Bihua Pavilion's Big Sales; Third Elder Tries to Keep Them
The story continues.
The moment the daughter learned the truth, she felt she was worse than an animal.
She once thought she was a person with a divine destiny, while her parents and younger brother were all mortals, and she was born a cut above her family.
But now I realize that my so-called immortal self was nothing more than a bloodsucker sucking the blood of my family.
She was filled with regret and immediately took all the money and returned to the home she had looked down upon.
She mortgaged all her valuables to redeem her old house.
She confessed to her mother, apologized to her brother, and knelt before her father's grave.
She vowed to work and study diligently from now on, not only refraining from asking her family for money again but also sending money home. As a cultivator, she should be the most capable person in the family; how could she rely on her mother doing chores and her younger brother doing manual labor to support her?
The mother was moved by her daughter's change and took out a pair of thin socks from her bosom.
It turned out that the mother was worried that she wouldn't be able to raise the money her daughter needed, so while she was bedridden, she crocheted a pair of thin socks herself, stitch by stitch, with a small chrysanthemum on them, which was her favorite flower.
"I saw the stockings you wanted when I was washing clothes for the ladies of wealthy families. We can't afford them right now, so I made a pair myself. I'm clumsy with my hands, so please don't mind, my dear child..."
The daughter then remembered that before she went to study in Henggao City, she always wore clothes sewn by her mother.
The mother's hands were not clumsy; on the contrary, they were the most skillful hands her daughter had ever seen.
This aging woman doesn't practice cultivation, but her weathered hands seem to possess a supreme Technique Method, capable of conjuring up the little dresses and new shoes she desires...
The daughter burst into tears and hugged her mother tightly, hoping that her mother would not despise her for being such an ignorant daughter.
"My dear child is the most beautiful. You look good in anything. How could your mother possibly dislike you..."
A loving mother's thread, a traveler's clothes.
She sewed the clothes carefully before leaving, fearing her return would be delayed.
Who can say that the heart of a blade of grass can repay the warmth of spring?
The daughter returned to the sect with the stockings her mother had made by hand, and from then on, she seemed like a completely different person.
She is diligent and independent, never missing any opportunity to improve herself and make money, and no longer cares so much about other people's opinions.
In less than a month, she seemed to have suddenly seen the light and broken through to a higher level, clearly rising from the middle to the top among her peers.
On the day of the two banquets, she attended wearing the stockings her mother had made for her, and even the nuns who looked down on her were amazed by the beauty of her legs.
But they didn't believe their daughter could afford the same things as them. Sure enough, the stockings didn't have the paper bird pattern from the Bai Niao Pavilion, but instead had a chrysanthemum pattern they'd never seen before.
She's wearing fakes! They're counterfeit and shoddy goods!
She's hideous! Get her out!
Just as his daughter was about to be kicked out of the banquet, the most promising young prodigy at the banquet stepped forward. He was the focus of all the female cultivators at the banquet, yet he took the initiative to protect his daughter.
The story should end here, but Yu Tong excitedly pressed down on the paper:
"I know, I know! Next, is it going to be that this prodigy was captivated by his daughter's beauty, yet looked down on those women wearing Bai Niao Pavilion stockings? And then his daughter went from being a peasant to becoming the daughter-in-law of a prestigious immortal family, thus proving that what kind of clothes one wears is not proof of beauty at all?"
Several young female disciples nodded slightly upon hearing this. It's like the storybooks where a young man in white falls in love with a down-on-her-luck mortal woman and rescues her from the mire of life.
You Su smiled and said, "That would be falling into a cliché. A woman's beauty lies more in pleasing herself than in pleasing men. Why should she need a man's affirmation to be saved? Only by saving herself can a woman's beauty be revealed. This beauty is no longer the superficial beauty of appearance, but a profound beauty that originates from within, a beauty of independence."
Upon hearing this, the Third Elder stood frozen in place, his eyes gleaming.
She never imagined that these words, which resonated so deeply with her, would come from the man she despised the most, and... he was a blind man who was only eighteen years old.
Across several disciples, she looked into You Su's clear but lifeless eyes, as if trying to see through whether the young man's words were merely for show or from the bottom of his heart.
"Junior Brother You is right."
Lin Si Han was invigorated by these words. "We strive to make good stockings and women's clothing, primarily so that we ourselves feel good about ourselves, not so that others can see them. Although Junior Brother You is blind and cannot see a woman's face, he can appreciate a woman's beauty better than other men. All men in the world should learn from Junior Brother You."
The women looked at You Su with eyes as bright as the autumn moon, as if they had found a kindred spirit. In this world, men who understand and empathize with women in this way are rare indeed.
A familiar, seductive voice suddenly rang out:
"Flip it over."
The Third Elder withdrew his gaze, his expression unchanged, seemingly eager to see the end of the story.
Yu Tong quickly and obediently flipped the paper over:
Tianjiao did indeed protect her daughter, but her words were full of disdain for these women's belief that nobility equals beauty.
He also admitted that he couldn't see anything wrong with the quality of his daughter's stockings; in fact, he thought they were of better quality. He then mocked the women, asking if they felt they had paid more money but received a worse experience than his daughter, and that's why they wanted to kick them out.
The bullying women gave up in frustration, but the daughter gave up the opportunity to continue befriending the prodigy at the banquet after her 'heroic rescue.' She chose to return to her own life and continue to diligently cultivate her spiritual practice and work.
She continued to do as she pleased, wearing the stockings and clothes her mother had sewn for her, completely disregarding what others thought.
As time went by, she not only provided a comfortable life for her mother and younger brother, but also became a renowned female cultivator.
Among the group of outstanding female cultivators dressed in the finest attire of the Bai Niao Pavilion, the daughter, wearing the beautiful clothes her mother had made for her, made all the other female cultivators pale in comparison. Even the prodigy who had spoken up for her at the banquet earlier was no longer worthy of her.
Many nuns from the middle and lower classes have come to regard this daughter as a role model.
The daughter knew that many female cultivators, like she had in the past, couldn't afford expensive clothes and were tormented by their own vanity.
They would scrimp and save, even selling their possessions and resorting to swindling and deception, all to buy a single piece of clothing from the Bai Niao Pavilion.
And these clothes that you finally manage to buy might just be flashy but impractical products.
What they were actually buying wasn't clothes; they were just buying the envious looks from others when they saw the paper bird logo.
This is clearly wrong. In order to help more female cultivators understand this point like she did, and in order to allow more female cultivators to wear beautiful and affordable clothes, the daughter decided to open a women's clothing store with her mother.
Despite the numerous obstacles from the Bai Niao Pavilion, she remained steadfast in her belief that she would successfully open the store.
Because she wasn't trying to defeat any merchants; she simply wanted more nuns to wear clothes that conveyed a sense of maternal care.
A mother doesn't want her daughter to live to please others. She wants her daughter to be independent, happy, and not burdened by the opinions of others. A woman who pleases herself is the most beautiful.
And the name of this store--
It's called Bihua Pavilion.
"This daughter... could she be Master?!" Zi Xun exclaimed in surprise.
"Huh? No way?" Several female disciples exclaimed in surprise.
The Third Elder raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat helpless towards his naive female disciples.
"Of course it's not the Third Elder." You Su smiled apologetically. "The story's ending mentions Bihua Pavilion, which will indeed lead many uninformed people to mistake him for the Third Elder. But my intention was to tell others about the Bihua Pavilion's clothing-making philosophy. If the Third Elder is unwilling to do so, I can find another way..."
"No need. Let them guess. I don't care. Whether it's my personal experience or not, it will at least increase the level of discussion surrounding my Bihua Pavilion."
The Third Elder sipped his fragrant tea. The daughter's story was indeed foolish in the early stages, but thankfully she reformed. A good reputation should outweigh a bad one. Even if she bears this reputation, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
"The Third Elder has already mastered the way to a thriving business," You Su praised sincerely.
The Third Elder subtly curled the corners of his mouth, but the smile quickly faded as he realized he was actually secretly pleased with You Su's praise.
The women then realized what was happening, and their beautiful eyes shone even brighter.
This short story, in just three pages, vividly portrays an independent woman who has turned her life around.
Anyone with eyes can see that the Bai Niao Pavilion is the Qianhua Pavilion, and the author vividly portrays the blind worship of the Qianhua Pavilion.
What's even more ingenious is that You Su's story links the inferior image of the Bihua Pavilion stockings with the mother's feelings. Women are most capable of empathizing with other women; what woman could bear to discriminate against another woman's mother's sentiments?
Although it was only mentioned briefly at the end, readers could understand that this so-called inferiority was merely a reputation deliberately created by the Qianhua Pavilion.
Compared to all of this, You Su understood his true trump card.
The story unfolds gradually, only revealing its true intentions at the very end.
The concept behind opening this store almost places Bihua Pavilion on a moral high ground, and even carries a hint of female awakening.
Women in this world are capable of cultivation and possess power, and naturally yearn for independence and equality, which coincides with the ideals of the Bihua Pavilion.
"Can these mere two pieces of paper really bring our Bihua Pavilion back to life?" Yu Tong was still young and didn't realize the power of this story.
Apart from Wangshu Fairy, all the other female cultivators knew that once this story spread, it would not only completely reverse the situation, but it would also easily turn around the previous reputation of the Bihua Pavilion.
The only problem then is how to make it widely known.
"A story that's too long is actually harder to spread. Plus, the recent incident of the female cultivator being expelled has been all over the place, so it's bound to have an effect. Senior Sister Yu Tong, please trust me."
"Should we compile this story into a book and give it to our fellow disciples?"
Lin Si Han was eager to contribute to the revival of the Bihua Pavilion, and her eyes were full of admiration and gratitude as she looked at You Su. The other female disciples showed similar reactions, never expecting that You Su, the blind man, could actually bring hope.
"Senior sisters, there's no need."
Ji Lingruo crossed her arms and said coldly, effectively stopping the beautiful female disciples from showering You Su with attention.
"I have some connections with the owner of Tianxin Bookstore in Henggao City. I can ask him to print it in some official gazettes and daily newspapers. It's much more efficient than us distributing them one by one."
"Junior Sister Ji knows the owner of Tianxin Bookstore? That's amazing!"
The women were all amazed upon hearing this. As the best bookstore in Henggao City, it was no easy feat to establish a relationship with Tianxin Bookstore.
Even the Third Elder was slightly taken aback; she naturally had more to think about than the others.
Ji Lingruo is Demon Race, and has absolutely no connection with the Tianxin Bookstore. Considering You Su's literary talent, the reason she is on good terms with the Tianxin Bookstore is probably because of You Su.
The Third Elder had to admit that You Su was truly unlike any other man she had ever met.
Sigh... Why can't you be a woman...?
"When will we begin?" the Third Elder asked softly.
"No rush," You Su said calmly. "This story will be published once the Qianhua Pavilion promotion ends."
"Yay!"
The women cheered around You Su, as if victory was just around the corner. The Third Elder pursed his lips, tacitly approving of their actions.
Ji Lingruo's gaze made You Su feel like he was being pricked by needles. He quickly held his breath, afraid that the rich fragrance would make him faint.
"Dear senior sisters! Please be patient! Everything is not settled yet! We need to trouble you to make more stockings to avoid supply shortages later!"
To fulfill the Third Elder's idea of enabling all female cultivators to wear stockings, it's naturally impossible to rely solely on the few female disciples of Bihua Peak. However, what's more important right now than expanding production capacity is to get off to a good start.
Bihua Pavilion's business remained sluggish, while Qianhua Pavilion, on the fifth day, seemed to have concluded that Bihua Pavilion was beyond recovery and finally ended their promotional activities.
On that very day, a self-narration claiming to be from a female cultivator who had been kicked out of a banquet three days earlier suddenly appeared in the Henggao Daily, published by Tianxin Bookstore.
Such incidents of discrimination against the powerful and wealthy are commonplace in Henggao City, and this topic has always been a hot topic of discussion. This personal account quickly spread to every corner of Henggao City.
Many female cultivators empathized with this, and people couldn't tell whether it was a female cultivator's own account or a story adapted from the personal experience of Bihua Venerable.
However, such inspirational stories featuring women rising from humble beginnings are extremely rare, and no woman wouldn't want to be as independent and beautiful as the protagonist of such a story.
The threshold of the Bihua Pavilion was almost worn out in a single day, so much so that Xuanxiao Sect had to implement a travel restriction order to ensure smooth operations within the sect. However, this still could not stop the enthusiasm of women from the outside world who wanted to buy a pair of the Bihua Pavilion's 'mother-made stockings'.
The enthusiasm of the male cultivators was also ignited. They had long suffered under the Qianhua Pavilion. Expensive and hard to find, it was practically a test of a sycophant's loyalty. Finally, a women's clothing store offering high-quality goods at reasonable prices was appearing, and naturally, the sycophants of all the goddesses would support Bihua Pavilion as their new leader.
To meet everyone's purchasing needs, Bihua Pavilion implemented a purchase limit of one pair per person. However, the stockings accumulated over the past few days were still completely sold out. Stockings with chrysanthemum patterns instantly became popular in Henggao City, and even stockings without patterns became scarce items.
However, at Bihua Peak, some were happy while others were sad, and Ye Qingchen was one of the sad ones.
"Bro, your Bihua Peak stockings are all the rage! Can you get me a pair through your insider connections?"
Ye Erong looked at Ye Qingchen, whose face was ashen, with anticipation.
That's how trends work; if everyone else is buying, you naturally want to buy too. Even a wealthy Eldest Young Lady like Ye Erong, who has no problem spending money at the Qianhua Pavilion, would become interested in Bihua Peak's stockings.
Not to mention that once that story was published, there was already a growing trend of people thinking that wearing Qianhua Pavilion's clothes was out of touch with reality.
Ye Qingchen glared fiercely at his disobedient younger sister and left without saying a word.
On that very day, Ye Erong received a pair of white silk stockings embroidered with chrysanthemums, which were sent by He Kongyue.
"This is a gift from Brother You; he's practically a small business owner at the Bihua Pavilion."
"Brother You? Is it... You Su?" Ye Erong asked incredulously.
He Kongyue just smiled mysteriously, "He wants you to introduce these stockings to your girlfriends. You know more about the Qianhua Pavilion's clothes and can compare them with the Bihua Pavilion's quality, thus giving Bihua Pavilion a good reputation. It's a small gift, but I hope you won't find it offensive."
Ye Erong accepted the gift with great joy, saying, "I'm so grateful! I definitely will!"
That very night, Ye Erong held a girls' tea party and talked about these exquisite stockings all night long. And so, even among the most distinguished young ladies of Henggao City, stockings with chrysanthemum patterns began to become fashionable.
Little did He Kongyue know that these were not a gift from You Su at all, but rather one of two pairs of stockings that He Kongyue You Su had given to her.
You Su's original intention was to give the black silk stockings to He Kongyue was in love with them. He Kongyue kept only one pair for herself and gave the rest to Ye Erong as a favor, which also helped You Su.
He Kongyue was quite surprised that You Su was actually in the women's clothing industry. After reading the story circulating in the market, she had a general idea of what was going on.
The story's portrayal of women's self-reliance and independence once again refreshed her understanding of You Su. She realized that You Su of this as a selling point was not for personal gain, but because this blind man genuinely respected women from the bottom of his heart.
Unfortunately, she had her own things to do, otherwise she wouldn't have needed Ye Erong's help.
The task she had to do was actually quite simple: she had to personally go to Chuyun City to investigate a matter thoroughly.
That must be You Su's master from his original sect, wasn't he called Guan Tu...?
Why is He Shutong's lover and disciple in "The Return of the Return of the Condor Heroes" called "Guan Tu"?
Is it just a coincidence that she shares the same name as her sister...?
That night, You Su was forcibly kept on Bihua Peak.
Unable to refuse the enthusiasm of the women of Bihua Peak, he had no choice but to stay, accompanied (and supervised) by Ji Lingruo and Wangshu Fairy.
These eight female disciples almost completely obeyed You Su's orders, constantly serving her the best food and drink.
You Su had never received such treatment before. Even at Jade Ring Pool, he was only served by two stunningly beautiful women. Moreover, the Third Elder and his junior sister were also nearby. He was truly terrified and dared not accept it.
You Su also had a small celebration with the women of Bihua Peak, drinking some of the flower wine from the Bihua Pavilion. Even Ji Lingruo drank some because of her joy at the success.
It's worth mentioning that Ye Qingchen is now in charge of the Bihua Pavilion. When taking wine in front of him, You Su even extended a warm invitation, but the Third Elder refused. That night, Ye Qingchen got completely drunk in the wine cellar, his molars even breaking.
After a satisfying meal, You Su got down to business.
The biggest problem right now is that supply can't meet demand. In order to capitalize on this incredible wealth, it's not advisable to forcibly increase production at the expense of quality.
Therefore, You Su proposed the concept of a trial operation, aiming to determine the competitiveness of the store through short-term operation.
And it is clear that Bihua Pavilion has become the most successful women's clothing store in history, second only to the Qianhua Pavilion.
Therefore, You Su decided that everyone should tighten their belts for the first three days to make a strong impression on customers, and then close for a while. During this time, they should quickly expand production capacity, stabilize the material supply chain, and then open branches as needed. However, they should not be too ambitious in the short term and should focus on securing the core business of Henggao City.
You Su's suggestions were both insightful and pragmatic, and the beginnings of a stocking empire were beginning to take shape.
The women were completely enamored with You Su, their eyes shining with admiration, wishing they could keep him as their junior brother. Unfortunately Wangshu Fairy stood there like an ice sword, and the women could only keep their thoughts to themselves.
The next day, Bihua Pavilion was even more popular.
What was most surprising was that Ye Erong brought a group of well-known and prestigious young ladies. These ladies were practically the epitome of fashion in Henggao City, naturally attracting attention, which further enhanced the reputation of the Bihua Pavilion. Even the news of the Qianhua Pavilion's renewed promotion failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the female cultivators who flocked to the event.
Here, she finally met You Su as she had wished. Although You Su was very busy, he still greeted her briefly, after all, they were people who had gone through life and death together in the Lingxu Mountain Range.
This was the first time these young ladies had seen You Su alive, and their eyes were practically sparkling. However, Ji Lingruo continued to perform steadily, and the women didn't have a chance to chat with her much.
Ye Qingchen was even more furious when he saw his younger sister, whom he had begged for, actually bringing her sisters to patronize his business.
He gritted his teeth and bought a pair of chrysanthemum-print stockings, then sent them to the headquarters of the Qianhua Pavilion in Jinhua City.
On the third day, You Su's several strategies brought Bihua Pavilion's reputation to its peak.
Customers queuing outside are served snacks, tea, and chairs. Discounts are offered to customers who wait too long, and even if they don't buy anything, they receive a gift as compensation. Inside the store, there are various fun games such as a spinning wheel and bidding, allowing customers to win more benefits.
However, the most terrifying move was that You Su secretly wrote several more experience reports and circulated them to the outside world.
"Family members, does anyone know? I've bought stockings that I can wear for a lifetime."
"Sisters, these stockings are absolutely gorgeous! They're so comfortable and beautiful, I could stomp my feet in excitement!"
This heartfelt recommendation quickly caused a sensation and prompted more and more female cultivators who bought Bihua Pavilion stockings to share their experiences.
Overall, this is indeed a pair of stockings that completely outperforms Qianhua Pavilion in terms of both cost-effectiveness and playability.
On the third day, Bihua Pavilion announced its closure, and all the female cultivators eagerly awaited the day it would reopen.
That night, the women of Bihua Peak held a lively celebration banquet.
They all knew that their Heart's Blood had been recognized thanks to You Su. So they all drank with You Su enthusiastically. Ji Lingruo equally happy and even joined in the drinking contest.
The Third Elder watched them silently, then promptly downed a bottle of her treasured immortal wine. It wasn't that she was being stingy and not sharing it with everyone, but rather that the wine was so strong that even immortals would get drunk. For cultivators You Su, who weren't even at the Feather Transformation Realm, a mere sip would likely lead to a life of drunken stupor.
Soon, the most sober person at the banquet turned out to be the Wangshu Fairy, who was unable to drink alcohol.
You Su shook his head, preparing to take his senior sister and the unconscious junior sister back to the peak.
The Third Elder watched You Su's retreating figure and pulled his loose short jacket tighter around himself.
"You Su, come here. I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
That's all for now. From now on, I'll only mention the career line briefly.