Han Qian had improved the lime kiln several times, then recruited many craftsmen and, following some methods recorded in the previous dynasty’s Zhou Yun’s “Commentary on the Artificers’ Record,” attempted to forge some special equipment for the household guard children. As a girl, Zhao Ting’er found it inconvenient to spend entire days among a group of bare-chested men at the workshops, so in her spare time she pondered making some items according to ancient methods to pass the time.
When Zhao Ting’er made her own choice, the first thing she naturally thought of was making items that girls could use—learning from gold and silversmiths to make hairpins and other ornaments, and also learning to make rouge and powder according to ancient methods.
Handcrafting hairpins and other items as well as needlework mainly required accumulated craftsmanship over time. Han Qian couldn’t help Zhao Ting’er with that, but making rouge according to ancient methods—in Han Qian’s eyes, there were far too many ways to try improving it.
The Northern Wei’s “Essential Techniques for the Common People” recorded a method for making rouge. First, one needed to burn goosefoot and other grasses, take the ash and add water, reserve the clear liquid from the top layer, then pick safflowers, pound them into juice with a stone mortar, pour the plant ash clear liquid over it, then wring it through a cloth bag…
The method recorded in “Essential Techniques for the Common People” was quite complicated—it was summarized after ancestors had tried who knows how many methods. But the problem was that the ancestors’ summaries and attempts all remained superficial, never truly delving into the fundamental properties of materials.
Han Qian didn’t know the rouge-making method, but watching Zhao Ting’er make it once according to the ancient method, he knew where the key points were.
The ancient method spoke of removing the yellow liquid and keeping the red liquid. Plainly speaking, the safflowers used in making rouge contained two pigments—red and yellow. When he dipped his finger in a bit of the clear liquid extracted with plant ash and tasted it slightly astringent and bitter, he knew this was actually using an alkaline liquid to extract and separate the red and yellow pigments.
After penetrating the material properties and figuring out the underlying principles, even using the most primitive means, one could adjust the acidity and alkalinity to the most suitable degree, then use top-grade cotton paper for filtering. Trying to improve the rouge-making method step by step this way was immeasurably superior to contemporary rouge craftsmen who didn’t understand the fundamental properties of materials and could only grope blindly like the blind crossing a river.
This was thinking and knowledge that transcended several entire eras. Under Han Qian’s guidance, combined with Zhao Ting’er’s intelligence, diligence in learning, and meticulous mind, focusing on this matter for two to three months—how could the rouge they made possibly be matched by Su Hongyu and the others, no matter how exceptionally intelligent they were?
“Lord Han’s side can truly be called a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!” Suppressed by the rouge Zhao Ting’er had made, Su Hongyu and Chun Niang had nothing to say at the moment, even looking at the Zhao Ting’er and Zhao Wuji siblings with some envy.
“Haha,” Han Qian laughed heartily, looking at Chun Niang and saying: “As long as Chun Shisan Niang doesn’t feel aggrieved in her heart when reporting matters to Zhao Ting’er, that’s fine. Additionally, keep this box of rouge with you. Divide it into three or forty small portions, select three or forty noble ladies in the city, and send it to them as samples for trial use in the name of Ningxiang Pavilion, establishing contact with the city’s noble ladies as quickly as possible…”
Han Qian believed that with Wanhong Pavilion’s capabilities, acquiring the Ningxiang Pavilion rouge shop would be a matter of minutes, so he didn’t care how Chun Niang would do it.
Hearing Li Zhigao and the others address Chun Niang as “Shisan Niang,” Han Qian speculated this was most likely related to Chun Niang’s ranking among this generation of Wanhong Pavilion disciples, so he changed the form of address, calling her “Chun Shisan Niang.” Seeing no unusual expression on her face, he knew his guess was correct.
Chun Shisan Niang didn’t notice the change in address. She only cared that Han Qian was still emphasizing she would need to report to this green young girl Zhao Ting’er in the future. She just suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and moved to sit at Han Qian’s lower side, indicating that from now on she was a subordinate of the Secret Bureau Left Division.
Chun Shisan Niang’s bosom was too turbulently voluptuous. Although at thirty she deeply feared the passage of youth, undeniably this was the best time of her blossoming prime—fair skin, tender flesh, and extremely seductive eyes. As a man, one couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.
Han Qian was no exception. He thought to himself that to make up for years of wasted time, he had practiced abstinence for nearly seven or eight months. Chun Shisan Niang’s appearance made him subconsciously think of Jing Niang, who had taught him to take that crucial step in life when he was twelve years old.
Also similarly a body full of beautiful flesh that made him lose his mind—the marrow-deep taste was something he couldn’t forget even now. But it was precisely this woman who had nearly completely destroyed him.
Even though he had shot and killed the evil servant Niu Erdan, thinking of this matter, Han Qian still felt a breath of foul anger stuck in his heart. After glancing once at the white cleavage above Chun Niang’s ruqun dress, he sat properly upright and discussed other matters with Li Zhigao, Chai Jian, Su Hongyu, and Yao Xishui.
Han Qian’s casual glance made Chun Shisan Niang’s heart quite pleased. She knew how strong the desires of men aged nineteen or twenty were, and she knew what kind of body men aged nineteen or twenty liked best. Looking again at Zhao Ting’er’s much more slender body compared to hers, she no longer felt so aggrieved. Smiling inwardly, she thought that just having a pretty face wasn’t enough to make a man lose his mind. What she didn’t get today would ultimately never escape her grasp one day.
Han Qian didn’t know that Chun Shisan Niang, sitting at his lower position, had so many thoughts turning in her mind. He was still thinking that now that the Ningxiang Pavilion rouge shop matter was settled and didn’t require Zhao Ting’er to personally oversee it, Zhao Ting’er could still help him with more things.
Zhao Ting’er’s intelligence, diligence in learning, and meticulous mind were one thing. Even more rare was that when Han Qian encountered her, her innocent wild nature hadn’t been removed—she possessed ambition, boldness, curiosity, and cunning that other young women of this era didn’t have.
When Han Qian taught her literacy and writing, he directly discarded all the canonical classics and philosophical treasures of this era, instead specifically teaching her what he called the miscellaneous studies—the basic knowledge of the dream world.
Zhao Ting’er also learned faster than anyone else.
Han Qian had no available personnel around him, so he also tried teaching the miscellaneous studies to his maid Qing Yun. But Qing Yun was too deeply influenced by tradition. On one hand, she felt that as a maid she should know her place, and on the other hand, she regarded the miscellaneous studies Han Qian taught as unorthodox paths and heretical theories. After being scolded several times by Han Laoshan’s wife, Madam Han Zhou, she became increasingly lax, even gossiping about Zhao Ting’er behind her back and distancing herself from her.
This was something Han Qian could do nothing about.
He was thinking that when his father took up his post in the local area this time, he would have Qing Yun accompany the Han Laoshan couple there. Then, from the twenty-some women recruited this time, not all would be arranged at Ningxiang Pavilion rouge shop—he should select a few to stay in the inner residence, listening to Zhao Ting’er’s instruction and employment.
“I haven’t been in the city these past two days. Have you seen Feng Yi and Kong Xirong?” Han Qian asked Li Zhigao and Li Chong.
Regarding the warehouse matter, he needed to entrust Feng Yi to take the lead. Han Qian had settled some details with Feng Yi three days ago, but he had been at Qiuhu Mountain estate for these three days and hadn’t seen Feng Yi come looking for him.
“If you go to the front courtyard and search room by room, you might find the two of them,” Yao Xishui said, curling her lips without concealing her disdain.
Damn it. Han Qian had repeatedly urged that the warehouse matter needed urgent handling, but who would have thought that grandson Feng Yi would today still drag Kong Xirong to hide in some woman’s fragrant and jade-like embrace at Wanhong Pavilion, drinking and carousing. No wonder Yao Xishui wore such a disdainful expression.
However, this was the true Feng Yi and Kong Xirong. Wasn’t it precisely because they valued their character that Anning Palace had made arrangements to place them beside the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu?
Han Qian turned his head and gave Fan Dahei an instruction to have Old Man Zhao bring personnel and craftsmen directly to those two courtyards in Kaoshan Alley by Shitang River to start converting the warehouse first, then dig an opening between the courtyard and Shitang River to build a cargo dock.
Currently, expecting that grandson Feng Yi to be diligent was unrealistic. Han Qian could only work harder on his side, getting everything done first, then letting that grandson Feng Yi come occupy the ready-made advantage.
“Does His Highness’s side need us to help? Will the Palace Domestic Service, the Court of Imperial Clan, and the Ministry of Rites have everything handled?” Han Qian asked Li Zhigao and Li Chong.
Marquis Linjiang Yang Yuanpu hadn’t been enfeoffed as a prince, but as an imperial prince, his wedding ceremony was modeled after Crown Prince Yang Yuanwo and Prince Xin Yang Yuanyan’s from years past. From the imperial betrothal decree and betrothal gifts onward, it was extremely elaborate and grand. Fortunately, this matter was all led by the Palace Domestic Service, with the Marquis’s mansion side cooperating through Guo Rong and Song Xin.
Even the two brothers-in-law Li Zhigao and Li Chong had the leisure to come to Wanhong Pavilion for tea, so it had even less to do with Han Qian and these other assistant officials. But still, he had to politely ask.
The wedding ceremonies were quite tedious, which also constrained Guo Rong and Song Xin’s energy, preventing them from noticing the changes at Taowu Market.
“There’s nothing for us to be busy with. In a while, we’ll bring along Feng Yi and Kong Xirong and go drink together at my household residence,” Li Zhigao said.
Tomorrow was the wedding. Today’s main work was to deliver Marquis Xinchang’s mansion’s bridal trousseau to Marquis Linjiang’s mansion for display. Additionally, the mansion’s secretary Song Xin had also brought several female attendants to Marquis Xinchang’s mansion today to first attend to the soon-to-be Marquis’s wife Li Yao, to avoid being caught unprepared and overwhelmed during tomorrow’s grand ceremony.
Today, Marquis Xinchang’s mansion would prepare several small-scale private banquets to entertain relatives and friends in celebration.
After all preparations were complete, tomorrow the Palace Domestic Service would supervise twenty subordinate officials and forty guards going to Marquis Xinchang’s mansion to escort the bride, bringing Marquis Xinchang’s daughter back to conduct the grand ceremony. Most people would then only need to attend the banquet at Marquis Linjiang’s mansion—afterward, the Third Prince bringing his new bride to the palace to pay respects and entering the imperial ancestral temple to worship ancestors were all high-level activities that also had nothing to do with Han Qian and them.
“His Highness has too little time remaining. Everything requires seizing every moment, especially now when His Highness’s wedding attracts everyone’s attention—this is precisely the perfect opportunity for the Secret Bureau Left Division to secretly deploy its scouts,” Han Qian said at this moment, having no leisure time for drinking and pleasure. He said apologetically to Li Zhigao: “When the great achievement is accomplished, the Military Supervisor can invite me to drink several more cups.”
“Good! When the great achievement is accomplished in the future, I’ll drink heartily with you for several rounds!” That Han Qian had produced the rosters for all divisions in just three days and also planned to infiltrate through two channels—the rouge shop and warehouse—with such high efficiency, Li Zhigao was also greatly surprised.
With the Marquis’s mansion marrying off a daughter, he, Li Chong, and Chai Jian couldn’t remain uninvolved. Since Han Qian was both good at planning and decisive, and possessed the diligence of handling myriad affairs daily, how could he forcefully drag him over to drink?
Upon leaving, Han Qian wanted to ask how his father’s appointment to Xuzhou was progressing, but thought that confirming the position of Xuzhou Governor would be quite complicated. If he kept asking about it, it would make him seem too anxious. He cupped his hands to Li Zhigao, Chai Jian, and the others, then led Lin Haizheng, Fan Dahei, Zhao Wuji, and Zhao Ting’er in leaving Wanhong Pavilion first…