Chapter 59: The Marinade

Shen Qingyun’s arrangements proceeded smoothly; the only hitch was that as her plans expanded, the silver at her disposal was beginning to run thin. After pondering for a while, she ultimately decided to pay a visit to Prince Li’s residence.

Having lived one life before, she might not excel in everything, but at least she could use her foreknowledge to earn a handsome profit. As a woman confined to the inner chambers, it was inconvenient for her to act directly; it would be better to discuss this with Prince Li, grant him a share of the profits in due time, and thus repay some of the kindness he had shown her.

After all, who would ever complain about having too much money?

Moreover, what Shen Qingyun grasped was not an ordinary means of making money, but the secret of a salt mine.

She had learned of this in her previous life: thanks to the support of the General’s estate, Jiang Lin, and by using part of her dowry to grease the wheels, had managed to enter the Ministry of Works, steadily rising in rank and eventually landing a lucrative position managing salt mine operations.

Her original plan had been to quietly purchase land in the surrounding mountains, waiting for the court to discover the salt mine. Once it was found, the government would pay a subsidy to acquire the land, and flipping it would instantly yield double the profit.

But there was still risk involved.

After all, this was no small matter. At present, most salt came from the sea; well salt was exceedingly rare. The exploitation of a salt mine was a matter of national importance, and seeking profit from it required the utmost caution and care.

Now, however, she could carry out her plan through Prince Li.

Perhaps because Prince Li had helped her at the birthday banquet and saved her life in the alley, Shen Qingyun felt a trust toward him that she could not quite explain.

Upon her arrival at the prince’s residence, the servants, upon hearing that the second young lady of the Duke of Shen’s household had come, soon summoned a kindly old steward, whose face beamed with a welcoming smile.

When he saw Shen Qingyun, he grinned broadly, his eyes disappearing into his cheeks. “Miss Shen, you’ve arrived! Please, come in. His Highness is in the study. Allow this old servant to escort you to the flower hall, where you can have tea and some refreshments while you wait.”

Shen Qingyun was slightly puzzled by the steward’s warm manner, but she couldn’t help relaxing a little. “Thank you. This is a small token of gratitude I’ve brought for His Highness. Please help me present it to him.”

“No need to thank me, no need at all.”

The old steward was inwardly delighted—after so long, this was the very first time a young lady had come to call, and such an elegant, poised, beautiful girl at that. Excellent, simply excellent.

Once Shen Qingyun was seated, he hurried to instruct the kitchen to prepare some delicacies that young ladies might favor.

But upon inquiry, he was dumbfounded: His Highness detested sweets and pastries, and in such a grand residence, not a single decent dessert could be found at the moment.

With a kick, the steward sent a nearby guard scurrying, berating him with a glare, “Why are you still standing here? Hurry to West Street and buy some tea cakes, the finest and most expensive. You have half a stick of incense to get back!”

The guard’s face fell—how could he, a grown man, be sent to buy pastries? But there was no help for it; with a leap, he dashed off.

Prince Simoli received word and was surprised that Shen Qingyun had come of her own accord. Almost involuntarily, he checked his attire before leaving the study.

Meanwhile, in the flower hall, Shen Qingyun waited for a while and thought how empty the prince’s residence seemed; she had barely seen any servants along the way.

When Simoli entered, the sight that greeted him was of her lost in thought, gazing at a pot of green vines by the window.

The young woman’s skin was fair, her profile exquisite; beneath her long lashes, her eyes were drowsy and tinged with confusion, as innocent and endearing as a startled fawn. Today, she wore a light purple gauze gown, her hair simply adorned with two jade hairpins, appearing more at ease than at any previous time.

Before he could speak, Shen Qingyun noticed his presence and quickly rose to greet him, her expression returning to its usual cool detachment. “Your Highness, forgive the intrusion. I have come today to offer my thanks.”

Unexpectedly, Hanyu was right behind the prince. Upon seeing Shen Qingyun, a trace of joy arose in his heart. Was she here for him?

But Shen Qingyun’s next words dashed his hopes: “In fact, I have a matter to discuss with Your Highness. Might I trouble you to ask your attendants to withdraw for a while?”

A flicker of curiosity passed through Simoli’s eyes, but he nodded.

Hanyu’s gaze was tinged with grievance, but Shen Qingyun smiled at him, pursed her lips, and withdrew with the guards.

Pearl also exited, closing the door behind her.

Thus, only the two of them remained in the flower hall. Shen Qingyun glanced at Prince Li at her side. Seeing him up close, she had to admit that his features truly stood apart from all others, as if he had been carved from flawless jade—imbued with a unique nobility and elegance. Yet the aura of severity he exuded was so intense that it made one unconsciously hold their breath.

For a moment, she forgot what she had meant to say.

“Is there something you wish to discuss?”

Shen Qingyun snapped back to herself, inwardly cursing for being so distracted at a crucial moment, and mustered her courage to speak. “It’s like this: while inventorying my family’s estates and manors, I recently learned that there seems to be brine discovered on a mountain near a nearby village, so...”

Prince Li was sharp and understood the gravity at once. He got straight to the point: “Does that mountain belong to anyone?”

“Ah, I’ve already purchased it,” Shen Qingyun decided to be honest.

For the first time, a faint smile appeared in Prince Li’s usually impassive eyes. He marveled inwardly at her cleverness and boldness. “Are you certain it is brine?”

“Yes. Some villagers noticed that the well water tasted unusually salty, but didn’t think much of it. I had someone collect water and evaporate it; when it dried, it did indeed yield salt, so I am almost certain it’s brine.”

Shen Qingyun hadn’t gone into too much detail or given absolute certainty, but she knew well—it was the rarest kind of black brine, with the highest salt concentration, and once exploited, it would yield staggering profits.

“I understand. But why are you telling me this?”

Shen Qingyun lowered her head with a gentle smile. “I am but a woman of the inner chambers, at most hoping to benefit a little by association. Your Highness has the nation’s welfare in mind—consider this news my humble offering in gratitude for saving my life.”

Prince Li was about to reply when he noticed a young attendant peeking in from outside. His expression instantly turned cold. “What’s going on?”

Outside, the old steward gave the little attendant a fierce shove, then, carrying a tray of pastries, entered with a cheerful smile. “Miss Shen, these tea cakes have just come out of the oven—still warm! Please try them and see if they suit your taste. It’s still early; you and His Highness can take your time chatting.”

Shen Qingyun felt a genuine fondness for the kindly old steward and smiled as she accepted the pastries. “You’re too kind. Thank you so much.”

The old steward practically beamed with delight as he withdrew, leaving the two alone.

Shen Qingyun picked up a peach blossom-shaped pastry and took a small bite. The crust was crisp, the filling soft, sweet but not cloying—so delicious her eyes sparkled.

Simoli watched her nibble like a little rabbit, and his heart inexplicably softened. “If you like them, please take some home.”

“No need, Your Highness. Would you like to try one yourself?”

“No, you go ahead.”

Shen Qingyun smiled shyly, unable to resist picking up a square, pale green cake patterned with flowers, the aroma wafting up tantalizingly.

Simoli patiently waited for her to finish eating, then the two discussed further details before she finally led Hanyu and Pearl out of the residence.

She had not expected that, not far from Prince Li’s residence, she would run into Shen Sisi, who had just parted ways with the Third Prince.

Seeing Shen Qingyun emerge from Prince Li’s residence, Shen Sisi couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the thought of the prince’s celestial beauty. How fortunate Shen Qingyun was—she had not perished in the assassination, and now, by some stroke of luck, had become acquainted with Prince Li.

With these thoughts, her lips curled into a mocking sneer. “Sister, let me give you a word of advice—you’d best keep your distance from Prince Li. Aren’t you curious why, for all his unmatched looks and noble status, the ladies of the capital’s elite families all avoid him like the plague?”