The commotion in the kitchen soon reached Chen Ting’s ears. After Fuyao finished his report with lowered head, he asked, “Master, should we stop her?”
“No need. Let the Madam do whatever she wants,” Chen Ting said. Thinking of the words she had muttered when she had just woken from her nap that afternoon, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that she had married into this household unwillingly. With a hint of gloom, he added, “If there’s anything she wants, satisfy her as much as possible.”
Chen Ting had never thought of making things difficult for a pitiful woman who had no say over her own fate. Since she had married in and had promised to be his wife properly, he would naturally treat her well, living out their lives together with mutual respect, just like his parents had.
Fuyao understood and said, “The Madam also mentioned that she wanted to read. Shall we send books to her as well?”
Chen Ting glanced at the shelves in his study, filled with military manuals and treatises. The only books with any hint of interest were a few travelogues of landscapes and rivers; there were not even any poetry collections that young women usually liked to read. Presumably, she would never step into this dull and tedious study… just as she was unwilling to draw close to him as a person.
She was so much younger than he was; there was little common ground between them to begin with. Being alone in the courtyard, she must be bored. Thinking this, Chen Ting instructed, “Find whatever she wants to read.”
“Go ask Chen Zhi what kinds of novel things young girls like these days, and arrange a set for the Madam as well.”
“Yes.”
Spending an entire afternoon making soap made time pass very quickly. What sat in the molds were only semi-finished products; they needed to rest for at least three days before solidifying, after which their effectiveness could be tested.
Shen Wangshu asked Wutong, “Do you know where I can find a skilled carpenter? I want to have some soap boxes made.”
Besides the simplest soap, she had also experimented a bit herself, adding herbal juices to make medicinal soaps with different effects. She affixed small labels to them and placed them in a cool area to air-dry.
Wutong replied, “Carpenter Li in the eastern part of the city has excellent craftsmanship. Whenever our residence needs work done, we invite him. Madam can simply describe the kind of wooden boxes you want to him.”
The servants were quick on their feet. Before nightfall, Carpenter Li was brought before Shen Wangshu. “This humble commoner greets the General’s wife. Does Madam have any specific requirements for these soap boxes?”
They were really just simple square wooden boxes. Shen Wangshu herself had no particular ideas, but Carpenter Li enthusiastically proposed several clever designs. At the end, he asked curiously, “May I ask, Madam, what exactly is this ‘soap’?”
The servants who had watched her busy herself all afternoon were also very curious. Shen Wangshu answered, “It serves the same purpose as soap pods and bath beans—used for bathing, washing the face, or even laundering clothes. It cleans better, and some kinds can whiten the skin, enhance beauty, or even treat ailments.”
Everyone’s eyes lit up. Carpenter Li exclaimed, “Such an excellent item! There has never been anything like this on the Moyun City market.”
Shen Wangshu smiled. “I read about it in a book some time ago. I’m just trying it out now.”
Carpenter Li rubbed his hands together, already seeing a business opportunity. “If it truly has such good effects, would Madam be willing to sell it?”
“That… I’ll need to think about it,” Shen Wangshu replied. She had not expected a chance to make money to appear so quickly. Business was certainly something she wanted to do, but how exactly to proceed required some understanding first.
Carpenter Li was not in a hurry. He took out a small jade token from his robe and handed it to her. “In three days, this humble commoner will have these soap boxes delivered. If Madam is interested in selling the soap, you may take this jade token to the Fulong Tower and seek out Shopkeeper Zhao.”
Shen Wangshu accepted the jade token. On it was carved the character “Ji,” along with some distinctive cloud patterns. She immediately understood—this was essentially a business card.
It seemed that Carpenter Li had a wealthy merchant backing him.
She nodded and accepted it. “Alright.”
After seeing Carpenter Li off, Shen Wangshu turned around and saw Meixue—who had always been rather indifferent toward her—staring at her with blazing eyes. When Meixue spoke, her voice was so sweet it seemed almost syrupy. “Madam~”
Shen Wangshu found it amusing. “Yes?”
“This soap you made—does it really have beauty-enhancing effects?” Meixue asked eagerly.
“Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t,” Shen Wangshu deliberately teased her. Since coming to serve her, this little maid had never been entirely convinced. Perhaps she felt that serving such an unpromising mistress had ruined her original plans in life. Though her work was faultless, her words often carried thinly veiled sarcasm. Taohong had even secretly wiped away tears several times because of her remarks.
“So does it or doesn’t it?” Meixue pressed anxiously.
Shen Wangshu’s guess was correct. Meixue had loved all manner of feminine items since childhood, delighting in studying rouge and powder formulas, as well as matching hair ornaments and clothing. Any madam or noble lady who used items prepared by her never failed to praise her, and even the First Madam had once valued her abilities highly.
But exceptional beauty and talent were not always blessings. Meixue soon caught the eye of Young Master Yuan, born of Concubine Liu, who wanted to take her as a concubine. When the First Madam learned of this, her expression was anything but pleasant, and Meixue herself had nearly sworn death to preserve her integrity.
Originally, Meixue had planned to save money in the Duke’s residence, then leave once she was of age and open a cosmetics shop, devoting herself to what she loved. But Young Master Yuan refused to let go. Relying on the Duke of Rong’s favor, he did not even heed the words of the legal wife and frequently harassed her.
An illegitimate son was still a master, and moreover, the main branch had yet to produce a legitimate heir. With no other choice, the Duchess had sent Meixue here.
Shen Wangshu said, “It does have such effects, but you won’t see results after just one use. It takes time. And if you add milk or fresh flower juice, it becomes more fragrant and has whitening effects. Adding other things produces different results.”
“Madam, where did you read that book?” Meixue asked imploringly. “Could you lend it to me to read as well? I have many ideas… perhaps that book could answer them.”
Shen Wangshu replied regretfully, “The book is gone, but everything in it is stored in my head. If you have questions, I can only try my best to answer them myself.”
Looking at those eager, thirst-for-knowledge eyes—if this were modern times, she would be a first-rate beauty-industry talent. How could a woman let her looks hinder her career? The Duchess had sent her such a great gift; she would have to nurture it properly.
Shen Wangshu thought that in her hands, this little maid could do far more than simply dress hair and place flowers.
But for now, Meixue had not yet been fully won over. The road of business was long and arduous. First, she would show her skills to impress her, then use all kinds of modern beauty knowledge to completely subdue this little maid.
“Really, Madam? I can ask you questions in the future?” Meixue’s eyes softened, losing their former defiance. Having been torn from the environment she loved, she had thought she would spend her life as an ordinary maid. Who would have thought that on her very first day, she would discover that her mistress was someone so like-minded?
Nothing could be more delightful.
Shen Wangshu gave her a playful wink. “I’ll tell you everything I know.”