Xiao Yingtao didn’t know the exact details, but she’d overheard a fair bit of the exchange between Feng Jiu’er and Duan Liuyang.

She turned to the shopkeeper and asked, “Sir, we’re quite interested in your rouge.”

“But I wonder, would it be possible for us to meet your daughter?”

Whatever peak, whatever flower it was—if they could just find the girl who made the rouge, wouldn’t that lead them to the flower?

Feng Jiu’er looked at her capable aide with satisfaction and raised an eyebrow slightly.

“That’s no problem at all.”

The old man smiled and waved a hand. “Our home is quite close by. When I close up the stall, I’ll take you there.”

“You see, my daughter went up the mountain some days ago and injured her leg in a fall—she has trouble walking right now.”

“Today the City Lord returned in triumph, such a fine day, so I came out to sell the rouge myself.”

“All of this was painstakingly developed by my daughter. If it sits too long and spoils, she’ll be heartbroken.”

Xiao Yingtao glanced up at the sunlight, and when she looked back down, there was a touch of bitterness at the corner of her mouth.

“Waiting for you to close the stall—how long would that even take?”

Xiao Yingtao hadn’t spoken loudly; the old man likely couldn’t hear her, but the people standing beside her could make it out clearly.

Qingqing composed herself and turned to the shopkeeper with a smile.

“How about this—we’ll pick out a few items first, then stay behind to help mind the stall, while you take our mistress to see your daughter. What do you think?”

If Jiu’er wanted to find this person, she surely had her reasons.

The old man looked at Qingqing, his face showing some hesitation. “This… “

“It’s fine, don’t worry.” Qingqing leaned in with a smile toward the shopkeeper.

“Old sir, did you not go out to welcome the City Lord today?”

“No.” The old man shook his head. “At my age, that’s not something I’m allowed to do!”

“If something went wrong, I’d just be a burden.”

“No wonder.” Qingqing turned back to look at Feng Jiu’er. “Our mistress here is the City Lord.”

“We just arrived in the city today—do you think you can trust that?”

“The City Lord?” The old man looked at Feng Jiu’er, stunned. “You… “

“Old sir, hello! My name is Long Jiu’er.” Feng Jiu’er nodded, speaking softly.

“City Lord, you’re really the… ” “Shh…” Xiao Yingtao cut the old man off. “It’s enough that you know. Our Jiu’er just wants to look around quietly.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” The old man broke into a grin from ear to ear. “I’ll close up the stall right away and take you all home.”

“My daughter will be overjoyed—the City Lord actually likes the rouge she made.”

With that, the old man crouched down and began packing up.

“No need to pack up.”

Qingqing stopped him. “No need to pack it away—rouge this good might just sell out today.”

“Old sir, I’ll help sell it.”

“I’ll help too.”

Xiao Tian came around as well.

“Us too.”

The other two girls chimed in.

The old man looked up at the four of them, a smile at the corners of his mouth. “How could I possibly ask that of you?”

“It’s fine, I can come out again tomorrow.”

“No trouble at all, let them stay and help. We’ll go and be back before you know it, we won’t take up too much of your time.”

Feng Jiu’er said this while looking at Qingqing.

“Qingqing, in a bit pick out ten boxes for us—one for each of us.”

“Jiu’er, understood.”

Qingqing looked up and nodded.

“Old sir, it’s settled then. When you’re back, we’ll pay you—let’s go pick out some things first.”

“Don’t worry! With us here, your stall will be perfectly safe!”

“You’re all like benefactors to us—what would I possibly have to worry about?”

The old man was still quite moved.

“Since that’s the case, then I’ll trouble you all.”

The old man turned back, picked up a cloth, wiped his hands, and turned to walk out.

“City Lord, our home is in a village to the east. On foot it’s about an hour and a half. If you’re in a hurry, I’ll go find a carriage.”

“Good.”

Feng Jiu’er took out a piece of silver. “This is for the carriage fare and a little extra.”

“We’re the ones troubling you—we can’t have you spending your own money.”

The old man looked at the silver, then at Feng Jiu’er, and reached out to accept it, bowing to her with some solemnity.

“The City Lord truly is a good person, a good person indeed! I’ll go find a carriage right away, please wait a moment.”

“Go on, then.”

Feng Jiu’er waved a hand, turned, and crouched down in front of the stall.

“Jiu’er, are you thinking of using this flower as a fragrance ingredient?”

Xiao Yingtao crouched down too.

Feng Jiu’er sniffed the open box of rouge and murmured to herself, “Why Tianya Peak?”

She had always felt that Yongshan City surely had more than just the one deposit at Tianya Peak—to be precise, it likely wasn’t the only place in Yongshan City with sulfur.

Sulfur was like gold—when it came to war, it was every bit as indispensable.

With Tianya Peak suddenly brought up, along with that floral scent she’d never managed to place, a thought had just flashed through Feng Jiu’er’s mind.

Even if the odds were slim, she had free time today—why not take the chance and see?

Feng Jiu’er set down the box and stood up.

Xiao Yingtao looked up at the figure who had suddenly grown taller, and stood up as well.

“Jiu’er, what is that look on your face, exactly? I can’t make sense of it.”

“You say you want to develop a new rouge, then just go develop it—why do you look like you’ve struck gold?”

Feng Jiu’er looked at her and cleared her throat lightly. “Where’s the gold? Tell me, and I’ll go find it too.”

“Jiu’er, what are you thinking? Can’t you just say it?”

Xiao Yingtao looked quite wronged.

“The carriage is here, we’ll talk once we’re on board.”

Qiao Mu seemed to have guessed at Feng Jiu’er’s thoughts.

If it were just about a new rouge, this one wouldn’t be in such a hurry.

It looked like there was something else to keep busy with again.

Feng Jiu’er glanced at the approaching carriage, then turned to Xiao Yingtao. “We still don’t know the full situation—let’s go take a look first.”

“Fine, then.” Xiao Yingtao pouted and followed along behind her.

Four of them stayed behind while six of the women boarded the carriage, with the shopkeeper and driver seated up front.

After about a quarter hour or so, the carriage came to a stop.

The shopkeeper got down and lifted the curtain. “Young ladies, we’ve arrived. Please, this way!”

The City Lord didn’t want her identity spread around everywhere, and the shopkeeper knew well enough what should and shouldn’t be said.

Once Feng Jiu’er and the others had gotten down from the carriage, they saw a small courtyard house.

The shopkeeper exchanged a few words with the driver, then hurried back the way they’d come.

“City Lord, young ladies, please, come in! My humble home is a bit shabby, please don’t mind it!”

The shopkeeper glanced at the group walking ahead and quickened his pace to catch up.

“City Lord, let me go in first and bring my daughter out. Please wait just a moment, it won’t be long.”

Feng Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, Xiao Yingtao, Duan Liuyang, Leng Xuepiao, and Yue Qinchun walked together through the modest gate.

The place wasn’t large. Aside from the stone path running down the middle of the courtyard, both sides were filled with flowers and plants.

Just now, coming in from outside, everyone had already caught a whiff of many different fragrances.

“So this really is someone who studies fragrant things.”

Xiao Yingtao looked at all the flowers and plants, a broad smile on her face.

A home didn’t need to be large, but it did need a small courtyard.

Planting a few favorite flowers and plants there—life would feel all the richer for it.