You cause trouble and I collect your body, the little emperor’s aunt abuses the scumbag again

Ji Yongyan pushed open the door to the study, and a blast of cold air hit him.

He waved Li Dequan away and went inside himself.

The place was the same as when he left; unapproved memorials still lay on the desk, but he felt that everything had changed.

He walked to the wall and groped to open a hidden compartment.

There was no gold or silver jewelry or confidential documents inside, just a wooden box.

He took the wooden box out and placed it on the desk, his fingertips trembling as he dared not open it.

He opened the box.

A faded undergarment lay inside.

The dark red bloodstains and charred holes on his clothes made him feel guilty.

He dared not touch it.

He just watched, his body went limp, he swayed, and only managed to stay upright by bracing himself against the edge of the table.

Last night, he ran into Shangguan Yun'er.

No, he didn't.

But he was dirty.

He felt utterly filthy, inside and out.

He scrubbed himself in the bathroom for an hour, until his skin was raw, but he couldn't get rid of the filth.

He felt he had no right to think about her.

Ji Yongyan closed his eyes, his chest heaving, and a suppressed sob escaped his throat.

He pulled something out from the depths of the hidden compartment.

It was a rattle drum with peeling paint.

He carved this for her by hand back in the village, and she said she wanted to save it for their children.

child.

His son.

Two lives lost, one unborn.

The four words Lin Daxiong roared out caused him unbearable pain.

He gently placed the rattle drum on a corner of the desk.

Then he took a blank memorial tablet and placed it next to the rattle drum.

No name was written.

He dared not write, nor was he qualified to write.

After doing all this, he took two steps back, lifted his robe, and knelt down heavily.

The ground was cold, and the chill seeped into my knees.

He didn't say a word.

Regret and pain were stuck in my chest, and I couldn't make a sound.

Ya Ya, I'm dirty.

Since we're already in hell, let's drag the whole world down with us.

I will make use of the Shangguan family.

Anyone who blocks my way, I will kill.

Once I take back everything we have, I'll turn this land into the place you want it to be.

I'll come keep you company.

……

Three months have passed.

As autumn deepens in Beijing, the West Market becomes bustling with activity because of a new shop.

The shop is called Huayan Pavilion, and it has a great location, right at a prominent intersection in the West Market.

But what makes it stand out is not its location, but its storefront.

There were no carved beams or painted rafters; the facade was an entire wall made of a kind of glass I'd never heard of before.

The glass is very clear and free of impurities, allowing you to clearly see the scene inside the shop.

"My God, what a treasure this is! It's even brighter than the glass mirror that was presented as tribute in the palace!"

"How much silver is this wall worth? And who is the owner?"

"Look at all those bottles and jars inside, they're all so exquisite. What are they selling?"

Even before Huayan Pavilion opened, the entrance was already crowded with onlookers, who were saying all sorts of things.

Today is the opening day of Huayan Pavilion.

When the auspicious hour arrived, the shop door creaked open.

A slender young man walked out from inside.

He wore a moon-white long robe, his long hair was tied up with an ebony hairpin, and he wore a silver mask on his face, revealing only his chin and thin lips.

"My name is Meng Jiu, and I am the owner of Huayan Pavilion."

His voice wasn't loud, but it quieted the noisy crowd.

"Today is our grand opening, and Huayan Pavilion has prepared some novelties. They are free of charge. Ladies and young ladies, if you are brave enough, you are welcome to come in and give them a try."

"try?"

"It's free?"

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

Businessmen in the capital city kept their products tightly sealed, fearing that the recipes would be stolen.

This Mr. Meng is really something, letting people use him for free?

The crowd looked at each other, none of them daring to be the first to speak up.

At this moment, a richly dressed woman, supported by her maid, squeezed in.

"I'll do it!"

She is Madam Li, from the household of the Vice Minister of Revenue.

She usually enjoys joining in on these kinds of events and considers herself worldly-wise.

“Mr. Meng,” Mrs. Li said, looking Meng Siya up and down, “your shop looks suspicious. I hope what you’re selling isn’t some cheap knock-off stuff.”

Meng Siya bowed slightly and gestured for them to proceed.

"You'll know once you try it, Madam."

Madam Li was invited to sit down at the dressing table in the middle of the shop.

Without saying much, Meng Siya took out a small white jade box from the wooden box next to her.

She opened the box, inside were cushions soaked in ointment.

"What is this?" Madam Li asked curiously, leaning forward.

"This product is called cushion foundation."

Meng Siya picked up the soft puff from the box, pressed it onto the cushion, and then quickly slapped half of Madam Li's face.

The soft puff has a cool touch and moves quickly and gently.

The crowd craned their necks, barely daring to breathe.

"All right."

Meng Siya put down the soft puff and took a step back.

The maid behind Madam Li gasped and covered her mouth.

Mrs. Li's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly went to the mirror.

She took a look and gasped.

Half of her face in the mirror looked the same as before: sallow, with spots around her eyes.

On the other half, the side of the face that was patted with cushion foundation had all its sallowness, dullness, and blemishes gone!

Her skin was fair and delicate, with a natural glow, making her look much younger, and it was impossible to tell that she was wearing makeup.

"Oh my God!"

Madam Li suddenly stood up and reached out to touch her cheek.

"This...is this sorcery?!"

Her shout stirred up the crowd outside the door.

"Quick! Let me see!"

"I want to try it too! I want to try it too!"

The ladies squeezed in, afraid of being a step too late.

“Madam,” Meng Siya’s voice rang out, “does this item meet your standards?”

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" Madam Li snapped out of her daze and grabbed Meng Siya's sleeve. "How much is this face powder? I'll take it! I'll take all the ones you have!"

"I'm sorry, madam."

Meng Siya pulled her hand away, her voice steady.

"This item is precious, and only fifty boxes are sold each day, with a limit of one box per person."

"what?!"

"Only fifty boxes?"

"Why should I?! I have plenty of money!"

The crowd immediately erupted into chaos.

Ignoring the shouting, Meng Siya picked up a row of glass tubes of lip balm from the counter.

The colors of the lip rouge were all very bright.

"This is a mouth rouge that could topple cities."

She opened a cigarette and gently swiped it across the back of her hand.

It was a striking bright red, dazzling under the light.

“And these colors,” she said, pointing to a few others. “To purchase them, you must possess a Flower Beauty Token from my Flower Beauty Pavilion.”

She took out a black card with gold foil stamping and explained what the Flower Beauty Token was and how to obtain it.

This excited the noblewomen of the capital.

Limited edition!

Membership only!

These unfamiliar rules, instead of deterring them, fueled their competitive spirit and possessiveness.

"Fifty taels a box? Give me a box!"

"I'll offer one hundred taels! What about that Flower Beauty Token? Can I get it by buying more?"

"Stop pushing! Someone stepped on my skirt!"

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all fifty boxes of cushion foundation were snapped up.

Those who didn't manage to grab one were filled with regret, while those who did held it high and showed it off to everyone.

Two officials' wives got into a fight right in front of the shop over the right to obtain the last Flower Beauty Token.

The scene was chaotic at one point.

My mute cousin, along with a few temporarily hired helpers, spent a great deal of effort to disperse the crowd.

The shop door was closed, shutting out the noise from outside.

Meng Siya walked to the back room, took off her mask, and revealed a cool and plain face.

She rubbed her aching temples, her face showing exhaustion.

Her mute cousin placed a heavy money box in front of her, opened it, and found it full of gleaming silver and gold leaves.

Madam Meng walked in carrying a bowl of hot tea, but her worry deepened as she looked at the box of silver.

"Ya Ya, the commotion is so loud... What if, what if it alerts the palace..."

Meng Siya picked up the teacup and blew on it to cool it down.

"Mother, I intend to alert the palace."

Her voice was soft and cold.

"I want Shangguan Yun'er to know that there's someone in the capital who's better at making money and understands women's hearts than her."

"I want her to come to me on her own initiative."