Chapter 29: Soap is Truly Profitable

The next morning, Jiang Yi went to discuss the land purchase with Zhao Shengkui. The Zhao family had also reached out the previous day, intending to buy the land currently held by Zhao Shengkui. Zhao Shengkui had shared his intention to sell the land to Jiang Yi with Zhao Tuo, seeking his and the Zhao family's input. The Zhao family, hoping to build a favorable connection with Jiang Yi in anticipation of future assistance, instructed Zhao Shengkui to sell the twenty acres of low-grade farmland to Jiang Yi at a price of five guan per acre. Even at this price, it was a profitable deal for Zhao Shengkui, as the land yielded little grain and he was happy to offload it at a premium.

Jiang Yi successfully purchased the twenty acres and accompanied Zhao Shengkui to the Hanyang Prefectural Office to complete the transfer. Upon returning home, he found Zhao Tuo waiting in the main hall. Shen Rong, who had been waiting outside the picket fence for her husband, looked visibly nervous. "You're back, husband. Steward Zhao has been waiting for you in the hall for some time."

Jiang Yi entered and saw Zhao Tuo holding a bar of soap. "Steward Zhao, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Zhao Tuo stood up with a smile. "I heard your household has been making soap. Word has reached me that many wealthy families in the city are looking to purchase it in bulk, so I have come to buy some." Zhao Tuo was clearly impressed with the soap in his hand; it was vastly superior to the soap produced by the Li family.

"I only have one hundred bars ready for immediate use. The rest will take anywhere from ten days to a month, as they are produced in batches," Jiang Yi explained. He had intended to take the first batch to the Qian Silk Shop in a couple of days to sell through Qian Muyun. Earlier that day, while at the prefectural office, he had stopped by the shop, where Qian Muyun had reported that the samples given to customers had received rave reviews. She had urged him to bring more stock to the shop as soon as possible, noting that the wealthy families in the city were not concerned with price—they only wanted the best quality.

"I have already promised the proprietor of the Qian Silk Shop that the first batch would be sold through her," Jiang Yi said.

"If you have any stock that hasn't been ordered yet, the Zhao family will take it all at the finished product price," Zhao Tuo replied.

"If you wish to buy, I will sell, but be aware that they cannot be used immediately upon purchase. Each batch is marked with a production date and a recommended 'best used by' date." Jiang Yi was eager to sell the existing inventory to clear space for the next production run. He mused to himself that his refinements had significantly shortened the saponification process, keeping costs low while maximizing profit. In his youth, before crossing over to this world, he had read many transmigration novels where the protagonists' first move was always to manufacture soap—the materials were easily accessible, the costs were low, and the production cycle was manageable.

"Based on the price of Li family soap, which is thirty wen, I can offer you a discount at twenty-five wen per bar," Jiang Yi offered.

"Your soap is much higher quality than the Li family's, yet you sell it so cheaply," Zhao Tuo remarked.

"That is only because the Zhao family is buying in bulk; a discount is only natural." Jiang Yi calculated that with a production cost of only ten wen per bar, he was still clearing a profit of fifteen wen on each. He asked Shen Rong to fetch paper bags, pen, and ink. After packing the soap, he labeled each bag with the production and expiration dates.

"These were made only a few days ago. They should be left to set for a few more days before use. You can use them now, of course, but the effect might not be optimal," Jiang Yi cautioned. Once the five hundred bars were packed, he carried them to the carriage and placed them in a wooden crate. "Steward Zhao, there are ten bars in each sealed bag. Please travel slowly on the way back so they aren't damaged."

"The total for five hundred bars is twelve guan and five hundred wen," Jiang Yi stated. Zhao Tuo paid with ten taels of silver and the remainder in copper coins. "I hope you will work hard to produce more. I will return to purchase more in a while."

"For the time being, it is just my wife and me producing the soap, so the quantity will be limited," Jiang Yi noted. He had recently hired stonemasons from various counties in Hanzhou to build a workshop on the land he had just purchased from Zhao Shengkui. Once the facility was complete, he planned to hire workers to divide the tasks of soap and perfume production. He also intended to introduce new products gradually to gauge market feedback.

"You should hire some hands so you won't have to work so hard," Zhao Tuo suggested, hoping to ensure a steady, long-term supply of these high-quality goods.

"We have exactly that in mind," Jiang Yi replied. Until the workshop was operational, they would have to endure the labor. He planned to buy more animal and vegetable fats in the coming days so he wouldn't have to spend as much time hunting in the mountains.

After Zhao Tuo departed, Jiang Yi felt satisfied with the transaction. "We've made over ten taels. It seems the sales are quite good. If we can scale up, earning a fortune will be no problem." The profit from these five hundred bars was equivalent to three or four months of wages for an average laborer.

"We have made money, but the Li family's soap sales will surely drop, and they will use all sorts of means to suppress us," Shen Rong observed. She was acutely aware of the brutal nature of business competition; the Li family had powerful backers, while they were currently powerless. "They may try to force us to sell our formula cheap, or find ways to ensure our soap cannot be sold at all."

Her concerns were well-founded, as there were no antitrust laws in this era. However, Jiang Yi had no intention of selling his formula or bowing to pressure. "I am waiting for them to show their hand. When they do, they will only end up shooting themselves in the foot." Though his business experience was limited, he was a quick learner.

He spent the rest of the day working on more soap. He knew he had to keep someone at home to prevent theft or sabotage. By evening, they had poured the fresh mixture into all the molds. "I'm exhausted; my back is aching," Jiang Yi sighed, looking at the filled molds. He felt a deep sense of accomplishment—in a few days, these would be ready for sale.

Shen Rong wiped his sweat with a clean handkerchief, a sweet smile on her face. "Once the workshop is built and we hire workers, we will only need to oversee the operations."

Jiang Yi knew he would eventually face trouble from major factions. To resist them, he needed power and personnel. He knew the Wang family would likely come for his land soon, and refusing them would mean offending them, just as offending the Hanyang Li family was inevitable. He would not compromise. By partnering with the Zhao family, he gained a measure of protection, as their mutual interests would make it difficult for the Zhao family to stand idly by.

"Alas, I don't have enough money yet to recruit guards," he thought. With Hanyang City and even the entire Hanzhou region on the brink of chaos, he needed to earn enough money quickly to train his own armed force. Self-preservation was his most urgent goal.