Chapter 5, Doorstep Inquiry
The capital of the Ji family has all been spent on purchasing dye. After deducting the costs of dye and labor, what remains is the profit in silver.
Our two families are close neighbors and have been supplying goods to each other for many years. A one-day delay is not a problem at all. Zhao Shen smiled like a spring breeze, showing no sign of difficulty whatsoever
The difference between the Zhao and Ji families is akin to one family earning one hundred million a year while you can only earn one million
Not every family of brocade weavers can afford to wear brocade garments. Ji Yaoting himself has only a few pieces of brocade clothing. The clothing of the Ji family and Ji Yingying is mostly made from cotton silk, along with some everyday garments crafted from fine cloth. Ji Yaoting glanced around and noticed a respectable nurse beside Zhao Shen wearing a blue floral brocade. The fabric was quite similar to the blue woven lotus brocade that his mother had recently donned. He couldn't help but once again marvel at the extravagance of the Zhao family. The fabric was quite similar to the blue woven lotus brocade that his mother had recently donned. He couldn't help but once again marvel at the extravagance of the Zhao family
Weaving families like the Zhao family own mulberry forests and fields, and have their own silk and dye workshops. The silk for weaving is not sufficient from their own supply, so in addition to sourcing silk from nearby silk and dye workshops, they also purchase it from various prefectures in the Jianan region.
Since then, the mulberry fields in Shu have become a picturesque scene, with the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms.
Seeing that the old shopkeeper did not understand, Ji Yaoting lowered his voice even further and said apologetically: "The fabric used for women's clothing"
Before long, a response was received, and the lady of the house invited Ji Yaoting to enter
In the early Tang Dynasty, officials were paid not in cash, but in silk, satin, and a bit of rice. Of course, it is difficult for us to imagine a scene where one buys a bag of rice or a chicken without money, handing over half a foot or a foot of fabric instead. However, at that time, in a certain sense, brocade was equivalent to money
He wanted to probe Zhao Xiuyuan's intentions. The girl is sixteen, and since she reached the age of maturity, several families with suitable matches have come to propose. Just a few days ago, another family came. The mother is not unaware of the girl's feelings and intends to wait for the Zhao family. If Zhao Erlang cannot marry Yingying, the mother can settle her daughter's marriage earlier.
"Ah, Young Master Ji has arrived," the proprietor of the silk shop greeted with a beaming smile as he came out from behind the counter. "I have heard that good news is approaching for you, are you looking to purchase some new fabrics?"
A skilled weaver cannot produce more than two inches of brocade in a single day. A piece of brocade may take four to five months at the fastest, while at the slowest, it can take a year or even several years to complete.
Every year during spring and summer, the procession carrying silkworm silk from the vicinity of Yizhou Prefecture to the Zhao family stretches from the Zhao family's silk shop all the way to the banks of Huanhua Creek
This is absolutely impossible
Upon entering the front courtyard, the young servant led him to sit in the flower hall. Before long, Ji Yaoting heard laughter. He stood up and saw the matriarch of the Zhao family, Zhao Shen, entering with her maids and servants.
Certainly, certainly. This way, please. The old shopkeeper invited Ji Yaoting to the inner room, personally brewed tea, and called for the assistant to bring the newly displayed fabric samples.
Ji Yaoting was naturally overjoyed and, taking the opportunity, proposed to meet Zhao Xiuyuan.
It is not that I do not allow Erlang to meet guests. The old master is keeping those brothers busy preparing for the October competition. By the way, I heard that the eldest son is getting married at the end of the year? Has Ji Erniang, who is also sixteen, found someone?
He walked into the alley carrying pastries, and after walking two hundred steps, he finally saw the main gate of the residence where the head of the Zhao family lived
If I go back and tell Ji Yingying that Zhao Erlang is too busy with the competition to go out, it should suffice. However, my sister's attitude made Ji Yaoting hesitate in his steps home.
Ji Yaoting stepped into the Zhao Family's Zhao Silk Store located in the city
During the Three Kingdoms period, Shu Han sought to stand alongside Wei and Wu. Chancellor Zhuge Liang stated: "The people are impoverished and the state is weak, the resources for defeating the enemy rely solely on brocade." To this end, Zhuge Liang personally planted eight hundred mulberry trees to encourage the populace to cultivate mulberries and raise silkworms. Thus, the nation is poor, and everyone should weave more brocade to sell; with the proceeds, we can afford to fight for the world.
Therefore, Ji Yaoting walked along the road, shaking his head all the way. He had no confidence in his sister's engagement to Zhao Xiuyuan.
The Zhao family has a large estate, having begun weaving brocade a century ago. Generations of descendants have thrived, and the ancestral home has gradually expanded to both sides. Over time, the main branch of the Zhao family and its collateral branches, sharing the same ancestry, have occupied the entire deep alley of Huai Tree Lane
The Zhao family is uncertain which generation won the title of Jin Wanghou, yet they constructed a tall gatehouse at the entrance of the alley. Standing at the gatehouse and looking inside, two gray stone walls form a deep alley. Within the walls, ancient trees stand densely, obscuring countless white walls and black tiles. The local people have also replaced the name of Gui Shu Alley with Zhao Family Gatehouse.
Every time Ji Yaoting visits the Zhao family's gate, he reflects on the disparity between the Zhao and Ji families. In contrast to the Zhao clan's residence, which spans several hundred acres, the Ji family is merely a small household with a three-courtyard layout and a dyeing room in the backyard
With determination, Ji Yaoting went to the pastry shop to buy a set of four-colored pastries and then headed to the Zhao residence across the street
Outside the black lacquered gate stand two guardian lions, each as tall as a person, exuding an imposing presence. Over the years since the establishment of the residence, both stone lions have acquired a certain antiquity.
"Master Ji, there is no need for excessive formalities, please take a seat." Zhao Shen, in her forties, was dressed in a deep red brocade adorned with peony patterns. The peonies woven into the fabric bloomed vibrantly, each petal edge embroidered with golden threads. As she walked, the flowers appeared particularly dazzling. This type of fabric is also referred to as 'brocade with added beauty,' enhancing the already splendid material with an additional layer of embroidered elegance.
He presented a gift and, after sitting down, said: "A few days ago, your esteemed household's manager ordered 10 pounds of bright red silk and 20 pounds of Huanhua silk from the dyeing workshop. It was said to be urgently needed, with a delivery deadline of 10 days. The workshop has prepared the goods, but some of the dye quality does not meet the high standards. My mother specifically instructed me to seek your ladyship's opinion on whether it would be possible to extend the deadline by one day."
The Zhao family is indeed very wealthy
The old shopkeeper suddenly realized and praised Ji Yaoting for his thoughtfulness: "With such a considerate young man, it is indeed a blessing for the Zhang family's young lady! Alas, I am just afraid it might delay the good affairs of the eldest young master. To be honest, several of our young masters have recently been confined by the old master and are not allowed to go out, busy preparing for the brocade competition on the ninth day of the tenth month, so they probably won't have the time. After the ninth day of the tenth month, the second young master can help you with the painting. There won't be enough time for weaving brocade either."
Ji Yaoting smiled and said: "Can we see him at the residence now? With the design in hand, it should be possible to have a few silk handkerchiefs woven at the workshop in time."
The Ji family supplies goods, all delivered and collected by Ji Yaoting and his team. The young servant was also familiar with him; upon seeing him bring pastries for a visit, he invited Ji Yaoting to rest in the entrance hall while he went inside to report.
A corner door is open beside, and two attendants are sitting on a long bench guarding the entrance
Zhao Xiuyuan is the legitimate son of the direct lineage. According to current customs, legitimate sons begin learning painting at the age of three, and by the age of five, they have a custom-made small loom to study the family tradition of brocade weaving. He is qualified to compete with the legitimate sons of the Zhao family for the position of head of the family and the inheritance of the family business
The "Book of the Later Han" highly praises the Shu brocade from Chengdu, stating that "the work of women covers the world." This describes how people throughout the Han dynasty were able to wear Shu brocade, indicating that the business was indeed thriving.
If the Huanhua Dyeing Workshop is a large dyeing factory with hundreds of dyers, it could still become a support for Zhao Xiuyuan. Given the current conditions of the family, what reason does the Zhao family have to look favorably upon a woman from a small dyeing workshop? Unless the Ji family's secret recipe is given to Ji Yingying as a dowry, allowing the Zhao family to monopolize the supply of the finest Shu red silk
Last year, the master of the season customized a large red brocade with the auspicious pattern of "Da Yi Zi Sun" for Da Lang, which will be completed in another two months. These few rolls are made of new fabric with excellent symbolism, perfectly suitable for wearing on a special occasion
Ji Yaoting slowly flipped through the pages, feigning contemplation after hearing the old shopkeeper's recommendation, and then quietly asked: "Is Erlang not coming to the shop today? I still want to ask him to help me draw a sample to rush the production of a piece of fabric"
Although the Huanhua Dyeing Workshop is known for several colors of silk thread in Yizhou Prefecture, it is ultimately a small dyeing workshop of below average quality. The workshop earns its income from dyeing silk and fabric. The raw silk and fabric are supplied by the ordering merchants. If the dyeing process fails, the workshop must compensate the merchants for both the principal and interest.
The silk workshops, dyeing workshops, and weaving workshops in Yizhou Prefecture are countless, and various divisions of labor have formed a complete industrial chain
Zhao Shen's eyes were filled with curiosity, as if she were asking casually
Ji Yaoting and Ji Yingying have a very good relationship. The younger sister grew up with Zhao Erlang as childhood sweethearts, and they have mutual feelings for each other, which he is somewhat aware of. If the younger sister can truly marry into the Zhao family, it would be a fortunate and elevated match.
The old shopkeeper, seeing that Ji Yaoting wanted to meet Zhao Xiuyuan, pondered for a moment and said: "This little person is also unclear. Young Master might as well go to the residence and inquire."
Ji Yaoting understood the Zhao family's attitude
After selecting a piece of fabric for both his mother and sister, Ji Yaoting took his leave
The Zhao family is a prominent brocade manufacturer, possessing over 2,000 looms and thousands of weavers. Their shops, like those of all major brocade manufacturers, are located in Yizhou Prefecture, extending to Jiangnan and Chang'an. The silk and brocade produced are then transported by merchants along the Silk Road to the west and shipped to the world via the southern seas.
Ji Yao Ting also used this as a pretext, and he clasped his hands together, saying: "I trouble the old shopkeeper. When the time comes, I hope the old shopkeeper will come to have a cup of wedding wine."