Chapter 163: Hot Rumors

"Younger Sister Mi."

"Elder Sister Mi."

"……"

Qiuwen Palace.

Mi Fei looked at the imperial concubines who would normally never come to her palace.

But now, there were not enough chairs in her room, so she could only let a few concubines of higher status sit, while the others stood.

Yet even so, they seemed unwilling to leave.

She smiled helplessly; she knew the purpose of these concubines very well.

It was all for the box of things Yan Wang had sent her—Perfume.

"We haven't even seen what the perfume the Emperor has is like before it was requested by the Empress and the Noble Consorts; now, we haven't even seen what perfume looks like," one concubine complained.

"Sigh, who told us their status is noble? Our lives are bitter, we can only pick up what others leave behind."

"It's one thing that they took advantage, but now they wear the perfume on their bodies every day and sway in front of us; it is truly infuriating."

"……"

The concubines chattered, feeling quite sour.

De Fei, who was sitting in the seat of honor, looked at Mi Fei, deliberately wiped the corner of her eye, and feigned hardship: "It is still Younger Sister Mi Fei who has a good life. Although Yan Wang previously suffered from a brain ailment, he is now recovered and has become accomplished. Even for the sake of Yan Wang, the Emperor must be respectful to you. Unlike me, who only has one daughter, Changle, who will eventually be married off; I can only use this old face to vie for favor."

"Sigh, Elder Sister, do not say that. At least the Emperor dotes on Changle, unlike my Eleventh Imperial Prince, who has neither the support of a powerful clan nor is as accomplished as Yan Wang. He can only be like air in the palace. As his mother, I can only break my heart trying to please the Emperor to secure a good future for him," Shu Fei sighed slightly.

"……"

The concubines complained and sighed, but in the end, they all expressed the same meaning.

They did not want to lose to others.

It had spread throughout the palace that the Emperor was also very fond of this perfume.

He would sprinkle some on his body every day.

This perfume had practically become a trendy item within the palace.

Those who had it felt superior, and those who did not felt uneasy.

But there was one thing everyone knew: this item was made by the Yan Prince Mansion.

"Honorable elder and younger sisters, do not be anxious. There will eventually be some. In his letter to me, Yan Wang said that this was merely brought to let the palace have a taste of something new, and it will soon be on sale in Jingshi. You can just buy it then," Mi Fei explained. "However, if you are in a hurry, you may take the perfume I have here and use it first."

"Many thanks, Younger Sister."

"Many thanks, Elder Sister."

"……"

Everyone thanked her immediately; they were naturally unable to wait.

After Mi Fei's personal maid brought the box out.

They rushed over in a swarm.

A few concubines of equal status almost fought because they liked the same scent.

Mi Fei shook her head, looking at the chaos in the room.

She thought to herself that she was increasingly unable to understand her own child.

How did he come up with these things?

……

Qiwu Courtyard.

It had the reputation of being the number one brothel in Jingshi.

The nobles and aristocrats entering and exiting here every day were like crucian carp crossing a river.

Half of the women on the Hundred Flowers Ranking compiled by the romantic figures of Jinling came from here.

It could be said that any woman here would be a top courtesan if she went elsewhere.

Precisely because of this, even the Emperor Zhao Heng could not endure the loneliness and often traveled incognito from the palace to choose beauties himself.

However, an emperor visiting a brothel was, after all, not a glorious matter.

So, he always came to rendezvous in secret under the arrangements of the Prince of Chun.

But as time passed, word still leaked out.

Some remonstrating officials even submitted memorials to rebuke him, but he ignored them all.

To him, did a dignified emperor not even have the right to enjoy himself?

If these ministers could come, why could he not?

Of course, while he believed in indulgence, he did not leave the Great Song empire behind.

After all, only when the empire was safe could he enjoy himself with peace of mind.

As for after he died? Let the floodwaters rage.

"Do you like it?"

In a boudoir on the third floor of Qiwu Courtyard, four imperial guards in plain clothes stood at the door.

Inside the room, Zhao Heng gently dabbed the perfume onto a woman's snow-white neck.

The woman's previously furrowed brows smoothed out, and a smile gradually appeared in her eyes.

"Your Majesty, where did this thing come from? It is truly delightful," Xiao Shishi said.

Seeing the beauty smile, Zhao Heng was in a great mood. "This was sent to me by Yan Wang. If you like it, Beauty, I will have someone send more."

"Are there others?" Xiao Shishi smelled the fresh fragrance and was very satisfied.

"Of course there are. It is said that Yan Wang collected all the flowers in the world; there are as many types of perfume as there are flower scents. What was sent this time is only a small portion," Zhao Heng held up a small finger.

"If that is the case, then this servant wants to collect all the flower scents in the world," Xiao Shishi leaned against Zhao Heng and acted coquettishly.

Zhao Heng felt as if he had eaten honey, and he said, "Simple, simple. I will write a letter to Yan Wang as soon as I return, and have him send a batch of exquisite Perfume for the Beauty."

"The Emperor is truly kind." Xiao Shishi took the opportunity to lie in Zhao Heng's arms.

Zhao Heng felt a surge of pride, and the image of Yan Wang flashed through his mind.

An emperor's thoughts are like the summer weather; they change in an instant.

In the past, he did not like this son, feeling that he had lost face for the Imperial Clan.

Now, however, he found that he liked this son more and more.

It was not only because he had earned face for the Imperial Clan in Yanzhou, allowing him to vent his frustrations before the powerful clans.

It was also because he and his son truly shared a mutual understanding, and the things he sent always pleased him.

There was no need to mention the Fine Wine.

Now, if there was no Wine from Yan Wang at a banquet, the food simply did not taste good.

And this time, the Perfume had allowed him to win the favor of a Beauty.

Thinking again of the deposition of the Crown Prince and the struggle for the throne among the Imperial Princes.

This son was still the one who made him feel at ease and comforted.

……

Jinling Yan Commandery Trading Firm.

Dong An was a bit bewildered by the nobles of Jinling who had suddenly swarmed his door.

"Manager Dong, the Perfume has arrived; you must reserve some for our British Duke's mansion."

"Manager Dong, Silver is not an issue, but you cannot short our mansion on the Perfume. My wife said that if we don't get the first batch, she will break my legs."

"If your legs are broken, so be it; my young lady will take my life."

"……"

Inside the room, Dong An was almost submerged.

Everyone was scrambling to speak, and spittle flew all over his face.

But what depressed Dong An was that he had no idea what had happened.

"What Perfume?" Dong An asked.

"Stop pretending; don't you know about your own goods?"

"Exactly, are you trying to avoid giving it to us?"

"Let me tell you, if you don't agree, we are staying right here and not leaving."

"……"

The crowd was noisy and clamorous.

After listening for a long while, Dong An finally gathered bits and pieces of information.

It turned out that some daughters of noble families were serving as concubines in the palace.

When their mothers and sisters went to visit them, they saw something called Perfume and were immediately amazed by it as if it were a divine object.

Upon returning, these wives and young ladies could no longer remain calm.

Learning that it was a product of Yan Wang and would be sold in the future, they each either sent their sons or their servants over.

This was how the current scene came to be.

Hearing this, Dong An felt even more depressed; why did he not know about such a miraculous commercial product?

"Your Highness, have you forgotten Dong An?" Dong An felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

It was all his father's fault; otherwise, how could he have let that bastard Yang He stay in Yan Commandery, where he could see everything firsthand?

While he was wailing internally, a clerk from the trading firm came up and whispered a few words to him.

Upon hearing this, he felt slightly better.

Someone had come from Yan Commandery, asking him to test how much Silver per bottle of Perfume the nobles of Jinling could accept.

In this way, the Prince's mansion could set the price.