After giving up control of the Inner Household Affairs, Su Shuyao finally had peace and slept in for several days in a row.
In her previous life, she always seemed busy—either managing the Inner Household Affairs, the Spice Shops, Madam Wan’s expenses for worship, or overseeing her older and younger brothers’ futures, or her younger sister’s marriage…
She never had any free time of her own.
Her identity as an “adopted daughter” was like an invisible shackle, forcing her to spin endlessly.
Before she even turned twenty, she was already riddled with illness. The physician said her ailments were due to overthinking and chronic fatigue, advising her to rest more.
But she didn’t dare rest. She was afraid that if she did, her family would find her useless and start despising her.
In this life, she was determined to rest well and live a long, healthy life.
Qiushuang lifted the curtain and came in carrying hot water. “Miss, ever since you handed over the Inner Household Affairs, it’s even hard to get hot water now. I don’t know if we’ll even have a warm meal at lunch today.”
“I waited an hour at the teahouse just to fetch this. It’s still only lukewarm. I can’t even tell if it’s properly boiled.”
Su Shuyao stretched lazily. “It’ll be better once the small kitchen is ready.”
Qiushuang smiled, “Mama Wang already started on it. We’ll be able to cook lunch in the small kitchen soon.”
Su Shuyao sat at her dressing table. “Do my hair in a spiral bun. I want to wear the gold hairpin inlaid with multicolored gems, match it with the pearl hairpin, and bring out that ruby necklace too.”
“Oh, and the roses in the courtyard are in full bloom. Pin two of them into my hair.”
In her last life, Madam Wan didn’t like her dressing up.
She used to say her features were too striking and needed to be subdued with plainer clothes. Wearing gold and silver was too ostentatious—not like a proper lady from a good family. Most of her clothes were dull-colored, and she rarely wore jewelry.
It felt like she lived under Madam Wan’s gaze her whole life, never allowed to follow her own desires.
Now that she thought about it, Madam Wan was jealous of her looks—jealous that she looked better than Su Mingzhu, better than her younger sister.
When she dressed up, she looked as regal and radiant as a peony, while Su Mingzhu looked like a foot-washing maid in comparison.
Madam Wan had been suppressing her through disguise.
She was still in her prime. She should be allowed to shine.
With blooming roses pinned in her hair, her reflection in the bronze mirror showed a bright and open expression. Her beauty glowed.
After her hair was done, she took a piece of paper from her makeup box and waved it at Qiushuang. “Take this.”
Qiushuang took it and gasped, “My deed of servitude?”
First she froze, then looked overjoyed—until her joy turned to worry. “Miss, are you sending me away?”
Qiushuang was still confused.
Su Shuyao explained, “I want to open a few Spice Shops in your name. And in the future, any farmland I acquire will also be in your name.”
Only daughters of proper families could legally own shops and farmland.
She’d already been robbed once—she wouldn’t let it happen again under her own name.
Qiushuang’s mouth dropped open. “Under my name? How could I possibly deserve such trust from you?”
Su Shuyao smiled, “If I can’t trust you, there’s no one else I can trust in this world.”
Just then, Qiuyue came in crying. “Miss, Miss Mingzhu went too far. I went to collect your allowance today. You’re supposed to receive 20 taels per month, but Miss Mingzhu only gave me 5. But Second Young Master and Third Miss are still getting 20 each. When I asked why, she said it was your own rule that allowances should be halved. Then she slapped me for being rude!”
A moment later, another little maid ran in. “Miss, it’s too much. They bought fresh pears today. Every courtyard got a basket of good ones, but we only got the spoiled ones. Mama Wu did it on purpose! When I confronted her, she said Miss had canceled the fruit delivery and that we should be grateful we’re still eating meat.”
“The pastries too—everyone got some, but not us.”
“Second Miss even said she’s going to sell all of us off!”
Listening to their complaints, Su Shuyao only smiled faintly. “From now on, whatever they give us, we use. Complaining will only please them more.”
Su Mingzhu’s tricks were far too low-class.
These petty games didn’t hurt and didn’t itch—they couldn’t affect her mood at all.
Her goal wasn’t this petty backyard. She wanted to see the vast lands beyond.
“Qiushuang, keep the maids quiet for now. Lay low.”
When the heavens want someone to fall, they first make them arrogant.
Let Su Mingzhu get smug—it would only make her fall harder.
Meanwhile, Su Mingzhu was holding the tally plates, surrounded by flattery from the steward wives.
“Second Miss is so kind. She handles things so much more carefully than Eldest Miss.”
“Don’t say that. My sister is much better than me,” Su Mingzhu said humbly, though her heart was full of joy.
“Second Miss is truly modest.”
These steward wives were all seasoned inner-court foxes. When Su Shuyao had just taken over, they’d caused her plenty of hidden troubles too.
They were masters of saying one thing and doing another. Now, they were working overtime to flatter Su Mingzhu and grab what they could before she caught on.
After chatting with the steward wives, Su Mingzhu headed to the shop.
She had replaced everyone in the Spice Shops. Not a single person of Su Shuyao’s remained. The new perfumer, the manager, and the clerks were all Madam Wan’s people.
“Second Miss, the perfumer just sent word that stock is almost sold out. We need to restock and blend new products.”
She knew perfume made money—but not this much!
In just one week, a single shop had earned over 1,000 taels. The total profit from all nine shops was nearly 10,000 taels.
The entire Marquis Residence’s annual income was only about 20,000 taels.
“How much perfume is left in the warehouse?”
“None at all.”
“Bring me the old records.” The manager handed over the previous records. On them were names like ambergris, frankincense, myrrh, musk… All clearly marked with purchase times, quantities, and prices.
One glance, and Su Mingzhu understood.
Order the ingredients, have the perfumer follow the formula to make cakes, and then sell them.
Business was just that simple.
“Where do you normally source the spices?” Oddly, the records didn’t include supplier names.
The manager replied, “Second Miss, we don’t know that.”
Such confidential details weren’t shared with them.
“Fine, what’s so hard about buying supplies?”
She had money. Why would she worry about finding goods?
But these spices were far too expensive. Especially ambergris—one tael of gold per tael of spice. A palm-sized piece of agarwood cost over 1,000 taels of silver. Frankincense and myrrh weren’t cheap either. A quick calculation showed a single order would cost more than 30,000 taels of silver.
Su Mingzhu clicked her tongue. The profits were high, but so were the costs.
Although she appeared to have earned 10,000 taels, that wasn’t even enough to cover the investment.
To restock, she had to raise more silver.
But where to find tens of thousands of taels?
The household coffers were nearly empty. Her mother’s dowry had funds, but she didn’t want to ask her for it.
Then again, she could borrow money from moneylenders—she could pay it back in a month.
Borrowing like that felt risky…
But the thought of earning even more made all her worries disappear.