing this. She turned around and took out a smaller and more delicate bunny from the bamboo basket behind her and handed it to Chen the translator: "This is a gift for you. I hope you like it!"

Translator Chen accepted the gift with delight. Looking at Tang Xiaoya's innocent smile, he felt a surge of emotion. The Tang family not only thrived in business, but was also so dedicated to spreading Tang culture. It was truly admirable.

Tang Xiaoya's story quickly spread throughout the local area. People were captivated by this lively, adorable, and skillful Tang Dynasty girl, and flocked to her shop to catch a glimpse of her charm. Unfazed by the stage presence, Tang Xiaoya enthusiastically taught the local children Tang Dynasty nursery rhymes and songs, and even gave them handicrafts she had made. Suddenly, Tang Dynasty culture swept the local area.

Upon learning of this, Wu Dehua was deeply impressed by the Tang family's righteous act. He approached Tang Youyou and proposed collaborating with her to organize a series of cultural exchange activities to help more people understand and appreciate Tang culture. Tang Youyou readily agreed, and together with Wu Dehua, they planned a grand cultural exhibition featuring the exquisite silk, porcelain, and tea that Tang Wan had brought with her. They also invited local artists and craftspeople to participate in exchanges and learning.

The exhibition attracted countless visitors, who lingered among the dazzling array of exhibits and felt the unique charm of this ancient country from the far East. Tang Youyou also set up an experience area for visitors to experience the joy of making traditional handicrafts such as Tang Sancai, paper cutting, and weaving, and more intuitively experience the profoundness of Tang culture.

The cultural exhibition was a complete success, not only promoting the exchange and integration of the two cultures, but also enhancing the friendship between the two peoples. Tang Youyou's name also became famous in the local area with this exhibition, and more and more people began to pay attention to her and the exquisite handicrafts she brought.

A lady in luxurious clothes came to Tang Wan's shop, pointed to a set of exquisite pearl headdresses in the display cabinet, and asked the price.

"This headdress is our store's most precious treasure. It's made of hundreds of carefully selected East China Sea pearls..." Tang Wan was interrupted by the lady before she could finish her words. "I want it. How much?"

Tang Wan was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said with a smile, "Madam, you have a good eye..." Before Tang Wan could even name a price, the lady asked, "Do you have any other similar headpieces in your store? I want to choose a few more to give to my sisters."

Tang Wan suppressed her joy and replied calmly, "Madam, each of our headdresses is unique. If you have any other needs, please tell me your preferences and requirements, and I can tailor it for you."

The lady was very satisfied with Tang Wan's service attitude. She described her sisters' preferences and styles in detail and paid a considerable deposit in advance.

After watching the lady leave, Tang Wan excitedly told Tang Youyou the good news. Tang Youyou smiled with relief after hearing the news. She understood that this was not just a simple order, but also a symbol of their brand gaining a foothold in a foreign country.

As orders increased, Tang Youyou realized that relying solely on shipping goods from Datang could no longer meet market demand. She began to consider establishing a local production base, recruiting local craftsmen, and realizing localized production.

As soon as this idea was proposed, it received strong support from Ma Gangzhu, Captain Zheng and Wu Dehua. Ma Gangzhu expressed his willingness to facilitate the transportation of raw materials, Captain Zheng promised to provide ships and manpower, and Wu Dehua was responsible for coordinating relations with the local government.

With the help of various parties, Tang Youyou quickly established a production base. She recruited a group of skilled craftsmen from the local area and taught them the traditional handicrafts of the Tang Dynasty. Under Tang Youyou's guidance, these craftsmen's skills improved by leaps and bounds, and they were soon able to produce exquisite handicrafts that were almost indistinguishable from the Tang Dynasty style.

Localized production not only improves production efficiency and reduces costs, but more importantly, it allows Tang Youyou's brand to better integrate into the local market and win more recognition and love from consumers.

"Mom, look!" Tang Xiaoya excitedly ran into Tang Youyou's room, holding an exquisite wooden box in her hand, "This is a gift from Uncle Wu!"

Tang Youyou took the box and opened it. Inside was a glittering golden badge, on which was engraved a lifelike phoenix with its wings spread out, ready to fly.

"Xiaoya, do you know what this is?" Tang Youyou touched her daughter's head and asked softly.

"I don't know," Tang Xiaoya shook her head. "Uncle Wu said this is a gift for you. He also said..."

"say what?"

Tang Xiaoya raised her head, looked at Tang Youyou, and said word by word: "Uncle Wu said that someone from my hometown is coming, and asked you to be prepared..."

When Tang Youyou heard the words "people from my hometown," her heart trembled. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her surging emotions, and said to Tang Xiaoya, "Little girl, go out and play for a while. Mom wants to talk to Uncle Wu about something."

After Tang Xiaoya left, Tang Youyou immediately sent someone to invite Wu Dehua. Wu Dehua arrived quickly, holding a roll of bright yellow silk. As soon as Tang Youyou saw the silk, she knew it must be news from home.

"Master Wu, is there any news from home?" Tang Youyou asked anxiously.

Wu Dehua smiled and nodded, then handed the silk in his hand to Tang Youyou: "Madam Tang, congratulations! This is a commendation order specially issued to you by the court!"

Tang Youyou took the commendation order with both hands and slowly unfolded it. On the silk, neatly written was the recognition and praise for her contribution to promoting Tang culture in a foreign country and promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries.

After reading the commendation order, Tang Youyou's eyes became slightly moist. She had been away from her hometown for many years, but she had never forgotten her roots. Now, everything she had done was recognized by her hometown, which was a great honor for her.

"Madam Tang, the imperial court has also sent an envoy, who will arrive soon." Wu Dehua added, "This time, in addition to reading the commendation order in person, they will also bring some rewards to commend your achievements."

Tang Youyou took a deep breath, suppressed her inner excitement, and bowed deeply to Wu Dehua: "Thank you, Lord Wu. Please also express my gratitude to the court on my behalf. Youyou will do my best to live up to the expectations of my fellow countrymen!"

"Madam Tang, the imperial court has seen all your contributions to the Tang Dynasty. There's no need for you to be so polite." Wu Dehua helped Tang Youyou up and said with emotion, "Thinking back to when you first arrived, you were unfamiliar with the place, but now you've managed to carve out a name for yourself in this foreign country. It's truly admirable!"

Tang Youyou smiled faintly and said, "All of this is inseparable from the help of Lord Wu, Gang Leader Ma, and Captain Zheng. I would like to thank you all here."

"Madam Tang, you're too polite. Why should we be so polite?" Wu Dehua waved his hand and continued, "By the way, the envoy sent by the court also brought you a message..."

"What?" Tang Youyou's heart rose to her throat, and a premonition came to her mind.

Wu Dehua looked at Tang Youyou and said slowly, "The court hopes that you can return to the Tang Dynasty when it is convenient..."