Chapter 7: Business to Do with You

After Pei Ji left, Qiu Chan entered from outside the door.

Jiang Huaiyue saw her covering her face and felt a pang in her heart. She raised her voice and called,
“Qiu Chan, come here.”

Qiu Chan heard her and hurried over,
“Princess.”

“Does it hurt?” Jiang Huaiyue asked, looking at the palm prints on her face.

If this were the modern era, at her age she’d still be a schoolgirl, but thinking of that arrogant Eunuch Yu, Jiang Huaiyue just wanted to kick him a couple of times.

If Pei Ji hadn’t come just now, she would have rushed out the door already. Though she might end up with no good result, Qiu Chan was still her own person, and she had to protect her.

“Princess, it doesn’t hurt,” Qiu Chan said, touched by the question, her voice faintly trembling with a hint of tears.

Jiang Huaiyue sighed,
“Silly girl, go get the makeup box and bring the ointment. I’ll help you apply it.”

Hearing this, Qiu Chan quickly knelt down,
“Princess, you’re of noble birth, how can you apply medicine for a servant? This wound will heal in a few days.”

“Just hurry up and get it, or I’ll get mad.” Jiang Huaiyue felt uncomfortable seeing her so cautious, kneeling and begging for forgiveness.

Before, watching TV dramas or reading novels, she thought the ancient times were quite interesting. But now, living through it herself, she finally understood.

This place really eats people alive without blinking. Before power, no matter how proud you are, you have to submit. Otherwise, you face a bottomless abyss.

Qiu Chan didn’t dare disobey and got up to bring the ointment.

Jiang Huaiyue reached out, took it, opened it, dipped her finger into the white ointment, and gently rubbed it onto Qiu Chan’s face.

“Qiu Chan, I’m a princess with nothing, and following me has caused you to suffer.”

According to the original memories, Qiu Chan was the only person truly devoted to her—who had begged tirelessly for medicine when she was sick, cared for her without sleep when injured, and even stolen food to feed them when they had none, only to be beaten nearly to death.

Hearing this, Qiu Chan’s tears fell,
“Princess, I don’t feel wronged. As long as you don’t despise me, I’m willing to follow you for life.”

Jiang Huaiyue finished applying the ointment and saw the tears on her face. Pretending to be angry, she said,
“Don’t cry. I just applied the ointment, and you’ve already messed it up. Cry again and I’ll punish you.”

“Yes, I know my mistake.” Qiu Chan quickly stopped crying, fearing to annoy her.

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At the General’s Mansion.

Su Xiangwan had been going outside the mansion for several days. Ning Xiang followed her and couldn’t help but ask,
“Miss, are you going shopping?”

She looked at Su Xiangwan, who wore a veil and was walking in the street, and asked.

“No shopping. Just looking around,” she answered softly.

In these few days, she had learned about all the teahouses, taverns, market stalls, and vendors in the capital.

Since ancient times, women’s money was the easiest to make, so she planned to start from that angle.

Ning Xiang responded with an “Oh,” quietly following behind her.

Su Xiangwan made a round, then gazed thoughtfully at a busy tailor shop not far away, full of customers.

Ning Xiang followed her gaze and asked,
“Miss, do you want to buy dresses?”

“Just looking first,” Su Xiangwan said.

What surprised Ning Xiang was that instead of going toward the busy shop with many people, Su Xiangwan turned toward a less noticeable shop across the street.

“Miss, let’s go to Jin Xiu Workshop to buy them. The styles of clothes and skirts there are trendy; all the noble ladies in the capital like to go there,” Ning Xiang said, not understanding why her lady would ignore Jin Xiu Workshop and choose a little-known shop instead.

Su Xiangwan lifted her eyelids and looked up at the sign above: Hua Yi Tang (Elegant Clothes Hall), then replied calmly, “I’m not buying clothes or skirts. Besides, it’s not only the shops with many customers that are good shops.”

She stepped inside. On both sides were shelves displaying all sorts of clothing, and beside the central counter sat a woman with her hair tied up, fiddling with an abacus.

Seeing a customer enter, the woman put down the abacus, stood up, and smiled: “Miss, what would you like to buy? Our shop has every type of clothing.”

Su Xiangwan glanced around and gently stroked the clothes on the shelves.

Leaning closer, she caught the scent—these dresses had all been carefully perfumed, giving off a faint, pleasant fragrance.

Behind Su Xiangwan, Yun Shang and Ning Xiang waited quietly as she chose, without a trace of impatience.

Seeing Su Xiangwan look at some dresses more carefully, Yun Shang spoke softly to introduce them.

“The shop owner perfumed the clothes with herbs?” Su Xiangwan raised her eyes to the woman beside the counter.

She hadn’t looked closely before, but now that she did, she realized the woman was quite beautiful—her peach blossom-shaped eyes slanted upwards, her nose bridge high and straight, her lips full and rosy. Every movement was striking.

Yet, her eyes held a faint sorrow, as if she was someone with a story.

Admiration appeared in Yun Shang’s eyes. “Miss is right. Business here isn’t good, so I can only do some little tricks.”

Normally, a shop owner with poor business would look worried, but Su Xiangwan noticed this woman showed no such concern.

It was as if business success or failure didn’t matter to her.

“How could that be a ‘little trick’? The clothes are neatly arranged, easy to see at a glance, and every piece smells fragrant—enough to show how much effort the owner put in.”

Upon hearing this, Yun Shang smiled: “I’ll just take that as a compliment from Miss. But I also see Miss isn’t here just to buy clothes.”

From the moment she entered until now, the woman had been observing—first the shop, then her.

Perhaps because she had seen many people before, she had a sharp eye for such things.

Behind her veil, Su Xiangwan’s eyes narrowed slightly. She liked dealing with clever people.

“Since we’ve come this far, I won’t hide it anymore. I came today with a business proposition for the shop owner.”

Yun Shang examined her carefully and said aloud, “If you want to do business with me, you should at least let me know who you are.”

“That’s only right,” Su Xiangwan replied, reaching up to remove her veil.

Yun Shang’s eyes showed a flash of admiration as she looked at the unveiled woman.

Even with the veil on, her elegant aura was evident; now, unveiled, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Her slender willow-shaped brows were gentle and charming, her eyes bright and sparkling like glazed glass, her lips naturally red, perfectly complementing her jade-like smooth skin—one couldn’t help but sigh at such beauty.

After admiring her, Yun Shang lowered her gaze, took two steps forward, and directly closed the door.

The once bright shop instantly plunged into darkness. Ning Xiang grew a little nervous and stepped close to Su Xiangwan, worriedly saying, “Miss—”

Could it be they’d met some bad people? Why close the door in broad daylight for no reason?

Seeing Ning Xiang’s reaction, Yun Shang smiled, “Don’t be afraid. This isn’t the place to talk. I closed the door; let’s go to the backyard.”

Su Xiangwan patted Ning Xiang’s hand, “It’s fine.”

With a calm expression, she followed Yun Shang into the inner room, lifted the curtain, and looked out at the enchanting courtyard.

Once again, Su Xiangwan felt she had found the right person.