The Crown Prince had been deposed, and people's hearts were restless, but Lin Hao felt a sense of peace. Consequently, she had more energy to devote to making incense, blending fragrances, and preparing for the shop's opening.
The little county princess, Qi Qiong, showed immense interest in her friend opening a floral water shop. Especially after learning that the shop was intended to provide a home for homeless girls, she forced Lin Hao to accept a generous amount of her allowance, acting as if silver were something that might bite her hand if left alone.
Across from the Lin Family Fragrance Powder Shop, the shop "Hua Xiang Rong" had just launched a new floral water, so the two of them arranged a time to go "scout the enemy's intelligence."
"They call it a new fragrance, but there's nothing special about it; the color is just a bit prettier," Qi Qiong said, shaking her head as she rubbed a pale green glass bottle while sitting in the back hall of the Lin Family Fragrance Powder Shop.
To a little county princess who had seen countless treasures, this new floral water—which Hua Xiang Rong was aggressively promoting to customers—wasn't even enough to make her eyes light up.
A delicate young girl entered carrying a tray and placed two small bowls in front of them.
Qi Qiong glanced at them and couldn't help but be stunned. "What kind of food is this?"
Inside the translucent glass bowls was a snowy white substance, neither quite fat nor quite jade, adorned with bright red cherries.
"Is this... sweet curd?" After observing it for a moment, Qi Qiong ventured a guess.
Sweet curd was made from refined milk and had spread from the northern lands. Because milk was rare, it was considered a luxury in ordinary households, though it was nothing unusual for a county princess.
Lin Hao nodded with a smile. "Yes. This dessert is called Sugar Curd with Cherries. It's made by topping sweet curd with cherries and drizzling it with cane syrup. Please taste it, Princess, and tell me how it is."
Qi Qiong scooped a spoonful of the dessert into her mouth. The curd was cool and fresh, and the cherries were sweet and tart; interwoven, they became the most enchanting delicacy of the summer.
"It's too delicious!" Qi Qiong finished the entire bowl of sweet curd and let out a satisfied sigh. "If it were me, even if I couldn't find a floral water I liked, I would still come just for this bowl of Sugar Curd with Cherries."
Lin Hao's heart stirred, and she murmured, "That is actually a good idea."
"What good idea?" Qi Qiong wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, still craving more. However, since the curd had been chilled, she didn't dare overindulge.
"Every customer who buys floral water will be given a bowl of Sugar Curd with Cherries. What do you think, Princess?"
Looking at her friend's expectant expression, Qi Qiong felt momentarily conflicted.
Neither the sweet curd nor the cherries were cheap. Giving a bowl away with every purchase—wouldn't that drive the shop into bankruptcy?
It wasn't that she regretted the money she had donated, but if the shop collapsed in a few days, those girls would have nowhere to go.
"Won't you lose money this way?" Qi Qiong couldn't help but warn.
Lin Hao smiled slightly. "No, we're selling our floral water at a high price."
This was called "the wool comes from the sheep"—no, this was called robbing the rich to help the poor.
The little county princess stared blankly.
A-Hao was certainly very direct.
"We have few hands right now, so production is naturally low. It's the perfect time to pursue a boutique route. Once we have more people and more capacity in the future, we can launch floral waters suitable for ordinary women."
This was experience Lin Hao had specifically sought from the steward of the General's Manor who managed their shops. The Lin Family Fragrance Powder Shop was only one street away from Hua Xiang Rong; the less their products overlapped, the easier it would be to coexist in peace.
Although the floral water shop had the General's Manor as its backing, harmony still brought wealth.
"True." Qi Qiong nodded, not forgetting to make a request. "Remember to call me on the opening day."
Lin Hao agreed immediately, and the two walked out of the Lin Family Fragrance Powder Shop.
On the way back, Qi Qiong remained full of interest in the upcoming floral water shop. "Is the staff all set? How many types of floral water will you launch? The one you gave me last time will be there, right?"
"For now, we'll only launch two: a rose water and a jasmine water. The staff is mostly ready, but I'm still considering who to appoint as the shop manager."
Hearing this, Qi Qiong felt the shop was doomed again.
Hua Xiang Rong alone had four or five types of rose water, not to mention other floral waters. That was one thing, but the opening was imminent, and they didn't even have a manager!
"A-Hao," the little county princess said with a solemn face, "money is but a worldly possession. We aren't in a rush; let's take it slowly."
Lin Hao:?
Qi Qiong suddenly stopped in her tracks and gave Lin Hao a gentle tug. "A-Hao, look over there."
The two were strolling toward home. Lin Hao looked in the direction Qi Qiong was pointing and unexpectedly saw a familiar face.
No, two faces—Princess Yi'an and the top scholar, Yang Zhe.
From where they stood, it was clear that Princess Yi'an had proactively stopped Yang Zhe and was saying something with an agitated expression.
Qi Qiong was greatly shocked. "Is Princess Yi'an's infatuation truly unchanging? She isn't even afraid of this reaching Princess Lingque's ears."
It was said that the deposed Crown Prince had run naked and jumped into a lake after arguing with Princess Lingque. That foreign princess was truly someone one could not afford to offend; her destructive power was too great.
"Let's go, lest we be seen." Lin Hao had no interest in the romantic entanglements between the top scholar and the two princesses, and she wanted even less trouble for herself. She pulled Qi Qiong and quickened her pace.
As the two headed home, a woman with a panicked expression knocked on the gates of the Prince Jing's Manor.
"Who is it?" The manor gatekeeper poked his head out and was startled to see the woman. "Cousin Miss?"
The woman who had come was Sun Xiuhua. Although she had moved to the Eastern Palace shortly after arriving in the capital and staying at the manor, the people of the manor were still in the habit of calling her "Cousin Miss."
Sun Xiuhua's eyes were rimmed with red, and she forced a smile for the gatekeeper. "Please inform them that I wish to see my aunt."
The gatekeeper snapped back to his senses, his face returning to an expressionless mask. "I'm sorry, the Princess Consort is unwell and has stated she will not see guests."
Orders had been handed down from above long ago that the Cousin Miss was no longer permitted to enter. Although he didn't know the reason, someone in his position naturally had to do his job well.
Seeing the gatekeeper about to close the door, Sun Xiuhua hurriedly blocked it, her expression frantic. "I have urgent business with my aunt, please just pass along a word—"
The gatekeeper remained unmoved. "The Princess Consort truly will not see guests. Cousin Miss, please do not make things difficult for a mere servant like me."
"If my aunt knows I've come, she will surely see me—"
The answer to Sun Xiuhua was the jarring sound of the door slamming shut.
She stared blankly at the closed vermilion gates, completely unable to believe her eyes.
Her aunt was unwell and not seeing guests? This was clearly just the customary excuse people used when they didn't want to see someone.
Just because the Crown Prince had been deposed and moved to the Prince Liang's Manor, the Prince Jing's Manor now avoided her—someone who had been close to the Crown Prince—as if she were a plague?
Sun Xiuhua refused to believe it and stepped forward to pound on the door with force, but until her hands were red, the vermilion gates did not budge an inch.
She had thought the Prince Jing's Manor was her final sanctuary; she hadn't expected to be met with a closed door.
Sun Xiuhua had left the Prince Liang's Manor with a desperate, all-or-nothing heart, and now that heart was filled with despair. She stepped back slowly, retreating into the shadows behind a nearby tree, staring at the closed side gate with eyes full of resentment.
She never wanted to return to the Prince Liang's Manor. Prince Liang was tyrannical and unstable, kicking and punching her for no reason. If she continued to stay by that madman's side, one day she would be beaten to death.
Sun Xiuhua stood motionless in the shadows for an unknown amount of time until she heard the sound of laughter and chatting.
(End of Chapter)