Chapter Five, Fengjie

The female shopkeeper exaggeratedly exclaimed "Oh dear," and said: "Don't keep calling me shopkeeper, it feels too formal. Everyone else calls me Fengjie. If Young Master Fang doesn't mind, then you can just call me Fengjie from now on." After saying this, she even threw a flirtatious glance at Fang Zheng.

Upon seeing Fang Zheng, the female shopkeeper's eyes lit up. Habitually, she wanted to put on a smiling face, but then realized it was inappropriate as the makeup on her face was about to come off. Thus, she had no choice but to greet him with a stern expression, yet her words were filled with warmth: "Oh! So this is the young master of the Fang family, it is truly a pleasure to meet you."

Perhaps to conceal her actual age, or maybe to promote her own shop, her face was heavily coated with thick powder, her complexion as pale as a corpse just pulled from the water. And that was not all; she also applied two patches of bright red blush on her frighteningly white face. Perhaps in her eyes, this appearance was considered beautiful.

The scene here is very reminiscent of a past life. Fang Zheng stops at almost every stall, curiously playing with various trinkets. Whenever something piques his interest, he haggles with the vendors. After a stroll through the market, the sun is about to set, and Fang Zheng has collected quite a few items. ... They are mostly things of little practical use, including a phoenix hairpin for women, a ginseng claimed to be over a hundred years old, and a bronze night pot carved with nude figures, among others ...

The female shopkeeper did not smile, yet Fang Zheng laughed. This woman, turning herself into such a ghastly appearance, was not afraid of scaring the customers. With a red wig on, she looked just like a McDonald's Uncle. Is this really the shopkeeper of the most famous rouge shop in the capital?

Sister Feng sat down next to Young Master Fang, casting flirtatious glances: "Young Master Fang, this is your first time visiting our little shop, isn't it? I have long heard of your esteemed name, and it is a pity that I have never had the chance to meet you. Today, my wish has finally come true."

Miss Feng playfully said: "Since Young Master Fang has arrived, why rush to leave? How about having a cup of tea first while your servant takes their time to choose?"

Fang Zheng stood up and cupped his hands in salute, saying: "It is indeed an honor for me to meet Sister Feng today. If there is time in the future, I will certainly come to disturb you again"

It has become increasingly prosperous here, with merchants coming from the south and the north gathering in this place. The originally spacious road now appears somewhat crowded. Most people resemble the street vendors of later generations, laying out a mat on the ground and displaying their goods; this is how a small business is opened. There is no need to worry about the city management coming to shut down their stalls, as long as they do not block the entrances of the roadside shops, they can set up freely in other areas.

When they finally arrived at the entrance of the rouge and powder shop, it was already completely dark. The shop assistant was putting up the door board in preparation for closing. Xiao Wu hurriedly stepped forward, gestured to the shopkeeper for a moment, and then turned back to point at Fang Zheng, seemingly introducing the young master Fang to the shopkeeper

Fang Zheng looked at these small stalls and couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. In his previous life, he often wandered aimlessly around these stalls, and whenever he had a little extra money in hand, he would exchange it for something from the stalls. Over the years, he had accumulated quite a lot, though most of it was of little practical use.

Fang Zheng finally witnessed the appearance of Jinling, the capital of the Huachao dynasty. The Fang residence is located at the intersection of Dagongfang and Huashi Street, where the bustling and noisy thoroughfare is filled with people coming and going. Tea houses and bookstores, taverns, and shops line the streets, while vendors call out their wares, street performers entertain, old men perform monkey tricks, coolies pull carts, and noblemen ride horses. Patrol officers are present, and the streets are teeming with traffic, creating an illusion of a prosperous and peaceful era. "The market is filled with jewels, and households are adorned with fine silks, competing in extravagance." In the face of this scene, who could believe that the Huachao dynasty is currently beset by internal strife and external threats, with wounds visible everywhere?

Fang Zheng, feeling a pang of guilt, averted his gaze and turned back to instruct Xiao Wu: "Xiao Wu, hurry up and choose. Once you're done, we can go home for dinner; I am hungry."

Feng Jie hesitated for a moment and said: "Young Master Fang, since you are so straightforward, I will not beat around the bush. Here is the situation: I would like to open another branch in the northern part of the city and have my eye on a piece of land. Upon inquiring, I found out that this piece of land belongs to your family. I approached your family’s steward, Steward Sun, hoping to purchase it, but he did not agree, stating that the Fang family does not sell land, as it is to be reserved for future generations. I am quite anxious about this, but coincidentally, you, Young Master Fang, have come today. Young Master Fang, I know that your family is large and prosperous, and this piece of land may be of little significance to the Fang family, but I am counting on buying it to open a branch. What do you think? Could you possibly extend a little favor to me? The price is negotiable; I am willing to offer an additional 20% to acquire it."

Feng Jie shot him a glance and said with a hint of annoyance, "Sister's little shop is called Ruyu Studio, hmph, you claim to have heard of it for a long time, yet you don't even know the name of the shop"

In Fang Zheng's view, this is not a big deal; selling it to her would suffice. At that moment, Fang Zheng agreed to ask Steward Sun later, and then led Xiao Wu back home.

As they walked along, stopping occasionally, the two arrived at Flower and Picture Book Street.

Those maids even have to rely on the household to buy their own cosmetics? Fang Zheng felt that the maids in the East Courtyard had it quite easy; apart from serving the master and mistress with their washing and meals, they hardly had any other tasks. He did not expect their benefits to be so generous; his father and mother were indeed considerate businesspeople

The young master has misunderstood; this is a special reward given to them by the lady. The lady said that the young master waking up is also due to their diligent care day and night.

Fortunately, Feng Jie did not dwell too much on this matter, and the two engaged in some casual conversation. Although Feng Jie is a woman, her knowledge and experience far exceed that of most men, and her words carry a certain masculine boldness. As they chatted, even Fang Zheng could not help but feel a sense of admiration and a desire to befriend her. This Feng Jie, if not for her overly striking appearance, truly deserves to be regarded as a heroine among women.

The appearance of this female shopkeeper is somewhat unattractive, but judging by the layout of the store, her taste is not lacking

Fang Zheng is not blind, so he can certainly tell that Feng Jie has more to say. He then said, "Feng Jie, just speak your mind. I am not very clever and do not enjoy guessing."

Fang Zheng forced a stiff smile and said, "That... Feng Jie, I, uh, the young man, ah, no, that’s not right, the younger brother has long heard of Feng Jie’s... what is it called... what’s the name again?"

Fang Zheng felt a bit startled; this object that resembled a woman was treating him with such enthusiasm. Could it be that she was taken by my handsome appearance? He scrutinized Feng Jie carefully. To be honest, he really could not discern what she looked like, as her facial features were completely obscured by the powder.

Fang Zheng is a young urbanite from the twenty-first century. In that era, airplanes buzzed through the sky, cars raced freely on the ground, skyscrapers dozens or even hundreds of stories tall stood everywhere, and beautiful women on the streets wore increasingly revealing outfits. In other words, Young Master Fang is someone who has seen the world.

Feng Jie also stood up, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but the words lingered on the tip of her tongue without being spoken

I see, Fang Zheng understood. I said, why are you being so enthusiastic towards me? It turns out you have something to ask of me.

Thus, although the scene before him was bustling with people coming and going, he truly felt it was nothing remarkable. Nevertheless, Fang Zheng was still gazing around in awe along the way. In this unfamiliar era, he had to observe carefully, learn, and experience, fully integrating himself into it, so that he could survive better

As the sky darkened, Fang Zheng planned to take his leave, while Xiao Wu followed behind carrying a small bundle, having also completed his task.

Am I here to buy cosmetics or to visit a brothel? Have women in ancient times become this liberated? Fang Zheng felt somewhat frustrated

Damn! If I can wake up, it must be due to my sheer luck; they have no credit for it at all! Fang Zheng thought resentfully

What is even more frustrating is that he has to call her "Sister Feng". He recalls the Sister Feng from "Dream of the Red Chamber": "Her powdered face conceals the spring's majesty, her crimson lips smile before the laughter is heard." What a charm that was, but the one before him...

Oh, I will buy Little Green's rouge for her later. This close maid is as stubborn as can be; perhaps if I give her a little gift, it might change her attitude. At the very least, when you serve tea, water, and books, you should carry a smile, right? Isn't "smiling service" promoted these days?

"Alright, alright, can you not be so polite? Why is it that whenever I ask a question, you always have to respond with 'replying to the young master'? There are only the two of us here; if you’re not talking to me, are you speaking to a ghost?" Fang Zheng impatiently interrupted Xiao Wu.

Fang Zheng casually cupped his hands and smiled, saying: "Good day, shopkeeper"

The shopkeeper is a young married woman, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, but her attire is somewhat extravagant

Fang Zheng awkwardly scratched his head, saying polite words; being too serious would not be good, as it would make it difficult for others to save face

"Xiao Wu, what are you planning to purchase?" Fang Zheng, after browsing for a while, felt somewhat disinterested and finally thought to ask Xiao Wu

She asked, "Are you well?" while her hands were already pulling Fang Zheng inside to sit down. Turning her head, she instructed the attendant to bring tea. Her demeanor was so warm that it seemed as if she and Fang Zheng had been old friends for decades

"Yes, it is, but... um, Steward Liu instructed me to purchase some rouge and powder for the maids in the East Courtyard. I heard this was a directive from the lady of the house"

However, this appearance has its drawbacks; she cannot smile, as a smile would cause the makeup to slide off her face, resulting in it falling down in streaks, which would ruin her image

Reply to Young Master... ...

The layout of the rouge shop is rather simple, with a mahogany counter facing the entrance. On the wooden shelves, there are some colorful and exquisitely crafted small boxes. Outside the counter, there are only two mahogany chairs and an elegantly antique tea table. On the tea table, there is a pot of flowers, vibrant and pleasing to the eye, yet maintaining an air of elegance.