My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 70 Part 1

Chapter 70  

Jiatang Porcelain Workshop was much larger than Huo Shu had imagined.  

Located on a bustling main street, the three-story standalone shop rivaled—if not surpassed—the scale of Shili Cloth Shop.  

Huo Shu was not well-versed in porcelain wares. In the northern frontier, he had seen little of it, but since coming south, he had noticed them in the homes of slightly better-off families.  

Even so, he had never wandered into a porcelain shop or had any occasion to purchase such items. Thus, he was unfamiliar with the locations and market conditions of porcelain workshops in the city. After leaving the medical hall, he simply asked a passerby on the main street for directions.  

The person he asked seemed surprised when he mentioned Jiatang Porcelain Workshop, but after sizing him up, their expression shifted to one of understanding. They politely pointed him in the right direction.  

Now, seeing the gilded ebony signboard, Huo Shu understood the passerby’s reaction.  

Jiatang Porcelain Workshop occupied a prime location in the city and was grand in scale—something locals would surely know.  

Huo Shu hadn’t expected the horse-loving merchant he’d met at Jinlong Temple to own such a business. That day, he had been too absorbed in the newlywed bliss of strolling through the temple fair with Ji Taoyu to pay much attention to others’ appearances or attire.  

Still, he had some impression of the man, as it was this very person who had planted the idea of trading between the north and south in his mind.  

Huo Shu steadied his thoughts and stepped into the porcelain workshop.  

At this early hour, the spacious hall had few customers. Several clerks moved about—some tidying the counters, others carefully dusting porcelain wares.

There was a lazy yet busy atmosphere in the air.  

Huo Shu glanced around. Though he had little personal interest in porcelain, the array of ceramics on display—some elegant, some opulent—held a certain refined beauty.  

Even an outsider like him could appreciate their aesthetic value. It was no wonder scholars and the wealthy prized them.  

A man of Huo Shu’s stature and presence entering the shop was anything but inconspicuous. Yet the clerks seemed to barely notice him.  

After all, someone dressed plainly and built like a bear didn’t fit the image of an ideal customer.  

Huo Shu didn’t mind, but he was acutely aware that if Ji Taoyu had been with him, the clerks’ reactions would have been entirely different.  

They would have been far more enthusiastic—after all, wherever Ji Taoyu went, people assumed he was a pampered young master: free-spending and easy to talk to.  

Huo Shu mused that the "easy to talk to" part was true. As for "free-spending"—well, ever since Ji Taoyu had taken control of his money, he certainly had become more generous.  

"Sir, are you looking to buy something? We have everything for both daily use and display," a clerk finally approached, adhering to the principle that no guest should be left unattended in a large establishment. "Shall I show you around?"  

Nearby clerks, idly wiping tables in the slow morning hours, subtly gathered, as if anticipating some absurd or amusing request from Huo Shu.  

"I’m looking for Chen Pu," Huo Shu said flatly.  

The group froze, clearly not expecting him to ask for the shop’s manager. The clerk, noting Huo Shu’s intimidating demeanor, suspected trouble and replied cautiously, "Do you have an appointment with our manager?"  

"I have business with him. Just tell me if he’s here or not."  

Huo Shu’s tone was as unyielding as ever, and the clerk grew more convinced of his suspicions.  

"It’s still early. Our manager hasn’t arrived yet," the clerk said politely but dismissively. "If you have a message, I can relay it, or you can return another time."  

Huo Shu didn’t argue. Meeting the man would have been ideal, but it wasn’t essential. "Tell him I’m here about horses. If he’s interested, send word to Huangji Medical Hall."  

With that, Huo Shu turned and left without hesitation.  

The clerk watched him go, puzzled. He hesitated for a moment before heading upstairs.  

The third floor was cluttered with goods, far less orderly than the meticulously arranged first and second floors.  

The clerk knocked on a closed door. Moments later, he emerged looking chastised, clearly having been scolded.  

Soon after, the porcelain workshop’s manager hurried out.  

Huo Shu walked down the street as the sun climbed higher, its heat intensifying.  

The number of street vendors had visibly increased since earlier. The snacks Ji Taoyu had mentioned could now be found one after another along the roadside.  

Huo Shu had originally planned to meet Chen Pu, hoping to establish a connection with Tongzhou merchants. Whether for selling horses or other goods, it would have made things easier.  

But the man hadn’t been available.  

As he pondered his next move, he paused at a shaved-ice stall, intending to buy a bowl of chilled watermelon and peach bits to bring back to the medical hall.  

Before he could order, someone called out from behind.  

Huo Shu turned and saw a vaguely familiar face.  

"I’m Chen Pu of Jiatang Porcelain Workshop," the man introduced himself.  

Though they had only met once, anyone from the south who had encountered Huo Shu would likely remember him—his build and features made him stand out even in a city as large as Tongzhou.  

"When my clerk reported that a horse merchant had come by, I immediately thought of you, sir," Chen Pu said, slightly out of breath from running. Despite his usual pampered lifestyle, he seemed genuinely pleased to have caught up with Huo Shu.

"Might you be willing to part with your horse now?"  

Huo Shu gave his name and replied succinctly, "It’s not mine for sale."  

"I recently traveled to the northern frontier and brought back some horses. If you’re interested, Manager Chen, you’re welcome to take a look."  

Chen Pu was even more surprised and delighted than if Huo Shu had offered his own horse. Without hesitation, he said,  

"I’d be more than willing! How many horses do you have, Brother Huo?"  

"More than twenty."  

Chen Pu was overjoyed, grateful he’d introduced himself at Jinlong Temple—now he had a genuine source for horses.  

Unable to contain his eagerness, he asked, "Wonderful! When can I see them?"  

Huo Shu hadn’t expected Chen Pu to be so impatient, but selling the horses sooner was better. After all, Ji Yangzong wasn’t entirely at ease with so many horses at home.