Southern Song Dynasty Life Consultant

Chapter 1: Robbery!

In Lin'an, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the midday sun in June was the hottest time of the year. The sun was blinding, and the cicadas' chirping was disturbing. Xiao Yuan did not take a nap and was sitting alone on the soft couch, lost in thought, with a half-open account book lying beside her.

Several months have passed since my aunt and I were driven out of the mansion by my stepmother. Back then, we had bought this three-courtyard house with some money and hired many servants. But unexpectedly, things took a turn for the worse. The Southern Song Dynasty financial crisis caused the devaluation of paper money (paper money in the Southern Song Dynasty), and our family's wealth was halved. Although we still have enough money in the account to last for a few more months, there is no income. Does this mean my aunt will have to do embroidery day and night to earn money again?

Seeing her worried face because of money, her personal maid Ah Xiu was very puzzled: "Fourth Sister, those checkers, playing cards, and Ludo that you made have already become popular in Lin'an Prefecture. Don't you have any money to spend at home?"

Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly. Back in the mansion, her stepmother often didn't feed her. Out of desperation, she spent several nights drawing up some chess and card diagrams, then asked someone to secretly sell them to buy steamed buns. Those few coins were hardly enough to buy her today. However, A Xiu's words reminded her that she should draw up some more diagrams and go to Madam Zhang. Her family was in the maritime business and was a well-known merchant family in Lin'an City. If she could open a shop with Madam Zhang, it would solve her immediate problem.

Thinking of this, she felt a surge of joy and immediately got up to write a letter, asking when Madam Zhang would be free so that she could pay her a visit.

Unexpectedly, after receiving the letter, Madam Zhang came to visit in person a few days later. Xiao Yuan was overjoyed and went out to greet her. She saw Madam Zhang standing in front of the flower garden, which was covered with a black curtain, looking at it on tiptoe. Xiao Yuan quickly walked a few steps and called out, "Madam Zhang, why are you standing in the sun? Even though you are under the umbrella, it is still very hot. Please come into the hall and sit down."

Madam Zhang smiled and took her hand, pointing to the flower garden as they walked: "Why are there only two kinds of flowers? I'll bring you some jasmine tomorrow; young ladies these days are all the rage wearing them."

The two sat down in the hall, one as host and the other as guest. Xiao Yuan sighed, "Where would my family get the spare money to buy such expensive jasmine flowers to wear? These flowers all have their uses. You know what balsam flowers are for, they're used to dye your nails. Chrysanthemums have many uses too, aren't they all the rage these days for sleeping on chrysanthemum pillows?"

Madam Zhang held the teacup and smelled it, a satisfied look on her face: "This chrysanthemum tea is very fragrant. I suppose it won't be long before the ladies of Lin'an Prefecture are all drinking this. No wonder people say that nowadays, anyone in the city who doesn't follow Fourth Sister's example will be ridiculed."

Xiao Yuan wouldn't miss the look on Madam Zhang's face. She was overjoyed, thinking that the cooperation was probably more than halfway done. She quickly said, "I had them make ice cream with the ice you sent. I'll bring it over for you to try."

Madam Zhang took the ice cream handed to her by the maid. The ice cream was served in a small glass bowl, its milky white color faintly tinged with red. She stirred it with a small spoon and discovered that it contained peaches. Looking at the ice cream in her hand, she praised, "Fourth Sister really knows how to manage a household." But then she sighed, "But what you mentioned in your letter is a bit difficult."

If Madam Zhang truly didn't want to cooperate, she wouldn't have come in person. She's saying this deliberately to secure a larger share after the deal is done. Therefore, Xiao Yuan remained silent, only smiling slightly at her.

Madam Zhang was secretly surprised. Fourth Miss had such composure. She didn't seem like a young girl yet. She hesitated slightly, then said, "I am a merchant's wife. It's fine for me to show my face in public, but Fourth Miss, you are the daughter of an official. How can you do this?"

Xiao Yuan deliberately took out a few chess and card diagrams and waved them around. She said, "I'm just using these diagrams to secretly invest. Why would I need to show my face?"

Madam Zhang was surprised that Xiao Yuan could answer so quickly. For a moment, she was speechless. However, she was unwilling to let Xiao Yuan haggle over the price without first putting pressure on her. So, she excused herself, saying she needed to go back and discuss it with her husband, and left.

Xiao Yuan smiled as she watched her retreating figure, showing no sign of panic. A Xiu asked curiously, "Fourth Sister, aren't you afraid Madam Zhang will leave?" Xiao Yuan laughed, "Why panic? She's very satisfied with what I made. She'll definitely come back in a few days."

On the third day, Madam Zhang indeed came to visit again. As usual, she first praised her, then made things difficult, insisting on getting 60% of the shares. Xiao Yuan, however, remained unmoved no matter what she said.

After several attempts over half a month, Madam Zhang came again, but only pretended to be surprised and said, "Fourth Sister, I just found out that you were actually kicked out of the mansion."

Xiao Yuan chuckled inwardly, then mysteriously approached Madam Zhang: "Madam Zhang, I'll only tell you this once. Actually, I was willingly kicked out by my stepmother. As a concubine's daughter without a father, isn't it more comfortable for me outside than inside the mansion?"

Madam Zhang was dumbfounded. How dare He Si Niang plot against her stepmother? She had truly underestimated her. Seeing Madam Zhang's expression, Xiao Yuan thought the time was right. If she really scared her away, the family's livelihood would still be in trouble. So she said, "Si Niang knows that Madam Zhang is a big businessman at sea. She wouldn't care about such a small business. She just pities my family's poverty and wants to help me out." Madam Zhang softened when she heard Xiao Yuan's pitiful words and said, "These days, the wives of officials all love to have your products made. I also want to use this shop to make connections with them and open up channels for my family's business at sea."

Xiao Yuan thought Madam Zhang was very shrewd, and invited her to sit in her boudoir. Madam Zhang knew that she wanted to talk about the main topic, so she gladly went with her. However, when she stood at the door, she was surprised. The boudoir was really too simple. The curtains on the bed were faded, the paint on the table in the corner was peeling, and there were no ornaments. There was only a white porcelain vase on the table with a few hydrangeas and chrysanthemums in it.

In fact, Madam Zhang herself was also a concubine's daughter. Suddenly remembering the hardships she had endured before marriage, tears welled up in her eyes: "I've been in business for so long that I forgot that I went through the same thing. I even tried to make things difficult for you. Actually, how much is a shop worth? Fine, we'll split it 40/60, and you'll take 60%. You just need to draw up the blueprints and give them to me. You don't need to worry about anything else. I'll settle your profits every month."

After a two-week battle of wits, Xiao Yuan had only hoped for a 50/50 split, and now that she had gotten 60%, it was a pleasant surprise. She had achieved her goal and was overjoyed that she would no longer have to worry about making a living. However, before she could enjoy her triumph for more than a few days, her stepmother learned of the news and immediately sent her illegitimate third brother to come and beg for money, saying that her eldest brother wanted to buy an official position and "borrow" 20,000 strings of cash.

"Twenty thousand strings of cash? Robbery!" Before Xiao Yuan could speak, A Xiu exclaimed in surprise.

If it were anyone else, Xiaoyuan would have definitely kicked him out, but this third brother had secretly given her a few steamed buns when she was about to starve to death by her stepmother. She felt she should repay even the smallest kindness with the greatest gratitude. She didn't want to see her third brother go back empty-handed and be harassed by her stepmother, so she had no choice but to reluctantly give him half a string of cash.

Before leaving, Third Brother gave Xiao Yuan a piece of advice: "Once the goods from the Zhang family shop come out, Madam will know it's your doing, so you still need to cover it up."

Xiao Yuan sighed to the heavens. Although she was already outside the mansion, her stepmother still held the power of life and death. If she didn't find a way to change the shop's appearance, this autumn wind would probably keep blowing endlessly.

Chapter Two: The Benefits of Engagement

Xiao Yuan stayed in her room for several days, racking her brains without success. A Xiu then advised her to go out for a stroll and clear her mind, hoping that a plan might come to her. Xiao Yuan thought her words made sense. She could see how other families ran their shops and perhaps she would find something useful. However, she hesitated, saying, "As the daughter of an official, it wouldn't be wise to go out to the street so rashly."

Ah Xiu opened the cabinet and took out a purple veil. "Fourth Sister, when you get into the sedan chair, draw the curtain tightly. If you want to lift the curtain to look, wear this veil. How can anyone see us?"

"Well, since she hasn't reached marriageable age yet, it won't hurt to go and take a look." Xiao Yuan was eager to find a way out, so she didn't care about anything else. She put on the veil, got into the sedan chair, and carefully propped up the curtain with a thin branch, leaving a gap to look at the shops that were receding outside.

The Imperial Street was indeed the most prosperous place in Lin'an, bustling with people. Some people were leaning on their canes and standing in front of the sign for "five strains and seven injuries" as if they were looking around. There was a bead shop that, in addition to beads, also displayed the latest flowers and fruits. The most profitable pawnshop and the gold shop that could not be easily seen elsewhere... Suddenly, Ah Xiu called out in surprise, "Fourth Sister, our shop."

Poor Xiaoyuan had drawn countless illustrations, and her chess and card designs were all the rage in Lin'an Prefecture, yet she herself still used the most primitive playing cards made from scraps of paper, without even a single pattern. Hearing that a shop was nearby, how could she not want to see her creations? She immediately lifted the sedan curtain and looked out. Luckily, she was just a young girl, not yet of marriageable age, so no one paid her any attention. The playing cards were painted with colorful pictures, the chessboard was carved from gold, and the chess pieces even looked like rubies! The people of Lin'an truly lived up to their reputation for loving luxury. Xiaoyuan became more and more engrossed in looking, and unconsciously lifted half of her veil. Her gaze lingered among the shelves, when suddenly she met a pair of familiar eyes.

"Oh dear, Young Master Cheng!" Ah Xiu suddenly covered her mouth.

Xiao Yuan hurriedly pulled the sedan curtain shut, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. She touched her face and found it burning hot. Young Master Cheng, Cheng Mutian, was the man her stepmother had arranged for her marriage. He was extremely rigid and old-fashioned. If he saw his fiancée lifting her veil in the street, how could he tolerate it?

“Young Master Cheng, my fourth mistress didn’t mean to come out for a stroll. She just wanted to take a look at her own shop.” Seeing Cheng Mutian getting closer and closer to her with a stern face, Ah Xiu panicked and hurriedly pointed to the Zhang family’s shop.

Xiao Yuan, who had already drawn the sedan curtain, was annoyed when she heard what she said and punched the side of the sedan in frustration. As she expected, Cheng Mutian’s angry voice came from outside the sedan: “Cheng Fu, come on, let’s go inside and take a look.”

The master and servant hurriedly got into the sedan chair and returned home. Ah Xiu was still complaining that Young Master Cheng, despite his disability, wanted Fourth Sister to follow the rules like an adult. Xiao Yuan glared at her and she realized that although Young Master Cheng was married to Fourth Sister by Madam because of his lame leg, it was also true that Fourth Sister and he were childhood sweethearts and deeply in love. How could she tell Young Master Cheng about Fourth Sister's shop? He was probably already displeased when he saw Fourth Sister lift her veil, and this would only make matters worse.

Xiao Yuan, ignoring her scolding, returned to her room alone, annoyed that Cheng Mutian was too old-fashioned. Many young ladies in Lin'an City went out for a stroll; although she was from an official family, she wasn't even of marriageable age yet, so why couldn't she go out and have a look around? After her anger subsided, she felt remorse. Knowing Cheng Mutian was a meticulous man, why couldn't she have been more cautious? What if he sent back a draft letter announcing the engagement? She tossed and turned all night, lost in thought, unable to fall asleep for a single moment.

To her surprise, her birth mother, Consort Chen, returned from the mansion the next day beaming with joy. She showed her a betrothal letter from the Cheng family. Although the legal wife had not only withheld the betrothal gifts but also told them to find their own dowry, Xiao Yuan was still both surprised and delighted.

According to Southern Song Dynasty customs, after exchanging betrothal gifts, the bride's family was supposed to send over a list of dowry items. Where would Aunt Chen get so many things? Luckily, the matchmaker came up with a good idea. She said that since Fourth Sister was still underage, the wedding date had to be set after her coming-of-age ceremony. Therefore, they should first send over a generous list, and then prepare everything one by one. Less than three days after exchanging betrothal gifts, news came from the mansion that the Cheng family wanted to find a bride. The He family had already prepared a banquet at a wine shop in the city and asked Xiao Yuan to accompany the lady of the house. Finding a bride was much less interesting than Xiao Yuan had imagined. Because the Cheng family and Xiao Yuan's stepmother, Madam Jiang, were very familiar with each other, the two families chatted back and forth, completely neglecting the two brides. Xiao Yuan wanted to look up at Cheng Mutian, but was afraid of making a big move and being

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