Chapter 397: 404: Huge Benefits

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“Okay, since I’m here, I will naturally take a look inside and also see the fruits of my wife’s efforts after so many days. However, I believe in my wife’s ability, and since she has put in so much effort, she must have done a good job,” Han Yu praised with a smile, lacking any principles. But his attitude was based on indulgence and care for his wife, so he wanted to encourage her more. No matter the outcome, the fact that his wife had worked hard for so many days meant she had been really dedicated, and he couldn’t knock her confidence. Besides, with Fu Lu supporting her, there shouldn’t be any issues.

Su Wenyue was delighted by Han Yu’s sweet talk; the man was getting better at speaking. Even though it wasn’t exactly honeyed words, it was still more gratifying to her: “Do you trust me that much?”

“Of course, you’re my wife, who else would I trust if not you?” Han Yu was getting to know his wife’s quirks better and petted her along the grain.

Han Yu had just wanted to make his wife happy by walking into the shop, but he was genuinely surprised and amazed to see its decor. The style of the shop was unlike anything he’d ever seen before, appearing to incorporate elements of the outer domain while blending with the customs of the Daming Dynasty. It was refreshingly eye-catching yet did not feel jarring or uncomfortable. Furthermore, some items had already been displayed in the shop.

He casually picked up an exquisite wooden box from the shelf, engraved with characters from the outer domain. Inside lay a piece of delicate, petite toilet soap, pale purple and also engraved with foreign script and patterns. Han Yu raised his eyebrows.

“Wife, are these products from the outer domain?” Han Yu thought they looked like imported goods; the Daming Dynasty also had toilet soap, but not as pretty or delicate, and the foreign script engraved on it was something he had seen but didn’t understand. Moreover, the milky paint color on the box wasn’t customarily used here. Several other cabinets contained similar items, all with foreign script on the outer packaging.

Su Wenyue had never had contact with outer domain merchants, something Han Yu knew well since his wife was always under his watchful eye. Moreover, the world outside was unsafe in these turbulent times, and Han Yu had allocated many people to protect Su Wenyue. If she had made contact with someone, it wouldn’t be a secret. However, Han Yu wasn’t surprised at how Su Wenyue got these items, as his father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law were crafty businessmen with vast contacts, so it wouldn’t be difficult for them to procure such goods. Wasn’t the food from the outer domain in their home also provided by his brother-in-law?

“What do you think?” Su Wenyue playfully blinked but did not give Han Yu a definite answer, which made him feel surprised. Perhaps these outer domain goods weren’t sourced by his brother-in-law; otherwise, his wife wouldn’t have reacted this way, and he felt a bit puzzled.

“Could it be that these products from the outer domain weren’t acquired by Father-in-law and Eldest Brother-in-law?” Han Yu couldn’t guess the truth. It couldn’t be that they were made themselves, even though he knew his wife had been up to quite a lot recently. He hadn’t asked for details, but all these items were from the outer domain.

“Who said they were brought in from the outer domain?!” Su Wenyue spoke challengingly, pleased that Han Yu hadn’t been able to identify them, indicating she did a good job making the items.

“Could these be what you’ve been working on lately?” Han Yu hadn’t previously considered it, deeming it unlikely. Still, now that his wife had heavily hinted at it, it seemed his improbable thought was true. His wife was indeed skilled.

“Of course! How about that—am I skilled or what? Don’t these items look better than the ones from the outer domain? However, in-the-know as you are, you must not let this secret out. I don’t know what these noblewomen are thinking—clearly, the same quality goods are available, yet they prefer those from outside. By presenting these items as if they were from the outer domain, the prices can be several times higher, and they’ll sell even better. That’s why I thought of this scheme,” Su Wenyue said proudly, then explained her reasoning.

Although Han Yu had previously doted on and admired his wife, he was also aware that she was smart, albeit in limited areas. For instance, when his wife had opened a store, he hadn’t had high hopes. But now, time and again, his wife had proven him wrong, and he viewed her in a new light. No wonder she was dissatisfied before—it turned out he had underestimated her.

“Of course, I never knew my wife had such a knack for business. This idea is indeed good. Actually, this isn’t so extraordinary. It’s just the principle of scarcity creating value. The outer domain is far from our Daming Dynasty, separated by a vast sea. It’s not easy to come and go, and the risks of the sea are great. Consequently, things from there are naturally considered more valuable. There’s the cost of transportation, along with those noblewomen who like to show off and compete. You were smart to capitalize on this,” Han Yu stated.

“You’re right, Husband. That’s exactly the point,” Su Wenyue had thought so herself. She agreed with Han Yu—after all, it was just the way it was. In the mansion where she used to live, the women in the backyard had nothing better to do than to show off and compete. The things to brag about boiled down to their husband’s affections and these material things. Su Wenyue made many things mimic outer domain products because of the profound influence she had received. After all, the money she earned came from the upper class; there was no need to feel guilty about taking their money.

Han Yu looked at the items on the shelves—they were diverse, ranging from outer domain goods to food and supplies, each carefully arranged on separate shelves. He also noticed the pickles and bamboo shoot products his wife had ordered to be made, packaged in exquisite porcelain jars or other vessels. What the world considered ordinary or even lowly now seemed elevated due to the packaging and presentation.

Going up to the second floor, it was divided into different sections. Clothes and jewelry took up the two largest spaces. Though the number of items was not large, each piece was a fine selection. Despite the prices not being astronomically high, they were enough to make the average noblewoman hesitate. In the middle stood a huge floor mirror.

This floor mirror was truly imported from the outer domain, not one of Su Wenyue’s counterfeits. It was a gift from Master Su to his daughter, as the Daming Dynasty had yet to produce such a thing.

Although Su Wenyue had a rough understanding of the prescription for glass, she had never considered researching it. Glass was different from other commodities. Its massive potential benefits brought not only hefty profits but also danger. It was not something ordinary people could dabble in. Even for the Su Family, Su Wenyue had no intention of sharing the prescription anytime soon. At present, the Su Family was just a regular merchant family. Although they had risen to become a top leader in the business world, they were still businessmen at heart. Su Wenyue did not have the capability to secure the glass prescription yet, and giving it away would only invite disaster.

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