Chapter 103
**Chapter 103: Xiang'er**
Cai Lian opened her small notebook and began to report in a calm tone, “Replying to the master, during your absence these past few days, the princess and the four old maids have had five disputes, their relationship as tense as fire and water. Young Lady Li Yao came to the Liuli Pavilion to look for you twice, but left without seeing you.
Concubine Liu requested two white plum trees from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and had them transplanted into the courtyard. Concubine Liu's daughter fell ill due to the summer heat, but after taking medicine, she has recovered. Concubine Zhang, under the supervision of the old maids, tried to lose weight but ended up gaining five pounds instead, later discovered to have sneaked into the kitchen at midnight to steal food…”
“Additionally, the maid Xiang'er attempted to drown herself last night but was rescued. Old Maid Liu went to visit her and, after an unknown conversation, Xiang'er has given up on her suicidal thoughts.”
Shen Wei leaned back in her cool chair, gently swaying her silk fan as she listened to Cai Lian recount the happenings of the Wangfu.
At that moment, a notification came from outside the Liuli Pavilion: Young Lady Li Yao had arrived.
Shen Wei instructed someone to invite her in.
Li Yao, dressed in a pink dress with her hair styled in twin buns, wore a cheerful smile on her face. “Aunt Shen, you’re finally back! Can I swing in your courtyard?”
The swing in Shen Wei's courtyard was the sturdiest and most beautifully designed, and Li Yao adored it.
After a few days apart, Li Yao’s once pale face was visibly rounder. Ever since the princess had given up on her, Li Yao had been well taken care of by the old maids, eating well and sleeping soundly, her cheeks plumping up.
“Cai Ping, take Yao Jie to swing,” Shen Wei said with a warm smile, not refusing her request.
Li Yao obediently sat on the swing, swaying back and forth, her laughter ringing out like silver bells.
After swinging, Shen Wei called her over. The Liuli Pavilion had just made Shen Wei’s favorite lotus seed pastries, and she shared a piece with Li Yao.
The method of making lotus seed pastries was quite simple. Flour and lard were mixed to create a dough. Then, flour and lotus powder were used to make a pink water-oil dough. The water-oil dough and the lard dough were shaped into lotus flowers using molds and then fried in oil until the pastry opened up, resembling blooming lotus flowers.
They looked appealing and tasted crispy, making them a favorite among children.
Li Yao took a bite, her eyes widening in delight.
So delicious!
Shen Wei noticed a bit of pastry crumbs at the corner of her mouth and gently wiped it away with her finger, saying softly, “Eat slowly. I’ll have Cai Ping pack two pieces for you to take back with you.”
Li Yao stood still, the warmth of Shen Wei’s finger lingering at the corner of her mouth.
Aunt Shen actually wiped her mouth for her?
Li Yao felt a lump in her throat. She remembered how, in the past, when she ate pastries and got crumbs on her lips, the princess would scold her for looking unrefined, saying she lacked the grace of a legitimate daughter of the Wangfu.
But when the princess saw her two sons eating, if they had crumbs on their lips, she would gently wipe them away.
“Aunt, you’re so kind,” Li Yao said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Shen Wei smiled and gently patted Li Yao’s little face.
Outside, the old maid’s voice called out, signaling it was time for afternoon lessons on account books.
“Aunt, I’ll come to see you again another day,” Li Yao said, clutching the lotus seed pastry, and bid farewell to Shen Wei as she left.
The old maid was waiting at the entrance of the Liuli Pavilion to greet Li Yao.
Seeing the lotus seed pastry in Li Yao’s hand, the old maid asked, “Little Miss, do you like Shen Shi?”
Li Yao nodded obediently, “Aunt Shen treats me so well, and she gives me delicious pastries. She never scolds me.”
She loved coming to Shen Wei’s place; the Liuli Pavilion always had plenty of tasty treats and fun toys, and Aunt Shen was warm and approachable. Every time she visited, Li Yao felt a sense of joy and contentment.
The old maid smiled with satisfaction.
Not everyone in the Wangfu was cold-hearted. There was Shen Wei, who treated others with kindness, adding warmth to the otherwise icy atmosphere of the Wangfu.
The old maid was tasked with taking care of Li Yao’s daily needs, and since Li Yao was obedient and well-behaved, the old maid almost regarded her as a granddaughter. Seeing Shen Wei’s attentive care for Li Yao brought her great comfort.
Every month, the four old maids had to return to the palace to report to the Empress about the situation in the Yan Wangfu.
In front of the Empress, the old maid would naturally mention Shen Wei’s merits.
...
In the afternoon, Manager Ye, who ran a dessert shop, sent someone to deliver the shop’s account books to Shen Wei.
Recently, the desserts from “Wei Yan Ji” had been selling like hotcakes, leading to an expansion of the shop and a doubling of the staff.
The shop’s success naturally attracted envy, and competitors were eager to sabotage it. Ye Qiushuang devised a plan to send several boxes of desserts to the princess’s residence every three days, making a grand show of it.
Princess Zhao Yang loved the desserts from “Wei Yan Ji” and accepted them, creating the illusion that the princess was backing the shop.
As a result, no one dared to harbor ill intentions anymore.
“We’ve made quite a bit of money,” Shen Wei said, reclining in a bamboo chair in the pavilion, flipping through the account books with ease, her smile growing wider.
The shop was thriving, raking in gold daily.
Shen Wei began to consider opening an inn and restaurant. She envisioned not just any ordinary establishment, but one that combined dining, drinking, entertainment, and shopping, akin to a modern shopping mall.
While there were countless inns and restaurants in Yanjing, none resembled a “shopping mall.” Establishing a large restaurant required substantial funds and a solid backing, so it couldn’t be rushed. Shen Wei clutched the account book, beginning to brainstorm in her mind.
“Master!” Cai Ping rushed into the pavilion, her voice urgent as she spoke through a sheer silver silk curtain. “Master, the prince has just returned from court.”
Shen Wei didn’t lift her head, responding calmly, “It’s hot today; there’s no need to greet him at the door.”
She was pregnant, and with the oppressive heat, Yan Wang had forbidden her from greeting him daily at the eaves, insisting she stay in the Liuli Pavilion to rest and nurture her health.
Shen Wei naturally complied.
Cai Ping’s tone was anxious, “Master, the prince was supposed to come to our Liuli Pavilion after returning home, but he encountered the maid Xiang'er in the garden and changed direction to her courtyard instead.”
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