Bai Sheng immediately found Uncle Ding and asked him to send people to search for the best ceramic artisans in the capital, as she wanted to optimize the packaging for the "Hong Fen Jia Ren" products.
Attacking both the exterior and interior simultaneously would make the products more popular.
Uncle Ding prepared to send Lu Tu, who had worked as an artisan in the capital for many years and should know some ceramic artisans.
Upon hearing that his madam needed to find good ceramic artisans, Lu Tu was overjoyed. He patted his chest and said to Steward Ding, "Steward Ding, I was originally a ceramic artisan myself, with excellent skills. I only became a bricklayer later. Whatever kind of porcelain vases or ceramics madam wants, I can fire them."
Therefore, Bai Sheng planned to set up a kiln for Lu Tu at Bai Hua Zhuang and buy him two apprentices. From then on, the bottles and jars for cosmetics and skincare products would be self-produced.
Lu Tu felt that he finally had a significant role to play and rubbed his hands together, eager to get started.
The expansion of workshops and maintenance of the mansion were assigned to Lu Shui, with Lu Mu and Lu Jin as his deputies.
In the evening, Lu Yin and Su Jinfeng returned from work together.
Lu Yin walked up to Lu Hua and mysteriously pulled her aside, whispering, "Hua Hua, today a handsome young man went to our shop to buy rouge, saying you introduced him. Is that true?"
Lu Hua nodded, "Yes, his name is Yan Shuo."
Lu Yin asked confusedly, "However, while buying things, he kept indirectly inquiring about you. I don't know him well, so I didn't dare to say too much. What's going on? You haven't encountered a bad person, have you?"
Lu Hua's face instantly turned red. She lowered her eyes and said, "He's probably not a bad person. He wanted to buy makeup for the girl he likes, so he wanted to consult me."
"Oh, I see. Fortunately, you didn't meet a bad person," Lu Yin said, relieved.
Lu Hua touched her burning cheeks and whispered, "Yin, you haven't told anyone about this, have you?"
"No, I haven't told anyone," Lu Yin replied with a determined expression.
Lu Hua patted her shoulder, "Good, you did well. Don't tell anyone for now, to avoid misunderstandings."
"Okay, alright," Lu Yin nodded repeatedly.
The Imperial Palace, Princess Xin Yao's sleeping quarters.
Princess Xin Yao sat on the main seat, holding a fluffy white cat in her arms, her expression languid and disdainful.
Zhou Yanran and Dong Xuerou sat on either side, their faces filled with respectful, flattering smiles.
"You two are coming to the palace today just to tell this princess that a very good cosmetic shop has opened on Qingliu Street?"
Zhou Yanran nodded and said respectfully, "Indeed. Princess, the things they sell are truly special. There's a liquid incense called... perfume. Just one drop can retain its fragrance for three days, and the scent is rich, refreshing, and pleasant.
Their rouge is the best I've ever used in my life.
There's also something called a facial mask. You apply it for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then wash it off with water, and it makes your skin smooth and delicate."
"Yes, Your Highness, we tried them ourselves. It is said that on their second floor, they also sell menstrual products and very peculiar underwear. Would you like to go and see?" Dong Xuerou cautiously inquired.
Princess Xin Yao snorted disdainfully, "You want this princess to personally go there for those cheap items? If you truly have sincerity, then send someone to buy them for this princess."
Dong Xuerou and Zhou Yanran exchanged glances, then bowed slightly and smiled, "Yes, if Your Highness doesn't dislike those novelties, we will order someone to buy them and deliver them to your palace."
Princess Xin Yao nodded, "Anything else?"
Dong Xuerou immediately stood up and curtsied, "Then we shall not disturb the Princess further. In a few days, we will have someone deliver the items we purchased."
"Mm," the Princess nodded, "You may withdraw."
"Yes," the two performed a deep bow and curtsied as they left the Princess's sleeping quarters.
After exiting the palace gates, Zhou Yanran curled her lips and sneered softly, "She's truly short of money, asking us to pay even for rouge and powder."
Dong Xuerou smiled, "Who told her mother and brother to be robbed clean by the 'Wealth Carrying Boy'? Let's just consider it doing a good deed, a handout."
Zhou Yanran chuckled, "However, I still feel very frustrated. She is engaged to my second brother, and will become my second sister-in-law. I will always be suppressed by her at home. It's truly stifling."
"Actually, she chose your second brother simply to rely on your family's influence and hope your father assists the Crown Prince in ascending the throne," Dong Xuerou suddenly stopped, took Zhou Yanran's hand, and said sincerely, "Yanran, if you help me marry the Crown Prince, and one day I become Empress, I will definitely stand up for you. I guarantee that no matter how overbearing Princess Wu is, she wouldn't dare bully you."
Zhou Yanran nodded and smiled, "Yes, Sister Xuerou, don't worry, I will definitely help you. I'll tell my father later to advise your father that you are more suitable to be Empress than your sister."
"Thank you, Sister Yanran," Dong Xuerou said, touched. "However, there's one thing we need to discuss further."
"What is it?"
Dong Xuerou whispered, "If the Princess buys cosmetics herself from 'Hong Fen Jia Ren', and any problem arises, she will naturally go directly to 'Hong Fen Jia Ren' for trouble, and it won't concern us.
But if the Princess asks us to buy them for her, and a problem occurs, we won't be able to escape responsibility. Therefore, we need to prepare a scapegoat in advance. If something goes wrong and things don't develop as we planned, we need to extricate ourselves cleanly."
Zhou Yanran suddenly realized, and grasped Dong Xuerou's arm, "Oh, Sister Xuerou, I didn't even think of that! Fortunately, you are so thoughtful! Otherwise, we would have dug our own graves. Ah, how dangerous, how dangerous! Don't worry, I will handle this perfectly."
As for a scapegoat, let it be that concubine's maid.
Dong Xuerou smiled proudly, "I've also investigated that family. They're just country bumpkins from a poor village who made a little money, bought that haunted house on Yuhua Lane, and then settled in the capital to do business. They have no backing or influence whatsoever.
If they provoke Fifth Princess, they will have nowhere to go but death," Dong Xuerou's eyes held a chilling glint.
Zhou Yanran smiled, "That would be perfect. Who told that woman to not know good from bad? We gave her an inch, and she took a yard. A mere commoner dares to openly defy our orders."
Bai Sheng sneezed.
Who the hell was cursing her behind her back?
At this moment, she was discussing with Lu Ye about sneaking into the Dali Temple's treasury that night to find the case files of the Baili family from twenty years ago.
Since they were going to overturn the verdict, they needed to find the source of the conviction and refute it point by point.
The shop's business was stable in all aspects. Next, she would focus her main energy on helping Lu Ye investigate the Baili family's affairs.
The hundreds of lives lost by the Baili family could not have died in vain. At the very least, those wicked perpetrators who caused harm should not meet a good end.