CHAPTER 192: CHAPTER 192 REWARDS

Duke Zhen’s Mansion, in front of the gate.

The carriage slowly came to a stop.

As usual, Xie Jingchen dismounted and helped Su Jin down from the carriage.

But unlike usual, the respect in the eyes of the gate servant had diminished by three parts.

The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion was not so invincible after all.

Today, she had a major misstep.

The Beauty Pavilion cost the Eldest Young Madam at least seventy thousand taels of silver, and that was just for buying Tianxiang Building and the inn, not counting the reconstruction and compensation to the young ladies.

Such an extravagant shop, yet it had no business on its opening day...

Any shop opening in the Capital City would do better than the Eldest Young Madam’s shop.

The ice-selling business thrived, while the coal-selling business was cold.

The servants didn’t know what to say.

The Eldest Young Madam was too greedy; selling ice and selling coal can only choose one. Does she expect people to squat by an ice basin while holding a coal stove?

If there were such people, they must be crazy.

The strangest thing was that the Eldest Young Madam didn’t seem angry, her face still wore a smile.

The servants stared for a long time.

They didn’t find it to be a forced smile.

"The Eldest Young Madam really has a good mindset," said Servant One behind her back.

"Why should the Eldest Young Madam have a bad mindset?" said Servant Two.

"Spending so much money with poor business results, wouldn’t she feel the pinch?" Servant One rolled his eyes.

"...."

"The Eldest Young Madam’s money for building the shop was grabbed, why would she feel the pinch?" Servant Two rolled his eyes back.

"...."

Servant One, completely defeated.

Entering the second door, Su Jin rubbed her neck.

Over there, as Xie Jinyu and the others walked over, they smiled when they saw Su Jin.

Of course, such smiles didn’t last long.

With one sentence, Su Jin sent Xie Jinyu’s smile flying to the clouds.

"Has the Eldest Miss’s cactus stab healed?" Su Jin inquired with concern.

"...!!!"

Xie Jinyu was furious.

Though the wound had healed, with just one sentence Su Jin made her relive the pain of being pricked all over by a cactus.

Xie Jinxiu and Xie Jinhuan exchanged glances.

Really.

Never seen a sister-in-law so good at rubbing salt on wounds.

Always mentioning the pot that shouldn’t be mentioned.

Obviously, they were gloating, but they hadn’t even opened their mouths before being mocked by her.

Xie Jinyu suppressed her anger and said, "I heard that sister-in-law’s coal shop business is particularly quiet."

Su Jin smiled faintly and took out three Purple Gold Cards from her bosom, saying, "These are discount cards for the Beauty Pavilion, whatever you buy will be 30% off, hope you visit often."

"What’s worth visiting in a shop that’s closing down as soon as it opens?" Xie Jinyu taunted.

"You all don’t want it?" Su Jin asked.

Xie Jinhuan wanted to reach out.

No.

She had already stretched her hand out.

But with a glare from Xie Jinyu, she retracted it.

Su Jin she dared not offend, but Xie Jinyu even more so.

Su Jin was upfront, Xie Jinyu was cunning, impossible to guard against.

If Xie Jinyu and Xie Jinxiu both didn’t want it and she did, she’d certainly be isolated.

"No, then forget it," Su Jin tucked the Purple Gold Card back into her bosom.

"Miss, let’s go back and rest," Xingxing said.

Su Jin walked away with strides.

Watching Su Jin’s stunning silhouette, Xie Jinyu gritted her teeth tightly.

Xie Jinhuan looked at her and said, "Is the eldest sister sure that the sister-in-law’s Beauty Pavilion will close down? The things she sells are quite good, everyone can see that Mrs. Wang has become younger."

Xie Jinyu sneered coldly, "So what if the goods are good? Beauty Pavilion is opened by a bandit, everyone avoids it!"

Xie Jinxiu glanced at Xie Jinhuan and said, "Sister-in-law slapped Princess Shouning, stung her twice with wasps, even the Empress Dowager wasn’t spared, and forced Duke Chong’s shop to close. Who dares to patronize sister-in-law’s shop and upset Princess Shouning?"

"But the ice shop, didn’t people buy from it too?" Xie Jinhuan said.

"...."

"The ice shop was a mistake, Song’s Ice Shop made one wrong move and lost the whole game," said Xie Jinxiu.

"I’ve already spread the word, anyone who uses things from that bandit woman’s shop will get cut off from me!" said Xie Jinyu.

In the Capital, all the young ladies from prominent families had connections with her.

Those who weren’t prominent kept trying to curry favor with her.

With what she said, who would still dare to enter her shop to buy things?

Still trying to give her a Purple Gold Card, expecting her to visit her shop, how wishful thinking!

Daring to let Duke Chong’s ice blocks go unsold, if her shop doesn’t go bankrupt, what face does Duke Chong hold?!

Xie Jinyu happily strolled in the garden.

Phoenix Palace.

The Empress was in a good mood, enjoying bird’s nest congee.

The little eunuch approached saying, "Empress, the Emperor sent Eunuch Fu to deliver a reward to you."

A reward?

The Empress raised an eyebrow slightly.

Why would the Emperor send her a reward out of the blue?

A few days ago in the Imperial Study, she had upset the Emperor, and although dissatisfied, she hadn’t gone to coax the Emperor into a good mood.

The Empress put down the bird’s nest congee.

Eunuch Fu came in, followed by a little eunuch holding a tray.

The Empress sat serenely on the Phoenix Chair.

Eunuch Fu stepped forward and paid respects, saying, "Greetings to the Empress, this servant is here by the Emperor’s command to deliver some items to you."

The little eunuch presented the items.

Two pieces of soap, elegant and refined in color, from a distance they looked like two pieces of fine jade.

Nanny Zhou took the tray for the Empress to view.

The Empress picked up a soap to have a look, and said, "It has a faint, delicate fragrance, what is this?"

Eunuch Fu explained the soap in detail.

The Empress laughed and said, "To whom else did the Emperor grant this?"

"Only to the Empress Dowager and you, Your Majesty," replied Eunuch Fu.

The Empress was even more pleased.

Since only the Empress Dowager and she had it, it must mean the item was exceptionally good.

Having delivered the items, Eunuch Fu was preparing to leave,

but since the Empress was in a good mood and Eunuch Fu was favored by the Emperor, the Empress wanted to reward him.

Eunuch Fu dared not accept.

Because he knew if the Empress found out he’d only said half the story, she would surely skin him alive, even though the soap was gifted by the Emperor.

Eunuch Fu respectfully withdrew.

The Empress couldn’t put the soap down, eager to try it out.

"Prepare the water, I want to bathe," the Empress instructed.

The Empress indulged in a lovely bath.

By the time she emerged from the tub, the news of the Emperor gifting her soap had spread throughout the harem.

Princess Shouning ran over and said, "Mother, Father gifted you something good, I want it too."

The Empress had two pieces of soap, seeing her daughter eager, she chided, "Mother will give you one piece."

The Empress changed her clothes and went to the Imperial Study to see the Emperor.

She was full of praise for the Emperor’s gift.

The Emperor laughed and said, "Is this soap truly so good?"

The Empress said, "If it wasn’t good, it wouldn’t be presented to the Emperor, much less be bestowed upon me, would it?"

The Emperor, "...."

Eunuch Fu, "...."

Eunuch Fu wiped the black lines from his forehead.

The words of the Empress—

were truly irrefutable.

"Emperor, where did this soap come from?" the Empress inquired.

The Emperor coughed and said, "The items being good is what matters, where they came from is not important."

"The Emperor is right," the Empress said.