Chapter 13 Exchange of Interests
Uncle Yongqing found it laughable that his seemingly delicate granddaughter would utter such arrogant words.
The calming incense he used was bought from Wenxiangge, the most famous incense shop in the capital, and he actually said that it wasn't as effective as the incense she made.
Such arrogance and ignorance, even with beauty, will bring trouble to her family after marriage.
The Earl of Yongqing's tone was extremely cold: "Your grandmother was right to tell you to learn proper manners. Go back now, and don't come out again until you've learned them well."
"Granddaughter will go back now," Qiu Heng said, without moving an inch. "Why is Grandfather angry? Does he think granddaughter is boasting?"
"Isn't that right?"
"But the calming incense you usually use isn't working, is it?"
Yongqing Earl: "..." It's because his insomnia is too stubborn, not because the incense from Wenxiang Pavilion is ineffective!
"Your granddaughter made this calming incense as a token of her respect for you because she cares about you. You'll see once you try it; the incense you usually use is no longer effective."
The maid standing to the side had a fascinating expression.
Sixth Miss really dares to speak her mind!
Yongqing Bo was amused and said slowly and deliberately, "Then Grandfather will try the calming incense that Heng'er made."
The warnings were made without any attempt to conceal them.
The young girl seemed not to understand, and slightly curtsied, saying, "Granddaughter takes her leave."
After Qiu Heng left, Yongqing Bo pointed to the auspicious beast incense burner placed against the wall: "Replace it with the calming incense that Sixth Miss sent."
If a young girl tries to provoke him, she will soon realize how foolish that was.
The maid gently lifted the lid of the incense burner, placed the incense pills brought by Qiu Heng inside, and then retreated to the outer room.
A delicate fragrance wafted from the beast's mouth, gradually filling the room.
The Earl of Yongqing smelled a peculiar scent.
It has a sweet and cool taste with a hint of bitterness, which is perfectly blended to create a warm and rich feeling, but it is not overpowering, like a long and gentle breeze blowing by.
"It must have been infused with agarwood," the thought flashed through Yongqing's mind. When he woke up again, it was more than an hour later.
When he first opened his eyes, Yongqingbo was still a little confused about what day it was, but he quickly realized that he had actually fallen asleep!
When did he fall asleep?
"Jiangxiang—"
A maidservant hurried in: "Master, you're awake. Would you like some tea?"
When did I go to sleep?
"You fell asleep not long after the incense burner was filled with the incense balls sent by the Sixth Sister."
How long did I sleep?
"It has been an hour."
Yongqingbo was stunned.
This feeling of refreshment was something he couldn't achieve even after trying to sleep for three hours straight. And during this one hour, he wasn't in a half-awake state, nor did he toss and turn; the time he spent falling asleep seemed to pass by in a blank blink.
This is what it feels like to be sound asleep.
At this moment, Yongqingbo couldn't help but tear up.
He had been tormented by insomnia for far too long.
"Go and invite the Sixth Miss!" Uncle Yongqing added, still worried. "Whatever the Sixth Miss needs, tell her to come immediately."
In the Cold Fragrance Residence, a maidservant came to report: "Miss, Sister Jiangxiang, who serves the old master, has arrived."
"Please come in."
Jiangxiang bowed respectfully upon seeing Qiuheng: "Sixth Miss, the old master requests your presence."
Granny Yu saw this and was secretly surprised.
Jiangxiang is the old master's head maid, the most prominent maid in the master's mansion, yet she is so polite to the sixth young lady.
After Qiuheng left with Jiangxiang, Granny Yu couldn't help but ask Granny Wang, "It seems that the sixth young lady is quite popular with the old master."
"Who doesn't like girls?" Mother Wang stuffed a piece of red bean cake into her mouth, finding it sweet and delicious.
On the way, Qiuheng handed the red bean cake wrapped in a handkerchief to Jiangxiang: "Fangzhou just made this, Sister Jiangxiang, please have a taste."
"Thank you very much, Sixth Miss." Jiangxiang took the incense and put it away carefully, then took the initiative to mention the Earl of Yongqing, "After using the incense that Sixth Miss gave me, the old master slept for more than an hour, and he was in very good spirits when he woke up..."
No one knew better than her the pain the old man suffered from insomnia, and she was certain that from now on, the sixth daughter would be the old man's most cherished granddaughter.
"Sir, the Sixth Miss has arrived."
He gestured for Jiangxiang to go outside and keep watch, and then looked at Qiuheng with a very serious expression: "Heng'er, did you really make those incense pills?"
"Of course."
The fact that such a matter-of-fact tone came from a grandchild made Yongqingbo very uncomfortable, but now he understood that the girl's audacity was not stupidity, but rather that she had the confidence to back it up.
But he still had many questions.
"Your adoptive parents make a living by collecting incense. If they have such skills, how could they be ordinary farmers?"
"My granddaughter didn't learn these skills from her adoptive parents." Meeting Yongqing Bo's surprised gaze, the girl remained calm. "Our entire village makes a living by collecting incense. My granddaughter was influenced by what she saw and heard, and she gradually learned the basics herself. She figured out all the incense recipes out of interest and experimented on her own..."
After hearing this, the Earl of Yongqing fell silent.
It sounds bizarre, but according to the investigation conducted by the steward who went to pick up the girl, there was no master of incense who taught her.
No matter how bizarre it may seem, it can only be the truth.
"The calming incense you made did have some effect on Grandfather. This incense recipe—"
Qiu Heng smiled slightly: "Does Grandfather know about cooking? The same recipe can produce dishes that taste different depending on the chef. The same applies to making incense. Even if the recipe specifies the amount of each ingredient, subtle differences in how to grind and cut the ingredients, the time required for steaming, boiling, and roasting, and the temperature will lead to different results."
The Earl of Yongqing fell silent again.
He needed the calming incense, but didn't want to be manipulated by a young girl, so he simply asked for the formula. However, he had to admit that what the girl said made sense.
Qiu Heng added, "Moreover, different people use incense."
The Earl of Yongqing was startled: "What does this mean?"
"This means that the incense formula should be adjusted according to the individual's circumstances to be most suitable."
Doesn't this mean that Liu Yatou, who can make such a miraculous calming incense, is irreplaceable?
That's right. If all you needed to know was the incense recipe, then royalty and noble families and major incense shops wouldn't be paying such high prices to those incense connoisseurs.
Realizing this, Yongqingbo's heart skipped a beat, and his gaze toward Qiuheng changed completely.
For the first time, he realized that his granddaughter could be used for other purposes besides bringing benefits to the Earl's family through marriage.
"From now on, the calming incense that Grandfather needs will be given to Heng'er."
"yes."
At this point, the Earl of Yongqing no longer needed to feign kindness and asked directly, "What does Heng'er want?"
Qiu Heng curved her lips into a smile.
She said that being a well-behaved and sensible granddaughter is a waste of time. An exchange of benefits is the only way to save time, effort, and ensure a reliable outcome.
The young woman raised her chin slightly, revealing an ambitious look: "I want to attend all kinds of banquets and frequent the homes of the wealthy and powerful, just like my sisters. I want all the nobles in the capital to know that I am not a vulgar country girl, but no less than any other noble lady."
Such blatant ambition and vanity only made the Earl of Yongqing laugh.
So she's just a little girl who dreams of climbing the social ladder.
That's wonderful.
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