Linxia

Chapter 144, Brotherhood

Facing these neighborhood aunts and sisters-in-law, Fang Lin said: "No need for money, all aunts and sisters-in-law can use it and give me some feedback."

This version of perfume is just the first generation, and the quality is unstable. We need people to try it out. Each person can get a small bottle the size of a thumb, and they can serve as free product testers.

Since you get what you want without paying any money, naturally these neighborhood aunties and sisters-in-law all say nice things to you.

"Linzi is so generous!"

"Don't worry, my sister-in-law will tell you whether it's good or bad after using it."

"You are blessed tonight... No, I mean, Sister Fang, you are so lucky to have a son like Linzi!"

……

Wait until the neighborhood aunt and sister-in-law leave.

"Well, Linzi, are you hungry? I'll go cook!" Fang's mother seemed to feel guilty for showing off and attracting so many aunts and sisters-in-law. She left this sentence and turned into the kitchen.

Tian Xuan covered her mouth and smiled, then followed him.

"Meow!" At this time, the kitten came over obediently, shaking its head, sniffing left and right at Fang Lin, and calling with its head raised.

"Why, you want it too?"

Fang Lin knew that cats had a keen sense of smell, so in order to avoid irritating it, he did not dare to apply alcohol-mixed perfume on it. He just took some essential oil extracted from osmanthus flowers, especially the part with a lighter color like water, and applied a little bit on it.

Sure enough, the kitten looked on obediently without any stimulation and seemed to like it quite a lot.

After a while, when I went out to fetch water, I found that the kitten had abducted two female cats from other families at the entrance of the alley. It tilted its head and let them sniff around it, looking so vain.

"You are such a bad cat. You don't have the style of my master at all!" Fang Lin was very angry. He went back to fetch water, picked up the cat by the neck and carried it back.

"Meow!" The kitten was held obediently, standing straight, calling and waving its paws, as if saying goodbye to his wife and concubine!

……

Within two days, these aunts and sisters-in-law reported a lot of problems, such as the problem of different shades of fragrance in the upper and lower parts; the problem of different retention time of fragrance; the problem of difficulty in controlling the dosage each time...

Fang Lin recorded them one by one, and made adjustments and optimizations wherever possible, and put aside those that could not be solved for the time being.

He therefore improved the second version of the perfume. This time, he asked someone to give a bottle each to Gu Yuyan and Shi Wenjun of Qinghuan Xiaoju. After all, the other party told him the detailed production methods of osmanthus essential oil and lily essential oil and gave him a lot of references. This return gift was a small way of expressing his gratitude.

"My original intention of making perfume was just because of Madam Ou. I am not planning to start the perfume business for the time being."

The relationship between Fang Lin and Prefect Pu is actually a bit subtle. They can be considered a group of interests, but the bond is not so thorough. In the bookstore, Prefect Pu may be more attentive for the sake of reputation, but he may not support the perfume business with all his strength. In this case, whether the perfume business can be maintained is a problem. Of course, Prefect Pu can be asked to act as a go-between and bring in other dignitaries, but if you act rashly, you may not know the heart of a person. You don't know whether this will lead to a wolf entering the house. Moreover, how much share to give up? Too much will be a loss, and too little will make people dissatisfied. All these things are really intrigues.

Instead of doing this and that, it is better to focus on bookstores and make in-depth development in the field of popular fiction. The profit you can earn may not be less than that of trying to get a small piece of the perfume business by scheming against others.

Compared to the technical threshold of perfume, which is easy to snatch, writing popular novels only depends on talent. If you are good at it, you are good, and if you are not, you are not good. If you write well, others will look at you with high regard, and you will make a lot of money. It will not arouse too much envy and jealousy. Talent is something that cannot be taken away.

Furthermore, many dignitaries are fans of Fang Lin's books and they wish he would write more good books. It would be a win-win situation for him to make money from them in this way.

"The bookstore has just opened, so there is no need to immediately get involved in the perfume business... If you want to do everything, you will spread your business too wide and offend more people. If you don't dig deep, and only touch on each thing superficially, your foundation will be very shallow, which will only hurt yourself."

Just like a tree, without deep roots, it only floats on the surface, pursuing the coverage of the root system. It looks lush and leafy on the outside, but it will fall down as soon as the wind blows.

"Let's use the fragrance dew technology as a reserve trump card first. When we go further in the future, we can use it as a flagship product for big capitalists, or we can cooperate to share benefits and bind important interest groups... We'll see what happens next and take advantage of the situation!"

Fang Lin was not carried away by the little achievements in front of him. He remained down-to-earth, taking one step at a time, silently accumulating knowledge and building up strength for the next stage of his transition from a small capitalist to a big capitalist.

……

A small and happy home.

Gu Yuyan and Shi Wenjun were both surprised when they received the new version of the perfume sent by Fang Lin.

"Mr. Fang came to ask about it a few days ago. I didn't expect it to be made so quickly." Shi Wenjun opened the small bottle, and the sweet osmanthus fragrance filled the air, which was light and not greasy. She looked at the fragrant dew in the bottle and said, "Compared to the sweet osmanthus oil, it is crystal clear, like frost and dew. It seems that no fragrant oil has been added to it, and I don't know how the fragrance will last."

"You'll know if you try it." Gu Yuyan poured out a little and applied it on her wrist.

This was because the other party trusted her so much. If it was something sent by someone else, she would never dare to do this, otherwise her skin would become itchy and ulcerated, and she would have no place to cry.

Shi Wenjun also tried some of them.

The two girls originally thought that the fragrance dew sent by Fang Lin had more symbolic significance than practical significance. After all, it looked so crystal clear and the fragrance lasting effect would be much worse. However, they were quite surprising when they actually used it. Compared with osmanthus fragrance oil and lily fragrance oil, the fragrance lasting effect of this fragrance dew was even better. In the past, the fragrance of osmanthus fragrance oil would fade in half a day, but the fragrance of this osmanthus fragrance dew lasted for a day and had not dissipated.

In fact, they prefer osmanthus fragrance water to osmanthus oil, which has a dew-like texture, distant and refreshing. In comparison, the fragrance of the former is a bit strong and greasy.

At the end of the day, the two girls were deeply shocked.

"With a poem of 'Linjiangxian' and a volume of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', Mr. Fang has put many men to shame. Unexpectedly, Mr. Fang is not only extremely talented in poetry and prose, but also rare in the world in terms of ingenuity." Shi Wenjun said this, feeling an irrepressible curiosity about Fang Lin in her heart.

"Yes!" Gu Yuyan looked carefully at her small bottle of osmanthus fragrance water, unable to let it go: "It's a pity that there is only so much, it will be gone after I use it up."

"So," Shi Wenjun teased, "is this the reason why you couldn't bear to give Young Master Fang's sweet-scented osmanthus dew to Sister Die'er when she came to borrow it today, and instead generously gave her your previously treasured sweet-scented osmanthus oil?"

"Huh, sister, are you implying that I'm stingy? Okay, I'm stingy, sister is generous, I'll trade the osmanthus oil for your osmanthus dew?"

"No change."

"Look, isn't my sister also a treasure?"

Gu Yuyan was distressed: "Alas, after using Mr. Fang's osmanthus scented water, it will be difficult to use osmanthus scented oil and lily scented oil in the future, but I am embarrassed to ask Mr. Fang for it without any reason. It would be great if I could help Mr. Fang in some way. Even if it is the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I won't have trouble selling it, so buying a hundred copies wouldn't be considered a favor."

"Yes!" Shi Wenjun was also worried. She also wanted the sweet osmanthus fragrance dew!

She suddenly envied Tian Xuan very much. She had such a loving husband who treated her as an equal. Her life was never boring and she could always have fun in the midst of hardship. What's more, she could have as much osmanthus dew as she wanted!
...Fang Lin didn't know yet that Gu Yuyan and Shi Wenjun were attracted by the fragrant dew and were thinking of ways to help him in exchange for the fragrant dew...Today, he went to pick up Dong Zugao. Yes, the provincial examination was finally over.

Dong Zugao came out from outside the Imperial Examination Hall. He looked much rougher. When they met, he laughed and hugged her. Then she went back to take a shower, changed into fresh clothes, said goodbye to Dong's father and mother, and went out to eat.

Fang Lin invited Dong Zugao to a welcome dinner and had already reserved a table at Qingyun Pavilion, a famous restaurant in the city.

The two came over, and the food and wine were served one by one. There was not only the famous dish of Qingyun Restaurant, Panlong, but also: ham, sea bass, seafood clams...

This famous dish, Panlong, is made of egg skin mixed with eggs and flour, and the stuffing inside is meat paste made from chopped white fat meat, lean meat and fish. The egg skin is wrapped one by one and made into an egg cone shape. After being steamed, it is cut into slices and placed on a plate one by one, arranged into the shape of a dragon, and then steamed again. After it is cooked, it is red and yellow, just like a real dragon, with good color, aroma and taste.

"What a nice dish of Panlong! I'm so greedy. Brother Fang, you don't know that in the cell you can only eat salted eggs and dry food..."

Dong Zugao seemed to be doing well and was in a good mood. He suddenly widened his eyes in surprise and said, "This dish is... abalone with bones? Brother Fang, you even ordered this dish?"

The so-called 'abalone snail with bone' is not really a snail, but a kind of snack made of cheese in the shape of a snail. The production of Qingyun House is very small, so it is not expensive at all. The amount produced every day is not enough for the nobles to share, and you cannot eat it even if you come to the restaurant, and you cannot eat it even if you order in advance.

"Abalone with bones?"

Fang Lin had also heard of this dish and wanted to order it but was unable to. He asked the waiter to ask if the dish was wrong. The waiter said it was correct and invited the shopkeeper Fan from Qingyun Restaurant to come over.

"Mr. Fang, this is a special portion reserved for you."

Shopkeeper Fan was afraid that Fang Lin would underestimate the value of this dish, so he said, "In order to ensure the pure taste of the cheese made with abalone bones, I raised a dairy cow in the back. I feed it with a secret method every day and take meticulous care of it, just to live up to expectations and squeeze out pure and good milk.

When it is time to milk, in order to ensure the purity of the milk, it must be milked at night. Milking is done by holding a lamp, and the milk is placed in a basin overnight. The next morning, milk flowers appear on the surface. Only good milk with milk flowers can be used. Then it is boiled in a shallow pot, filtered after boiling, and blue snow juice is added, and boiled again..."

Dong Zugao explained: "The so-called orchid snow juice is made from special tea leaves. When you pour it into the Qingfei white porcelain bowl, it looks like 'a hundred stems of white orchids flowing with snow waves'. The snow buds have the color but not the aroma... This tea is also extremely precious."

"Mr. Dong is an expert." Shopkeeper Fan said, "When it comes to cheese, there is a saying that goes 'Jade liquid and pearl glue, snow-rich and creamy, the breath is better than orchid, refreshing, and a gift from heaven'. Only cheese like this can be made into abalone with bones."

"I heard that the abalone with bones from Qingyun Pavilion costs dozens of taels of silver each in the city, but there is still a shortage of buyers, so they are out of stock." Dong Zugao pointed out.

"This... is so precious, it's hard to accept it." Fang Lin frowned slightly. Not knowing the other party's intention, he really didn't dare to take this thing.

"No, no, no, Mr. Fang, please accept it." Shopkeeper Fan said, "I am a fan of Mr. Fang's books. I love the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms so much that I have watched the fireworks show 'Passing Five Passes and Killing Six Generals' three times. I was deeply moved every time... I just want to buy an original copy of the manuscript of Romance of the Three Kingdoms signed by Mr. Fang."

Fang Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had gone through such a long detour, and it was for this? Since it was something that he could do and achieve, he didn't feel any psychological burden to accept the dish.

He thought for a moment and said, "The manuscript of the first volume of Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been given to Prefect Pu. After the second volume is released, it can be given to Shopkeeper Fan."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Shopkeeper Fan was so happy to receive this promise that he waived the bill for Fang Lin and Dong Zugao, and said that in the future, all meals here would be free.

He did not think that he had suffered a loss. A copy of the original manuscript of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" was treasured as a family heirloom. After many years, it would surely be a priceless treasure. Just look at the "Preface to the Lanting Collection" to know.

After Manager Fan left, Dong Zugao clapped his hands and laughed, "Haha, I didn't expect that the managers of Qingyun Pavilion were all fans of Brother Fang's books. In my opinion, when the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms spreads all over the world, Brother Fang may be able to eat all over the world for free. It's really enviable!"

"Brother Dong, what are you envious of? Nowadays, wherever I go, there are people asking me to finish the second part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It's like someone is asking me to pay debts." Fang Lin said with a wry smile and shared the 'bone-in abalone' with Dong Zugao.

"Come to think of it, I have never eaten this 'abalone with bones'. Today I am lucky enough to have it thanks to Brother Fang." Dong Zugao's eyes lit up as he tasted it.

Fang Lin was also eating, feeling it melt in his mouth. The taste made him stunned for a moment. When he finished eating unknowingly, he forgot what it tasted like and could only remember that it was the best taste in the world.

Eating delicious food, drinking wine, and leaving the examination hall today, Dong Zugao was very happy.

"Brother Fang is my benefactor. Since we met at Wengtang, we have been lucky. He started his feces business, defeated Mr. Zhuo Sanye, started his bookstore business... and now he is taking the provincial examination. Everything has been very lucky for him."

Dong Zugao said, "I have a feeling that I might pass this time. If I do, I'll take over all the feces business in the city... Next spring, I'll take the imperial examination and maybe I'll get a Jinshi in one fell swoop!"

"Then congratulations in advance, Brother Dong. However, Brother Dong said that I am your benefactor, so isn't Brother Dong also my benefactor?"

Fang Lin said, "If I hadn't met Brother Dong, I wouldn't be wasting my time right now. To be honest, we have helped each other."

The two men were drinking and were half drunk when Dong Zugao suddenly proposed a brotherhood.

"Okay, how can I refuse such a happy event?"

"Waiter, bring some incense and candles!"

"Coming!" The waiter was not surprised by this. Ever since the publication of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, there were often people who wanted to swear brotherhood in taverns after getting drunk. For this, a whole set of things were provided.

However, today was different. The author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms did not form an alliance with anyone, and even Shopkeeper Fan was called over.

“…I don’t ask to be born on the same day, month and year, but I ask to die on the same day, month and year!”

Fang Lin and Dong Zugao bowed down.

Shopkeeper Fan was called by the waiter to witness this scene. He quickly drew it and collected it for safekeeping. It became a precious historical document in later generations.

After eating and leaving, Fang Lin felt sober after a breeze, but he did not regret anything.

He is not a cold-hearted person. Unlike the indifference at the beginning of the fusion of the two lives, now, he has ties outside of his family, for example, he and Dong Zugao are true friends.

Even from a utilitarian perspective, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. When Dong Zugao passed the imperial examination, became an official, the other party provided him with protection, and Fang Lin supported him from behind. This was a win-win situation.

Of course, this model cannot last too long. For example, Wang Youling and Hu Xueyan were greatly influenced by individuals. Moreover, their descendants may not have such friendship. In short, it is easy to be famous for a while, but it is difficult to maintain it for a long time.

'But I only want to be famous for a while, become a big capitalist, and use the big capitalists' ability to mobilize resources to build my own guns and go out to sea... When the disadvantages come, I will have already left this land, and I won't even wait for its shortcomings to be revealed! '

This is not to say that Fang Lin wants to betray anything, it can only be said that times have changed. When the sky collapses and the earth collapses, and China sinks, it may be said that his move is the best choice.

……

(End of this chapter)