The Blessed

“I wonder if I may ask your names?”

There was a wide range of terrain in the back, except rooms for the accommodations for the shopkeeper and the waiters, and the warehouse for storing those goods, there was also a wing specially entertaining the guests. So the fat shopkeeper led them into that wing.

Ling Jingxuan who had just sat down stood up again and made a bow with his hands cupped. Yan Shengrui and the other two also got up and slightly nodded at him as saying hello. Shopkeeper Hong’s eyes nearly narrowed into a straight line to size them up and down. When his eyes fell on Yan Shengrui, he made a pause and moved away after quite a while. Although they were all wearing cotton-made clothes, their temperament was quite different, especially Ling Jingxuan who kept speaking as their reprehensive and Yan Shengrui who had kept silent all the way. It was not that he was bragging. As the shopkeeper of Baiyunge, common people already had their legs turning into jello on seeing him. And few people could stay poised before him. But those people were different, they completely took him as a common person, no compliment or suck up words, and all abided by the etiquettes very well, like they were of the same status as him.

“Make yourselves comfortable. Sit.”

Withdrawing his eyes, Shopkeeper Hong beckoned to them to sit, “Well, Childe Zhang, could I take a look at that handbag?”

Avoiding Ling Jingxuan and Yan Shengrui’s eyes, Shopkeeper Hong fixed his eyes on the youngest one among them—Zhang Qing. Ling Jingxuan slightly picked his eyebrows and instantly understood what he meant. Then he secretly signaled Zhang Qing with an eye contact, the latter understood and nodded, then took out the one with sky blue flowers, white bottom and black edge cover from the package on the back and handed it to him.

Seeing that, Shopkeeper Zhang’s glittered, and while he received it, his eyes swept over that package again. If he saw it clearly, there were at least six or seven handbags inside and each was different from others. Now they only took out one and let him appreciate, apparently they were guarding against him. It looks they are really not ordinary people. Thinking of this, Shopkeeper Zhang came more serious.

“The style, pattern and color are all good, although the material is the most rough linen, the silk fabrics of all colors perfectly made it up, enough to board the hall of elegance. I wonder at what price you are gonna sell these. If the price is reasonable, our Baiyunge will do the business with you.”

Wearing a serious expression, he took it over and flipped it back and forth to check for quite a while, then he raised his head to look at them. He only said he would buy those handbags, but did not mention the future cooperation. Apparently, what Ling Jingxuan had thought before was right. In this era when there was no any legal copyright, if they didn’t have any room for manoeuvre, this would be one-time business. Anyone who had some embroidery skills could make the exact same one after checking it carefully.

“Hehe…Shopkeeper Hong, we don't just want to sell those bags, but our style and design, so, we mean to have cooperation with you.”

Ling Jingxuan smiled faintly, picked up the teacup to take a sip. Shopkeeper Wang pretended to look surprised, “You sell style and design? It's the first time I've heard that style and design can also be bought and sold. How does Mr. Ling want to sell it then?”

He sedulously did not mention the possibility of cooperation, it was obvious that in his eyes, they were not qualified to talk about cooperation with Baiyunge.

“If it were you, how much would you like to pay for it?”

Instead of answering his question, Ling Jingxuan meaningfully asked back. After keeping in silence for a while, Shopkeeper Hong squeezed those words through his teeth as if it was like cutting his flesh, “Buy now price, ten taels of silver. After selling the style and design to us, you can no longer make them anymore. Even if you make one for your own use.”

“Ten? It seems that Shopkeeper Hong is not sincere. Forget about at what price you would sell those bags. My design should be unique throughout the whole kingdom. Baiyunge has branches through all prefectures. Once you mass make them, the money you could earn would be like thousands of times more than that? Only ten taels of silver and you want to buy my design. Don’t you think it’s too low?”

A slice of irony crawled onto Ling Jingxuan’s face. Compared with this Shopkeeper Hong, Shopkeeper Zhang was much more honest, at least, he would take advantage that they didn’t know about the market thing.

“Ten taels of silver is already a sky-high price. Is Childe Ling demanding an exorbitant price? As you said, our Baiyunge has branches throughout every prefecture, so we don’t lack of your bags to sell, you know.”

Shopkeeper Hong narrowed his eyes and gave a sneer. He had already stated his position clearly. Ten taels of silver had already been enough for them. Baiyunge wouldn’t shut down if it didn’t sell their handbags, so they had no chips for negotiation.

“Since so, I can only look for someone else for the cooperation. I only came to your Baiyunge for the sake of Lord Six. Never expected Shopkeeper Hong really has no taste. Farewell!”

As Ling Jingxuan said so, he stood up and meant to leave, Yan Shengrui, Ling Jingpeng and Zhang Qing instantly followed behind. Before Zhang Qing left, he took back that hangbag left on the table. As they were about to leave, on hearing they mentioned Lord Six, Shopkeeper Hong got stunned and instantly put on a bright smile and tried to stop them, “So we were partners long ago. Why didn’t you say that earlier, Childe Ling? I wonder when was the last time you cooperated with Lord Six?”

Being Lord Six’s partner was no joke. Even if you borrowed him hundreds of balls, he dare not offend him!