Chapter 39: Making Money by Selling Perfume

The young maids also took a sniff. “Madam, we smell it too! This fragrance is wonderful.”

Madam Fang quickly looked around. “Where is this scent coming from?”

Seeing her curiosity, Du Wanchun hurriedly took out the small bottle of floral dew from her arms and handed it to Madam Fang. “Madam, is this what you’re referring to?”

Madam Fang took two steps forward, bent down slightly, and inhaled the scent. A smile immediately spread across her face. “Yes, this is it.”

Du Wanchun smiled. “This is a floral dew my mother just made. Would you like to try it, Madam?”

With delight written all over her face, Madam Fang took the bottle, poured a small amount onto her wrist, and sniffed it.

Then, she closed her eyes and gently savored the fragrance.

Du Wanchun asked, “Madam, do you like this scent?”

Madam Fang quickly looked at her and asked in return, “Did you really make this floral dew yourselves?”

Du Wanchun nodded. “Yes, we did.”

Madam Fang gave them both a look of appreciation. “What remarkable craftsmanship! This floral dew is even better than the ones brought in from the Western Regions.”

Madam Zhou was slightly stunned but quickly responded humbly, “It’s not about skill—it’s just that the soil and water here are good, which makes the flowers more fragrant.”

Madam Fang chuckled and nodded. “Indeed, Cheng’an County is truly a wonderful place.”

After saying this, she carefully examined the bottle of floral dew in her hand. “Would you be willing to sell this to me?”

A smile appeared in Du Wanchun’s eyes as she replied softly, “If Madam likes it, we’d be happy to gift it to you.”

Madam Fang was slightly surprised. Looking at the two plainly dressed village women before her, she found them quite unexpected. She placed the floral dew into her sleeve and smiled. “In our Fang family, we don’t accept gifts for no reason. Since you’ve given me this floral dew, I shall return the favor with a small token.”

With that, she called to a senior maid behind her. “Bring me five taels of silver for this young lady.”

“Five taels?!” Madam Zhou was stunned.

Du Wanchun was equally surprised. “Madam, isn’t five taels too much?”

Madam Fang examined the floral dew in her hand. “Not at all. I usually pay ten taels for a single bottle of premium floral dew.”

Without hesitation, Du Wanchun accepted the silver and expressed her gratitude. “Thank you, Madam Fang.”

Madam Fang was so fond of the floral dew that, in addition to giving them five taels of silver, she also had two chickens sent to them as a gift.

Du Wanchun and Madam Zhou sat in the carriage for a long time, holding the silver and chickens, still in disbelief.

“Wanchun, that wasn’t a dream just now, was it?” Madam Zhou stared blankly ahead, her eyes dazed.

Du Wanchun placed the silver in her mother’s hand. “Mother, feel this silver.”

Madam Zhou lowered her head, took the silver in her hands, and rubbed it carefully. Suddenly, she snapped back to reality and exclaimed, “Wanchun, we’re so lucky today! We sold our very first bottle of floral dew!”

Du Wanchun held her mother’s hand and smiled. “Yes, Mother. With your skills, we won’t have to worry about finding buyers.”

Madam Zhou nodded. “Let’s hurry back and make more floral dew.”

“Yes, Mother. Let’s also pick some more flowers on the way.” Du Wanchun replied cheerfully.

As they talked, the two chickens that Madam Fang had given them suddenly started clucking loudly.

Du Wanchun quickly looked down and saw that the two hens, pressed against each other, had just laid two eggs.

The round eggs rolled to their feet.

“Oh my! The hens laid eggs!” Madam Zhou exclaimed in surprise. She carefully picked up one of the eggs, looking at it over and over. She hadn’t expected that the chickens they had just received would start laying eggs right in the carriage.

Du Wanchun bent down and picked up the other egg. It was still warm.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck…”

The two hens clucked again, lifted their heads, and before long, two more eggs appeared.

Madam Zhou was overjoyed. “Normally, a hen lays only one egg a day, but these two hens laid two each!”

Du Wanchun laughed along with her and reached out to gently stroke one of the hens’ feathers.

Just then, the hen lifted its tail, and another egg rolled out.

Madam Zhou watched as yet another egg tumbled down and couldn’t help but sigh, “Another one! The hens from the Fang family sure are productive!”

Du Wanchun was just as delighted. “Mother, quickly pick up the eggs!”

“Alright, Wanchun, you steady the carriage while I gather them.” Still basking in the excitement of earning five taels of silver, Madam Zhou now found herself immersed in the joy of collecting eggs.

By the time they arrived home, Madam Zhou had wrapped the dozen or so eggs in cloth and carried them inside.

“Zhao’er, Feng’er, come quickly! We’re having eggs!”

They had been poor for so long that it had been ages since they last ate eggs.

Zhao Zhou ran over, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the smooth, round eggs. “Mother, I’ll take them to the stove and boil them!”

Madam Zhou handed him five eggs, then took the rest to the small woodshed in the backyard.

Du Wanchun followed her, carrying the two hens to the backyard and placing them together with their two skinny ducks.

Zhou Ruiyuan was tending the fire by the boiler. Hearing the commotion, he strode over immediately.

Du Wanchun held out the five taels of silver for him to see. “Husband, look! What is this?”