Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Lei Shan, carrying a lantern, escorted Lady Xiao back to the Eastern Pavilion in the eastern garden of the Dou residence.

Between the eastern and western gardens of the Dou residence was a moon gate, followed by a winding corridor. The fragrance of the flowers in the courtyard was intense. Lei Shan, not fond of floral scents, silently led the way, while Lady Xiao followed behind, seemingly lost in thought, her steps unsteady.

Lei Shan, with his keen hearing, sensed that Lady Xiao was different tonight, as if she had undergone a great shock.

What exactly had happened in the Qingfeng Hall?

Lei Shan, standing afar, was unaware of the situation inside. He escorted Lady Xiao to the east pavilion's entrance and then left. Xiao Luolan, standing at the pavilion's doorway, didn't enter but instead walked along the bamboo path to her daughter's residence, the Apricot Blossom Residence. The residence, provided by Mrs. Dou, had a large apricot tree in its courtyard. It was May, and the apricot blossoms had fallen. Xiao Luolan gently pushed the door, finding it locked, which comforted her.

"Mistress," Fangyun emerged from a side room of the Apricot Blossom Residence, bowing, "Little Mistress just fell asleep."

"Thank you, Fangyun," Xiao Luolan, remembering that Fangyun's salary day was approaching, asked softly, "Have you had your meal?"

"Yes, I dined with Lei and the others," replied Fangyun.

Xiao Luolan instructed, "After you've eaten, rest early, and remember to lock the door at night."

"Mistress, have you bathed yet? Would you like me to assist you?" Fangyun inquired.

Xiao Luolan patted the girl's head and said, "No need, I'm used to bathing alone."

Seeing her mistress insist, Fangyun curtsied and returned to her room.

Xiao Luolan returned to the East Pavilion, settled into a hot bath in the inner room, finally relaxing her entire body. Perhaps due to the Dragon Boat Festival, the bathwater had a faint aroma of mugwort. She gazed at the water's surface, thinking of the sachet she was making for her daughter, which only needed a few more stitches. She planned to finish it before sleep and consult Mrs. Dou tomorrow about borrowing a craftsman to help with her daughter's soap project.

Xiao Luolan forced herself to think of other things, trying to forget the events at Qingfeng Hall. The more she tried not to think about it, the more it haunted her... She didn't understand why anyone would want to kiss her feet, nor could she comprehend why Sect Leader Zhou harbored such feelings for her, considering his status and the choice of women he had. Why her?

Only when the water cooled did Xiao Luolan get out, put on her nightgown, secure the doors and windows, and sit on the bed to sew the sachet by candlelight. She had occasionally done cross-stitch in modern times, but this was her first hand-sewn sachet, barely managing a fine stitch.

After thoroughly inspecting the completed sachet and finding no significant flaws, she placed it under her pillow, planning to give it to her daughter the next morning.

Xiao Luolan had no grand ambitions; she only wished for her and her daughter's safety and peace. She closed her eyes and curled up in bed, convincing herself to overlook Sect Leader Zhou's actions as long as they weren't too outrageous.

Severing ties with Sect Leader Zhou wasn't an option for Xiao Luolan, especially after witnessing the ruthless actions of Lei Tiger and Lei Leopard.

The next morning.

Xiao Qingxue, smelling the herbal fragrance from the sachet, was delighted. In a rare moment with no one around, she gave her mother a loud kiss on the cheek, thanking her. Snowball, her cat, meowed around Xiao Qingxue's feet. She picked up the cat and rubbed its belly, guessing its affection was due to her frequent feeding.

Xiao Luolan smiled, "Shall we visit Lady Dou together later?"

"Yes," Xiao Qingxue replied, placing her soap molds on the table. "The soap inside is still soft. I think it will take another three days to harden enough to be removed. We can work on other things during these days."

"Alright," agreed Xiao Luolan readily.

Lady Dou was surprised to hear from Qiaoxin that Lady Xiao and her daughter were visiting, as she knew from their time together that Lady Xiao was a reserved person who preferred not to socialize much. Usually, it was Lady Dou who initiated their meetings. "Why has Lady Xiao come today?" she wondered.

"Lady Xiao," Lady Dou greeted with a smile, "What brings you here today?" She then instructed Qiaoxin to fetch a bowl of honeyed yuanzi for Xiao Qingxue to cool off.

"Lady Dou, I've come to borrow a craftsman," Xiao Luolan said as Lady Dou led her inside, sitting her on a round stool. The maids in the room fanned the guests without being told, showing their attentiveness.

Hearing Lady Xiao's request, Lady Dou's smile grew wider. She took Lady Xiao's hand, leading her inside, and said, "Lady Xiao, you've come to the right person. My maiden name is Wu Luomei, also known as Wu Qiniang. Here in Youzhou, we're not particular about formal titles. You can call me whatever you like."

Xiao Luolan also smiled lightly, "My name is Xiao Luolan. Qiniang, you can call me whatever you prefer."

Wu Luomei, pleased with their growing closeness, pointed to the ornate makeup box on the dressing table, "Lady Xiao, do you like this style? If you do, I'll lend you the craftsman. He's a descendant of a famous craftsman from the previous dynasty. His skills are impeccable, and he's currently a guest in my house. You can freely tell him your requirements."

Seeing the exquisitely carved makeup box, Xiao Luolan praised, "Seeing these, I know the craftsman in Qiniang's house must be very skilled. Let's have Master Fang work on it."

Wu Luomei, pleased with Lady Xiao's compliment for her guest craftsman, sent a maid to call Mr. Fang.

"What do you need a craftsman for, Lady Xiao?" Wu Luomei asked with a smile.

"I want to create some containers for soap," Xiao Luolan replied earnestly, as it was related to their livelihood.

"What is soap?" Wu Luomei recalled, but couldn't remember ever hearing of such a thing.

"It serves a similar purpose to bath beans. Adding fragrance to the soap turns it into scented soap for bathing. It can also be used for laundry," Xiao Luolan explained, feeling somewhat anxious, as she wasn't sure how effective this method would be.

"Sounds better than pancreas pills," Lady Dou remarked, her curiosity piqued, "May I see it?"

"It's not ready yet, it will take another three to five days," Xiao Luolan replied.

As they were speaking, Qiaoxin escorted Xiao Qingxue into the room. Xiao Qingxue first bowed deeply to Lady Dou before sitting next to her mother.

"I'll be sure to take a good look at it once it's ready," Lady Dou said.

"Madam, Master Fang has arrived."

Lady Dou led Xiao Luolan and Xiao Qingxue to the outer hall.

"Master Fang, this is Lady Xiao. She admires your craftsmanship greatly and wishes for you to create some items," Lady Dou introduced them with great courtesy.

Master Fang bowed deeply, "I understand." Looking at Xiao Luolan, his eyes slightly downcast, not making direct eye contact, he said, "Lady Xiao, whatever you wish to be crafted, please tell me."

"You should go with Lady Xiao. It's hard to explain it all here," Lady Dou suggested with a smile.

"As you wish."

Xiao Luolan, followed by her daughter and Master Fang, left for the Eastern Pavilion.

Once there, Xiao Luolan and her daughter described to Master Fang the desired size and shape of the items, along with a preference for engraved patterns like peonies, peonies, or other auspicious cloud designs.

After understanding their request, Master Fang assured, "Lady Xiao, rest assured, I will deliver the finished items to you. If there are any deficiencies, feel free to point them out and I will make the necessary adjustments."

Having said this, he took his leave.

Watching him walk away, Xiao Luolan, her daughter, and Fang Yun spent the afternoon in the western garden’s small kitchen, experimenting with different soap recipes, adding flower juice and milk, hoping to create various styles. Xiao Qingxue diligently recorded the formula proportions and mixing times.

Lady Dou was very curious about what they were making in the small kitchen. Their usual choice was pancreas pills, and ordinary households used soap nuts, but they had never used scented soap before. The snow-white skin of Lady Xiao and her daughter – could it be the effect of this scented soap? She was genuinely intrigued.

Three days later.

Xiao Luolan was surprised by the molds Master Fang delivered, which exceeded her expectations.

"These are too beautiful," Xiao Qingxue exclaimed, examining a small wooden box, barely the size of a palm, intricately carved with a peony pattern. The other six boxes, each with carvings of peonies, auspicious cloud patterns, plum blossoms, and carnations, were equally lifelike.

"Lady Xiao, you flatter me," Master Fang modestly replied upon hearing their praise.

After Master Fang left, Xiao Luolan looked at the exquisite molds with renewed enthusiasm for their afternoon soap-making.

The first batch of mugwort soap had successfully been removed from the molds, but due to perhaps too little salt being added, they were still a bit soft. They adjusted the recipe, and the hardness of the soap gradually increased.

Xiaoluo Lan was so busy here that she completely forgot about Lord Zhou. It wasn't until May 12th, when she finished paying the monthly allowance to Fangyun, that she realized she and her daughter had spent over a month in this unknown ancient era. It felt like a different world. Lord Zhou, since leaving Qingfeng Hall, had not sought her out, which greatly relieved Xiaoluo Lan, relaxing her mind. Truthfully, she was sometimes very afraid of him.

"Mother, come quickly and see!" Xiaoluo Lan's daughter, Xiaoling Snow, ran over joyfully. "The soap this time is so beautifully colored."

Xiaoluo Lan followed her daughter and sat down under the apricot tree.

The soap that came out of the mold was small, the color of rouge, with a peony pattern in the middle that seemed lifelike. The fragrance was light, and nearby were improved versions of mugwort soap, milk soap, rose soap, and the original soap.

Xiaoluo Lan was also very happy. She wrapped the soap in silk cloth and tied it with a ribbon into a butterfly knot.

Madame Dou, looking at the soap sent by Lady Xiao, touched it curiously. Its texture was smooth and silky, and its floral fragrance was light and pleasant, much more appealing than the dark and round gall pills.

"Lady Xiao, Miss Xiao, is this what you have always used for bathing?" Madame Dou inquired.

Xiaoluo Lan nodded, "Yes, we have indeed used this."

"Does it have a whitening effect when used?" Madame Dou asked again, a bit embarrassed.

"These don't have a whitening effect. To achieve that, certain herbs must be added," Xiaoling Snow replied.

Madame Dou had just thought this might be a secret recipe of Lady Xiao's family when she heard Miss Xiao continue.

"If Madame Dou wishes to whiten her skin, she could gather some white peony roots, angelica..."

"Miss Xiao, please stop there," Madame Dou waved her hand to dismiss the maids and, seeing the Xiao mother and daughter's informal treatment of her, felt joyful and said, "Miss Xiao, one should not casually share family secrets about skin whitening. I was just asking casually. If you have any whitening soaps, I would be delighted to receive some."

"Madame Dou," Xiaoluo Lan took Qi Niang's hand, feeling increasingly fond of her. "I didn't mean to conceal this from you, but I came today to ask for your help with something."

Wu Luomei was puzzled, wondering what matter Lady Xiao had that the governor couldn't handle, but she still clasped Lady Xiao's hand warmly and said, "Please speak, Lady Xiao."

"My daughter and I, being far from Chang'an, plan to settle in Langge in the near future. We intend to sell the soap-making method. Madame Dou, do you know any trustworthy merchants?" Xiaoluo Lan had thought about approaching the neighboring merchant, but she didn't have an introduction. It would be inappropriate to bypass Madame Dou and potentially offend her. Moreover, they had only met Mr. Luo once and were unsure of his character. Madame Dou had been in Taiyang for many years, so it seemed best to ask for her recommendation.

After careful consideration, Wu Luomei said, "If you trust me, I recommend the neighboring wealthy merchant, Luo Jinhoo. He is a good friend of my husband. Although a businessman, he is worldly without losing his shrewdness. Selling to him, you surely won't be at a loss."

Madame Dou had a bit of a personal motive; this way, she could forge a connection with Lady Xiao, so she preferred to leave the opportunity to the Luos, who were on the same path as them.

Xiaoluo Lan gratefully said, "Thank you for your help."

"I will invite them to our residence tomorrow to discuss this matter." After Lady Xiao and her party left, Madame Dou had a maidservant prepare hot water for a bath. She used the soap from Lady Xiao, and after bathing, was surrounded by a pleasant floral fragrance, even better than perfumed clothes. She spent a pleasant night with her husband.

The next day.

Luo Jinhoo arrived at the Dou residence with his servants, his first visit since the governor moved in.

"Brother Luo, please come in," Dou Haitao welcomed him to the central hall in the front courtyard, having already informed him beforehand.

Luo Jinhoo greeted Lady Xiao and Miss Xiao with a smile and a bow, "It's been a few days, Lady Xiao, Miss Xiao. Are you well?"

"All is well, Mr. Luo, please have a seat," Xiaoluo Lan replied with a smile, seeing Luo Jinhoo's friendly demeanor.

Luo Jinhoo sat opposite Lady Xiao, took a sip of tea, and said, "Lady Xiao, I've heard about your idea. May I see the soap?"

Xiaoluo Lan had Fangyun present several pieces of colored soap and one piece of the original soap.

Luo Jinhoo carefully examined a piece, even had a servant bring a basin of water to wash his hands, and then dried them with a handkerchief.

Xiaoluo Lan explained the uses of the soap in detail, and Madame Dou also shared its effects, comparable to perfumed clothes.

Stroking his beard, Luo Jinhoo asked, "Lady Xiao, how do you wish to sell it?"

Xiaoluo Lan proposed the price she had carefully considered, "Mr. Luo, I would like a ten percent share of the profits from the soap sales. I also have other soap formulas which I will give you. Once these are handed over to you, we will no longer produce soap."

Xiaoluo Lan had thought it through; they were only providing a few formulas, not investing in a shop or materials. A lump sum might bring immediate large earnings, but a steady income was better and more reliable. Yet, she was uncertain if asking for ten percent was too much... She felt uneasy, but it didn't show on her face.

Luo Jinhoo pondered for a moment and said, "Lady Xiao, as you know, I'm a businessman, and seeking profit is my nature. What if other major merchants, seeing the profit in this, oppress my other businesses or frame me, forcing me into the government's hands? These are my concerns."

Xiaoluo Lan felt that Luo Jinhoo's concerns were valid; such things even happened in modern times.

Dou Haitao nearly spit out his tea in surprise, looking strangely at Luo Jinhoo. Yes, these were common issues for merchants, but this soap was different – it was backed by Lady Xiao. And who was she? The person of the Governor of Youzhou! In Youzhou, who would dare to tamper with the soap? Luo Jinhoo seemed to be blatantly lying.

Luo Jinhoo slowly said, "So, to ensure the soap's unobstructed distribution, Lady Xiao, I hope to carve a small 'Zhou' character on the soap. If you agree, I'm willing to offer you thirty percent of the profits."

Xiaoluo Lan was momentarily taken aback.

Dou Haitao understood Luo Jinhoo's ultimate goal: to use Lady Xiao to connect with the governor.

The profit from the soap, however high, wasn't as important as establishing a relationship with the governor.

Especially now, with the weather being extremely hot and only one rain in a month, a drought seemed imminent. Some grain merchants were hoarding grains for high prices, even spreading rumors of an impending drought, causing panic in nearby cities. The governor, aware of this, had already executed many for their deeds.

Fresh blood still stained the streets of the western market.

This action had put all the major merchants on edge.

Xiaoluo Lan understood Luo Jinhoo's intentions. She didn't agree immediately and after Luo Jinhoo left, she returned to the Eastern Pavilion with her daughter. Looking at the harsh sunlight outside, she felt it particularly glaring.

What status could she use, and what reason could she give, to persuade Lord Zhou to agree to carve his surname on the soap?

Thirty percent of the profits – she could give twenty percent to Lord Zhou, but would he be interested?

In the afternoon, Zhou Xu returned to the Dou residence, his expression as usual, giving away neither joy nor anger. Dressed in dark light armor, he was about to bathe when he noticed the usual gall soap had been replaced with something new.

He picked it up and called out, "Leige."

Leige, with his head bowed, recounted to the governor all that Lady Xiao had done in the past few days, including every word Luo Jinhoo had said in the hall, without omitting a single detail.

Zhou Xu had been very busy recently. Using the execution of several major grain merchants as an opportunity, he had secretly arranged to ship their grain, along with some old stock from Taiyang, out of Youzhou on merchant ships, with his men secretly escorting them. Zhao Qingshan, fearing mistakes, followed the ships downstream along with Wang Fugui.

Today, having completed his tasks, Zhou Xu returned to his residence earlier than usual. Hearing that the mugwort soap was personally made and delivered by Lady Xiao, he couldn't help but smile. After bathing, he went to find Lady Xiao.

Xiaoluo Lan was sitting on a couch by the window, embroidering a sachet, planning to make a rotation of them for her daughter to wear.

"Lady Xiao," Zhou Xu stood at the window, dressed in a dark robe, his hair bound with a black jade crown. His stubble was rough, and his temples slightly frosted, but his smile was open and righteous.

"I came specially to thank Lady Xiao for the mugwort soap," Zhou Xu said, placing his black whip on the windowsill and looking at Lady Xiao sitting elegantly on the couch.

Xiaoluo Lan was startled by the sudden appearance of Lord Zhou and then put down her sachet. "There's no need to thank me, Lord Zhou. My daughter and I have made many of these soaps. If you want, I can make more."

Seeing Lady Xiao far from him, Zhou Xu leaned in with a long arm and entered the room through the window.

Xiaoluo Lan suppressed the urge to retreat.

"One piece is enough. When I use it up, I'll ask you for more," Zhou Xu said, sitting on the couch with his black whip. "Why are you sitting so far from me, Lady Xiao? Why not sit beside me?"

Xiaoluo Lan sat on a round stool in front of the couch.

"Is this for Miss Xiao?" Zhou Xu knew immediately whose it was by the color of the sachet.

Xiaoluo Lan hummed in affirmation.

Zhou Xu used a bit of cunning to pull Lady Xiao to his side. Feeling that their relationship had grown closer since the Qingfeng Hall incident, he smiled and said, "Why no smile for me?"

Xiaoluo Lan, pressed close to Lord Zhou, was stiff and said, "I... I haven't seen you for a long time."

Zhou Xu thought Lady Xiao was missing him and hurriedly coaxed her in a low voice, "I've been very busy these past days, so I couldn't come to see you, Lady Xiao. Once this busy period is over, I will spend more time with you."

Finishing his words, feeling genuinely happy, he tenderly kissed her white jade earlobe.

Xiaoluo Lan, nervously twisting her hands, dared not move, simply lowering her head, and noticed a faint scent of blood on Lord Zhou.

Zhou Xu wished he could hold her in his lap, but since it was daytime and he feared Lady Xiao might not approve, he restrained himself. Seeing her with her head down, her skin bathed in sunlight looking even finer than jade, he was moved and used his black whip to lift Lady Xiao's face.

The black soft whip against her snow-white jawline, her bright red lips.

Zhou Xu felt an instant reaction.

However, Xiaoluo Lan only sensed the strong stench of blood from the black whip. The slightly painful, cold scales of the whip, like a snake, made her unconsciously sweat, rolling down her temples onto the whip.

A strand of crimson seeped out on the whip, meandering down her snow-white neck into the deep shadows of the moonlight.

Zhou Xu's rationality exploded in that moment.

……

Xiaoluo Lan tilted her head back, biting her lip, her eyelashes moist, cheeks flushed, avoiding the gaze of the deeply engrossed Lord Zhou.