Chapter 564 – Hefty Slaughter in the Northern Border (1)
If you were to ask what has been the hottest trend in the Northern Border this past year, it would undoubtedly be the attention-grabbing “Heavenly Palace Glass.”
What exactly is “Heavenly Palace Glass,” you ask?
Simply put, it’s glass—opaque with a bit of colorful shimmer.
Thanks to Gu Xin’s grand tales, this glass was said to be a celestial treasure that fell when the golden phoenix landed, making every piece a stunning work of art. Thus, it earned a lofty title—”Heavenly Palace Glass,” implying it’s a rare gem from the heavens.
The first lady to purchase Heavenly Palace Glass jewelry became the center of attention in the high-society circles of the Northern Border.
Wherever she went, everyone’s gaze followed her, entranced by her dragon-and-phoenix hairpin. Naturally, she became the envy of many ladies, who relentlessly sent their servants to inquire at Ju Bao Zhai, desperate for identical or even better glass hairpins.
The hairpin itself was crystal clear, with a dragon and phoenix intertwined—each scale and feather exquisitely detailed, the phoenix poised to fly and the bold dragon soaring high. Both the dragon and phoenix held delicate tassels of transparent beads in their mouths, sparkling under the light.
Women can hardly resist such beautiful, shiny things, and yet Ju Bao Zhai took its sweet time releasing more. Faced with so many envious, jealous gazes, that lady reveled in the attention. Thanks to her unsolicited promotion, Heavenly Palace Glass swiftly became the craze among the Northern Border’s noblewomen.
As a businessman, Gu Xin skillfully raised everyone’s hopes before seizing the chance to unveil a new line of glass products.
The glass teapots sold quite well, but the real hot cakes were the jewelry, each fetching an exorbitant price.
Over the past year, Ju Bao Zhai has sold hundreds of pieces, the profits making others green with envy.
Northern Border merchants wanted a slice of this lucrative pie, but with no connections, they could only watch Gu Xin rake in the cash.
At this point, glass had become a mark of nobility in the Northern Border; if a household didn’t possess at least one complete set, they looked less than impressive. Any lady without one or two pieces of glass jewelry felt unworthy to step outside or host banquets.
Among them, the most extravagant lady was Wu Libai’s wife, whose family operated a trading business, and her husband was the “Wise One” favored by the Northern Border Royal Court. Whenever Ju Bao Zhai received new items, she was always the first to know, bringing in a significant amount of business.
No other noblewoman in the Northern Border could match her collection of multiple sets of glass jewelry; every time she attended a banquet, she stole the spotlight.
Talk about extravagance!
As the saying goes, “When the top goes high, the bottom follows suit.” This held true not just in Dongqing but also in the Northern Border.
Wu Libai’s wife held a high status in the noble circles, and they revered these “Heavenly Palace Glass” pieces. Naturally, lesser noblewomen were green with envy, yet their family fortunes paled in comparison. By the time they got wind of Ju Bao Zhai’s new stock, everything was already snatched up.
Things that even wealth couldn’t buy only highlighted one’s noble status.
To cater to the demands of these noblewomen, Gu Xin reluctantly agreed to help search, just to quiet them down.
Waiting and waiting—oh, the anticipation—at long last, Ju Bao Zhai had news.
This time it was the biggest haul ever: a whole twenty sets of relatively intact “Heavenly Palace Glass” pieces.
This news sent ripples through the circles of Northern Border noblewomen, with carriages and servants flooding the front of Ju Bao Zhai.
Wu Libai’s wife spearheaded the charge, boldly spending sixty-seven thousand strings of coins to snatch up the two most extravagant and beautiful sets.
Other ladies schemed to compete but weighed their own family fortunes against hers, realizing they couldn’t compare to her family’s business.
Thus, they had no choice but to settle for other jewelry.
Ju Bao Zhai had the foresight to send a set as a tribute to the Northern Border Royal Court’s harem for the most esteemed lady.
That Empress was quite the character. After receiving it, she dressed to the nines and hosted a banquet to showcase her shimmering glory.
For a moment, both high and low, Northern Border aristocrats regarded “Heavenly Palace Glass” as the pinnacle of prestige.
The only downside? This stuff is fragile—a bit too delicate for its own good.
But then again, even fine jade breaks when dropped, so it figures that “Heavenly Palace Glass” being heavenly jade also means breakage can happen.
With this trend, various merchants have become extremely greedy, wishing they could take Ju Bao Zhai’s place.
The black market in the Northern Border for “Heavenly Palace Glass” erupted, marked at prices that were literally in the skies.
For a single deal, profits often soared into the millions—who wouldn’t be tempted?
Before long, their chance arrived.
They attempted to bribe Ju Bao Zhai’s young servant and steward with money and enticing offers. After nearly a year of subtle coercion, the young servant finally cracked.
“What—” a certain Northern Border merchant guild leader trembled, nearly spilling his drink as he exclaimed, “Did you say the Heavenly Palace Glass unearthed from Meijun isn’t over 200 pieces, but… over 2,000? Most of it’s in that old fox Gu Xin’s hands?”
The ‘turned’ Ju Bao Zhai steward nodded, a scowl of resentment etched on his face.
“Gu Xin’s made a killing, the greedy man only fills his own pockets while forgetting old friends! If it weren’t for your kindness, I might’ve faced ruin—” the steward sighed, his face filled with sorrow.
The merchant guild leader chuckled slyly; had it not been for his scheme to ruin the steward’s family, forcing them into heavy debt, it’s unlikely he would have hooked such unbelievable news… that Gu Xin is indeed a sly old fox.
Feigning surprise, the guild leader asked, “If there’s that much stock, why has he kept saying there isn’t any?”
The Ju Bao Zhai steward bitterly countered, “You’re in business too, how can you not know the value of rarity? The less there is, the more others want it, and the higher the price they’ll pay. If he just laid everything out, he wouldn’t sell at such a good price. This trick? Gu Xin has used it to death, yet so many still rush to throw money at him, sigh—”
The steward lamented. The merchant guild leader twirled his beard and chuckled, “In trade, I have to say I admire Gu Xin. An entrepreneur from Dongqing, establishing a firm footing in the Northern Border all these years—is indeed a model for his peers.”
Competition breeds jealousy. Watching Gu Xin rake in profits, who wouldn’t covet?
The guild leader pondered; had he possessed that much “Heavenly Palace Glass,” he would’ve quickly offloaded it—he certainly wouldn’t have the patience Gu Xin has in letting its value peak. True, Gu Xin sold little, but he’s definitely making a ton.
Yet, what a pity. While Gu Xin excels in business, his ability to manage subordinates is equally questionable.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
In this world, there’s no wall that can’t be cracked—only a hoe not swung hard enough.
