Chapter 219: Beauty Ointment

Chi Nan Yi, holding a geomancy map, prepared to leave; Meng Hui's face grew grim as she stared at the two porcelain bottles on the table, recalling the words she had just spoken, wishing she could strangle Meng Qinghe on the spot.

He had originally hoped she would marry into the Crown Prince's Residence, which would elevate the Meng Family, but now it seemed she was nothing but a disaster star.

Clutching the porcelain bottle tightly, Meng Hui whispered, "Who exactly are you? How did you learn that I possess this map?"

Chi Nan Yi halted, turned to glance at him, her cool eyes tinged with a hint of mockery; in an instant, a chill surged from the soles of her feet up to the crown of her head: "You… who exactly are you?"

"It's not yet time for you to know," Chi Nan Yi said, turning her back and waving at him, "Soon enough, you will."

Just after Chi Nan Yi returned to the World's First Village, Ji Bai hurried forward: "Miss, someone from the Li Family has arrived."

Chi Nan Yi calculated the time and thought the Li Family had already discovered the marvel of the elixir.

Upon entering the elegant room, it turned out that Li Chen Chong, the head of the Li Family, had arrived in person.

"Head of the Li Family," Chi Nan Yi said with a smile, "I didn't expect the head himself to come today."

Li Chen Chong clasped his hands and said warmly, "Southern First Young Master has done our Li Family a great favor; I must come personally."

"If the head of the Li Family says so, I suppose you already know the benefits of that elixir?"

"Indeed." He produced two brocade boxes from his chest, each containing an East Pearl.

The East Pearl in the left box was clearly several layers larger than the one on the right.

"Southern First Young Master, please observe: these two East Pearls were originally cultivated in the same pond. After retrieving the elixir, I ordered people to soak several East Pearl clams in it. I never expected that after opening the clams today, the East Pearls, having been soaked, would grow this much—larger in size and with a brighter sheen, truly a top‑grade product."

Chi Nan Yi smiled and nodded, "Hearing you say that, I feel much reassured."

Li Chen Chong looked at Chi Nan Yi with solemnity, "Southern First Young Master, may I ask whether you can provide the elixir to the Li Family?"

"Certainly." Chi Nan Yi replied with a smile, "Since we have a cooperative relationship, I will naturally supply the elixir to the Li Family, but I have an additional, somewhat awkward request."

"But feel free to speak."

"I have a manor on the outskirts of the capital, with ponds suitable for raising East Pearl clams. I intend to cultivate some there and hope the head of the Li Family can give me some East Pearl clams."

"It's no big deal; ask for as many as you wish, Young Master, just speak."

"Then thank you, Head of the Li Family. By the way, I have another question: among the East Pearls there are some that grow in extremely irregular shapes; how are such East Pearls ultimately dealt with?"

"Those oddly shaped East Pearls cannot be sent to the Palace; even if slightly processed for sale in the market, they fetch little price, so such East Pearls are discarded."

Discarded?

Isn't that a waste?

"Southern First Young Master, do you actually want those kinds of East Pearls?"

"Indeed." Chi Nan Yi nodded, "Head of the Li Family may not know, but East Pearls can be worn and also have beauty‑enhancing effects."

"Beauty enhancement? What does that mean?"

"A woman's fair appearance, besides natural beauty, can also be maintained through external means using skin‑friendly substances; that is beauty enhancement."

Although the head of the Li Family did not grasp the specifics, he understood the general idea.

"Do you mean the East Pearl can also be ingested?"

"Not at all." Chi Nan Yi waved her hand, "The East Pearl is ground into powder, mixed with a beauty ointment, and applied evenly to the skin."

"I see." Li Chen Chong examined her skeptically for a moment.

A grown man wanting to do beauty treatments like a woman?

Chi Nan Yi, aware of his gaze, smiled and said, "I intend to open a beauty shop and need a large supply of East Pearl powder; would the head of the Li Family be willing to sell these East Pearls to me?"

"Sell what? If you need them, take them; the substandard East Pearls are piled in the rear‑yard warehouse, useless." Seeing Chi Nan Yi still hesitating, Li Chen Chong hurriedly added, "Southern First Young Master, if you refuse, you would be denying me face."

Chi Nan Yi heard this and smiled, "Very well! I shall be presumptuous then."

That day, Chi Nan Yi followed Li Chen Chong to the Li Family's manor where East Pearls are cultivated.

The Li Family's manor was meticulously designed; underground lay a hot spring, and in winter the spring water was mixed with the pond water, maintaining a temperature ideal for East Pearl clams.

Chi Nan Yi's manor, obtained from the Jiang Clan, was similar.

Only under such conditions can East Pearl clams be raised.

Upon entering the rear yard, she saw Li Yunxi directing servants to clean the pond; their eyes met, Li Yunxi froze, glanced down at her slightly soiled garments, and blushed instantly.

"Miss Li previously said she would inherit the family business; it seems it's not a whim, and now she looks quite competent."

Li Yunxi smoothed her somewhat disheveled hair bun and smiled, "Thank you for your guidance that day, Young Master; how did you find the time to come here?"

Chi Nan Yi explained her purpose, and Li Yunxi led her to the rear‑yard warehouse.

Chi Nan Yi had assumed the subpar East Pearls would be few, but was astonished to see them piled like a small mountain in the warehouse.

"There weren't this many low‑quality East Pearls before; I don't know why, but in recent years they've increased, and over half of the opened clams end up here," Li Yunxi turned to Chi Nan Yi, "Now that we have your elixir, it won't be long before the Li Family regains its pinnacle. I haven't properly thanked you yet!"

At this moment, Chi Nan Yi's mind was solely on the East Pearls; she couldn't spare thought to whether she was thanked.

How many layers of East Pearl powder must be ground from these East Pearls?

Before departing, Chi Nan Yi took out a bottle of beauty ointment and handed it to Li Yunxi.

"This is a beauty ointment; applying it daily to the face makes the skin fair and delicate."

In a few days the beauty shop will open, and every bottle of ointment she distributes will serve as the best advertisement.

Although Li Yunxi was cute and lively, her skin wasn't particularly fair; bright‑colored clothes made her look somewhat gaudy.

Li Yunxi took the beauty ointment, and her complexion turned somewhat displeased.

Did Southern First Young Master say she was dark‑skinned?

Chi Nan Yi didn't notice her mood shift; at that moment she only wanted to return quickly and grind the pearl powder.

That night, after washing up, Li Yunxi looked at the beauty ointment on her dressing table, thought for a moment, and finally opened the jar.

In the next instant, a burst of fragrant scent wafted outward, and Li Yunxi's eyes widened.

"How fragrant!"

She had been hesitant before, but now she only wanted to apply the beauty ointment to her face quickly.