Chapter 53

Not far from the front gate of the capital, there was a teahouse named "Ke Lai Teahouse." It was decorated in a simple and elegant style, with a peaceful and comfortable environment. The tea and snacks were also excellent, and it had always been the favorite place for scholars in the capital. Over the years, it had been bustling with visitors.

Yan Shiqing, a historian and editor at the Hanlin Academy, was a regular customer at Ke Lai Teahouse.

Yan Shiqing, now forty-three years old, had a rather solitary and rigid personality. He was a man of few words and had no close friends. He only enjoyed burying himself in his studies, and in short, he was a "scholarly old man."

However, although Yan Shiqing did not like socializing, he enjoyed visiting this Ke Lai Teahouse.

Here, he often sat alone at a table, listening to the scholars around him discuss their studies and politics. Sometimes they would find common interests and agree, while at other times they would have differing opinions and debate loudly. All of this always made him feel relaxed and content.

In Yan Shiqing's view, this teahouse, though ordinary, was a manifestation of the cultural prosperity of the Ming Dynasty.

One day, after having some free time, Yan Shiqing, as usual, came to Ke Lai Teahouse.

Yan Shiqing was a historian and editor at the Hanlin Academy. Although his position was a leisurely one, it was highly respected. When the teahouse staff saw Yan Shiqing, they did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly welcomed him with a flattering smile, saying, "Oh, Sir Yan, you've come. Please come in."

Seeing the staff member welcoming him, Yan Shiqing frowned. In the past, the owner of Ke Lai Teahouse had always welcomed him personally.

Feeling slighted, Yan Shiqing was somewhat displeased. He looked at the staff member and asked slowly, "Where is your owner?"

Upon hearing Yan Shiqing's question, the staff member's expression became strange, a mix of envy and embarrassment. He said, "Sir Yan, please forgive me. My owner has some temporary matters and hasn't been to the shop for a few days."

Yan Shiqing nodded and said, "If that's the case, never mind. Take me to my usual spot, and bring me a pot of good tea and two snacks."

The staff member eagerly agreed, led Yan Shiqing to his usual spot, and then went to prepare the tea and snacks after apologizing.

However, when Yan Shiqing saw the scene in the teahouse, he couldn't help but frown.

There was no other reason; the usually bustling Ke Lai Teahouse was now almost empty, quite desolate.

Only a few guests, dressed rather shabbily, were drinking tea in the teahouse, but their expressions were filled with a strange agitation and disappointment.

"Why are there so few guests in the teahouse today? Has something happened that I don't know about?"

Yan Shiqing thought to himself as he looked around the teahouse.

Just as Yan Shiqing was pondering, a conversation between two guests nearby caught his attention.

"Brother Zhao, why isn't Brother Zhang here today?"

"Brother Li, don't you know? What else could it be? He went to Yi Honglou last night and only came out this morning. At this time, he's probably still sleeping."

"Oh? I heard that the girls at Yi Honglou have been raising their prices every day, and now they are more than double the original price. Brother Zhang must be quite wealthy to still be able to afford it."

"Ha, he doesn't have much wealth. It seems he sold a family heirloom, an antique vase."

"To have an antique vase as a family heirloom means Brother Zhang's family is quite wealthy. Unlike you and me, who can't afford it after just a couple of visits. Yi Honglou is one of the top brothels in the capital, and the girls there are the most expensive. Now that the prices have doubled, it's hard to resist, but we can't afford it."

"Brother Li, if you feel the urge, just find a cheaper brothel."

"Brother Zhao, you're teasing me. After visiting Yi Honglou, the girls in other brothels look like ugly women. I can't stand it."

After a pause, Brother Li continued, "Brother Zhao, why have the girls at Yi Honglou suddenly become so beautiful, like celestial beings? The ancients said, 'Skin as white as snow, smooth and firm.' I thought it was an exaggeration, but now I realize the ancients were not lying. The girls at Yi Honglou are exactly like that. Even Xi Shi and Diao Chan couldn't be more beautiful."

As he spoke, the admiration in Brother Li's voice was evident.

Brother Zhao nodded in agreement, reminiscing, "Yes, who would have thought that a woman's skin could be so white and smooth? It's almost otherworldly. Not only is it white and smooth, but the fragrance is also captivating. I followed Brother Zhang to Yi Honglou the other day, and when I saw those girls, their skin was like water and jade under the lamplight, white and smooth, with a fragrant aroma. I was entranced, as if my soul had been taken away. I still haven't recovered."

Brother Li nodded in agreement, "Not only Brother Zhao, but I felt the same. Now, all I can think about is those smooth, white skins, as if they could produce water with a touch. They are so tempting, but unfortunately, I can't afford it like Brother Zhang."

As Brother Zhao and Brother Li were discussing their experiences, the teahouse staff brought Yan Shiqing his tea and snacks. After arranging them, he turned to Brother Zhao and Brother Li and said, "Do the two gentlemen not know? The reason the girls at Yi Honglou are so white and smooth is that they use something called 'fragrant soap' to wash their bodies. It's similar to soap, but much more effective. Using it, their skin becomes as white as snow and as smooth as jade, with a pleasant fragrance. Who would have thought that using soap could make one so fair and smooth?"

Hearing this, Brother Zhao and Brother Li were both surprised and asked in unison, "Is that true? How do you know so much?"

The teahouse staff sighed and said, "It's not that I know a lot, but the two gentlemen are a bit out of the loop. The fragrant soap can be bought at a shop called 'Yue Rong Fang.' Now, not only the famous brothels like Yi Honglou and Wan Hua Lou use it, but even the ordinary brothels, to attract customers, have started using it. As a result, the girls in the brothels in the capital are all as white and fragrant as celestial beings."

As he spoke, the staff member pointed to the empty teahouse and continued, "Do the two gentlemen know why the teahouse is so quiet today? It's because the other guests have all gone to the brothels. The girls in the smaller brothels are not as expensive as those in Yi Honglou and Wan Hua Lou, but they are just as white and smooth. Even our owner has been frequenting a small brothel for the past few days, only coming back once to get money."

Hearing this, Brother Zhao and Brother Li exchanged glances and were both eager.

The teahouse staff continued, "However, the two gentlemen should be prepared. Because of the fragrant soap, the brothels are now very popular. Even the ordinary ones, though cheaper than the famous ones, have raised their prices. If you don't have enough money, you might as well buy a piece of fragrant soap from 'Yue Rong Fang' for your wife. Though home flowers are not as fragrant as wild flowers, it's still better than before."

Brother Zhao and Brother Li exchanged glances again and then stood up together, just as they were about to say something, Yan Shiqing, who had been listening, suddenly grunted loudly.

Glaring at the three of them, Yan Shiqing stood up, not even drinking his tea. He threw the money for the tea on the table and left without hesitation, as if he was unwilling to be in their company.

"Morals are declining! Shameless!"

As he passed the three of them, Yan Shiqing said coldly.

Seeing Yan Shiqing's expression, the three of them were all embarrassed. They knew that Yan Shiqing was a regular customer and held a high position in the Hanlin Academy, so they did not dare to argue.

After leaving the teahouse without looking back, Yan Shiqing's mind kept replaying the conversation he had just heard. Words like "pleasant fragrance," "skin as white as snow," and "smooth and tempting" kept echoing in his mind.

After walking a few streets, Yan Shiqing suddenly stopped a passerby, his face showing a hint of embarrassment, but he still hesitantly asked, "Excuse me, sir, do you know how to get to 'Yue Rong Fang'?"

The passerby, upon hearing Yan Shiqing's question, smiled knowingly and pointed south, saying, "The business at 'Yue Rong Fang' is very good. They have opened four stores in the capital. The nearest one is to the south. Just turn left at the intersection, and you'll be there."

Yan Shiqing thanked the passerby and headed in the direction he was pointed.

'Yue Rong Fang' was a large and easy-to-find store. However, when Yan Shiqing arrived, he hesitated.

The business at 'Yue Rong Fang' was so good that the store was crowded, mostly with women, who were vying to buy the products. As a historian and editor at the Hanlin Academy, how could Yan Shiqing join in such a frenzy?

Suddenly, Yan Shiqing remembered what the teahouse staff had said: "Home flowers are not as fragrant as wild flowers."

Weighing his money bag and finding it sufficient, Yan Shiqing did not hesitate and quickly walked towards the direction of Yan Zhi Alley.

Yan Zhi Alley was one of the Eight Alleys, a place known for high-end brothels in the capital.

This time, Yan Shiqing knew the way and did not need to ask anyone.

However, what Yan Shiqing did not know was that as he stepped into Yan Zhi Alley, Brother Zhao and Brother Li, whom he had seen at Ke Lai Teahouse, were passing by. They were heading to Shi Tou Alley, where the prices were relatively cheaper and it was a gathering place for street prostitutes.

Seeing Yan Shiqing step into Yi Honglou, Brother Zhao clenched his teeth in jealousy, "Ha, he's going to Yi Honglou. This old scholar must have money."

Brother Li nodded, "He works at the Hanlin Academy. Though it's a leisurely position, he's still better off than us poor scholars."

After saying this, the two of them exchanged glances and spat at Yan Shiqing.

"Hypocrite!"

"False!"

...

A new thing is always hard to be accepted by people in a short time, especially in this conservative and traditional era.

To quickly build the reputation of the soap and make the merchants of this era understand its potential benefits, Zhao Junchen had to advertise the soap.

The advertising method Zhao Junchen chose was somewhat unconventional: brothels!

Zhao Junchen gave a batch of fragrant soaps to some famous brothels in the capital and then forced the girls to use them regularly.

The effect of the soap was far better than soap nuts. The results were evident after the girls used it.

Then, things got out of hand, and the impact was even greater than Zhao Junchen had imagined.

As the saying goes, "One white covers a thousand flaws." This shows that having fair and clean skin was the most important standard of beauty in this era.

The regular visitors to the brothels were pleasantly surprised to find that the girls they knew had suddenly changed overnight. Their skin became so white and smooth, almost otherworldly, and their fragrance was so pleasant and natural, adding to their allure.

After using the fragrant soap, even the girls with ordinary looks became incredibly tempting, and the top girls in the brothels looked like celestial beings, driving men mad.

Seeing these white and smooth girls, the men in the capital were predictably agitated.

The brothels that used the soap quickly became extremely popular, becoming true "gold mines." Many people were captivated by the girls and spent their days and nights there.

Faced with the influx of customers, the brothels were overwhelmed and had to raise their prices. Even with the prices doubled, the wealthy customers still flocked in.

Soon, through these brothels, the miraculous effects of the soap began to spread. The once deserted 'Yue Rong Fang' quickly became popular.

Becoming fair and smooth was what the women of this era dreamed of, and the allure of the soap was undeniable.

Especially the girls in the brothels who had not used the soap before, to attract more customers, they vied to use it. The business of 'Yue Rong Fang' skyrocketed, and they sold most of their stock.

With the widespread use of fragrant soap in the brothels, the business of the brothels in the capital became even more prosperous.

Thus, the soap produced by Zhao Junchen, before it could increase the revenue of the Ministry of Revenue, had already made a significant contribution to the brothel business. The madams were delighted, the pimps were busy, and the girls were overwhelmed.

As for Zhao Junchen, after the advertising effect was achieved, he was waiting for a large sum of money to come in.

...

One day, after the morning court session, Zhao Junchen did not return home or go to the office. Instead, he went to the main store of 'Yue Rong Fang.'

Under Zhao Junchen's instructions, the decoration of 'Yue Rong Fang' was extremely luxurious, clearly indicating that it was a place for the rich. As Zhao Junchen put it, this was called "class."

At that moment, on the top floor of the main store of 'Yue Rong Fang,' Zhao Junchen was sitting by the window, watching the crowds of customers below, and couldn't help but smile.

"Regardless of the era, women are always most concerned about their appearance."

Zhao Junchen said with a light laugh.

At this point, only six days were left before the deadline of Zhao Junchen's bet with the Crown Prince Zhu Heyu.

Twenty-four days ago, Zhao Junchen had promised in front of all the officials that he would use "reasonable means" to collect 200,000 taels of silver for the Ministry of Revenue within a month.

However, as the deadline approached, the Ministry of Revenue had not received a single tael of silver.

Zhao Junchen was not worried. The bait had been set, and he was confident that the big fish would bite.

In fact, there were countless big fish eyeing the bait.

On the other side, Zhao An, the manager of 'Yue Rong Fang,' was reporting the store's income over the past few days to Zhao Junchen.

Zhao An was originally a steward in Zhao Junchen's household. Seeing that he was steady and meticulous, Zhao Junchen entrusted 'Yue Rong Fang' to him.

"Master, in the three days since we opened, we have sold nearly 9,000 pieces of soap. Among them, 1,400 were ordinary soaps, 7,100 were fragrant soaps, and 43 were medicinal soaps. Because of the soap, the sales of perfumes and beauty waters in the store have also been good. We sold 377 bottles of perfume and 961 bottles of beauty water. After deducting all expenses, we have made a profit of 3,976 taels of silver in the past three days."

Upon hearing Zhao An's report, Zhao Junchen was not particularly surprised, but Xu Qingyan was wide-eyed and astonished.

Nearly 4,000 taels of silver might seem small, but this was just the profit from the first three days of 'Yue Rong Fang.' If the business continued to grow, who knew how much more they could earn?

On the other side, Zhao An continued, "Master, our problem now is that we are selling too much soap, and the supply cannot keep up. Even if the workshop works day and night, it can't meet the demand. Also, compared to the fragrant soap, the sales of ordinary soap and medicinal soap are too low. Master, should we reduce the production of ordinary soap and medicinal soap and focus on producing fragrant soap?"

Zhao Junchen nodded but waved his hand, "No need. The reason fragrant soap is so popular is because of the effect of the brothels. At half a tael per piece, ordinary families can't afford it. Once the initial enthusiasm wears off, the most profitable will still be the medicinal soap, and the most sold will be the ordinary soap. As for the supply issue, don't worry. The soap is now produced and distributed by the Imperial Treasury. We are just making a profit from the sales in the capital. Once the production is handed over to the Imperial Treasury, there will be no shortage of supply."

Zhao An nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Master, there is one more thing. Since you gave a batch of soap to the brothels for free, our reputation has suffered. Now, when people in the capital mention 'Yue Rong Fang,' they immediately think of brothels, and some even think our products are unclean..."

Zhao Junchen smiled, "A bad reputation is not a problem as long as we can make money. Even if some conservative people think we are associated with brothels and our products are unclean, they will still buy them if they are good. What's there to fear?"

After a pause, Zhao Junchen asked, "Have you contacted the major merchants in the capital as I instructed?"

Zhao An nodded repeatedly, "The invitations have been sent out. When they heard it was about the soap business, they were all very cooperative and agreed to meet at Tianhai Tower tonight. Some even hinted that they want to talk to you privately."

Zhao Junchen smiled faintly, "That's good."