Chapter 973: Spoil the Fun....
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
His eyes seemed to be at a burning temperature, making Yu Youyao’s face burn. She couldn’t help but dodge. “Is— Is that so? That’s quite— quite good. That’s right. No matter what you want, you can fight for it yourself and don’t need to make a wish. However, don’t you think that this small lantern carries the best hopes in people’s hearts as it rides the water? It’s a beautiful thing.”
“Although the oil paper used for the lanterns can be waterproof, they will still sink into the river over time. Moreover, if a large number of lanterns are placed in the river, they will block the river. Someone downstream will specially salvage the lamps in the river.”
The most beautiful things could only be placed in one’s heart for a long time. How could a small lantern carry his hidden oath of eternal love and an oath of life and death?!
Yu Youyao pouted and glared at him. “How can you spoil the fun?!”
It was indeed quite beautiful to have lanterns on the river.
However, as soon as he said that, when she saw the lanterns all over the river, she would wonder if her lantern would sink into the river or drift downstream and be salvaged with the mud at the bottom of the river.
The scene was too beautiful to look at.
After the Dragon Boat Festival, the commoners returned to a peaceful life. After a heavy rain, the crops were revitalized. The vines of the sweet potatoes had already covered the fields. The commoners could almost see the harvest a few months later.
Yin Huaixi lived in The Green House in the name of “Cousin Zhou.’
It was rare for Yu Youyao to be free. Just like before in the Yu Residence, she played the zither under the purple elm every day, practiced her calligraphy, read books, and learned feng Shui from Yin Huaixi. Her days were leisurely and comfortable.
With the opening of the Jade Pavilion, there were many things that needed to be agreed upon. In addition to makeup, powder, eyebrows, and lipstick, there were also flower dew, essence, and face cream of various types. There were also incense medicines with health-nourishing effects. There were also incense medicines that could treat the body, such as Tianze Incense Pills and ointments.
They expressed their opinions.
In the end, it was decided that the products would be sold in six large groups, corresponding to men, women, the old, the young, couples, and special incense medicine with healing effects.
Each collection had a special selling area. If one had any needs, they would go to the corresponding special area to choose and buy products.
As there were too many product categories, each large collection would also be divided into products and named after the collection.
For example, in the Beauty Yu collection, in addition to skincare dew, essence, and face cream, there was also the corresponding rouge, powder, lipstick, brow powder, and so on.
The Beauty Yu collection focused on roses. All the products had more or less added rose ingredients. They had the effect of nourishing and moisturizing the skin. Although the main ingredients were all the same, the supplementary ingredients were different. The production methods were different, and the effects were progressive and mutually promoted.
Thus, when products from the same series were stacked, the effect would be better.
Of course, the products could be bought alone or as a full set.
The products were categorized into the middle- and top-levels.
However, every month, some of the accumulated products would be sold at a 10% to 30% discount. Ordinary families could also buy the products of Jade Pavilion at a discount.
In the end, it was decided that they would divide the year based on the 24 solar terms. There were four seasons in a year, and six solar terms in each season. They would introduce new products every solar term. The incense medicine sold would also be suitable for the season.
After that, Yu Youyao looked for Yin Huaixi. “There are some expensive goods in Jade Pavilion that need to be exquisitely packaged. Anshan is abundant in all kinds of jade and jade materials. The people of Anshan are good at carving. Can I cooperate with them to make some outer packaging boxes and eggshell porcelain makeup boxes?”
Yin Huaixi had given her a set a long time ago. It was an eggshell porcelain box made with Xiuyan jade. The green eggshell porcelain was as thin as an eggshell and extremely light. There were even delicate patterns carved on it. It was simply exquisite, and she couldn’t bear to part with it.
However, the craftsmanship of eggshell porcelain was too difficult. Without more than seven to eight years of carving experience, it was almost impossible to master.
“It’s a good idea.” Yin Huaixi put down the book in his hand and said with a smile, “However, it’s too difficult to implement. There are only a handful of people who can have the craftsmanship to make eggshell porcelain that’s as thin as a cicada’s wings, as bright as glass, and as light as nothing. You might face a situation where the supply doesn’t meet the demand.”
Yu Youyao argued, “It’s also a top-notch batch of expensive goods. It’s also limited.”
Yin Huaixi did not argue with her. “The craftsmanship of eggshell porcelain requires a lot of jade material. As far as we know, only jade from the Kunlun
Mountains is the most suitable to make eggshell porcelain jade artifacts. The Xiuyan jade is not bad either, but the texture has to be as delicate and tough as river millstone jade to be fine and thin.”
River millstone jade was considered precious jade and was relatively rare.
The cost was too high.
Yu Youyao wanted to make eggshell porcelain makeup boxes because she thought that the Xiuyan jade was cheap, had many colors, and had a high luster. No other jade material could compare to it.
The idea that scarcity increases value was not bad, but Yu Youyao felt that the beauty of Xiuyan jade was comparable to the other three famous types of jade. However, it was a pity that the royal family gradually lost their favor for Xiuyan jade because of the Hetian jade produced at the Kunlun Mountains and the Lantian jade produced in the Qinling area.
The jade mountain in Anshan was a huge mountain.
She wanted to use the Jade Pavilion to improve the jade industry in Liaodong. She chose the craftsmanship of eggshell porcelain because the eggshell porcelain makeup box that Yin Huaixi had given her earlier was too exquisite.
While doing her daily makeup, when she saw the eggshell porcelain makeup box on the dressing table, she couldn’t help but play with it in her hand.
Playing with stones and admiring jade were all things of the upper-class society.
As the top item among expensive items, the eggshell porcelain box would definitely be pursued by upper-class society. The reputation of the Xiuyan jade would quickly spread in the upper-class society.
Why should she worry about not having a market for Xiuyan jade?!
However, after hearing Yin Huaixi’s words, she couldn’t take the path of eggshell porcelain makeup boxes.
“You don’t necessarily have to make eggshell porcelain makeup boxes.” Yin Huaixi had also guessed what she was thinking. He changed the topic and said, “There are still some people who can do it if it’s a little thicker and as thin as porcelain. Moreover, the people of Anshan are good at carving and their skills are very impressive. I guarantee that the makeup boxes made will be extremely exquisite.”
Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. “Xiuyan jade is beautiful to begin with. After being carefully carved, it must be very exquisite.” She had also gone overboard just now. “It’s settled then. Even if we can’t use eggshell porcelain to shock people at a glance, the makeup box carefully carved with the Xiuyan jade suits the position of a top-notch expensive item.”
She was from an aristocratic family herself, so she naturally knew what kind of money was the easiest to earn.
Top-notch expensive goods were indeed better than other products in terms of materials and selection. However, the cost of production was also higher than other products. Despite this, one had to use them to know if the product was good or not. Under the premise that they were not used, the superiority of the product had to be displayed on some external levels to give people a psychological sense of superiority. Only then could people pay for it out of their own pocket.
The packaging of products was an important aspect..