“You produced a list of two hundred people in just three days—isn’t that rather hasty?” Li Chong glanced at the roster Li Zhigao was examining closely and couldn’t help but question Han Qian.
The Secret Bureau Left Division’s infiltration of various mansion households relied on two approaches: first, using the warehouse, which required cooperation with Feng Yi; second, using a rouge shop to make contact with female family members of various households—this was undoubtedly an excellent strategy. But Han Qian didn’t mind their side sending people to control the most critical nodes. Li Chong couldn’t help but suspect whether Han Qian simply didn’t take the Secret Bureau Left Division seriously at all, perhaps just trying to bluff his way through and get it over with.
Otherwise, how could selecting two hundred suitable spies possibly be completed within three days?
“The saying goes: plan thoroughly before acting, know when to stop to achieve success. After the New Year, my father and I jointly compiled the ‘Commentary on the Chapter on Using Spies.’ Brother Li, do you really think my father and I spent this time just holed up at home working behind closed doors, without any consideration for which military households among the famine refugees would be suitable for serving as spies?” Han Qian countered.
Li Chong was left speechless, with no reply.
Li Chong’s feelings toward Han Qian were extremely contradictory. On one hand, being constantly humiliated and suppressed by Han Qian, no matter how good his temper, he wanted to tear apart the bones of this dog bastard before him. On the other hand, he had to admit that this dog bastard Han Qian had played at least a small role during this period. He knew clearly in his heart that their situation was far from optimistic, and he was counting on Han Qian to continue playing an even greater role.
The roster Han Qian gave Li Zhigao was naturally a simplified version, with names, household registrations, and ages. Taking this roster to the Military Settlement Administration, it could correspond with the Military Division’s roster, but there was no additional information. Naturally, Li Zhigao and Li Chong couldn’t discern much from it.
Li Zhigao was more magnanimous than Li Chong and could hear that when Han Qian said “plan thoroughly before acting,” those five words were refuting Li Chong, while “know when to stop to achieve success” was meant for them, showing that he understood proper limits. If this side didn’t press him too tightly and provided corresponding benefits, he wouldn’t push for more.
Requesting Chun Niang to come preside over the rouge shop and participate in establishing a key link of the Secret Bureau Left Division was Han Qian demonstrating his sincerity to this side.
Li Zhigao carefully put the roster into his inner pocket and said to Han Qian: “How quickly you’ve acted truly surprises me, but I suppose only this way can things be accomplished.” He then said to Yao Xishui: “Send someone to notify Shisan Niang to come here. Han Qian’s side lacks personnel—you shouldn’t be stingy either.”
“Shisan Niang is in the nearby courtyard. I’ll go invite her over,” Yao Xishui said. Her eyes looking at Han Qian still held doubt. In the end, she personally rose and went to the adjacent courtyard to summon Chun Niang.
Fan Dahei and Lin Haizheng only now realized that the famous Wanhong Pavilion in Jinling concealed so many secrets. They had been trained considerably by Han Qian during this period, but still felt somewhat uneasy and constrained.
Zhao Ting’er sat beside Han Qian, curiously examining Su Hongyu across from her.
Su Hongyu possessed both beauty and talent in music and painting.
Comparing facial features alone, Zhao Ting’er was no less attractive than Su Hongyu—perhaps even more delicate. But the temperament Su Hongyu had cultivated through long experience in the world of pleasure, which seemed languid yet gave people a warmly gentle feeling, and the charm that flowed through her glances—these were things Zhao Ting’er currently lacked and envied.
Zhao Wuji stood behind Han Qian like a monk in meditation, displaying a frightening precocious maturity for his youth.
A short while later, Yao Xishui led in an extraordinarily beautiful and enchanting woman wearing a chest-high ruqun dress that exposed her snow-white bosom, bulging as if about to burst forth.
Hearing Fan Dahei, that useless fellow, swallowing saliva behind him, Han Qian understood why Kong Zhou—such a famously renowned general who feared his wife—would still attempt to bring Chun Niang back to the residence as a concubine.
Unfortunately, such a person hadn’t even had the chance to display the skills cultivated at Wanhong Pavilion before being blocked outside the Kong family’s main gate.
“Shisan Niang greets Lord Han.” What needed to be said, Yao Xishui should have already explained. Chun Niang walked in and directly bowed gracefully before Han Qian. “From now on, Shisan Niang will heed Lord Han’s instruction.”
“On Fengxiang Street, there’s a rouge shop called Ningxiang Pavilion. Go acquire it. Afterward, I’ll assign personnel to you from my side.” Han Qian rested his hands on his knees. When Chun Niang bowed forward, a pair of indescribably exquisite eyes still looked toward him—truly a beautiful woman who understood how to seduce. But since Li Zhigao had transferred Chun Niang for his use, he needn’t be polite. Right in front of Li Zhigao, Yao Xishui, and the others, he directly assigned tasks to Chun Niang.
Yao Xishui and Su Hongyu exchanged glances. Since Han Qian had even selected the location, he must indeed have planned thoroughly before acting. This matter was both gratifying and worrying.
Han Qian paid no attention to what Yao Xishui and Su Hongyu were thinking. He continued evaluating Chun Niang: “The personnel I assign to you, you must teach them diligently. It’s inconvenient for me to enter and exit Ningxiang Pavilion frequently, so whatever matters arise, you must report everything to Zhao Ting’er. If there’s any concealment that delays matters, I’ll deal with you according to Left Division law. At that time, the Military Supervisor here can’t blame me for being iron-faced and ruthless!”
If it meant receiving Han Qian’s direct commands, Chun Niang would be willing. In her heart, she also wanted to keep watch on Han Qian for Wanhong Pavilion. She never imagined Han Qian would actually have her report to a milk-scented, green young girl. Her face couldn’t hide her displeasure.
Han Qian acted as if blind to Chun Niang’s dissatisfaction and said to Yao Xishui and Su Hongyu: “I originally thought the lip rouge used by Wanhong Pavilion’s ladies should be among the finest in Jinling to attract endless streams of customers. But seeing the rouge colors on your faces several times appearing scattered and lacking luster, I thought that acquiring Ningxiang Pavilion would be easy, but without truly first-rate rouge and powder to offer, we can’t attract the noble ladies throughout the city. The follow-up matters also won’t succeed.”
“Oh my, I’ve heard Lord Han is a first-rate lime maker. Could it be you can also manufacture the cosmetic items used by women?” Su Hongyu also had an excellent temperament, but the rouge and powder used by Wanhong Pavilion—the formula had been left two years ago by Marquis Liyang Yang En when he came to Wanhong Pavilion to hear her play the zither but forgot to bring any money, finally leaving a formula to pay for the music.
Su Hongyu made rouge according to the formula Yang En provided. In Jinling, if it didn’t rank first, it had to rank second. She never expected Han Qian to start pointing fingers about this matter. No matter how good her temper, she had to make a few sarcastic remarks.
Su Hongyu didn’t believe that Han Qian, having read a few ancient books and copied a few ancient formulas from them, could truly produce something more excellent than Arsenal Officer Yang En’s formula.
Han Qian glanced at Su Hongyu. He had speculated about the division of labor among Su Hongyu, Yao Xishui, and others at Wanhong Pavilion. Seeing the usually languid Su Hongyu actually interject with mockery, he knew the rouge used by Wanhong Pavilion’s ladies was probably made by her—that’s why she reacted so strongly.
At this moment, he wondered whether the hallucination powder Yao Xishui had mixed into the wine and tricked him into drinking last August was also made by Su Hongyu.
“Ting’er, take out the rouge you made and open these sisters’ eyes,” Han Qian said to Zhao Ting’er.
Seeing Han Qian had come prepared to challenge them, Li Zhigao smiled faintly, folded his sleeves, and watched to see what outstanding rouge the maid beside Han Qian could produce to suppress Hong Yu and the others.
Yao Xishui’s beautiful eyes swept over. She thought to herself that this fellow had just said the maid by his side didn’t understand rouge and powder, which was why he requested Chun Niang to come preside over the rouge shop. Who knew that now he could change his tune without batting an eye—she wondered what his face was made of.
Zhao Ting’er felt both excited and timid. She took out from her bosom a small copper box wrapped in a brocade handkerchief. When she stood to hand it to Su Hongyu, seeing Han Qian sitting properly upright, she placed the rouge box on the table before Han Qian and said to Chun Niang at the table: “Help me pass it to the two sisters to look at.”
Seeing this little minx Zhao Ting’er actually ordering her around, Chun Niang suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. She picked up the rather crude copper rouge box and opened it directly: “Sister would also like to see what marvelous method Miss Ting’er has that can challenge Miss Su’s position.”
Chun Niang was Wanhong Pavilion’s person. Han Qian would allow her some presumption. He rested his hands on his knees and watched her open the rouge box.
Yao Xishui was the same age as Han Qian, not yet twenty. She didn’t need cosmetics—her complexion was naturally jade-like.
As for Su Hongyu, needless to say, supposedly the finest rouge in Jinling was made by her own hands. And Chun Niang, approaching thirty, deeply feared the passage of youth and paid extreme attention to her appearance. Naturally, she could distinguish good from bad. Han Qian’s use of her to preside over the rouge shop could truly be called making full use of talent.
“…” Chun Niang took a fine cotton ball to dab a bit of rouge from the box and spread it on her hand. After a long silence, she finally asked: “How many boxes of this rouge can be made each month?”
“The finest things can’t be made in quantity. Producing three to five boxes, seven to eight boxes per month is sufficient. Only this way can the noble ladies throughout the city constantly send people to look for it. Second-grade products can be supplied by Wanhong Pavilion’s side,” Han Qian said shamelessly.
Su Hongyu had already seen from afar that beyond the evenly distributed oily color of the rouge spread on Chun Niang’s palm, it revealed a naturally jade-like hue—absolutely top-grade quality. When she personally prepared it, to produce even one or two boxes in a year depended purely on luck.
“How is this possible?” Su Hongyu couldn’t help but rise and walk to Chun Niang’s side. She took the rouge box, first bringing it to her nose to smell, then asked in confusion: “It’s also made from safflower—why is the color so uniformly lustrous without a trace of impure residue?”
Han Qian only smiled. He certainly wouldn’t tell them about the rouge-making method he and Zhao Ting’er had spent two to three months improving. He said: “As long as Miss Su knows it’s suitable for use…”