Chapter 205 Don’t give up
At this time, the host on the stage continued to speak according to Qianhuan's instructions, "The poetry competition has come to an end. In order to celebrate the grand opening of our shop and to thank all the guests for coming to our teahouse, we have decided to give each guest present a small cup of our homemade milk tea to taste."
After the host finished speaking, the waiters came with trays full of milk tea and started distributing it for free to customers at each table.
These milk teas are served in a small white ceramic cup, similar in shape to a modern small coffee cup with a handle.
This is Qianhuan's marketing strategy. There are many wealthy people in the capital. As long as these noble ladies and young men in the capital have tried milk tea, her Half-Day Qinghuan Garden will never have to worry about lack of business.
After all the free milk tea was distributed, the audience picked up the small white ceramic cups and started to taste the milk tea, thinking it would be a waste if they didn't drink it.
The host took the opportunity to start selling the product vigorously according to the lines Qianhuan had taught him before.
"Our milk tea is carefully prepared, fragrant and smooth, and can satisfy every taste bud of yours. Each cup combines the fragrance of tea leaves and the mellowness of milk, like a feast for the taste buds. A sip of our milk tea can make you full of energy for the whole day."
The people in the audience drank milk tea and listened to the host's poetic description. They actually felt that drinking milk tea seemed to make them more energetic.
The host then took out a large ceramic cup with a lid designed by Qianhuan. The size of this cup was similar to a modern medium-sized cup of milk tea.
The host showed the ceramic cups to everyone, and then introduced, "This is a special milk tea cup made by our store. Each cup is engraved with a different pattern. Our store prepares 100 cups of milk tea every day for customers to buy and take home."
"The milk tea I take home is served in this special ceramic cup with a lid. It's really a good deal to buy milk tea and get a beautiful cup for free."
The host continued to promote the product, "The quantity of take-out milk tea is limited, and the patterns of the cups are different. Those who buy first can choose the pattern first. If they are sold out on the same day, they will be gone. Everyone is welcome to go to the front counter to buy."
After tasting the milk tea, most of the ladies and children in the audience liked the sweet milky flavor very much, and a small number of men also liked this taste.
So everyone sent their servants to buy takeout milk tea, ready to take it back to honor their elders, relatives and friends at home.
The Ninth Princess was no exception. She said to the Crown Prince, "Brother, I will bring ten cups of milk tea back to the palace. One cup for the Royal Grandmother, one cup each for the Royal Father and the Queen Mother, and the rest for the brothers and sisters in the palace."
The prince nodded, "Okay, my brother, please ask the servants to buy it."
Qian Yuying also ordered ten cups of milk tea. She handed five of them to Princess Ning Jia and said flatteringly, "Princess, take this milk tea back home for your elders to taste."
Princess Ning Jia was not polite to her, "Okay, I accept your kindness."
The prince watched the play, listened to the poetry, and drank the free milk tea. Today he finally understood why Mr. Fan kept praising his junior brother Shanbo for his cleverness.
Just looking at the many things he has done to open a teahouse, most people would not be able to imagine it. This junior fellow apprentice really opened his eyes.
The prince wanted to sit for a while longer, but when he thought about the things that needed to be dealt with in the army, he took Chiying back first.
When Princess Ningjia saw the Crown Prince leave, she also stood up and left.
Qian Yuying naturally had no choice but to leave and return home.
The Crown Prince and his entourage were also preparing to return to the palace. He first asked someone to send Zhao Yanran back to the Prime Minister's Residence, and then took the Ninth Princess back to the palace.
After Qianhuan finished her work, she changed back into her casual clothes and led Chu Lan'er and her group into a private room upstairs to entertain them.
As soon as he entered the room, Chu Yichen couldn't wait to ask, "Qianhuan, how did you come up with the idea of holding a poetry competition in the teahouse? I think your idea is really great. It will not only increase the popularity of Half Day Qinghuan Garden, but also attract many talented men and women in Beijing to come and spend money. In this way, your teahouse will never have to worry about lack of business in the future."
Qianhuan thought, isn't it because she knows that these talented men and women in the capital like to be in the limelight? But she couldn't tell the truth.
"Brother Lin'an, I just had a flash of inspiration these past two days and suddenly came up with this idea."
Chu Yichen said with some worry, "My restaurant in the capital will also open in a few days. I don't know if it can do as good business as your teahouse."
Qianhuan comforted him and said, "Brother Lin'an, don't worry. With the recipe I gave you and the soy sauce you brought with you, Zuixianju's business will definitely be good."
After hearing her comfort, Chu Yichen couldn't help but feel a little relieved.
"Qianhuan, who is the Qingyin master you found? My cousin once heard Miss Hongyu play the song "Human Fireworks" in Xunfang Pavilion in Qingxi County. My cousin said that the Qingyin master's playing technique today is exactly the same as that of Miss Hongyu. Could it be that the Qingyin master is Miss Hongyu?"
Qianhuan didn't expect that Du Shaoqing was so amazing. Just from the playing technique, he could tell that the person playing music in Xunfang Pavilion was the same person as Master Qingyin.
Qianhuan didn't know how to explain it for a moment. If she told a lie, she would have to use countless lies to cover it up.
Seeing that things could no longer be concealed, she thought it would be better to just tell the truth. It was tiring to keep hiding it from them all the time.
In the past, it was because we were in a small place like Qingxi County. If we fully demonstrated our strength, it would definitely arouse suspicion from outsiders.
Now that I have come to the capital, where there are so many talented people, there are talented men and women everywhere. Even if I say that I am the Master of Qingyin, it will probably not cause too much of a sensation.
As for the fact that she had gone to Xunfang Pavilion to make money, she didn't think there was anything shameful about it.
Many modern TV dramas always describe brothels as dirty places, but in fact, the real brothels in ancient times were not as dirty as imagined. There is a huge difference between brothels and brothels.
Most of the women in brothels were prostitutes who sold their art but not their bodies, and only a small number of them were prostitutes.
Many women in brothels are talented ladies who are proficient in music, chess, poetry and painting. Their talents are not even inferior to those of rich girls, and are even better than modern idols.
If an ordinary woman does not have any talent, even if she goes to a brothel, the madam will still look down on her.
Moreover, the men who could go to brothels were either high-ranking officials or literati. Li Bai, a famous poet in history, loved visiting brothels and reciting poems with the girls there.
As a modern person, she doesn't steal, rob or sell her body. She makes money with her talents and doesn't think there is anything shameful about it.
If they really want to look down on me because of this, then they should just stay away from her as soon as possible.
Qianhuan then confessed everything about how she had taken Hongyu's place in the Oiran competition and how she had danced and played music for Hongyu.
After Chu Yichen knew the truth, he suddenly realized, "So on the day of the Oiran competition, the person who performed the silk dance was actually you? The person who played "Human Fireworks" was also you?"
"Yeah." Qianhuan nodded.
"No wonder. No wonder I always felt that Hongyu's dancing skills had suddenly improved during that period. It turns out that it wasn't her dancing at all."
Chu Yichen looked at Qianhuan and said with some heartache, "Qianhuan, if you were so short of money at that time, why didn't you tell me?"
Qianhuan said, "Brother Lin'an, I am used to relying on myself and don't like to trouble others. Besides, we were not very familiar with each other at that time, so I couldn't rashly ask you to borrow money."
Chu Yichen was speechless for a moment when he heard this. Qianhuan was right, they were indeed not very familiar with each other at the beginning.
Du Shaoqing was excited when he learned that the person in front of him was Master Qingyin. He had always wanted to meet Master Qingyin. Now that he knew that she was Yichen and Lan'er's friend, he would have many opportunities to discuss music with her in the future.
Qianhuan added, "I went to the brothel to dance and earn money instead of Hongyu. You won't look down on me for this, will you?"
Chu Yichen quickly shook his head, "Qianhuan, how could I look down on you? You are so talented and versatile, I can't wait to admire you."
Chu Lan'er also said, "Yes, Qianhuan, I didn't expect that you can not only write stories, but also play the piano and dance. You really surprised us."
Chu Yichen looked at the person in front of him, and his possessiveness towards her grew stronger.
Such a beautiful woman, if you miss this opportunity, you will never get it again. Although Qianhuan has rejected him once, he still doesn't give up and wants to try to win her over again.