The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 26 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
With the help of her family and friends, Hu Jiao successfully secured a shop for her new venture, the House of Relaxation, and her father, Hu Tingzhi, had largely recovered from his leg injury. On the grand opening day, Yong Shou and La Mei stood proudly, holding couplets that proclaimed "Abundant wealth comes from everywhere" and "Bring in wealth and treasure," while several massage therapists stood on either side.
Xu Qingjia initially found these slogans a bit too direct in their pursuit of profit, a sentiment Hu Tingzhi first agreed with. However, Hu Tingzhi quickly reasoned that business inherently aims for profit, and being open about it merely showcased the Hu family's congenial and straightforward nature. He even humorously suggested it allowed customers to clearly understand their intention to profit from providing services.
Xu Qingjia playfully retorted that such a philosophy might explain the past struggles of the Hu Pork Butchery. Hu Jiao then called them inside, eagerly showcasing the shop's layout, which included separate areas for male and female customers, a waiting area with long benches, a preparation room, and a VIP lounge. With a final bang of the gong, the House of Relaxation officially opened its doors. However, the initial excitement quickly faded as three days passed without a single customer.
Yong Shou, tired of waiting, even asked if he could go home, but Hu Jiao urged him to wait longer. Lin Cui visited, observing the empty shop, and suggested they close up for the night. That evening, at the Hu Manor, Hu Houfu cautiously suggested that Hu Jiao convert the House of Relaxation into a second branch of the Hu Pork Butchery, arguing that their distance would prevent competition.
Hu Tingzhi dismissed the idea, and both he and Xu Qingjia rallied to comfort a dejected Hu Jiao. Hu Tingzhi reminded her of the difficulties her mother faced when first opening the pork butchery, including meat spoilage and lack of sales. Xu Qingjia added that business, much like imperial exams, rarely offers smooth sailing on the first attempt, expressing his belief in Hu Jiao's eventual success if she persevered.
Hu Jiao assured them she was fine, though her spirits remained low. Later that night, Hu Jiao asked Xu Qingjia why their shop attracted no customers. Xu Qingjia suggested it lacked "refined elegance." He confidently described a lavish renovation with blue bricks, green tiles, red paint, a gold-framed billboard, specific plant arrangements like begonias and jade coral, yellow cedar bed frames, and even the hiring of an artisan to light incense and play the qin.
Hu Jiao, growing suspicious, questioned where he gained such detailed knowledge, hinting he might have frequented such establishments. Xu Qingjia denied it, claiming he learned everything from a novel titled "Silver Bowl Chrysanthemum." When Hu Jiao pressed him about where he got money for such a book, Xu Qingjia sheepishly admitted Yong Shou had borrowed it for Hu Tingzhi.
Hu Jiao found the "exotic" novel, which contained content about "Master Wen selling pancakes" and "an official teasing Madam Yin," and then gave Xu Qingjia a stern look before declaring she was going to sleep. The lack of customers led Hu Jiao to temporarily close the shop and seek Lin Cui's advice. Lin Cui acknowledged that while the House of Relaxation's concept was good, townspeople were wary of new services that cost money.
She proposed a strategy of "attacking first" by offering free trials to trusted individuals, allowing them to spread positive word-of-mouth and generate a bustling appearance. Hu Jiao immediately thought of the bodyguards, like Brother A'Niu, who suffered from knee and leg pains due to their travels. She planned to offer them free knee-warming patches and moxibustion, believing their extensive chatter would quickly publicize the shop. Lin Cui, however, pointed out that a line of muscular men might deter female customers.
Hu Jiao admitted she hadn't considered a strategy for women. A new idea struck Lin Cui as she observed a customer's reaction to her "Drunken Sweet Plums," which were not for sale but given as a bonus for buying Red Bean Cake.
Inspired, Lin Cui suggested a grand opening promotion for the House of Relaxation: customers receiving "Cicada Wing Hand Care" would get a free box of Parilla Cake, and those who also opted for "Green Tea Facial Brightening Care" would receive a cake basket from the Lin Fruit Shop, on a first-come, first-served basis. The promotion was an immediate success.
The House of Relaxation was bustling with female customers, much to the dismay of Luo Master, who had previously scoffed at Hu Jiao's business venture, vowing to publicly remove his pants if it thrived. The female customers raved about the treatments and the complimentary desserts. Xu Qingjia, observing the crowds, suggested moving beds from the empty male section to accommodate more female customers.
Hu Jiao, however, explained that they lacked enough female therapists and that having people line up outside served as a valuable "living advertisement" to build popularity, rather than rushing for immediate profit. Xu Qingjia was impressed by her business acumen and asked if he could contribute. Hu Jiao assigned him the crucial task of brewing the medicinal plasters, emphasizing that no one else could do it as well.
The next day, Luo Master was even more shocked to see a long line of male customers. A bodyguard who had tried the knee-warming patches praised their effectiveness, declaring his old aches gone. Meanwhile, two elaborately dressed but remarkably frugal strangers, Zhen Fugui and his companion Jia Yi, dined at Hesheng Restaurant, ordering only the cheapest dishes. They overheard conversations about Hu Jiao's successful House of Relaxation.
Zhen Fugui instructed Jia Yi to buy up all the restaurants and inns in Yunlai Town the next day, stating that servants who looked down on people were most afraid of losing their livelihood. He also specifically ordered the purchase of the largest shop next to the House of Relaxation. The next day, Xu Qingjia, while at the herbal shop, witnessed Jia Yi attempt to buy the shop.
The shopkeeper initially refused to sell his ancestral business, but Jia Yi's offer of 1,300 taels of silver, after quickly negotiating down from an even higher initial bid, was too good to resist. The shopkeeper promptly agreed. Hu Jiao, back at her shop, discussed the strange happenings with Yong Shou.
He informed her that the inn across the street had been sold a few days prior, along with all the other inns and restaurants in Yunlai Town, to a wealthy outsider. Hu Jiao remarked that this person must be "stupid, but rich." Just then, Zhen Fugui appeared, having overheard her comment, and revealed himself to be that "stupid, but rich guy."
Hu Jiao quickly apologized, and Zhen Fugui, as compensation, requested to experience the House of Relaxation's services, which Hu Jiao offered free of charge. Inside, Zhen Fugui meticulously inquired about the therapists' wages and the details of all the treatments, including those for female customers. Later that night, Hu Jiao told Xu Qingjia about the strange out-of-towner who had asked about their business operations and bought the surrounding properties.
Xu Qingjia recalled seeing a man offering 1,300 taels for the herbal shop and agreed it was likely the same person. He found the man's face strangely familiar but couldn't place him. Xu Qingjia was still up, tending to the last batch of medicine. Hu Jiao commented on how he had grown accustomed to the potent smell, even finding it fragrant now. After accidentally burning the medicine, he urged her to go to bed, promising to finish up.
Soon after, Hu Tingzhi arrived with a jug of wine, inviting Xu Qingjia for a drink. Hu Tingzhi asked if Xu Qingjia regretted resigning as an official. Xu Qingjia admitted a slight regret but affirmed he would make the same decision, believing officials should prioritize the well-being of citizens above all else. Hu Tingzhi toasted him, then expressed concern that Xu Qingjia, with his new leisure, might feel despondent.
Xu Qingjia confided that he did feel useless, seeing Hu Jiao's success at the House of Relaxation while he merely brewed medicine, feeling "more useless than Yong Shou and La Mei." He lamented that his only skill was studying, and that "a scholar is useless." Hu Tingzhi vehemently disagreed, proclaiming that scholars, with their ancestral teachings and millennia of wisdom, were far from useless.
He then shared his hope that Xu Qingjia would "hold up the House of Relaxation" so that Hu Jiao could "have some easy days." Moved, Xu Qingjia promised to "definitely make House of Relaxation a success." Hu Tingzhi, then, sheepishly made one final request: for Xu Qingjia to buy the newly released second volume of "Silver Bowl Chrysanthemum." Xu Qingjia readily agreed. Returning to their room, slightly intoxicated, Xu Qingjia found Hu Jiao.
He told her she had "worked herself thin" and "gotten more tan," a comment she swiftly rebuked. Then, with newfound resolve, he declared that from that day forward, she should rest at home and leave all the shop's affairs to him. Hu Jiao, initially skeptical, questioned his ability. Xu Qingjia confidently asserted his capability, reminding her of his past as a fifth-rank official and second-place scholar who managed an entire city, so a small shop would be easy.
He reiterated his father-in-law's words about scholars being "super capable." Hu Jiao eventually relented, agreeing to let him take charge before telling him to get into bed. Meanwhile, Zhen Fugui was in his study, engrossed in writing, with notes on his desk detailing "My expenditure has been a little high lately" and affirming, "Don't worry. I have money."
