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Seeing the situation, Jiang Mixia felt helpless, so she had her mother make two meals of braised pork for them to eat, using it as a way to comfort Song Jingyun.
Eating braised pork… isn’t that essentially biting into a pig as well?
Song Jingyun found some truth in this. After having two meals of braised pork, he felt the pigs in the backyard seemed less resentful.
Jiang Mixia breathed a sigh of relief and instructed the bamboo weaving workshop to hurry up and make more palm-leaf fans.
However, before the workshop could produce a sufficient quantity of bamboo fans, Manager Zhou, the steward, arrived at the Jiang family village.
His purpose in coming to the village was clear – he wanted to discuss tea production with Jiang Mixia and negotiate the mass production of tea canisters.
“I specifically returned to the capital to discuss the tea-making proposal with my master. As soon as he heard about it, he didn’t hesitate at all. He said your idea, Madam Jiang, is excellent and told me to get things moving right away.”
Manager Zhou, the steward, was brimming with excitement. “I also talked to my master about tea leaves. The more we discussed it, the more we felt that this business could thrive. So we hurried here to discuss the details of the tea canisters with Madam Jiang.”
“My master’s idea is that if we are to make something outstanding, the tea canisters must be exceptional. Do we have any designs from the porcelain kiln for the tea canisters here to look at?”
Jiang Mixia had made preparations in advance. As per her proposal, Zhu Yongwu had produced some samples based on those patterns and brought them out for Zhou, the steward, to inspect.
“I propose that these tea canisters be made in four different colors and designs. As the flavors of tea vary slightly in different seasons, this will also showcase the careful and attentive nature of the tea garden during tea production.”
“These are the samples fired at the porcelain kiln. Would you like to take a look, Steward Zhou?”
“In spring, there is a base color of cinnamon powder, with a pattern of orchids. In summer, it’s sky blue with a lotus flower pattern. In autumn, it’s a beige color with a chrysanthemum pattern, and in winter, it’s a light blue with a plum blossom pattern.”
Jiang Mixia arranged the tea canisters on the table.
The four tea canisters, neatly arranged, displayed subtle color differences and unique patterns, each representing the typical colors and flowers of the four seasons, creating a visually delightful experience.
Zhou, the steward, carefully examined the four canisters, nodding in approval. “Well done, Madam Jiang. Your meticulous attention to categorizing the tea according to the four seasons is an excellent selling point.”
Drinking tea, aside from quenching thirst, also carries an air of refinement. The more detailed and sophisticated it is, the more it is recognized by others.
This approach would certainly enhance the appeal of this otherwise ordinary tea, potentially opening up new avenues for its sales.
“In addition, the lids of these tea canisters consist of an outer porcelain cover and an inner bamboo lid, ensuring complete sealing to prevent moisture, while also infusing the tea with a hint of bamboo fragrance.”
Jiang Mixia added, “However, with these additional features, the cost of these tea canisters will be considerably higher.”
Due to the precise matching of the porcelain jar and lid during production, as well as the meticulous detailing required, along with the need for even glazing during firing, and the additional application of colored patterns on the jar, plus the crafting of a bamboo lid to fit the jar’s opening… All of these tasks added up, resulting in a cost of nearly three hundred wen for just one tea canister from the tea garden.
“No problem,” the steward Zhou shrugged it off, “As I’ve said, as long as the tea gains a good reputation and the product sells, the cost of the tea canister is inconsequential.”
Originally, a pound of tea sold to the tea merchants in the capital fetched just over two hundred wen. However, by roasting and fermenting the tea, and pairing it with such a tea canister, a pound of tea could sell for more than one or two taels of silver, significantly increasing the profit margin.
Understanding the calculations clearly, Zhou only discussed the quantity of the first batch of tea canisters with Jiang Mixia. Considering it was the first time they were selling this particular tea, they mutually agreed on an initial quantity of 120 tea canisters.
As it was the summer season and the time for producing summer tea, they decided to only produce ninety canisters for storing summer tea. For the remaining three types, they only made ten each for display purposes.
After finalizing the details about the tea canisters, Zhou then went to the bamboo weaving workshop to inspect and placed an order for some bamboo baskets for tea picking and bamboo trays for tea drying.
Before bidding farewell, Jiang Mixia handed over a dozen bamboo woven fans for Zhou to take back with him. The fans were lightweight and exquisite, and without hesitation, Zhou accepted them all. They also agreed that he would return to the Jiang family village to pick up the goods in twenty days.
Jiang Mixia readily agreed to the arrangement.
Jiang Mixia instructed Zhu Yongwu to hasten the production of tea canisters. Meanwhile, she busied herself by delivering the batch of fired teacups and tea bowls to Zhao’s shop. Additionally, she sent some bamboo woven fans to Zheng’s shop.
The teacups and tea bowls were of the same quality as before, and Zhao readily accepted the entire batch, also placing orders for porcelain pillows, lotus flower bowls, and similar items.
At Zheng’s shop, the bamboo fans were well received, prompting a significant order for two hundred of them.
Apart from the normal retail sales in the county, it was crucial to send some goods to the capital city to assess sales there.
Jiang Mixia naturally agreed to these orders.
After finalizing the arrangements, the shopkeeper Sun escorted Jiang Mixia to the door, “Madam Jiang, your attention to detail is remarkable, and there’s no doubt about the quality of your products. However, I’ve been thinking, since you can weave such thin fans, could you also make folding fans out of bamboo weaving?”
“As you know, my master is also involved in the shipping business at the docks. With people coming and going all day, many folks are either transporting goods or traveling. When they are out and about, having a fan on hand is essential. While paper folding fans are convenient to carry, they are also fragile. On the other hand, bamboo woven fans, though lightweight, are quite large and not easy to carry around. It’s quite inconvenient to hold them. If we could have a folding fan made of bamboo weaving, something sturdy and durable, I believe it would sell even better.”
The shopkeeper hesitated, “But you see, some things cannot be easily combined. I’m just thinking out loud. It’s not a given that it can be achieved…”
If these items couldn’t be woven, his earlier words might have seemed a bit demanding.
Jiang Mixia smiled and replied, “To be honest, I’ve been pondering this matter as well. In the northern regions, the hot season is relatively short, but in the south, summers are prolonged, and there’s a significant demand for fans. If we could have a convenient and lightweight fan, especially for the southern regions, it would be absolutely ideal.”