However, Sheng Sanlang had misunderstood Hong Dou’s meaning. Looking at Luo Sheng, he frowned and said: “Cousin, forcing people to buy and sell isn’t good, is it?”

When his cousin teased handsome young men, honestly speaking, as a man there wasn’t really any loss. If it were him, he’d be quite willing—as long as his cousin provided meals, that would be fine.

But forcing someone to sell their shop could cut off their livelihood. His conscience wouldn’t allow it.

“Forcing people to buy and sell?” Luo Sheng smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Cousin. There won’t be any forcing.”

Sheng Sanlang didn’t understand: “Then what if they refuse to sell no matter what?”

Luo Sheng thought for a moment and said: “Then let’s give it a try.”

Having said this, she lifted her feet and walked toward the cosmetics shop.

“Cousin, wait.” Sheng Sanlang hurriedly caught up.

Just as Sheng Sanlang had said, this cosmetics shop’s business was fairly good. Though it couldn’t be called packed with customers, there were quite a few clients in the store selecting rouge and powder.

As soon as Luo Sheng entered, the shop fell quiet.

The shop was located in an area where nobles congregated, doing business with these very people, so naturally some customers in the shop recognized Luo Sheng.

Why had Miss Luo come here?

Could it be that Hua Xiangrong had released new superior rouge and powder, attracting even the famous Miss Luo?

That couldn’t be—they were all regular customers. If new products had really been released, how could they not know?

There were two very famous cosmetics shops in the western district. This shop didn’t rank among them, which was why Miss Luo had only set foot in it once before and never returned. But anyone who could do business in this area was shrewd—if they couldn’t recognize distinguished guests who had visited once before, they might as well quit.

The very perceptive female proprietress personally came forward to greet them, her face wreathed in smiles: “Miss Luo, please come inside.”

Luo Sheng nodded slightly and lifted her feet to walk inward.

Kou’er at the side spoke up: “Our young lady would like to select some rouge and powder. Proprietress, please take us to a private room.”

Any shop of decent quality would prepare private rooms for guests of noble status—it was just a matter of how many. Hua Xiangrong was naturally no exception.

The female proprietress didn’t harbor the slightest suspicion and respectfully led Luo Sheng and the others into a room.

Inside the room, light incense burned—the fragrance was of superior quality.

A clever female shop assistant served fragrant tea, then silently retreated to the side.

The female proprietress personally brought over a tray and placed it on the table. Inside were arranged exquisite porcelain boxes shaped like round cakes.

“These are the finest rouge products in our shop. Please inspect them, Miss Luo.”

Luo Sheng casually glanced at them and asked the female proprietress: “I wonder who the owner of your esteemed shop is? I have a business matter to discuss.”

Discuss business?

The female proprietress froze for a moment.

“What’s this? Is it inconvenient for the proprietress to say?” Luo Sheng asked indifferently.

The female proprietress could only manage a dry laugh.

She didn’t dare offend Miss Luo, but it truly was inconvenient to say.

Those doing business in this area all had backgrounds, with countless intricate connections to officials and nobles.

Luo Sheng looked at the female proprietress with a smile: “Proprietress, you know who I am, don’t you?”

“Of course I know. You are Miss Luo.”

“And my father?”

The female proprietress couldn’t continue. Her complexion involuntarily paled.

“If I go ask my father, he can investigate and find out. Why must the proprietress do something futile and please no one?”

The female proprietress’s expression had already become quite unsightly.

Luo Sheng’s tone grew increasingly cold: “Fine. You can also first go ask your owner—just say Miss Luo wishes to discuss business with him. Whether he’s willing to show his face is his affair. Why must the proprietress make things difficult for herself?”

Upon hearing this, the female proprietress let out a huge sigh of relief.

That’s right—she was just a proprietress. How could she get involved in these matters? Miss Luo wanted to discuss business with the owner, so she’d just send someone to relay the message to the owner. Whether or not the owner showed their face would be the owner’s business.

The female proprietress summoned a shop assistant and whispered a few words. The assistant immediately hurried away.

“Miss Luo, please wait a moment.”

Luo Sheng nodded.

The female proprietress inexplicably felt great pressure and said with an awkward smile: “Miss Luo can look at our rouge and powder.”

After all, there was nothing to do while waiting. Staring at each other like this was very awkward.

“No need to look. I’ll buy it all. Hong Dou—”

Hong Dou immediately reached for the purse at her waist and skillfully extracted a banknote between two fingers, passing it over: “Proprietress, see if this is enough?”

The proprietress received the banknote with both hands, already at a loss for words.

Miss Luo was truly a god of wealth! Could it be she wanted to buy this cosmetics shop and become the owner?

If so, she was willing to continue as proprietress!

Luo Sheng slowly drank her tea. After waiting about half a double-hour, an older woman hurriedly arrived.

Upon seeing Luo Sheng, the woman first paid her respects, then introduced herself: “This old servant is the chamber attendant of the Second Young Madam from Minister Zhao’s estate. Our Second Young Madam has invested some money in this shop. I wonder what business Miss Luo wishes to discuss?”

If they hadn’t run into Miss Luo, such information wouldn’t be easily revealed to anyone. But who told Miss Luo’s father to command the Brocade Guard? If he truly wanted to investigate, what couldn’t he find out?

Luo Sheng took a sip of tea and gently wiped the corners of her lips with her handkerchief.

So it turned out to be secretly opened by the second grandson’s wife of Minister Zhao from the Justice Ministry, whom she had encountered at the Pingnan Prince’s estate.

She knew nothing about the situation in the capital, so naturally needed to learn more. That day when she returned, she had casually asked about the general situation of Minister Zhao’s family.

Minister Zhao had two sons. Both grandsons from the eldest branch had already married, while the grandson from the second branch was still young. So upon hearing this woman say “Second Young Madam,” she knew it was Minister Zhao’s second grandson’s wife.

“Can you make the decision?” Luo Sheng fixed the woman with an appraising gaze.

The woman smiled: “The Second Young Madam has entrusted this matter to this old servant. However, if it’s truly something this old servant cannot decide, please forgive me, Miss Luo, and allow this old servant to go seek the Second Young Madam’s instructions again.”

“I want to purchase this shop.”

The woman’s expression changed abruptly.

She hadn’t expected that as soon as Miss Luo opened her mouth, she’d need to go seek her mistress’s instructions.

Though this shop’s profits weren’t much, they were steady and reliable. Having finally established a foothold in this area, how could the Second Young Madam be willing to let go?

“Ten thousand taels.”

The woman’s expression changed again, and her legs went weak—she nearly knelt.

Even though this location was prosperous and the shop had stable customers, if it were truly sold, it would at most be worth three thousand taels of silver.

Ten thousand taels—this, this was trying to crush someone with money!

“Well?” Luo Sheng’s expression was confident as she waited for the woman’s reply.

The woman’s thousand words condensed into one character: “Sold!”

Making an extra seven thousand taels for nothing—she could make this decision without seeking the Second Young Madam’s instructions.

One must understand that such a cosmetics shop only profited about forty taels per month. How many years would it take to earn seven thousand taels?

If this deal fell through, the Second Young Madam would definitely kill her.

“Since you’re willing to sell, then there’s no day better than today. Please summon a broker to write up the documents and contract, and handle the procedures for transferring the shop’s ownership.”

The woman’s thousand words once again condensed into one character: “Done!”

After spending just half a day’s effort, the property deed for the shop had already been collected into Hong Dou’s bosom.

Exiting the cosmetics shop, Hong Dou said with a beaming smile: “Young Master Cousin, didn’t this servant say so? When our young lady sets her eyes on something, there’s nothing that can’t be bought.”

But Sheng Sanlang’s mood had grown somewhat heavy.

He had inadvertently overheard the female proprietress muttering that this shop was worth at most three thousand taels on the market, yet his cousin had spent ten thousand taels to buy it.

The young man asked with deep concern: “Cousin, doing business this way, won’t you lose your entire dowry?”