Chapter 5 Chapter 5 The woman in gorgeous clothes raised her head and saw a...
The woman in gorgeous clothes looked up and saw a female slave in tattered clothes. She asked in surprise, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Wan said in a deep voice, "Madam, I'm afraid the box in your hand is not the real Yuanshan Dai."
The woman was stunned and didn't say anything for a moment. But the proprietress couldn't help but point at Jiang Wan angrily and said, "You are just a little criminal, how could you know Yuanshan Dai?"
Jiang Wan ignored her and just looked at the woman in the gorgeous clothes. "I was exiled here from the capital. My young lady used to use Yuanshan Ink. The Yan region only produces a few hundred kilograms of bluestone each year. Apart from the ones used in the palace, the only people in the capital who can use this Yuanshan Ink are the women of third-rank officials."
"Who is your young lady?"
Jiang Wan bowed his head and bowed to the woman in the elegant attire, "Young lady, your surname is He. You are the eldest daughter of Duke He."
The woman was surprised at first, then she looked thoughtful, and the look in her eyes was more serious and trusting.
Judging from the lady's reaction, Jiang Wan's guess was correct: she was a member of an official family. Knowing Duke He's status, he could afford ten taels of silver for a stone ink, but he couldn't discern the price of a mountain ink… She must be the wife of a sixth- or fifth-rank official.
Seeing the woman wavering, the proprietress hurriedly explained, "Prices in the capital are high, but we're far away, and I'm in a good relationship with the lady, so it's only natural that I sell it cheaper, right?"
It would have been fine without an explanation, but this explanation made the elegantly dressed woman look at the proprietress even more suspicious. Since even the capital couldn't supply it, how could the proprietress in this remote town possibly buy the Yandi-produced Yuanshandai? Even if she did, she would have put a lot of thought into it and would never sell it to anyone so easily at such a low price.
Seeing the woman's disbelief, the proprietress changed the subject, "Madam, you've already tried it. The makeup effect is indeed that of authentic distant mountain ink. It's also light and thin in texture, applies evenly, and the color is grayer than ordinary stone ink. It looks like misty and distant mountains. Only the bluestone from the Yan area can produce such an effect. How could I lie to you?"
The woman in fine clothes picked up the box of stone ink, turned it over, and then carefully examined her eyebrows in the bronze mirror. She said doubtfully, "It is indeed so. Relatives in the capital mentioned that the effect of distant mountain ink is exactly like this."
"Right, right," the lady boss breathed a sigh of relief and called over a few makeup girls working in the shop, "You guys, hurry up and kick this little criminal out. Don't disturb me while I'm doing business!"
"Right away, right away," the makeup girls responded, hurriedly dropping their work and gathering around. Jiang Wan noticed one or two of them sizing up her frail form with a hint of pity in their eyes. They slowed their pace, giving Jiang Wan time to escape.
Jiang Wan looked at the woman in gorgeous clothes, but she had no intention of keeping her.
But she would definitely seize the opportunity when she encountered it. If it weren't for this stubbornness, Jiang Wan would never have become an antique tycoon in her previous life.
Running away wasn't her style.
She took a few steps forward, leaning closer to the woman in the finery. The box in her hand exuded a delicate fragrance, like mountain grass. Jiang Wan sniffed carefully, and detected a faint sourness amidst the herbaceous aroma.
"You dirty criminal slave, stay away from my lady!" the maid ordered impatiently.
Jiang Wan didn't move, but just raised his head to meet the gaze of the woman in gorgeous clothes, without showing any timidity, which made the other party slightly startled.
"Ordinary stone ink mixed with a small amount of finely ground lead powder can also create the makeup effect of distant mountain ink, but the makeup will not last long and will not withstand washing." Jiang Wan quickly explained in the short time left by the makeup artist.
"Haha, what makes you say that adding lead powder will have the same effect as Yuanshan Dai? Don't tell me that your young lady has also tried mixing Shi Dai with lead powder!" The proprietress pretended to be calm, but her stiff face revealed her inner panic.
Long-term use of lead powder not only fails to maintain skin health but can also damage the body. If lead powder were discovered, this lady, clearly from a powerful family, would not let it go easily. At this point, the proprietress could only hope to use her years of business experience to smooth things over.
However, Jiang Wan was not fooled.
She did not argue with the landlady, but simply said, "Whether it is true or not, please wash it with water, and it will be clear."
"No, no..." The proprietress stammered, completely at a loss.
Seeing this, the woman in gorgeous clothes was completely confused and ordered the maid beside her to fetch some water. The water wet her eyebrows and eyes, and soon, a fine blue-grey powder was formed into a paste by the water and dripped down along with the water droplets.
The maid hurriedly wiped it with a handkerchief, leaving a layer of bluish-gray stain on the plain handkerchief. The woman in the finery took one look at it, and anger flashed across her face.
With a loud bang, the exquisite box fell to the ground, shattering into pieces, and the blue stone ink splashed all over the floor. The proprietress turned pale, but she knelt down hurriedly without caring about the dirt on the floor.
The makeup girls all stayed away, fearing that they would be affected. They looked at the boss lady with disgust, without saying a word, but they had already cursed her many times in their hearts.
"Do you know who I am?" The woman in gorgeous clothes changed her innocent and smiling look and asked coldly.
The proprietress hesitated: "I...I don't know..."
People who do business observe people's words and expressions and don't ask questions that are not necessary. The boss lady knows this and naturally won't ask about the identity of this lady.
Jiang Wan listened attentively, waiting for an answer to see if her guess was correct.
"Xiao Fang, the concubine of Lord Li, the magistrate of Pancheng County," the woman said coldly, "you should have heard of her. When the mourning period for your husband is over next year, I will make her my wife."
Jiang Wan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like this was the right move. This concubine was indeed her chance to escape slavery.
The proprietress was so frightened that her voice trembled and she kept kowtowing: "Madam Li, please be magnanimous and let me go this time. I won't dare to do it again!"
"Pack your things and get out of the city within three days. Don't make me come and ask you to leave," Madam Li remained unmoved. "It won't be as simple as just kicking you out of the city."
How could the proprietress dare to disobey? She agreed and ran away crawling.
On the other side, she had no intention of watching the boss lady's miserable state. A pleasant system voice sounded in her mind:
"Integrity is the foundation of business. Congratulations to the host for exposing the unscrupulous merchant and completing the mission [Integrity is the Foundation], earning five points."
Jiang Wan listened to the system's voice, closed her eyes, and entered the system mall interface. The remaining points in the upper right corner changed from 100 to 105. However, since she hadn't unlocked any sections yet, she couldn't see the product prices.
"Hey, my wife is calling you." Just as Jiang Wan was thinking, the maid's words brought her back to reality from the system. She opened her eyes and met Madam Li's gentle gaze.
"This time, thanks to you," Mrs. Li said with a smile. "How did you know that adding lead powder to stone ink can create the effect of distant mountain ink?"
Ah, this. How should I answer this? I can't tell her that I specialized in studying ancient cosmetics in my previous life, right?
Madam Li smiled and stared at Jiang Wan.
"Well, this is it - I work in a pawn shop, and our boss lady was cheated in this shop, so I know." Jiang Wan rolled his eyes and made up an excuse.
"I see. I'll give you these ten taels of silver as a token of my gratitude."
Jiang Wan took the silver with a smile, bowed and said, "Madam, you are so generous."
It would have been fine if she hadn't bent over, but once she did, Jiang Wan's stomach growled. She'd been delayed getting off work, and she'd rushed to the pawnshop to work, so she hadn't eaten since.
Mrs. Li couldn't help but cover her face and chuckle.
Jiang Wan scratched his head sheepishly, looking bewildered and his movements somewhat silly, completely different from how he had just argued with the proprietress.
Madam Li, however, felt much more attentive. "Hungry? Of course, the county yamen runners are used to skimping on food. It's hard on you."
Then he asked, "Little girl, what is your name and where do you work as a laborer?"
Jiang Wan listened to Madam Li's concern for her, and her voice became more aggrieved, her eyes reddened, and she replied in a low voice: "My name is Jiang Wan, and I wash clothes in the laundry yard next to the county government office."
Listening to this, Madam Li couldn't help but feel a little sorry for this young girl. She was only sixteen or seventeen years old, yet she had to walk all the way from the capital to the border, with little food and clothing, and still had to work in the middle of the night. She leaned over and patted Jiang Wan's shoulder comfortingly, "Since we're close to the county government office, and I'm about to return home, I'll take you to my house for a late-night snack."
"Really? Madam, you are so nice." Jiang Wan raised her head happily, her eyes still red, which inexplicably reminded Madam Li of the little white rabbit raised in the yard.
Madam Li led her towards the carriage not far away. Jiang Wan followed behind, putting away her aggrieved look and a sly smile on her lips.
The magistrate’s office, in Madam Li’s courtyard.
"Try this chestnut pastry. Is it delicious?" Mrs. Li picked up a plate of pastries and placed it in front of Jiang Wan. Jiang Wan sat across from her, his mouth full of pastries, speechless. He could only nod his head, uttering "hmm! hmm!" sounds with an upward chorus, clearly delighted.
It's as cute and silly as it can be.
Mrs. Li couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth.
As they were laughing and joking, a maid came into the room carrying a tray with several jugs of wine on it. The wine had a sweet aroma and was obviously top quality.
"Madam, this is a thirty-year-old girl's red wine presented to the master for the New Year. Please take a look." The maid brought the wine to Madam Li, who waved her hand casually.
"No need, it's the same old thing every year, what's there to see?"
Jiang Wan looked at the wine on the tray and suddenly thought of something: "Madam, does the magistrate like to taste wine?"
"Yes, the master especially likes this daughter's red wine. He says it is strong but not overpowering, and has a long aftertaste."
"In that case, I have an idea," Jiang Wan leaned over to Madam Li and whispered something. The latter listened with an approving smile and nodded frequently.
"Madam, if you believe in me, just leave it to me. I guarantee you will be satisfied!" Jiang Wan patted his chest, full of confidence.
"Alright! I'm about to become your wife. I must satisfy the master within this period of time. I'll leave this matter to you. If you can handle it well, I'll find a way to redeem you." Madam Li pulled out a jade ring from her pocket. "This is my token of love. If you need anything, just come to me."
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