The popularity of soap spread like wildfire, from the capital all the way to Southeast Asia.
Ninth Prince Yuntang personally led the fleet south to negotiate trade with various countries in Southeast Asia.
Dressed in a brocade robe and holding a folding fan, he concluded the business deal with ease, then left his capable subordinates to follow up on the details while he rushed off to the next location.
The Tenth Prince, Yun, was stationed in the capital, personally overseeing the loading of goods onto ships to ensure that every batch of soap arrived at its destination intact.
The other brothers were also drawn into this business.
The twelfth prince, Yuntao, was in charge of selling the soap to Mongolia. He quickly opened up the market by leveraging his connections with Mongolian princes.
The fifteenth prince, Yunwu, transported the goods to Korea, and with their exquisite packaging and pleasant aroma, they quickly won the favor of the Korean nobles.
The brothers were so busy they barely had time to breathe, but they enjoyed it immensely. Watching the gleaming silver flow into their own treasury filled them with a sense of accomplishment.
---
Kunning Palace, inside the Forbidden City.
Lin Yun sat upright in the main hall, holding a cup of tea in her hands, but her gaze was fixed on the crabapple tree outside the window.
Hongtun sat at the lower end of the table, his expression respectful yet expectant.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Observatory has chosen a date, set for the eighth day of the tenth month, which is the perfect time of autumn with fine weather," Hongtun said with a smile.
Lin Yun snapped out of her reverie, put down her teacup, and a gentle smile appeared in her eyes: "October is perfect, neither too hot nor too cold, just right for a wedding."
She paused, then said, "Is Daiyu's dowry ready? If there is anything missing, please let me know."
Hongtun quickly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, my father-in-law has already made all the preparations. He has even prepared a house in Jiangnan. We are just waiting for the wedding date to arrive so that we can have a grand and lively celebration."
Lin Yun nodded, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Is there any news from the Jia family? Baoyu and Baochai haven't returned yet?"
Hongtun shook his head: "There's no news yet. However, my father-in-law has sent people to inquire along the way, so we should have news soon."
Lin Yun sighed softly, "These two children have been away for so long; their families must be so worried."
She looked at Hongtun and said gently, "I will make sure your wedding is a grand affair, so that everyone in the capital can see how well our Daiyu has married."
Hongtun's ears turned slightly red, and he bowed solemnly: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
Lin Yun waved her hand and smiled, "Go ahead and prepare well. If you need anything, come find me anytime."
After Hongtun withdrew, Lin Yun walked alone to the window, gazing at the distant palace walls. In this life, Daiyu would never again die from vomiting blood because of Baoyu.
------
Jiangnan, the Lin residence.
Upon receiving the Emperor's secret decree, Lin Ruhai's expression immediately turned solemn.
He immediately ordered a sedan chair to be prepared and headed straight for the Rongguo Mansion.
Wang Xifeng was checking the accounts for a new batch of soap in the courtyard when she was startled by Lin Ruhai's sudden visit. She quickly got up to greet him: "Uncle Lin, what brings you here today?"
Lin Ruhai said in a deep voice, "Feng girl, let's talk in private."
The two entered the main hall, and Lin Ruhai lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty's decree states that the soap formula is a state secret and must not be leaked in the slightest. Any mishap would be a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's expression changed drastically, and she almost dropped the account book in her hand: "This...is it that serious?"
Lin Ruhai's gaze sharpened: "This matter is of utmost importance. The Westerners are eyeing it covetously. If the formula falls into their hands, the consequences will be unimaginable. You must keep this a secret, and do not reveal a single word to even your trusted confidants in the household."
Wang Xifeng nodded quickly: "Uncle, don't worry, I will be extremely careful and will never let outsiders get involved."
Jia She, Jia Zhen, and others were originally very envious of Wang Xifeng's business and secretly tried to sabotage it.
But now that Lin Ruhai has come to their door in person with such a serious attitude, they are so frightened that they dare not have any more wicked thoughts.
Jia She rubbed his hands together and said to Wang Xifeng with a smile, "Feng'er, now that the soap business is so booming, we family members should help each other out."
Jia Zhen chimed in, "Yes, we own some shops. If we could use them to sell soap, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
Seeing their sudden change from arrogance to obsequiousness, Wang Xifeng sneered inwardly, but feigned a thoughtful expression: "Since you two elders have spoken, I naturally cannot refuse. How about this, I will allocate a batch of goods to you every month, and you can sell them yourselves, splitting the profits fifty-fifty, how about that?"
Jia She and Jia Zhen exchanged a glance. Although they felt the share was too small, it was better than nothing. They quickly agreed, "Alright, alright, it's settled then!"
After being released from confinement, the first thing Madam Wang did was to chat with Aunt Xue in a side hall of Rongxi Hall.
She held a handkerchief in her hand, her brows furrowed, her eyes filled with worry: "Sister, where are Baoyu and Baochai now? It's been more than half a year, and they haven't even replied to a letter. It's really worrying."
Aunt Xue sighed softly and patted Madam Wang's hand: "Sister, don't worry. It's common for children to be delayed on the road when they're traveling. Baochai is a steady girl; she'll definitely take good care of Baoyu."
Although she offered words of comfort, she was also feeling very uneasy inside.
Baochai was the apple of her eye, and she was worried about her day and night during this long journey.
Aunt Xue forced a smile, her gaze falling on the window. The crabapple blossoms in the courtyard were in full bloom, but no one was appreciating them.
She murmured, "If it were before, Baoyu would definitely have dragged the girls here to admire the flowers and compose poems..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them and quickly changed the subject, "Has Yuan Chun been busy these past few days?"
Madam Wang understood and followed her words, saying, "Yuan Chun is now in charge of the affairs of the mansion, and I heard that she has organized things very well. Even the old lady praised her for being capable."
When Yuan Chun was mentioned, a complex look flashed in Madam Wang's eyes.
After returning from the palace, Yuan Chun became increasingly calm and composed. Now that she has taken over the management of the household, she is even more decisive and efficient.
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