Since ancient times, taking small advantages has been human nature; who could resist free food when it’s offered right?
Her stinky tofu came with either a black or golden crust, crispy on the outside and tender inside, the stench making one frown, but the bright red sauce always enticed salivation.
Everyone was allowed two free pieces. Initially, no one dared to try, but then Yaya and her companions boldly ate in front of everyone. Biting into the crispy yet tender tofu, dipped in a rich garlic-flavored chili sauce, oh the taste made everyone’s mouths water.
Because it was so delicious, Yaya couldn’t help but promote it a bit more, "Everyone can rest assured, this tofu is fermented, just like the pickled vegetables we have. The taste is pungent; I was also reluctant initially, but after one bite, I fell in love. It’s genuinely tasty. It’s brought right to your lips, how can you not try a piece?" The source of this content ɪs NoveI~Fire.net
Under such tempting encouragement, one after another, gave in. Within three days, the return rate reached ninety percent. The other ten percent genuinely disliked the flavor—which one could hardly force—but after sampling two pieces, most returned to buy more. Their tofu pieces weren’t small; one copper coin each, and some ate twenty copper coins’ worth in one go, proving themselves formidable foodies.
It proved that Yaya and Xiao Yu’s tofu-making skills, thankfully learned, were not wasted; practically applied, they even generated income, which could be considered an investment in technology.
Just as Xiao Yu expected, within days, the orders for their skincare products soared, with housekeepers from wealthy families in Beijing placing orders personally, undoubtedly destined for the Imperial Palace.
She could only manage to produce two hundred bottles a day, more would be too tiring and she might not have enough bottles. So, she implemented a reservation system, booking orders on a first-come, first-served basis, no priorities unless you were the Empress herself.
As for the price, it naturally inflated with the current market, what used to cost ten copper coins now sold for one tael of silver.
The lower-quality products, sold to the poorer folks, were priced cheaply at five copper coins a bottle.
In future generations, such chemical wash products could be categorized into thousands of types with varying prices. Hence, her price hike wasn’t arbitrary, as her initial products were all under one hundred yuan, even including some ten yuan "trash." But even this modern "trash" was considered a rare find in ancient times, so she maintained a fair price of five copper coins per bottle.
A ten yuan cost sold for five copper coins.
A twenty yuan cost sold for ten copper coins.
One hundred yuan sold for five hundred copper coins.
As the quality improved, the prices soared, selling up to one tael of silver per bottle, considered high-end goods in supermarkets.
(Note, this supermarket is not a modern-day supermarket but could also be called a department store.)
As for soaps, there were hotel-type small packages that cost ten copper coins each, and supermarket packaged ones for one hundred copper coins each.
She even introduced toothbrushes and toothpaste, naturally packaged in bottles.
She had already planned it out: make a quick fortune in Beijing, then, where the Emperor’s reach was limited, she would likely end up only supplying to people from the Imperial Palace. Others who wished to buy wouldn’t be able to as she would stop selling.
After making money, she planned to take it back to Port Town, develop Qingyang Prefecture, and bring more seafood to people’s tables.
Tasty and Pretty Fisherman—not only delicacies but elevating the flavors and fish to a higher level.