Preparations for Fuyun Pavilion
At the entrance of the Prince's Mansion.
Uncle Tong, the steward of Qinghui Courtyard, paced back and forth at the gate, anxiously looking towards the entrance. Finally, upon seeing Xie Zhuo's figure, he quickly put on a smile and went to greet him: "Your Highness, you're back. The Princess is waiting for you."
Xie Zhuo looked down and stared at him for a while.
Uncle Tong stood respectfully to the side, head bowed, not daring to look him in the eye. Sweat beaded on his forehead was visible to the naked eye. After experiencing the battlefield, the young master's aura had become even more imposing. Just one glance from him was enough to send chills down one's spine.
Xie Zhuo didn't want to make things difficult for him, so he withdrew his gaze and walked towards Yuzhuxuan.
Along the way, the servants all wanted to congratulate Xie Zhuo on his return, but when they saw his icy expression, none of them dared to utter a word.
Inside the Yuzhu Pavilion, Zuo Murui was elegantly sipping her tea. When she saw Xie Zhuo arrive, she put down her teacup and pretended not to know anything, asking, "Huaiyan, why do you look so pale? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I am fine, thank you for your concern, Mother. What brings you here, Mother?"
“The general election is in August, and your wedding with the Yu family girl is scheduled for the end of October.” After Zuo Murui finished speaking, she looked at Xie Zhuo, waiting for his reply.
Xie Zhuo paused, turned around to look at Zuo Murui, and when he heard her say that everything had been arranged, his face... was as dark as could be.
"She doesn't want me anymore, are you satisfied now?" Xie Zhuo's lips curled into a mocking smile.
The answers were completely irrelevant, but both of them knew what they meant.
Xie Zhuo calmly withdrew his gaze. He truly loved Fu Zhi Qiao. Perhaps his initial statement to Zuo Murui that he would marry no one but Fu Zhi Qiao was partly out of spite, but now he genuinely wanted to marry her.
His early education fostered his independent character; he has his own thoughts and is not someone who listens to his mother in everything.
Therefore, when he told Zuo Murui that he already had someone he liked, Zuo Murui's opposition disappointed him. The person he had chosen not only did not receive his mother's approval, but was also suppressed. This aroused Xie Zhuo's rebellious heart, and he said that he would not marry anyone but Fu Zhi Qiao.
Zuo Murui felt the same way.
The son she had carried for ten months was now turning against her for an outside woman, disregarding the reputation of the entire royal family? She couldn't accept it, so she simply used the reputation of the royal family and filial piety to pressure him into accepting the marriage.
The mother and son were now on opposite sides, each with the same thought in their minds: the more you oppose me, the more I will do it, because I want to prove that I am right!
Xie Zhuo had just returned from Fu Zhi Qiao's place, and he was in a low mood. Fu Zhi Qiao's decision to leave him had really frustrated him, and he didn't want to argue with Zuo Murui anymore.
Faced with Xie Zhuo's self-deprecation, Zuo Murui was speechless, her face showing an unnatural, awkward smile, and her voice unconsciously dropping several octaves: "This is an auspicious day jointly decided by our two families. You can't let outsiders think that our royal family is ungrateful, can you?"
"Whatever Mother says goes!" Xie Zhuo said, leaving without looking back.
A gust of wind swept by, and Xie Zhuo was no longer in the room.
Zuo Murui let out a heavy sigh. In any case, Xie Zhuo's acceptance of the marriage arrangement made her feel a little more at ease.
*
After two days of feeling down, Fu Zhiqiao cheered herself up again.
It would be a lie to say that Xie Zhuo's engagement had no impact on her. Having lived two lives, this was the first time she had experienced being looked down upon because of her humble origins. Fu Zhi Qiao smiled bitterly, realizing what it felt like to be looked down upon for one's background.
Ha! Since we can't change our origins, let's try to change our future.
She needs to be rich or powerful, she needs to have at least one of those qualities!
Fu Zhiqiao cleared her mind of all distractions and sat down at her desk to write about the preparations needed for the opening of Fuyun Pavilion. Yinxing came in with a lamp and said, "Miss, it's late. Take care of your eyes."
"You don't need to keep watch anymore, go back and rest." After sending Yinxing away, Fu Zhiqiao continued to write the plan at the table. An hour later, she rubbed her sore neck.
For her, relationships were merely icing on the cake; her career was the foundation of her existence in this world.
The news of Xie Zhuo's engagement was like a bucket of cold water being poured on him, and Fu Zhi Qiao suddenly sobered up.
She stopped paying attention to Xie Zhuo's marriage and instead devoted all her energy to her career. Her next plan was to open Fuyun Pavilion. Unlike Taibai Tower, which needed a lot of customers, Fuyun Pavilion needed to be located in a place with convenient transportation but not noisy, so that the bustling traffic would not affect the atmosphere of the store.
During the time she was preparing for the new store, Fu Zhiqiao received a letter from Zhou Miaosi.
Zhou Miaosi said that her wedding date is set for late March, and she has already returned to Qingzhou to prepare for the wedding. She felt sorry that she could not attend the opening of Fuyun Pavilion, but she had already told Qin Xiyu about the opening of Fuyun Pavilion and asked Qin Xiyu to attend in her place.
There are countless shops of all sizes in the capital. As an outsider with no connections, she needs some background to get a share of the pie. Now that she has fallen out with Xie Zhuo, she has completely lost her backer.
We must find another way out.
Fu Zhi Qiao had been preparing for the opening of Fu Yun Pavilion for a long time, and now it was just a matter of accelerating the process.
Studying recipes, training maids... Fu Zhi Qiao was busy all day long, and she was still writing at her desk at night. Yu Rou Lan looked at her with heartache and brought her a bowl of nourishing soup. "What time is it? Why aren't you asleep yet? Go to sleep. You can do any work tomorrow."
Fu Zhiqiao didn't want to go to sleep yet, so she opened her eyes wide and looked at Yu Roulan: "Mother, my business plan is almost finished."
Yu Roulan watched her finish the tonic soup, then forcibly took away her pen: "There's no rush to open the shop in a day or two. Look how thin you've become! The shop opening is not as important as your health. Listen to your mother and go to bed early!"
Fu Zhiqiao couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she put down her pen and went to sleep.
With the successful model already established in Qingzhou, all that's needed in the capital is to simply copy it.
When Taibai Tower opened, she quietly unveiled the red cloth and did not appear in front of everyone as the owner. This time, when Fuyun Pavilion opens, she will appear in front of everyone as Fu Zhiqiao.
The opening ceremony of Fuyun Pavilion was not as grand as that of Taibai Tower. Two large flower baskets were placed at the entrance, and the new plaque had been hung up. As the red silk was pulled back, Fuyun Pavilion officially opened for business.
Fuyun Pavilion has two floors. The upper floor is not open to the public yet, but the space on the first floor is sufficient.
Upon entering, you'll see an archway. To the left is the shopkeeper's counter, and further in are neatly arranged tables and chairs. Each table and chair is separated into a small, private room by a screen or curtain, ensuring the privacy of the guests.
Fu Zhi Qiao spared no expense in the renovation, making the entire Fu Yun Pavilion spacious and grand.
On the first day of opening, she didn't do much promotion, so the first customers were only Qin Xiyu and her two girlfriends.
Qin Xiyu said, "Sister Fu, I've heard Sister Miaosi talk about Fuyun Pavilion before, and today I'm finally able to experience it for myself." As she spoke, she gestured to the maid behind her to bring up the congratulatory gift.
Qin Xiyu was very enthusiastic, but her two friends had a rather subtle attitude. They couldn't understand why Qin Xiyu would call a merchant's daughter a sister. Wasn't that just lowering her own status?
However, since they were already there, out of respect for Qin Xiyu, the two of them smiled and nodded to Fu Zhiqiao.
Fu Zhi Qiao personally greeted them. As everyone took their seats, a waiter came in from the door: "Miss, there is a man outside who says he has been sent to wish you a prosperous opening and has brought a gift."
"What?" Fu Zhi Qiao asked, somewhat puzzled.
The visitor was Sheng An. He addressed Fu Zhi Qiao, saying, "I am here on the orders of the young master to congratulate Miss Fu on the grand opening of her business!" He then gestured to two servants to open the box, which contained a bonsai ornament made of red coral. It was about the height of an adult's arm, with coral branches arranged in a neat and lifelike manner. Its lustrous sheen was as bright as flames, symbolizing a thriving business.
The box also contained a congratulatory message: "Guests come like clouds, and progress is boundless."
Judging from the handwriting, it should have been written by Xie Zhuo.
Sheng An was afraid that she wouldn't accept it, so he left immediately after delivering the items. Fu Zhi Qiao had no choice but to have someone put the box away, as she had guests to entertain and no time to think about what to do with it.
Back in the cubicle.
Qin Xiyu ordered a bowl of sweet fermented rice wine, which Zhou Miaosi highly recommended, so she naturally wanted to try it. Her two friends ordered fritillaria and snow pear soup and almond milk stewed bird's nest.
"What is almond milk? I've heard of cow's milk and goat's milk, but I've never heard of almond milk before." Although Qin Xiyu was interested in sweet rice wine, almond milk also piqued her interest.
"Almond milk is naturally made from almonds."
Almond milk is nothing new, but it's quite a novel way to enjoy it in Dawei.
Soak the almonds for three hours beforehand, peel off the outer skin, and grind them in a stone mill. Finally, filter out the residue from the ground almond paste. The resulting almond milk is as smooth as jade and has a unique aroma.
The process of making the food was a secret recipe, and Fu Zhi Qiao only touched on it briefly. Qin Xi Yu understood what she meant and did not ask any further questions.
Fu Zhiqiao explained, "Almond milk has the effects of replenishing qi and promoting body fluids, moisturizing the lungs and relieving coughs, and can make the skin whiter, more rosy and radiant." In addition, almonds are also rich in protein and vitamins, and have many benefits such as improving skin and immune system health. However, they wouldn't understand these terms anyway; they just needed to know that almond milk is a good thing for beauty and skin care.
Upon hearing her introduction, Qin Xiyu couldn't sit still any longer: "Give me a cup too!"
Another lady who had ordered fritillaria and snow pear soup exclaimed, "I want some too!"
Bird's nest stewed with almond milk has a delicate and smooth texture, with a sweet taste and a hint of nutty aroma, making for a very subtle flavor.
"This is the first time I've ever eaten like this," Qin Xiyu said, still wanting more after finishing her meal.
Having enjoyed delicious food that also had beauty and skin-nourishing effects, Qin Xiyu and the two noble ladies were very satisfied with their trip to Fuyun Pavilion.
Initially, they came for Fu Zhi Qiao's beauty-enhancing skills. After arriving, they discovered that Fu Yun Ge had a wide variety of beauty-enhancing porridges that tasted delicious. In addition to providing beauty-enhancing soups and porridges, they also offered snacks and tea. After eating and drinking well, there were even people who would help them with their makeup and teach them makeup techniques. For them, there was no place more suitable for passing the time.
With Zhou Miaosi and Qin Xiyu as two living examples, Fu Zhiqiao's ability to make people beautiful has already accumulated some reputation, and she is already famous in Qin Xiyu's circle of noble ladies.
The ladies and young women of wealthy and powerful families all possess a few beauty and skincare recipes. The reason they are willing to spend money at Fuyun Pavilion is simply to try something new.
In our free time, wouldn't it be wonderful to come here with my girlfriends to enjoy some nourishing porridge and learn some makeup skills?
Of course, Fu Zhiqiao did not expect to make much money from Fuyun Pavilion. Fuyun Pavilion was a place where she established connections with noble ladies and had an important strategic position.
She earned a good reputation, not just traffic.
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