from widow to dame

Chapter 98

It should be said that the Yongping Hou Mansion has really responded to the phrase "the green and the yellow are not accepted".Neither the great master Yan Weiran nor the new Chengjue Yan Hongbo were that kind of progressive, neither had received any errands in the court, nor had they left any affection in the emperor's heart.If things go on like this, in less than ten years, the Marquis of Yongping will definitely be degraded from the center of the rich and powerful, and become a fringe family that is dispensable.They now show a completely different attitude towards Yan Hongzhen than in the past, nothing more than seeing that his "momentum" is getting stronger now, and he has gained face in front of the emperor.

"By the way, Sister Hui, I have something to ask you!" Suddenly, Yan Hongzhen said as if thinking of something: "Do you know Lu Guiren in the palace?".

Su Huiniang's heart suddenly moved, and she asked in surprise, "Your Majesty Lu? Are you talking about Lu Yu?"

Yan Hongzhen took a deep look at Su Huiniang, and after a while, he said in a relaxed tone: "Yes! It's the Lu family, she secretly contacted me a few days ago, and told me that she has an old relationship with you.

"Why did she contact you?" Su Huiniang immediately became nervous when she heard the words: "Xiao Qi, stay away from her, that woman is not easy to mess with."

"Sister Hui, why should you be so panicked? She didn't ask me to do anything." Yan Hongzhen patted Su Huiniang on the back comfortingly, and said softly: "The two of us haven't even met face to face, we just sent a message. .”

After hearing this, Su Huiniang didn't immediately feel relieved, but asked suspiciously, "Did you call her Lu Guiren just now?"

"That's right!" Yan Hongzhen smiled with an inscrutable face: "She has been diagnosed by the imperial physician a few days ago and found out that she is pregnant with dragon species. The emperor is very happy and has made her a nobleman."

When Su Huiniang heard this, she couldn't tell what it was like in her heart. If she insisted on saying it, she could only feel like "destined" and "as expected".

"Sister Hui, you seem to be particularly concerned about her?" Yan Hongzhen blinked slightly, with a slightly probing tone in his tone.

Su Huiniang glanced at him, and then slowly and concisely explained how she came to Lu's house as a guest, how she accidentally met the Lu family, and how she sent her to the palace at her request.

"Xiaoqi, you have to listen to me carefully." Su Huiniang shook his hand, and said earnestly: "The friendship between Mrs. Lu and I is just a shallow friendship, and it is not worth anything at all. If, if she... If you want to do something bad, you have to be smart and try to deal with it, but remember not to offend her, otherwise there will be trouble later."

After hearing this, Yan Hongzhen's eyes suddenly lit up. He unconsciously grabbed Su Huiniang's hands and asked excitedly, "Sister Hui, you mean, the child in her belly..."

"Hush!" Su Huiniang raised her head and tightly covered his mouth.

"I said nothing, and you heard nothing."

Yan Hongzhen looked at Su Huiniang, who seemed to be flustered, and nodded obediently, stretched out his long arms, and hugged her tightly.

"Sister Hui, don't worry! Xiaoqi can't do anything." He smiled cutely.

Su Huiniang lay on his chest, and sighed faintly, thinking that she might be worrying unnecessarily, if the Lu family made a nobleman, or her son would be the emperor of Darui in the future, so what?Worrying about things many years later, such a self is really stupid and timid enough.

After calming down, Su Huiniang was in the mood to ask the whole story in detail.

Yan Hongzhen, who worked in the palace all day long, was very well-informed about the news, so he came one by one right away.

It turned out that after Mrs. Lu entered the palace, she was first assigned to be an errand in the Shangyi Bureau, and then by chance, she was next to Concubine Li. However, after only two years, she was seated as a confidant. Concubine Li was young and beautiful, charming and unparalleled, She is the emperor's favorite concubine in recent years. However, she has been in the palace for many years, but she has never been able to give birth to a son and a half daughter. Somehow, she has the idea of ​​giving birth to a child. It's a very common thing, high-ranking concubines often do this when it's inconvenient for them to sleep and don't want the emperor to go to other women, it's nothing more than the word "solid pet".Then the Lu family was selected just like that, but it was just a night of cloud and rain, and she really made her pregnant with the dragon seed.

The emperor is old now, and no newborn has been born in the palace for many years.

With such good news out of the blue, it is naturally "Longyan Joy".

After hearing this, Su Huiniang could only sigh at Lu's method. The little girl looked honest and pitiful, but she was actually extremely intelligent. Otherwise, she would not have resolutely entered the palace because of an unsatisfactory marriage. This kind of scheming, cunning, and patient woman is like a hibernating snake. She looks cute and harmless, but once the time comes, she will never soften her mouth when she bites someone.

The wheels of the carriage rolled, and with Su Huiniang's sigh, they drove away.

So, another month passed.

The weather is already in midsummer.

A long time ago, Su Huiniang ordered her servants to set up all the bamboo curtains, cold cloths, and couch at home. Sister Yuan has grown up a bit now, and her energy is full, and she no longer sleeps every day. When I hold her, I will look at people with my dark eyes open. The child's body is also good, white and fat, and I don't see any diseases that children are easy to get. It's just that as the temperature rises, some prickly heat sometimes occurs on my body .Su Huiniang made a bag out of the smoothest Mitsubishi River satin and gave it to her to carry around. Every day, she used the baby powder specially prepared in the pharmacy to apply it on her back, armpits, and leg sockets.

"Color dew?" Su Huiniang gently shook the folding fan in her hand, and asked inexplicably, "What is that?"

Sitting next to her, Qi Meimei explained with a smile: "It's a scented water that is applied to people. It not only has the effect of refreshing the body, but also repels mosquitoes."

"It's really so miraculous." Su Huiniang took the small gourd-like thing she handed over, opened the lid, and took a light sniff, and sure enough, a scent entered her nose.

"Is this what you have figured out these days?" Su Huiniang said with admiration, "Meimei, you are really amazing!"

Qi Meimei laughed when she heard the words, and her face couldn't help being proud, she just heard her say: "Thank you for your help, not only rented the shop in Sanyan Hutong to me, but also helped to get the distillation vessel .”

The shop in Sanyan Hutong that Qi Meimei mentioned was from the 50 taels that Yu gave to Yan Hongzhen. She couldn't afford the money at once, so she used two shops to build it up. It turned out that they were doing some rice business. It's just that as the shop changed hands, Yu evacuated all the staff. Su Huiniang was pregnant at that time, so she didn't think about it, so she put it on hold, and now it happened to be rented to Qi Meimei.As for the vessels used for distillation, Qi Meimei drew the drawings and asked Yan Hongzhen to go to Liulichang to customize them.

"How is it? Has the store been set for opening?"

"It's all decided, just three days later, before the weather is completely hot." Qi Meimei said with a smile: "At that time, please come and support me more."

Su Huiniang looked at her full of vigor and radiance, and couldn't help sighing, this child is really different from ordinary people. A girl as old as her, who is not hidden in the boudoir, but she wants to work outside the business, but she still has a lot of money. She is doing well, and sometimes she can't help but wonder, what did this kid "before" do?How could there be so many strange things.

"Auntie, this is for you."

Looking at the thin paper deed in her hand, Su Huiniang doubted: "What are you?"

"This is the profit sharing contract of Xiangpu. You will get three tiers of profits from the total profit of the shop every year."

"How can this be done!" Su Huiniang refused decisively: "You are a girl, it's not easy enough to do these things, how can I still ask for your money, take it back!"

"No! Auntie, listen to me." Qi Meimei straightened her face and said a little excitedly: "Meimei always remembers your kindness to our family. It can be said that without your help, there would be no mother and I." Today... Moreover, you also contributed a lot to my father's matter, if it weren't for you, my father, and my younger brother..." Qi Meimei's eyes began to moisten: "I know the money, you may have seen it No, but this is a wish from our whole family, so just accept it, okay?"

"...Actually, you don't need to do this." Su Huiniang sighed. At the beginning, she would help Qi's mother and daughter without hesitation, but it was out of sympathy for each other.

No matter what she said, Qi Meimei insisted that Su Huiniang accept the paper deed.

"Then how about this, I won't charge the rent of the shop, it will be treated as a member, and only [-]% of the dividends will be paid every year. How do you think?"

After hearing this, Qi Meimei couldn't help laughing through tears: "Okay! I'll listen to you."

On the day the incense shop opened, Su Huiniang sent Mu Xiang over to give gifts, and the little girl started chattering after she came back.

"... There are ten firecrackers with thousands of rings, and those who beat gongs and drums... Even the temple fair is not so lively..."

Everything is difficult at the beginning, and it is always good to have a smooth and happy start.

If not, Qi Meimei's incense shop business is surprisingly good.

The "cologne water" is also divided into grades, the highest grade is bottled with emerald jade crane neck, a bottle costs 100 taels of silver, and non-officials do not sell it.

Rare things are more expensive, coupled with Qi Meimei's various marketing methods, this incense shop is really getting more and more prosperous, with a lot of money.

Su Huiniang was very happy after hearing this.

(End of this chapter)