The next day happened to be a day off for the court.

After finishing his breakfast, Li Suifeng set out, riding his horse toward the Drunken Flower Pavilion.

The Drunken Flower Pavilion was the largest brothel in the capital city.

Most of the women there were talented in various arts, mainly performing small musical pieces, dancing, and chatting to entertain guests.

They mostly sold their skills rather than their bodies. Such an elegant and clean place naturally attracted wealthy patrons.

When Li Suifeng arrived at the entrance, a servant took his horse away while he walked in with his hands behind his back.

Just as he stepped inside, Madam Zhen’s figure appeared at the door.

She had gone out that morning to buy vegetables and happened to pass by this place.

Unexpectedly, she saw the Marquis?

Wasn’t it said that the Marquis and his wife were deeply devoted to each other?

Even when she deliberately tried to seduce him, he ignored her. Yet here he was, secretly coming to a brothel?

If he could accept unclean women from the brothel, why was he unwilling to accept her into the Marquis’s residence?

Madam Zhen bit her lip in frustration.

For some unknown reason, a voice inside told her that she belonged in the Marquis’s household. If she persisted, the Marquis would surely see her worth.

So she stood quietly at the door of the Drunken Flower Pavilion, waiting.

Before long, Li Suifeng came out.

His luck was truly bad.

The top courtesan named Furong only performed once every three days, so he would have to come back in two days.

“Marquis.”

Madam Zhen approached him. Startled, he instinctively took a step back.

“I thought I was mistaken just now. But it really is the Marquis. The Drunken Flower Pavilion… why would the Marquis come to a place like this?”

Li Suifeng frowned slightly. “Were you waiting here on purpose?”

“Don’t misunderstand, Marquis. I wasn’t deliberately waiting here. Rest assured, I won’t tell Madam about this.” Zhen spoke softly. “Actually, I have something I want to ask for your help with. Since I happened to run into you here, I thought I’d wait so I wouldn’t bother you at the mansion.”

Li Suifeng mounted his horse again, keeping some distance from Madam Zhen. “What is it?”

“Over these years, thanks to the Marquis’s household taking care of us, we orphans and widows have at least been able to settle down in the capital. Our two children are growing up and will need to marry someday. We can’t always rely on the Marquis’s household, so I thought about starting a business.” Madam Zhen lifted her eyes. “I used to learn how to brew tea. I planned to open a tea shop but have little experience. Could I perhaps first learn at the Marquis’s tea house?”

She had heard from her daughter that the tea house owned by the Marquis’s family earned hundreds of taels of silver daily and attracted all the nobility in the capital.

Even the imperial princes and princesses in the palace praised it highly.

If she could master that so-called pearl milk tea and open her own shop, wouldn’t she be making a fortune every day?

Li Suifeng’s frown deepened. “That tea house is managed by Yue Niang, who is young. What can you really learn from her? The expenses for your children’s weddings should be borne by the Marquis’s household — that is their responsibility. You don’t need to bother yourself with such unprofitable business.”

Madam Zhen pressed her lips tightly.

Xue’er had gone to ask Yue Niang but was refused.

Now she came to the Marquis and was likewise rejected so completely.

In truth, it was because they feared this widow and her children would steal business from the Marquis’s household.

The Marquis’s household owned so many estates and shops—just one tea house.

Why couldn’t it be given to them as a life-saving favor?

So many thoughts swirled in Madam Zhen’s heart, but she dared not say them aloud.

She sighed, “Forget about the tea house, but there is another matter I have thought over for many days. I decided to shamelessly ask the Marquis’s household for help. You know, Marquis, I have a nephew who is a scholar. He studies very hard, but unfortunately has no good teacher to guide him. Could you please use your influence to help send him to Yanshan Academy?”

The highest academy in the Great Wei Kingdom was the Guozi Jian (Imperial Academy), but only royal relatives and nobles could study there.

For others, there was Yanshan Academy, located halfway up Yanshan Mountain outside the capital.

It had been established for nearly a hundred years, producing eight top scholars (zhuangyuan), thirteen second and third-place graduates (bangyan, tanhua), and hundreds of jinshi degree holders.

Many ministers studied there, and it was a sacred place many scholars aspired to attend.

Li Suifeng initially wanted to refuse.

He knew his own position—a titular Marquis with no real power—and had no connections with the head of Yanshan Academy.

But since he had already refused once, refusing again would be awkward.

He had no choice but to agree, “Go back and bring your nephew’s essays to me. I’ll try my best.”

He nudged his horse’s belly and rode away.

Madam Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.

If her nephew got into Yanshan Academy and passed the imperial exams, the three of them would have some hope for the future.

At this time, Li Zhiyue was heading to the tea house.

Her biggest hobby was sleeping in.

She could stay up late at night but had to wake naturally in the morning.

Sleeping well gave her energy, so she was willing to go to work under the bright sun.

Just as she sat down, Manager Chen anxiously rushed over, “Miss, bad news! The Jiang family tea house diagonally opposite also launched a black pearl milk tea and has taken away more than half of our business!”

Li Zhiyue’s expression was calm.

Pearl milk tea had no real technical content, so being copied was normal.

She looked out the window toward the Jiang family tea house.

The Jiang family was a business owned by the Marquis of Xuanping’s estate.

On the first day of the black pearl milk tea launch, their manager spent heavily to hire experts.

Within three days, they made their own version and rushed it to market.

To surpass Li’s Tea House, they even hired scholars to write poems and ornate prose about the milk tea, hanging the calligraphy in the tea house to attract cultured gentlemen to come see.

Sheets of Xuan paper hung from the third floor, covered with poetry and prose, admired by many literati.

“Drink milk tea, appreciate poetry — wonderful!”

“I heard the phrase outside Li’s Tea House was written by Magistrate Cheng from the Supreme Court, a top scholar himself. How could he write something so vulgar?”

“The Jiang family’s poetry is more elegant, truly refined and sophisticated.”

“Such good poems!”

Manager Diao stroked his beard with satisfaction.

Although copying was shameful, as long as it made money — real silver in hand — what did shame matter?

Just then, the customers in the shop suddenly started leaving.

“I heard Li’s Tea House launched a new product called Fairy Grass Milk Tea.”

“Fairy Grass? Such a delicate name — it must be better than pearl milk tea.”

“Let’s go! Let’s try it!”

The customers who had come for the milk tea emptied out instantly.

Manager Diao looked incredulous. “Quick! Go buy some of that so-called Fairy Grass Milk Tea. I want to taste it myself. What exactly dares to call itself Fairy Grass?”

The waiters hurriedly queued to buy.

After the fame of Li’s Tea House black pearl milk tea, their new product attracted huge interest.

The waiter queued for half an hour before finally getting a cup of the refreshing Fairy Grass Milk Tea.

Manager Diao eagerly took a sip.

The milk tea flavor was unchanged, but the pearls were replaced by a clump of black substance.

When the fairy grass entered his mouth, he was stunned.

The silky texture was no worse than the black pearls, as if instantly dispelling the summer heat.

He hurriedly said, “Quick, buy more! Let’s study this well. Within three days… no, two days, you must replicate the Fairy Grass Milk Tea for me!”