Everyone owes Feng Jin a favor, so they naturally give her face and all agree to attend Feng Ruoyan's wedding banquet.
A smug smile plays on Feng Jin's lips. Feng Ruoyan, always so arrogant, used to boast that she would marry the third prince as his official consort. Today, however, she is reduced to marrying as a concubine, a humiliation even the thickest skin couldn't endure.
Especially having to force a smile at someone she once looked down upon, Feng Jin eagerly anticipates the arrival of Feng Ruoyan's wedding day.
She must return and prepare a gift for Feng Ruoyan, lest she lose face.
In the Ling family's treasury, Feng Jin rummages through piles of gold, silver, and jewels, but cannot find a suitable gift. More importantly, each item is priceless, and she is reluctant to part with any of them.
After much thought, Feng Jin decides to give up. Perhaps she could just buy something matching from the street, rather than waste these treasures.
With her decision made, Feng Jin instructs Cai Qing to casually buy something presentable from the street as a congratulatory gift.
Feng Jin, meanwhile, returns to her room and hastens to make the skin nourishing water. This water is her secret weapon for infiltrating the capital's noblewomen circle, and she must handle it carefully.
The medical clinic's business is gradually on track and no longer requires her close attention. Thus, she has been contemplating opening a cosmetics shop. The cosmetics in Dongchu are frankly inferior, practically trash.
Not only do they lack any skin nourishing effects, but prolonged use can actually worsen the skin, causing age spots and dullness. Furthermore, those powders are all made of heavy metals, and using them for too long could lead to heavy metal poisoning and death.
In contrast, her manufactured skincare products and powders are all extracted from pure plants, infused with various precious Chinese medicinal herbs, offering a complete two-in-one solution for skin nourishment and care.
Anyone who uses them once will be completely captivated. Once launched, they are guaranteed to revolutionize the entire cosmetics industry.
Feng Jin takes out the specially crafted three-dimensional plum blossom glass bottles and fills them with the skin nourishing water. The bottles immediately appear crystal clear, emitting a pink luminescence.
"Young Madam, I've bought the items," Cai Qing says, entering with a half-meter long brocade box in her arms, which she quickly places on the table, panting for breath.
"Why is it so big?"
What kind of item could be stored in such a large box? How much did it cost?
"Didn't Cai Qing tell you to just buy something inexpensive? Why did you bring back such a large item?"
Her hard-earned money, gone just like that.
"Young Madam, the shop owner gave this brocade box for free. Inside are a pair of peony bowls symbolizing the harmonious union of a phoenix and a mythical bird. The owner took out his prized possession and sold it at a bargain price. I felt it was quite suitable, so I bought it. It was incredibly cheap, only ten taels of silver."
Upon hearing the price, Feng Jin's heart blossoms with joy. She impatiently opens the brocade box and picks up a bowl, examining it closely. The craftsmanship is quite fine, but the style is a bit old-fashioned. It clearly looks like old stock from several years ago, no wonder it was sold at a bargain price.
Still, giving this to Feng Ruoyan is showing her some respect. Feng Jin closes the brocade box with satisfaction. "Cai Qing, put the items away. We'll take them with us to offer congratulations tomorrow."
"Yes, Young Madam, I'll put them away now." Cai Qing walks out with the items in her arms.
"What's that smell?" Ling Mohan returns from the barracks and catches a strong, yet not pungent, fragrance wafting from the room.
The scent is pleasant, but it's the first time he's encountered it.
"This is the skin nourishing water I developed. Its whitening and spot-fading effects are superb. Would you like a bottle to try?"
Ling Mohan glances at it. It's just some women's product; why would he, a grown man, use such a thing?
"No, thank you. I never use these things."
In his opinion, smearing all sorts of miscellaneous things on one's face is a pointless endeavor that only wastes time. He could complete a set of sword forms or read another chapter of military strategy in that time.
Besides, there's no precedent for a grown man using such things, and it would likely be ridiculed if it got out.
"No wonder your skin is so rough. Don't you even look at how dark you've become? If it weren't for the lamp lit at night, I wouldn't be able to see you."
Ling Mohan's complexion isn't actually too dark, more of a medium tone. However, compared to those fair-skinned young men, he's considerably darker.
"You say I'm dark?" Ling Mohan exclaims incredulously, raising his voice. "This is a healthy complexion. Shallow people like you simply don't understand."
Ling Mohan has always considered his own appearance to be of superior quality, and no woman who sees him can tear her eyes away. Yet, in Feng Jin's eyes, he seems to be worthless.
"Your complexion is indeed a bit dark," Feng Jin says with utmost sincerity, without a hint of pretense.
Ling Mohan snorts, speaking with annoyance. "That's because you lack the appreciation."
With that, he abruptly gets up and walks towards the door. "There are still some matters at the barracks."
With a 'bang!', the door slams shut, clearly indicating the man's current rage.
When Cai Qing returns and is about to bow to Ling Mohan, a sudden chill passes by her, and the words that were on her lips remain unsaid.
Why is the Young General acting so strangely today? He just returned with a smile, and now he's left in a huff in such a short time.
"Young Madam, why did the Young General leave with such a dark expression?"
Feng Jin snorts and casually replies, "Who knows what's gotten into him? If he wants to leave, he can. No one is forcing him to stay."
He's clearly dark-skinned but so proud he can't stand to be told, who is he putting on a grumpy face for?
Cai Qing is slightly taken aback. What has happened? She was only gone for a short while, and it seems the whole world has changed. It's too strange.
"Never mind him. Quickly, pack these bottles."
Once they are done, she needs to deliver them quickly to try out their effects.
"Young Madam, those ladies and madams, they were all mocking you before. Why are you trying to curry favor with them? And this skin nourishing water, such a good product, to give it away to them for free, even I feel heartbroken."
The Young Madam has been busy all day making the skin nourishing water, and to work so hard only to give it away to them, in Cai Qing's opinion, is not worth it at all.
Feng Jin glances at Cai Qing. This little maid is now standing up for her. She really hasn't doted on her in vain.
"I'm casting a long line to catch a big fish. If they like using it this time, they'll have to pay to buy it next time they want to continue using it. This bottle is just for them to experience it for free."
She's no saint and certainly won't give handouts. She never engages in losing ventures.