Princess Xiangsi - Chapter 102
The old woman selling rouge's eyes lit up immediately when she saw the elegantly dressed young woman before her. She smiled and said, "Yes! Young lady, you have excellent taste. These rouges just arrived this morning! Look at this 'Plum Blossom' rouge box; it's perfect for someone your age."
Yu Wuxia blinked and said, "But my sister said that I shouldn't wear rouge at my age, because it would only detract from my natural beauty."
The old woman frowned and asked, "Your sister?"
“Yes!” Yu Wuxia turned around, and just as she was about to call Qingyun, she found that Qingyun was no longer beside her. Looking around, she found Qingyun in front of a bookshelf not far away. “That’s my sister.”
The old woman's eyes lit up with a smile. She lowered her head and whispered to Yu Wuxia, "Your sister isn't particularly beautiful, but you are naturally stunning. Your sister is afraid that you'll look even more beautiful with rouge on. She's just jealous of you!"
Yu Wuxia frowned, slammed her hand on the table covered with rouge, and shouted, "You're the one who's jealous of my sister!"
Wuxia's palm strike used considerable force, causing many of the rouges on the table to roll onto the ground.
The old woman was so angry that her face turned red and her body trembled uncontrollably. "You ill-mannered wild girl, how dare you rip my clothes off! Pay me back for the rouge, or you're not leaving."
"You slandered my sister first, you ill-mannered old woman!"
"you……"
The argument between the two gradually attracted the attention of the crowd. Qingyun also heard Wuxia's voice and rushed over.
No time to see Qingyun, she immediately grabbed her sleeve angrily, "Sister, that old woman slandered you." Then she told Qingyun the whole story.
After listening, Qingyun frowned, then pulled Wuxia to the old woman and said softly, "Grandma, my sister has a bit of a temper, I hope you can forgive her. Wuxia, apologize to Grandma."
"elder sister!"
"Wuxia, don't cause trouble." Qingyun's voice lowered. "Don't cause trouble for Wuhen, or he won't let you come out to play anymore. We still want to come out to see the maple leaves together! Be good!"
Wuxia pouted, reluctantly lowered her head, and said, "I'm sorry."
When the old woman saw Qingyun's humble demeanor, she assumed she was someone to be trifled with. She immediately frowned and shrieked, "Oh dear, you think an 'sorry' is enough? Do you know that the rouge I, Wang Po, sell is the finest in Fengcheng?"
She crouched down, picked up a box of spilled rouge, and handed it to Qingyun. "Look, this box is Luanmei'er, a top-quality rouge from the palace. It cost me a lot when I bought it."
Qingyun glanced at the box of rouge, a cold glint flashing in her clear, babbling eyes.
The old woman couldn't help but shiver. It was a bright and sunny spring day, yet she felt as if she were standing in an icy valley.
The old woman shook her head vigorously, glared fiercely at Qingyun, and said in a harsh voice, "This box of rouge is worth at least three taels of silver. In addition, there are the other rouges that your sister spilled, as well as the losses to my stall. You have to compensate me, Wang Po, at least thirty-four taels of silver."
The onlookers gasped. This...this was clearly a robbery!
"Wang Po, aren't you asking for way too much?"
"Yeah, yeah! How can you bully these two girls? Where's your conscience?"
...
Volume Two: Fate Leads to a Good Marriage in the Flower Temple (2)
More and more people stood up for Qingyun and the others, and the clamor gradually drowned out Wang Po's imposing manner.
Without a second thought, Wang Po stomped her foot hard on the ground, put her hands on her hips, and declared with the air of a shrew, "I, Wang Po, don't care about anything else, you just have to pay me thirty-four taels!"
Qingyun raised her eyebrows, looking at the old woman with a smile in her eyes, "Grandma, are you sure I really want to compensate you thirty-four taels of silver?"
Qingyun's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority, and the people around her gradually quieted down.
Although her eyes were full of smiles, Wang Po perceived a cold sharpness within them, as cold as metal.
"……yes."
Qingyun took the rouge from the old woman's hand, and lightly touched it with her slender white fingers, leaving a bright red stain on her fingertips.
"Wuxia, come here." Qingyun beckoned to Wuxia's face.
Wuxia immediately leaned closer, and Qingyun gently applied a touch of red, which immediately appeared on Wuxia's fair forehead. After spreading it evenly, Qingyun turned to the crowd around her and asked, "What do you all think of the effect?"
A bright red mark graced Yu Wuxia's forehead, as red as the blazing sun in the sunset.
"This little girl is still too young; it's probably not appropriate for her to wear such bright rouge."
"Yes! This young girl is as pure and beautiful as a lotus flower; applying such bright rouge would only detract from her natural elegance..."
"Indeed! The effect isn't very good!"
The crowd began to discuss it.
The old woman's face darkened with anger. She snatched the rouge from the woman's hand and said, "Different rouges suit different girls. How could such a wild girl be worthy of such bright rouge?"
Upon hearing this, everyone agreed that it made sense and nodded in agreement.
Qingyun raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly.
"Grandma, the reason why Luan Mei'er is named as such is because anyone who wears this rouge can be captivating, exuding charm and allure with just a smile. Moreover, how could the precious Luan Mei'er from the palace be allowed to fall into the hands of ordinary people, especially since it is a top-grade royal rouge? Grandma, if you want your rouge to be more valuable next time, don't use the palace's rouge. It could lead to imprisonment."
The old woman's wrinkled face immediately turned bright red with embarrassment, and her body trembled slightly.
Upon hearing this, everyone clapped and cheered. They had long disliked this old woman, Wang Po, who frequently bullied younger girls.
Qingyun smiled faintly, and suddenly, her gaze fell on the Wenmo Ancient Shop on the street, and a light of surprise shone in her clear eyes.
Having heard that the Wenmo Ancient Studio in Fengcheng has many genuine works by ancient people, she had longed to visit it for a long time. Since she had the chance to come here, how could she not take a look?