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The workers at the dye house gathered around the fabric hanging high, discussing in excitement and astonishment. Whether they were seasoned craftsmen or newcomers, they had never dyed such brightly colored fabric before. It was safe to say they had never seen such vivid colors either. How could this not shake everyone in the industry to their core?
Su Zhi watched the fabric with shimmering eyes. Suddenly, she turned around, grabbing Su Zhi’s arm and leading her back to the room where they had rested earlier.
“Young lady! About that recipe of yours…”
Shopkeeper Su wanted to say, “Your recipe is truly remarkable. Could you sell it to me?” But she stopped mid-sentence, realizing how valuable the recipe was. How could Su Zhi ever agree to sell it? If roles were reversed, she wouldn’t sell it either. With that recipe, one could start a dye house and earn unimaginable profits.
The fabric dyed was so vibrant and beautiful. Su Zhi had seen the finest fabrics sent from places like the capital, but none compared to what she had just seen. The difference was glaringly obvious at a single glance. She imagined selling such fabric nationwide, attracting wealthy buyers who would forsake their usual garments forever.
After thinking about this, Shopkeeper Su realized that dreaming of obtaining such a recipe was futile. Only a fool would sell such a valuable recipe to her! And Su Zhi was certainly no fool.
Shopkeeper Su’s spirits sank as she contemplated the prospect of watching others profit from such a great recipe while she could only observe. The thought was agonizing, especially knowing that once this fabric hit the market, their dye house would face fierce competition. Even if they managed to survive, they would be relegated to producing inferior quality fabric that wealthy customers wouldn’t buy. If Su Zhi’s recipe made the process easier and cheaper, even ordinary people could afford such fabric. Their business would no longer even qualify as producing low-quality fabric.
Seeing Shopkeeper Su’s expression, Su Zhi couldn’t help but understand the unspoken half of her earlier sentence. Yet, Shopkeeper Su didn’t press further. Su Zhi knew Shopkeeper Su was smart and didn’t consider her foolish, which preserved some of her favorable opinion of her.
“Little sister, your recipe are truly miraculous. You were fortunate to encounter such a remarkable person who bestowed upon you this treasure of a recipe.”
Shopkeeper Su ultimately didn’t mention buying the recipe but expressed her admiration instead. Deep down, she truly envied Su Zhi. She thought to herself how talented and blessed Madam Shen from the Shen family was, not only skilled but incredibly lucky to have someone gift her such a valuable recipe. What puzzled Shopkeeper Su was the identity of the person who gave her the recipe. Why didn’t they try it themselves back then? If they had, they would surely be immensely wealthy by now, with this fabric spreading throughout the entire Liang Dynasty, if not across all nations.
Su Zhi smiled faintly, feeling fortunate indeed. How else could she have been reborn with the spiritual spring and White lotuses?
Seeing Su Zhi smile without further elaboration, Shopkeeper Su refrained from probing into who that remarkable person was. Nevertheless, she remained deeply interested in the recipe, pondering whether Madam Shen was now ready to start profiting from its use. The thought of their dye house possibly facing closure weighed heavily on her heart.
“Little sister, you have such a great recipe in your hands. I see you’re also quite interested in dyeing fabrics. Are you planning to open a dye house? With this recipe, you’re bound to have a steady stream of wealth. Allow me to congratulate you in advance. I wonder if, in the future, after you’ve dyed the fabric, you could prioritize selling it through my shop.”
Shopkeeper Su, being a businesswoman through and through, had already set her sights on selling fabrics. Her family ran a fabric shop, and she knew that partnering with Su Zhi could bring in substantial profits from selling these unique fabrics.
Su Zhi looked at Shopkeeper Su’s eager expression and thought that such a person might indeed make a good business partner.
From the beginning, Su Zhi had wanted to find someone to cooperate with in business to make money. She only provided the technical expertise and didn’t want to exert herself physically, so she could sit at home counting silver. Even if she earned less money, having the time to spend with her husband and children, and living as a leisurely landlady, was much happier than being a merchant running around all day.
“Sister Su, what if I said I’d like to cooperate with you? What do you think?”
“What?!”
Shopkeeper Su was stunned when she heard Su Zhi’s words. She almost thought she had misheard. In her view, with such a valuable recipe in hand and no financial desperation requiring her to sell or partner with anyone, why would Su Zhi want to collaborate with her? If she possessed such a miraculous recipe, she would definitely make her own fortune. Even if she had no money at all, she would borrow to get started. So when Su Zhi said this, and Shopkeeper Su saw that she wasn’t joking, she was first surprised and then delighted.
“Little sister, you really want to cooperate with me? This could be a huge money-making venture. Are you really willing to share the profits with me? Have you thought it through?”
Shopkeeper Su was so happy that she started to speak in a rush. As a shrewd person, she began to explain the potential benefits to Su Zhi. After saying all this, she regretted it a bit, fearing that if she pushed too hard, Su Zhi might change her mind. She looked eagerly at Su Zhi, worried that she might retract her offer.
Su Zhi saw Shopkeeper Su’s shrewdness mingled with sincerity and replied, “Sister Su, I’ve thought it through. My husband has also agreed.”
Su Zhi had already discussed the matter of the recipe with Shen Zi’an, who had agreed to leave everything to her if the recipe succeeded. He didn’t want his wife to be burdened and naturally supported her collaboration. Moreover, in his view, this was her thing to handle, and he only needed to protect her.
Shen Zi’an nodded approvingly at Shopkeeper Su.
With this confirmation, Shopkeeper Su was truly overjoyed and surprised. She reached out and grabbed Su Zhi’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “Little sister, you… you’re paving a road to wealth for me! I won’t say anything else. Thank you so much! From now on, you’re my own sister! Trust me, if we collaborate, I’ll make sure this business thrives openly and successfully! Just wait for the day when riches come pouring in!”
Shopkeeper Su could already imagine the scene when their fabric would dominate not just the entire Liang Dynasty but also neighboring countries. Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
“I’ll just sit at home and count my mountain of silver, leaving everything to you, sister,” Su Zhi said. She was quite happy herself about this new source of income; it was a good thing.
Shopkeeper Su naturally wouldn’t easily let go of this opportunity for cooperation. He immediately began discussing the details with Su Zhi, such as profit distribution.
Su Zhi glanced at Shen Zi’an.
Normally, Su Zhi always gave Shen Zi’an face in public matters. However, this time, since it was a discussion with Shopkeeper Su, she took the lead. Of course, when it came to finalizing things, she would still let Shen Zi’an have the final say. She had made this clear to him beforehand. Allowing Shen Zi’an to speak was just to prevent others from objecting. Although Shen Zi’an was born in the countryside and dressed in plain clothes, he had a cold demeanor that carried a wild nature. Ordinary people wouldn’t dare to oppose him.
Shen Zi’an repeated everything Su Zhi had said to him. The main points were that Su Zhi and her husband would provide the formula, while Shopkeeper Su would invest in labor and capital. They would split the profits seventy-thirty, with the Shen family taking seventy percent and Shopkeeper Su’s side taking thirty percent.
Shopkeeper Su just pondered for a moment and agreed. She looked at Shen Zi’an’s cold and unquestionable expression, then at Su Zhi’s smile. She realized that this couple were no fools. If she were to haggle here, she might end up with nothing. She didn’t want that.
Even if she only got thirty percent of the profit, it would still be an immense amount of silver and gold. Just imagining the vivid colors, she could dominate the entire fabric market in the future!
“Good, it’s settled then!” Shopkeeper Su concluded decisively. She wished she could write up a contract right away to prevent Su Zhi from changing her mind. Shopkeeper Su was also the decision-maker at home, and she wanted to do this immediately. While Shopkeeper Su was preparing to write the contract, Su Zhi took out a small bottle of diluted Spiritual Spring water and had someone dye another piece of fabric. This time, it was red fabric. The color was so vibrant that it dazzled the eyes. When Shopkeeper Su saw the fabric, she couldn’t wait to urge Su Zhi to sign and seal the deal.
In the end, both parties reached an agreement. They each kept a copy of the contract, one for each party.
“Sister Su, I’ll prepare the ingredients when I get back,” Su Zhi said. Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Su began thinking about how to launch the fabric in a grand manner.
“Shopkeeper Su, I hope you’ll do your best not to let too many people know that it’s my wife who provided the formula. I don’t want her to be disturbed too much,” Shen Zi’an said as he was leaving. He understood that once this fabric started selling, it would definitely cause a stir. It wouldn’t just steal some people’s business—it would steal everyone’s business. It would attract a lot of attention and curiosity, and there might even be people with malicious intent. Even if not malicious, too much attention would be troublesome. He didn’t want his wife to be bothered by such things.
Shopkeeper Su immediately understood. She thought to herself that Shen Zi’an was indeed someone who preferred to stay out of the limelight. With just one look, she could tell that he truly cared for his wife—they were a perfect match.
“Zi’an, in the future, I may have to do more things. You must protect me.”
The young couple hurried home in a horse-drawn carriage. Su Zhi sat beside Shen Zi’an, swinging her legs below and resting her head on his shoulder. The sunlight was gentle, and she held an umbrella that shielded them both, creating a warm atmosphere.
“You go ahead and do what you need to do. As long as you’re not tired. I’ll always protect you,” Shen Zi’an said, his arm around Su Zhi’s waist while he gently tidied her slightly disheveled hair. He thought to himself that his wife was becoming more and more capable, and perhaps he should work harder too.