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"Are you having trouble sleeping and dreaming a lot? There is a method here: choose ginkgo leaves that are at least three years old to make a pillow. Sleeping on it every night, the faint fragrance emitted by the ginkgo leaves can improve the body's respiratory function and enhance sleep quality."
"Do you have any ready-made ones here?"
"I have the ginkgo leaves, but I don't have the pillows. As you can see, this is a Rouge shop, and we usually sell only Rouge and Face Powder. Pillows are generally not in high demand, and as for medicinal pillows, they are best made fresh for immediate use."
"We understand what you mean. Winter Spring!"
"Madam!"
"Give the money for the ginkgo leaves to Ruyi." Madam Wang saw the maid place a bag of silver on the table and glanced at the shelves behind the counter. "Although this is my first time in Luoyang, I have heard of your Rouge shop long ago. Since I am here today, if I don't choose some Rouge and Face Powder, it would be a waste of this beautiful weather."
"You flatter me, Madam. May I ask what kind of Rouge you usually use?"
"Since you sell Rouge, you must know better than I do as a user. Moreover, I've heard that Ruyi Rouge shop only sells what is right, not what is expensive. When customers come in, they are often recommended by you. So today, Purple Bamboo cannot be an exception!"
"To be honest, Madam, I actually have a box of Rouge here that is perfect for you!" Xing Ruyi stood up and took a brocade box from the counter. Opening it revealed a box with a black base and red flowers that were strikingly beautiful yet momentarily reminded one of where they had seen such vibrant flowers before.
"This box of Rouge was just made at the beginning of this month; it's called Pomegranate Red Skirt, made from fresh pomegranate flowers. It matches your national beauty very well."
"Pomegranate Red Skirt? Isn't that the name of a dress? Look, the one I'm wearing today is also a Pomegranate Red Skirt."
"Rather than coincidence, it feels more like fate—your connection with this box of Rouge. The Pomegranate Red Skirt is originally favored by young ladies; its vibrant color enhances one's complexion. The Jin poet Pan Yue once wrote in 'Ode to Pomegranate': 'The pomegranate is a rare tree with famous fruit across nine continents.' This pomegranate flower not only dyes enchanting Pomegranate Red Skirts but also produces this Rouge that brightens and softens the skin—Pomegranate Red Skirt!"
"Since you've put it this way, I'll buy it!" Madam Wang was generous and directly handed the box of Pomegranate Red Skirt to her maid Winter Spring. Seeing this, Xing Ruyi also handed over the ginkgo leaves she had set aside earlier to the maid and carefully explained the key points for making the pillow.
Watching the two leave happily, Xing Ruyi changed her demeanor and lay down on the table in exhaustion.
Shengzi peeked out at the door and, seeing that the two people had walked away, entered the shop. "Ruyi, do you know who those two people were?"
"I don't care who they are, as long as they aren't wanted criminals from your office," Xing Ruyi replied, extending her hand. "Have you brought what I asked for?"
"I have. Brother Chang personally instructed me to handle this. If I couldn't get it, would I dare come back?" Shengzi said sneakily, pulling out a cloth bag from his pocket and handing it to Xing Ruyi. Inside was a pomegranate-red skirt that smelled of earth and decay.
"Can you tell me what you need this skirt for?" Shengzi leaned in and asked. "Just consider it a reward for me, a respectable Constable, running to Sister-in-law Village in the middle of the night to dig up graves."
"I'm not doing anything special; I just want to study the dyeing technique of this pomegranate-red skirt," Xing Ruyi said, shaking the skirt. "Don't you think the color of this skirt is particularly beautiful?"
"Do you want me to be honest?"
"Of course!"
"I don't think so!" Shengzi grumbled. "In the middle of the night, you called me to go to Sister-in-law Village to dig up a grave, and it's Hui Niang's grave at that! If Li Siniang finds out, she'll give me a hard time and curse me behind my back. Just look at it; if you were seeking justice for Hui Niang, I could at least find an excuse to cover it up. But you're just looking at dyeing techniques. Sigh! The best Peach Blossom Wine in the capital—I'm afraid I won't get to drink it again."
"Come on, it's just a sip of Peach Blossom Wine. As a shareholder of Li Family Tavern, how could I possibly deny you that?"
"What do you mean by shareholder?" Shengzi leaned in again.
"A shareholder means being in charge of the tavern—like a second manager," Xing Ruyi explained after thinking for a moment. "Alright then, White Fox, I'm sure your office is busy too, so I won't keep you here. I'll have Lingling send a pot of Peach Blossom Wine to you later. But remember, regarding this pomegranate-red skirt matter, you can't tell anyone."
"Not even Brother Chang?"
"No one! If you do, I guarantee you'll never drink Peach Blossom Wine again. And not only will Si Niang give you a hard time, but I'll also give you a hard time."
"No, I swear, I swear by the title of a Second Constable in the capital!"
"Alright, alright, you should go back now. If Brother Chang asks, just say I sent you to Sister-in-law Village to fetch something. As for what that something is? It's just something for women. Brother Chang is shy; he won't dare to ask further."
"Brilliant! Ruyi, your trick is truly brilliant!" Shengzi clapped his hands in praise and backed out of the Rouge shop. But not long after, he turned back again, not entering but leaning at the door to ask, "Don't you really want to know who those two people were that came to buy Rouge just now?"
"I don't want to know!"
"The less you want to know, the more I want to."
"I won't listen! If you keep babbling, go back and tell Brother Chang."
Xing Ruyi quickly tore apart the old pomegranate-red skirt as she spoke.
"Well! The two who came today—one tall with a round face and good looks is the lady; the shorter one with a pointed face dressed in green is her maid. The lady's maternal family name is Gu, and her husband's surname is Wang. Coincidentally, this Wang Laoye is the former husband of Hui Niang, the original owner of that skirt in your hands. But according to Brother Chang, it seems Wang De'er has changed his name to Wang Yanxing. Yanxing means 'words and actions,' but with what he's done, he doesn't deserve such a name."
"Are you done rambling?"
"Done!"
"Since you're done, go back now. Towards the Yamen, no need to see you off!"
"Ruyi, why do you have no reaction at all? That person is Wang De'er, Hui Niang's ex-husband who gave her a divorce letter and denied Hui Niang's child, driving her mad until she was burned alive!"
"You see, he is just Hui Niang's ex-husband. From the moment Hui Niang received that divorce letter, they had no relationship anymore. Besides, you all have already investigated Hui Niang's death. Ma Tao is currently locked up in your Yamen, right? Although he hasn't been sentenced to execution or anything like that yet, life imprisonment or exile should be inevitable. With Brother Chang's character of hating evil as if it were his own enemy, I dare say he won't let Ma Tao off easily. So you see, isn't Hui Niang's revenge already taken?"
"Thinking about it this way does seem right." Shengzi pondered for a moment before mysteriously asking Xing Ruyi, "Do you know who Wang Yanxing's father-in-law is?"
"Gu Purple Bamboo's real father!"
"Who is Gu Purple Bamboo?"
"You know that Wang Yanxing's father-in-law's surname is Gu, but you don't know that his wife's name is Gu Purple Bamboo? With such a lack of gossiping skills, how dare you keep secrets from me?"
"So it turns out Ruyi knows even more than I, Shengzi. But even if the girl knows that Madam Wang's maiden name is Gu Purple Bamboo, there's something you definitely don't know. For example, why did Wang Yanxing return to the capital?"
"Why did he return to the capital?"
"Because Wang Yanxing's father-in-law became a high official, specifically the Minister of Agriculture, Brother Chang, equivalent to the Minister of Revenue in the previous dynasty. As the saying goes, when one person rises, their chickens and dogs rise too; Wang Yanxing is relying on his father-in-law to come back. I've heard that this guy is quite charming and skilled at flattery, making Madam Wang very happy. However, all his efforts are spent on pleasing others, and his performance as an official has been quite mediocre. After years in politics outside, he hasn't achieved anything noteworthy. Returning to the capital, he only managed to secure a nominal position. I've also heard that this guy is particularly shameless and plans to build a shrine in Sister-in-law Village, putting on a show of returning in glory."
"Sister-in-law Village, he's not feeling guilty at all!"
"Exactly! When I sneaked back last night, I overheard villagers discussing this matter. If Hui Niang were still around, she would definitely make sure that shrine was built unsteadily. But that's just talk. With Wang Yanxing's character, it's likely he has long forgotten about Hui Niang, his first wife, and that poor child. By the way, I've also heard that Wang Yanxing and his current wife have not had any children; I don't know if it's his retribution or if Madam Wang is ill. In any case, with Wang Yanxing's behavior of abandoning his wife and child, he deserves to live a lonely life!"
"Keep these words within my Rouge shop; don't speak carelessly when you go out. As the saying goes, a high-ranking official can crush you; be careful that this Lord Wang doesn't set you up."
"Hmph! I'm just a Constable, what can he do to me? Besides, I'm not afraid of him!" Shengzi swiped under his nose with his hand, displaying a bit of heroism. Unfortunately, this bravado was short-lived; as soon as he finished speaking, he glanced around cautiously. Seeing no one paying attention to him, he stuck out his tongue and quickly hid away.
Xing Ruyi shook her head and placed the already cut pomegranate-red skirt into a porcelain bowl. She then poured some ghostly energy into the bowl; the red skirt suddenly ignited with a crackling sound and quickly turned into a pile of black ash. She kneaded the ash into pearl-sized pellets and placed them in a brocade box, then affixed a note on top labeled "Heart-Nourishing Pill"!
"Is this prepared for that Wang Yanxing?" A fox appeared silently and gently wrapped its arms around Xing Ruyi's waist.
"Where have you been for so long?"
"Knowing my wife's thoughts, I went to help you find a way!"
"Oh, what did you find out?"
"Not much, just heard that his wife came to buy a ginkgo leaf pillow from you, so I slightly used some magic to make him sleep even more restlessly these past few days."
"Just restless sleep?" Xing Ruyi turned around and drew circles on the fox's chest with her finger.
"Yes, and a little something else, like letting Hui Niang and that poor child Midnight enter his dreams!" The fox caught Xing Ruyi's fidgeting finger. "No moving around, be good!"
Xing Ruyi stuck out her tongue and pulled her hand back. "Well, he really is a good husband!"
"Of course, it's my wife's business; I can't let it fail!" The fox released her hand and picked up the brocade box that Xing Ruyi had just set down. "Do you need my help?"
"Not for now; I've arranged everything. Now, we just need to wait patiently. That heartless man will eventually fall into the trap."
"Tsk tsk, what kind of wife have I found, so meticulous about every detail!"
"What do you mean?"
"What have I done to deserve such a righteous wife like you? By the way, if one day I betray you, will you use similar methods against me?"
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