Chapter Ten: Clothes Make the Man, Beauty Is Enhanced by Attire

The next morning, Gou Ye arrived carrying a board wrapped in cloth to visit Yun Niang and her mother. Since the cloth concealed its contents, neither Yun Niang nor her mother knew what the board was for; they only heard Gou Ye say it was of great importance. The three of them, as usual, rode the ox cart and bumped their way to the county town.

Today’s marketplace was bustling, perhaps intentionally so, with crowds and lively chatter, much more vibrant than in previous days. Yun’s mother hesitantly hung several plaid shirts on their stall. At that moment, Gou Ye stood in front of the stall holding the board. Because it was wrapped, people couldn’t see what lay beneath, and many curious eyes turned toward him.

Seeing this, Gou Ye was in no hurry; he deliberately propped the board upright and slowly drew away the burlap covering. Eight bold characters appeared: “A person relies on clothing; beauty relies on fashionable attire.”

This advertisement stood tall, instantly attracting a crowd. The ancients had never seen a stall with a signboard, and the phrase, especially the latter part about beauty and fashionable attire, piqued their curiosity. What could be so fashionable?

People naturally shifted their gaze from the sign to the plaid shirts on the stall. They were astonished; the garments, in both style and color, were utterly novel—unlike anything they had seen. Everyone wore plain blue robes; who had ever seen such clothes? In no time, a crowd gathered.

“Hey! Why have I never seen such clothing before?” someone called out.

“Look, there are patterns on the fabric—it looks quite nice,” another observed.

The crowd chattered, critiquing the plaid shirts, but no one yet reached for their purse. Yun’s mother, seeing so many gathered, was flushed with embarrassment, fearing someone might disparage her work. Before she could fret further, Gou Ye strode confidently to the front of the stall.

“Fellow townsfolk, you’ve all seen my sign. ‘A person relies on clothing; beauty relies on fashionable attire.’ What does it mean to rely on clothing? No matter if you’re handsome or plain, you wear clothes, don’t you? Could you walk out without them? Could I? Of course not, right?”

The crowd burst into laughter.

“And beauty relies on fashionable attire. If you wear clothes, you should wear them properly. Why do we wear clothes? One reason is to keep warm. The other—why, do you think?” Gou Ye pointed to someone in the crowd.

“To cover unsightly things?” the person ventured.

“Then go keep your filth covered!” Gou Ye retorted, earning another round of laughter.

“Why? For beauty! In recent days, my aunt has devoted herself to study and innovation. Based on our blue robes, she has made these garments you see here. Let me tell you: not only in our county, but even in the capital, there are only these five pieces. These shirts are crafted both inside and out, don’t be fooled by their simple checks—they are meticulously made! And, when worn, they look wonderful; you’ll instantly become the handsomest young man in the county.”

The crowd listened raptly to Gou Ye’s speech, enthralled. Passersby stopped to look, and even other vendors came over to see.

“Think about it: what makes you different from him? You wear a blue robe; so does he. You eat grains; so does he. You need to relieve yourself; so does he…” Such coarse words made even Yun’s mother hide her face, laughing.

“But today, you are different from him! How? These plaid shirts. Wear one, and when you go to meet a pretty young lady, she may have the same impression of both of you. But because you wear a plaid shirt, you stand out. Ah, the young lady will see your uniqueness at a glance—she won’t need to make a choice; you’ll be her target instantly. Why? Because you’re fashionable, because you’re different!”

Now, many in the crowd were nodding quietly, beginning to accept Gou Ye’s view, imagining themselves wearing a plaid shirt to a matchmaking event.

“And in future, wherever you go in a plaid shirt, you’ll stand out—whether you’re negotiating business, heading to the capital for exams, or just strolling the streets, you’ll be unique…”

“After all this, how much are these clothes?” someone asked.

Seeing the crowd’s excitement, Gou Ye flashed a victory sign.

“Two coins?” someone called out.

“I’ll give you a slap for that! Two coins? That’s the price of common goods. Plaid shirts, limited edition! Guaranteed to make you the brightest lad in town! Only twenty shirts each month, two taels of silver per shirt.”

Gou Ye stood with arms akimbo, and the crowd gasped. Normally, the most expensive blue robe cost no more than five coins, but these shirts were priced at two taels—a sum that meant little to wealthy families, but for ordinary folk, it was half a month’s household expenses.

Seeing their furrowed brows, Gou Ye continued, “Don’t think it’s expensive. Such garments are priceless and only available at our stall. I guarantee you won’t find the same even in the capital. Each batch is a new style; you’ll never see these five shirts replicated. What’s our stall’s motto? Four words: ‘Stand out from the crowd!’”

“I’ll take one!” The crowd turned to see a handsome youth, none other than Gu Shen. He wanted to cooperate with Gou Ye, and Gou Ye’s passionate speech had stirred his heart. He had already fallen under Gou Ye’s spell—stand out from the crowd! As the son of the Duke of Jing, he certainly ought to be different.

With Gu Shen’s endorsement, others grew eager and rushed forward, “I’ll take one! I want one!” Yun’s mother watched in astonishment at the scene unfolding before her. She had never dreamed the shirts she made could be sold, let alone at two taels each. Five shirts meant ten taels—a sum she might not accumulate in half a year. Beside her, Yun Niang gazed at Gou Ye with infatuation; at this moment, Gou Ye seemed to glow with a halo, deeply captivating her budding heart.

Seeing the enthusiasm, Gou Ye seized the moment and shouted, “Aside from the first to call out, the remaining four shirts go to the highest bidder—only five in total, once sold, they’re gone!”

“I’ll pay three taels!”

“Four taels!”

“Twenty taels! I want the remaining four shirts.”

The stall erupted in noise and excitement. For the future’s sake, Gou Ye didn’t dare price them too outrageously; in the end, he sold the last four shirts at five taels each to four young men.

The five young gentlemen rushed into the nearby tavern, changed into their new shirts, and strode out grandly. The shirts fit them perfectly, and they instantly became the most distinctive figures in the crowd. The envious gazes from others, and possibly the admiring glances from young ladies, gave them a feeling of soaring above the ordinary.