Chapter 136: Business Isn’t Easy Anymore

Chapter 136: Business Isn't Easy Anymore

Qin Xiaoyao was taken aback.

"You want to learn how to weave straw shoes too? Do you have the time for it?" He was somewhat surprised.

"Yes!" Li Danni quickly nodded.

Then she added, "How could I not have time?"

"Right now, I only go into the city with Daniu in the morning to deliver goods to you and set up my stall."

"After returning to the village, there's hardly anything else to do."

"The business of collecting goods from the countryside is now handled by Daniu and his brother. When villagers come to sell goods, it’s managed by Xiaomei."

"Even my mother-in-law asked me to fetch water when she saw I had free time." At this point, Li Danni looked somewhat dejected.

"I’m afraid if this continues, she’ll even ask me to gather firewood, light fires, or cook and feed the chickens."

Those tasks are dirty and tiring; how can they compare to sitting comfortably while weaving straw shoes?

Moreover, woven straw shoes can be sold for money.

Qin Xiaoyao showed a sympathetic expression.

Compared to her good friend’s mother-in-law, she felt her own mother-in-law was truly wonderful.

"Sanya, consider it. If you think the apprenticeship fee is too low, I can add a bit more."

Seeing Qin Xiaoyao look over, Li Danni hurriedly covered her purse again.

"But adding too much won’t work!" she added.

Mainly, she also wanted to save money to buy a courtyard house.

Although it seemed far off, one must always have hope, right?

Qin Xiaoyao was amused.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Alright, then I’ll charge you two two taels of silver as tuition, and we’ll sign a contract."

"It will stipulate that each of you must deliver four hundred pairs of straw shoes to me every month, at a price of two cash per pair."

"If you exceed this number, you can sell them for two and a half cash each. Or you can handle the excess on your own."

"If you fall short of four hundred pairs—"

Li Danni immediately looked at Qin Xiaoyao.

Qin Xiaoyao smiled, "For every pair short, you compensate me with a copper coin. How about that?"

This was to prevent her apprentices from selling large quantities of woven straw shoes elsewhere.

Previously, she sold straw shoes in the village for three cash each.

If they couldn’t meet her supply needs and sold the shoes for less than three cash, it would lose its meaning.

But if they sold them for more than three cash, they wouldn’t be as easy to sell.

Li Danni frowned slightly.

After a brief thought, she understood the implication of Qin Xiaoyao’s words.

"Alright!" She then smiled and agreed with Qin Xiaoyao.

The purpose was to use her spare time to earn some extra cash.

She didn’t expect to get rich from this and certainly didn’t plan to cheat her Sanya sister. What was there not to agree to?

"The acquisition contract will be for five years. Unless my business changes and I don’t need so many straw shoes, each of you must deliver four hundred pairs every month, without exception. Any shortfall must be compensated."

Li Danni quickly nodded.

"Another matter is the confidentiality of the technique," Qin Xiaoyao looked at Li Danni.

"I don’t require you to keep this technique secret forever. Just for five years. During these five years, you must not disclose it to anyone."

"Otherwise, for each person you teach, you must compensate me ten taels of silver. If that person teaches another, you must compensate another ten taels, and so on."

Li Danni’s heart raced.

"Ten taels?!" And if there’s a second transmission, compensation continues?

"Yes," Qin Xiaoyao confirmed.

"So, you must explain this clearly to your sister-in-law. Don’t give in and pass on the technique to your family. Otherwise, I won’t let it go."

She trusted Danni, but she hadn’t interacted much with Xiaomei and the Liu family.

"Okay!" Li Danni nodded, realizing the seriousness of the issue.

Suddenly remembering something, she asked Qin Xiaoyao, "You just said only for five years, no disclosure?"

Qin Xiaoyao saw through Li Danni’s thoughts and smiled.

"Yes, only five years. After five years, your sister-in-law might be married, and I can’t keep watching."

Even before the end times, factories couldn’t keep their techniques secret for five years.

Her skill, if it could truly be kept secret for five years, would be quite remarkable.

She had also previously asked Yun'er to teach Wang Xiaomei how to weave straw shoes.

She had made a promise with Wang Xiaomei that she would allow her to buy her freedom after five years.

By then, Wang Xiaomei would become a free person, and she wouldn't be able to stop her from earning money with her straw shoe weaving skills.

Five years... hehe, in five years, perhaps she would already have her own business. She might not even care about the straw shoe trade anymore.

Li Daniu's eyes lit up.

"Deal!" she quickly said.

The contract only restricts them for five years, and after that, Sanya Jie won't interfere with them anymore.

She and her sister-in-law could hope to earn a living with this skill in the future...

As they were talking, Song Yun and Wang Xiaomei arrived one after another.

Learning that her sister-in-law had agreed to teach Li Daniu how to weave straw shoes,

Song Yun offered to be the teacher on behalf of Qin Xiaoyao.

Qin Xiaoyao was generous and directly gave two silver coins to Song Yun, which delighted the little girl.

Thus, Li Daniu began learning the craft at the Song household.

After half a day, although she hadn't fully mastered the techniques, she had learned enough to get started.

When Qin Xiaoyao finished wrapping today's preserved eggs and took Wang Xiaomei to learn reading and writing from Song Que, Li Daniu went along too.

After signing the contract and paying the silver, the arrangement was officially confirmed.

She also mentioned that she would bring Liu Xiaomei tomorrow before leaving.

Before leaving, she looked at Wang Xiaomei with envy.

This girl, now everyone in Xiashui Village thinks her life is miserable, having signed a servitude contract at such a young age.

Who knew that at the Song household, she not only eats well and dresses well but is also highly valued by her Sanya Jie.

Delivering goods, setting up stalls, weaving straw shoes—she participates in all these activities.

Now, Sanya Jie is even teaching her to read and write.

Such treatment is something even her own parents couldn't provide.

Being able to buy her own freedom after five years, if this condition were presented to her sister-in-law, her sister-in-law would probably jump at the chance.

Well, one can only say that fate is truly mysterious...

The next day.

Li Daniu and Liu Daniu came to deliver goods and indeed brought Liu Xiaomei.

Since Qin Xiaoyao had to deliver goods and set up a stall later, she initially wanted to arrange for Liu Xiaomei to stay with Song Yun.

However, Liu Xiaomei expressed her desire to go with her sister-in-law to the market to gain some experience.

Qin Xiaoyao agreed, planning to discuss the straw shoe weaving after closing the stall.

In the scorching summer heat,

after delivering the goods, Qin Xiaoyao stayed at the North Market for a short while before the market dispersed.

Pushing the wooden cart back home with Wang Xiaomei, they talked as they walked.

"Sister-in-law, the market is dispersing earlier and earlier. At this rate, our goods will become harder to sell."

Not only is the market dispersing early, but in recent days, she has noticed fewer people coming to the market.

If it doesn't rain soon, people will be even less willing to go out.

Looking at the remaining half-cart of bamboo wares, Qin Xiaoyao's expression turned serious.