On the day of its grand opening, Leping County seemed emptied of its people.
At dawn, two luxurious rosewood carriages adorned with fresh flowers, bearing official insignia from the capital, rolled into the small county under the discreet escort of imperial guards in plain clothes.
The townsfolk had never seen such a spectacle. Speculation spread like wildfire about which noble figure from the capital had arrived, and soon a crowd followed in eager curiosity.
The carriages stopped precisely before the Curio Pavilion.
At the entrance, red cloth had already been laid out according to Xie Qingyan’s instructions, with barriers set in place.
A ceremonial firecracker rang out.
Before the eyes of the gathered crowd, the curtain of the first carriage was lifted by a delicate hand.
A woman in a flowing rosy gown stepped down gracefully, her hair styled high, her face veiled, revealing only a pair of captivating phoenix eyes.
“Heavens! That… that is Liu Yingying, the Heavenly Voice!” cried a wealthy merchant who had just returned from the capital, his voice trembling.
The crowd erupted in shock.
Liu Yingying smiled charmingly, glancing around as her voice rang clear and melodious. “So this is the Curio Pavilion? I have heard it holds rare treasures of the world, so I came to see for myself.”
With elegant steps, she entered the shop and, under countless gazes, casually picked up a Heavenly Craft blind box priced at five taels of silver and opened it on the spot.
A soft hum seemed to ripple through the air.
As the box opened, a gentle glow emerged. Inside was a flawless white jade Guanyin statue.
“It is… it is the work of Master Song, the jade carver of the previous dynasty! Priceless!”
“Lady Liu’s fortune is incredible. The very first box yields such a treasure!”
Liu Yingying held the jade Guanyin with satisfaction and smiled. “Truly a rare object.”
Immediately after, the second carriage revealed another woman stepping down.
Dressed in pale moonlight hues, her bearing refined like an orchid, she was none other than Su Xiaoxiao.
“Su Xiaoxiao! The Flower Queen!”
Unlike Liu Yingying’s striking presence, Su Xiaoxiao entered quietly. She purchased a Human Harmony blind box worth one tael of silver.
When opened, it revealed only an ordinary purple bamboo fan frame, nothing extraordinary.
The crowd began to feel a hint of regret for her.
Yet Su Xiaoxiao covered her lips with a soft laugh and said to the attendant beside her, “Though it is an ordinary item, the box itself is made of fine rosewood, and the carvings upon it are exquisite. For one tael of silver, it is already worth the price. I find it delightful and worthy of keeping.”
Her words were even more effective than unveiling a rare treasure.
Even the most ordinary item came in a rosewood box. What kind of wealth and foundation did this Curio Pavilion possess?
The crowd erupted completely.
“Buy! Hurry and buy! Even Lady Liu and Lady Su have bought it!”
“If Lady Su says it is worth it, then it must be!”
“Quick! What if I also get a masterpiece from Master Song!”
The crowd went mad.
Young masters from neighboring counties, local gentry, and even common townsfolk rushed forward, all eager to try their luck, even if only with the cheapest box.
The blind boxes were snatched up in a frenzy. Overnight, the Curio Pavilion and the mysterious Zhou merchant group became famous across a hundred-mile radius.
On the second floor of the shop, Xie Qingyan stood by the railing, gently lifting her veil as she looked down at the surging crowd.
Chun Cao was flushed with excitement, chattering beside her.
“Miss! Did you hear? That was Liu Yingying and Su Xiaoxiao! Even my mother back home has heard of them. They say even wealth cannot guarantee their presence… this Master Zhou is incredible…”
Xie Qingyan slowly tightened her grip on the railing.
At first, she did not know who they were. Now she understood they were the top figures of the capital.
This was not something a mere merchant could arrange.
Even fifty thousand taels, or five hundred thousand, would not be enough to bring both Liu Yingying and Su Xiaoxiao out of the capital to serve as planted supporters for a small county shop.
To command such figures, and to have them cooperate so seamlessly…
This man was no merchant.
A thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.
What if he were of noble rank?
Instead of joy, her heart sank.
She had assumed he was a fellow merchant, but now it seemed that Master Zhou was far more inscrutable. A noble entering business felt less like commerce and more like staging a spectacle.
She had to know who he truly was, and why he had chosen to open a shop here.
For three days after the opening, long lines persisted.
Xie Qingyan remained behind the scenes, directing everything with precision.
She had anticipated the overwhelming demand and had prepared three rotating teams in advance, setting up streamlined systems for purchasing, opening, and verifying goods. Despite the crowds, everything remained orderly, and any customer concern was addressed immediately.
This was thanks to her experience from her previous life.
Everything was under her control.
On the fourth day, as the flow of customers slowed slightly, Xie Qingyan reviewed the accounts.
Closing the ledger, she said to Chun Cao, “Prepare my attire.”
“Miss, where are we going?”
“To see Sir Thirteen.”
She had already made up her mind. She needed to meet this mysterious Master Zhou.
With her face veiled, she found Thirteen inspecting the storeroom.
“Sir Thirteen.”
“Miss Xie.” He bowed.
“The past three days have brought considerable profit. The accounts are here.” She handed him the ledger. “However, our first batch of blind boxes is nearly sold out. Replenishment and the introduction of new items are matters of importance, and I dare not decide alone.”
“Additionally,” she bowed slightly, “the success of the opening was entirely due to Master Zhou’s great assistance in inviting those distinguished guests from the capital. I wish to thank him in person and discuss the future of the business.”
Her posture was humble, her reasoning flawless.
Thirteen did not dare delay and immediately conveyed her request to Zhao Chengze.
At that moment, Zhao Chengze was reclining lazily, sipping fine wine.
Hearing Thirteen’s report, he paused mid-motion.
Then a smile he could not suppress spread from his lips to his eyes.
“Heh… so she finally cannot resist wanting to meet me?”
Setting down his cup, he cleared his throat and said with feigned composure, “So she wants to see me and I should simply agree? Am I so easy to meet?”
Thirteen lowered his head, saying nothing, though he thought to himself that it was clearly his master who was more eager.
“However…” Zhao Chengze changed his tone, rising and pacing as he stroked his chin, “this opening was largely her achievement. If I refuse outright, it would seem petty and chill the heart of a capable contributor.”
“Very well. I have always been considerate to my subordinates.” He lifted his chin. “I will meet her, but she must not see me too clearly. I would like to maintain some mystery.”
Thirteen inwardly sighed at his theatrics.
“My lord, how shall it be arranged?”
“Wangjiang Tower!” Zhao Chengze blurted, then reconsidered. “No, too casual. Lingyue Restaurant? Also not suitable…”
He paced excitedly before suddenly clapping his hands.
“Go! Prepare Tingyu Pavilion in the eastern part of the city. Inform Miss Xie that this… master will host a banquet there tomorrow evening to celebrate her success.”