Su Xiaoqi had always been a person of steady disposition.
She would never agree to something if she wasn't confident in it.
Since she agreed, it meant she naturally had a way to achieve it.
"I still have some duck down here, all sorted and ready. It's perfect for making down jackets."
"Down jackets?" This question not only stunned Xu Shijie but also the usually confident Shen Yun.
"Come, no need to explain it with words, lest it becomes more confusing the more you hear. Guo'er, bring your new down jacket here."
Guo'er had placed it in the adjoining ear room. She went out and brought it back.
Su Xiaoqi took it and spread it out on the high table for the two to examine.
It was a dark blue short jacket.
It looked a bit thick, but there seemed to be nothing particularly special about it.
Su Xiaoqi took Shen Yun's hand and said, "Husband, touch it."
Shen Yun obediently reached out and touched it. The feeling was soft and gentle.
He looked at Su Xiaoqi with a hint of pleasant surprise.
"Here, husband, let me help you put it on." Su Xiaoqi personally helped Shen Yun change.
When he entered the room, he was wearing a heavy cloak, and beneath it, only a casual outfit.
After putting on the down jacket, he felt incredibly warm.
Soon, his face was flushed red, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
"It's that warm?" Xu Shijie, ignoring the public display of affection between the couple, stubbornly insisted on his duty.
Shen Yun smiled without a word, took off the jacket, and personally helped Xu Shijie put it on.
"Wow, what kind of clothing is this? It didn't feel like much when I touched it, but once I put it on, I felt warm all over. If I wear it any longer, I might start sweating."
Su Xiaoqi chuckled lightly, "This is a down jacket."
Xu Shijie praised it with utter delight, "This is excellent, excellent! It's light and warm to wear, most suitable for marching and fighting."
Shen Yun, however, was more concerned about how many Su Xiaoqi could make and whether the materials were easy to find.
Su Xiaoqi covered her mouth and smiled, "Actually, this matter has something to do with you, husband."
She told Shen Yun that the filling material inside was something he would never have imagined.
It was the Shaoxing ducks that had played a crucial role in eliminating the locusts when Shen Yun had taken them to Ganjin.
Once the ducks were grown and fat, they were slaughtered and sold for their meat.
Their feathers and down were used to make clothing.
It was light and warm to wear, exceptionally good.
What Su Xiaoqi didn't mention was that she had actually made one for Shen Yun at the beginning.
But when Eunuch Xiao Dengzi had come to deliver the imperial decree, she had given it away to try and glean information from him.
This time, she had Guo'er make another one for him.
It just so happened that Xu Shijie had this situation.
Then Su Xiaoqi witnessed Shen Yun, at Xu Shijie's subtle request, generously gifting that very down jacket away.
Alright, Su Xiaoqi thought, Shen Yun might not be able to wear a down jacket this year.
Fortunately, he had practiced martial arts and had a strong blood flow, so he didn't need to wear very thick clothing.
After inspecting the product, Xu Shijie finally felt relieved.
He had initially lacked confidence in Su Xiaoqi, but now that he saw she had exceeded his expectations, he felt completely at ease.
He decided to bring this matter up at tomorrow's court session to let those major parasites in the Ministry of War have a good scare.
Su Xiaoqi said that she didn't have any ready-made cotton clothes, but she would immediately arrange for people to make them.
Once they were done, she would have samples delivered to him for inspection.
She guaranteed his satisfaction.
"Satisfied, satisfied, of course I'm satisfied." Xu Shijie kept praising.
He had eaten, drunk, and even packed leftovers; how could he not be satisfied?
However, he wasn't taking them for free.
He wanted to discuss the price with Su Xiaoqi. Su Xiaoqi replied that the prices would be discussed once the samples were ready, and a supply contract would be signed.
The matter was thus settled.
Shen Yun saw Xu Shijie off.
Su Xiaoqi immediately summoned He Qiulei.
She always entrusted these miscellaneous matters to him.
When He Qiulei heard that she had quietly accepted a large order for thirty thousand winter clothes from the Ministry of Revenue, he almost lost his footing.
Su Xiaoqi preemptively explained the materials she had already inventoried and assigned tasks.
He just needed to arrange for personnel to carry them out.
"Oh, what a coincidence! I just met someone yesterday who does business in fabric and ready-made clothes, and you've given me an order."
Su Xiaoqi raised an eyebrow, "Oh, who?"
He Qiulei said, "The head of the Yun family in Mianzhou City, Yun Nishang. Have you heard of her?"
Su Xiaoqi smiled upon hearing the name, couldn't help but remark, "Yun Nishang, not only have I met her, I know her very well."
When she was in Mianzhou City, Yun Nishang was among the guests invited to the birthday party hosted by her godmother, Madam Rong.
At the time, seeing her as a woman managing a business and doing trade, Su Xiaoqi thought she was quite capable. They chatted and found they had much in common, so with the intention of fostering good relations, she befriended her.
Later, they also had some business dealings.
However, their contact gradually lessened after she moved to the capital.
Unexpectedly, she had also come to the capital and found He Qiulei.
He Qiulei scratched his head sheepishly and said,
"Actually, actually, well, that person is someone my family found for me... my future wife.
She hasn't married into the family yet, but she's come to the capital to meet with me first."
Yun Nishang and He Qiulei, both are shrewd business people, they are a perfect match.
Su Xiaoqi teased, "I think you two are quite good together. Why not skip the courtship?
Just get married directly, become one family, and then you can do this business better."
He Qiulei became flustered and quickly said,
"Shh, shh, don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense. The business is important. No matter what, we should complete this large order first."
Su Xiaoqi said sternly, "Twenty thousand cotton clothes, ten thousand down jackets. How long will you need?"
He Qiulei quickly took out his abacus and began calculating.
"On average, an embroiderer can sew four garments a day. I have found five hundred embroiderers in total. For these thirty thousand pieces, it would take at least a hundred days."
Su Xiaoqi shook her head, "No, they must be delivered within ten days. The soldiers in the northern frontier are waiting for winter clothes."
"That's not possible. I can find more embroiderers, and Nishang can also contact people from Baoding Prefecture, Tongzhou, and Bazhou. The number can reach two thousand, but even then, it would take a month."
"These clothes are different from the usual custom-tailored ones.
They are purely outerwear. I will cut them according to the standards I give: small, medium, large, extra-large, double extra-large, triple extra-large.
Cut them all a bit larger, and there's no need for embroidery.
I've seen Guo'er work, and she's also helped me. For that kind of work, she can cut twenty pieces a day by herself."
Su Xiaoqi paused, took a sip of tea, and said,
"Let's say they average fifteen pieces. You find two thousand embroiderers.
If you have them process them overnight and push hard, it probably won't take ten days."
He Qiulei's mouth gaped open, and he looked at Su Xiaoqi with disbelief, "Uh, if you put it that way, it might be feasible."
He couldn't understand why she was so amazing. It seemed like she knew everything and no difficulty could stump her; she was omnipotent.
Su Xiaoqi frowned, looking at He Qiulei staring at her without even blinking, and threatened him fiercely,
"Hey, if you keep looking at me like that, be careful. My husband might come and dig your eyes out to use as a lamp."
He Qiulei closed his eyes instantly and mumbled, "I dare not, I dare not."
He Qiulei muttered as he backed away, and accidentally bumped into Shen Yun, who was just coming in from outside.
Shen Yun's face was grim, as if he had overheard Su Xiaoqi's words. His heart pounded wildly.
He was genuinely startled.
Especially when Shen Yun's sharp eyes fixed on his, causing him to stumble and nearly fall down the steps.
It was Su Xiaoqi who saved him, "Husband, don't scare him."
Only then did Shen Yun move aside, quicken his pace, and approach Su Xiaoqi, saying with a serious expression, "Wife, something has happened in the backyard."