The general kneels on the washboard again

Yue Niang took Dong Zhu to visit Lingzhou all over.

As we were strolling around, we came to Yanhua Shop, the largest cosmetics shop in Lingzhou.

It was Yu Hemei's shop, and there was a long line in front of the door.

Yue Niang has always been curious about what Yu Hemei's shop looks like, so she lined up with this curiosity.

The team waited for about an hour and finally entered the shop.

As soon as I walked in, two shop assistants appeared, speaking in pure modern dialect: "Welcome, you two don't know each other. Would it be convenient for you to go through security?"

Security check!? I've only heard this term in my previous life.

However, Yue Niang was a little confused. Seeing that the two were older than her, she asked, "Two sisters, what kind of security check is this?"

One of the men with a longer face said, "Hello, customer. Our Yanhua Shop is designed specifically for women. Some of the services here may infringe on your privacy, so we need to confirm that you are a woman."

Yue Niang hugged her chest tightly: "How can I be sure of this?"

The clerk seemed to be used to this expression. He still had a warm smile on his face and said softly, "Don't worry, young lady. Our inspection method will not take off your clothes. Please come this way."

There were two separate spaces next to it, which were somewhat similar to changing rooms.

Yue Niang and Dong Zhu were separated.

After entering the small space, I saw the clerk take out a small box from under the table.

"Please tell me the names of these things, girl."

All I saw in front of me were some daily necessities and cosmetics that women often use.

There are menstrual cloth, rouge, lead powder, black eyebrow, black powder, etc. There are several kinds of eyebrow powder alone.

Yue Niang answered them one by one, and finally said, "Excuse me, men must also know these things. This method may not be comprehensive."

The clerk put on a professional fake smile and said, "Most men have Adam's apples. There are very few that can't be identified by facial features, so this method is used."

Yueliang praised Yu Hemei again: "I guess your boss is an extremely intelligent woman."

The clerk led Yue Niang out from the inner room, and Dong Zhu was also done.

The two of them officially entered Yanhuapu.

The Yanhuapu store has a hollow structure. Standing on the first floor and looking up, you can see that there are five or six floors, one above the other, which looks a bit like a department store.

Yue Niang finally understood what the clerk at the door meant by "privacy".

This place not only sells cosmetics, each floor is divided into countless windows, each guarded by a clerk in uniform.

There are beauty stores, clothing stores, and even modern lingerie stores and nail salons.

It was indeed the environment that limited Yue Niang's imagination.

Yu Hemei happened to be in the store today and saw Yue Niang from a distance: "Yue Niang."

"Aunt Yu." Yue Niang followed Jiang Yunxiao and called her Aunt Yu.

Yu Hemei tied her hair into a ponytail today. She wore a white waist-hugging dress, revealing her slender white calves, and a pair of flat-heeled shoes that imitated modern single shoes.

Yu Hemei rushed down from the second floor: "Yue Niang, why are you here?"

Yue Niang smiled sweetly: "Yue'er wants to come and broaden her horizons."

Yu Hemei's face was as bright as the sunset glow: "Come up and take a look at these new clothes I designed."

Yue Niang let Yu Hemei pull her up to the second floor.

Summer is the season for wearing short skirts, but these clothes cannot be worn outside in Dacheng, and Yue Niang also understands Yan Huapu's privacy better.

Yu Hemei pulled Yue Niang to the ready-made clothing shop, where she saw that the clothes on display were all summer dresses and miniskirts.

"Aunt Yu, the clothes in this shop don't conform to Dacheng's style." Yue Niang said.

Yu Hemei sighed. "Even if I don't know, how could these customers not know? But clothes can't restrain a free soul, even if their elegance can only remain in Yan Hua's shop."

Yu Hemei took Yue Niang upstairs, where the women took off their restraints and debated current affairs, looking so free and easy.

On the top layer, the door curtains are all hung down.

Yu Hemei introduced: "Everyone here is a painter."

At this time, a woman in a halter dress walked out from inside, holding a painting in her hand.

Yue Niang understood.

Yu Hemei continued, "Perhaps they will put this painting in the bottom of a box forever, but it existed, and in the future, when they think about it, it can be considered a memory."

Yu Hemei had her back to Yue Niang, and Yue Niang only felt that this thin body was very tall.

Suddenly Yue Niang thought of the long queue when she entered the door just now.

"Aunt Yu, I saw such a long line outside today. New and old customers alike need to line up again for 'security check'. This is such a waste of time. Why don't you just register as old customers? You can just tick your name and come in. It will save a lot of time."

Yu Hemei turned and looked at Yue Niang, her eyes lighting up: "That's a good idea, why didn't I think of it."

Then someone called Yu Hemei, "Boss Yu."

Following the voice, she saw a graceful and elegant woman, slightly older than Yu Hemei.

The fabric of the woman's clothes and the hairpin on her head showed her noble status. Yue Niang stood obediently beside her.

Yu Hemei put on a long smile and went forward to greet her: "Madam, why are you here?"

The woman also laughed: "It's all because of that bastard Yun Xiao's inability to do things reliably. It's just a bottle of perfume, and he can't get it left or right."

Yue Niang's inner thoughts when she heard the name Yun Xiao: Yun Xiao? Jiang Yun Xiao?

At this time, Yu Hemei introduced: "Yue Niang, why don't you come and meet the Duke's wife?"

Yue Niang understood Yu Hemei's good intentions and walked over obediently, bowing her head and saying, "I, Fu Yue Niang, greet the Duke's wife."

The woman was stunned when she saw Yue Niang's face: "Will you raise your head again?"

As if she couldn't believe it, Yue Niang didn't understand why, but she still did as she was told.

The Duke's wife stroked Yue Niang's face and asked, "Are you from Fu Shiqing's family in Yuegui Lane? Your mother's surname is Xu."

Yue Niang nodded, her heart filled with suspicion. Could it be that she also had a connection with the Duke's Mansion? However, after searching through her memory, she could not remember anything.

The Duke's wife burst into tears: "You're already this old. The Fu family originally said you were lost, and a few days ago they said you were sent to Yunzhou."

Yue Niang also said bluntly: "Madam, did you recognize the wrong person?"

The Duke's wife used her fingers to smooth over Yue Niang's hair. "That's right. Didn't your mother tell you about the Cao family in the Huaihua General's Mansion when she was alive?"

The Cao family of Huaihua General's Mansion? Yue Niang vaguely remembered that Jiang Yunxiao's mother was called Cao Jin.

Yue Niang told the truth: "Mother never mentioned it, but I heard her say it when she was arguing with father. Father asked her to go to the Huaihua General's Mansion to ask for something."

Yu Hemei cleared out a studio and said, "Madam, let's go in and talk. There are too many people here and it's too noisy."

As soon as Cao Jin entered the room, he grabbed Yue Niang's hand and refused to let go: "You should call me aunt. Your mother and I have known each other since childhood."

From Cao Jin's words, Yue Niang finally understood Xu Shushen's past.

Xu Shushen was also from a military family, but her father and brothers died in battle when she was less than three years old. Her family also broke up when her mother committed suicide.

Because of their relationship with the Huaihua General's Mansion, the Cao family adopted Xu Shushen.

The Cao family had even fewer descendants, with only one child, Cao Jin. The two had been inseparable since childhood and were as close as sisters.

Xu Shushen was extremely beautiful. Even before she reached the age of 15, her beauty was already well-known in the capital. The number of people who came to propose marriage to her was almost breaking down the door, and General Cao was also very cautious.

But Xu Shushen was kind-hearted and even more innocent when it came to matters between men and women.

When she reached the age of 15, she brought Fu Shiqing back to the general's mansion.