Chapter 113

I still have several sets of top-tier skincare and makeup kits here. If Steward Jin uses them as gifts, even reaching the heavens wouldn't find fault. However, those are limited edition; across the Great Jin there are only five sets. Prince You took two, and I still have three. I can let Steward Jin look at them first; in the future, if there are marriages in my family, they'd make a splendid dowry or betrothal gift.

Steward Jin immediately thought of the Second Prince, who was about to get married.

It's actually a large gift box of high-end cosmetics, the outer skin is deep red with intricate hollow patterns, and a big bow tied with gold-threaded ribbon on top. The box looks shiny and impressive, but it's purely acrylic. Inside, black velvet lines it, with three layers that can be lifted, and the nine skincare items should last about half a year.

But Jin Guanshi is an old-fashioned person; he had never seen rouge like this, and he felt that buying it for the Prince to bestow upon the Second Prince's consort was indeed quite respectable.

How much silver?

This square case is for skincare and base makeup, 8,800 taels. This long one is a lipstick set, 6,200 taels, with a limited-edition color not found on the market.

Jin Guanshi: ……

On Vermilion Bird Avenue, you even feel that a tael of silver here doesn't carry the same weight as elsewhere.

"Zhu Guanshi, this is too expensive, isn't it? Moreover, these items are somewhat difficult to use; the nobles of Chang'an might not necessarily use them."

That's simple; just send two maidservants to the shop to learn—we at Floral Appearance will teach for free. Once you know the steps, with practice it becomes second nature; it's all about skill.

Jin Guanshi thought it made some sense; he had never seen a lady who claimed she couldn't apply rouge, so learning it should work.

"Then tomorrow we'll have two come over to learn, and I'll take all three sets."

"Jin Guanshi has the means!"

Then Zhu Ti reached out to a shelf behind them and said, "Add some eyeshadow and eyebrow pencil too; we can't be missing just these two, after all, whether a person looks good hinges most on the eyes." As she spoke, she blinked her large eyes with gold-brown eyeshadow, quite convincing.

Jin Guanshi: …… Numb. This shop is a set of nested sets, an endless loop.

Not long after, Zhu Ti went upstairs to inform the Great King, "Those three sets sell for 45,000 taels to the Second Prince. The Jin family has already spent over 400,000 taels on our Vermilion Bird Avenue; before they leave, they should scrape together 500,000 taels to have the army see them off."

Wei Shen: …… Grateful.

Knowing his cousin was poor and only charged two thousand taels, his older brother laid out forty-five thousand.

The Great King beamed, excitedly slinging an arm over his cousin's shoulder, "Hahaha I made money! Cousin, I'll spend a fortune to take you to the Sea-Tasting Pavilion for a big feast!"

Wei Shen: "Hah, what's there to spend? It's just moving money from one hand to the other. I want to eat a flatfish as long as your arm!" As far as he knew, aside from that disgusting black bug, the fish caught by the treasure ship were the most valuable of all. The Second Prince's sole principle was to eat only the expensive.

The Great King went further, "Tsk! You're not going, huh? Then let's head back to the Prince's Mansion to eat!"

"You're so young, yet you dare to pretend to be deaf? Let me see what's stuffed in your ears!"

"Hahaha~"

The entire second floor filled with the Great King's clear laughter, while the Second Prince's attendants were truly deaf, the two of them silently counting the floorboard patterns together. Ah, this place is truly luxurious, the floor even laid with such beautiful patterned flooring~

Sea-Tasting Pavilion

Since opening, business has been merely average, after all only a handful of people in Dark Prefecture have the leisure to visit a tavern, and the base is small.

The Great King came over to look after business and was fairly pleased, perhaps because today the street had some new liveliness, and the downstairs hall unexpectedly had four or five tables.

"Could it be that Dark Prefecture's economy is improving?"

Wei Shen ignored him, pulling him along as he walked forward, saying, "You Dark Prefecture folks are all out reclaiming land; who knows who's sitting here." Little did he know that his words would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Great King: 'Hmph!'

"Let's just sit downstairs; it's lively."

"Wei Shen didn't care, saying, 'The host gets to decide.'"

They found a seat by the window and sat down, while Ling Yin and Zhao Bao went to another table.

"As Xiao Er came over to take the order, Wei Shen directly inquired, 'I heard you have a kind of fine liquor here?'"

"Xiao Er enthusiastically promoted, 'Yes, sir! It's called Dark Prefecture White. Everyone who's tried it sings its praises; it's absolutely top-notch liquor. Would you like a jug?'"

"Upon hearing that name, Wei Shen gave the Great King a speechless look, 'What's the deal? You slap 'Dark Prefecture' on everything, afraid people won't know where it's from.'"

"The Great King gave a glance to Wang Zhanggui of the Sea-Tasting Pavilion, and he immediately came out from behind the counter."

"Others might not know the Great King, but he still knows him."

"Wang Zhanggui directly sent Xiao Er away, 'Xiao Shi, go to the kitchen and rush the dishes for table five; I'll receive the honored guests.'"

"When Wei Shen brought up Dark Prefecture White again, Wang Zhanggui bluntly said, 'There isn't any.'"

"Eh? Wei Taiping, are you messing with me like that? Just now that Xiao Er said there was, but swap in an old manager and suddenly there isn't? Hurry up and bring it out for me to taste!"

"Great King innocently said, 'What's it got to do with me? I didn't say a word.'"

"You didn't give him a signal? How did it suddenly disappear? Manager, speak the truth—do you have it or not! This young master will definitely have a taste today!"

"Wang Zhanggui glanced at the Great King, just as Wei Shen caught him, 'Look! Look what he's doing? Don't you, as the manager, know? Look at what the customer is doing!'"

"Wang Zhanggui: …… It's too hard; nobody dares to offend."

"The Great King came to his rescue, 'Minors can't drink alcohol.'"

"Wei Shen was shocked, 'I'm fourteen—I started drinking at twelve!'"

"The Great King wore a look of regret, 'Your uncle really is unreliable. I was saying, cousin, why are you like this? Drinking as a minor affects brain development; it's not smart.'"

"After Wei Shen processed this, he gritted his teeth in anger, 'Wei! Tai! Ping!'"

"They were still arguing when a table behind them rose as if to settle the bill and leave; Wei Shen glanced over unintentionally and saw that table's dishes barely touched, and just as he was about to tease the Great King about how his food wasn't great either, in the next instant he saw that person draw a knife from under the table and slash straight at the Great King!"

"Get out of the way!"