Li Yanqing decided to give up mosquito coils, on the one hand because of cost and sales considerations, and on the other hand, he accidentally discovered a broader market, that is, cosmetics.

Taking perfume as an example, the best perfume on the Song Dynasty market is Rose Water, which is a perfume imported from Dashi. It is very expensive. A bottle of pinky finger costs five stagnant, which makes countless ordinary women sigh.

Li Yanqing also bought a bottle of rose water afterwards. He soon discovered the secret of Dashi Perfume. Dashi Perfume was extracted by distillation, while the perfume in the Song Dynasty was made by infiltration, which was much worse in aroma and lasting. It was not until the Southern Song Dynasty that merchants gradually mastered the perfume distillation technology and created perfume that was no less than Dashi Rose Water.

Moreover, rose water has typical Western perfume characteristics, strong smell, and lacks the subtle fragrance that Orientals like. It is only because the perfume of the Song Dynasty was too durable that everyone had to choose expensive rose water, so that the big food merchants could make a fortune.

On the day Li Daqi returned, the Yuegong Rouge Shop cleared the money and the shop was officially delivered. The original client had been dismissed, leaving a room of inventory and a half acre of shops. Wan Dongzhu also took his wife back to his hometown to retire.

At the request of Li Yanqing, Li Dongdong bought a batch of cosmetics from the most famous Zhanggu Rouge Shop and the dyed Wang Family Rouge Shop in Bianjing. There are dozens of them, and there are more than ten kinds of rouge of various fragrances alone.

Li Yanqing put a table in the patio of the Rouge Shop in Xinqiao, and placed a table full of various powders and perfumes he bought and his own inventory.

Li Yanqing smiled at his father Li Daqi and Li Dongdong and said, "If you don't have a comparison, you won't know your own gap. Let's see what's wrong with us? Then learn from others' strengths, then show your own unique skills, and I believe you will be able to catch up soon."

Li Daqi picked up a bottle of ancient rouge and compared it with the Yuegong rouge bottle, he couldn't help but sigh softly, "The bottle is different. Look at the porcelain bottles of other people, which are crystal clear, with fine and bright glaze, like ice and jade. At first glance, they are good bottles fired from the kiln. This porcelain bottle alone is of great value. Although ours is also a porcelain bottle, the texture is far inferior."

Li Dongdong added next to him: "I heard that Zhang Gu Lao is most famous for his own configuration of rouge, with more than 20 kinds of goods. He has been open for more than 100 years. His reputation has been passed down from generation to generation and has been accumulated for a hundred years. I am afraid it will not be easy to think about it."

"Where is the Wang family shop?" Li Yanqing asked again.

"The Wang Family Rouge Shop has not been long, and it seems to be only two or three years. I heard that there were people in the palace who bought their rouge in the palace, and their reputation spread. In fact, the rouge in the Wang Family Rouge Shop is very ordinary, no different from ours. There are only a dozen varieties, probably bought from outside. However, the Wang Family's Meixiang ink is particularly famous, called Huamei Qixiang Pills, and there is also a Shuxiang Rouge Shop that is also very famous. It is famous for its moistening cream, called Xishu Oil, which is specially used in the palace, but the rouge is also average."

Li Yanqing took a closer look at Zhang Gu's other cosmetics, including ink, foundation, perfume, erect cream, fragrant cakes, etc. He now even though it is known as the number one brand in Bianjing, in fact, except for the unique rouge, the other cosmetics are just a little better than them.

But the price is several times that of the Moon Palace. Although Wang Ji Rouge Shop is a little cheaper, the price is five times that of the Moon Palace. The same is true for one or two rouge, the Moon Palace only costs a hundred cents, but Zhang Gu Lao wants a consistent amount, and Wang Ji Rouge Shop also costs five hundred cents.

Li Yanqing said: "Although Zhang Gu Lao Luozhi was developed by himself, it only has many varieties and enough spices. The quality is no different from ours. Wang Ji Rouge is exactly the same as us. Why can they be sold so expensive? And the business is booming, there are two key reasons: one is reputation, and the other is unique and good goods. Zhang Gu Lao Luozhi, Wang Ji's incense ink, and Shu Xiangshu's moistening paste, all of which are good. If we want to catch up with them, one is to have a good reputation, and the other is to have our own good goods."

Li Dongdong sighed, "I understand the truth, but it is so difficult to do these two things!"

Although Li Daqi didn't say anything, from his expression, it can be seen that he had no confidence.

Li Yanqing turned over the bottom of Zhang Gu's old rouge bottle and looked at it. There was a mark at the bottom, which was fired by Maji porcelain kiln. He asked Li Dongdong, "Do you know this Maji porcelain kiln?"

"I know! It's a porcelain kiln in Fengqiu County, and there is a shop they owned in Bianjing."

At this time, Li Daqi said on the side: "If you want a porcelain bottle, you don't have to buy their family's. The porcelain kiln opened by the Wang family in Anyang County is very good. The porcelain bottles fired are no worse than this one, and they are much cheaper."

Li Yanqing was overjoyed, "Is it the porcelain kiln of Wang Gui's family?"

"It's their porcelain kiln, which was originally an official kiln in Xiangzhou celadon, but they bought it. If I wanted a porcelain bottle, I'll talk to them."

Li Yanqing also knew that after five years of training, his father was no longer the same as before and no longer the nerd he used to be. Even the owner of the hometown praised him for his elegance and shrewdness, and could stand alone.

"Then the matter of the porcelain bottle is left to Daddy!"

Li Daqi nodded silently, "I will go back to Tangyin tomorrow."

Li Yanqing said to Li Dongdong again: "I am responsible for the reputation, so don't ask. Also, have the set of utensils I asked you to make last time?"

"It's already done. I dare not take it home. I've kept it in the blacksmith shop, not far from here. Do I want me to pick it up now?"

"Then go and get it, and I will continue to say it after I get it."

Li Dongdong hired a donkey truck and hurried away.

At this time, Li Yanqing said to his father: "Dad went back to Tangyin and took Aunt Yang back by the way. I promised her."

Li Daqi's face changed slightly, and he sighed for a while and said, "Okay! It's time to take her to take a look. You're right. Whether it's a wife or a concubine, you should give her a name."

After pausing, Li Daqi asked hesitantly: "Qing'er, are you really going to do the cosmetic business?"

Li Yanqing smiled slightly, "It's not me, but my father. I still have to continue studying and seek fame. I just help you in the early stages, and I won't care after I get on the right path."

Li Daqi nodded with relief, "I mean that, you should focus on your studies. Don't worry too much about the powder store. By the way, I talked with Li Dongdong. I think it would cost at least 2,000 guan to build this powder store, but he really couldn't afford more money, so we signed the contract again and changed the member to 30,700 guan. I will take out another 1,000 guan. What do you think?"

Li Yanqing really admired his father's shrewdness. He had a 50% equity stake, and it was indeed difficult to do things in the future. The two sides would have conflicts and bring the part to 30% and 70% of the shares. The decision-making power of this store belongs to his father.

Li Yanqing thought for a while and said, "There is another one who is his subordinate, who must be absolutely reliable. Li Yanbiao and Tiezhu are good. They are responsible for making perfumes and Li Dongdong is responsible for purchasing. I will find another Li family child to help in the store. Aunt Yang is responsible for collecting money. I don't want Li Dongdong's relatives to participate, as they will destroy the store. My father must not be vague about this."

Li Daqi nodded, and he also had a deep understanding of the rogues in the Liu family. At this time, Li Daqi suddenly remembered something and hesitated to his son and said, "Brother Yang, I want him to help too. Do you think it's okay?"

"What does he do?"

"His family has been brewing wine for generations, and they have a little family business, but my father is seriously ill and his family has failed. Now he buys wine along the street to make a living."

Li Yanqing thought about it and said that making wine is more or less related to making perfume. Maybe his father can invest in the distilled liquor business. Li Yanqing smiled and said, "Then let him do things with Tiezhu! I will just ask the specific arrangements of my father himself."

At this time, Li Dongdong transported the utensils back and moved them to the inner room together. This was the room of Wan Dongzhu and his wife, and Li Yanqing prepared to transform it into a workshop.

Li Yanbiao and Gu Tiezhu also came, plus Li Daqi and Li Dongdong, there were five people in total. Everyone was really curious about the iron vessel. Tiezhu touched it for a long time and asked, "Brother Qing, what is this for?"

This is actually a distilled dish made of pig iron. It looks quite like a cast iron barbecue grill. It has a round cover on it and is sealed very tightly. It has a thin water outlet pipe. The distilled perfume flows out from here.

Li Yanqing smiled slightly, "The five-silo chunk of a small bottle of Dashi Rose Water is made of this thing. I guess the cost is only 100 cents, and we have all the ingredients. I will start to experiment tonight and make it in the future. Perfume is our specialty good product."

Tiezhu and Li Yanbiao didn't understand very well, but Li Dongdong was as clear as a mirror. He suddenly felt excited. If they could also make big perfume, they would be rich.

Li Yanqing changed the traditional perfume making process of the Song people. He added another distillation to the traditional infiltrating method, soaking first and then distilling. He succeeded that night. The distilled perfume became more fragrant and lasting, and the aroma became more fragrant and thorough. The entire rouge shop was covered by the fragrance.

Li Yanqing named this perfume Lauder Perfume, and the store name was also changed to Baoyanzhai. Li Yanqing changed his former low-end image of Rouge Shop and began to take the high-end route.

He invited someone to rebuild the eaves and spent 200 cents of money to make the eaves. This is a kind of eaves carved from wood. They were installed on ordinary eaves and immediately became grand and rich and of great quality. They were tied with silk flowers on it, adding colorful colors to the wealth and honor, which was extremely attractive.

In addition, the purchase channel has also changed from low-end to mid-end. There are many workshops around Bianjing that produce rouge and other cosmetics. They do not open stores, but only provide the finished products to rouge shops in various states in the world in large jars. Then rouge shops finely package and build brands, and in the end most of the profits are left in rouge shops.

Li Yanqing and Li Dongdong went to more than a dozen rouge workshops and finally finalized three of the most cost-effective suppliers.

The foundation, incense ink and yarn paste made in Shuiyufang, and the fragrance mixed things in Meixiangfang, such as fragrant cakes, sachets, incense towels, makeup boxes, mirrors, etc.

As for incense medicine and alum, you need to go to the incense medicine store designated by the government to buy it.

In addition, rouge is the main focus of cosmetics. Li Yanqing chose rouge from Baihuafang, outside Xicheng. Although it is only a medium-grade rouge, it has a wide variety and is very cheap. Half of the rouge shops in Bianjing purchase goods from this workshop.

This increased their rouge varieties from the original eleven to twenty-eight. Li Yanqing slightly adjusted a little self-produced perfume, which greatly increased the level of rouge, and the price increased more than twice.

Since it took time for Li Daqi to go back to his hometown to buy porcelain, Li Yanqing temporarily bought a batch of rouge bottles fired from a private kiln in Jingdezhen for emergency purposes.
Chapter completed!