This year’s summer was exceptionally hot. Lin Jiayue’s ice shop’s income grew day by day. Silver poured into the marquis estate like flowing water, causing Madam Jiang and Old Madam Jiang to view her in a new light.

These past few days during morning and evening greetings, Jiang Xingjian had brought Lin Jiayue along. Previously Madam Jiang would still make occasional remarks, but these days she simply pretended not to see.

“Jiayue’s cosmetics shop is about to open. She’s selected several names for Old Madam to review.”

Jiang Xingjian took out a red card and handed it to Baozhu. Old Madam Jiang directly pushed it to Madam Jiang: “You choose one.”

Song Wan sat to the side as if everything had nothing to do with her, only holding a round fan and fanning quietly. Yet in her heart she found it quite strange.

She had Nanny Zhao watch the movements of Lin Jiayue’s cosmetics shop but hadn’t seen her purchase any medicinal materials related to cosmetics formulas, nor had she produced any formulas. How could the shop be ready to open?

“This ‘Radiant Beauty Studio’ is quite good. At a glance you can tell what it’s for. What do you think, Wan’er?”

Madam Jiang handed over the list of names. Song Wan glanced at it briefly and smiled: “What mother has chosen is naturally excellent.”

Hearing this, Lin Jiayue smiled, her eyes showing some confidence.

These past days she and Jiang Xingjian had been as sweet as honey mixed with oil—nothing could be sweeter. Now looking at Song Wan, she didn’t find her as displeasing as before. Moreover, the better her relationship with Jiang Xingjian, the more she felt Song Wan was pitiable.

Recalling how Madam Jiang had sent items to her courtyard multiple times these days, Lin Jiayue didn’t mind Song Wan choosing the name for her shop.

“Since mother thinks it’s good, then Yue’er will use the name Radiant Beauty Studio.”

The word “mother” made Song Wan raise her eyebrows. She saw that though Jiang Xingjian frowned slightly, he didn’t speak up to stop it. Meanwhile Madam Jiang and Old Madam Jiang acted as if they hadn’t heard at all. She couldn’t help but laugh coldly in her heart.

The rules of this marquis estate were collapsing more and more severely.

Seeing this, the others who had come to pay respects all lowered their heads, not daring to look at Song Wan. Only Jiang Yan’s brows were tightly locked in an angry expression.

Song Wan had no intention of wasting time here. After greeting Old Madam Jiang and Madam Jiang, she left Fuhe Hall with Heng Zhi and Heng Wu.

“Miss, this…”

“We’ll discuss it after returning.”

When the group returned to Lanting Courtyard, Heng Zhi said: “What exactly do Old Madam and Madam mean by this? Just because Concubine Lin has earned some silver, she can directly address Madam as mother? Has the marquis estate truly fallen so low? For some vulgar money they can forget even rules and proper relations?”

“Don’t speak of this. What about that cosmetics shop? I haven’t heard that she acquired any formulas. How is the shop ready to open in just these few days?”

“This servant doesn’t know either. This servant will go find Nanny Zhao.”

When Nanny Zhao returned, Song Wan was staring out the window lost in thought. Seeing this, she said with heartache: “Miss, this old servant had people watch for several days. That little harlot truly hasn’t purchased any raw materials.”

“Forget it. When her shop opens, have someone buy some items back for me to examine.”

Song Wan had originally wanted to see how Lin Jiayue’s cosmetics shop would operate, but unexpectedly, before she could send someone to purchase anything, a young maid from Embroidered Smoke Pavilion brought over a large box of cosmetics and powders.

“Reporting to First Madam, this is what my mistress had this servant deliver, saying it’s for First Madam and the elder sisters of the main courtyard to enjoy.”

The young maid opened the red velvet box. Song Wan saw that inside were boxes within boxes, cases within cases—extremely elaborate.

The largest and most precious box among them was made of golden silk sandalwood. When opened, inside was a complete set of cosmetics and powders, with seven or eight different colors of lip rouge alone.

Even more different from before, whether the boxes containing the powders or the pure gold filigree bottles containing the lip rouge, all were extremely luxurious.

Imperial pearls and colored gems were inlaid on top. The craftsmanship was so exquisite and complex that even Song Wan had to admit these items were truly eye-catching.

“These portions are for Elder Sisters Heng Zhi and Heng Wu.”

After opening what appeared to be the most precious set, the young maid successively opened several relatively ordinary sets. The craftsmanship inside these sets wasn’t as luxurious as Song Wan’s, but both the boxes used and the bottles themselves were still quite extraordinary.

“My mistress says this set for First Madam is called ‘Face Cleansing.’ This powder has effects of repairing dull skin and lightening spots for whitening. The set for the elder sisters is called ‘Youth Retention,’ which has the effects of…”

The young girl spoke endlessly. Song Wan stepped forward and picked up the most eye-catching gold filigree powder box, opened it, and brought it to her nose for a light sniff.

A rich fragrance made her furrow her brows slightly.

It wasn’t unpleasant, but she had always preferred subtle elegance and didn’t much like this scent.

Extending her fingertip to pinch a small amount, Song Wan applied it to the back of her hand.

The powder was delicate and translucent, smooth and fair on the skin, very well-suited.

“It’s a good item.”

Hearing this, the young maid beamed with joy: “It is indeed a good item. My mistress says this set for First Madam costs six hundred sixty taels of silver, and currently there are only twenty sets in all the capital. Even the sets for the elder sisters each require the high price of two hundred taels. In the entire marquis estate, aside from the maids in Old Madam’s and Madam’s chambers, only Elder Sister Heng Zhi and the others have them.”

Hearing this, Heng Zhi stepped forward and picked up the set that belonged to her, handing it to the young maid: “Since you like it, I’ll give you mine.”

The young girl refused in panic but was coaxed by Heng Zhi into leaving with it.

Seeing this, Song Wan smiled: “Since it was given to you, why not just keep it?”

“This servant doesn’t care for her things.”

Heng Wu, Xiang Cao, and others, seeing this, also took the sets that belonged to them and distributed them one by one to the lowly serving maids in the courtyard.

“A gentleman does not recommend people based on their words alone, nor dismiss words based on the person. The same should be true for these items.”

Song Wan smiled: “If they’re good, use them. Why quarrel with material things?”

Xiang Cao said: “No matter how good the items are, if they came from that little harlot, this servant doesn’t care for them.”

Song Wan was helpless and let them be.

She herself pondered over the cosmetics and powders Lin Jiayue had sent.

According to what the young maid said, Lin Jiayue’s cosmetics shop wasn’t opened on a whim but after careful consideration. That whole spiel about lightening spots and whitening was delivered with great conviction—presumably formulas dug up from somewhere.

Song Wan opened the powder box again and sniffed carefully, but still couldn’t figure out anything.

“No wonder Nanny Zhao didn’t hear about her purchasing activities. She must have been extremely careful to keep the formulas secret, not revealing the slightest hint.”

Hearing this, Nanny Zhao said: “We underestimated that little harlot. She’s actually quite scheming.”

Master and servant were studying the powders and cosmetics when Lv Zhu hurried over pulling one of the courtyard’s lowest-ranking maids.

“Miss…”

Lv Zhu’s face was deathly pale: “Miss, Concubine Lin of Embroidered Smoke Pavilion wants to harm you. This powder contains poison.”

Song Wan saw Lv Zhu thrust the little maid’s hand before her. Where the powder had been applied was pitch black.