“Your Highness, although you saw this hairpin first, you didn’t pay for it or say you wanted to buy it, so it doesn’t really belong to you. Of course, I can pay for it, can’t I?” Madam Xu looked at Qu Qingxi with a smile.

Qu Qingxi wasn't angry. She smiled faintly and said, "What Madam Xu says is true. Since Madam Xu likes it too, Madam Xu can take it."

However, there seemed to be a sense of resentment in his words.

Madam Xu, of course, also sensed the resentment in Qu Qingxi's words. A triumphant smile flashed across her eyes. Hmph, she's just a greenhorn girl who dares to compete with her.

Judging from the fabrics she picked out at the clothing store, Qu Qingxi probably didn't have much money, otherwise she wouldn't have only chosen plain silk gauze.

Although plain silk gauze is considered a mid-grade material, what kind of precious material haven't people of their status seen? Apart from brocade, which only the emperor and the crown prince can wear, any other material they want will naturally be eagerly presented to them.

Madam Xu really looked down on plain silk gauze; even her maids wouldn't wear it. Yet Qu Qingxi bought two bolts of plain silk gauze.

However, this also suggests that Qu Qingxi probably doesn't have much money. It seems that the Prince of Nanqing did not entrust Qu Qingxi with the power of managing the household affairs.

Thinking of this, a cryptic smile appeared on Madam Xu's lips. She didn't even have any money, yet she wanted to come here to buy things. How ridiculous! Today, she would teach Qu Qingxi a lesson.

What she didn't know was that He Liufeng had long wanted to give Qu Qingxi the power to manage the household affairs of the Prince's Mansion, but Qu Qingxi found it troublesome and was too lazy to take care of it, so she didn't accept it. Besides, she had an enormous amount of wealth; after all, even the Xu family's treasury was in her hands.

Qu Qingxi now dares to say that she is richer than a country, after all, she has "visited" the national treasury, and several wealthy mansions are in her hands.

Qu Qingxi lacks everything, but she has no shortage of money.

She naturally noticed the disdain and contempt in Madam Xu's eyes, and Madam Xu had just bought the hairpin she had her eye on before she could. Qu Qingxi could almost guess what she was going to do.

Seeing that Qu Qingxi had no reaction, the waiter next to Madam Xu stepped forward, took out the gold hairpin, and then led Madam Xu's maid to the counter to settle the bill and pay the silver.

Seeing this, Qu Qingxi nodded slightly to Madam Xu, then walked to the side to take another look at the bracelet inside. However, Qu Qingxi had not yet had time to ask the shop assistant beside her to take it out for her to see.

Madam Xu then moved closer to Qu Qingxi and, before Qu Qingxi could speak, said, "Wrap up this bracelet for me too."

Upon hearing this, Qu Qingxi was taken aback, then turned to look at Madam Xu, "What does Madam Xu mean by this?"

“Your Highness, this bracelet belongs to the Treasure Pavilion. Since you didn’t pay for it, it’s not yours. I don’t have any problem with wanting it, do I?” Madam Xu said with a smile.

“That makes sense, but what if I, the Princess Consort, also want it?” Qu Qingxi looked back at Madam Xu.

"What, does Your Highness intend to use your power to oppress others?" Madam Xu stared at Qu Qingxi with a half-smile.

Upon hearing this, Qu Qingxi's smile faded, and she turned to the waiter beside her, "What if both customers like the same thing? How should we handle that?"

The shop assistant next to Qu Qingxi wiped the sweat from his brow, subconsciously glanced at the person next to the counter on the second floor, and then gave an awkward smile, "Your Highness, Madam Xu, such situations rarely occur in the past, but our shop naturally has its rules. If two customers take a liking to the same item at the same time, then as long as one customer is willing to pay the higher price, we can get it."

Qu Qingxi raised an eyebrow slightly. So this meant an auction? Interesting. She hadn't expected Shen Shuyan to have such a business acumen.

"What was the original price of this bracelet?" Qu Qingxi asked, looking at Madam Xu, but speaking to the shop assistant.

"Your Highness, this is an emerald bracelet, it will cost two thousand taels of silver."

"Very well, I, the princess, will contribute two thousand one hundred taels of silver."

"I'll offer two thousand five hundred taels of silver." Seeing Qu Qingxi raise the price, Madam Xu immediately followed suit. Moreover, while Qu Qingxi only added one hundred taels of silver, Madam Xu directly added four hundred taels.

"Two thousand six hundred taels of silver." Qu Qingxi's expression was starting to darken.

"Three thousand taels of silver." Seeing Qu Qingxi's unpleasant expression, Madam Xu felt much better.

"You!" Upon hearing this price, Qu Qingxi's expression changed drastically.

"Does Your Highness wish to raise the price further?" Madam Xu had already realized that Qu Qingxi couldn't raise the price any further, and she was quite pleased with herself. Seeing Qu Qingxi suffer two consecutive setbacks at her hands, Madam Xu couldn't be happier.

"Since Madam Xu likes it so much, I, the Princess Consort, will give it to Madam Xu." Qu Qingxi forced a smile and spoke stiffly.

“Since the Princess Consort is so kind, then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Compared to Qu Qingxi, Madam Xu’s smile was much more genuine. After gesturing for Xiao Die to pay, she looked at Qu Qingxi again.

"Qingdai, let's look at something else." Qu Qingxi lowered her eyes, her back looking somewhat unwilling and humiliated as she turned away.

This time, as soon as Qu Qingxi stood in front of the glass counter on the right, Madam Xu pointed directly at the counter in front of Qu Qingxi and said, "I want everything in here."

"Madam, all of them? The total price might be a bit high..." The waiter beside Madam Xu hesitated and glanced at her.

"Is this lady not able to afford this much money?" Hearing the waiter's questioning voice, Madam Xu was immediately displeased and turned to look at the waiter who had spoken.

"Madam Xu, these items total twenty thousand taels of silver." Although he knew Madam Xu was angry, the shopkeeper still had to bite the bullet and speak up, lest Madam Xu be unable to pay in the end and blame him.

"Twenty thousand taels?" Upon hearing this, Madam Xu looked at the shop assistant beside her in shock. How could it be so expensive? It's just a few jade ornaments!

Madam Xu originally wanted to ask the waiter again if he had remembered correctly, but when she noticed Qu Qingxi's scrutinizing gaze, she immediately became firm again.

"It's only 20,000 taels, what's the big deal?" Madam Xu gritted her teeth. At worst, she would just not buy any jewelry for the next few months.

"Twenty-three thousand taels of silver, wrap it up for me, the Princess Consort, and send it to the Prince of Nanqing's residence. Someone will settle the bill then." Qu Qingxi looked seriously at the shop assistant beside her, but it was also clear that Qu Qingxi's words lacked confidence.