In the capital, which official doesn't have some property? Four taels of silver per room is nothing to them.

The gatherings among the ladies were just for chatting. You would talk about what you thought was good, and I would talk about what I thought was good, and then we would gossip about this family and that family.

Let's talk about the latest jewelry and clothing styles. Time passed quickly. In the afternoon, Mrs. Chen saw everyone off one by one. Before leaving, she told them how to contact the person who installed the heating.

Everything went very smoothly.

The guests were very happy at the banquet, and Mrs. Chen was naturally very satisfied. She had achieved her goal and even gained some connections.

This is a very worthwhile deal.

Mrs. Chen wished such good things could happen every day.

At the same time, a shop suddenly appeared in the bustling streets of the capital, with a sign that read "Heating Installation Shop".

The five large characters are neat and orderly, showing that the calligrapher has excellent skills.

In fact, the characters on the plaque were written by Emperor Kangxi, but few passersby would notice them, and officials who recognized Kangxi's calligraphy rarely stopped in front of this shop, so they didn't recognize the extraordinary nature of the characters.

This shop was a decision Youqing made after learning about the Chen family's situation. It has gradually trained a group of farmers, all of whom are quite strong, and they have also learned how to install heating systems from specialists.

The shop had only been open for two days, and there hadn't been any business. It was very cold in winter, and people generally didn't want to go out. They had never heard of heating before, so naturally they wouldn't go inside.

Two days later, with Madam Chen's introduction, the shop gradually began to attract customers, and quite a few at that. The customers were stewards from prominent families in the capital. They would come, reserve a number of rooms, and pay a deposit before the shop would send someone to their residence to begin construction.

The shop here is doing well, so there's not enough manpower. Everyone is pressing for this, and since the shop has Empress Youqing's backing, no one dares to mess around. But we can't just sit idly by and watch the business that's already in our hands.

So while the shop was doing business, it gradually hired more staff.

The shop is doing better and better.

Let's put the shop aside for now and get back to Madam Chen.

After the banquet, Madam Chen didn't rest; she invited her family members over.

After her family left, leaving behind many valuable items, she sent someone to a shop that installed heating systems after returning home.

After the heating system was installed, Mrs. Chen's family held a banquet, and as expected, the heating system became a hit in Beijing's business districts.

The wealthy families in the capital had heard some news and then saw for themselves that they really had heating. They wanted what others had, and they didn't lack the money.

And so, within just a few days, a wave of people installing heating systems swept through the capital.

This trend is similar to when refrigerators and air conditioners first appeared in modern times; word spread quickly, and every household with the means wanted to get one for their home.

Not only is heating practical, but it's also a symbol of respect when friends and family visit.

No respectable family wants their home to be as cold as an icebox while everyone else is enjoying a warm, heated room.

This is simply a provocation and disrespect to the wealthy.

Some families not only arrange for a house where they live permanently, but also try their best to arrange for estates and villas where they don't live permanently.

And so, this "warm air current" didn't subside until November.

Most of the wealthy families in the capital had already installed their heating systems. At this time, Youqing had the shop launch a New Year's promotion, offering installment payments for heating installation.

This idea is certainly novel nowadays, but many people are willing to try it. After all, it's quite cost-effective, much more so than using high-quality coal for a whole winter. Besides, the heating isn't just for one winter.

It's said to be usable indefinitely, and comes with a ten-year warranty.

Of course, if you want to replace it with a new one, you'll have to spend more money.

With such "discounts," and the fact that heated rooms have become a trend, almost every household in Beijing that can install them has done so, since it's a common sight.

The Lunar New Year is just around the corner. When we visit relatives, everyone else will have gifts, but we won't. It would seem rather shabby if we didn't.

And so, the heating business in Beijing continued until the end of the year.

It wasn't until the end of the year that the number of people decreased somewhat.

With less business, the shop has more staff than it can use.

Youqing didn't let them sit idle either; she directly had them form groups to install [something] for people in some villages.

As for the materials, Youqing provided them at cost price and even reduced the price. As for how to pack them, that was up to the villagers to handle themselves. However, Youqing also sent people to keep an eye on things to prevent any situation from happening where illiterate farmers were being deceived.

The workers came from peasant families. Although they were illiterate, they understood the importance of gratitude.

They knew that the imperial court and the Empress were doing this for the sake of poor people like them. Otherwise, who would pay them so much? The wages they earned in the last month or two before the New Year were equivalent to two or three years' worth of their income.

So after discussion, they decided not to charge wages, but to provide meals for those who lived nearby and accommodation for those who lived far away.

Youqing hadn't expected this either.

Therefore, Youqing distributed "year-end bonuses" before the new year, which were quite substantial and a pleasant surprise for these workers.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, Beijing is experiencing a warm and comfortable winter this year. Even though this winter is colder than usual, the indoor temperatures are quite warm.

Although it was cold, the good news is that there was no major blizzard in Beijing. Some people were certainly harmed by the cold wind and snow, but this was all due to their own houses not being sturdy.

Such cases are rare. There are specialized relief agencies in the capital, and after a proper application, certain assistance will be provided.

On New Year's Day, Youqing naturally had to go back to the Forbidden City with Emperor Kangxi, which involved many complicated rules.

On New Year's Day, apart from necessary activities, Empress Youqing spent most of her time with the Empress Dowager and Kangxi's daughters.

The Empress Dowager was not satisfied with Empress Youqing a few years earlier. It should be noted that the Empress Dowager was very displeased with the fact that Emperor Kangxi had indirectly dismissed the harem for her sake.

In the Empress Dowager's eyes, the young Qing dynasty was almost a figure who had ruined the country. After the matter was settled, the Empress Dowager was powerless to change the situation and could only pray that the Qing dynasty would last longer and that something terrible would not happen.

As a result, Youqing became empress for several years and is now a "living bodhisattva" praised by everyone in the capital. The Qing Dynasty is getting better and better, and Kangxi did not let the "vixen" ruin the important affairs of the country.

The Empress Dowager felt rather complicated.

Her feelings toward Youqing were even more complicated. If it were simply a matter of dislike, the Empress Dowager would have no reason to dislike her anymore. But she also couldn't bring herself to genuinely accept and like Youqing.

I genuinely disliked them back then.

Things aren't going as she expected, which is a good thing. However, the Empress Dowager can't bring herself to curry favor with a junior. In any case, her position as Empress Dowager is secure.