How Could It Be So Easy for Her
Spice Shop, backyard.
Zhang Mu and Wu Caiwei were tallying up the profits from this auction. Wu Caiwei clicked her tongue in disbelief, saying, "Lily said she had a way to sell spices at the price of gold. I didn't really believe it before, but she actually managed to drive the prices that high!"
Zhang Mu chuckled, "If Lily says she can do it, she can. The auction just ended and the prices are set. Outside, listen to that noise—the shop is packed with customers wanting to buy spices. This business makes ten thousand times more than our old herbal medicine trade!"
Wu Caiwei nodded, "Exactly! How much medicine would we have to sell to earn a single tael of gold? Doing business with Lily is the best! When our little Ugly grows up, he'll be a rich young master!"
Zhang Mu burst out laughing, "That's right! Our son will leave the village, not be a hunter or a farmer. We'll have enough money to send him to the best academy and let him become someone important!"
The couple chatted while counting the accounts. Before long, Su Li and Lingdang arrived.
"Wow, that's a lot of money!" Su Li exclaimed, clicking her tongue twice as she grabbed a thick stack of silver notes.
"Isn't it? Lily, you didn't see it—today those wealthy folks were snatching up spices like crazy!" Wu Caiwei playfully stuck out her tongue. "Lily, you're amazing. Who would've thought you could turn something nobody wanted at the market into something as valuable as gold?"
Lingdang covered her mouth, smiling proudly. "Only our master could pull this off. Anyone else wouldn't even know how to use these spices in cooking—nobody would buy them!"
"How much did Princess Mira buy?" Su Li asked, sitting down and sipping her tea.
Zhang Mu spread the account book in front of Su Li. "Here, all of Princess Mira's transactions are recorded right here."
Lingdang chimed in, "Princess Mira brought all her private savings, plus the betrothal gifts from Prince Ling and her own dowry—these are highly prized wedding offerings in our culture, given to secure a noble marriage—all just to save face! Following Lily's instructions, we slashed the price of her items in half at the door. During the auction, I kept provoking her, and for the sake of her pride, she spent every coin she brought!"
"That's right! If Princess Mira hadn't mindlessly bid up the prices, our spices would never have sold for so much. Honestly, we should thank her!" Su Li looked at the pile of money on the table, smiling contentedly, then raised a sly eyebrow. "I heard from the head chef at Suxin House that Princess Mira secretly took out her brother's betrothal gifts and her own dowry—those are gifts and valuables meant for a bride at marriage—all in hopes that Suxin House would make a fortune and she could buy her things back. Tsk tsk."
"Lily, are we really going to hold onto Princess Mira's things and wait for her to redeem them?" Wu Caiwei blinked innocently.
"Once the stuff's in my hands, why should I make it easy for her?" Su Li tapped the table seriously. "Princess Mira's betrothal gifts and dowry are all treasures, given by the royal families of Chu and Jin as part of this marriage alliance—these are rare and prestigious items that can't be bought on the market, no matter how much money you have! With so many valuables in my hands, of course I'm not giving them back."
Wu Caiwei blinked, puzzled. "But Lily, she has so many things. If we want to sell them, finding buyers won't be easy. Even though they're royal goods, most people don't dare buy things from the palace—they're afraid the origin isn't legitimate and it might cause trouble later."