Back inside their quarters, Yan Ji arranged the fresh pork, beef, fine white flour, and other market purchases on the counter. Turning to her mother, she suggested, “Mother, why don’t you make a little extra today and send some dishes over to my brothers’ rooms as well?”
“Send them what? They’re nothing but a pack of ungrateful wretches!” Yan Liu Shi snorted, though she still scooped up the ingredients and carried them over to the stove. Before long, the rich, savory aroma of braised meat drifted through the air, mouthwatering enough to whet anyone’s appetite.
While the food simmered, Yan Ji unpacked the newly purchased bolts of cloth, smoothing her hands over the fine textiles. She had bought four in total. She had specially chosen a deep, dark brown bolt— subdued and dignified— for her mother, and a vibrant light green one for her little nieces.
She also arranged the sweet snacks and pastries into four equal bundles, intending to distribute them among her sisters-in-law. Even Wang Xuefeng’s share was meticulously included. As Yan Ji’s fingers lingered over a striking, rose-red bolt of cloth, a cold glint flashed across her eyes.
Yan Liu Shi quickly finished cooking the dishes, masterfully portioning the rich stews into separate bowls. Yan Ji smiled softly and said, “Mother, why don’t you take the food and these gifts over to Second Brother’s place? I will deliver the rest to Eldest Brother and Third Brother’s places.”
“Look at all these beautiful things, and you won’t even keep a bit of it for yourself!” Yan Liu Shi grumbled, her heart aching at the sight. All of this premium merchandise had cost real, hard silver!
“Mother, your daughter isn’t lacking a few coppers anymore.” Yan Ji reassured her, gently nudging her forward. “Just send them over. Otherwise, the gossips will claim I completely forgot my own flesh and blood the moment I struck it rich.”
Finding her daughter’s foresight perfectly reasonable, Yan Liu Shi relented. Balancing the steaming bowls, the fine cloth, and the treats, she marched out toward Yan Lao Er’s room.
Meanwhile, Yan Ji gathered the remaining bundles and made her way to Yan Lao Da’s quarters. When she knocked, Yan Lin Shi opened the door, her face softening into an expression of pure surprise. “Ji Niang? What brings you over?”
“Eldest Sister-in-law, I came to bring a few things for the family.” Yan Ji replied with a warm, easy smile.
Only then did Yan Lin Shi notice the savory dishes in Yan Ji’s hands, the rolls of high-quality cloth tucked securely under her arm, and the bundle of sweets dangling from her wrist. She hurriedly took the heavy bowl from her young sister-in-law and stepped aside to welcome her into the room.
“Ji Niang is here?” Yan Lao Da sat up in bed. Beside him, his two young daughters stared at their aunt with bright, sparkling eyes before breaking into matching smiles.
“Aunt!”
“Aunt!”
“Eldest Brother, I brought a few gifts for everyone.” Yan Ji offered an innocent, radiant smile as she held up the textiles. “Take this cloth and make some beautiful new clothes for my little nieces. The snacks and pastries are for them, too.”
Children had absolutely no defense against the promise of sweets. Hearing that there were treats just for them, the two little girls cheered happily, jumping up and down on the mattress while staring eagerly at the bundles. Yan Ji chuckled softly, reaching into the package to hand each of them a soft piece of fragrant osmanthus cake.
“Little Sister, these must have cost a small fortune.” Yan Lao Da stammered awkwardly, rubbing his calloused hands together in deep embarrassment. “No, no, we can’t possibly accept these. Hurry and take them back.”
“Eldest Brother, please don’t worry.” Yan Ji explained smoothly, her tone reassuringly casual, “I have found a reliable way to earn money in town, so I have plenty of silver now. In fact, that new house being built down the path was paid for entirely with the silver I earned myself.”
Yan Lao Da froze, his jaw dropping slightly. “I-is that so……”
The entire family had assumed their mother had secretly hoarded a massive, private inheritance to spoil her daughter with a brand-new house. Who could have imagined that the astronomical sum had actually been generated by Yan Ji herself?
After exchanging a few more polite, pleasant words, Yan Ji patted her two nieces affectionately on the head and took her leave under the stunned, deeply respectful gazes of the couple. Using the exact same approach and explanation, she swept through the courtyard to deliver the identical gifts to her third brother’s family, leaving them equally breathless with awe.
Back in the quiet comfort of her own room, Yan Ji poured herself a cup of water, sipping it leisurely. She hadn’t been resting for long when Yan Liu Shi stormily marched back through the door, her hands completely empty and her face flushed crimson with pure rage.
Seeing her mother’s explosive state, Yan Ji raised her delicate brows in amused curiosity. “Mother, whatever is the matter? Did someone dare to upset you?”
“Don’t even get me started!” Yan Liu Shi hissed, trembling with fury just thinking about the encounter. “You were kind enough to buy premium cloth for your second brother’s wife, yet that miserable Wang Xuefeng had the audacity to speak to me in a sarcastic tone! She insisted that I must have secretly subsidized you with hidden family coins. Bah! If that cloth had been bought with my own savings, Wang Xuefeng wouldn’t even dream of touching a single thread. She wouldn’t get a single fart from me!”
Yan Ji poured a fresh bowl of water and handed it over, gently patting the old woman’s back to soothe her ragged breathing. “Mother, please don’t burn your own health over her pettiness. The new house is practically finished anyway. We will simply pack our things and move out.”
After gulping down the cool water, Yan Liu Shi nodded fiercely, her jaw set. “Move! We are moving out tomorrow morning!”
……
Across the courtyard, Wang Xuefeng was greedily smoothing her hands over the newly acquired rose-red cloth, the sheer delight in her eyes completely betraying her earlier venom. She turned to Yan Lao Er, a smug sneer on her face. “Where could your sister possibly find a way to earn real silver? Your mother must have secretly handed her a fortune, and now they’re putting on this elaborate show of generosity just to save face.”
“Are you quite finished? You’ve already accepted the cloth, so why must you keep running your mouth?” Yan Lao Er finally snapped, his voice rising in deep irritation as his brows knit tightly together.
Wang Xuefeng snorted coldly, tossing her head high. “And why shouldn’t I accept your mother’s money? Lest you forget, I am currently carrying the Yan family’s precious eldest grandson in my belly!”
Seeing her husband fall into a sullen, defeated silence, Wang Xuefeng contentedly folded the vibrant fabric and tucked it away, already imagining how beautiful she would look wearing a brand-new outfit after her delivery.
Suddenly, her thoughts drifted back to the matchmaker she had sent to the Lin household, only for that stubborn bookworm Lin Zhiyan to flatly declare he had absolutely no intention of marrying. The more she dwelled on his refusal, the more a bitter anxiety gnawed at her stomach.
That Lin Zhiyan truly was a complete bookworm, caring about nothing but his dusty old scrolls! But what if he actually managed to pass the imperial examinations someday? What if, once he became a high official, he ended up fancying Yan Jin?
Wang Xuefeng sat heavily by the window, her brow furrowed in deep, malicious thought. Slowly, a bold, treacherous plot began to take shape in her mind.
If…… if Lin Zhiyan passes the examinations, but Yan Jin has already been ruined and married off to some worthless brute, wouldn’t her worries be solved permanently?
Her eyes lit up with a wicked brilliance. Slapping her thigh in excitement, she let out a sharp, triumphant laugh. She truly was a genius to come up with such a flawless, permanent solution! Resting a hand over her slightly protruding belly, a slow, venomous smile crept across her face.
……
Meanwhile, on the other side of the courtyard, Yan Ji had absolutely no idea what twisted schemes Wang Xuefeng was concocting— nor did she care in the slightest. Her mind was entirely occupied with her burgeoning business as she laid out her next steps to Yan Liu Shi.
“You want to open a proper shop in town?” Yan Liu Shi repeated.
Yan Ji nodded smoothly. Her goal was to rent a permanent storefront in the heart of the market district specifically to showcase her premium scented balms and miracle medicinal ointments. That way, she would no longer have to endure the dust and poor placement of a marketplace stall, and she would finally have a proper establishment to introduce her higher-end cosmetic creations.
Yan Liu Shi’s brow furrowed the moment she heard the proposal, her face clouding with reluctance. “But wouldn’t opening a proper storefront mean you would have to stay in town every single day?”
Yan Ji smiled reassuringly. “Not necessarily, Mother. I only need to hire an experienced shopkeeper to manage the daily transactions. I will simply pay them a fixed monthly wage.”
Yan Liu Shi still looked deeply skeptical, her protective instincts flaring. “And what if that person grows greedy and runs away with your hard-earned silver? No, no, that simply won’t do. If we are to have a shop, it would be much safer for the two of us to move to town and watch over the till ourselves!”
Yan Ji couldn’t help but let out a soft, melodious laugh at her mother’s fierce caution.
After a moment of deliberate thought, she offered an alternative, “How about this instead? I can supply my balms and ointments directly to an established shop and cooperate with them on a wholesale basis. That way, I can focus on crafting the product here, and I won’t need to keep rushing to the market every few days.”
“Now, that is a marvelous idea!” Yan Liu Shi finally nodded, thoroughly satisfied with the compromise.
────ρя
The very next day, as soon as the final touches on the new house were complete, Yan Ji and her mother packed up their belongings and prepared to move. Yan Lao Da and Yan Lao San both arrived early to help, eagerly hoisting the heavy wooden beds, wardrobes, and cabinets onto their broad shoulders.
Once the grueling move was finished and every piece of furniture was perfectly in place, Yan Ji stepped forward and handed each of her brothers two substantial taels of silver as a token of gratitude. The two men instinctively tried to push the money back, stammering their refusals, but they were simply no match for Yan Ji’s smooth, unyielding insistence. Ultimately, they accepted the silver with deep blushes.
As Yan Lao Da and Yan Lao San walked back down the dirt path toward the old family courtyard, Yan Lao Da let out a heavy, regretful sigh. “Our little sister truly is thoughtful and generous…… If only Second Brother hadn’t thrown such a fit to split the family estate……” Had they all remained under one roof, the entire household likely would have prospered beyond their wildest dreams.
Yan Lao San remained silent, but the tight, wistful look on his face proved his thoughts were entirely the same.
……
The first thing Yan Ji did upon settling into her new home was organize her workshop. Once the jars and tools were meticulously arranged, she swept through the village to round up the local older children. She announced to the eager group that she would directly purchase any fragrant wild flowers, roots, or unique herbs they could forage from the fields.
This brilliant move effectively freed up her time, sparing her from having to trek into the deep, rugged terrain of the back mountains every single day.
With the irresistible motivation of cold, hard coin, the village children turned into an efficient little army. Before long, Yan Ji was receiving bountiful baskets filled with fresh, aromatic flora of every shape and size. True to her word, she wasn’t stingy in the slightest, rewarding each child with three bright copper coins for their deliveries.
Three coppers were a magnificent sum for a child’s afternoon chore. The ecstatic youngsters clutched their earnings tightly and sprinted home to proudly show their parents.
“Aunt! Aunt! Look what we found! This flower smells absolutely incredible!”
Xiao Yi, Yan Ji’s eldest niece, came bursting through the workshop door, pulling her little sister by the hand. Extended proudly in her dirt-smudged palm were two tiny, star-shaped white blossoms with delicate, pale pink stamens. They were extraordinarily beautiful.
The moment the petals crossed the threshold, a rich, intoxicatingly sweet fragrance instantly flooded the entire room.
Yan Ji’s eyes widened in genuine pleasant surprise. She recognized the rare flora immediately. If she infused these blossoms into her next batch of fragrance, the quality and potency of her scented balms would ascend to an entirely new level.
Crouching down to eye level with the little girl, Yan Ji smiled tenderly. She reached into her purse, retrieved a small, shimmering piece of broken silver, and pressed it securely into Xiao Yi’s hand. “What a clever, wonderful girl. Hide this money carefully in your pocket, carry it straight home, and give it directly to your mother. Do you understand?”
“Mhm!” Xiao Yi nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. She carefully tucked the silver deep into her pouch, grabbed her little sister’s hand, and eagerly sprinted back home.
With such a bounty of fresh, high-quality materials now at her disposal, Yan Ji wasted no time. She immediately set to work transforming the mountain flora into luxurious scented balms, while a second stove hummed nearby, simmering the ingredients for her medicinal ointments. Besides her signature pimple and scar remedies, she formulated a brand-new luxury product for this batch— a skin-whitening cream.
Its effects were exactly as the name implied. She had no doubt it would become an instant sensation among the elite noblewomen.
Stirring the rich, simmering cream, Yan Ji couldn’t help but let out a soft, amused sigh, muttering under her breath, “To think that I, once a revered leader of the spirit realm, am now working this tirelessly just to hoard simple mortal silver. Truly, the wheel of fate spins in unpredictable ways.”
Meanwhile, word of Yan Ji’s generous trade quickly swept through the village. Several of the children who had earned their coppers dutifully handed them over to their parents. Finding it hard to believe that common weeds could command such a price, a group of bewildered adults personally marched over to her house to uncover the truth.
Emerging from her workshop into the bustling courtyard, Yan Ji elegantly smoothed down her flowing sleeves and stepped forward with a welcoming smile. “Uncles and Aunties, what brings you all to my home today?”
“Ji Niang, our Gou Dan came home claiming you gave him these copper coins. Is that true?” A village woman asked, holding out the bright pieces of metal.
Yan Ji understood their concern instantly and nodded with easy grace. “It is true. The children helped me gather a wonderful selection of fragrant wild flowers and herbs, so I gave them three copper coins as proper compensation for their labor. Uncles and Aunties have no need to worry. The money is genuinely theirs.”
“But these wild flowers and grasses grow everywhere on the hills! How could they possibly be worth three copper coins?” The woman protested, shaking her head. “Hurry and take your silver back, child!”
“Yes, take it back quickly! We can’t accept this!” The other villagers chimed in.
A fond warmth brushed against Yan Ji’s mind. These rustic country folk truly were simple, honest, and remarkably principled.
Maintaining her gentle smile, Yan Ji explained, “Those specific flowers and herbs are immensely valuable to my work. I refine them into scented balms to sell at the town market. Foraging alone is simply too slow for my orders, so I asked the children to assist me. Those copper coins are their rightful wages.”
“Wild flowers and grasses can actually be turned into money?”
“Scented balms? You mean like the expensive cosmetics used by wealthy ladies?”
“Ji Niang, you actually know such an exquisite craft?”
Shock rippled through the gathered crowd. None of them had ever expected the pampered, delicate Ji Niang— who had grown up sheltered from heavy farm work— to have such talent.
“It is merely a craft I studied from books.” Yan Ji replied smoothly, tilting her head. “In fact, the silver used to construct this new house was earned entirely from selling my first few batches of balm.”
Hearing that Yan Ji was genuinely flourishing and not throwing away her family’s meager coins, the villagers finally breathed a collective sigh of relief, offering their hearty congratulations before leading their children home.
By nightfall, the sensational news that the Yan family’s daughter was amassing a fortune through fragrance making had firmly established itself as the talk of the entire village.