Chapter 001: The Show of Strength

The woman who came to welcome Ji Cheng was somewhat unfamiliar; she was not the stewardess from the household of Shen Wanli who had been by Ji Lan's side a few years ago. The woman before me claimed to be surnamed Cui

"What are you doing? Pay attention." The burly guest impatiently scolded Sanbao. Sanbao looked down and realized that the tea had spilled over, quickly bowed his head to apologize while deftly wiping the table.

This woman, both beauty and fortune are indispensable; for thousands of years, there have been very few tales of such excellence as her aunt's. "Do you think everyone in the world has the same fortune as her aunt?"

Ji Yuan led Ji Cheng to pay respects to Ji Lan, "Aunt."

Ji Yuan nodded

Ji Yuan's temperament is steadfast and resolute; upon hearing the words, he merely smiled.

The carriage of the Ji family turned into Tie Mao Hutong and entered Master Shen San's residence through the corner gate. Immediately, a young servant came forward to take the horse, saying, "Young Master Biao, the master has not yet returned from the yamen. The madam has instructed you and Miss Biao to meet in the inner courtyard first"

Ji Cheng ignored Yu Qian'er’s words, "The hot water has come back, dilute it for me to wash my face."

Having served tea and filled water for passing merchants in this tea house for many years, Sanbao has encountered numerous exquisite teapots, and this one is undoubtedly used only by the wealthiest families.

Ji Cheng waved her hand, naturally not angered by Yu Qian'er’s candid remarks, "You are simply inexperienced; there are indeed people in this world who disdain the smell of money."

Ji Lan sat in the main hall and saw her two nephews and niece, Ji Yuan and Ji Cheng. As these two entered the door, it seemed as if the entrance became much brighter, causing one to involuntarily squint their eyes.

Such an obvious gesture of disdain did not stir any ripples in Sanbao's heart; he had encountered this kind of disdain many times before, so he continued to smile foolishly. Having grown up, it was the first time he had seen such a remarkable young lady, how could Sanbao not be infatuated? He did not even know which family this girl belonged to, yet she dared to use such a beautiful maid; the future son-in-law would surely be fortunate, Sanbao thought lecherously. Having grown up, it was the first time he had seen such a remarkable young lady, how could Sanbao not be infatuated? He did not even know which family this girl belonged to, yet she dared to use such a beautiful maid; the future son-in-law would surely be fortunate, Sanbao thought lecherously.

The sycamore seeds beside him nearly caused him to lose his composure, while Ji Cheng still wore a warm smile on his face

The story of Ji Cheng's aunt can indeed be described as legendary. In her aunt's generation, the Ji family was merely an ordinary Jin merchant family. During the Flower Festival, Ji Cheng's aunt dressed as the Flower Goddess and paraded through the streets, capturing the heart of the third master of the Qi State Duke's residence, who declared that he would marry no one but her

The generosity displayed is truly remarkable, and one cannot help but wonder where such affluent individuals come from. Although Sanbao has never ventured outside, he has encountered many people involved in the business of hospitality. The guards accompanying this convoy are robust and formidable, conducting themselves with great propriety. Such well-trained household staff is not something that ordinary wealthy families can afford to cultivate. Therefore, Sanbao is convinced that these must be officials from a family in the western region

Yuqian naturally did not understand the difficulties faced by the young lady of her family, and Ji Cheng did not expect her to comprehend. The greatest taboo for a person is to have two different appearances in public and private; a single oversight could reveal one's true nature. If she were a girl from a prestigious family, it would not matter if she were a bit casual, but she is not. Even if her family possesses mountains of gold and silver, and thousands of acres of fertile land, once people see her casual side, they will speak of her upbringing and character, and she would have no hope of marrying into an old noble family for the rest of her life. If she were a girl from a prestigious family, it would not matter if she were a bit casual, but she is not. Even if her family possesses mountains of gold and silver, and thousands of acres of fertile land, once people see her casual side, they will speak of her upbringing and character, and she would have no hope of marrying into an old noble family for the rest of her life

"Come back to your senses, you little fool"

"Who are you calling 'miss'?" Yuqian shot a glance at Sanbao and said, "Put it on the table."

Although Yu Qian'er has been serving her young lady since she was ten years old, she still cannot comprehend her young lady's habit of always maintaining her composure. Throughout the entire day, she hardly gets off the carriage; what is the point of applying makeup? Who is she trying to impress?

Moments later, Sanbao handed the copper kettle filled with boiling water back to Yuqianer, "Miss, you may take it now; it is quite heavy."

Your father has already mentioned your matters in his letter, and I have also asked your third uncle to inquire about the academy, so there should be no issues. You can rest assured and stay here. Ji Lan looked at Ji Yuan, who was as elegant as an orchid and a jade tree, with considerable satisfaction.

Thank you, aunt. Are my cousins not here?" Ji Yuan asked. Ji Lan's two sons, one now sixteen and the other eight, with the elder Shen Jing already enrolled in Dongshan Academy. Ji Yuan and Shen Jing have long had a spiritual connection and are eager to get closer to each other and exchange ideas on literature and art.

Old Madam Shen is also an open-minded person, so she simply took this opportunity to separate the households. Both the eldest and the second son hold titles, and it is not appropriate for them to be confined under one roof, as that would likely lead to discord.

On that morning, while the dew on the leaves had yet to dissipate, a procession of carriages approached the tea house of the Sanbao family with a clattering sound.

The Shen family of the Duke of Qi has three branches. Although the matriarch of the Shen family is still alive, the three branches have already separated. The eldest son of the Shen family, Shen Zhuoshang, is married to a princess and has inherited the title of Duke of Qi. The second son, Shen Xiu, was granted the title of Baron of Loyalty and Valor for his meritorious service in saving the emperor. The late emperor specifically bestowed a residence next to the Duke of Qi's mansion for him, allowing Baron of Loyalty and Valor to establish his own household while still being able to show filial piety in front of the matriarch.

San Bao felt a shiver all over, nearly unable to hold the copper kettle steady. He quickly placed it on the table, where Yu Qian took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the exterior of the copper kettle before cradling it and placing it back onto the middle cart.

Mother Cui weighed the contents of the purse and smiled as she said, "How could a humble servant like me have such fortune? I am merely here to manage the tea room affairs for the lady."

Yuqian'er fell silent; her daughter said that some people dislike the smell of money, and that must mean that some people indeed dislike the smell of money

Ji Cheng turned her head to look at Liu Ye'er, realizing that her understanding was somewhat limited. Her aunt's "adventures" were not solely due to her appearance; it also required encountering the right people.

The wheels rolled steadily as they slowly entered Tongque Street in Kyoto. On this street, three prominent households occupied more than half of it, and the heads of these three families all shared the same surname—Shen

The woman in charge of the tea room, who is responsible for receiving guests when they visit the home, should send one of her own servants to greet slightly more familiar female visitors, as long as Ji Lan is someone who is calculating and astute. Having been Mrs. Shen San for over a decade, it is impossible for her not to understand such basic social etiquette.

Liu Ye'er fell silent upon hearing this, while Yu Qian'er quickly remarked: "Whoever marries the girl is surely blessed by the merits of their past life." Moreover, their girl is truly a person made of gold, "I simply do not believe there is anyone in this world who does not love money"

"Yuqian!" The willow leaf spoke up to stop her, this girl is really too naive, isn't she implying that her own daughter is only worth money

Sanbao was startled awake, and as he turned around, he received a handful of copper coins thrown at him. After counting them, he looked at the passerby, who was already preparing to depart, with some mounting on horses and others driving carriages.

The woman, who had captivated Sanbao to the point of being oblivious to the overflowing tea, raised her slender eyebrows and glared at him, saying: "Fill this kettle with water, and it must be boiling hot"

Alright. Sanbao grinned widely as he took the brass, slender-necked, large-bellied pot with a cover shaped like a treasure flower from Yuqian's hands. Upon picking it up, he could tell it was double-layered, a type of pot that is extremely labor-intensive to make, which is generally beyond the means of ordinary households.

Departing from Jin and entering the capital, one of the routes passes through Jingxing, where numerous tea houses line the way, specifically providing water for passing merchants and feeding horses

Yuqian lifted the copper kettle onto the cart and set it down, then raised her hand to pat her arm. After sitting in the cart for the past few days, her bones felt as if they were about to fall apart. Looking at her daughter, she still seemed as if she were in the garden at home, elegantly leaning against the headrest—lost in thought

Only the Ji family sought help from her aunt. If Ji Chengruo wanted to stay in the capital and enter the circle of young ladies in the capital, she had to rely on Ji Lan's introduction. Therefore, even if it was difficult, she could only endure it. Ji Lan probably also understood this point about her.

Ji Cheng was well aware that her aunt was trying to assert her authority in a roundabout way. Wasn't this just a disdain for the smell of money?

Ji Lan then turned her gaze towards Ji Cheng. The Ji family had no unattractive members, yet the person before her had elevated the beauty of the Ji family to an extraordinary level. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she possessed the elegance of the spirits of heaven and earth. If her family background were a bit better, she might even have the potential to become a sage in the imperial court.

Sanbao hurriedly approached, assisting the guests by leading their horses, diligently wiping the dust off the long bench, and bringing out a stack of coarse cups that had many chips due to years of use, pouring in steaming, golden-yellow tea.

Ji Cheng followed her elder brother Ji Yuan into the courtyard where the main house of the Shen family was located. More than three years ago, she had come here with her father for a short stay of two days. Now, looking at this courtyard, it seemed even more simple than before. If it were not for Ji Cheng's clear understanding of how much silver the Ji family had to send to her aunt each year, she might have thought that the Shen family's third branch was struggling to make ends meet.

As for the least accomplished of the three masters—Shen Ying—he has now secured a position as a langzhong in the Ministry of War, and his residence was purchased by Madam Shen with her private funds, also located on Tongque Street. However, the entrance faces a side alley, preventing him from being on par with his two elder brothers

Yuqian and Liuyue assisted Ji Cheng in washing his face and combing his hair, and Ji Cheng also applied a bit of peach blossom rouge to conceal the pallor caused by traveling overnight

The willow leaf is two years older than the elm seed, and is more attuned to the concerns of her own girl. Upon noticing a trace of worry between Ji Cheng's brows, she comforted her, saying: "The girl will surely have her wishes fulfilled; even Madam Gu's beauty is not as good as that of the girl"

Given Ji Lan's family background, she could at most be a concubine in the Duke's residence of Qi, but Ji Lan was adamantly unwilling. Yet, that Master Shen San was even willing to go on a hunger strike in front of her parents to pressure them. In the end, he successfully won Ji Lan as his wife, creating a beautiful story that countless women of humble origins envy.

Even when daydreaming, one must maintain a stunning posture, which made Yu Qian'er unable to help but sigh, "Miss, since no one is watching anyway, why not just lie down and relax for a while."

Liu Ye'er stepped forward and affectionately called out, "Mama Cui," and then discreetly handed her a purse, "Mama, you seem a bit unfamiliar; you must have only started serving beside Auntie Gu in the past two years, right"

Ji Lan smiled and said: "You must be Brother Yuan, right? After so many years, your aunt almost didn't recognize you."

"In recent days, there have been many guests, and they have all gone to attend to the old lady," Ji Lan said with a smile

Ji Yuan nodded, dismounted, while Ji Cheng remained seated in the carriage until they arrived at the Chuihua Gate, whereupon she was assisted by the maid and the old woman to alight from the carriage and enter the second gate