The next day, Song Yu came to Qin Yao’s home in the afternoon and brought over the previous order list from Fulong Trading Company.

This time, after Liu Bai and the others returned, all the book boxes that needed to be delivered to Fulong Trading Company were dispatched.

Since the goods were cleared, it was time to collect the remaining fifty percent of the balance.

According to usual practice, Qin Yao would personally go to the Prefecture to settle the balance and bring back the next order.

But now, Song Yu is managing the stationery factory on behalf of Qin Yao, so he specifically came to inquire and get a procedure.

Qin Yao stayed up late last night reading a letter, so when Song Yu arrived, she had just gotten up and finished her brunch. The midday sun was shining, making her feel lazy and lethargic.

After listening to Song Yu’s report, Qin Yao almost dozed off.

"Madam?" Song Yu raised his voice on purpose.

The person lying in the chair finally opened her eyes and gestured for him to bring the account book over for a look.

Song Yu handed the account book and the contract for the previous order to Qin Yao and explained:

"Madam, the order of five thousand Divine Power Book Boxes with Fulong Trading Company has been completed. Half of the stationery gift boxes for Shopkeeper Bai Shan have also been delivered, with fifty thousand remaining. It’s expected to be fully delivered by March next year."

While listening, Qin Yao checked the accounts and, after confirming everything was correct, closed the account book and looked up at Song Yu.

Song Yu asked for instructions: "Madam, there is still a balance of one thousand taels of silver with Fulong Trading Company. Will you be going there personally again this time?"

Qin Yao nodded, "Arrange the factory affairs well, and set off early tomorrow morning with me to the Prefecture. I will introduce you to some people there; next time, you will handle it on your own."

Song Yu was delighted and quickly agreed.

This meant he had passed the one-month probation period and officially gained the lady’s approval.

Seize the opportunity, Song Yu brought up the new product that Manager Yun had collaborated on with other workers this month.

This was something he had prepared for the evaluation, but he didn’t expect to pass the evaluation more smoothly than anticipated.

Qin Yao was aware that Yun Niang was working on a new product, and it was because of this knowledge that she agreed to Song Yu’s early confirmation.

However, she was unaware of the research results, so she immediately set out to the stationery factory with a bit of anticipation.

In order to let Yun Niang work well, Song Yu specially allocated a small room for her.

The small room was fully equipped with all kinds of wood materials, arranged like a research workspace, making even Qin Yao, who couldn’t do woodworking, feel itchy to try.

Yun Niang did not rest after lunch; she returned to the new product development room right after putting down the rice bowl, holding the already made new product for final coloring.

Qin Yao and Song Yu’s sudden arrival startled the focused Yun Niang with a low call from Song Yu, causing her to jump in surprise.

When she turned around and saw them, she displayed a slightly annoyed expression and let out a long sigh of relief.

Qin Yao walked in and pointed to the box on Yun Niang’s desk, "Let me see."

Yun Niang nodded and embarrassedly explained, "Once I touch these things, I forget everything else. Any noise startles me, Qin Manager, don’t laugh at me."

Qin Yao shook her head indicating she wouldn’t, but couldn’t help but smile.

What Yun Niang made was still a box, similar in design to the Divine Power Book Box, but while the Divine Power Book Box stands upright with wheels, this new box is horizontal and lacks pull rods and wheels, only having a handle.

The whole box is about the size of a 16-inch suitcase. The wooden handle is polished smooth and round. Qin Yao gently picks it up, finding the box unexpectedly light.

Yun Niang smiled, took over the box, placed it on the table, and began explaining to Qin Yao.

She crafted a box that can store luggage, and unlike ordinary wooden boxes, it doesn’t rely on hinges to open and close but a sliding lid instead.

This box lid is the same as the one on the Divine Power Book Box.

This wooden box doesn’t separate in the middle but uses a middle partition, with slide-open covers on both sides.

Yun Niang said, "This way, there are two partitions to place different items. One side has a waterproof oil paper bottom, and the other is regular wood; the entire box is coated with waterproof paint, so even without the paper, contents won’t get damp easily."

"And the lock for the lid, I’m using a mechanical lock. It locks automatically, pushing the Huayong Road on top to secure the box. No one but the owner knows the correct unlocking method. If storing valuables, there’s no worry of them being easily stolen..."

The more Yun Niang talked, the more excited she became, even showing Qin Yao the multi-layered separated bags specially sewn by female workers, affixed inside the wooden box to store many fragile items, such as tea sets, tableware, and beauty powder that noble ladies often need.

Most importantly, there’s even a palm-sized round copper mirror embedded inside this box!

Qin Yao thought to herself, isn’t this a combination of a modern code suitcase and a lady’s portable makeup box?

On closer inspection, the embossed peach blossom patterns on the hand luggage box and the carefully filled pink and white paint were indeed charmingly exquisite.

Yun Niang touched the pink and white peach blossom, her eyes soft and smile sweet, "The noble girls in the Capital City gallop freely through the streets, so enviable."

"So I thought, since men have the Divine Power Book Box, shouldn’t women also have a luggage box to store beloved personal items, but lighter?"

Yun Niang raised her eyes to Qin Yao, with a burning gaze, "I named it the Lady’s Box."

Qin Yao couldn’t help but ask, "Isn’t it costly?"

Yun Niang nodded, admitting that it was expensive, but cheaper than the Divine Power Book Box, as it uses less wood, and the copper mirror inside is detachable. She’ll leave a slot so that women who can afford a copper mirror can install it themselves.

Qin Yao carried this Lady’s Box around the courtyard for a while, but with her strength, she didn’t notice much of a feel.

She gestured for Yun Niang’s apprentice Yang Fang to try.

"Pack in some commonly used items, lift it, and see how long you can walk, whether it’s easy to move," instructed Qin Yao.

Although not knowing why she was given such instructions, Yang Fang followed blindly, knowing that Manager Qin certainly had her reasons.

Yun Niang and Yang Fang packed a lot into it; Yun Niang had tested the capacity herself, and it could hold many basic personal items, plus two sets of clothes and shoes.

The box was packed to its limit, the sliding cover closed, the mechanical lock engaged, and Yang Fang lifted it again.

Having grown up learning hunting with her family, Yang Fang was stronger than average women. She lifted the wooden box with a forceful gesture, her shoulder sank a bit, but quickly stabilized, moving freely around the courtyard.

Seeing this, Qin Yao summoned a few more petite female workers. They all managed to lift the packed Lady’s Box, and while it was a bit heavy, they could carry it for more than half an hour.

Moreover, this was the extreme weight; general tea sets, tableware, or beauty powder boxes wouldn’t be as heavy. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Thus, Qin Yao immediately instructed Yun Niang to write down the cost details on a list and hand it over, as she planned to take this Lady’s Box to the Prefecture tomorrow.

Perhaps this time, she could bring back new orders.