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墨書 Inktalez
The more absurd the rumors, the faster they spread. Bored individuals, seeking to fill their own momentary emptiness, seldom bother to verify the truth of events. They relish in the bizarre, as it adds a touch of amusement to their mundane lives.
By the time the six heard the rumors, they had transformed into tales of Ye Xiaohan being a promiscuous person who took pleasure in seducing various men, even her own relatives. After being harshly rejected by Sixth Brother, she was said to have angrily driven her relatives away.
There were even whispers that Ye Xiaohan was a spirit, roaming around to absorb men's vitality through seduction.
When Sixth Yang returned from school, he wore a stern expression. Fortunately, despite the provocations from others, he managed to hold his temper and came back without any visible signs of conflict. However, he did not intend to let those people off easily and secretly plotted his revenge.
"These people are simply ridiculous!" Sixth Bei exclaimed, ready to rush out and confront the villagers. He felt most qualified to speak about Ye Xiaohan, as others had no idea of her merits.
Ye Xiaohan stopped him. "Look at you; you should learn to be as composed as Sixth Yang. Why bother with those people? Idle gossip will naturally die down if ignored. If you deliberately engage in arguments, you'll only play into their hands and diminish your own worth."
Sixth Bei clenched his fists, wishing he could drag them before him immediately. "Are we supposed to do nothing while your reputation is tarnished?"
"The innocent will clear themselves. As long as you all believe in me, I don't care about those people," Ye Xiaohan replied with a smile. Without a strong heart, how could one thrive in the unpredictable world of medicine?
Having seen life and death countless times, what else could she not let go?
"Xiao Han..." Sixth Bei was momentarily taken aback by her smile and realized that Ye Xiaohan truly did not care. He gradually calmed down; it seemed that Ye Xiaohan possessed a unique ability to stabilize people's hearts—at least it worked for him.
Her tolerant demeanor made Sixth Bei ponder deeply. This feeling was something he had never experienced with the previous Ye Xiaohan. What had happened during her absence that transformed her so completely?
Ye Xiaohan continued with her tasks because she understood one principle: as long as she was strong enough, her presence would speak louder than any words. Eventually, those people would quiet down without her needing to say anything.
Recently, she had developed a new formula using Yuzu Flower as an ingredient to create a solid perfume balm. Her previously sold perfume products had received rave reviews, and riding on that momentum, she aimed to make this her flagship product for the season.
She had already secured all the raw materials of Yuzu Flower, and now all that remained was to purchase containers.
After much consideration, she concluded that bamboo and wood were natural and environmentally friendly but appeared too plain for high society. Many affluent ladies sought high-end products to showcase their status.
Customers who were generous in her shop occasionally inquired when there would be more expensive offerings. They cared not only about the quality of the product itself but also about its perceived value.
For example, an expensive outer packaging that actually adds no value.
Ye Xiaohan planned to customize some boxes made of precious metals. A regular bamboo box for her ointment could be bought for just a few coins, while a silver box could sell for several taels of silver. After deducting the investment, she could make several times the profit.
In ancient times, there were no assembly lines, so she had to find a gold and silver shop to customize her boxes. After comparing three different shops, she finally settled on one that offered reasonable prices and high quality.
"Shopkeeper, it's settled then. I will bring the design drafts tomorrow and come back to visit," she said. The so-called design drafts were her own creations, with each series of products featuring corresponding materials engraved on the packaging.
The Peach Blossom series would have peach branches and flowers carved on it, while the Pear Blossom series would feature pear blossoms. The sleeve fragrance series would have sleeve flowers engraved. Below that, the trademark of Peach Blossom Studio would be inscribed.
This not only served as promotion but also helped prevent counterfeiting. Ever since Peach Blossom Studio's business had boomed, large cosmetic shops had sprung up in the market like mushrooms after rain, all eager to cash in.
However, they did not possess Ye Xiaohan's secret formula, so their products naturally did not perform as well. This was one reason they were particularly envious of her.
Having resolved her business matters, Ye Xiaohan felt relaxed and thought about taking a stroll around the street. Recently, events had been happening one after another, leaving her little time to rest. It was still early in the day; she wanted to treat herself a bit.
Just a few steps out of the gold and silver shop, she unexpectedly ran into someone familiar.
"Miss Ye, what a coincidence," Liu Yuan said as he put away his fan and smiled at Ye Xiaohan.
Ye Xiaohan had little fondness for this man; in fact, growing up with modern education made her disdainful of ancient practices like polygamy.
She nodded slightly as a form of acknowledgment and intended to walk past him.
Liu Yuan blocked her path and said with a smile, "Miss Ye, it's been a while. Why don't we find a place to chat? I’ve heard so much about your recent exploits and have been looking forward to meeting you."
Ye Xiaohan initially wanted to refuse outright but thought better of it considering Liu Yuan's status. Historically, commoners did not confront officials; the son of the Governor could easily cut off her means of making a living with just one finger.
She maintained a polite smile and declined tactfully, "It is an honor to receive praise from Liu Gongzi. I would love to chat with you and broaden my horizons; however, unfortunately, I am quite busy with these shops and need to return to attend to my customers. Please excuse me."
Before Liu Yuan could call her back, Ye Xiaohan quickened her pace and walked away.
"What an ungrateful woman. Young Master, you are too soft-hearted. Just bring her back; I doubt those six families can cause any trouble!" one of the attendants scoffed, offering a harsh suggestion.
Liu Yuan smiled as he opened his fan, lightly waving it in the not-too-hot spring evening. "Forcing someone is not what a gentleman does. What I like should be mutual. Just watch, within three days, she will come looking for me."
The next day.
Early in the morning, Ye Xiaohan went to the Jewelry Store with her designs, but to her surprise, the Shopkeeper had changed his mind.
"Miss Ye, I can't do this business anymore. You should look for someone else," the Shopkeeper said as he signaled for his assistant to escort her out.
Ye Xiaohan frowned. "Shopkeeper, we had a good discussion yesterday, and we even settled on the price. Why suddenly back out? If you have any concerns, please speak up; we can negotiate again."
The Shopkeeper hesitated before glancing at her and sighed. Lowering his voice, he said, "Miss Ye, you are generous, and this deal is indeed a good one. If we could do it, we would certainly want to make money. It's just that someone is blocking us; we can't take this deal. Don't bother going to other shops; no one dares to accept this business."
He hinted meaningfully, "You should think carefully about who you might have offended and go apologize soon. In our line of work, we fear those who have their eyes on us."
Thanking the Shopkeeper for his advice, Ye Xiaohan turned and left the Jewelry Store.
Just yesterday she had encountered Liu Yuan, and now she was being targeted—what a coincidence! Moreover, she had offended quite a few people; however, there were not many capable of manipulating others. The most suspicious one was him.
Ye Xiaohan's disdain for Liu Yuan deepened. She had tried to avoid offending him by being humble yesterday, yet this man was so arrogant that he still wouldn't let her go.
Liu Yuan, just wait!
It seemed Liu Yuan had anticipated Ye Xiaohan's return. He had prepared tea and snacks along with various fruits and smiled as he invited her to take a seat.
"Miss Ye's presence truly brightens my humble abode. This is specially prepared by the kitchen for you as a token of respect; please enjoy," Liu Yuan said as he clapped his hands, prompting a maid to come forward to serve her.
As a modern individual, Ye Xiaohan could not agree with the hierarchical system of ancient times, nor could she conform to the customs that regarded maidservants as inferior beings. She simply expressed her gratitude.
Liu Yuan observed Ye Xiaohan's every move with a calm demeanor, flashes of light occasionally flickering in his eyes, which he quickly concealed by lowering his gaze.
Ye Xiaohan set down her teacup. With someone holding her life in their hands and needing something from them, she had no choice but to let him speak first. Liu Yuan had all the time in the world to spend with her, while she was anxious to procure goods. Any delay would mean wasting money; the longer it took, the more likely the raw materials would spoil, damaging her reputation among customers.
“Liu Gongzi, your interference with Peach Blossom Studio's business—could it be that I have done something wrong? I am not very bright, so if I have offended you in any way, please tell me directly so that I may apologize,” Ye Xiaohan stated straightforwardly, laying everything bare.
Liu Yuan smiled and said, “Miss Ye is a forthright person, and Liu greatly admires this quality. Regarding the proposal I mentioned before, after some time has passed, I wonder if you have a different response?”
“The previous proposal?” Ye Xiaohan recalled their last unpleasant meeting. “You mean the one where you wanted me to be your concubine?”
Liu Yuan nodded slightly. “Confirming this matter, I hope Miss Ye can consider Liu's sincere intentions and give me the answer I desire.”
Ye Xiaohan replied with displeasure, “Liu Gongzi, please do not bring this up again. I can consider other conditions, but this one does not fit into my life. I will never become anyone's concubine.”
Having been rejected twice in front of her, even Liu Yuan, who maintained a smile throughout the day, found it hard to keep his composure. However, he had enough leverage and was confident he could sway Ye Xiaohan; he suppressed his emotions for now. “Miss Ye, please do not jump to conclusions. Listen to Liu's conditions before making a decision.”
Ye Xiaohan merely stared at him without responding, directly expressing her answer through her actions. No matter what conditions Liu Yuan proposed, she would never agree.
Liu Yuan smiled again, though it was unclear whether he was laughing at his impending success or at Ye Xiaohan's current resistance, which he believed would soon seem trivial.
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