novelraw Chapter 169 Let's see who can be more shameless
Chapter 169 Let's see who can be more shameless
Chapter 169 Let's see who can be more shameless
Seeing this truly exceptional sight, Third Uncle repeatedly praised it. Remembering what Gu Tang had mentioned earlier about making and selling incense, a thought struck him.
"You said earlier that you wanted to make incense to sell, could it be this 'backflow incense' that you're selling?"
Gu Tang nodded: "That's right, what we're selling is this backflow incense."
Upon hearing this, Uncle San did not show much joy, but rather a sense of unease.
"This incense... is excellent! However, it's also extremely eye-catching; the moment it's revealed, it'll likely attract unwanted attention..."
Gu Tang was aware of this, and she had already come up with a solution.
She said, “Foreign merchants often pass through Bei’an City. We tell outsiders that we bought this incense from them. But when we light it at home to fumigate the house, we find that the incense is as fragrant as its name suggests, and the smoke from it falls downwards.”
We said that this incense is very rare, and since our family is poor, we can't afford to use it ourselves, so we thought of exchanging it for silver.
The first batch was only sold to wealthy, scholarly families. They were rich and concerned with their reputation; they wouldn't risk harming us for a mere two hundred taels of silver.
"Two hundred taels of silver?" Third Uncle looked bewildered.
He pointed to the incense on the table, "These incense sticks together cost two hundred taels of silver?!"
Isn't it a bit too expensive?
Gu Tang smiled and said, "Sir, this incense is one of a kind in the world. As you said yourself, it's very eye-catching, and it will definitely attract covetous eyes as soon as it's shown."
Perhaps this is the only time we can do this deal, and we may never be able to sell this backflow incense again.
If that's the case, why not take the plunge and make a quick buck... then we'll see.
Therefore, the price is higher; two hundred taels of silver can only buy one.
"Two hundred taels of silver for one?!?" Third Uncle's voice rose, his eyes wide with astonishment, his expression as if struck by lightning.
Gu Ping'an, standing to the side, also gaped, looking completely dazed, as if his second sister had gone mad...
This incense stick is only the size of an egg, and it sells for two hundred taels of silver?!
Is this a business transaction?
No, this is robbing people in the street!
They'll be called unscrupulous merchants!
Your ancestors for eight generations will all be insulted!
The expressions on the faces of the grandfather and grandson were easy to understand. Gu Tang put his hand into the smoke, attracting their attention.
"We think two hundred taels of silver is expensive, but in the eyes of those wealthy and powerful families, it's just a small price to pay. For those families, they're not afraid of you charging a high price; they're afraid that the item isn't rare!"
Stir your fingers in the smoke to disperse it.
She quickly took her hand out, sniffed it, and smelled the warm and mellow sandalwood scent, with just the right amount of intensity.
Gu Tang looked at her third uncle with a burning gaze: "Grandpa, tell me, is our incense rare or not?"
Uncle San couldn't refute this point. "How rare! This incense, whether it's its appearance or the... the smoke that flows like a waterfall, is a truly rare and exceptional item!"
"Since it's so rare, it deserves a price of two hundred taels of silver each. After all, scarcity increases value, and only by setting a high price can people flock to it."
Gu Tang's tone was firm, insisting on this price.
Third Uncle was speechless.
If that's the case, then it is indeed worth two hundred taels of silver.
only……
"Have you thought about this? Being too eye-catching might fetch a high price, but can you hold onto it?"
There are fifty of these backflow incense sticks. Before, it didn't seem like much, but now that each backflow incense stick costs two hundred taels of silver, the quantity is quite considerable.
If they sell them all, Tang Yatou can earn back ten thousand taels of silver.
For these powerless and insignificant rural people, even with ten thousand taels of silver in their pockets, they probably wouldn't be able to leave even Beian City.
"Don't worry, sir. Since I dare to sell at a high price, I have my own ways to protect this money." Gu Tang's tone was mysterious, and he seemed confident.
Third Uncle didn't quite believe her words: "Tell me, what's your plan?"
"It's a secret for now; I can't tell you right now."
Uncle San felt a chill in his heart, realizing that Gu Tang was just trying to comfort him and prevent him from worrying.
In fact, she had absolutely no other options!
Ignoring the worry on her third uncle's face, Gu Tang arranged the prepared paints on the table, her expression unchanged, and let her third uncle and Gu Ping'an help her apply the paints.
Looking at the five colors of paint in front of them, the grandfather and grandson fell silent once again.
They can even make pigments?
Gu Tang explained why she made these pigments in this way.
“When I used to collect herbs, I would sometimes trample on some wild grasses and flowers that were purple or red in color. Later, I secretly wondered how to use those wild grasses and flowers to dye them.”
"We've finally managed to produce these five pigments, but unfortunately, the quantity is limited. It should be enough to color these backflow incense sticks..."
This statement has very low credibility, but Uncle San had no choice but to believe it.
No one would teach this country girl how to make pigments; she had to figure it out on her own.
Otherwise, you can't explain why she has these skills.
Gu Tang was aware of this, which is why she was so fearless.
She only gave a brief explanation of why she knew how to make paint, and then said nothing more.
Picking up the plum blossom-shaped incense stick from the table, Gu Tang dipped a brush in some green and demonstrated to the grandfather and grandson how to apply the color.
Thanks to the unique properties of these pigments, the once skillful art of coloring has become much simpler.
Just brush it with a brush, as long as the thickness is consistent.
Once the paint dries completely, it will naturally reveal its most perfect state.
Very worry-free!
Before long, the plum blossom-shaped incense stick transformed into a bright green plum blossom.
"Did you understand? Isn't it very simple? It just requires patience." Gu Tang held up the "green plum blossoms" in her palm and placed them in front of the grandfather and grandson one by one, letting them see them carefully.
It's really simple.
Third Uncle found another clean brush, casually dipped it in some color, and tested the color on the paper a few times.
He felt a surge of joy as he looked at the bright colors on the paper.
"Such fine pigments must be excellent for painting."
"If there's any left, feel free to use it for painting." Gu Tang estimated that there should be some left over in the end.
"Alright, alright, then I'll be basking in your glory." Uncle San's smile returned.
For now, we can only take it one step at a time; there's no point in overthinking it.
Even though his third uncle had already started, Gu Ping'an hesitated to make a move.
"I'm always clumsy, what if I accidentally ruin this incense?"
Two hundred taels of silver for each backflow incense stick!
Even if you sold ten of them, you'd only get half the value of someone else!
Gu Tang glared at him: "I made all of these myself! I don't need as many as you want. If you really break them, I'll just make another one. Why are you so apprehensive?"
Gu Ping'an finally realized that he only remembered the two hundred taels of silver and had forgotten about his second sister, the incense maker.
With his worries gone, Gu Ping'an grinned and begged Gu Tang for forgiveness. He picked up a calligraphy brush, dipped it in yellow paint, and took a few strokes.
Holding a pen in one hand, while the other hand hovers in mid-air, picking and choosing, unsure which one to pick?
Seeing his hesitation, Gu Tang simply placed the bamboo-shaped backflow incense stick in front of him. "Change to a different brush and paint half of this bamboo green and the other half purple."
Gu Ping'an examined it carefully and felt relieved; this bamboo was the simplest one.
Gu Tang watched him for a while, and after confirming that he was capable of handling the task, she returned to her own seat.
I picked up a brush, randomly chose a color and scent, and began to apply the paint in a rather rough manner.
Inside the house, the three generations of the family were working hard, while outside in the backyard, Gu Lai'an was also struggling with an axe!
His axe got stuck again!
This time, he followed Gu Tang's instructions and shook the axe from side to side.
Unfortunately, this time it's stuck very deep and can't be shaken at all.
In addition, Gu Lai'an's right hand was already injured, so he was only half-grabbing the axe with his right hand, making it difficult for him to exert any force.
After a while, he tried to shake the axe again, but accidentally touched the wound on his right palm.
Gu Lai'an gasped in pain, his eyes reddening.
With his right palm covered in wounds, Gu Lai'an looked down at it a few times, feeling more and more aggrieved, unable to suppress the anger in his heart.
He stood up angrily, kicked the basket over, and turned to walk towards the front yard.
He wants to go back to his room to rest!
I'm not chopping anymore! I absolutely refuse to chop anymore!
Love so much!
At worst, he can wait for his father to come back, then kneel down and kowtow a few more times to beg for forgiveness.
Considering his admission of wrongdoing and his plea for forgiveness, and his right palm covered in wounds, his father will surely soften his heart.
Gu Lianshan, who was being constantly thought about by Gu Lai'an, was currently eating with gusto at the Zhu family's house.
Today's visit to the Zhu family to settle accounts went very smoothly and successfully.
The one who stole the cloth was Yan, the third daughter-in-law of the Zhu family. Gu Lianshan confronted her on the spot with Gu Mei and threw the clothes that Gu Mei had brought in front of her, not allowing her to make excuses.
Knowing that the matter could no longer be concealed, the Zhu family stopped protecting Yan and made her apologize to Gu Lianshan.
This was the same old routine, and Yan Shi didn't complain at all. She quickly kowtowed three times to Gu Lianshan to apologize.
Caught off guard, Gu Lianshan received Yan's kowtow, and his face turned ashen.
He wasn't afraid that the Zhu family wouldn't admit it. In fact, he hoped the Zhu family would be more stubborn and refuse to admit it no matter what, so that he could take the opportunity to make a scene at the Zhu family's place.
However, the Zhu family readily admitted their mistake, and Yan Shi did the same, kneeling down as soon as she was told to.
This whole family are spineless!
Even though he had gotten an explanation, Gu Lianshan still felt aggrieved for some reason!
Fortunately, he was also a bit of a simpleton. He plopped down on a stool and said he was hungry, asking the Zhu family to prepare a decent meal for him.
He treated them well and never mentioned the stolen cloth again.
If he doesn't treat them well, he'll make a big fuss about it today in Zhujiazhuang, letting everyone in the village know that the Zhu family is full of thieves.
While you're at it, head over to the government office. Arrest those who should be arrested, send those who should be imprisoned, and exile those who should be exiled.
The Zhu family wasn't afraid of Gu Lianshan ruining their reputation in the village; what they were afraid of was what would happen if Gu Lianshan actually went to the yamen (government office).
After all, this scoundrel had once taken his own brother to the yamen (government office) to file a complaint!
Even close brothers are willing to sue each other, let alone the Zhu family.
Thinking of all this, the Zhu family dared not make a fuss and could only grit their teeth and agree to the matter.
That wasn't all. Gu Lianshan made another demand, saying that the meal he was to be served should include fish, eggs, meat, and wine, with a pot of white rice as the staple food.
Upon hearing these demands, the Zhu family felt as if the sky had fallen.
How many copper coins would it cost to buy this?!
Gu Lianshan didn't care about any of that. If he wasn't allowed to eat and drink well, he would go to the yamen to seek justice!
The mere mention of the yamen threw the Zhu family into a panic. They dared not utter a word of refusal and reluctantly took out their money pouch to prepare wine and food for Gu Lianshan.
Once the food was ready, Gu Lianshan didn't let anyone call him. He sat down and ate the meat and vegetables, not intending to leave a single bite for the Zhu family.
There was also wine, and whether it was intentional or not, Gu Lianshan would spill a lot of wine every time he poured it.
Soon, the small jar of wine prepared by the Zhu family was completely ruined by Gu Lianshan alone.
The men of the Zhu family didn't taste a single bite; they were heartbroken and gasped for breath.
The Zhu family members, witnessing this scene, dared not speak out in anger, only hoping that their ancestor would quickly finish eating and drinking and then get lost and go back home!
Gu Mei stayed with the women of the Zhu family, huddled in the kitchen, and ate a few bites to barely fill her stomach.
During this time, Yan couldn't help but complain to Gu Mei: "I thought you were smart, but I didn't expect your father to find out. That's fine, but why didn't you take the blame? Why did you have to implicate me!"
Gu Mei refused to back down, saying, "You started the cloth theft, and you took the lion's share of the profits. You've taken all the advantages, and now you want me to take the fall for you? Bah! There's no such logic in this world!"
Gu Mei became increasingly angry as she spoke, and her voice grew louder and louder, without any attempt to conceal it.
Yan was furious and stepped forward to teach her a lesson.
Gu Mei shrank back a couple of times and hid behind her grandmother, Old Lady Zhu, hoping that Old Lady Zhu would make the decision for her.
"Alright!" Old Mrs. Zhu still cared a bit about the child her daughter had left behind.
"This whole mess is your own fault for being greedy! How dare you blame others?!"
Old Mrs. Zhu pointed at Yan and cursed, her face frighteningly gloomy.
Yan froze, then guiltily looked away, not daring to meet Old Madam Zhu's gaze.
Seeing her grandmother stand up for her, Gu Mei, who hadn't been cared for in a long time, burst into tears and hugged Grandma Zhu's arm, sobbing.
"Grandma, you haven't seen it, but lately, my father has been increasingly dissatisfied with me because of that brat Siya's instigation. Now, Siya is even urging my father to marry me off far away..."
Grandma Zhu was shocked: "Married off?! Your father has arranged a marriage for you?"
Gu Mei shook her head: "Not yet, the matchmaker is still looking..."
"The New Year is almost here, and it will snow in a few days, making travel extremely inconvenient. Why are you arranging a marriage for me now?"
Gu Mei paused, then shifted the blame to Gu Tang: "It was Si Ya who instigated it..."
"Tell me the truth!" Old Mrs. Zhu suddenly turned cold and glared at her. "Tell me everything that has happened in the Gu family these past few days, big and small!"
Gu Mei: ...
Grandma Zhu's eyesight was still quite sharp, and Gu Mei dared not act childishly anymore.
He spoke softly and told Old Lady Zhu everything that had happened in the past few days.
Before Gu Mei could speak, Old Mrs. Zhu had already imagined all sorts of events and attributed them to the Gu family.
But as Gu Mei recounted the events of the past few days, Old Mrs. Zhu was stunned and speechless for a long time.
My granddaughter is saying she's family-oriented?!
The eldest daughter-in-law, Wei, has gone missing, and her fate is currently unknown.
The second daughter-in-law, Zhang, was exposed for conspiring with Wei to steal her own daughter's money.
Meanwhile, both of Gu's parents fell ill.
Among them, Ms. Feng was paralyzed in bed and would spend the rest of her life in bed.
In the end, Gu Lianshan, who was the only one who could support the family, took his entire second wife's family and left?!
Old Mrs. Zhu: ……