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Chapter 104 Ingenious Ideas
The pressed rose and trifoliate (Sanhuacao) juices had been purified and filtered for two days, leaving no residue behind. Just then, they were mixed according to the formula for a light fragrance, creating a perfume essence.
A worker gently turned the wind wheel, slowly pressing the filtered perfume essence into a bamboo tube. Another worker added alcohol through the tube, while a third one added water. Lin Wanrong watched the liquid flowing slowly in the bamboo tube with a tight focus, his palms sweaty with tension. He grabbed Fubo's arm and asked, "Fubo, you've tested this, haven't you? There's no problem with this bamboo tube, right?"
Changbo responded confidently, "Lin San, rest assured, with my years of experience in woodworking, this bamboo pipeline structure is stable. It can easily last for three to five years."
When the three solutions mixed in a large container, gradually turning a lighter shade, Lin Wanrong finally let out a long sigh of relief. The fresh fragrance wafting in the air said it all - the first batch of perfume had been successfully produced.
Lin Wanrong had already purchased a batch of small glass bottles through the Xiao family, at a considerable discount, of course.
The perfume was incredibly precious, worth its weight in gold. There were no automatic filling machines in this era, so they had to rely on funnels for manual bottling. Although this was less efficient, it could meet the demand.
The first batch of perfume filled more than three hundred bottles. Lin Wanrong was very satisfied with the ratio and was about to meet Eldest Miss Xiao, when a maid arrived to report that the Eldest Miss urgently needed him.
Upon reaching the location, he found the room empty. In a hurry, Lin Wanrong asked the maid, "Sister Xiao Tao, where is the Eldest Miss?"Xiao Tao replied, "The Eldest Miss instructed that you wait for her here, Brother Lin."
As Lin Wanrong sat in the room, just when he was starting to feel bored, a soft noise echoed as the door was pushed open, and a woman walked in from outside. He looked up and was taken aback.
The woman in front of him was Xiao Yuruo. What surprised Lin Wanrong was her attire. She was wearing a dress Lin Wanrong was very familiar with—a cheongsam.
With her hair coiled high, her slender shoulders, and a long lotus-colored cheongsam tightly wrapped around Xiao Yuruo's body, her curvy figure, slender waist, and long legs sketched out an exquisite silhouette. Her graceful steps only added to her charm. The beauty of a woman was fully displayed.
At the high slit of the cheongsam, Miss Xiao had made some modifications. It only extended to the bend of her calf, and she wore a pair of light yellow thin trousers underneath, implying more than revealing, which better fit the aesthetic taste of this era.
Lin Wanrong was taken aback, thinking to himself, ‘Goodness, this headstrong girl really does have a certain aura in this cheongsam. I wonder what Madam Xiao would look like in this dress.’
Seeing Lin Wanrong's gaze fixed on her, Xiao Yuruo felt quite shy and quickly asked, "Lin San, is the cheongsam supposed to look like this? How do I look in it?"
Lin Wanrong nodded and laughed, "Miss, you look absolutely stunning in this cheongsam."
Xiao Yuruo snorted, but her face showed a hint of surprise, "I consulted with my mother for a long time before making this cheongsam. I wonder if it's as good as the ones you've seen?"
Lin Wanrong said, "Cultural customs differ from place to place, so comparisons aren't meaningful. However, it's undeniable that this robe is very suitable for the women of our Great Hua."
Hearing his praise, Xiao Yuruo breathed a sigh of relief. This cheongsam was something only Lin Wanrong had seen before. After making it, the young lady had to show it to him first, despite her reluctance.
Lin Wanrong's gaze shifted downwards, noticing that the shoes she wore were not the usual embroidered ones. They were significantly taller than the average women's shoes. The young lady's face flushed as she said, "After making this cheongsam, I felt good wearing it. But my shoes seemed too short, so I made a pair of taller ones. I'm not sure if it's appropriate?"
Lin Wanrong slapped his forehead, realizing he had overlooked the fact that the cheongsam should be paired with high heels to better showcase the figure. He gave her a thumbs up and said, "Miss, your attention to detail is admirable. You're right, the cheongsam does look better with high heels."
The young lady hummed to herself. It was the first time she'd heard him praise her in all this time. She felt a surge of pride, and her smile brightened.
Since the cheongsam was done, had the undergarments also been completed? Lin Wanrong looked at the young lady in puzzlement, hoping to glean some hint from her. The young lady blushed and snapped, "What are you looking at with those thieving eyes?"
Lin Wanrong asked, "Now that this cheongsam is done, have the undergarments taken shape?"
Her face reddened, she lowered her head and said softly, "It's none of your business..."
Seeing her extreme shyness, Lin Wanrong was puzzled. But noticing the rise of her chest, he suddenly understood and couldn't help but feel amused. He thought, ‘So that's why she appears so shapely today. She's using the new product. The bra needs a structure for support, I wonder what this young lady has thought of. From the outside, the effect seems to be not bad. Women indeed have a natural talent in this area. I, a half-baked designer of women's underwear, should step aside.’
Seeing the laughter in his eyes, the young lady knew he had figured it out. She felt both embarrassed and angry, thinking it was infuriating to be so compromised in front of this man. She composed herself and said, "Lin San, I asked you here today to discuss something. Now that we have made the cheongsam and the undergarments, how do we promote them? Going door-to-door seems too cumbersome. Do you have any ideas?"
Lin Wanrong grinned and said, "That can be easily managed, it just depends on whether you have the courage, Miss."
Xiao Yuruo was taken aback and asked, "What does this have to do with courage? Tell me, what are your ideas?"
Lin Wanrong gave a mysterious smile and said, "Promoting this isn't difficult, Miss. You should have some connections with the ladies and young misses of this city."
Xiao Yuruo replied, "Of course. My family has been doing business for many years, so we have extensive connections in this city."
"In that case, it's easy. Miss, you could find a free moment, gather these ladies and young misses, and hold a small fashion show," Lin Wanrong suggested with a smile.
"A fashion show? What's that?" the Eldest Miss asked in surprise.
"A fashion show is simply a display of the new clothes you've made, worn by real people for the ladies to inspect. For example, you could find some well-shaped women to model the cheongsam and walk around, and for the undergarments, you could find some fuller women to showcase them," he explained.
Lin Wanrong's idea was novel, and the Eldest Miss blushed slightly, saying, "Your idea is quite innovative. The cheongsam is fine, but for the undergarments, where do we find real people to model them? Wouldn't that be too embarrassing?"
Lin Wanrong seriously replied, "Miss, you're mistaken. All the ladies you're inviting are women, and only women can participate in this fashion show. It's not embarrassing to discuss body-related topics among women. As for finding models, it's not difficult. You could choose some well-shaped girls from the Qinhuai River, pay them a little extra, and have them wear masks during the show to conceal their identities. Since they'll be facing only women, I think they won't refuse."
Lin Wanrong was secretly sweating. If this were successful, the first underwear models in the world would be the girls from the Qinhuai River. What a great victory that would be!
The Eldest Miss pondered for a while. As a businesswoman, although her mindset was conservative like others of her time, she did have a certain degree of open-mindedness. Lin San's idea made sense. All the attendees would be women, which wouldn't harm their dignity, and as courtesans, they should be amenable to the idea with additional payment.
However, the thought of approaching these courtesans herself was daunting for a lady of her status. She glanced at Lin San, noticing his confident demeanor, and thought that this scoundrel seemed rather familiar with such places, so it might be best to leave this task to him.
Noticing the young lady's thoughtful look, Lin Wanrong felt a sense of unease. He had gotten himself entangled in this. He hurriedly said, "Considering your status, Miss, it might not be appropriate for you to go to the brothel to find women. I believe there is someone who can handle this."
"Who?" The Eldest Miss quickly asked.
"Your cousin, Guo Wuchang," Lin Wanrong replied, silently praying to Buddha. ‘Young Master Guo, you've benefited so much from me; it's time for you to help out.’
"My cousin?" The Eldest Miss frowned.
"Yes," Lin Wanrong confirmed. "Your cousin has some connections with Qin Xian'er. It wouldn't be difficult for him to find some well-shaped women through her."
This wasn't because Lin Wanrong wanted to shirk his responsibilities; it was just that he had been busy making perfume and developing his third venture, the Food for Immortals restaurant. Where would he find the time to personally look for models? Besides, Guo Wuchang was naturally inclined towards brothels, so this task was perfectly suited to his tastes.
The Eldest Miss knew very well what kind of person her cousin was. She didn't believe that Qin Xian'er would take a liking to Guo Wuchang. Seeing Lin San's mischievous grin, she couldn't help but scoff, "Are you trying to tarnish my cousin's reputation with your scheme?"
Ah, was Guo Wuchang's reputation something he needed to tarnish? Everyone near the Qinhuai River knew about this unpredictable young master. It was only this Eldest Miss who thought her cousin was such a noble person. Of course, Lin Wanrong wouldn't voice these thoughts out loud. He chuckled and said, "Although the young master doesn't enjoy reading or learning, he has a keen eye for people. I don't think there will be any problems with him choosing a few women from the brothel."
There weren't any suitable men in the Xiao family who could take on this task. While the man before her was somewhat competent, he was as slippery as an eel. If he said her cousin could handle it, then she would let her cousin do it, hoping he wouldn't disappoint her. Xiao Yuruo sighed softly and nodded her agreement.
Seeing her melancholy, Lin Wanrong could guess some of her thoughts. He didn't want to dwell on the matter any longer, so he took out the perfume from his pocket and said, "Miss, this is the first batch of rose perfume I've produced. You can promote it alongside the cheongsam and undergarments. I guarantee you'll be incredibly popular and successful."
Xiao Yuruo took the perfume, her heart filled with joy. She sniffed it, inhaling deeply, and asked with anticipation, "Lin San, can you give me this bottle?"
Lin Wanrong paused before replying, "We will be making a lot more of this perfume in the future. I can give you as much as you want. But this one is a strong scent. Do you like it?"
Hearing his agreement, the Eldess Miss nodded joyfully, "I like stronger scents, and so does my mother."
Even Madam Xiao liked strong scents? According to the rule of understanding women through their choice of perfume, women who liked strong scents... Lin Wanrong didn't dare to continue his thought. This was too stimulating. He chuckled, his mind filled with naughty thoughts that he couldn't get rid of.
Seeing the odd smile on his face, as if he could see right through her, Xiao Yuruo suddenly felt shy. Suppressing her embarrassment, she said, "Lin San, go and find my cousin. I will discuss this matter with him."
Hearing that his cousin wanted him to visit the brothels, Guo Wuchang was so scared he nearly wet himself. He quickly said, "Cousin, as you know, I am a scholar who only knows how to compose poetry. I've only met Miss Qin Xian'er a few times. I have no connection with the brothels at all."
Lin Wanrong struggled to suppress his laughter. The face of this young master Guo truly knew no shame.
Xiao Yuruo said, "Cousin, you've misunderstood. I want you to find some pleasant-looking and charismatic women and invite them to the inn in town. Then I will talk to them." Xiao Yuruo had thought everything through. It would be disgraceful to invite the women from the brothels directly to the Xiao household, so meeting at the inn was a much more convenient alternative.
"Yes, indeed." Lin Wanrong said in a solemn voice, "Young master, you are a proper scholar. We all know that. The Eldest Miss just wants to invite a few girls to help out. She believes you are the most trustworthy person in our Xiao family, so she has asked you to do this. I believe, considering your relationship with Miss Qin, these tasks shouldn't be too difficult."
Young Master Guo was unaware that Lin San was in a relationship with Qin Xian'er. Seeing that Lin San was speaking in this manner and considering his cousin's request, he had no choice but to say, "If that's the case, I will go. However, I'm not familiar with the brothels. If anything goes wrong, cousin, you mustn't blame me."
Xiao Yuruo gently nodded. Lin Wanrong gave the young master a meaningful glance and smiled, "I've heard that there's a woman named Dong Mei at Miaoyu Pavilion. She is said to be quite attractive. Young master, you might want to consider visiting her."
The young master was secretly pleased to hear this, though he maintained a serious expression, "Hmm, I will have to see for myself."
Seeing that everything was arranged, the young master took on his task and left with a sense of purpose. Just as Lin Wanrong was about to leave, he heard the Eldest Miss say, "Lin San, wait a moment."
She took out a small booklet from her bosom, looked at Lin Wanrong, and said with a teasing smile, "Do you recognize this?"
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