Favoring concubines and ignoring wives? The mistress of the marquisate remarried a powerful official

Ever since Cui Xiaoxiao got one thousand taels of silver, he has devoted himself to opening a shop and making money, and he has been trying his best to show his talents.

She was determined to make some achievements to show Wen Tingbo and Song Wanning that she, Cui Xiaoxiao, was not a pushover. She wanted to take over the housekeeping power of the Marquis's Mansion in one fell swoop, and then she would be the legitimate mistress of the Marquis's Mansion. As long as Song Wanning was dismissed, she would be Wen Tingbo's only wife.

Cui Xiaoxiao even ran around the capital, asking around what kind of business was doing well in Shengjing now. She happened to ask about the rouge used by women nowadays, which was expensive and made of cinnabar. Rouge made of cinnabar was not safe to use for a long time.

Cui Xiaoxiao remembers that lipsticks were made from cochineal insects on cacti. Not only was it safe, but the colors were also beautiful. Cui Xiaoxiao even tried making lipstick from cochineal insects herself and succeeded.

Cui Xiaoxiao thought about it carefully and decided to open a rouge shop, mix lip balms of different colors and sell them to women in the capital, and create her own beauty brand in Shengjing.

Cui Xiaoxiao did what she said and immediately rented a shop to make cochineal lipstick. She asked around for where to find cacti in Shengjing and finally found a cactus with cochineal under a cliff in the suburbs.

She personally demonstrated every step and used the finest materials. Now, the only thing missing was beeswax, the most important ingredient, to start making lipstick.

Who would have thought that there wouldn't be so much beeswax in the whole of Shengjing.

Just when Cui Xiaoxiao was getting anxious, she met a beekeeper who was willing to sell beeswax to her at a lower price.

The steward mentioned the beekeeper and said happily, "Aunt, the beekeeper happens to be a relative of our Liu family. He heard that you are the second master's woman, so he is willing to sell the beeswax to us at a lower price."

"Really? That's great, God is helping me." Cui Xiaoxiao looked at the housekeeper and said happily, "If that's the case, then where are the other people? Tell me the price quickly."

"That Liu Da said that a pound of beeswax only costs one hundred coins, and he made a special contract to do long-term business with you." The steward took out a contract from his sleeve and said to Cui Xiaoxiao, "You only need to put your handprint on it, and all the problems will be solved."

Cui Xiaoxiao glanced at the Liu family and wanted to take a closer look at the contract, but then she thought, what traps can there be? Her current husband is the legitimate son of the Zhongping Marquis Mansion, so she has nothing to fear. Thinking of this, Cui Xiaoxiao touched the ink pad next to her and pressed it on the contract, "Ask Liu Da to send the beeswax over quickly. Only with the beeswax can we make lip balm smoothly."

"Don't worry, auntie. I'll do it right away." The steward said as he took the contract away.

As soon as the beeswax arrived, Cui Xiaoxiao watched the servants intently and made lip balm according to the method she instructed.

Nowadays, all the rouge used by noble ladies in Shengjing is placed in small boxes, while the cochineal lipstick made by Cui Xiaoxiao is packaged in a simple cylindrical tube. Its appearance is completely different from the popular ones in Shengjing now, but it is also quite novel.

After Cui Xiaoxiao's shop opened, she ordered people to draw a lot of lipstick brochures and set the price of each lipstick at one yuan.

The housekeeper beside Cui Xiaoxiao noticed that the price was not right and advised Cui Xiaoxiao, "Auntie, nowadays, the silver used in Shengjing costs five taels of silver. Now our price is too low. I am afraid that the supply will not meet the demand and we will lose money."

Cui Xiaoxiao didn't care and waved her hand, "You know what? What I want to do is to monopolize the entire rouge market in Shengjing. I will start a price war and force those competitors to go bankrupt. Then I can sell them at any price I want."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Cui Xiaoxiao, the housekeeper no longer expected to do so. He just lowered his head and did things as he was told.

After some preheating, Cui Xiaoxiao's innovative lipstick really caused quite a stir. The princes and ladies of the capital city rushed to get it, and for a while it was in short supply. The manager advised Cui Xiaoxiao to raise the price several times, but Cui Xiaoxiao was unmoved, thinking that the current opportunity was not good.

Cui Xiaoxiao's business became more and more prosperous, and he soon made two hundred taels of silver.

Cui Xiaoxiao showed her results to Wen Tingbo, slapped the banknote in her hand on Wen Tingbo's hand, and said proudly, "Tingbo, I told you I can do it, see? I have earned two hundred taels in just half a month. In a few months, I can help you earn back your capital."

"Xiao Xiao is really amazing." Wen Tingbai was even more glad that he had found a treasure when he saw Cui Xiaoxiao making money. He quickly held her up and said, "What reward does Xiao Xiao want? I'll buy it for you."

"I can earn money myself." Cui Xiaoxiao looked at Wen Tingbo and said coquettishly, "Didn't Tingbo say that as long as I can make money in business, he would talk to the old ancestor and give me the key to the housekeeper? I will be the housekeeper in the future, and I will definitely lead the whole mansion to live better and better."

As soon as Cui Xiaoxiao mentioned the power of housekeeper, Wen Tingbai began to hesitate.

Not to mention that Cui Xiaoxiao was a concubine's housekeeper, if it got out, he would lose face in front of his colleagues. It was not so easy for the Guanhou Mansion to deal with such a large family. Wen Tingbai whispered, "Xiaoxiao, why don't you wait a little longer? You should learn how to be a housekeeper first, and then nothing will go wrong."

"I don't care. You promised me, how can you go back on your word?" Cui Xiaoxiao heard Wen Tingbo's regret and immediately burst into tears. Her tears were so adorable. "How can you go back on your promise? Wen Tingbo, I can see that all your words were just lies. You said you wanted to be with me forever, but you already have a wife at home, and I can only be a concubine. You said you wanted to make me your wife, but now it seems like it will be a long time. I've already made a compromise and just asked for the right to be a housekeeper, but you still go back on your word."

Cui Xiaoxiao said, turning around and going into the house to pack her luggage, "In this case, I might as well go back to my farm, at least no one will lie to me."

When Wen Tingbai heard Cui Xiaoxiao say this, his heart was like frying in a frying pan. He quickly stopped Cui Xiaoxiao and said, "Xiaoxiao, since I promised you, I will give it a try. Don't talk about going back to the manor again. If you say it again, I will be really unhappy."

"You are not trying to fool me?" Cui Xiaoxiao's eyes turned red with tears, and she snuggled in Wen Tingbo's arms, "You said you would give me the power of housekeeper, you can't go back on your word."

"How could I regret it?" Wen Tingbai said, patting Cui Xiaoxiao on the back, "Just wait for me to go and discuss with the old ancestor and ask him to give you the right to manage the household."

"I'll go with you." Cui Xiaoxiao said, and followed Wen Tingbo to the yard where the old lady was.