The ladies chattered incessantly.
Anfu, standing to the side, explained with a smile.
"Your Majesty, it's all done as you instructed. Qingzhu has certainly put on quite a show! Even the Empress herself made a special appearance!"
Three days prior, Qingyun Temple had already launched a massive propaganda campaign in the capital, leveraging the power of the emperor and any other available resources.
They even used the Empress's name to claim that her beautiful appearance was due to products like face masks from the lifestyle store, which made her skin so delicate and smooth.
The Empress's beauty is renowned throughout the capital; how could these noble ladies not be moved by such a statement?
Furthermore, the lifestyle store also advertised its special services, which made people feel novel, so it's no surprise that it became so popular.
Qin Yu nodded in approval repeatedly.
"Once you make a name for yourself, you'll be an overnight sensation! Business will be booming from now on, that's great!"
Just as they were marveling at Qingzhu's intelligence and quick business acumen, a loud gong and drum sounded.
Immediately afterwards, the doors of the Women's Lifestyle Center finally opened amidst great anticipation.
The next second, the crowd filed in, almost squeezing their way in.
The reason some people are in such a hurry is that the first ten people to enter will receive a free face mask.
The luxurious decor and unusual merchandise arrangement surprised everyone.
But while they were still admiring the samples on the shelf, a loud and clear shout rang out.
"Xiaoyue, give him the silver, we'll top up this diamond card!"
Qin Yu felt that the voice was so familiar, and immediately turned around.
Sure enough, the beautiful figure who shouted from the crowd was a familiar face—the courtesan Bai Ruyan!
The place and time of their meeting have changed, but the only thing that remains unchanged is her exquisite face and those captivating, alluring fox-like eyes.
Along with Qin Yu, other female guests who had heard the commotion also turned their gazes toward her.
At the counter, Bai Ruyan's maidservant simply took out a large silver note, handed it over, and received back a delicate and beautiful light blue card.
Everyone in the room was amazed at this moment.
You should know that getting a Diamond Card requires a one-time top-up of 10,000 taels!
This is an astronomical figure.
Not only that, Bai Ruyan looked around at the exquisite cosmetics and was very satisfied. She then waved her hand dismissively.
"I'll take everything that's available for sale in your store!"
"Especially those face masks, we definitely need to get several sets. All the ladies are eagerly waiting to use them!"
The clerk at the counter was all smiles, bowing respectfully.
"Alright! Everything's packed up for you. Since you're the first customer to top up their diamond card at our store, we're giving you a special bonus of one thousand taels of silver!"
"Really?" Bai Ruyan smiled gently, her smile as bright and beautiful as the spring sunshine in a crowded inn. "Then I'm very lucky!"
Is this due to good or bad luck?
Seeing Bai Ruyan's bold and generous demeanor, all the women around her were even more envious.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Not only are they good-looking, but they also have more money to take care of themselves. How can you possibly compete with that?
Of course, where there is envy, there will naturally be jealousy!
Normally, wealthy women would be fine to admire, but Bai Ruyan's eye-catching appearance made another group of people quite unhappy.
They were the wealthy ladies from official families who had received the black gold cards the night before.
They huddled together, their eyes fixed on her with the jealousy and disdain typical of women.
"Hey... look how smug this prostitute is, doesn't she know perfectly well how she earns her money?"
"Exactly! Although her diamond card offers the same benefits as our black card, are they really the same in the real sense? I don't know what she has to brag about!"
"These days, even prostitutes can come out and show off. Among them was a woman with flamboyant makeup and a sexy figure, whose mocking and disdainful voices were particularly loud."
Especially since she was only two people away from Bai Ruyan, who was being scolded, she didn't hold back at all.
The maid Xiaoyue felt indignant at being mocked, but when she looked up and saw the identities of the people in the group, she immediately became afraid.
"Miss! Let's hurry up and leave after we've bought our things!"
"Leave? What right do you have to leave?"
Bai Ruyan couldn't stand hearing such words. She frowned and turned to question the most arrogant and alluring woman.
"Can't you speak properly? I am a courtesan, and I earn my money through my skills. Does this establishment have a rule that courtesans can't purchase diamond cards?"
"Heh..." The glamorous woman's disdain deepened, and she mocked again, "A prostitute! Bah! A woman who sells herself without paying, what are you pretending for!"
"You're not allowed to slander my young lady like that!"
Xiaoyue, the maid next to her, originally intended to leave quickly, but seeing the various ways she mocked her, she instantly became furious.
Bai Ruyan stared at the alluring woman, but was not provoked. Instead, she retorted sharply.
"Whether I'm pretending or not, I don't know, but some people have been here for so long without paying a single penny. Are they short of money? If you're short of money, you can just say so, and I'll lend you some!"
As the saying goes, strike the snake at its seven-inch mark. Upon hearing this, the alluring woman was like a fox whose tail had been stepped on, her face flushed with shame and anger.
The other ladies who had accompanied them covered their mouths and chuckled.
This alluring woman was quite famous; her name was Weng Yingchun, and she was the only daughter of Weng Tonghe, a renowned scholar and Grand Secretary of the Imperial Academy.
As the only younger generation in the family, she was pampered and spoiled, developing a spoiled and willful personality that was well-known throughout the capital.
Although her father was a renowned scholar with a high social standing, enough to support her willful behavior, his household was naturally not very well-off.
Feeling the mocking gazes cast at her sisters, she felt as if they were being stabbed with knives.
He became furious and started cursing loudly.
"Who are you calling a lowly prostitute? My father and family are all honest and upright, so naturally they don't live a very comfortable life. Unlike some people, whose money is filled with the disgusting stench of flesh, they don't need you to lend them money!"
"I wouldn't take it even if you gave it to me! This young lady finds it dirty and filthy!"
Courtesans are most afraid of being looked down upon because of their background. However, this time, before Bai Ruyan could even retort, her maid Xiaoyue, concerned for her mistress, directly scolded her.
"My young lady just came to buy something, what did she do to offend you that you would humiliate her like this?"
"What right do you have to say my young lady is dirty?"
"Don't forget, last month you were practically begging to curry favor with Sima Xiong Ba, the son of Prime Minister Sima, and even went to Youzhou to offer him some comfort. These things have spread throughout the wealthy young masters' circles in the capital. What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for!"
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