The Kyoto Xiang River Journey

Shen Tanshu was born into a fictional version of the Zhou Dynasty.

Her mother was strong and good at farm work. Her father was a learned man who taught at a school, but he fell ill and died when she was three.

Mother and daughter relied on each other, working the fields in their village and living on their own, along with the silver her father had left behind.

Shen Tanshu had always found life uncomfortable, because she loved being clean.

In her previous life, she washed her hair and bathed every day.

But now, there was no well at home. They had to haul water from the river and spend ages heating it.

Her long, thick hair couldn't be cut and was extremely difficult to wash.

It took ages to clean, and then it had to dry... If it stayed damp, she could get rheumatism and headaches, which could be life-threatening.

In short: she had no freedom to wash her hair or bathe!

Without even the most basic personal hygiene, Shen Tanshu was about to go mad.

The steaming waters of a natural hot spring flowed ceaselessly down the mountain and into the great river... Shen Tanshu got an idea.

The mountains near the capital had many hot spring sources, a natural resource that had barely been developed.

Surely there were plenty of people like her who were bothered by greasy, dusty, filthy hair and skin.

If she made good use of the abundant hot springs, channeled the water down, and built a public bathhouse where people could wash their hair and bathe for a fee...

She could solve the hygiene problem and make some money, too!

Shen Tanshu was driven by her love of the idea and took action at full speed.

She searched the mountains for hot springs: high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide? Strongly acidic springs?

A deadbeat landowner demanded an outrageous rent: There had to be someone who could deal with him!

A shortage of funds: Ask her mother for her dowry? Apply for a government loan? Find investors? Find partners?

How to channel the water down: Go pester the old Minister of Works who built the imperial hot spring palace back in the day...

How to meet the target customers' needs: Private rooms with showers?

After solving problem after problem, Xiangshui Baths finally opened!

It started as a lonely building at the foot of a mountain. Eventually, it grew into the famous Xiangshui Baths of the capital, with an attached resort and branches all over the city. It had even hosted the imperial family, and offered bathing, bath products, massages, food, and entertainment all in one place.

1. This isn't a story about an all-powerful heroine. The male lead will help her, both materially and emotionally!

2. There is a romance.

An optimistic, resilient, brave little ray of sunshine and a gentle, sly, sickly young man

Theme: Whatever I set my mind to, I will do.