Finest Servant

Chapter 99 An Exotic Idea

By the time they had returned to the mansion, it was already afternoon. After a hasty lunch, Eldest Miss Xiao reported to Madam Xiao, and the two of them waited for Lin San in the guest room. Given the imminent peril faced by the Xiao family, they dared not waste a moment.

"Lin San, what do these unique clothes you mentioned look like?" Xiao Yuruo asked urgently.

Lin Wanrong gave a cryptic smile and said, "Miss, Madam, I should warn you in advance that no matter what you see, don't be too surprised. What we're discussing here is merely business. If you both agree to this, then I can disclose it."

Xiao Yuruo glanced at her mother and said, "We understand that. As it's about business, no matter what it is, I can accept it."

"Very well," Lin Wanrong replied with a slight smile. "Miss, you've been in business for a while now. In the garment industry, whose money is easiest to earn?"

After contemplating a moment, Xiao Yuruo said, "If we're talking about price, men's clothing is the most expensive. But women change their clothes more frequently, yielding higher profits than men's clothing."

Lin Wanrong nodded, thinking to himself that Eldest Miss indeed had done her research. "Miss, you're absolutely right. In fact, the easiest money to make in this world comes from women and children. It's obvious for children. As for women, they are naturally fond of beauty. Cosmetics and fancy clothes are essential to them. Hence, we might as well start with women. Moreover, our Xiao family has an advantage over others: from Madam to Eldest Miss, all are women running the cloth business. Doing business with women is more convenient for us than for others."

Madam Xiao looked at Lin Wanrong with a smile, thinking to herself that this servant was not only eloquent but also made some good points. Yushuang had indeed chosen a talented person.

Xiao Yuruo nodded, "What you said makes sense, but how can we produce clothes that no one has seen before?"

Lin Wanrong gave a mysterious smile, pulling out a piece of paper from his bosom. He handed it to Xiao Yuruo, saying, "Miss and Madam, please take a look, but be sure not to be too surprised."

As Xiao Yuruo took the paper and looked at it, she saw a long dress drawn on it for women, diagonally buttoned at the front, and hanging all the way down to the ankles. What was peculiar was the long slit on the left leg side, going all the way to the edge. Both women were experts in this field and were instantly captivated by the concept. The dress was simple and elegant, and more importantly, it excellently accentuated a woman's figure and posture. It was truly something they had never seen before.

Seeing the astonished expressions on both women's faces, Lin Wanrong smiled and said, "This dress is called a cheongsam. Its greatest advantage is that it fits the body shape of our Great Hua women perfectly, accentuating their soft and charming figures. In my hometown, the cheongsam is referred to as the king of women's attire. Both Madam and Eldest Miss are experts, so what do you think of this design?"

The women here typically wore loose and baggy clothing. The idea of a form-fitting dress like the cheongsam was unheard of, unseen, and truly astonishing. Every woman is fond of beauty, and this cheongsam could highlight a woman's figure and temperament. The Eldest Miss only had to take one look to see that it was a unique and bold design.

With a flushed face, Xiao Yuruo bit her lip and said, "Lin San, this dress is quite form-fitting. Isn't it a bit too bold? If we make this, who would dare to wear it?"

Lin Wanrong shook his head and said, "Miss, Madam, what do you think of this dress?"

Madam Xiao nodded and said, "It indeed has a strong appeal, but as Yuruo said, it's a bit too bold. It would be very eye-catching on the street, and I worry others might have difficulty accepting it."

Lin Wanrong replied earnestly, "If both the Miss and Madam think it's good, then it truly is. As for whether it can be accepted, that's just a process. Beautiful things are never rejected by anyone. Besides, the cheongsam isn't meant for everyday wear. Its initial target should be women with certain economic means. It could be worn at banquets or at home. Once a portion of people accept it, and others see its beauty, they will gradually accept it too."

A trace of excitement flashed across Xiao Yuruo's face. Clearly, Lin Wanrong's words had struck a chord with her. Madam Xiao, however, was more cautious. She took another look at the cheongsam drawing and said, "But, the slit on this dress... isn't it a bit too high?"

The drawing Lin Wanrong presented was a simplified version of the cheongsam he remembered. He knew that expecting women in this world to wear a high-slit cheongsam, revealing so much of their legs, was nothing short of daydreaming. He said, "Madam, Miss, you are the experts here. How do you think we should modify it to make it more acceptable? This is just a preliminary template, you can change it according to your preference. But one thing must be kept in mind, the material of the cheongsam should be soft and comfortable, it should feel high-end and reflect status."

Xiao Yuruo, being intelligent, nodded and said, "Of course. The cheongsam is not something that common people can afford initially, so the material must be good. Once everyone accepts it, we can change to different fabrics, and make different grades to meet the needs of different women."

Lin Wanrong nodded. The Eldest Miss, being a businesswoman, was good at deducing things.

Madam Xiao and the Eldest Miss glanced at each other, their eyes filled with excitement. Just as Lin Wanrong had said, this idea was novel, bold, and challenging. Once successful, it would not only create a new type of clothing but also enhance the reputation of the Xiao family. With the insight of the young lady and Madam Xiao, they certainly knew how to improve the cheongsam. However, thinking of one issue, Xiao Yuruo began to frown, "Lin San, the cheongsam is indeed good, but once it's accepted by the public, it's highly likely to be copied. How do we solve this problem?"

The young lady indeed had a good point. Lin Wanrong nodded approvingly. Such a mindset of preventing piracy was rare in these times. He looked at the Eldest Miss approvingly and asked, "I've thought carefully about this issue. May I ask, how many shops does the Xiao family own?"

Xiao Yuruo proudly replied, "Our Xiao family has been in business for many years. We have countless shops, from the south to the north, covering a dozen provinces across the country, each with Xiao family shops. This is something the Tao and He families can't match."

"That makes things easier," Lin Wanrong smiled. "After making the cheongsam, we will promote it among the ladies and misses in each city. Meanwhile, we will embroider a unified mark of the Xiao family on all cheongsams, explaining that this cheongsam is a unique creation of the Xiao family. A unique code will be embroidered on each garment and registered. If it can be checked against the certificate, then any others are counterfeits. This way, the reputation of the Xiao family's cheongsam will be established. Even if there are imitators, as long as the code is incorrect, it's a counterfeit and should be reported."

Lin Wanrong knew that this method would not completely prevent piracy. However, with such a big market, the Xiao family was the creator. Once they started, they dominated the vast majority of the market, their reputation preceding them. Even if there were imitators, they wouldn't dare to claim they were imitating the Xiao family, not even Tao Dongcheng would dare to commit such an outrageous act. At most, they could quietly make some small profits, seizing a minor share, and would still have to consider the Xiao family's feelings.

After discussing it for a while, Xiao Yuruo and Madam Xiao felt that this was feasible. They could not only break away from the limitations of selling cloth but also produce and sell their own finished products, no longer needing to act according to others' moods. As Lin Wanrong put it, they were transformed from the party B into the party A. From a cloth supplier, they became a cloth purchaser, finally becoming their own boss.

However, just this cheongsam business was far from enough for the large stall that was the Xiao family. They needed to think of more ideas. Lin Wanrong took out another piece of paper from his bosom and handed it to Xiao Yuruo, saying, "Miss, please have a look."

Xiao Yuruo took a look and immediately threw the paper away, her small face turning bright red as she angrily said, "Lin San, what are you doing?"

Madam Xiao took the paper and saw two items drawn on it. The top one was a triangular pair of small pants with some hollow patterns in the middle. The bottom one was a rather strange item, a long strap with two round pieces of cloth attached, seemingly meant for women's chests.

Madam Xiao's fair face also flushed, but she was a woman of the world. Although she felt embarrassed, judging from Lin San's previous performance, he must have had another purpose.

Lin Wanrong took back the paper and said seriously, "Let's talk business. Eldest Miss, don't underestimate the items on this paper. The top one is called panty, and the bottom one is called a bra. They are both items used by women."

The Eldest Miss' face turned red as she muttered, "You rascal, where did you learn about these things? They're so embarrassing." In this era, women wore conservative underclothes. They had never seen anything so revealing or straightforward.

Lin Wanrong shook his head and said, "Miss, we're conducting business and discussing products, not being disrespectful. From the perspectives of ready-to-wear and comfort, do you think these two items are feasible?"

Madam Xiao's face turned red, but her experiences far surpassed those of Xiao Yuruo. Moreover, they were discussing business, so after a moment of shyness, she calmed down and asked Lin Wanrong, "Lin San, are you suggesting that we make clothes according to these designs?"

"Correct." Lin Wanrong replied earnestly, "Based on my experiences in my hometown, these two items are more comfortable and fitting for women. Besides, they are worn inside, similar to underclothes, so where's the embarrassment? Moreover, this has a significant advantage for our Xiao family. These are personal items for women. Even if the Tao and He families wanted to imitate them, the misses and ladies wouldn't accept their products. But in our Xiao family, both Madam and Eldest Miss are females, so it's naturally easier for us to discuss intimate matters. Only our Xiao family could manufacture these items, and once we succeed, the profits will be substantial."

Xiao Yuruo blushed for a while, gradually understanding. She held back her embarrassment and asked, "But, are these items really more comfortable than, than those?" As an unmarried young girl, she couldn't bring herself to utter the word "underclothes".

Lin Wanrong nodded, "Based on my experiences in my hometown, these two items are absolutely more comfortable than so-called underclothes. Though the materials required for these panties and bras are minimal, the comfort and softness of the fabric are crucial. The reasons for this are clear."

Xiao Yuruo bit her lip and said, "But would people be willing to wear these?"

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Whether people would be willing to wear them or not, Miss, you could try them and see."

"You, you rascal!" Xiao Yuruo's face turned red with anger.

"Miss," Lin Wanrong said seriously, "I am discussing serious matters with you, not taking advantage of you. If you hadn't begged me, I wouldn't bother with these matters."

Madam Xiao sighed, "Lin San, you can't blame Yuruo. These things are indeed too shocking."

Lin Wanrong declared, "Good things always shock the world when they first appear. These two items only feel this way because Miss and Madam are encountering them for the first time. In fact, not only you two but any other women would feel a bit frightened when first introduced to these items. However, just like underclothes, these are worn inside. After a few encounters and realizing the comfort they bring, everyone will gradually accept them."

Xiao Yuruo calmed down and began to ponder. These panties and bras, though they seemed indecent, were essential items for women. As Lin San had said, they were incredibly suitable for the Xiao family's business, and other families wouldn't be able to replicate them. If they were as comfortable as he claimed, there would undoubtedly be a market for them when promoted. After a while, she asked, more seriously than ever before, "Lin San, are you certain about this?"

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "My words alone won't be enough. You and Madam can thoroughly study these three items, including the cheongsam. It's best to hurry and produce some samples, and personally experience them. Then you will understand that my words are not empty promises."

Both Madam Xiao and the Eldest Miss felt a flush creeping onto their faces. They thought to themselves, ‘This servant speaks confidently about women's items, where does he get all these strange ideas from?’

Seeing the expressions on their faces, Lin Wanrong knew what they were thinking. He grinned and added, "Of course, Miss, you must carefully develop these two items. During the promotion period, use the best materials, and the price must be high, because initially, we will be targeting wealthy misses and ladies. They have money but may have doubts about these new items. If the price is too low, it may not pique their curiosity. As long as the product is good, they will willingly spend their money. Once everyone gradually accepts them, we can produce cheaper ones, create different grades, and distribute them to different people."

Xiao Yuruo was somewhat persuaded. Though discussing these women's items was a bit indecent, they were perfectly suitable for the Xiao family's business. After all, the status of those in commerce wasn't high, and they were women's families.

Seeing them deep in thought, Lin Wanrong thought to himself that since he had already said so much, he might as well give them a complete surprise. He flipped the paper over and said to Madam Xiao, "Madam, take a look at this."

Madam Xiao glanced at it and saw that it was somewhat similar to the panties she had seen earlier, but it was even simpler. There was just a simple string with a narrow piece of cloth in the middle, looking like a tiny "T". She asked curiously, "What is this?"