Chapter 104: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 104: The Flower Shop
Daohua’s flower shop opened just before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Yan family had mixed reactions to this endeavor.
Yan Zhigao showed little interest in the affairs of the inner courtyard. Unless it was something significant, he rarely got involved. Once he learned that the money used to purchase the shop was earned by Daohua herself, he simply let her be.
The second branch, however, was entirely skeptical.
In their view, flowers were a niche commodity; even if priced well, making a profit would be difficult. Flowers were also delicate, prone to withering or disease if not carefully maintained.
Before the shop opened, Yan Zhiyuan and Sun Shi tried persuading Daohua to invest in businesses they deemed more practical. They even suggested that she hand over the shop for them to manage.
When their efforts proved futile, they adopted a bystander’s attitude, seemingly waiting for Daohua’s shop to fail.
The third branch, on the other hand, offered silent support. Everything from transplanting flowers and choosing pots to transporting soil was handled by Yan Zhiqiang.
As for Concubine Lin of Shuangxin Courtyard, besides lamenting to Yan Zhigao about her daughter Yan Yishuang’s lack of opportunities, she could only watch helplessly.
Madam Li, however, was the most invested in this matter. She personally wrote to her elder brother, Li Xingchang, to request an experienced shopkeeper. While Daohua could treat the shop as a hobby, Madam Li could not afford such leisure.
She had to plan for her daughter’s future. The Yan family’s resources were limited; even if they started saving now, how much could they accumulate? Besides, there were many grandchildren in the Yan family.
This shop was destined to be part of Daohua’s dowry. It had to be well-managed.
On the shop's opening day, Daohua donned men’s attire and observed from the back of the store.
The flowers she cultivated, nourished with space soil, bloomed vibrantly and radiantly, attracting many passersby to stop and admire them.
However, admiration did not equate to sales. Few were willing to part with their money to buy them.
Daohua was not discouraged. Life in ancient times was tough for commoners. Before opening the shop, she had not intended to sell flowers to ordinary people. Her target customers were affluent scholars, literati, and noble families with a penchant for elegance.
After observing the customer flow for a while, Daohua turned her attention to the shop staff.
The shopkeeper, surnamed Wang, was in his forties and had a cheerful demeanor. His ability to handle people and manage interactions was skilled and practiced. According to her mother, this shopkeeper had been a standout among the staff managing her maternal uncle’s properties. It was only because of Madam Li’s request that he had been reassigned to Daohua’s shop.
The store assistants came from a Zheng family on her estate. The patriarch, Zheng Laohan, had worked as a gardener for a wealthy family in his youth and had some knowledge of tending to plants, making him a passable flower farmer.
His two sons, Zheng Dawu and Zheng Xiaowu, were diligent and capable workers on the estate. Finding their family easy to manage and trustworthy, Daohua decided to employ them all at the flower shop.
“Grandpa, look! There’s a new flower shop here!”
A finely adorned carriage came to a stop in front of the shop. A lively, pretty young girl quickly jumped down from the carriage.
“You little rascal, slow down! Don’t hurt yourself,” a voice both stern and caring followed.
An elderly man with graying hair and an authoritative demeanor stepped down from the carriage with the help of a servant.
Upon seeing her grandfather disembark, Zhou Jingwan quickly ran over and held his arm. “Grandpa, look at the beautiful flowers in the shop!”
Following his granddaughter’s gesture, Old Master Zhou looked into the shop. His face brightened at the sight of the blooming flowers. “Let’s go in and take a look.”
As soon as the two entered, Daohua noticed them.
Seeing Old Master Zhou’s evident fondness for the flowers, Daohua hesitated briefly before deciding to step forward. If she hadn’t seen them, she might have let it pass. But now that she had, as a junior, she felt it necessary to greet them.
“Miss Zhou!”
Zhou Jingwan was hesitating, unsure which pot of flowers to choose, when a somewhat familiar voice called from behind. Turning around, she saw Daohua dressed in men's clothing. "Are you... Yan Yiyi?"
Seeing her uncertain expression, Daohua smiled and nodded.
Zhou Jingwan quickly approached, circling Daohua curiously. "Why are you dressed like this?"
Daohua chuckled, "It's more convenient this way." Leaning in close to Zhou Jingwan's ear, she whispered, "This is the only way my mother would let me stay at the flower shop."
Zhou Jingwan didn’t mind Daohua’s natural and friendly manner. Hearing her explanation, Zhou Jingwan widened her almond-shaped eyes in surprise. "So, this flower shop belongs to your family?"
Daohua nodded with a smile.
Zhou Jingwan slapped her forehead. "How could I forget? When I visited your house, you mentioned your skill in growing flowers. Your courtyard seemed full of them."
Daohua grinned. "The flowers weren’t blooming then, but they are now. You should come by when you have time."
Zhou Jingwan nodded eagerly. Like her grandfather, she had a deep fondness for flowers and plants. "Are your climbing roses in bloom? Are they beautiful? If they are, I’ll recreate a flower trellis like yours at home."
Daohua replied with a modest smile, "Not bad!"
Meanwhile, Old Master Zhou glanced occasionally at the two girls chatting animatedly as he inspected the flower pots in the shop.
He had been mildly aware of the Yan family, who had recently settled in Xingzhou City, due to their connection with the Young Prince. However, he had not sought to engage with them.
Now, seeing the Yan family’s eldest daughter interact so naturally and politely with his granddaughter, he gained a more favorable impression of the Yan family.
The conduct of a family’s younger generation often reflected its values and potential.
According to his eldest grandson, the Yan family’s eldest grandson was courteous, humble, and well-educated. Now, this eldest daughter displayed a bright demeanor, clear eyes, and graceful manners.
If the Yan family’s younger generation all exhibited such qualities, their future prosperity seemed promising.
“Cough, cough.”
Old Master Zhou deliberately cleared his throat, reminding the girls of his presence.
“Oh, I almost forgot to introduce you!”
Zhou Jingwan quickly pulled Daohua over to Old Master Zhou. "Grandpa, this is Yan Yiyi, the eldest daughter of Magistrate Yan. Daohua, this is my grandfather."
Daohua immediately greeted him with a bright smile, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Grandpa Zhou. Daohua offers her respects."
Old Master Zhou smiled warmly. "So, your family owns this flower shop. Do you enjoy flowers yourself?"
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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Daohua nodded. "Yes. Seeing vibrant, blooming flowers always lifts my spirits."
With that, Old Master Zhou struck up a slow conversation with Daohua. To his delight, he discovered that the young girl possessed extensive knowledge of flowers and plants, from care techniques to maintenance methods, all of which she explained fluently.
During their chat, Shopkeeper Wang, having learned of Old Master Zhou's identity, kept casting worried glances in their direction, fearing that the young Daohua might inadvertently offend him.
His concerns, however, proved unnecessary.
Just look—Old Master Zhou was utterly captivated, even looking at Daohua with an expression of regret for not meeting her sooner.
"Grandpa Zhou, if I manage to cultivate any particularly beautiful flowers in the future, I’ll be sure to send them to your residence."
After chatting for over an hour, Old Master Zhou reluctantly left the flower shop, urged by his servants. Daohua and Shopkeeper Wang personally saw them off at the entrance.
"Don’t forget me! Don’t forget me!" Zhou Jingwan chimed in, raising her hand enthusiastically.
Daohua laughed. "Don’t worry. No matter what, I won’t leave you out, Sister Zhou."
(End of Chapter)
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