Three days passed in a flash.
Soon it arrived at the birthday of the Lady of Anding.
Early in the morning, the area in front of the Marquis of Anding's mansion became lively, with the carriages of most of the powerful and influential people in the capital stopping in front of the mansion.
All sorts of ornate carriages gathered in front of the Marquis's mansion, dazzling the eyes of onlookers.
When Xue Lingyu stepped down from the carriage, she felt an unprecedented sense of comfort amidst the noise and the sound of horses' hooves.
Ever since her father discovered that she owed money to Baoxiangfang, she has been confined to her home.
If it weren't for the Lady of Anding's birthday today, she certainly wouldn't be able to leave the manor.
I wonder if I'll be able to meet the heir of the Marquis of Anding, who's been making headlines in the capital lately.
Originally, she had no feelings about this marriage at all, but after hearing about the young master's recent affairs, she suddenly became a little interested in him.
Just then, I heard several exclamations from the side.
"Oh, Madam Dong, what brings you here today? Aren't you afraid this cold wind will worsen your headache? Or are you here at the Marquis's residence again to show off?"
When Qin, the wife of the Vice Minister of Works, saw Dong, she pretended to be surprised and widened her eyes, but her words were tinged with sarcasm.
She had never gotten along well with this Dong woman; they would always exchange sarcastic remarks whenever they attended a banquet.
Later, because of headaches, Madam Dong could not be exposed to the wind and rarely left the mansion, let alone attend any banquets. The last time we met was two years ago at the flower viewing banquet at her mansion.
Because Dong's headache worsened during the flower viewing, she almost fell into the water. She did not send someone to fetch the imperial physician in time, which led to the fact that whenever someone mentioned this incident over the years, everyone said that she, as the hostess, had not treated her guests well.
It's clear that Ms. Dong knew she had a headache, yet she still insisted on showing off, harming herself and others.
I've been holding this grudge in for two years, and today I finally have the chance to get my revenge.
Everyone else looked over at Madam Dong and Chen Feiyan upon hearing this.
Dong Shi was no longer sickly; her pale complexion was replaced by a rosy glow.
Wearing a dark gold brocade dress, she appeared dignified and elegant, without a trace of illness. She looked radiant and seemed to have become younger.
Everyone was momentarily stunned.
Madam Dong merely glanced at Madam Qin and said with a smile, "Madam Qin is joking. My headache has improved a lot thanks to the hair-cutting treatment at Baoxiangfang. Even if I go out for a walk in the wind, it won't flare up again."
"But Madam Qin, when it comes to showing off, who can compare to you? I haven't left the manor much these past few years, but I heard the other day that you acquired a new white jade bracelet. I heard it's of excellent quality; it must be quite valuable!"
If it weren't for that banquet two years ago, her headaches wouldn't have become so severe.
That day, it was freezing cold, but Madam Qin insisted on taking them to enjoy the snow in the garden.
She had felt unwell since early morning and wanted to say goodbye and leave, but Madam Dong wouldn't let her, saying it was a spoilsport and wouldn't let her go. Otherwise, her headache wouldn't have gotten worse.
Upon hearing this, Madam Qin's expression immediately changed. She subconsciously touched her left wrist and said irritably, "That jade bracelet is just an ordinary thing, yet it has reached Madam Dong's ears. How outrageous! These gossipy people are really annoying."
These past few days, everyone in the Ministry of Works has been on edge, because the Left Vice Minister's embezzlement has implicated the entire ministry. Who would dare to stand out at this critical juncture?
It's still about money, and who knows what trouble it might cause. She hid the jade bracelet a few days ago, afraid of affecting her husband. Who would have thought that this person would dare to bring it up again? It's really hateful.
Madam Dong glanced at her and asked curiously, "Really? I heard that Madam Qin herself said the jade bracelet was precious and that it was hard to find a second one in the capital? Or was Madam Qin just exaggerating?"
Qin was so angry that her face turned green. She glared at her but didn't dare to argue with her anymore. Instead, she started chatting with others, afraid that Dong would find something to say about her again.
Madam Dong smiled and didn't continue the topic, instead exchanging pleasantries with the other ladies.
"Madam Dong, you just said your headache is gone, is that true?" a gentle-looking lady asked curiously.
Madam Dong simply smiled and nodded, "Of course it's true. Otherwise, how could I dare to go out? My headaches would get worse whenever I went out, as you all know."
Chen Feiyan added earnestly, "That's right, my mother had a headache a few days ago, but she's only gradually gotten better in the last few days."
Upon hearing this, the gentle lady quickly asked, "No wonder you look much better today."
"How did your wife recover? My mother also suffers from frequent headaches. Because of this illness, she can't eat or sleep properly all day. As her daughter, it's heartbreaking to see her like this."
Unfortunately, there was still no solution. Almost all the doctors in the capital had been consulted at the mansion, but none of them could come up with a useful prescription.
Needless to say, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital were all incompetent.
Madam Dong smiled and said, "It's quite a coincidence. A few days ago, I heard that Baoxiangfang had launched a new incense pill called 'Sorrow-Cutting Pill,' which can calm the mind, promote sleep, and treat headaches."
I didn't believe it at first, but I only asked Feiyan to buy some. Unexpectedly, the effect was quite good.
Not only does it relieve headaches, but it also helps me sleep more soundly each night.
In particular, she has noticed a significant reduction in headaches in recent days, and even occasional cool breezes do not aggravate the headaches.
It's so much better than before when we couldn't leave the house at all.
Madam Wenwan immediately nodded and said with delight, "Then I'll have my maid buy some to try later."
As she finished speaking, her gaze fell on Chen Feiyan and Dong Shi's lips, noticing that the lipsticks they were wearing today were slightly different.
The lip rouge on Ms. Dong's lips was a bright red, not only beautiful in color but also with a hazy, misty finish, which made her look extremely dignified.
Chen Feiyan's lipstick was pink, perfectly matching her natural lip color, and looked moisturized. It was different from the lip glosses worn by each of them.
Every lady and young woman attending the banquet today has dressed up meticulously, from clothes to cosmetics; it can be said that they have the best of everything in the entire capital.
Yet, no one's lip rouge could compare to that of the Dong mother and daughter. Even the finest lip rouge looked ordinary and unremarkable in comparison to the two of them.
Others obviously noticed it too and became curious.
"Madam Dong, I feel that the lipsticks you are wearing today are a little different. They look really nice. Which shop did you buy them from?"
"Yes, I just noticed that, especially the lip rouge on Fei Yan's lips. It's moisturizing and the color is beautiful, unlike the ones we wear, which are dry and all pretty much the same color."
Feeling a little embarrassed by the stares of so many people, Chen Feiyan said, "What I'm wearing isn't lip rouge, it's lipstick. I have many colors, all bought from Baoxiangfang."
That new shopkeeper seems quite capable. These scented pills and lip rouge are very different from what Baoxiangfang used to have; they've never appeared in the capital before. If you like them, you can go and buy some to try.”
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