“It appears to sell fashionable clothing currently popular in Yan Kingdom…” Weizhong stood beside Bai Qingyan and respectfully asked, “Young lady, would you like to go in and take a look?”

After implementing the new policies, Bai Qingyan had discussed with Grand Marshal Lu that any foreign merchants opening shops in Great Zhou, in addition to registering with the government offices, must also clearly mark on their shop signs that they were shops owned by merchants from other kingdoms, such as Yan Kingdom, to facilitate supervision.

Originally, Bai Qingyan wasn’t very interested and was about to leave, but she heard a tailor with a measuring tape around his neck say with a smile, “Yes, yes, yes, our Ninth Prince’s betrothed princess-to-be likes exactly this style. This style sells extremely well in the Capital City!”

“Your Ninth Prince’s betrothed princess-to-be? Your Yan Kingdom’s Ninth Prince is engaged?” The lady sounded as if she had heard something extraordinary and hurriedly asked.

“Indeed! They all say our Ninth Prince is ruthless in his methods, but he’s completely obedient to our princess-to-be. Throughout our Yan Kingdom capital, there are picture books about our Ninth Prince and his princess-to-be! If the lady is interested, when your clothing is finished, I’ll send it to your residence as well.”

Ninth Prince’s betrothed princess-to-be?

Bai Qingyan’s steps halted, and she smiled: “Let’s go in and take a look too. I’m quite interested in these picture books about the Ninth Prince and his princess-to-be.”

Supporting herself on Chun Zhi’s arm, she stepped into the clothing shop. The shop assistant immediately recognized that Bai Qingyan was no ordinary wealthy lady, and seeing that this lady was as beautiful as a celestial being, he was stunned for a moment… thinking that as tailors, if they could gain recognition among wealthy ladies’ circles, their wealth would flow like rivers in the future. He hurriedly approached.

“Oh my, madam! Please come inside! Bring good tea for the lady!” After saying this, the shop assistant busily called out, “Please sit first. Do you have any preferred fabrics or clothing styles? We have everything here.”

As he spoke, tea was brought over.

Bai Qingyan picked up the teacup and smelled it—cloud mist tea… good tea.

She didn’t drink it, casually placing it on a nearby small table, and smiled: “I heard your shop has clothing styles favored by your Yan Kingdom’s Ninth Prince’s betrothed princess-to-be?”

“Oh my, this lady has excellent taste!” As he spoke, the assistant hurriedly had someone bring over finished garments, smiling: “Our Ninth Prince was famously cold and unfeeling, but who knew that just seeing our princess-to-be wearing this outfit would move his heart, and he insisted on requesting an imperial edict for marriage from the Empress Dowager! This is how… our Yunshang Shop became famous and dared to boldly open in Great Zhou.”

Chun Zhi remembered how the Ninth Prince had led troops to provide reinforcement, and after being injured and falling unconscious, the young lady had stayed by his side the entire time. She immediately gasped, yet couldn’t help feeling indignant on behalf of her young lady.

She glanced at Bai Qingyan and couldn’t resist asking: “This Ninth Prince’s betrothed princess-to-be, which family’s daughter is she from your Yan Kingdom?”

“She’s the daughter of Minister Meng from our Yan Kingdom, our Yan Kingdom’s foremost beauty, Miss Meng Zhaorong. She was once as famous as Princess Liu Ruofu of the Jin Kingdom. Many people probably know her. She and our Ninth Prince are truly a perfect match of talent and beauty, a union made in heaven. When the Xiliang war ends and the Ninth Prince returns home in glory, our Yan Kingdom’s Empress Dowager will probably arrange their wedding!”

Chun Zhi became even more anxious, unable to help worrying for Bai Qingyan: “Your Ninth Prince…”

“I heard you also have picture books of the Ninth Prince and your princess-to-be here?” Bai Qingyan interrupted before Chun Zhi could finish, smiling.

“Indeed! If you’re interested, when the clothing is finished, I’ll send it to your residence as well…” the shop assistant said with a smile.

“I’m pregnant, so even if I were to have clothes made, I’d have to wait until after the child is born. Otherwise, as my belly grows day by day, they wouldn’t fit properly…” Bai Qingyan glanced toward Weizhong.

Understanding her meaning, Weizhong stepped forward, pulled silver from his sleeve, and placed it in the assistant’s hand, smiling: “Our lady enjoys reading picture books to pass time during pregnancy. Could you sell us one of those picture books? When our lady safely gives birth later, we’ll certainly return to have clothes made.”

“This…” the assistant hesitated somewhat.

“Give this lady one copy.” A clear voice came from behind.

Bai Qingyan looked up and saw a graceful, slender young lady wearing plain, flowing cloud satin and a face veil.

“Yes, Miss Meng…” the assistant hurriedly bowed to the young lady.

The young lady looked toward Bai Qingyan, and when she saw Bai Qingyan’s strikingly beautiful features, she paused, then nodded slightly before entering the back area with her maid.

“Miss, that lady… is truly beautiful,” the maid accompanying the young lady said softly to her mistress.

“Yes, truly devastatingly beautiful! So open and forthright, without any concealment.” The young lady gently touched the veil on her face. “In comparison, wearing this veil… makes me seem pretentious.”

“Miss, what are you saying! After all, that lady is already a married woman, while you haven’t yet left your boudoir, so naturally you should be more careful!” the maid hurried to say. “Miss, if Young Master Cui were here, he would give clothing to that lady. If that lady wore our family’s clothes, she’d become a walking advertisement when she goes out. Young Master Cui gave you this shop, so it’s your shop now. You should consider what’s best for this shop! Do you think… we should give clothing to that lady?”

“We won’t be staying here long anyway!” Miss Meng said in a low voice.

“Whether we stay long or not, this shop was given to you by Young Master Cui, so it’s your shop no matter what. You should care about it! Even if we leave afterward, good business will fetch a good price when selling the shop!” the maid persuaded.

Hearing this, Miss Meng laughed softly, as if convinced: “That lady is pregnant, so even if we measured her now, the clothes wouldn’t fit when they’re finished. Better to form a good connection now, and when that lady gives birth later, we can make clothes to her measurements and give them to her.”

“Miss is so clever! Then this servant will send someone to follow them, so we’ll know which family this noble lady belongs to!”

“Mm!”

The manager had already given instructions, so the assistant hurriedly pushed back the silver Weizhong had offered: “Please wait a moment, madam. I’ll get it for you.”

Originally, making clothes and giving books, then delivering picture books when clothes were finished, was to increase sales. They hadn’t expected someone who only wanted to buy picture books without ordering clothes.

·

Weizhong had reserved a private room at a restaurant, conveniently located upstairs where opening the window provided a view of the street scene below.

Bai Qingyan sat by the window, flipping through the picture book obtained from the Yunshang shop that day.

The Bai family guards told Weizhong that after leaving the shop called Yunshang, people from that shop had been following them. Weizhong figured that the shop had seen Bai Qingyan’s extraordinary bearing and wanted to see which family’s lady she was, hoping to curry favor for future business, so he didn’t pay much attention to it.