Before heading out, he fussed over matching his outfit again.
Those shoes were hard to coordinate with anything. All his newly made clothes were plain—solid-colored fabric he cut and sewed himself.
His old clothes were the same, no patterns at all. Nothing matched.
Seeing how much he liked those shoes, Xie Yan hurried him out the next afternoon and took him to a tailor shop to buy a ready-made garment.
Lu Yang couldn’t bear to buy a full set. He had already bought a bolt of plain fabric last time and had both the outerwear and lining made. This time he only chose a cross-collared long robe to wear on top.
He picked an indigo one, the collar and cuffs embroidered with a vine-and-branch pattern he didn’t recognize. Overall, it matched the shoes perfectly.
Long robes were usually loose. The length fit him well, and he didn’t ask for alterations. After checking for snags or loose threads, he bought it.
Clothes with embroidery cost more. Luckily it was cotton; even then, it came to six qian of silver.
If he’d bought the inner garments too, it would’ve cost about a tael—far too expensive.
Lu Yang stroked the fabric, lifted his foot and wiggled his toes, then told Xie Yan, “I haven’t even dressed up properly yet, and we’ve already spent this much.”
Hearing this, Xie Yan circled around him twice, then dragged him back into the tailor shop. From a wooden rack in the corner, he picked out a matching hair ribbon in the same shade. He replaced the little scrap of cloth tying up Lu Yang’s hair, and now the whole look finally came together.
Another eight coins spent.
His figure was good—on the thin side, straight back, long legs. The robe suited him. Once he took on a somewhat more refined stride, even his whole demeanor felt different.
Xie Yan’s eyes lit up; he liked what he saw, praising him again and again.
Lu Yang chuckled quietly. The money had been well spent.
Dressed in new clothes and shoes, he didn’t want to waste the look. He gathered some mountain delicacies and game and headed to the Wu household to visit the old master.
The portrait Xie Yan painted for Old Master Wu had already been handed to Wu Pingzhi to take home.
This visit was simply a courtesy call.
Now that the two families had reconnected, keeping up regular contact was necessary.
He had originally thought of bringing some steamed buns, but considering their closeness, and knowing the old master’s health was poor, he chose to bring nourishing items instead.
He even cut off more than a jin of the fresh honeycomb they’d just harvested. The very first honeycomb they sold had been bought by Wu Pingzhi—whether out of support or genuine liking, he wasn’t sure. So for now, he brought only a little.
If the old master liked it, he could bring new batches later.
Old Master Wu’s health had improved somewhat. Their family was well-off in the county, didn’t have enemies, kept the officials well-gifted every year, and lived comfortably.
When Lu Yang came to call, the old man propped himself up with a cane and came out to greet him.
Seeing Lu Yang’s outfit, even the old master’s eyes brightened.
“What a fine look. This robe is good. Once you’ve saved up more money, get yourself one made of silk. Good fabric sits well on the body—comfortable to wear.”
Ordinary families couldn’t afford silk.
To say “save up for silk” was to imply great prosperity in the future.
Lu Yang beamed, chatting leisurely about household matters before asking about the prefectural city.
“I’ve never been to the prefectural city. With A-Yan’s exam coming up, I’m worried. I figured since you’ve been there before, I’d come ask you about it.”
The old master ordered tea and wanted the kitchen to prepare food, but since Lu Yang wouldn’t stay for a meal, they set out a few tea snacks instead.
Speaking of the prefectural city, the old master had only one word: bustling.
Bustling places mean money—wealth from everywhere, people from everywhere, all kinds mixed together. For business, it’s a tough place to break into. But for studying and taking exams, everything is straightforward.
Especially for a top-ranking licentiate: one step up, and he would be a juren, a scholar-official. Out on the streets, people would flock to befriend him.
“Better to know him now in his humble days than to go fawning after he leaps the dragon gate,” the old master said.
“With Xie Yan on solid footing now, his future is smooth.”
Lu Yang only feared that Xie Yan’s personality would cause him to suffer outside. With Wu Pingzhi looking after him, he felt somewhat reassured.
After hearing the old man out, he asked about daily life in the prefectural city.
The Wu family had a property there. They ran business in the prefectural city and visited several times a year to check accounts, inspect goods, and handle social matters.
They could stay in the Wu family home during the exam. Food and drink would be taken care of there.
As for preparation, Lu Yang simply needed to ready some garments and socks.
Keep everything simple and plain—easier when entering the exam hall, in case they pulled and searched everything.
Clothes made at home wouldn’t have any hidden compartments, which helped avoid suspicion.
If he was still worried, he could pack the exam basket too, with Xie Yan’s usual paper and ink.
And if he really couldn’t rest easy, he could simply go along.
The old master asked, “Didn’t Xie Yan also want to take you to the prefectural city for a pulse check?”
That was true. Back then, Lu Yang had been in terrible shape, exhausted every day. He himself felt something was wrong—heavy body, heavy heart. After that period passed, he slowly regained some strength.
Still not like before, but at least he could stay on his feet longer, keep the shop running, and no longer faint all the time.
Just a few days ago he had a pulse reading done; the old physician said he’d recovered well. A few more doses, then after autumn they would adjust the formula to something gently nourishing.
Since he was already improving, he didn’t want to go to the prefectural city for another consultation. If he went, Xie Yan would be distracted.
One more person meant one more travel expense.
He wanted to go find a house and get their move arranged.
That way, when Xie Yan came home after the exam, the three of them could move into the new place immediately.
Counting the days, Sanliang should be giving birth to her puppies by then. Since he hadn’t been able to conceive this year, bringing home a puppy felt like adding a new member to the family.
His younger brother had joked that Erhuang was the “dog son,” and that their eldest “child” would also be a puppy. That was fine too.
But the old master insisted he go to the prefectural city: “A few days’ delay won’t matter. Go take a look around. If you want to become a great merchant someday, you can’t stay confined to a small county.”
Hearing this, Lu Yang made up his mind.
The plans they’d set for the new year had all been exceeded thanks to the profit from selling books.
Once they finished moving, he would take a trip back to Lujia Village and begin the next stage—expanding the mushroom trade.
He’d been stockpiling recently since he had money; it wasn’t yet time to go out and recruit buyers. He was simply waiting for the existing supply in the market to be depleted.
In past years, merchants suppressed prices, so very little stock made it to the county.
But every year, new mushrooms grew—batch after batch. As long as the mountains stood, the supply never dried up.
Those merchants wouldn’t hurry; after all, people from Lizhai had been selling mountain goods just recently.
In a bit, things would change. Li Feng said most villagers were saving their harvest to sell to his family now. Not many would go outside to sell on their own anymore.
In another two or three months, most merchants would be low on stock. Someone would surely go to Lizhai to ask around and buy goods.
By agreement, cheap mushrooms didn’t matter—anyone could buy those. But the valuable ones needed to be held back for him. At least eighty to ninety percent had to remain in his hands.
He would first assess the county market, then travel and build connections, looking for buyers.
How many buyers could a single county have? He needed to look to other places.
Nearby counties, the prefectural city, even the provincial capital—those were good markets.
But the Wu family had done business for years, and the old master had drunk himself into poor health entertaining clients. That made Lu Yang a bit uneasy.
Old Master Wu told him, “First go to the prefectural city and look around. When you come back, we’ll talk again.”
Lu Yang replied, “I’m really sorry—I came just to pay a visit, and ended up troubling you with so many matters.”
The old master taught him one last thing: “If you want to grow your business, the owner can’t be stuck in the shop minding a few coins. You need a shopkeeper you can trust. As long as the inventory is recorded and the books are clear, that’s enough. Your little shop is manageable. Rest when you can. Run around only when you have ideas. Otherwise, focus on your health. Once you’ve been rich, it’s hard to be poor again.”
A person with vision sees opportunities everywhere.
Lu Yang already had that mindset. Staying glued to the shop wasn’t a long-term solution.
The mushroom business required travel anyway. His plan was: once they moved, he’d have Lu Lin and his wife relocate to the county to help run the store.
