Chapter 270 Choosing An Auspicious Date Again
The att.i.tude and behavior were respectful and polite. Those who saw them on the road gave him the thumbs up silently, thinking Duke Xing was an example of a good temper.
A few other courtiers watched him from a distance, feeling aggrieved for him.
He was an important courtier, but Prince Chen was only a deposed carefree prince. Without the special favor of the Empress Dowager and the emperor, he would only be a sick person without anything indeed.
“Duke Xing, this imperial physician was found by you!” After a low cough, Chu Liuchen spoke more mildly, “Duke Xing, you did a good job, but I know my condition. In the future, please don’t invite the so-called miracle-working physicians to the palace anymore!”
“Prince, how can you belittle yourself like this? No doubt, you will be cured. The emperor will look for famous physicians across the nation to treat you.”
Duke Xing spoke seriously, but he didn’t deny the fact that he took the miracle-working physician to the palace.
“My condition, cough, cough, cough…I know, thank you, Duke Xing!” Chu Liuchen’s voice became low and weak. At the window, what was seen were his tightly shut thin and pale lips. After merely speaking these words, he seemed tired. “Go!”
“Prince, take care of your health!” Duke Xing retired to the side to let Chu Liuchen’s carriage pa.s.s, and Chu Liuchen’s low voice came into his earshot. “Thank you, Duke Xing!”
The carriage moved forward slowly but seemed not to move fast, afraid the person inside would be hurt by the bouncing. Duke Xing raised his head slowly, eyeing the carriage’s back with a deep look.
“Master, I saw Prince Cheng just now!” Xiao Xuanzi climbed into the carriage and whispered, “Duke Xing and Prince Cheng exited one after the other, but when I asked Duke Xing to stop, Prince Cheng disappeared!”
Prince Cheng was the emperor’s young brother and also Chu Liuchen’s third uncle, named Chu Cheng. Since the emperor now only had this brother, though the brother had his fief, he had not left the capital.
But Prince Cheng believed in Buddhism. It was said that he also wanted to become a monk. In former days, he didn’t live in his prince’s mansion, but in different temples. Being a prince of the imperial clan with an extremely low profile, he had a high position, but didn’t have power.
“Hehehe, another ambitious man!” Chu Liuchen opened his glamorous eyes slowly, with his voice sounding insidious and light. It should be extremely melodious, but it turned exceptionally cold when it came to one’s ear, making his scalp numb.
“Prince, do we need to conduct an investigation?” Xiao Xuanzi asked.
“No hurry, let them make a mess first!” Chu Liuchen made a slightly elongated voice, which sounded a little more gruesome than usual, as if it were a sound coming silently from the lost realm of ghosts, with endless creeps!
“What about Second Miss?” Xiao Xuanzi sneaked a peek at his master’s face. Feeling safe, he then reminded him gingerly.
“Our men left in Jiangzhou can come back now!” Chu Liuchen said lightly.
“Yes, I see!” Xiao Xuanzi was quite happy, excited-faced. In fact, he wanted those in Jiangzhou to come back more than anybody else. If so, it could prove Second Miss Qin’s origin at least.
Originally, this was one less important plan of his master, but it was finally used. Xiao Xuanzi even felt like speaking “Thank goodness!”
“Then, what about Jingxin Monastery?” Xiao Xuanzi suddenly thought of another important matter and asked hurriedly.
Chu Liuchen shut his eyes again, with his long eyelashes sticking unevenly to his pale but handsome face, which looked ill but was extremely beautiful.
“Deal with it too, and take that nun in Jingxin Monastery to the capital!” Chu Liuchen said with closed eyes.
“I’ve heard she is unwilling!” Xiao Xuanzi said in dilemma.
“Then slaughter everyone in it!” Chu Liuchen said ghastly and coldly.
“Yes, yes, I see!” Xiao Xuanzi nodded. This meant his master wanted Mingqiu Nun to come to the capital with whatever costs. If she refused, Jingxin Monastery would be slaughtered.
He should tell Mingqiu Nun the truth, lest that his master be angry.
“In a while, an imperial physician is coming from my Imperial Grandmother! I suppose you know what you do!” Chu Liuchen’s face turned paler, with one hand holding the window lattice. The blood vessels bugled on his long hand, and his lips were as white as the snow. He was a little weaker than usual.
“Master, I know. Can you endure?” Xiao Xuanzi asked in a little crying tone.
“I won’t die!” Chu Liuchen’s voice was with somewhat cruelty.
Xiao Xuanzi dare not speak anymore and only had to look worriedly at Chu Liuchen in pain. His eyes turned red, but he dare not reach out his hands to support him.
Finally, they arrived at the Empress Dowager’s Palace of Benevolent Peace. With the support of Xiao Xuanzi, Chu Liuchen got off the carriage. A wheelchair was already at the ready.
Letting him sit down, Xiao Xuanzi walked the wheelchair to the inside, red-eyed. The newly arrived miracle-working physician from Jiangnan was already waiting in the Empress Dowager’s palace. After being greeted, the Empress Dowager asked the new imperial physician to treat Chu Liuchen.
After the imperial physician felt his pulse but didn’t have time to speak anything, he found the weak Prince Chen in the wheelchair turned his eyeb.a.l.l.s upward and pa.s.sed out instantly.
Xiao Xuanzi shrieked, rushed over, and pushed the imperial physician away.
The Empress Dowager changed her expression dramatically out of fear, sank in her chair with her hands and feet twitching, and nearly fainted. After recovering, she kept shouting, “Quick, quick, invite the emperor!”
The entire Palace of Benevolent Peace was in a mess…
Qin Wanru didn’t know Chu Liuchen caused such big trouble after entering the palace. Now, she was standing in front of her shop. As she saw its name “b.u.t.terfly Clothing Shop”, she nodded slightly.
This was not a name given by her, but by Madame Dong. This name was the same as the one of Madame Dong’s shop in her previous life.
She looked at the name and nodded. “Madame Dong, you gave a good name!”
“Second Miss, in fact, this is not what I did!” Madame Dong gave a wry smile and said honestly.
“Oh, what do you mean?” Qin Wanru walked to the inside slowly and asked.
“In fact, this was my childhood’s dream. That time I wanted to make such a name, but later, things changed, and it didn’t come true after many years. Now, thanks to you, Second Miss, I gave the shop the name!” Madame Dong heaved a sigh, but her eyes betrayed bitterness. It looked that she covered something up.
Since Madame Dong didn’t want to say it, Qin Wanru didn’t ask her anymore.
Dong Xiuer also came to welcome her. After that matter, she moved out to live with Madame Dong. Now, it seemed it was a right decision. Dong Xiuer seemed to have more smiles than she was in Qin’s Mansion, and she also looked lively.
Seeing Qin Wanru come in, she put down the silk thread in her hand quickly and came to bow. She also needed to thank Qin Wanru because she nearly fell victim to a plot.
As for this, she had a better knowledge after Madame Dong a.n.a.lyzed the matter further. When she knew what she had done, she had a cold sweat. Almost, she died and lost her good reputation.
Qin Wanru smiled, raised her hand to let her up, and asked smilingly, “What about embroidered maid recruiting?”
“These days I’ve recruited some, several in these days. Now, they are on the third floor. I’ve asked them to embroider some. When our shop officially opens, we will have different kinds of samples.” Madame Dong pointed to the floor above.
The arrangement was very reasonable. The first and second floors were used for selling goods, and the first floor was the place where their embroidered maids worked. As for some of the extremely precious materials, the embroidered maids were not allowed to take home.
It was a must to have such a place to work, let alone some of the clothes should also be made here!
Qin Wanru nodded. “Sorry, Madame Dong, you will have to spend much energy!”
“Second Miss, you are too kind. Without you, I would still be in Jiangzhou now, poor without dependence, and Xiuer’s foot is also…, as your servant, I thank you for your kindness!” Madame Dong bowed low to Qin Wanru, turning her inward grat.i.tude to action.
Dong Xiuer bowed together with her from her side.
“Madame Dong, you are too kind. Now, when will our shop open?” Qin Wanru sat on the chair Madame Dong prepared for her and said after looking around. Everything was prepared here. As the Chinese saying goes: Everything is ready except one key element. The interior of the shop was clean. There were also materials, embroideries, toggle-and-loop b.u.t.tons, and beautiful embroidery edges on display in the counter.
Today Qin Wanru came to choose a very auspicious date for the official opening. In fact, she chose it before, but yesterday Madame Dong suddenly sent her a message to ask her to choose another!
“The previous auspicious date is not bad, but the Flower Appreciating Banquet is coming. If we can open before that, we might have a better business. If we can rise to fame overnight, our business will be much better in the future,” Madame Dong smiled and said.
This was Madame Dong’s idea. That was why she suddenly sent her a message. In fact, this idea was the same as Qin Wanru’s. After receiving the invitation letter from the palace, she wanted to have a discussion with Madame Dong, wis.h.i.+ng to open her shop earlier. Everything in the shop was ready. So, it didn’t look too soon to open.
It was a little inconvenient, but it shouldn’t be trouble!
“This is also good. In fact, this can also draw the attention of some Misses who want to s.h.i.+ne during the palace banquet. The features of our toggle-and-loop b.u.t.tons are somewhat different from those in the capital!” Qin Wanru looked to some of the exquisite toggle-and-loop b.u.t.tons and embroidery edges in the counter. Compared with the ones in the capital, they had a thin layer of yarn, which added some fairyism to them.
“Second Miss, I have also prepared two sets of clothes for you, all made from our cloth. This cloth was the one you chose in the past. With a layer of a thin yarn petticoat on the outside, the toggle-and-loop b.u.t.tons, and embroidery edges, it looks very beautiful!”
As she spoke, Madame Dong walked into the inside room, took out two boxes, and placed them on the table.
Qin Wanru opened them. Although she had already guessed these clothes were uncommon, she couldn’t help exclaiming.
Yujie walked over to spread the clothes. At first sight, Yujie couldn’t help exclaiming, her eyes s.h.i.+ning, but she usually didn’t care about clothing!
“Miss, the dress is really beautiful. Wear it, you will be stunning!”
Qin Wanru smiled but didn’t speak, for she knew Madame Dong didn’t only prepare the two dresses for this purpose, and she must have a deeper meaning…