Finest Servant

Chapter 300 The Sales Pitch

The first three palanquins of the procession were quite eye-catching, and Lin Wanrong's gaze, which was malevolent, quickly fell upon the woman seated in the second soft palanquin.

The woman had red lips and a snowy complexion, an attractive figure, and her gaze flitted about. Her radiant eyes sparked with each glance, seemingly shy yet brimming with unspeakable audacity and extreme charm. She glanced around, a soft, enchanting smile blossoming on her face. The woman was none other than Sister An, whom he hadn't seen in days. Sister An seemed to have changed, her hair was piled up high and pierced with a glittering golden hairpin featuring dragons and phoenixes. She wore two green agates inlaid in gold in her ears, her bosom ample and hips curvaceous, a figure full of allure, which was dazzling to behold.

Behind her, in another soft palanquin, sat a young nobleman. He was dashing, carefree, and extraordinary, lightly smiling at the crowd. Lin Wanrong recognized him too—it was none other than Zhao Kangning, Prince Cheng's son, with whom he had crossed swords several times in Jinling.

With Zhao Kangning present, wouldn't the person seated in the frontmost palanquin be his father, Prince Cheng?

Lin Wanrong quickly cast his eyes over to see a middle-aged man with a square face and thick eyebrows seated in the palanquin, dressed in brocade robes and a yellow cape, radiating an extraordinary aura. This, of course, was the renowned Prince Cheng, known as the Virtuous Prince. As expected of a favored son of heaven and a noble of the Empire, his form was robust, his gaze sharp. Despite the smile playing at his lips, no one dared meet his gaze, for he radiated an aura of imposing authority.

Bloody hell, this vixen finally showed up, Lin Wanrong thought with a surge of excitement, which was quickly followed by confusion. He knew that An Biru intended to use Prince Cheng to deal with her senior sister. But ever since the White Lotus Sect had been wiped out, she had lost her base of power, and even if she wanted to help Prince Cheng, she didn't have the capacity. Furthermore, without her power, she and the Prince were no longer on the same level, and she would lose all her influence over him, and may even end up under his control. Lin Wanrong had spent some time with An Biru and knew that Sister An was not one to suffer losses. She had never mentioned Prince Cheng in his presence, and just a few days ago, she had asked him to deal with her senior sister. But now, after only a few days apart, she was back with the Prince. Could they have been in a relationship all along?

He pondered over it but couldn't make heads or tails of it. He merely looked at An Biru's enchanting smile, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Zhao Kangning and his father led a procession of hundreds. Soldiers led the way, followed by various officers guarding them, their mighty march towards the mountain was quite a spectacle, attracting the attention and cheers of many.

"Look, it's Young Prince Ning," Huan'er exclaimed upon seeing Zhao Kangning, her little hands clapping excitedly and her face turning red with excitement.

Zhao Kangning waved and greeted the crowd from his palanquin, his charming, distinguished demeanor and the status of being a royal firstborn, with an illustrious family background, naturally attracted countless women. As the Young Prince waved and greeted, a series of sharp cheers erupted from the crowd, mostly from the women who had come out for the Spring Festival, dreaming of transforming from sparrows into phoenixes. Seeing their idol, how could they not go wild?

Observing Huan'er's smitten expression, Lin Wanrong shook his head in private and laughed, asking, "Huan'er, do you really think this Young Prince is that good?"

Huan’er shook her head and said, "I don't know if he's good or not, but the young prince is quite handsome and distinguished, like a fine jade in the wind. He's the prince's son, who could compare? There are rumors that our current Emperor has no sons, and wants to adopt the young prince to inherit the throne. Such a charming and powerful figure, of course everyone speaks well of him."

Inherit the throne? Lin Wanrong hummed in his heart. The young prince may have a charming exterior, but he was sly in secret. If he became the emperor, it wouldn't be a blessing for the people. However, judging from Xu Wei's attitude towards Zhao Kangning, it didn't seem like the Emperor intended to adopt him. Otherwise, why would Zhao Kangning conspire with the White Lotus rebels, and why would Xu Wei be trying so hard to diminish their influence? The adoption matter was probably the work of those who wished to muddy the waters. But court affairs were deep and complex, beyond the comprehension of ordinary folk.

Watching as Prince Cheng and his party ascended the mountain, Sister An's figure gradually receded into the distance. Lin Wanrong chuckled and asked, "Huan’er, if I stood next to the young prince, whom would you prefer?"

Huan's face reddened as she replied, "Brother San, you're naughty, asking such a question." She thought for a moment and continued, "The young prince is handsome, but he seems distant to us. Even if he looks good now, knowing someone's face doesn't mean knowing their heart. I have no idea what kind of person he truly is. How could he compare to you, Brother San? Even if you're not as handsome and elegant as the young prince, you are kind and gentle. Even when you're a bit naughty, I like you very much—"

Her voice trailed off as she spoke, appearing like a young girl in love. Lin Wanrong was disgruntled. ‘Damn it, was this blasted young prince more handsome than me? What were they looking at? He's just a bit fairer than me. But my complexion represents health, something countless people are envious of and strive for.’

Lin Wanrong wanted to chat with Sister An, but seeing how close she was with Prince Cheng, he was uncertain of their relationship. If they were lovers, wouldn't it be futile and possibly embarrassing to approach her? He might even expose his intentions, causing unnecessary trouble, so he decided to wait and see.’

—---

The Grand Prime Minister Temple was enveloped in incense smoke, with a crowd of visitors coming and going. Young men were calling out to their friends, young ladies were shy and charming; it was a bustling scene.

The flower-viewing event hadn't started yet, but the Xiaos' fragrance tasting was already in full swing. Women are naturally fond of beauty, and ladies, just done with winter, had heard of a new, special "perfume" available. They all wanted to give it a try. The Xiao family's temporary shop was conveniently located in front of the temple, and soon a long queue formed. The line was filled with young and beautiful ladies, immediately attracting numerous glances. Young men gathered around, more interested in the spectacle than the shop itself.

Furthermore, rumors were circulating that Miss Xiao from Jinling who was hosting the event outshone all the other beauties. The combination of a beautiful woman and fragrant perfume was irresistible, driving the crowd into a frenzy.

The perfume fair was remarkably straightforward in operation, each type of perfume paired with corresponding flowers. The direct comparison of the fragrance of the petals with that of the perfume was both captivating and undeniable.

The Eldest Miss held a bottle of orchid perfume, smiling as she introduced to everyone present, "This perfume is the creation of a genius within our Xiao family. It extracts the essence of hundreds of flowers, refined through an intricate process of eighty-one steps, resulting in a long-lasting, rich fragrance. It can be considered the king of flowers, the pinnacle of all fragrances. Depending on the types of flowers used, there are different varieties. For instance, this orchid perfume I'm holding gives off a delicate, invigorating scent, suitable for ladies of modest and elegant taste. Then there's the rose perfume, passionate and intense, full of floral fragrance, ideal for lively and enthusiastic ladies. And let's not forget the jasmine perfume—"

As she spoke, she uncapped the bottle of perfume. A subtle, elegant scent wafted out, like a gentle spring breeze permeating the air. It was truly regal and elegant, the king of fragrances.

"Depending on individual preferences, we have perfumes with strong, mild, and subtle scents. Ladies can choose different floral types, different scent types, according to their tastes. The application is simple, a small dab will retain its scent for two days." With a casual wave of her hand, maids came forward, hands full of various flower petals.

"Miss Xiao, what do you mean by this?" a lady asked curiously.

Xiao Yuruo gave a faint smile, "Words are empty, seeing is believing. I will apply the corresponding perfume onto these flower petals, and distribute them among you. Please compare them to the petals that have not been perfumed. The effect will be clear at a glance."

The ladies nodded in agreement. This method was excellent, simple, and direct, leaving no room for manipulation.

Maids handed out the petals to the ladies present, each selecting the ones they preferred. Bringing the petals to their noses for a light sniff, an intoxicating fragrance unique to each flower wafted up. Although made from flowers, the scent was more profound than that of the flowers themselves, making it difficult to let go after just one whiff.

"Miss Xiao, how much does a bottle of this perfume cost?" A lady, holding a bottle of rose perfume, caressed it lovingly. Her eyes sparkled with the light of deep affection as she asked anxiously.

Miss Xiao replied with a slight smile, "Only our Xiao family can manufacture this perfume. It is challenging to gather the flowers and even harder to produce the perfume. We have a limited monthly production and only offer limited sales in Jinling and Hangzhou. Currently, there is little stock in the capital, and the price has not yet been set. Therefore, at this flower-viewing event, we are not selling the perfume. We're just offering a simple introduction to everyone."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of disappointment flashed across the faces of the ladies. Some even carefully held the petals that had been perfumed, fearing they would drop.

The Eldest Miss suppressed a laugh, thinking to herself how the mastermind behind all this had such a thorough understanding of these ladies' psychology. By deliberately stating that they weren't selling today, they whetted everyone's appetite and made them appreciate the rarity of the perfume.

"However, today coincides with a flourishing era in the capital, and this grand flower appreciation event. We wish to add to the excitement, and for today, we've prepared a thousand gifts for everyone. These are various styles of perfumes, everyone please look—"

As the Eldest Miss's words fell, two maids emerged carrying colorful platters. On the platters sat tiny glass bottles, each about the size of an infant's fist. Each bottle contained a small portion of perfume. Though it wasn't much, it was enough to leave everyone in awe.

The women gasped in surprise. A thousand gifts, such an enormous gesture! Not to mention the perfume, even the intricately made little glass bottles were worth a tael of silver each.

The crowd gasped in admiration. The Xiao family was indeed generous. Just today's promotional event, which involved giving away items without making a profit, would cost them two thousand taels of silver. It was quite astonishing.

People in this era were simple-minded. They had never seen such a marketing strategy before, and the venue became a sea of excited chatter. Everyone was eager to get their hands on the free gifts. The Eldest Miss quickly announced, "Ladies, please register first, and then you can collect your gift. Thank you all for your support of the Xiao family."

Lin Wanrong, who was halfway up the hill, could see the bustling scene clearly. He couldn't help but feel satisfied. Who in the world wouldn't like a little bargain, especially women, who are the best of the bunch. A single tael of silver could make them the best promoters, and the most loyal kind at that. This business was extremely profitable.

The two thousand taels of silver for promotion, by first withholding then generously giving, intentionally not selling, but generously giving away, truly earned good fortune. It would be hard not to be praised. The reputation of the Xiao family skyrocketed, and the two thousand taels would be easily made back. His calculations were steady, there would be no mistake — when it came to understanding people, when it came to doing business, who in the world could surpass him?

Following the perfume was the promotion of soap. With the precedent of perfume, they didn't need to waste words this time. It was something people could see with their own eyes. With such grand preparations, people easily accepted this great invention. For a while, the line to receive gifts extended from the top of the hill, making for an impressive sight. Luckily, the location where the Xiao family set up the canopy was some distance from the main gate of Grand Prime Minister Temple. Otherwise, the entrance to the flower appreciation event would have been completely blocked.

While all this was happening, a woman's cry was heard: "It's Miss Xu! Miss Xu from Jinghua Academy has arrived."

Xiao Yuruo quickly raised her head and saw Miss Xu approaching with a radiant smile. She was followed by several teachers from Jinghua Academy, including Tian Wenjing, whom they had met at "Fairyland Comes with the Clouds."

"Miss Xu, how come you're here?" The Eldest Miss hurriedly welcomed her, asking softly.

Xu Zhiqing laughed, "I've thoroughly enjoyed using the perfume. Aunt Su also loves it and specially instructed me to come and thank you. I've benefited from you, how could I not lend a hand? I have some influence in the capital. Standing here might attract some more sisters for you."

Her words exuded confidence, but it wasn't bragging. The spectators seeing Xu Zhiqing arrive, started exclaiming in surprise. Miss Xu was adept at music, chess, calligraphy, painting, astronomy, geography, history, mathematics, and had unmatched beauty, she was praised as the number one extraordinary woman of Great Hua, and her influence was indeed extraordinary. Wherever she stood, she was a living signboard.

The Eldest Miss expressed her gratitude from the bottom of her heart, grabbing Xu Zhiqing's hand and saying with a smile, "If that's the case, I can't thank you enough for your kindness, sister, and also for Miss Su's generous love."

Xu Zhiqing nodded with a smile, watching the surging crowd gathering their gifts, and sighed, "The perfume is truly magnificent. Aunt Su used some, and even my father couldn't stop praising it. Miss Xiao, is the perfume really Lin San's invention? Hmm, where is Lin San? Why don't I see him?"

The Eldest Miss looked around, wondering why this man was absent at this crucial time. Could he have found another lady to get himself into trouble with on the way? Truly frustrating!

She had been considerate of Lin Wanrong's recent recovery from his severe injuries and had told him to come later in the morning. It was meant to be a polite comment, but she had actually hoped he would be by her side early. However, it seemed this man remembered only her casual words and took the chance to slack off. The sun was already high in the sky, yet there was no sign of him.

"He..." the Eldest Miss sighed helplessly, "There's no one in our family who can keep him in check. Given the time and his absence, I fear some lady is suffering his mischief again."

Xu Zhiqing couldn't help but giggle at her words, "Little sister, from the way you talk, Lin San sounds like a tyrant in your household. I can't believe that a clever girl like you can't manage him."

Young Master Ye, who was following behind Xu Zhiqing, curiously asked, "Miss Xu, who is this Lin San you're talking about? Is he the creator of this perfume?"

"It's not just the perfume," the Eldest Miss sighed softly, leaning over to Xu Zhiqing's ear, "Even the strange undergarments I sent to you and Miss Su were invented by Lin San."

"Is that true?" Xu Zhiqing asked, her face turning bright red.

The Eldest Miss nodded. Xu Zhiqing was dumbfounded for a while before she said, "No wonder my father said he is the most unfathomable man. He stole the Arabic numerals, but where did he copy this perfume and undergarments from?"

While the two ladies didn't answer Young Master Ye's question, he didn't seem awkward at all. He smiled gracefully, "Is this Miss Xiao? I am Ye Yuchuan. I've heard about Miss Xiao from Brother Tian Wenjing several times. After seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is not unwarranted."

Tian Wenjing was standing behind Miss Xu and Young Master Ye. He had noticed the Eldest Miss for a while and, seeing that she was free, he approached with a smile, "It's nice to see you again, Miss Xiao. It has been a few days since the lantern festival. I hope you are well?"

The Eldest Miss responded with a polite bow, "Thank you for your concern, Young Master Tian. I'm doing fine."

Tian Wenjing glanced around, noting that the Xiao family had sufficient staff and the distribution of the gifts was proceeding orderly. He offered, "Miss Xiao, do you have some spare time now? Today is the annual flower viewing festival at Grand Prime Minister Temple. There are many distinguished guests from the capital here to appreciate the flowers. It would be a shame to miss this opportunity. I would be glad to accompany you to enjoy the flowers."

Both Xu Zhiqing and Young Master Ye detected Tian Wenjing's intentions. The Eldest Miss did not answer him directly but turned to Xu Zhiqing with a smile, "Sister Xu, did you come today specifically for the flower viewing?"

Xu Zhiqing smiled, "Sort of..."

Ye Yuchuan interjected, "It's not that simple. Miss Xu personally cultivated a few flowers to display at the flower viewing festival."

The Eldest Miss's eyes widened in delight. "Really, sister?" she inquired.

Xu Zhiqing offered a soft smile. "I grow flowers merely as a hobby," she confessed. "The display is nothing noteworthy, merely an opportunity to meet like-minded people and exchange some experiences. My dear sister, if you find yourself with some spare time, why not accompany us inside to see? I anticipate that this year's flower viewing will be bustling."

The Eldest Miss heaved a sigh. "Sister, I do wish to join you, but that Lin San of ours is off gallivanting somewhere again. I've been waiting for him for a long while now, and he hasn't shown up. It's truly infuriating!" Her words, skillfully crafted, subtly rejected Tian Wenjing's kind invitation without arousing suspicion.

Tian Wenjing was left thoroughly confused. What did the invitation to view the flowers have to do with whether or not Lin San showed up? Yet, with his level of courage, he would never have dreamt that this man, Lin San, who dared to steal the Second Miss of the Xiao family, also had the Eldest Miss in his grasp.

Ye Yuchuan found the name 'Lin San' vaguely familiar but couldn't remember where he had heard it. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "Miss Xiao, who exactly is this Lin San you speak of?"

Annoyed, Tian Wenjing replied, "Brother Ye, Lin San is the man who guessed Miss Xu's lantern riddle that day. According to Miss Xiao, he's also the one behind the creation of this perfume and soap."

Ye Yuchuan snapped his fingers in realization. "I remember now! Miss Xu, the man who was being disrespectful to you at the academy gate that day, was it this Lin San? He used a fake name, San Lin. He's quite a cunning fellow indeed!"

Xu Zhiqing merely shook her head and chuckled, remaining silent. The Eldest Miss snorted, "Our Lin San, although he tends to be playful and carefree, is an upright and open-hearted man. If he used a fake name, there must have been a reason, perhaps he was forced to because someone bullied him."

Both Ye Yuchuan and Tian Wenjing found it strange that the Eldest Miss was defending Lin San so fiercely. However, they assumed it was simply her protecting one of her own and decided not to dwell on it.

Curious, Xu Zhiqing glanced at the Eldest Miss and smiled. "In that case, we shall go ahead. Miss Xiao, once Lin San arrives, do make sure to come and take a look."

—---

Looking at the long line of people queued up to collect gifts, Lin Wanrong chuckled to himself, thinking of it as his future source of income. As he started to walk up the mountain, he noticed Zhao Kangning and a few others had already dismounted their sedan and were heading towards the Grand Prime Minister Temple.

Sister An walked alongside Prince Cheng. The Prince must have made some jest, for An Biru shot him a flirtatious glance, her body trembling with her girlish laughter. Her peachy cheeks and curvy figure added to her allure, making her look exceedingly enticing.

"What a flirtatious vixen," Lin Wanrong muttered under his breath, his displeasure evident. "When she was trying to seduce me, I never saw her put so much effort into it."

"Brother San, what did you say? Something about a flirty vixen? Putting effort into what?" Huan'er, walking beside him, asked with a sweet voice.

A flush rose to Lin Wanrong's cheeks, and he chuckled awkwardly, "Oh, it's nothing. I was just saying, Huan'er, you have the potential to become a little vixen, so I was giving you some encouragement."

"Hmph!" Huan'er huffed, her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment, and she hastened her pace, darting a few steps ahead.

As Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, preparing to chase after her, he saw Sister An glance back at him from the temple gate. Her gaze was direct, and her smile grew more enchanting than ever...

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