Xi Hongrui stood frozen as if struck by lightning, remaining motionless for a long while before finally speaking in a dazed tone: “Five hundred taels isn’t easy to carry… Could you exchange it all for gold?”
The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly: “Of course, of course! I’ll exchange it for you right away!”
Soon enough, the gold was brought over – ten shiny gold ingots neatly arranged in a box, so heavy they weighed down the hand. Widow Song and Xi Hongrui stared at the dazzling gleam together, feeling completely dizzy.
Holding the box of gold, Xi Hongrui looked up with a vacant expression toward the Chongwen Emperor and asked as if sleepwalking: “Was that hairpin really worth that much?”
The Chongwen Emperor chuckled inwardly. Naturally, the hairpin wasn’t worth that much, but the person was.
Seized by a sudden playful impulse, the Emperor stroked his beard and said seriously: “As the saying goes, gold has its price while jade is priceless. Which family does your young mistress belong to?”
“She’s the daughter of the Duke of Chu.”
“The Duke of Chu, well there you have it. His daughter’s hairpin must be extraordinary.”
“Really? Then why would my young mistress give me such an expensive hairpin…”
“You saved her life~”
“Ah… then my young mistress’s life… must be incredibly valuable…”
“Hahaha!”
The little maid’s bewildered expression resembled that of a drunken little fox, making the Chongwen Emperor and De Ren double over with laughter.
Seizing the opportunity, the Chongwen Emperor patted her head: “Now that you have so much money, you can’t possibly stay there tonight. Such a small place isn’t fit for human habitation. You should come to my place instead.”
Upon hearing this, Xi Hongrui immediately nodded vigorously, clutching the gold tightly to her chest as if afraid someone might snatch it away.
However, after walking a few steps, she stopped again and looked up at the Chongwen Emperor with some caution: “Huang Daguanren, perhaps it’s better not to. These past few days, I’ve already taken too much advantage of your kindness. If I were to impose on your residence, it would be too shameless.”
“Moreover, I was originally a maid from the Prince’s Residence with an unclear status. If I were to stay at your place rashly and your honorable wife were to find out, it might cause misunderstandings. You’ve been so kind to me, how could I possibly trouble you further? Anyway, now that I have so much money, Widow Song and I can support each other and will surely find a place to stay!”
Chongwen Emperor: …
He hadn’t expected that casually spending five hundred taels to amuse the beauty would backfire on him. He turned to look at De Ren.
De Ren’s heavy eyelids twitched, revealing a glint of shrewdness as he stepped forward and said flatteringly: “What Miss Hong says makes sense~”
Just as the Chongwen Emperor was about to frown, De Ren smiled with a benevolent expression and continued: “However, regarding accommodation, this old servant suddenly remembers that one of my master’s friends has left the capital for an official post, leaving his residence in the capital unattended. He entrusted it to our master to look after.”
“Our master has been worrying about not having suitable personnel, and now we happen to meet Miss Hong! Miss Hong, having been trained in the Prince’s Residence, you must be skilled at managing servants. This would both help our master and provide you with temporary accommodation – wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone~”
Upon hearing this, Xi Hongrui immediately widened her eyes and looked at De Ren with delight: “Really?”
Looking into Xi Hongrui’s moist eyes, De Ren felt an itch in his heart and turned to the Chongwen Emperor: “Master, what do you think?”
The Chongwen Emperor glanced at De Ren. This old fox certainly had plenty of ideas, having solved his problem in one stroke.”Just adding another courtyard, what’s so remarkable about that?”
He turned his head and nodded seriously: “Yes, that’s right. I’ve been worrying about this recently. If Hong’er is willing to help, nothing could be better.”
Xi Hongrui finally let down her guard, nodding repeatedly as she said happily: “I’m willing!”
Then she pulled Widow Song over and asked hopefully: “Can I bring Auntie Song along too?”
Chongwen Emperor and De Ren both glanced at Widow Song. They had no particular feelings about this peasant woman – if the young girl wanted to bring her along, so be it.
So they smiled and nodded: “Fine, whatever you say goes. You’ll be in complete charge of that residence.”
Xi Hongrui immediately became happy, looking at the sky: “Thank you, Huang Daguanren, thank you, Uncle De! But it’s already too late today. I’ll move from Auntie Song’s place tomorrow!”
The sweet address of “Uncle De” made De Ren’s thick eyelids narrow into slits as he eagerly smiled: “No need, no need. The residence is already prepared. Miss Hong can move in right now~”
Xi Hongrui blinked at him, tilting her head to think for a moment before looking up with a smile: “Alright then!”
De Ren glanced at her slightly, the flesh on both sides of his face squeezing together into a delighted smile.
…
Soon enough, the move was completed.
Xi Hongrui had no attachments, and Widow Song didn’t have many possessions either, so there wasn’t much to move.
But Widow Song, tightly clutching her two children, stepped down from the carriage and looked up at the exquisite mansion, her legs trembling uncontrollably.
As soon as they alighted, a group of fresh-faced young women emerged from the gate, dressed more finely than ordinary young ladies. Seeing them, they all curtsied in unison: “Young Miss.”
Xi Hongrui was startled, turning to look at De Ren, who said with a beaming smile: “They’re all here to serve you, Miss. Feel free to command them as you wish.”
Xi Hongrui then turned her head toward Chongwen Emperor, who was being helped down from the carriage by Qin Xingchao. Looking at the rather presentable group of girls, he felt quite satisfied: “With these people to care for you, I can rest assured.”
While Xi Hongrui was still bewildered, a tall woman stepped forward from the crowd. Her face was as elegant as a cotton rose hibiscus, yet there was a hint of charm in the corners of her eyes and brows.
She approached Xi Hongrui and gave a slight curtsy, her eyes smiling as she said: “Miss, there’s no need to be reserved. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to tell this servant.”
Xi Hongrui found her quite amiable and took her hand: “Thank you, sister. May I ask how to address you?”
The woman curtsied: “You flatter me. This servant is named Mei’er. Please just call me by my name from now on.”
Xi Hongrui waved her hand: “What does that matter? Sister Mei’er, could you arrange accommodations for us first? The two children seem tired.”
Mei’er looked at Widow Song and her two children, smiled and curtsied, then summoned two maids to lead the way, saying “Please.”
Xi Hongrui turned back to Chongwen Emperor and gave a proper curtsy: “Thank you, Huang Daguanren!”
Then she playfully turned to De Ren and also curtsied: “And thank you, Steward Uncle~”
“Oh my, Miss~ you truly humble this old servant~”
De Ren watched the girl’s rose-like lovely figure, feeling an indescribable restlessness stirring in his heart.He didn’t care much about a mere residence, but the thought of this beautiful young maiden—this youthful girl, the future Imperial Concubine—dwelling so defenselessly and unknowingly in this place saturated with his scent made his heart swell with an intoxicating, unquenchable desire, as if he had taken hallucinogenic drugs.
……
After all the back-and-forth commotion, it had grown too late, so the Chongwen Emperor only stayed briefly before returning to the palace with his entourage.
The entire estate was left with only Xi Hongrui, Widow Song, and the thirteen young women filling the courtyard.
Xi Hongrui had Widow Song and her children settled in, then clapped her hands at the timid young women standing below the steps: “It’s late, and there’s nothing else to do. Sisters, you may rest now.”
The thirteen women curtsied in unison and replied without hesitation, “Yes.”
Xi Hongrui raised an eyebrow—such impeccable training.
After the maids withdrew, Xi Hongrui suddenly called out loudly, “Hey! Sister Mei’er, wait a moment~”
The leading woman halted immediately upon hearing this, turned back, and bowed her head respectfully: “Miss, what further instructions do you have?”
Xi Hongrui warmly grasped her hand, pulling her into the room, and said with a laugh, “No instructions at all! I just need your help with something~”
“I wouldn’t dare refuse. Please feel free to command me.”
But Xi Hongrui naturally linked arms with her, drawing her further inside, and leaned against her coquettishly: “Sister Mei’er, could you help me change the bedding? Who knows which man slept in this bed—I won’t have it! Even if he’s some important figure, it’s still unacceptable!”
Her sudden closeness made Mei’er stiffen slightly.
Yet the soft, fragrant form of the young girl was entirely different from that of an old eunuch. So Mei’er looked at Xi Hongrui’s charmingly pleading face and slowly smiled: “Of course, Miss.”
Xi Hongrui released her hand and beamed sweetly.
But the moment Mei’er left, all expression vanished from Xi Hongrui’s face.
She flicked her fingers elegantly near her nose, as if catching a whiff of that old eunuch’s foul stench again.
However, when her eyes fell upon the meticulously arranged room, a smile returned to Xi Hongrui’s face.
People were unpredictable—some good, some bad—but these inanimate objects had never offended anyone.
Xi Hongrui hugged a large, intricately carved porcelain vase that looked immensely valuable, rubbing her cheek against it blissfully. A grand residence—she was utterly in love!
……
Xi Hongrui was the type to thrive anywhere. After the bedding was changed, she flung the doors open and slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky.
Widow Song, however, was utterly flustered, not knowing where to put her hands and feet. Watching the attentive maids, she stammered nervously, “No need, no need! I can manage myself!”
When Xi Hongrui emerged, Widow Song rushed to her side like a lifesaver, her two children trailing behind.
Xi Hongrui was completely at ease. Seeing the meal brought by the maids, she thanked them without hesitation, pulled Widow Song to sit, and ate heartily.
After the meal, she turned to the women: “We met in haste yesterday, and to avoid disturbing your rest, I only got to know Sister Mei’er. May I ask how to address the rest of you sisters?”
The other maids promptly curtsied and introduced themselves one by one. Each of the twelve was named after a flower corresponding to one of the solar terms—exceptionally elegant. That old dog certainly had his whims.
Once Xi Hongrui had acquainted herself with everyone, there was nothing else to attend to: “Sisters, you may disperse now. Just carry on with your duties—no need to fuss over us. But Sister Mei’er, please stay a moment longer!”The young maids, having just changed masters, were trembling with fear. Seeing that Xi Hongrui did not give them too hard a time, they immediately breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew.
Before leaving, they glanced at Mei’er, who had been kept behind, silently wishing her the best of luck.
Mei’er stepped forward calmly and said, “What instructions do you have for me, miss?”
Xi Hongrui smiled and replied, “Nothing much, really. I just wanted to ask you, Sister Mei’er, if there’s a carriage available in the mansion. I’d like to go with Aunt Song to the real estate office to see if there are any suitable shopfronts.”
Widow Song reacted faster than Mei’er, grabbing Xi Hongrui’s arm. “Miss Hong, were you serious about what you said earlier?”
Xi Hongrui widened her eyes. “Of course! Did you think I was joking?”
Widow Song anxiously said, “But opening a shop is no trivial matter…”
“Exactly, which is why I’m taking it seriously now.”
Widow Song: “Huh?”
Ignoring her, Xi Hongrui linked arms with Mei’er. “Let’s go quickly, or we won’t finish today!”
Mei’er looked at herself being dragged along without a second thought and asked in surprise, “Am I going too?”
Xi Hongrui stopped and turned to look at her. “You don’t want to go? Then we can go by ourselves.”
With that, she released Mei’er’s arm.
“No, no, no!” Mei’er hurriedly caught up.
It had been so long since she had seen the world outside—she was more than willing!
…
The real estate office was a bustling, chaotic place. Thoughtfully, Mei’er prepared face-covering hats for everyone. Xi Hongrui, not particularly keen on running into acquaintances, readily agreed.
At first, the brokers paid little attention to the group of women. But when Xi Hongrui pulled out a gold ingot and flashed it, they instantly scrambled to introduce properties to them.
Xi Hongrui took her time, making them explain each street and alley clearly. Eventually, she shortlisted a few options, inspected them one by one, and settled on the most suitable one.
It was a shopfront facing the street, located in a bustling area near a small dock with a constant flow of people. Of course, the rent was steep—one hundred and fifty taels a year.
Without hesitation, Xi Hongrui decided on it. When it was time to sign the contract, she turned to Widow Song. “I’m not a commoner, so I can’t own private property. This shop will be registered under your name. When it turns a profit, I’ll take seventy percent, and you’ll get thirty.”
Widow Song was utterly stunned. How could such a windfall fall from the sky?
But she looked at Xi Hongrui and stammered, “But Miss Hong, if you entrust the shop to me and I end up losing money, what then?”
Xi Hongrui rolled her eyes. “Then just don’t lose money! If you do, at worst, I’ll be out a hundred taels, and you can go back to selling your sour plum drink. This money is practically free anyway, so it’s up to you whether you want to take the chance.”
Only a true fool would pass up such an opportunity. Widow Song instantly forgot all her worries and exclaimed excitedly, “I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”
Mei’er, standing nearby, was infected by her joy and couldn’t help but smile.
Xi Hongrui caught that smile immediately and linked arms with her. “Haha, Sister Mei’er, are you interested too? How about I bring you in as a partner?”
For a moment, Mei’er was genuinely tempted. But then she thought of her own circumstances and grew somber, shaking her head with a faint smile as she looked at them. “This servant has no such ambitions.”
Since she said so, Xi Hongrui didn’t press further. Instead, she linked arms with both women and began pondering seriously, “So, what should we name our noodle shop? Let’s all think of something.”Widow Song rubbed her thighs, racking her brains for noodle shop names she had heard before, and suddenly had an inspiration: “How about ‘Noodle Noodle Fragrance’? It sounds delicious just hearing it!”
Xi Hongrui pondered for a moment without expressing an opinion, then turned to Mei’er: “Sister Mei’er, have you thought of one?”
Mei’er thought seriously for a while before nervously suggesting: “How about ‘Gathering Fragrance Pavilion’?”
This time, Xi Hongrui clearly showed disdain, shaking her head repeatedly.
So the other two thought even harder, but no matter what they suggested, Xi Hongrui would just ponder silently without responding.
Finally, having no other choice, they could only turn to Xi Hongrui: “Then what does Miss Hong think would be good?”
Xi Hongrui released their arms, looked straight ahead, and said with full confidence: “In my opinion, why not just call it ‘Widow Song Noodle Soup Restaurant’!”
Mei’er: “…”
Widow Song: “…”
Having spent some time together and fully understanding Xi Hongrui’s temperament, Mei’er gathered her courage to ask: “Miss, what makes this name better than the others?”
Widow Song also murmured timidly: “Miss Hong, doesn’t ‘widow’ sound a bit unlucky…”
“Heh heh~” Xi Hongrui proudly lifted her chin.
“Now imagine this – you’re a merchant just off a boat, an examination candidate, or someone else, starving and wanting nothing but a bowl of hot noodle soup. Before you are three noodle soup restaurants: one called ‘Noodle Noodle Fragrance’, one called ‘Gathering Fragrance Pavilion’, and one called ‘Widow Song Noodle Soup Restaurant’. Which would you choose?”
Widow Song: “…”
“‘Widow Song Noodle Soup Restaurant’?”
Xi Hongrui clapped her hands: “Exactly!”
Mei’er: “…”
“Why though?”
Xi Hongrui gave them a disdainful look – tch, they understand nothing!
What advantage does Widow Song Noodle Soup Restaurant have over the other two?
Isn’t it obvious? Of course it’s because Widow Song Noodle Soup Restaurant sounds like there’s actually a widow there, hahaha!