After wearing the sweater for a short while, Xiao Jingzhao’s first thought was that this sweater could be used in the military. Anyuan Prefecture was bitterly cold. During the harshest winters, the soldiers’ combat effectiveness was severely weakened by the freezing temperatures. Cases of frostbite and even death from the cold were not uncommon.

Back when the Wei family oversaw the military, they placed exceptional importance on logistics, but even so, the winter clothing sent to the troops was insufficient to fend off the cold. If soldiers layered on more clothing, their bulky silhouettes would hinder movement, making combat even harder. This sweater, however, could replace several layers of winter clothing.

Moreover, while wool might be expensive in the capital, it wasn’t the case in Anyuan Prefecture. If purchased in bulk, not only would the local sheep farmers be willing to sell it cheaply, but even the nearby tribes close to the border might bring their wool to sell. By purchasing wool at cost price, spinning it into yarn, and weaving it into sweaters, soldiers could be outfitted with minimal expense.

However, as soon as Xiao Jingzhao thought of the Wei family’s current predicament and the fact that Anyuan Prefecture was now under the control of the Su family, he knew these ideas were no more than a pipe dream.

Recalling some news he’d heard recently, the faint smile on Xiao Jingzhao’s lips disappeared.

“What’s wrong? Is the sweater uncomfortable to wear?” Jiang Huai, noticing the change in Xiao Jingzhao’s expression, asked with concern.

Xiao Jingzhao shook his head and brushed it off with a vague excuse.

With the machine’s help, the speed of spinning yarn had increased, and the wool bought from He Shi was quickly used up. This time, Jiang Huai didn’t have to go out personally. Luo Yuan handled the purchase of more wool.

While spinning yarn and knitting sweaters simultaneously, new sweaters were soon ready. Jiang Huai even knitted some woolen trousers to go with them.

Jiang Huai planned to test the waters by selling these new items. Since it was a brand-new product, it likely wouldn’t immediately become popular. But new products also meant novelty, and with the right promotion, they could fetch a high price.

After some calculations, Jiang Huai took the sweaters and headed out.

At Fang Ji Ready-made Clothing Store, Shopkeeper Fang stood at the entrance trying to attract customers. Unfortunately, passersby were in a hurry, and no one stopped by.

“Jiang Huai?” Shopkeeper Fang spotted someone approaching from a distance. At first, he prepared to call out to them but then recognized the familiar figure. “Are you here to buy winter clothes?”

There was a trace of surprise in Shopkeeper Fang’s eyes. Although Jiang Huai had previously mentioned the possibility of making a purchase, he assumed it was mere politeness. He hadn’t expected Jiang Huai to actually show up and hurried to greet him enthusiastically.

“You came at the right time! We’ve just made a batch of new winter clothes, nice and warm. Take a look and see which one you like!” Shopkeeper Fang ushered Jiang Huai into the store, even helpfully taking the cloth bag from Jiang Huai’s hands. As he hefted the bag, its weight puzzled him—it felt like there were heavy clothes inside. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind.

“Shopkeeper Fang, no need to fuss. I’m here to discuss a business deal with you,” Jiang Huai stopped Shopkeeper Fang from retrieving the clothes and opened the bag, taking out a sweater.

Although Shopkeeper Fang was well-experienced, he had never seen a garment like this before. Even so, he could tell it was some sort of clothing.

Wait a second. Could this “business deal” Jiang Huai mentioned involve this garment?

The shopkeeper opened his mouth to refuse but paused when he caught sight of the scars on Jiang Huai’s hands. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Jiang Huai, this is a ready-made clothing store. If you’re here to pawn this, I can only offer you a dead pawn price.”

“Shopkeeper, you’ve misunderstood.” Jiang Huai smiled and shook his head, placing the sweater on the counter. “How about you touch it and see for yourself?”

Shopkeeper Fang cast a suspicious glance at Jiang Huai, wondering what kind of trick he might be pulling. But there was no harm in touching the garment—he didn’t fear damaging it. Using the back of his hand, he lightly brushed the fabric.

So soft!

And warm!

“What material is this?” Shopkeeper Fang’s eyes lit up. Before Jiang Huai could answer, the shopkeeper began speculating aloud, but no fabric he thought of seemed to match.

“Shopkeeper, how do you find this garment?” Jiang Huai dodged the question and asked instead.

Suppressing his initial excitement over the discovery of a new material, Shopkeeper Fang raised the sweater for a closer look. His brow furrowed.

The garment looked peculiar at first glance, but examining it more closely only confirmed its oddity. Its seamless construction was particularly novel.

“The fabric is excellent, but the design is a bit strange,” the shopkeeper commented. Despite his initial amazement, his business instincts kicked in, prompting him to nitpick. “So, about this business deal you mentioned—what kind of deal is it?”

“To be blunt, shopkeeper, I want to sell this garment for ten taels of silver apiece in your store, on consignment, for ten days. How much profit you make after that, I won’t ask,” Jiang Huai replied confidently, blinking with a sly smile, showing no trace of guilt for suddenly raising the price.

Before leaving, Jiang Huai had calculated the cost of wool, labor, and the local market for winter clothing. Initially, he priced the sweaters at five taels each. But seeing the shopkeeper’s interest, he decided to double it.

At worst, the shopkeeper could haggle.

The ten-tael price made Shopkeeper Fang draw a sharp breath. While his store had sold expensive clothing before, this price was indeed steep.

However, the idea of consignment was tempting. If the sweaters didn’t sell, he could simply return them to Jiang Huai with no loss on his part.

The shopkeeper considered negotiating the price. But Jiang Huai, sensing his hesitation, pretended to leave, forcing Shopkeeper Fang to relent quickly. He agreed to take the sweaters without further haggling.

“Do you have more of these sweaters?” Shopkeeper Fang asked, hinting at the weight of the bag earlier. “Leave them all here. For such a high price, this has to be an exclusive product.”

Jiang Huai cheerfully handed over the sweaters, and they signed a private contract. After all, if the sweaters sold for the suggested price, they’d count as luxury items.

Leaving the sweaters and woolen trousers behind, Shopkeeper Fang was both excited and anxious. Could these garments really sell? If they didn’t, he wouldn’t lose anything, but missing out on profits would be frustrating.

As luck would have it, over the next two days, the shop saw an influx of customers. Shopkeeper Fang targeted those who could afford the sweaters, but despite their admiration for the soft fabric, the unusual design and steep price deterred them from buying.

Day by day, Shopkeeper Fang grew more worried. Just as his hopes began to waver, a new guest arrived.

The second son of the Chen family stormed into the store, displeased. He demanded to see his newly made clothes.

Shopkeeper Fang quickly fetched the black fur coat. But Second Young Master Chen frowned with disdain, “Why is this so thick? Wearing this outside will make me look like a bear!”

The shopkeeper fell silent. Most customers complained winter clothes weren’t thick enough, but this was the first time someone complained they were too thick.

“Find me something thinner,” Second Young Master Chen ordered.

The servant at his side looked troubled and whispered, “Young Master, the old lady instructed you to dress warmly to avoid catching a cold…”

“Stop nagging! Just tell her this shop only had thick clothes. What, is she going to come here and check?” Second Young Master Chen snapped impatiently.

Hearing their conversation, Shopkeeper Fang had an idea. The sweaters finally had a chance.

“Young Master Chen, if you’re looking for something lightweight, I have just the thing,” Shopkeeper Fang said, smiling obsequiously. “But it’s a bit pricey.”

“Oh, so now you’re trying to bait me with reverse psychology?” Second Young Master Chen narrowed his eyes.

“Not at all, Young Master. It’s just that these clothes are truly expensive—fifteen taels each,” Shopkeeper Fang explained cautiously.

The price intrigued Second Young Master Chen, who demanded to see the garments.

Hurrying to the back, Shopkeeper Fang brought out both the sweater and matching trousers.

“What an odd-looking outfit!” Second Young Master Chen’s servant exclaimed. If it weren’t for the lack of a head, the sweater might have looked like a human torso. Its weight made it seem even more uncanny.

Second Young Master Chen silenced his servant with a glare and began examining the garments.

The design was peculiar, but the fabric’s softness and warmth were undeniable.

“Shopkeeper Fang, do you think I’m easily fooled? How is this lightweight?” Second Young Master Chen asked, frowning.

“Ah, Young Master Chen, while the sweater appears thick, it’s worn as an inner layer. You won’t need to wear a heavy fur coat over it—just something thinner will suffice. If you don’t believe me, I can demonstrate…” Shopkeeper Fang began to explain.

“Hold it! This is supposed to be mine. If you wear it, am I supposed to wear it after you?” Second Young Master Chen interrupted, grabbing the sweater and heading to the fitting room to try it himself.

Shopkeeper Fang hurried after him, offering instructions on how to put it on, as the snug fit of the sweater made it a bit challenging for first-timers.

After some effort, Second Young Master Chen managed to don the sweater. Not bothering with his old clothes, he threw on a light autumn jacket and strode straight for the door. He was determined to test the shopkeeper’s claims. If it turned out to be false, there would be consequences…