Chapter 144: The Throne Belongs to Her

Qin He dared not let others handle it and always supervised the shop personally.

The shop in a bustling district of Jingcheng saw a constant stream of high officials and nobles; He Yan and Rong Juan naturally did not need to handle matters themselves, sending a strategist from their side was enough. As long as Qin He could earn silver, everything else was negotiable.

A guard brought a box of soap. Unfolding the brocade, six bars of soap were neatly arranged inside.

Palm-sized, the soap was fine and delicate.

Qin Bi played with the soil, then looked up: "New styles from the shop?"

The few bars of soap featured newer, high-end designs, clearly of superior quality. Even from a distance of over a meter, Qin Bi could smell a faint, elegant fragrance; it was not overpowering, for Qin Bi could not tolerate strong scents.

Guard Yan nodded: "New soap, not yet on sale. Mr. Lin, the chief strategist, devised the new formula."

Qin Bi smiled slightly. With Qin He partnering with the son of a powerful minister to open a shop, there was no profit to be gained.

"Is there more?" Qin Bi wanted to give some to He Shi.

"Yes." Guard Yan withdrew.

About half an hour later, Guard Yan returned, carrying a stack of soap.

Ten boxes had been made in total, and all were brought back.

Whenever Qin Bi wanted something, Rong He Shizi obliged without fail.

Unfolding the brocade, Qin Bi glanced inside, then gathered the soil. Alas, there was too little soil; it could not even fill one flowerpot. "Keep half, and send the rest to the fourth branch of Qin Yan Hou Fu. Tell them it is for the legitimate mother and the sisters-in-law."

Pausing, Qin Bi added: "Don't forget to mention it to my mother; send a portion to Third Aunt as well."

Guard Yan took two wooden boxes and went to Qin Yan Hou Fu.

When Guard Yan arrived, Jiang Shi and Lin Shi were both in He Shi's room. Hearing that Rong Wang Fu had sent soap, the women were surprised. Previously, only Qin He and Qin Han had brought soap back to the Hou Fu to distribute among the branches.

Of course, the third and fourth branches received nothing.

"Let me see." Jiang Shi opened it, picked up a bar, and smelled it: "What a fragrant scent."

Seeing the quantity of soap, He Shi understood. Guard Yan conveyed Qin Bi's words.

He Shi instructed: "Call your Third Aunt here."

Jiang Shi went personally to the third branch's courtyard. Within moments, Zhu Shi followed Jiang Shi over, accompanied by Qin Lang. Qin Lang also loved beauty and enjoyed fragrant soap.

Qin Lang selected a box. Zhu Shi and He Shi exchanged a glance, then sent Jiang Shi back with Guard Yan to express gratitude.

Qin Lang handed the soap to Zhu Shi's maid: "I am coming too."

Guard Yan rode back first, as he had official duties to attend to. Jiang Shi and Qin Lang traveled by carriage, stopping at the shop along the way to buy several types of cakes favored by Qin Bi and Rong Yuan, as well as braised meat and small snacks.

Seeing Jiang Shi and Qin Lang arrive, Qin Bi smiled: "Do you like the soap?"

"We do." Jiang Shi beamed: "We love it immensely."

"Sister, I think this is better than what is sold in the shop." Qin Lang loved beauty and understood everything.

"The He Shizi had it sent back." Qin Bi put away the soil and said with a smile: "I liked it, so I had half sent to you. Items approved by the He Shizi should be suitable for someone like me who is pregnant."

Hearing this, Jiang Shi knew it must be top-quality soap.

Jiang Shi patted Qin Bi's hand with her handkerchief: "Qin Bi, it seems the He Shizi values you more and more. When you were pregnant with Rong Yuan, the Rong He Shizi was already very protective of you; now, he seems even more anxious."

This was Rong Juan's child, but Qin Bi smiled, knowing Jiang Shi did not.

Qin Lang's eyes sparkled, then he happily complained: "Previously, only Qin He brought soap back. Qin Han only sent a portion during festivals and New Year. Sister, it is good that you remember us."

Jiang Shi sighed lightly. Qin Han brought soap back to her natal home only for show; otherwise, she would not have brought any.

Every time, Qin Han counted the soap carefully before distributing it, not giving a single extra piece. Qin Han was the type who covered every angle, leaving no room for criticism, making it impossible for Jiang Shi to feel close to her.

"Does Qin He know?" Jiang Shi asked thoughtfully.

Qin Bi understood Jiang Shi's meaning; Jiang Shi worried Qin He might cause a scene. Qin Bi smiled: "Does it matter if Qin He knows? The He Shizi and she opened the shop together. Qin He can give soap to others, but others cannot?"

Moreover, as far as Qin Bi knew, Rong Juan and He Yan held larger shares in the soap shop. Qin He's share was the same as Qin Yan, the heir of Qin Yan Hou Fu. Without these young masters, Qin He could not have opened the shop.

Qin He initially had no spiritual root and was a concubine-born daughter. People in Jingcheng did not even know that the second branch of Qin Yan Hou Fu had such a concubine-born daughter. With no foundation, Qin He had to reluctantly let the young masters take the majority shares.

Qin He needed to use soap for social obligations, while the young masters did not. Thus, everyone subconsciously assumed Qin He was in charge.

Having probed Qin Bi's bottom line, Jiang Shi left contentedly with Qin Lang.

That night, Qin Bi felt somewhat tired. After dinner, she went to bed early. Her mind was heavy and groggy. As she fell asleep, she found herself in a towering palace, with the imperial throne at the top empty.

Spiritual birds danced, mountains were shrouded in clouds, and the view was vast and boundless.

Qin Bi walked to the imperial throne, flicked her sleeves, and sat down. In the dream, the throne was hers.

However, Qin Bi knew clearly in her heart that there was an Emperor here; she was not the Emperor. Yet this palace was unattainably high and indeed belonged to her. Could she be the Empress? Soon, she dismissed this guess.

The imperial throne and the Empress's seat were not the same. Qin Bi had never entered the Great Yan Imperial Palace, but she knew what she needed to know in the dream. This was the imperial throne, not the small seat of an Empress.

All things changed, and the people of the world were like ants beneath her gaze.

The dream was not clear. The scene shifted, and Qin Bi transformed in myriad ways among the common people. She was a celestial body capable of transformation, yet no matter how she changed, she seemed always to be recognized.

Qin Bi suddenly felt chest tightness and woke up abruptly from the dream.

Rong Juan held her close: "What is wrong?"

"I had a dream." Qin Bi's heart ached: "In the dream, a princess falsely used an imperial edict to kill me, taking advantage of the fact that the Emperor and the Third Prince in my dream did not know she intended to kill me."

Saying this, Qin Bi buried her face in Rong Juan's arms and cried: "She has no right to kill me. Without me, she would never have become a princess."

Rong Juan soothed Qin Bi. He knew not to say dreams were fake and asked: "Did she kill you?"

"No." Qin Bi was certain: "She was merely a mortal princess; she could not kill me. But the place where she tried to kill me seemed to render me powerless. That was the Dragon-Slaying Platform."

Rong Juan gently stroked Qin Bi: "I will kill her later."

Qin Bi's mind shifted. Leaning against the man, she said: "I will continue sleeping. I will beat her to death in the dream. No, I must leave that Dragon-Slaying Platform, or I will feel stifled."

Rong Juan held Qin Bi gently. Qin Bi tried to summon sleepiness but could not sleep; her heart was in a panic.

But she had to sleep, or she would not get through the next few days.

That Immortal-Slaying Platform made her uneasy. Half an hour later, Qin Bi fell asleep. In the dream, she left the Dragon-Slaying Platform, but her consciousness was too hazy to continue.