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Actually, the idea of opening a shop came to her when Liu Siqi got married.

Second Sister-in-law Zheng Ruyue’s family owned a dye workshop; although small, it at least turned a profit.

After the wedding, her second brother also helped out there, and the Silver they earned was much more than what her eldest brother made from toiling in the fields all day, and it came quicker too.

With their parents getting older, she didn’t want to watch them struggle with farming the land any longer. Hence, the thought of starting a shop took root.

However, opening a shop was not such an easy task. Although there were quite a few women who ran their own businesses, it was still a job that required showing one’s face in public, let alone gaining parental approval. Even she herself initially found it hard to get over this hurdle.

It was only after she learned about Lin Yuan opening her shop that she felt greatly encouraged. If a young girl could open a shop, why couldn’t she?

"Can you really help me find a shop?" With Lin Yuan being more active in town, Liu Limin was particularly fond of this idea.

Seeing Liu Limin interested, Lin Yuan promptly nodded, "Of course. Even if I can’t find one, isn’t there Xia Zheng? How about the tofu shop I got? Quite good, right? He was the one who found it for me!"

Lin Yuan spoke with pride, oblivious to the fact that her tone had just included Xia Zheng as part of her private assets.

Liu Limin, however, didn’t notice these details; her mind was focused on the tofu shop as she murmured, "Hmm, that shop’s location, honestly, is very good, and the building itself is nice too."

"Auntie, what kind of shop do you actually want to open?"

Liu Limin bit her lip, blushing for a rare occasion: "I’ll tell you, but you mustn’t laugh at me!"

After receiving Lin Yuan’s repeated assurances, Liu Limin spoke in a barely audible whisper, "I want to open a wine house."

"A wine house?" Lin Yuan was somewhat surprised.

Liu Limin, afraid that she would exclaim aloud, quickly covered her mouth.

It’s no wonder Lin Yuan was astonished; women of this era did indeed engage in businesses that required them to be in the public eye, but such businesses typically involved textiles or jewelry, like those run by Mo Sanniang.

However, there were very few, almost none, who ran wine houses. After all, alcohol was something that primarily men enjoyed, and women, even if they drank, did so just for tasting.

Seeing Lin Yuan’s surprise, Liu Limin had anticipated this reaction and didn’t show any displeasure.

Instead, she became even calmer as she said, "I know you must think your auntie has gone mad. With so many shops and businesses on the street, instead of choosing something suitable for a woman, I picked something that is usually a man’s job.

However, I think differently. There are many women who can drink, right?

So why not let women make and sell wine too? "

Lin Yuan’s eyes flashed with admiration for a moment at Liu Limin’s resolute gaze. Her auntie truly didn’t disappoint her, even thinking about equality between men and women.

But brewing wine was indeed not an easy task.

First of all, there was the matter of hiring workers; unlike making tofu, brewing was physical labor, which meant hiring men.

With more men around, trouble would follow.

As a woman yet to be married, if Liu Limin mingled with a group of men every day, her reputation could be so tarnished she might never marry.

Then there was the selling of the wine. As far as Lin Yuan knew, Zhuma Town alone had four or five wine houses, some brewed and sold their own wine, while others only dealt in sales.

And the largest among them, Meng Family Wine House, had a history of several decades and had virtually monopolized the wine supply for all the taverns and inns in Zhuma Town, even the Fuman Building used their wine.