Chapter 47 Women's Skin Care Workshop Established
The enthusiasm of the Beijing ladies in front of Yueji Pavilion for "Jade Skin Snow Frost" has exceeded expectations.
Orders flew into Fengyi Palace like snowflakes. Dongfang Yuning's hands cramped from counting the money, and the system's 118 energy point prompt sound was as cheerful as firecrackers during the New Year.
[Host! Our energy point balance has broken five figures! We can redeem for more advanced formulas! For example, the 'Ice Skin Jade Bone Rejuvenating Essence'! The effects are doubled, and the price is tripled!]
The electronic sound of 118 is full of temptation.
Dongfang Yuning's eyes lit up:
[Triple it?! Quick! Exchange it for me...]
She paused mid-sentence, looked around the empty side hall warily, lowered her voice,
118 asked in a serious tone.
[Shut up! That's called caution!]
Dongfang Yuning was furious.
[Let's wait and see about the tripled essence. The most urgent thing is—it's out of stock! The orders are piling up higher than the memorials in the Imperial Study! I can't even keep up with the supply by just making small moves in Fengyi Palace! I have to make something big!]
She rushed to the imperial study like a gust of wind, ready to apply to the emperor's brother-in-law for land to build a workshop. As soon as she reached the door, she heard a familiar voice coming from inside, with dusty but unconcealed excitement.
"Your Majesty, I, Dongfang Linyuan, pay my respects to you! I just returned to the capital and heard that my younger sister's 'Jade Skin Like Snow Frost' has become a sensation throughout the city! Haha, you are truly worthy of being the daughter of the Dongfang family!"
It was her third brother Dongfang Linyuan, who was always traveling outside to handle difficult matters for his brother-in-law the emperor.
Dongfang Yuning was delighted and pushed the door open.
"Third brother! You're back just in time!"
In the imperial study, Nangong Yu was smiling at the dusty Dongfang Linyuan. When he heard the noise, he looked up and saw his sister-in-law jumping in like a happy little rabbit, with her primrose-colored skirt drawing a lively arc.
As a smile appeared in his eyes, his gaze subconsciously passed Dongfang Yuning and fell on the figure who was slowly walking in behind her - it was Dongfang Qiwu.
She was wearing a plain moon-white palace dress today, with only a simple jade hairpin in her hair. Her expression was calm, as if she was just passing by.
Nangong Yu's heart skipped a beat, and even the smile on his lips was tinged with a barely perceptible hint of flattery and nervousness.
"Ning'er is here, Wu'er is here too?"
Nangong Yu put down the red seal, his tone gentle and even a little cautious.
"Hurry and sit down."
Dongfang Linyuan turned around and saw his little sister. His handsome face was filled with doting and a proud smile.
"That's right! How long have I been away? My real sister has made this great thing that is popular all over the city! And it sells for such a high price! Third brother, I feel so happy inside, which is sweeter than drinking honey!" He rubbed his hands, his eyes sparkling.
Dongfang Yuning rolled his eyes at him unceremoniously:
[What's so sweet about this?! The orders are piling up, I'm dying of exhaustion! Third brother, you're smiling like a morning glory, come and do the hard labor!]
After complaining in her heart, she put on a bright smile on her face, bowed to Nangong Yufu, and looked at her sister intentionally:
"Your Majesty, Yu Ning is here precisely for this cream. Orders are piling up, and relying solely on Yu Ning to brew it in the palace is simply a drop in the bucket. Yu Ning earnestly requests Your Majesty to allow Yu Ning to open a dedicated workshop to expand production!"
As she spoke, she looked towards Dongfang Qiwu expectantly, seeking her sister's support.
"Oh? A workshop?"
Nangong Yu raised his eyebrows, but his eyes could not help but drift to Dongfang Qiwu, who was sitting quietly beside him, looking down at his fingertips. Seeing that she had no reaction, he continued,
"What are Ning'er's specific rules?"
Dongfang Yuning straightened his back, his eyes were clear, and he said in a resounding voice:
"Your Majesty, Yu Ning wants to build a women's workshop! All processes in the workshop, from raw material processing to finished product packaging, will be handled by women! The management will also be women!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the imperial study fell silent for a moment. Dongfang Linyuan's smile faltered, and he subconsciously glanced at Nangong Yu. A women's workshop? And one run entirely by women? This was a first in Dayin.
Dongfang Yuning ignored all this and continued to talk, his voice full of unquestionable firmness:
"Yu Ning isn't trying to be unconventional. I'm using this opportunity to help those women and girls at the bottom of society who have no men to rely on! Give them a chance to support themselves with their own hands, and even change their fate! Women don't have to rely on others to survive!"
Her words were sonorous and powerful, each one striking a chord with the heart. Empress Dongfang Qiwu, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly lit up with a faint light in her eyes, which had been as calm as an ancient well, as if a crack had appeared on the surface of a frozen lake!
She raised her eyes and for the first time looked squarely at her sister who was as lively as the morning sun. Listening to her words "Women don't have to rely on others to live", her heart, which had long been dry and cold, seemed to be thrown into a hot fire and instantly heated up!
Once upon a time, Dongfang Qiwu's heart was as hot as fire, and was unreservedly tied to the emperor in front of her.
But with three thousand beauties in his harem, his gaze never lingered solely on her. Repeated suspicions and tests, repeated attempts to prioritize the greater good, repeated attempts to treat everyone equally... that fire, bit by bit, was extinguished by the cold reality, eventually cooling to a barren wasteland of ash.
Even though he later deposed the six concubines in order to save her, despite the enormous pressure, her heart had already died completely in the disappointment and heartbreak day after day.
She didn't care whether he came to Fengyi Palace or not; she didn't bother to care about what he did. Everything was "indifferent".
But at this moment, listening to his sister's shocking yet powerful words, looking at the free and unrestrained light in his sister's eyes, a huge rock was thrown into Dongfang Qiwu's silent heart!
That long-lost desire for self-worth, like a weak flame, struggled to rekindle in the ashes! Yes, why can't I live more freely like my sister?
Why should you tie your life, all your joys and sorrows, to a man? Women, you should be strong!
Nangong Yu's eyes were almost glued to Dongfang Qiwu's face. He keenly caught the sudden flash of light in her eyes, and the dead silence around her seemed to be diluted a little!
His heart suddenly trembled, and he was overwhelmed by great ecstasy, as if someone who had been trudging in the darkness for a long time finally saw a glimmer of light!
But then, he felt an immense panic—this light, this vitality, seemed to have nothing to do with him, or even... was it extinguished by his own hands and then rekindled by someone else?
He looked at his sister-in-law, who had a determined look on her face and seemed to have her own light, and then at his third uncle Dongfang Linyuan, who was beside him and had been ignited by some emotions.
My sister is right! Women can hold up half the sky! Making money is for everyone!
Looking at his queen's thoughtful eyes, as if she had opened the door to a new world... Nangong Yu felt mixed emotions.
He was ecstatic about the glimmer that reappeared in Qiwu's eyes, but also felt sad that this glimmer was caused by someone else. He also had a strong sense of crisis - this small workshop, was it possible that it would wash away his last hope of recovery?
"cough…"
Nangong Yu cleared his throat, suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, and almost couldn't wait to show his "support", trying to seize the slightest opportunity to attract Qiwu's attention, with a deliberately gentle and indulgent tone.
"Ning'er, your proposal benefits both the country and the people, and demonstrates a compassionate heart! Excellent! There's an unused royal weaving compound west of the city. It's spacious and well-equipped, so I'll allocate it to you to build this 'Jade Muscle Workshop'! For the money and materials you need, just ask your third brother for them! Dongfang Linyuan!"
"I am here!"
Dongfang Linyuan stepped forward immediately.
"You must fully assist Ning'er in this matter! Make sure it's done!"
Nangong Yu issued the decree, but he couldn't help but glance at Dongfang Qiwu again. His voice softened, "Qiwu...what do you think? If there's anything you need, just let the Ministry of Internal Affairs know."
Dongfang Qiwu seemed not to have heard his subsequent question. He simply nodded indifferently in his sister's direction, his cold voice devoid of emotion.
"If Ning'er wants to do it, then go ahead and do it."
The light in Nangong Yu's eyes dimmed a little in an instant, his Adam's apple rolled, but he didn't say anything in the end. He just waved his hand to signal them that they could leave.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is wise!"
Dongfang Yuning bowed happily, then flew to her sister like a little bird, her eyes sparkling.
"Sister! Can you come and help me? You are in charge of the six palaces and have the most experience in managing people and affairs!"
Dongfang Qiwu looked at her sister's expectant eyes, and the faint flame in her heart seemed to grow a little brighter. She suppressed her surging emotions, and the corners of her lips twitched upwards in a rare, almost imperceptible way. Her voice was still cold, but it lacked the usual icy feeling.
"Okay, sister will help you take a look."
Nangong Yu watched the two sisters communicating as if no one was around, and saw Qiwu's almost invisible but real warmth towards her sister, and his heart felt even more bitter.
He seemed to have become an outsider, and could only watch the person he wanted but couldn't get show his life to others.
News spread like wildfire throughout the capital. The Fuxing County Lord was opening a "Jade Muscle Workshop," hiring women for work, offering generous monthly wages and room and board! Women facing hardship and poverty were especially welcome! This news, like a drop of cold water in boiling oil, instantly sent shockwaves through the city!
Three days later, outside the gates of the Imperial Weaving Factory in the west of the city (now renamed "Yujifang"), a sea of people filled the wide streets. From young girls in their teens to women with gray hair, from those in tattered clothes with pale faces to those with numb expressions and empty eyes, the vast crowd filled the wide streets.
There was anxiety and hope in their eyes, but more importantly, they had trust in the golden signboard of "Lucky Princess" and a desire to grab a life-saving straw.
The main hall of the workshop had been temporarily set up as a selection venue. Dongfang Yuning and Dongfang Qiwu sat at the head of the group, with the newly appointed workshop manager standing beside them—a woman dressed in sharp clothes, with a cold face and eagle-like eyes. Her name was Xuan Yue, and she was a trusted confidant that Nangong Ye had handpicked from among his most elite secret guards upon learning that the young woman was planning to establish a women's workshop. He had specifically brought her into the open to assist her.
Dongfang Yuning looked at the dark crowd below, took a deep breath, and waved her hand:
"The selection begins! Those whose names are called, come in groups of five!"
The selection process proceeded in an orderly fashion. Dongfang Yuning was in charge, seemingly casually asking about family matters, but in reality, he was completely focused, his inner radar and System 118 working furiously.
[118, quick! Scan the first one! The one in the gray shirt! Looks pretty honest.]
[Scanning... Host, this girl is Chun Xing, sixteen years old. Her father died young, her mother is seriously ill and bedridden, and she has two younger siblings. She used to work at an embroidery shop, but was fired last month because her employer complained about her constant leave to care for her mother. Her family was struggling to make ends meet, and when she heard this place was hiring with free meals, she secretly came here without telling her mother. Credit rating: Very high (filial piety and sense of responsibility are top-notch).]
Dongfang Yuning looked at Chun Xing, who was feeling uneasy and twisting her clothes with her fingers, and sighed inwardly:
[Poor thing. It's her!]
She showed a gentle smile:
"Chun Xing, right? Good at sewing? Tomorrow at 1:00 AM, bring your household registration documents and come to work. Start by learning how to process flower petals from the master. The monthly salary is 800 wen, with two meals provided, and there's a bonus for good work."
Chun Xing raised her head suddenly, tears welling up in her eyes. She fell to her knees and kowtowed repeatedly:
"Thank you, Princess! Thank you for your kindness! I will do my best! I will!"
His voice was choked with sobs, filled with the ecstasy of having escaped from a desperate situation.
The next group came in. One of the women had a sallow complexion, a dodging gaze, and a frail figure that looked as if a gust of wind could blow her down.
[118, scan the woman in the blue coat!]
[Scan completed. Wang Liushi, 28 years old. Her husband, a compulsive gambler, lost all their fortune and ran away, leaving her with her five-year-old daughter. The gambling den thieves came daily to collect their debts, threatening to sell her daughter to a shady place to pay off the debt.]
She'd been hiding with her daughter, only to come here with a last glimmer of hope after hearing that the princess was taking in homeless women. Credit Rating: Extremely High (A strong mother, extremely protective). Risk Factor: She might be followed by spies from the gambling den.
Dongfang Yuning was furious:
[Damn you gambler! You deserve to go to hell! How dare this scumbag from the gambling den set his sights on a child?! Xuan Yue!]
She looked at the housekeeper beside her, her voice was not loud but cold.
"Note the address of this princess's wife. I'll have my third brother send two men to 'invite' those fools to the Jingzhao prefect's jail to wake them up! If they dare to harass the people from Yujifang again, I'll break their legs and throw them into the moat!"
Xuan Yue had no expression on his face and clasped his fists neatly:
"Yes! I understand!" His movements were clean and neat, with a solemn and murderous aura.
Upon hearing this, Wang Liu suddenly looked up and looked in disbelief at the noble girl at the top who had stood up for her. Tears instantly burst out of her eyes and she could only kowtow heavily.
Everyone in the hall: "!!!"
Awe and conviction are even greater.
The selection process continued. Dongfang Yuning relied on System 118's "deep scan" and "credit rating" to accurately select women with pitiful backgrounds but simple and resilient natures. Behind each of the selected women, there was almost always a heartbreaking past. Her inner voice was like the most explosive storytelling performance:
This girl, Xiaocao, is fourteen years old. Her parents died fleeing famine, and she was adopted by her uncle and aunt. She ended up being treated like a slave and often abused. She heard there were job openings here, so she ran away. Rating: High (strong desire to survive, able to endure hardship). All these unscrupulous relatives deserve to be fryed in oil! Xiaocao, I'll protect you from now on!
Aunt Zhao, the woman in brown, is fifty years old. Her son died fighting on the frontier, and her daughter-in-law remarried. She's been raising two young grandchildren alone, her back broken from laundry. Rating: Extremely high (tough, incredibly responsible). Aunt Zhao is a true hero! Must be recruited! Arrange a spot for her grandson to audit the elementary school!
[Wow! This Miss Zhou is interesting! Divorced by her husband's family for being childless and 'disrespectful to her mother-in-law.' 118 search! ... Haha! Found it! It's her ex-husband who can't have children! He's also a drunkard and abusive! Her mother-in-law is a wicked mother-in-law! This family is scumbags! Rating: Extremely high (rebellious spirit, able to distinguish right from wrong). Holy crap! Scumbag and bitch! Blaming women for their own incompetence? Well done to her! Miss Zhou is a real gutsy person! People like her need to be nurtured!]
Every time System 118 finished "reporting" a woman's miserable life story in Dongfang Yuning's mind, Dongfang Qiwu sat beside him, his hands clenched tighter under his wide sleeves.
Listening to her sister's inner curses against the scum who oppress women, especially when she heard about the cases of women who were in desperate situations because of their husbands and in-laws, her heart, which had been silent for many years, seemed to be thrown into a hot iron, sizzling and making her almost unable to maintain her superficial calm.
Wasn't the fate of those women another reflection of her own desperate situation? It was just that she was trapped in a gorgeous cage. Her face was as cold as ice, the corners of her lips were almost tightly tightened, and her occasional glances into the void were filled with a subtle hint of sarcasm and sadness.
When she heard the words "scumbag man, bitch," she even scoffed coldly, her gaze flickering towards Fengyi Palace (meaning the emperor), as if to say, "Men in this world are so unfaithful." This subtle reaction was picked up by the secret guards sent by Nangong Yu, who had been silently watching her, and quickly reported back to the palace.
Finally, the selection process drew to a close. Dongfang Yuning looked at the dozens of women she had carefully selected. Though their clothes were shabby and their faces pale, a small flame of hope ignited deep within their eyes. She stood up, walked to the front of the group, and cleared her throat.
Everyone held their breath. Dongfang Yuning's eyes swept across the expectant faces, and his voice was clear and powerful:
"Sisters! Today, you can stand here because of your courage and your tenacity in not giving up in the face of adversity!"
[It all depends on the intelligence from 118 and my wise decision! ]
"From now on, you are no longer helpless and adrift! Yujifang is your home! You can work with your own hands, earn clean money, and support yourself and your family! You don't have to look at anyone's face anymore, and you don't have to rely on anyone anymore!"
[Yes! Earn your own money and spend it yourself! Make those scumbag men and evil mothers-in-law mad!]
"What's wrong with being a woman? Who says women are inferior to men? We are thoughtful and hardworking! We can make the best face cream in the world! We can rely on our own abilities to live an upright, wonderful and beautiful life!"
[Well said! 118, did you record this? I'll use it as a factory motto!]
"Remember! Your wages are earned through your sweat and skills! They are the foundation of your livelihood! Stand straight! Don't bend your spine! Women, be strong!"
【Chicken soup is finished! Time to call it a day!】
"I believe in you! The future of Yujifang depends on our joint efforts!"
The words were powerful and heartfelt! When Dongfang Yuning talked about "women should be self-reliant", she excitedly waved her fist.
The hall was completely silent, and then burst into long-suppressed sobs and shouts of gratitude. The scene was deeply moving.
Dongfang Qiwu looked at the scene in front of him, and saw the fire of life rekindled in the eyes of those women. He felt as if the volcano in his chest that had been dormant for many years was roaring violently!
Her sister's words were like a heavy hammer, shattering the last bit of self-deception in her heart! An unprecedented sense of power and relief swept over her.
Yes, a woman should be like this! Why should she continue to be trapped in that cold cage called "Queen", wasting the rest of her life for someone who is no longer worthy? The look she gave her sister was filled with admiration and a resolute determination like a person emerging from a cocoon.
In the imperial study.
Nangong Yu held the secret report just presented by the secret guard, his fingertips cold. The secret report recorded the selection process in detail, especially Dongfang Qiwu's reaction -
That cold sneer, that look that said "Men in the world are so unfaithful", and the vitality and light that ignited in his eyes when he looked at those female workers at the end, the light he had been longing for.
"She...she really..."
Nangong Yu's voice was a little hoarse, with unspeakable pain and panic,
"Does she really think I'm... no different from those scum?"
He leaned dejectedly against the dragon throne, gazing towards Fengyi Palace with a look of humility and despair. He had deposed the six concubines for her, and spent everything he had to make amends, but it only brought him deeper into the cold.
Now, even the tiny glimmer in her eyes, caused by someone else, made him jealous and afraid. He seemed to see the ice he carefully held in his palms, trying to warm it, being carried away by another force to a place full of sunshine, but further and further away from him.
"Wu'er..."
He called out softly, his voice filled with powerlessness and deep regret. He knew that he might really... lose her forever.
This "crematorium" seemed to be about to be blown away by the wind, even the last bit of ashes. He closed his eyes and waved his hand for the secret guards to retreat. The huge imperial study was filled with endless cold silence.
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