Xue Tingxue looked at Fu Tingyuan, his deep gaze seemingly wanting to see right through her.
"A jade pendant?" She chuckled softly and picked up the teacup in front of her. "Is Your Highness referring to the item from the palace that day?"
Fu Tingyuan did not speak; he simply watched her, waiting quietly for an answer.
"I do recall now." Xue Tingxue set down the teacup. "That jade pendant once appeared in my dreams."
"In your dreams!"
Fu Tingyuan was taken aback.
"Yes, in the dream, I was in grave danger, and a benefactor wearing that jade pendant saved me. But the dream was blurry, and I could not see his face clearly."
She raised her eyes, meeting Fu Tingyuan's gaze with a clear and frank expression. "When I saw Your Highness, I felt a sense of familiarity, which is why I felt close to you."
Fu Tingyuan's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of his wheelchair, not calling out her somewhat bizarre rhetoric.
He simply said slowly, "I see."
"I hope Your Highness will forgive my foolishness." Xue Tingxue curtsied.
I like all the gifts you send me.
After he finished speaking, his follower pushed him away.
Bi Tao poked her head in from outside, her face full of curiosity. "Miss, what did Prince Ning'an say to you? Why did he suddenly send you such precious ink chrysanthemums?"
Xue Tingxue sat back at the table and took a bite of an Osmanthus Cake. "Nothing much, just a simple exchange of gifts."
She looked at the rewards in the courtyard that had not yet been put into storage, a golden expanse.
"Bi Tao, go call Liu Fu."
Liu Fu arrived quickly and waited with a bow.
"What are your orders, Miss?"
"How is the progress on the shops I told you to buy?"
Liu Fu replied hurriedly, "Reporting to Eldest Miss, as you instructed, I have purchased three shopfronts on the busiest Vermilion Bird Street in the Capital City, all connected together."
"Very good." Xue Tingxue nodded. "Find someone to knock down the walls between the three shops and connect them into one large space. I want it to open within half a month."
Liu Fu was somewhat surprised. "So fast? Miss, what kind of business are we going to do?"
The corners of Xue Tingxue's mouth curled up. "Opening a rouge and powder shop."
Bi Tao blinked rapidly from the side. "Rouge and powder? Miss, the largest rouge shop in the Capital City is 'Hundred Fragrance Pavilion,' which is backed by the industry of Consort Shu's maternal family. We..."
"We are going to steal her business." Xue Tingxue said it lightly.
She took a blueprint she had drawn long ago from her sleeve and handed it to Liu Fu.
"Decorate the shop exactly like this, and as for the name..." She thought for a moment. "Let's call it 'Qingcheng'."
Half a month later, Vermilion Bird Street.
The "Qingcheng" rouge shop officially opened amidst the sound of gongs and drums.
Inside and outside the shop, it was packed with people watching the excitement, most of them noblewomen and misses from the Capital City.
"This 'Qingcheng' has quite the ego; I wonder whose shop this is."
"Who else could it be but the Eldest Miss of the Dingguo Mansion! I heard she smashed all ten thousand gold pieces rewarded by the Emperor into this!"
"Tsk, a young lady who doesn't stay in the estate to learn needlework, but runs out to show her face and act as a merchant—truly lacking in rules."
Li Wan, with a group of young misses, stood in the crowd waving her fan, her face full of gloating smiles.
"I want to see what kind of tricks she can pull. An abandoned woman who had her engagement broken, still wanting to steal business from Consort Shu's family—it's simply a pipe dream!"
Just then, Xue Tingxue walked out of the shop entrance, dressed in Begonia Red Tunic.
Behind her followed two rows of maids in uniform, each holding an exquisite tray.
"Thank you all for gracing us with your presence today to celebrate the opening of my humble shop." Xue Tingxue's voice was clear and bright, reaching the entire street corner.
She did not say any unnecessary words and directly clapped her hands.
"For today's opening, the shop is launching a uniquely crafted cosmetic, named 'Immortal Highlight'."
A maid stepped forward with a tray, and Xue Tingxue lifted the Red Cloth on top, revealing a small white jade porcelain box.
A wave of discussion broke out in the crowd.
"Immortal Highlight? What is this? I've never even heard of it."
Li Wan scoffed and said loudly on purpose, "Playing tricks! It wouldn't be some deceptive gadget, would it?"
Xue Tingxue acted as if she hadn't heard. She opened the porcelain box and used her Fingertips to dip a little of the paste inside, which had a delicate luster.
She beckoned a plain-looking maid over.
"Everyone, please look."
In front of everyone, Xue Tingxue gently patted the paste onto the maid's half-cheek, brow bone, and bridge of the nose.
A miracle happened.
Under the Sunlight, the half of the maid's face that had been applied with the paste seemed to be instantly infused with light.
The previously plain features suddenly became three-dimensional, and the skin revealed a moist, plump luster, making her look much more vibrant.
"Wow—"
An irrepressible gasp erupted from the crowd.
All the women's Eyes lit up, staring fixedly at the maid's glowing half-face.
The mockery on Li Wan's face also froze, and the noblewomen beside her subconsciously leaned forward, wanting to see more clearly.
"This... what kind of sorcery is this?"
"My goodness! This cheek, how did it suddenly become so plump?"
A bold noblewoman couldn't help but ask, "Eldest Miss Xue! This... how much does it cost?"
Xue Tingxue laughed.
She had been waiting for this sentence.
"This item is called 'Immortal Highlight'; the production process is complex, and the materials are rare. Therefore, only one hundred boxes will be sold daily."
She held up two fingers.
"One box, twenty taels of silver."
"Hiss—"
A sound of gasping echoed through the crowd.
Twenty taels of silver! That was enough for a common family's expenses for a whole year!
But for these noblewomen who were not short of money, this price, while expensive, was not unacceptable.
After all, the effect just now was truly astonishing.
"I'll buy one box!"
"I want two boxes!"
"Don't push! Save one for me!"
The women who had been holding a wait-and-see attitude just a moment ago went crazy in an instant.
The one hundred boxes of "Immortal Highlight" were snapped up in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Those who didn't get one were stomping their feet in frustration, scrambling to pre-order for tomorrow.
Li Wan stood outside the crowd, watching the noblewomen who were usually like her fighting tooth and nail for a small porcelain box, her face turning shades of blue and white.
She wanted one too.
But she couldn't bring herself to go and buy it from Xue Tingxue.
The "Qingcheng" shop was an instant hit.
Xue Tingxue's name spread throughout the Capital City once again.
Only this time, people were no longer discussing the scandal of her being dumped by Prince Yu, but her miraculous ability to make money.
"I heard that 'Qingcheng' shop makes two thousand taels of silver a day!"
"Indeed! Now, among the noblewomen in the Capital City, anyone who hasn't used their 'Immortal Highlight' is too embarrassed to greet others when they go out!"
The former "Capital City's Number One Abandoned Woman" had transformed into the "Capital City's Number One Female Merchant."
Prince Yu's Estate.
Fu Nanli sat in the Study Room, listening to the servant report the news from outside, his expression so grim it could drip water.
"You say the shop she opened makes money by the bucketful?"
"Re... reporting to Your Highness, that is what everyone is saying outside."
Fu Nanli slammed his fist onto the Table, his chest feeling terribly congested.
He had thought that without him, and without the engagement as the Eldest Miss of the Dingguo Mansion, Xue Tingxue would be crying and unable to go on living.
But she didn't.
Instead, she lived more brilliantly and dazzlingly than ever before.
"Prepare the carriage!" Fu Nanli stood up abruptly.
"This king wants to go out for a walk."
The Carriage moved slowly along Vermilion Bird Street, eventually being forced to a stop by the congested crowd.
Fu Nanli impatiently lifted the Carriage Curtain, wanting to see what was happening ahead.
At this look, his Gaze froze.
Not far away, at the entrance of the shop with the "Qingcheng" plaque, there were Throngs of People, and it was incredibly Lively.
And at the shop entrance, that Figure he was all too familiar with was standing on the steps, giving orders to the Shop assistant.
She was wearing a neat and tidy purple riding attire today, her Long Hair tied up high, and a confident, calm smile on her face.
The Sunlight shone on her, making her entire person glow.
Fu Nanli just watched, unable to describe the feeling in his heart.
Bitterness, irritability, and a trace of regret that even he himself was unwilling to admit.
He looked at the woman who once had him in her heart and eyes, now smiling charmingly at others, full of spirit.
He suddenly felt as if he had... personally thrown away a rare treasure.
Fu Nanli leaned back against the carriage wall, for the first time, doubting his decision to break off the engagement.
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