Jiang Yan selected some soap pods, and together with Jiang Wan, they broke them into pieces to add to the soapberries.
Jiang Yan then added certain amounts of angelica, fleeceflower root, and tea tree.
Then she poured in the rice water that had been soaking overnight.
Because Jiang Yan had planned to do this today, she prepared everything the night before.
After the rice water covered the soapberries and other ingredients.
Jiang Yan discarded the rest and had a maid start the fire.
“First, use a high flame, then switch to a low simmer for an hour and a half once it boils.”
After giving these instructions.
Jiang Yan took Jiang Wan to cut fabric. When the mixture was nearly done, she scooped it out and filtered it through the cloth they had prepared.
After filtering it twice.
Jiang Yan bottled it in glass containers.
Jiang Wan, examining it, asked, “Sister, is the shampoo ready now?”
“Yes.”
Jiang Yan had water heated to personally test the effect.
The shampoo produced a lot of foam, smelled good, and left the hair silky smooth. Jiang Wan wanted to try it too, “Sister, I want to try it as well.”
Jiang Yan, wiping her hair, said, “Silly girl, if you want to try, just try. Why do you need to ask me?”
Jiang Wan rushed to fetch water.
The maids, of course, wouldn’t let her carry it.
They brought the water to her.
Jiang Wan, using shampoo for the first time, was ecstatic even before she finished washing, “Sister, this shampoo is amazing. If I wash my hair like this often, it will be so smooth.”
In the late afternoon.
Jiang Ling came back and also washed her hair.
After washing.
Jiang Ling’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Jiang Yan, “Sister, when are you going to start selling these? Hurry up, I’ll help you sell them.”
“You little money-grubber.”
Jiang Yan could tell what her sister was thinking just by looking at her.
Jiang Ling chuckled.
After making the toothpaste.
They liked it just as much, and they brushed their teeth morning and night.
Jun Shen increasingly felt that he had married a treasure of a wife; there seemed to be nothing she couldn’t do.
Regarding Jiang Yan’s workshop.
Jun Shen was supportive but didn’t want her to work too hard, so he suggested hiring more help.
Jiang Yan wanted to expand the business, so she followed Jun Shen’s advice and began recruiting from nearby villages.
Upon learning that her workshop hired both men and women, paid sixty coins a day, offered a full attendance bonus of a hundred coins a month, and provided gifts during holidays.
Many were interested.
For a time, people came in droves to apply at their workshop.
Jiang Yan hired forty people to make Lao Gan Ma, twenty-one to make chopped chili sauce, forty to make toothpaste, and fifty to make shampoo.
Because there were many people.
Jiang Yan and her team spent several days teaching everyone.
With the workshop established.
Jiang Wan no longer spent all day at home learning music and the like; she studied in the morning and helped at the workshop with Jiang Yan in the afternoon.
Jiang Ling was busy enough running a small restaurant, let alone selling all these products. Jiang Yan only gave her some to sell.
The rest she sold in her shop.
Soon.
Shampoo and other products became a hit in the capital.
When the palace learned that the shop belonged to Jiang Yan, they sought out Jun Shen to order shampoo and toothpaste.
Jiang Yan had anticipated this day, so she priced her shampoo and toothpaste at various levels: the basic packaging at one tael of silver per jar, better packaging at five taels per jar, and the best, in custom-made glass jars, at ten taels per jar.
The ten-tael jars were made with specially designed glass containers.
Just the jars alone were worth five taels of silver. In less than a few months, Jiang Yan made quite a bit of money. Naturally, this attracted the envy of many. The position of the Admiral of the Nine Gates was quite high, but his family wasn’t very wealthy, so he set his sights on Jiang Wan and Jiang Ling. He decided to have his youngest son pursue one of them. The youngest son of the Admiral of the Nine Gates was named Yuan Xu, sixteen years old, and a young guard at the city gate. Compared to the reserved Jiang Wan, Yuan Xu naturally preferred the more outgoing Jiang Ling and decided to pursue her as his wife.
Thus, the following events unfolded. Yuan Xu would occasionally visit the shop where Jiang Ling worked, always complimenting her on his visits. Gradually, he became familiar with Jiang Ling. Jun Xian had also found employment, not as a soldier but as a junior officer guarding the city gates. That day, Jun Xian saw Jiang Ling approaching with a food box, assuming she was coming for him, but before he could speak, he saw her walk towards a soldier and hand over the food box. Jiang Ling took the money and left. Was her eyesight so bad? She didn’t even see him! Jun Xian stood up abruptly, about to chase after Jiang Ling to talk, when a soldier’s voice came from the side, “Yuan Xu, who is this girl? She’s really pretty.” “Who is she? Of course, she’s my sweetheart.” Yuan Xu replied with a chuckle. Jun Xian clenched his fists. Wanting to punch him, but then he suddenly thought about what he was doing. He sat back down. The soldier who had just spoken then said, “She brings you food and still takes your money, how could she be your sweetheart? You’re just fooling us!” “Yeah, yeah…” Others chimed in. Yuan Xu glanced at them and said, “What do you know? She takes money, yes, but she always brings me plenty of good food.”
Could Jiang Ling really have taken a liking to him? Jun Xian felt an indescribable discomfort, he stood up and approached, “What are you all doing! Gathering to chat? Is this your break time?” Everyone fell silent instantly, returning to their posts. Yuan Xu wasn’t afraid of Jun Xian at all; he started eating from the food box. “Is this the time to eat!” Jun Xian glared at him. Yuan Xu looked up at the sky and said, “Jun Xian, haven’t you had enough of your authority? Your father might be a prince, but my father isn’t insignificant either. Stop yelling at me!” He was quite something. Jun Xian said sternly, “Take him away and give him a beating!” “You dare!” Yuan Xu roared. Jun Xian raised an eyebrow, “Why wouldn’t I dare? You’re eating while on duty, chatting away, and I’m punishing you for it. If you’re not happy, have your father come to me!” “You…” Yuan Xu didn’t even get to eat much before he was dragged away and received twenty lashes. Though his body was tough, and the injuries weren’t severe, he was still seething with hatred. Jun Xian ignored Yuan Xu and headed straight to Jiang Ling’s restaurant at the shift change, ordering a heap of food. When Jiang Ling came out from the kitchen with the dishes, Jun Xian spoke, “Jiang Ling, come here for a moment!”
