Don't be a salted fish, the daily life of the concubine in the palace

Rong Ma said, "Master, rest assured. I go to the Confucian Temple every month to give money. A few days ago, I sent a gambler to the Confucian Temple to deliberately induce Master Shen to gamble again. Master Shen beat the gambler out with a broom."

Shen Wei felt a little relieved.

Shen Xiuming's gambling nature almost disappeared and he focused on preparing for the spring imperial examination.

However, Shen Wei was still worried. Although Shen Xiuming was smart and hardworking, which of the candidates who had participated in the Spring Examination in previous years was not smart and hardworking?

The Spring Examination is to select the more talented person from a group of geniuses.

The noble children of Yanjing were exposed to Confucian classics from an early age; the students of the Imperial Academy studied under the guidance of doctors every day and were exposed to the Spring Examination at an early age.

Reality is always cruel. For many children from noble families, their starting point is the finishing line for students from poor families.

Shen Wei wanted to help her brother again and find a knowledgeable tutor for Shen Xiuming.

"Madame Rong, apart from the doctors in the Imperial Academy, who is the most learned scholar in Yanjing?" Shen Wei asked.

Rong Mama thought about it carefully and replied, "My Lord, it should be Doctor Yang Xuanji. Doctor Yang is already seventy years old. He was once a senior official in the Ministry of Rites and edited countless ancient books. He retired last year and returned his position to the emperor, retiring to the eastern suburbs of Luoyue Lake. His Majesty, in recognition of his contributions to history editing, gave Doctor Yang a hundred taels of gold and a large house for his retirement."

Shen Wei seemed to be thinking about something.

"Doctor" is an official title in the Kingdom of Qing, who was in charge of teaching classics, so he was called "Doctor".

Doctor Yang Xuanji had been in charge of three spring examinations and had also coached many candidates. If he could be invited to give Shen Xiuming some advice, Shen Xiuming's chances of passing the exam would be higher.

Rong Mama guessed what Shen Wei was thinking, so she tactfully reminded Shen Wei: "Master, talented people often have strange tempers. This Doctor Yang was born in a poor family, hates evil, hates oppression by the powerful, and is often excluded by his colleagues when he is an official. Fortunately, he has the protection of the emperor and the prince, so he can successfully beg for his bones and retire."

"He lives in seclusion by the lake. Many dignitaries want to invite him to come out and teach their children. I remember that last year the princess went to Luoyue Lake in person and was willing to pay a thousand taels of gold as a reward to ask Dr. Yang to teach the two young masters. Dr. Yang was unmoved."

If you want to ask Dr. Yang to teach Shen Xiuming, the chance of success is close to zero.

Shen Wei took a sip of the sour citrate water and smiled: "Man proposes, God disposes. As long as you are a human, you have weaknesses - Rong Mama, find out what Dr. Yang's weakness is."

Aunt Rong: "I will definitely live up to your trust."

Aunt Rong left.

Shen Wei continued to look at the account book when Cai Ping trotted over and said, "Master, Yun'er from the princess's residence is here. She said the princess wants you to go to the Pear Garden to watch a play tomorrow."

Shen Wei hadn't left the house for a while, so she gladly accepted the invitation: "Okay."

...

...

Early in the morning of the next day, Shen Wei reluctantly saw Prince Yan off and watched him for a long time under the eaves until his tall figure was no longer in her sight. Then she turned around and went back into the house.

Shen Wei continued to eat.

Aunt Rong walked up to Shen Wei with a portrait and said, "Master, I have found out Dr. Yang's weakness."

Aunt Rong handed the portrait to Shen Wei.

When you unfold it, you can see a man and a woman in the portrait. The man is over 70 years old, with gray hair and stern eyes, and looks like a dignified scholar.

Next to him was a painting of an old woman in her sixties, with a round face and eyes that vaguely showed her former beauty. The only flaw was a burn the size of a baby's fist on her right cheek.

Rong Ma said: "Dr. Yang is upright and knowledgeable. When he was an official, he was not afraid of the powerful. The court called him a tough nut to crack. Dr. Yang's weak spot is his wife Luo.

Dr. Yang offended someone in the government and his house was set on fire. His wife, Mrs. Luo, braved the fire to save him from the fire and suffered a burn on her right face. Mrs. Luo also suffered burns on her lower abdomen and lower limbs and was unable to have children. Dr. Yang never left her and never took a concubine.

Shen Wei looked at the portrait and memorized Luo's face.

After breakfast, the carriage from the Princess's Mansion also arrived at the gate of Prince Yan's Mansion. Shen Wei changed into a plain long dress and walked into the carriage.

The carriage was spacious, and soft light shone through the thin gauze curtains and fell on Shen Wei's bright face.

Shen Wei has a fair face, rosy lips, a beautiful red flower ornament on her forehead, and curved willow-leaf eyebrows. There is no flaw on her face, even her pores are very small.

Zhao Yang looked at Shen Wei's face: "Wei Wei, you are more beautiful now, and you are much whiter... What kind of pearl powder is that on your face?"

Zhaoyang touched Shen Wei's face curiously, it was slippery.

Looking more closely, there was no white pearl powder on her fingers.

Shen Wei explained, "A new rouge shop called Qixiangzhai has opened in Yanjing, and they sell a kind of makeup powder called [Yuyan]. I asked my maid to buy a box. This makeup powder is amazing. It can cover blemishes and even out skin tone when applied on the face. After applying it all over the face, apply a layer of pearl powder. The makeup will not come off and will last for a long time."

Jade Face Makeup Powder is actually the ancient version of liquid foundation. Pearl powder, Shen Wei uses it as a loose powder to set her makeup, and the effect is very good.

Zhaoyang immediately became interested: "Weiwei, let's not go to the opera house, take me to that shop and have a look!"

The makeup powder used by the noble ladies in Yanjing now is either lead powder or pearl powder. For example, the makeup powder Zhaoyang is applying on her face now is carefully ground pearl powder mixed with egg white and some fat oil, stirred into a paste, and then applied to the face.

The pearl powder used by Zhaoyang is not long-lasting and does not adhere to the face. If the face moves too much, the pearl powder will fall off, which is very unsightly.

Zhaoyang has long wanted to switch to a new makeup powder that fits the skin better, but has never found a suitable alternative.

Shen Wei was waiting for this sentence and immediately took the princess to the rouge shop.

Princess Zhaoyang of Daqing is the best spokesperson to increase the popularity of Rouge Shop. Shen Wei has already written a letter to Ye Qiushuang in advance to let her make preparations in advance to welcome the princess.

The carriage drove smoothly all the way and soon arrived at the place where the rouge shop was located.

...

...

Qixiangzhai was newly opened, located on the edge of the most prosperous street. In addition to selling expensive "Jade Face" powder, it also sells ordinary rouge and powder.

Business is neither good nor bad.

Customers only bought ordinary rouge and powder, and were reluctant to pay attention to the "Jade Face" which cost as much as fifty taels of silver.

"Greetings to Princess Zhaoyang!"

Ye Qiushuang waited for a long time, and brought the female shop assistants to greet Zhaoyang. The princess's arrival startled many passers-by, and everyone looked over.

Shen Wei wore a long white veil to cover her face and followed Zhaoyang.

Zhaoyang had a good memory. He recognized Ye Qiushuang and said with a smile, "Shopkeeper Ye, you opened a rouge shop?"

Ye Qiu Shuang readily replied, "I was born in the south of the Yangtze River, where the climate is humid and women's skin is smooth and tender. I came to Yanjing to do business and found that the autumn in Yanjing is dry and the skin becomes rough, so I want to open a rouge shop to sell makeup powder for plump skin."

Ye Qiushuang also applied Jade Face Makeup Powder on her face, which made her look smooth, beautiful and dignified. Zhaoyang was delighted: "But Jade Face Makeup Powder? This princess wants to try it!"