Chapter 84 Miss Jiu recently asked her to add more pieces to our wedding attire…

August 23rd is an auspicious day for opening a business.

Further along Shifang Street, above the newly built bluestone gate, the three gilded characters "Juxianglou" gleamed in the morning light. Even before the auspicious hour, the gate was already bustling with carriages and horses, and the air was filled with the fragrance of perfume.

"Grand opening!"

With a loud shout from Manager Qian, the red silk was unveiled, and guests filled the room.

Juxianglou's Jinling branch has officially opened its doors to customers. Unlike its low-key approach in Beijing, this opening has a more measured and ambitious feel, aiming to make a name for itself.

With the endorsement of the Xie family patriarch and the full support and frequent appearances of the two Xie daughters, Juxianglou, from its very first opening, already carried the air of an aristocratic family, making it a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention its previous illustrious reputation in the capital, which had already spread among the ladies of the household through the mouths of merchants and officials traveling to and from Nanjing, and whose fragrance, even praised by the Emperor, had become its most prestigious brand.

For a time, Juxianglou was bustling with customers. Manager Qian was steady and reliable, and the staff were warm and attentive, showcasing the many new and ingenious fragrance recipes, face powders, and rouges brought from the capital to their fullest extent. Women from Jiangnan have always been known for their refined taste and love of beauty, and the quality and elegant style of this famous northern restaurant perfectly met their needs. Business was booming, and they were making a fortune every day.

Meng Lingyao was calculating her options, estimating that with a few more years of hard work, she could catch up with the prestigious Linlang Pavilion in the capital. Just as she was reviewing the accounts, a shop assistant announced that Prince Wang Li had come to offer his congratulations.

Upon descending the stairs, I found Wang Li already in the shop, admiring the various spice bottles and jars displayed on the shelves with great interest. Today, he was not dressed in all black, but in a moon-white brocade robe with cloud patterns, which made him appear even more dashing and gentle, attracting frequent glances from the young ladies in the shop.

"Young Master Wang, your presence is an honor; I have failed to greet you properly."

“Miss Meng, you’re too kind,” Wang Li turned around with a warm smile, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before turning to the hall. “I heard that Miss Meng’s new store is thriving, so I came to offer my congratulations. It is truly delightful that you have brought such a renowned and elegant fragrance to Jinling City.”

As he spoke, he took out a narrow, flat box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and made of rosewood from his sleeve, and handed it to her with both hands, saying, "This is just a small gift to express my good wishes. Congratulations on your business opening, Miss."

Meng Lingyao glanced at the obviously valuable brocade box, bowed slightly, and politely declined, "Young Master Wang's hospitality is deeply appreciated by everyone at Juxianglou. However, we have already been honored by the frequent visits of your ladies, and if we were to accept such a generous gift from you, wouldn't it seem greedy? Please take it back."

A fleeting ripple appeared in Wang Li's eyes as she calmly put away the brocade box, her smile unwavering. "Miss is very proper; I was being presumptuous."

The conversation quickly shifted, the tone becoming natural, "My aunts and sisters at home are very fond of the cosmetics and perfumes in Miss Meng's shop. Now that I'm here, I can't leave empty-handed. I wonder if Miss Meng could spare a moment to recommend a few?"

Why wouldn't you take a business that's offered to you?

Meng Lingyao smiled, her expression becoming even more sincere. "Of course! May I ask if Young Master Wang is gifting this to an elder or a sister in his family? Do you have any particular preferences?"

Wang Li pondered for a moment and said, "Yes... my younger sister at home likes light and delicate fragrances."

Meng Lingyao nodded and quickly picked out a suitable perfume for him.

When it came time to pay the bill, Wang Li's brow twitched.

The waiter said at the right moment, "Young master has excellent taste. This perfume is made with the finest ingredients. Several of the spices were brought from the Western Regions by the Zhou family's caravan. You can't buy it anywhere else but our Juxianglou."

"I see." Wang Li smiled and nodded, putting down a stack of silver notes.

The following afternoon, the sun shone brightly. Xie Jingqiu clung to Meng Lingyao like a little tail, watching her blend perfumes and keep accounts, chattering away about interesting things.

The shop was bustling with people when a strange woman, dressed in a long turquoise dress and exuding a cool and aloof air, entered the shop, surrounded by maids. Her face was frosty, and she ignored the enthusiastic introductions from the shop assistants. She only glanced at the perfumes and rouges displayed on the shelves with a slightly critical eye. Occasionally, she would pick up an item, examine it briefly, and then put it down, clearly not intending to buy anything.

As she walked past Meng Lingyao, a cool, refreshing fragrance, mixed with a barely perceptible hint of warm wood, quietly drifted into her nostrils.

Meng Lingyao's fingertips paused slightly as she subtly glanced at the woman's retreating figure. Xie Jingqiu curiously followed her gaze, then muttered softly, "Hey, isn't that Cui Jiu? Why is she here too?"

"Cui Jiu?" Meng Lingyao asked thoughtfully. "Is he from the Cui family of Qinghe?"

“That’s right!” Xie Jingqiu replied, “She is a young lady from the Cui family. She used to live in Qinghe. You may not have heard of her, but her name is Cui Qingyin. She came to visit her aunt in Jinling, which is the home of Lord Yuan, the garrison commander of Jinling. She has been staying there for almost half a year now.”

"Miss Cui is beautiful and has an extraordinary air about her. I'm sure there are many young men in Jinling who are enamored with her, right?"

"Where?" Xie Jingqiu pursed her lips. "She's so arrogant, she looks down on everyone. She doesn't even bother with the young masters and ladies of Jinling. I haven't even exchanged a single word with her. When she first arrived, quite a few people tried to curry favor with her, but she ignored them all. Eventually, no one went to her anymore."

“However…” The little girl’s eyes darted around, and she leaned close to Meng Lingyao’s ear and whispered, “One day, my grandfather drank too much, and when I went to bring him some hangover soup, I accidentally saw his letter. It seems that the Cui family intends to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family, and the one they have chosen is this Miss Cui Jiu.”

The result was self-evident: the Pei family did not agree.

"So the Cui family arranged for her to come to Jinling, probably intending to find her a husband there." Xie Jingqiu covered her mouth and chuckled. "Although I've never met Lord Pei, I can tell from just one look at you, Sister Meng, that he has excellent taste. In my heart, Sister Meng is the most beautiful!"

Meng Lingyao raised her hand and pinched her cheek. "Your words... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Miss Cui has her own charm. However..." she drawled, "I think Jingqiu also has excellent taste, and what she said is very true."

After the joke, her expression gradually calmed down, and her gaze returned to the emerald-clad figure inside the shop.

Cui Qingyin... a noblewoman from the Cui family of Qinghe... who lived in Jinling for half a year but was arrogant and rarely socialized.

Wang Li described her younger sister as having a delicate and elegant fragrance.

Are these two people the same person?

The incense I recommended to Wang Li yesterday was a newly developed product by the shop's craftsman, made with expensive ingredients. Because she felt it still needed improvement, it wasn't officially sold, and she only got that small bottle, which she deliberately sold at a high price to the gullible Wang Li. This was to avoid him bothering her every few days, and unexpectedly, she received this bonus.

Why did Miss Cui Jiu, of all people, come to her Juxiang Pavilion today, smelling so sweet? Was it a coincidence? Was it unintentional? Or... was it deliberate?

In that instant, Meng Lingyao recalled a casual conversation with Pei Xu, during which she had pestered him to tell her about some cases he had investigated, refusing to listen unless they were particularly intriguing or bizarre. Pei Xu couldn't resist and picked out a few to recount. As she listened, she discovered that many criminals, after committing serious crimes, inexplicably returned to the scene of the crime.

At that time, she asked why?

Pei Xu replied, "They might be anxious and returning to the scene to check for any oversights; or they might have panicked at first and missed crucial evidence, only to realize something was amiss after calming down and having to risk going back to clean up the traces; or perhaps..."

"In order to appreciate one's own masterpiece from the perspective of an outsider, much like after you've wielded your brush, you always need to step back a few steps to carefully examine whether your painting is flawless."

Meng Lingyao got goosebumps from his words and retorted, "You're the criminal!"

At this moment, this wisp of ethereal, cool fragrance is like a tiny yet deadly piece of evidence unintentionally left behind. Cui Qingyin brings it back to the "scene."

Is she confirming something? Or is she reminiscing about something?

Meng Lingyao smiled slightly and looked away.

She guessed that Wang Liding hadn't told his dear sister that he had been ripped off and bought the perfume at a much higher price than the supermarket price.

The entanglements of young masters and ladies in Jinling City did not leave much of a ripple in her heart. What has been making her think about these days are several letters from home in the capital.

Seeing that Juxianglou's business was running smoothly, Meng Lingyao gradually felt a longing to return home. According to her original plan, she would set off north in about half a month, once the affairs of the shop were settled. She had grown up in the capital and had never been separated from her parents for so long, not even being able to enjoy the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival with them.

That longing would intensify when she inadvertently touched the purse she carried close to her body, inside which were a few willow leaves—like her, from the capital.

Yet, several of her letters home subtly advised her to wait.

In her parents' letter, she was advised not to be too busy with business since she had come all the way to Jiangnan, but to enjoy herself to the fullest. Her father even mentioned that he had an old friend in Yangzhou whom he had not seen for many years, and asked her to visit him on his behalf if she had the time.

What she found most irresistible was Pei Xu's letter. He was usually sparing with his words, but the letter detailed one particular matter.

“There is an embroiderer in Jinling City named Liu. She was once a lady-in-waiting in the palace embroidery bureau, and her skills were unparalleled. The phoenix coronet and wedding gown worn by Her Highness the Eldest Princess at her wedding were made by her. After retiring to her hometown of Jinling, I recently asked her to add some splendor to our wedding attire. If you have any favorite styles or patterns, you may wish to discuss them with her in person. I only wish that this wedding ceremony be perfect.”

When Songlan learned of this, she went to inquire about it and excitedly told Meng Lingyao that there was indeed such an embroiderer in Jinling City. She was highly skilled but had a detached nature. Many wealthy nobles in Jinling had offered her large sums of money to come out of retirement, but she had refused.

"Miss, this is a very important matter, we must go and take a good look!"

This is indeed a big deal. Meng Lingyao has always been particular about the patterns on her nightgowns, let alone her wedding attire.

But as she traced the words on the letter with her fingertips, there was little joy on her face; instead, a deeper unease flickered across her expression, as if hidden reefs lurked beneath the calm surface of the water.

The fact that everyone unanimously advised her not to rush back home seemed a bit too much. Needless to say, her parents would come in person, and Pei Xu even came to see her off on the day she left. Given his character, he would never let her linger outside for the sake of a wedding dress.

As she read the casually written letters, she vaguely sensed a tense atmosphere brewing like an impending storm.

What storm is brewing beneath this calm?

She folded the letter, stood up, and said, "Let's go find Mr. Zhang."

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Author's note: Thank you to all the babies who donated nutrient solution! [heart emoji]