Xiangli Mingzhu recognized Tu Shan'ang, who was arrogant and disdainful of all noblewomen. She once wanted to buy Tianji Cream from Yaoguang Pavilion to apply to her face and even went to Tu Shan'ang herself, but Tu Shan'ang was so arrogant that he didn't even look at her.
Today, Tu Shan'ang was bowing and scraping to a nine-and-a-half-year-old girl, bringing so many things. What made her grit her teeth in anger was that he actually came to deliver the things in person, which made her very unhappy.
He was clearly just a lowly merchant, yet he dared to look down on her and even disregarded the royal family.
No one knows the origin of Yaoguang Pavilion. It has stood for hundreds of years and no one can shake it.
She then coldly retorted, "Manager Tushan, what brings you here today?"
Tu Shan'ang resumed his arrogant expression, head held high and chest puffed out.
He said arrogantly, "Miss Seven ordered some things, and I'm bringing them over."
In fact, he still disdained to deal with Xiangli Mingzhu. If it weren't for the fact that she was Yuan Qi's mother, why would he talk to her?
Xiangli Mingzhu looked incredulous: "You delivered it yourself?"
Tu Shan Ang had no interest in chatting with Xiangli Mingzhu; if he said any more, Xiangli Mingzhu would start digging deeper into his affairs.
Let Yuan Qi have his headache.
He chuckled and said politely, "Seventh Miss, if there's anything you're missing, just have Miss Wen get it. I'll be going now."
Sure enough, Xiangli Mingzhu wanted to get to the bottom of things, but he slipped away very quickly.
Xiangli Mingzhu, out of curiosity, had someone open the box to take a look. It turned out to be filled with medicinal herbs. She didn't recognize them as precious herbs and looked down on them.
"Why are you getting all these herbs? Even if you're not feeling well, you don't need so many, do you?"
Yuan Qi knew she wouldn't recognize these rare and precious items, so he didn't answer her question. Instead, he asked her, "What brings Mother to see me?"
Xiangli Mingzhu was still curious about Tu Shan'ang: "How do you know him? And why is he so polite to you?"
Yuan Qi casually made up a story: "I once exorcised an evil spirit for him, and he almost lost his life that time. He has been very polite to me ever since."
Xiangli Mingzhu understood: "So that's how it is. I came to see you to discuss something. You have so many good tea leaves. Give me half of them, and at the tea party, I'll formally introduce you and register you under my name as my legitimate daughter. How about it?"
Yuan Qi chuckled: "Mother's plan is quite good. I don't really want to be registered under your name. I don't care much about the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate daughters."
Xiangli Mingzhu was displeased. She found a place to sit down and began to reason with Yuan Qi: "You're young and don't know how scorned women from other families are. When you grow up and it's time to get married, you'll understand. The noble young men from good families value social standing the most. Now that Young Master Jiu has taken a liking to you, I'll elevate your status so you can hold your head high in front of others. It's a good deal, why don't you consider it?"
Yuan Qi lowered his head and remained silent.
Xiangli Mingzhu continued, "I know those few kilograms of tea you had a hard time getting, and I won't ask where they came from. How about this, I'll just take one kilogram, enough for my tea party. You'll still get all the benefits I gave you."
"Okay, you can officially introduce me to them, then I'll have a legitimate claim to the relationship. That's settled, deal."
Yuan Qi generously allowed Green Bamboo to take out one pound of each type of tea and give it to Xiangli Mingzhu.
Wen Zhujun came over and said to her, "You got a good deal. That's how the world is. What she said is right. The powerful and wealthy value family background and social standing the most. If you remain an illegitimate daughter, your marriage will definitely be hindered in the future, and you might only be able to become a concubine. However, this tea is really rare. I guess she can't bear to use it all. She must have hidden most of it for herself and only took out one or two ounces to entertain the guests. It would be good if everyone could have a small sip."
Yuan Qi did not deny this. Her Peony Residence also had a smaller bedroom for Wen Zhujun, and Green Bamboo and Red Fir provided her with some clothes, jewelry and other daily necessities.
She pointed to the study: "The tea is on the antique shelf in the study. You can brew it yourself if you want. We won't lack such good things in the future."
Wen Zhujun smiled and said, "Okay, I won't be polite."
Before the tea party started, Yuan Qi closed the door, took out the alchemy furnace, and began to refine medicine, with Wen Zhujun and Shen Xun as her protectors, and Lvzhu and Hongshan as her assistants.
Refining medicine is hard work. She needs to use her Red Lotus Karmic Fire to ignite the alchemy furnace, and she also needs to precisely control the heat and the amount of medicinal materials, as well as seize the right moment to add the medicinal materials.
She worked day and night, locking herself in her room for seven days and seven nights before finally finishing the processing of all the herbs in the yard.
This time, a lot of pills were refined, including the Great Rejuvenation Pill, the Returning to Origin Pill, and the Heart-Protecting Pill, among more than a dozen other varieties. Several hundred pills of each were refined. Although it seems like a lot, Yaoguang Pavilion has branches in various countries, so each branch would only receive no more than ten pills.
These pills were packed one into a box, filling a large chest, which Wen Zhujun personally delivered to Yaoguang Pavilion.
Also sent were about a hundred bottles of Tianji Cream, which can reduce fine lines and remove skin impurities. If used continuously for half a month, it can make you look twenty years younger.
Tianji Cream has always been reserved for the imperial concubines in the palace, and even the wealthiest and most powerful people would find it difficult to purchase.
Yuan Qi had a good night's sleep, and when he woke up the next day, he heard a commotion outside.
When she went outside, she saw Li Huilin, Jiang Jiulu, and Lvzhu arguing.
Li Huilin said, "I really have something important to discuss with Seventh Sister, Green Bamboo, please let me in."
Jiang Jiulu also complained: "It's been several days, and Seventh Sister has locked herself in her room and won't see anyone. Is she sick? Should we call the family physician to come and take a look?"
Yuan Qi opened the door: "Come in."
Outsiders were unaware of her alchemy skills, and Yuan Qi forbade them to speak of it.
The two quickly followed Yuan Qi inside. Li Huilin complained angrily, "I've come several times already, but your two maids wouldn't let me in no matter what. When I asked you what you wanted, they wouldn't say, only that you were sleeping. Seventh Sister, are you alright?"
Yuan Qi noticed that Li Huilin's attitude towards her had become much more polite, probably because Jiang Jiulu had told her a lot about her great achievements.
Jiang Jiulu pulled Yuan Qi around, looking her over from left to right. Seeing that she looked well and hadn't lost weight, she felt relieved.
"It's good that you're alright. Today is the tea party, and all the prominent young ladies and gentlemen of Kyoto arrived early this morning. Young Master Jiu is here too, waiting in front."
Yuan Qi smiled and asked Green Bamboo to bring Xiangli Youming over so they could talk for a while.
Jiang Jiulu continued, "My mother spread the word a few days ago that she had acquired Xueshan Maofeng tea and Yunding Biluo tea. Many people who didn't have invitations were begging me for them, or asking someone with an invitation to bring them in. Even the Bai family sent several people, including Bai Fujun, the sixth young master of the Bai family."
Yuan Qi remembered, wasn't that Bai Fujun, the legendary beauty? She wanted to see her too.
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