The chief clerk quickly took it and handed it to the King of Qi for inspection.
The jade bottle was already small and exquisite, and only a little bit of the inside remained.
If it weren't for the repeated setbacks faced by the King of Qi, he probably would have lost his temper on the spot.
Song Wenyu hurriedly said, "When I got it, there was only a little less than half a bottle left. After using some more, there was only this much left. It should be enough if the wound is shallow."
But Fu Yun's wounds were long and deep.
King Qi thought for a moment, then accepted the jade bottle, a smile playing on his lips: "Thank you for the gift, Miss Song. I owe you this favor. If you ever need my help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."
The Song family had been close to Prince Qi for some time, but with a Song family daughter selected for the Eastern Palace, they might turn to the Crown Prince again.
In any case, it's always good to be on good terms.
Song Wenyu was relieved and smiled, "I heard that His Highness Prince Qi was trying his best to find medicine for Princess Fuyun, so I dared to offer this medicine. I hope His Highness Prince Qi and Princess Fuyun don't mind that there isn't enough medicine. If we can find a skilled imperial physician, perhaps they can figure out the prescription."
King Qi finally asked the question.
"Miss Song, may I ask where you obtained the Jade Complexion Cream? Could you please tell me?"
Song Wenyu hesitated for a moment: "This medicine was given to me by the seventh young lady of the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion. She gave me all of it."
King Qi nodded: "Thank you very much, Miss Song. I will definitely repay you handsomely once my face is healed."
Having said that, although reluctant, Song Wenyu had no choice but to say goodbye.
Upon entering the Prince Qi's residence and settling down in the study, the chief clerk said, "Miss Song's suggestion is indeed a good one. If we could find a skilled imperial physician to test the medicine, perhaps he could actually write out a prescription."
King Qi shook his head: "There are so many concubines in the palace, which one doesn't want the Jade Complexion Cream? If it could be made, it would have been made long ago."
The chief clerk then suggested, "Why don't we ask Miss Gu Qi if we can get some more?"
Miss Gu is very generous; she gave away the priceless Jade Complexion Cream without hesitation.
Maybe I still have some on hand.
King Qi stroked the jade bottle, seemingly lost in thought. After a long while, he suddenly asked, "Have you found anything about the relationship between the Lady of Dingbei and that old imperial physician?"
The chief clerk was somewhat embarrassed: "The wife of the Marquis of Dingbei is the illegitimate daughter of the Qin family. Her birth mother died early, and many things are difficult to investigate. We haven't found anything yet."
King Qi said, "Investigate this thoroughly."
He paused for a moment and then said, "I suddenly remembered that last time I injured her, Third Brother Gu was extremely worried. Later, he said that she was fine and didn't cause me any trouble."
Perhaps this bottle of jade-like face cream was leftover from the Lady of Dingbei.
The chief secretary breathed a sigh of relief: "That makes sense. Even if she didn't have one, she should have found a way."
Injuring a woman's face is like a matter of life and death.
Princess Fuyun couldn't eat or sleep, and His Highness Prince Qi was also very anxious.
Princess Fuyun's face is now saved.
The King of Qi put the jade bottle into a small box on the table.
"Go to the Marquis of Dingbei's residence and ask. If you have it, bring it back immediately, no matter how much silver or how many medicinal herbs you need."
The chief clerk prepared a gift for the festival and then went to the Marquis of Dingbei's residence to ask for medicine.
When they arrived, Qin Yuan had just finished taking stock of Lord Gu's private treasury and was preparing to make a big move, so she had people arrested to discuss the matter.
Lord Gu's private treasury had frequent inflows and outflows, unlike the public accounts. The ledgers were very simple, noting that a certain amount was received in a certain month of a certain year and a certain amount was spent in a certain month of a certain year.
Over the years, only a small portion of the ledger has been filled.
Qin Yuan finished counting very quickly.
Military generals become richer the more they fight.
Lord Gu also obtained most of the old Lord Gu's private treasury.
They're incredibly wealthy.
With mountains of gold and silver as his backing, Qin Yuan simply grabbed Mr. Songshan, Accountant Wan, and the two stewards, Han and Cao, to discuss matters.
"I'm interested in developing trade routes in the heart of Changbai Mountain. I've heard that the ginseng business in Liaodong is very promising. What do you think?"
Liaodong?
Butler Han glanced at Butler Cao.
Didn't the Yelü clan relocate to the Changbai Mountains? Madam, are you thinking...?
After a moment's thought, Wan Zhangfang said, "The ginseng business is certainly good, but we've never done it before. There's a lot to it. The Marquis's mansion has been operating in the north for many years. Although they no longer station troops there, the trade routes in the northwest are still viable. Fur, silk, porcelain, tea, and spices can all be profitable if done well."
Steward Han nodded in agreement: "A lot of the military pay from the Privy Council is taken out, and only about 50% is left in the hands of the Marquis. Moreover, it is not always paid on time every year. It is often deducted or delayed. The Marquis has ordered people to open up trade routes and trade horses and furs nearby. There are fewer trades of silk, porcelain and tea, but the profits are not small."
This year, the Marquis returned to the capital in triumph, and a new government office was established in the north, overseen by a newly appointed official. However, trade routes should not be disrupted. The Ministry of War and other departments in the capital's military camps also dare not embezzle excessively, and this year's pay will be considerably more than in previous years.
Steward Cao said, "Madam, are you worried that the cost of acquiring property will be too high? The Marquis has recently received a large sum of money. Even if the court doesn't pay the army's salary, it will be enough for the next two years."
This huge fortune must be the ginseng money stolen from Yelü Guzha. Just as Qin Yuan was about to speak, someone came from outside to announce that the Chief Secretary of the Qi Prince's Mansion had arrived with festival gifts.
Butler Cao asked suspiciously, "Didn't we already deliver it? Could I have remembered wrong?"
Qin Yuan remembered that she had already delivered it. Since the other party had come again, there must be something else. So she said, "Please come to the side room to talk. I'll be right there."
After Qin Yuan left, the group surrounded Mr. Songshan, hoping he would step forward and persuade Qin Yuan.
Wan Zhangfang said, "The ginseng business is indeed very profitable, but the preferred choice on the market now is the purple ginseng from Shangdang. Ginseng from Liaodong doesn't fetch much of a price, and there are losses along the way when buying fresh ginseng. We also lack experts in identifying ginseng. It's better to stick with what we know than to do something unfamiliar. Once the shops have finished their purchases and the madam has established her authority, wouldn't that be more secure?"
You have to eat one bite at a time; you can't get fat overnight.
The lady has indeed gained recognition from everyone these days, but caution is always the best policy.
Mr. Matsuyama nodded.
Steward Cao also said, "We are not familiar with Liaodong either. Shouldn't we send some people to scout ahead first? It's already Mid-Autumn Festival, and winter is just around the corner. Liaodong gets colder faster than the capital. It seems we can't make it this year. Perhaps we should discuss it again next year."
Mr. Matsuyama thought to himself, "Good heavens, they've already put the baton on the table for next year."
Everyone wanted Qin Yuan to follow the old path first, and then make further moves once she had completely won over the hearts of the people.
This is not without reason.
Butler Han asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to start this business, Madam?"
Steward Cao's face contorted with rage: "Don't you think it's all for the Marquis's sake?"
...
Qin Yuan met the Chief Secretary of the Prince Qi's residence in a side room. The Chief Secretary was even more respectful, with a smile on his face: "How have you been, Madam? Your humble servant has come to deliver festival gifts on the orders of His Highness Prince Qi."
There are rules to follow when giving holiday gifts; giving too much or too little will cause dissatisfaction.
Qin Yuan was still doubtful; it was impossible for the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Qi's residence to make such a mistake.
Sure enough, the chief clerk laughed and said, "This time, the gifts sent are all rare items. Although they are not very valuable, they are still precious. The Prince of Qi has been thinking of the Marquis, and after receiving the gifts, he sent me to deliver them."
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