Volume 1 Chapter 20

  Hong Yin's footsteps were stunned by Shui Shi's voice, stopped and turned around hesitantly to look at Xia Ting, with a clear questioning meaning in her eyes.

  Xia Ting also stared blankly for a moment, looking at her mother with some confusion "Mother, what's wrong? Aren't these lip balms and snowflake creams the ones you've always liked to use?"

  How come it's not allowed to take now? She clearly remembers that when she gave it to her mother to try on before, she liked these few colors and fragrances the most, and now she uses them every day.

  Xia Ting's eyebrows slightly furrowed, could it be that Mother was tired of the old one and wanted to change to another?

  The Shi family naturally knew that their daughter wanted what they liked and used every day.

  But she had just flipped through the album in her hand and found that there were several lip balms and snow creams on it, which were exactly the same as what she usually used. The same color, the same fragrance, even the floral pattern on the box was identical.

  But this was not the place that surprised Shui. After all, Xia Tingfang had just said that the rouge and other cosmetics she used were bought at "Meiren Hall" in Yixing City, so it was normal to see exactly the same rouge and snowflake cream here.

  But the problem is that the prices of these lip balms and snow creams are far beyond Mr. Shui's imagination.

  She hastily called out to Hongyin, pointing to a page in the album and asked Xia Ting for confirmation, "Ting'er, are you going to buy these lip balms and snowflake creams for your mother?"

  Looking at Shui's somewhat anxious face, Xia Ting felt very strange. Upon taking a look at the picture album, she found that the color, fragrance and appearance were all consistent with the ones placed in her mother's room, even the introduction on the side was written by her personally.

  Xia Ting nodded "En, it's just these few things, didn't mother say that they feel good when used?"

  These cosmetics are what Mother usually uses and also the ones she just asked Hongyin to fetch from downstairs.

  Shui's expression changed slightly as he hastily asked, "Were the ones you bought for your mother previously also among these?"

  Mr. Shui hoped to hear his daughter say no, telling her that the rouge and snowflake cream she used every day were just coincidentally similar to these few kinds.

  Ke Xia Ting nodded again "Yes, is there a problem? Or would you like to try a few other options, Mother?"

  Mrs. Shi suddenly felt a severe blow to her heart, and she couldn't breathe. The price of just one box is 600 taels, and there are four boxes in her house, plus the two used up in the past few days, which adds up to 3,600 taels.

  Three thousand six hundred, Shui was shocked by this number and took a deep breath. She couldn't help but touch her face, which felt dry due to the cold weather over the past few days. So when she went out in the morning, she had applied more snowflake cream than usual.

  Just thinking about it now, just that one swipe she made in the morning might be worth several dozen taels of silver.

  At this thought, Shui felt a suffocating sensation in her chest; this face of hers was indeed worth a fortune.

  Xia Ting looked at Shui Shi's unpredictable face, although it was strange, but she didn't think much of it, and only said "Mother, if you don't want to change into something else, then I'll let Hong Yin go downstairs to get the ones you usually wear."

  Mrs. Shi finally came to her senses, and as soon as she heard that her daughter wanted to spend a few thousand taels on those cosmetics and creams for her, she hastily spoke out to refuse, "No, no need. Mother doesn't use those anymore."

  At this price, she dare not apply it on her face again.

  Shui Shi said not to use the ones they used every day, Xia Ting Cong thought she had taken a liking to others and said "Which ones does the lady want to change into? I'll let Hong Yin go get them for you."

  Shui flipped through the album and pointed to the first few pages, saying "I'll take these ones, the color and fragrance are just like what Ning'er said."

  Xia Ting looked up and saw that her mother wanted the cheapest thing in the Mei Ren Tang, a five-tael silver box.

  Xia Ting Cong suddenly realized the reason, it turned out that her mother thought those lip balms were too expensive and didn't want them.

  Xia Ting stretched out her hand and closed the painting album, directly telling Hong Yin "As I said earlier, go get the things. Also bring some of our newly-made high-quality products for my mother to try."

  Hong Yin smiled and nodded, then hurried downstairs to get it.

  Shui heard this and hastily wanted to open his mouth to stop him.

  But was interrupted by Xia Ting's words "Mother, are you saying that those things are too expensive and you're afraid I won't be able to pay the silver?"

  Looking at her daughter's eyes, Mrs. Shui's tone was somewhat hesitant "Those things are too expensive, mother knows you're filial, but mother really doesn't need such good things. One box costs 600 taels."

  It's almost as much as their annual expenditure when they were in Yixing City.

  "Mother, good things are not cheap, I'm not a person without measure. If I didn't earn enough silver, how could I dare to buy such luxurious goods for you? It's just a matter of a few thousand taels of silver, it's worth it if you like it and use it well. Don't worry about the silver, even if I were to make a gold brocade dress for you, it would be more than enough, don't be stingy with this little silver."

  Shui's eyes widened in disbelief "Really? When did you have so much silver, Ning'er?"

  Xia Zi Yun sat quietly on the side, listening intently. He wasn't as clueless as his mother, Shi, and he was aware of his sister's family situation. Last time in his sister's room, he saw a wooden box, but didn't know what it contained. His sister didn't hide it from him either, directly opening it to show him that inside were several ten-thousand taels worth of silver notes.

  "Really, the farm and fields left by my grandfather, I've been taking care of them." Xia Ting said with a hint of helplessness. She couldn't tell her mother the truth yet, it wasn't the right time. She could only gloss over it for now.

  Shui's family, however, had long since entrusted several estates and a few acres of land to Ning'er, who managed them well, yielding good annual returns, although Shui herself did not know exactly how much silver they brought in.

  Now that Jing'er has said so, both Zhuangzi and the farmland are developing extremely well under her hands. Thinking of this, Shui Shi also felt slightly relieved.

  She also instructed her daughter, "Since you've earned a lot of money, be sure to save it well. There will be a use for it in the future."

  "Alright, Mother. I understand. Don't be stingy with those silver coins, it's only right that I take care of you. This little bit of money is still within my means."

  Mrs. Shui pretended to scold Xia Ting with a stern expression, but in her heart she was delighted and pleased, after all, which mother would not be happy about her daughter's filial piety? "Alright, I'll listen to you, just don't buy too much."

  Xia Ting nodded in response to Shui Shi's words, but inadvertently saw a few people coming down from the building, all of whom were dressed in high-quality clothes, but didn't seem to be the master or guests.

  She thought deeply about the identities of these people. After a while, she said to Shui Shi, "Mother, you and brother stay here and choose some goods, I'll go to the Warming Smoke Building across the street to book a private room, we can use it after lunch."

  Shui had not yet spoken when Xia Zi Yun hastily said "Sister, Cloud wants to go too."

  "No, you stay here with mom, sis will be back soon. Don't pout, I'll take you to eat something delicious later." Xia Ting looked at her brother's not-so-happy expression and could only softly coax him.

  Xia Zi Yun nodded reluctantly. It wasn't that he didn't want to accompany his mother, it's just that there were many women here and a little boy like him sitting here looked very strange.

  Mr. Shui then instructed him to be careful on his way and come back early.

  Xia Ting brought Wan Yu downstairs and saw Hong Yin at a glance. She turned her head and whispered a few words to Wan Yu's ear.

  Have her go and inform Hong Yin, asking her father to personally come over and entertain the few guests who just arrived, only selecting the most expensive and best products from the counter to sell to them.

  Also call Hong Yin to find Uncle Yu, and have him bring over the partners who are waiting at the Zhuangzi, arranged in the not-yet-opened shop to help out. It seems like they're short-handed here.

  Yu Shu is in charge of several shops. Today, the Meiren Hall opened, and he must have come too. He should be waiting somewhere inside the shop at this time.

  As for those few guests who just entered, if she wasn't mistaken, these people should all be palace maids from the palace.

  That night of the Lantern Festival, she specially released many lanterns that could fly relatively far, just to attract the attention of those palace ladies.

  The women in the imperial palace have always served their masters with charm, and what they fear most is that their beauty will fade with age and they will no longer receive favor. Those flyers brought by the flower lanterns must have stirred them up terribly.

  Under the notice of Hongyin, the shopkeeper of Meiren Hall has already extricated himself from another noblewoman and welcomed those guests who came from the palace. The rest depends on what he will do next.

  As soon as Xia Tingcong walked out of the Meiren Hall, she couldn't help but feel great. Judging from today's situation, it's likely that they will sell out quickly, and she needs to instruct the workers to speed up production.

  Xia Ting walked quickly towards the Warm Smoke Building on the opposite side with a light step. Wan Yu also followed behind her with a happy face.

  Digression

  Dear, I've written more, typing and typing until I forgot about the time. Only when I looked did I realize it's almost 11 o'clock already. Sorry for making you all wait so long!

  If you guys think Clip's writing is okay, please collect it.