When the news spread, no one was more shocked than Wang Xuefeng. In her previous life, she had never known that Yan Ji possessed any skill for making fragrances. Could this sudden talent really be a byproduct of the family splitting up?
No matter how hard she racked her brain, Wang Xuefeng couldn’t fathom the reason. Ultimately, she could only chalk it up to the family separation. After all, in her past life, the household had only been divided after Yan Ji married out.
If those scented balms truly sold well, Yan Ji would live a prosperous, comfortable life even without marrying Lin Zhiyan. No, she absolutely could not allow that to happen!
Even Wang Xuefeng didn’t fully understand why she loathed Yan Ji so intensely. She simply could not bear to see the girl thrive. Biting her lip, she began plotting her next move.
……
Meanwhile, with the village children helping out, Yan Ji saved a massive amount of time. She spent her days cooped up inside the workshop instead. Because of the single tael of silver Xiao Yi had brought home, Yan Lin Shi had come over to ask about it. It took a lengthy explanation from Yan Ji before she finally relented and accepted the money.
After that, Yan Lin Shi frequently stopped by Yan Ji’s house after finishing her own chores, helping the mother and daughter cook meals, wash clothes, and hang them out to dry. Her assistance gave Yan Liu Shi a much-needed reprieve.
Seeing this, Yan Ji consulted with her mother and decided to offer Yan Lin Shi five taels of silver every month in exchange for her help around the house.
Upon hearing the offer, Yan Lin Shi waved her hands hurriedly. “There’s absolutely no need to give me silver! It’s just a few minor chores. How could I possibly take your money for that?”
“Eldest Sister-in-law, even blood brothers settle accounts clearly.” Yan Ji insisted. “Since I’m offering it, just accept it. Use it to buy something tasty for my nieces.”
Yan Lin Shi was honest and hardworking, qualities Yan Ji deeply appreciated. Looking out for her a little more was a small price to pay.
Yan Liu Shi chimed in as well, “If she’s offering it to you, just take it!”
“A-alright…… Thank you, Ji Niang.” Yan Lin Shi’s eyes grew slightly misty as she accepted the money with a grateful smile.
When she returned home and recounted the encounter to Yan Lao Da, he let out a profound sigh.
“Little Sister truly is thoughtful.” He said. “Since she values you so highly, make sure you do the work diligently. But whatever you do, do not let Second Brother’s or Third Brother’s families find out about this!”
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” She reassured him.
……
Over the next two days, Yan Ji crafted several more boxes of scented balm. She made an even larger batch of medicinal ointments, though the whitening cream only yielded two boxes.
Once everything was packed up, she prepared to head to the marketplace.
This time, she didn’t run into Lin Zhiyan. According to the villagers, he had already left for the capital a day prior to take the imperial examinations. Yan Ji calculated the timeline in her head and realized the timing was perfect.
In one year, Lin Zhiyan would pass the examinations, receive an official appointment, and return home in glory.
Under Yan Ji’s intervention, the original owner’s fate had already altered course. At this exact point in the altered timeline, Yan Liu Shi had been gravely ill. Thanks to Wang Xuefeng’s malicious interference back then, Lin Zhiyan and the original owner had never even met, and he had ultimately ended up marrying Wang Xuefeng’s niece instead.
As for the original owner, Wang Xuefeng had schemed against her, forcing her to marry a local scoundrel. Yan Liu Shi had died of pure heartbreak and rage, while the original owner had wasted away in deep depression until her untimely death.
Now, although the family had still split apart, Yan Ji possessed the skill of fragrance-making and had already accumulated a tidy sum of silver. Furthermore, Yan Liu Shi would no longer fall ill from worry, nor would she be driven to her grave by Wang Xuefeng’s malice.
Her fate had already shifted a lot.
“052.” Yan Ji called out in her mind. “What’s the current mission progress?”
052’s distinctive mechanical voice chimed in response, 〖Progress: 65%.〗
“Only sixty-five percent?” Yan Ji raised an eyebrow in surprise.
052 explained, 〖The mission will only be considered fully complete once the original owner successfully avoids marrying the local scoundrel and the hidden threat, Wang Xuefeng, is completely dealt with.〗
Hearing that, Yan Ji narrowed her eyes and let out a meaningful smile.
When Yan Ji arrived in town, she didn’t rush to set up her usual stall. Instead, she sought out the largest fragrance shop in the area and stepped inside.
The shop was called Wanli Xiang[1]Fragrance of Ten Thousand Li jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2391661_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2391661_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Its shopkeeper was a middle-aged man around forty years old named Chen Sheng.
At that moment, Shopkeeper Chen was bent over his ledger when a crisp and clear female voice interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, he saw a beautiful young woman standing before him, dressed in a simple, light blue skirt.
“Shopkeeper, I have a business proposal I’d like to discuss with you.”
“What kind of business? Let’s hear it.” Chen Sheng replied. Noting her youth and the modest fabric of her clothes, he guessed she was likely a village girl. However, being a man of mild temperament, he didn’t turn her away and instead addressed her politely.
Yan Ji placed the scented balms and medicinal ointments she had crafted onto the counter. “I made these myself. The fragrances are unique in this world. As for the ointments, one removes scars, and the other clears up blemishes. I would like to supply them to you at a wholesale price so your shop can resell them.” She explained with a confident smile.
Chen Sheng opened one of the scented balms and took a breath. He nodded in approval.
It truly smelled wonderful. Moreover, each box boasted a distinct aroma, and the craftsmanship was exceptionally high.
When his gaze shifted to the medicinal ointments, he suddenly recalled that his wife had purchased a scar-and-blemish-removing ointment from a street vendor some time ago. Its effects had been nothing short of miraculous.
Chen Sheng couldn’t help but study Yan Ji more closely, a sudden realization dawning on him. “Miss, have you perhaps set up a stall in town before?” He asked cautiously.
“I used to sell my wares in a corner of the eastern market.” Yan Ji answered smoothly. “I managed to attract a few regular customers.”
Chen Sheng’s eyes instantly lit up. “Four taels per box for the scented balm, and ten taels per box for the medicinal ointment. What do you think?”
“That’s acceptable.” Yan Ji agreed readily.
Although she would earn less per item compared to running the stall herself, wholesaling saved her an immense amount of time and effort. With that in mind, Yan Ji produced the two boxes of whitening cream, opening them as she introduced her latest creation, “This is a new whitening cream I’ve developed. It brightens and evens out the complexion. Are you interested?”
“Naturally! If you develop any new products in the future, Wanli Xiang will take all of them. Twelve taels per box for the whitening cream— how does that sound?”
“Agreed.”
The two quickly drew up and signed a written contract, after which Chen Sheng counted out the silver and handed it over to Yan Ji.
“Miss Yan, how often can you deliver the goods?” Shopkeeper Chen asked. “To be completely honest with you, Wanli Xiang has branches in other regions as well. The more scented balms and medicinal ointments you can provide, the better.”
“I can make a delivery once every seven days.” Yan Ji replied after a moment of calculation. “The balms and ointments won’t be an issue, but the whitening cream is far more troublesome to craft, so the quantity will be limited.”
“No matter, no matter at all.” Chen Sheng said, waving his hand dismissively. In business, he knew that scarcity only bred value. The rarer and harder an item was to obtain, the higher the price it could command.
After finalizing the deal, Yan Ji made a point to visit her old stall location out of sheer goodwill. She used the opportunity to direct her regular customers toward Wanli Xiang, effectively advertising for the shop, before heading off to purchase a horse carriage for transportation.
The carriage alone set her back forty taels of silver. By the time she finished stocking up on medicinal ingredients and various household supplies, her newly earned hundred taels had vanished in the blink of an eye.
Yet, having spent every last coin, Yan Ji felt incredibly refreshed as she happily drove the carriage back to the village.
Her grand return in a horse carriage instantly drew a crowd. The villagers gaped and sighed in amazement, whispering that the Yan family had truly struck it rich if they could now afford their own carriage.
Naturally, Wang Xuefeng witnessed the spectacle as well. Her pregnancy was well advanced now, her belly protruding heavily. Supporting her waist with one hand, she glared in Yan Ji’s direction and let out a venomous snort, her eyes gleaming with malice.
Enjoy your little victory while it lasts!
────ρя
Following her partnership with Wanli Xiang, Yan Ji’s life settled into a comfortable routine. She spent her days crafting balms and ointments, making periodic trips to town to deliver the stock and bring back supplies.
Before long, winter arrived. Yan Ji had already spent more than half a year in this world, and during that time, Wang Xuefeng had behaved with unusual restraint, making no hostile moves whatsoever.
Thanks to the abundance of supplies Yan Ji brought home, the Yan family celebrated a lavish and prosperous Lunar New Year. Her two skinny little nieces had finally filled out, gaining a healthy weight, while both Yan Lin Shi and Yan Li Shi had successfully fallen pregnant.
The entire household was enveloped in an atmosphere of joy and festivity.
When spring came, Wang Xuefeng gave birth to a chubby baby boy. Yan Lao Er was so overcome with joy that his smile never left his face, and he carried his infant son around the village every single day to show him off. Though Yan Liu Shi still disliked Wang Xuefeng as a daughter-in-law, she couldn’t help but dote heavily on her new grandson.
Not long after the birth, momentous news arrived from town— Lin Zhiyan had passed the imperial examinations. The emperor had appointed him as the local county magistrate, and in just a few months, he would be returning home in glory.
Unable to sit still any longer, Wang Xuefeng finally decided it was time to strike.
Her first step was to seek out Xu Qiang, a notorious scoundrel. Cornering him, she asked point-blank if he wanted to become rich.
Xu Qiang looked the woman up and down. Wang Xuefeng was already quite attractive, and after giving birth, her figure had become even fuller and more alluring, every movement carrying a certain mature charm.
A flash of lust flickered in his eyes as he leaned back, asking in a lazy, drawling tone, “Who doesn’t want to get rich?”
“I have a foolproof way to make you wealthy.” Wang Xuefeng declared confidently, before leaning in to lay out her malicious plan.
After hearing her out, Xu Qiang eyed her with a slow, half-smile. “They say nothing is more venomous than a woman’s heart, and they’re right. If I’m not mistaken, that Ji Niang is your husband’s own younger sister.”
“So what?” Wang Xuefeng snapped impatiently. “Just tell me if you’re in or out.”
Xu Qiang licked his lips, his expression turning into a crude, lewd grin. “Of course I’m in.”
Satisfied, Wang Xuefeng nodded. “Then we meet at the agreed location two days from now.”
With that, she turned and walked away, her hips swaying deliberately.
────ρя
Two days later, Yan Ji was cooped up in her workshop crafting fragrances when Wang Xuefeng walked in. She carried a steaming bowl of chicken soup, a bright, uncharacteristic smile plastered across her face.
“Ji Niang, we made chicken soup for lunch today. I especially brought a bowl over for you to try. Once Mother gets back, I’ll bring her one as well.”
A strange, knowing glint flashed across Yan Ji’s eyes.
“Alright. Just leave it there, Second Sister-in-law. Let me finish prepping these medicinal ingredients first, then I’ll drink it.”
Wang Xuefeng set the bowl down on the table, her gaze sweeping greedily around the room. A violent surge of jealousy flared in her chest.
None of these beautiful things should belong to Yan Ji!
But it didn’t matter. The moment the girl drank that soup, her blessed days would be over.
A few moments later, Yan Ji stepped out of the workroom. She picked up the bowl and drank the chicken soup down to the last drop. After chatting casually with Wang Xuefeng for a few minutes, Yan Ji suddenly raised a hand to prop up her forehead. “Why do I feel so dizzy all of a sudden……?”
“You must be exhausted. Come, let me help you back to your room to rest.” Wang Xuefeng offered, practically vibrating with secret thrill. She hurried over, grabbed Yan Ji’s arm, and half-dragged, half-guided her toward the bed.
Staring down at Yan Ji’s tightly shut eyes, Wang Xuefeng let out a cruel sneer.
“When you wake up, Ji Niang, your life will be entirely different. You really ought to thank me for this.”
With a final, malicious glance, Wang Xuefeng turned on her heel to leave.
Yet, the moment her back was turned, the supposedly unconscious Yan Ji snapped her eyes wide open. Slipping soundlessly from the bed, she raised her hand without a shred of hesitation and delivered a sharp strike to the back of Wang Xuefeng’s neck.
A blinding pain hit Wang Xuefeng instantly. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed into a dead faint.
“Harming others only brings harm to yourself.” Yan Ji muttered softly to the empty room.
She hoisted Wang Xuefeng onto the bed, arranged her under the covers, and quietly slipped out. Moments later, she was driving her horse carriage toward town, her expression as cold as ice against the rushing wind.
References[+]