Chapter 9
The Nanbei Tailor Shop on West Street in Yuncheng consistently had good business. A ten-year-old establishment with a stable reputation, and furthermore, it was not a 'listed' shop. It was not only popular among commoners but also frequently patronized by merchant families.
The practice of "listing" stemmed from a current court policy. Among the edicts Emperor Pingyang had issued to promote agriculture and restrict commerce, one stipulated that thriving businesses across the empire could register with the local authorities to receive an official plaque. Once this plaque was displayed at the entrance, those registered as merchants were barred from entering.
Consequently, shops everywhere rushed to register and hang plaques, thinking this would grant them official protection, quickly sparking a trend of listing. But this trend came and went swiftly.
Ordinary shops simply couldn't afford the cost of listing. Once the plaque was hung, wealthy merchants couldn't enter to spend money, while poor farmers couldn't afford to, leaving only the scholar and artisan classes, which greatly reduced business. For a time, many shops were forced to close down.
After that, ordinary shops stopped bothering with hanging plaques. Only those with substantial capital continued to uphold the practice. The court also adjusted the licensing policy, raising the threshold for shops to hang a license. Over time, this shop licensing evolved into a symbol of a shop's high-class status.
The Nanbei Tailor Shop originally met the qualifications to apply for a license, but the shopkeeper behind it was clear-minded. He would rather do business with merchant families, even if it meant losing high-class status, than curry favor with the scholar class.
Fang Yu felt this shopkeeper was perceptive, the essence of business was still to earn silver. There were, after all, few people of scholar status in the world. Losing business for the sake of so-called high-class status was not worth the loss.
At this moment, the proprietress of the Nanbei Tailor Shop was sorting her abacus when she heard the sound of a horse being reined in. She turned her head and saw a large carriage stopped at the door; its specifications indicated it belonged to someone of scholar status.
Although their shop had a good reputation, precisely because it lacked a license, the scholar class usually disdained coming to their shop. If any did come, they were mostly the impoverished scholars, as those with silver in their pockets went to the Jincou Tower in the east part of the city.
Wondering who it could be, she saw a very familiar young ger alight from the carriage. Her heart tightened, thinking she might have seen wrong. Immediately after, she saw a head peek out from the carriage: "I'll go over there first. I'll come back to pick you up after collecting the account books."
Qiao Hezhi nodded obediently. As it was getting late, they had just agreed to split up: one would come to order winter clothes, the other to collect the account books, thus saving some time for the return journey. He watched the carriage drive away before turning and entering the shop.
The proprietress quickly put down her abacus and came out from behind the counter to greet him: "Young Master Qiao! It's been quite some time since we last had your patronage! It's a coincidence; the shop has just received a batch of fashionable winter satins."
"This time, I'm here to order winter clothes for the servants. I wonder if the goodwill still remains, given that I haven't been here for some time."
The proprietress smiled and said, "Our small shop's ability to do business until today relies greatly on the support of regular customers like Young Master Qiao. Even if a year or half passes without a visit, the goodwill certainly wouldn't disappear."
"Thank you, proprietress." Qiao Hezhi smiled and said, "We need a batch of winter clothes made quickly at home. I've brought the measurements with me this time."
The proprietress glanced at the measurement list handed over by Siyu and understood the situation: "Young Master Qiao, please feel free to choose the fabrics. It so happens that the shop has just hired two new seamstresses. The winter clothes you need can be delivered within half a month."
Qiao Hezhi naturally knew about the efficiency of the Nanbei Shop. He nodded, feeling both happy and somewhat shy, said: "This time, please remember to deliver them to the Fang Residence in Yufeng Lane."
"Of course." The proprietress said with a beaming smile, "I saw Scholar Fang from afar just now. Young Master Qiao and the Scholar are as close as honey and oil, truly such a well-matched pair!"
[蜜里调油 (mì lǐ tiáo yóu): lit. to mix honey and oil; fig. to be inseparably close and deeply affectionate (especially of a loving couple).]
The Qiao family's wedding of their young ger had quite a spectacle, her husband had even managed to get a cup of wedding wine. She had only heard that the Qiao family's son-in-law was a scholar from the countryside—such things were common in Yuncheng and not particularly strange.
On the wedding day, she had a chill and couldn't attend the banquet, so she missed the chance to see the scholar himself. Today's brief glimpse did not disappoint; the joy in Young Master Qiao's eyes was unmistakable. He truly had the appearance of a handsome scholar, refined and elegant, not looking like he was born in the countryside. If one didn't know, one might believe he was from a renowned family.
"Please don't tease me."
"How is it teasing? How many in all of Yuncheng have their master accompany them out and even come back to pick them up?"
[Master (主君 - zhǔ jūn): a spousal term. It's a formal and respectful way for a wife or fulang to refer to their husband]
Qiao Hezhi's ears turned red from her words, and he quickly said, "Proprietress, please just show me the satins now."
Only then did he escape the teasing of this woman who had been married for over ten years.
Considering there were no ger among the servants at home, Qiao Hezhi selected four types of satin: two for men and two for women. He also chose different colors according to the different ranks of the servants.
Strictly speaking, the regulations for servants of different ranks were not the same. But as things were urgent now, he decided not to bother with these details for the moment, planning to make careful arrangements when ordering spring clothes come spring.
One bolt of satin made roughly two garments. They discussed the price, and Qiao Hezhi didn't need to say much, he was given the proprietress's conscientious price. One bolt of satin, including tailoring, came to two hundred coppers. He took fifteen bolts in total, amounting to three taels of silver.
"Won't the Young Master pick two bolts for himself?"
Having secured one order, the proprietress still had her mind on her big customer.
Qiao Hezhi, however, had no intention of adding clothes for himself. His family had prepared more than enough when he married. Moreover, he went out less often after marriage and didn't need that many clothes.
"This batch happens to be fashionable satin brought from the capital. Is Young Master Qiao really not going to take a look?"
Hearing this, Qiao Hezhi's heart stirred. He didn't go out much, but Fang Yu went out every day: "Are there any fabrics suitable for men?"
"Yes, we happen to have a few bolts of high-quality fox fur, as well as silk wadding and woolen serge."
When Fang Yu returned after collecting the account books, he saw Qiao Hezhi had already been peering out the door of the Nanbei Shop several times.
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