Chapter 25: The Merchant God Who Defends the Nation, His First Display of Prowess

Ye Qingyan spent several days meticulously surveying the commercial landscape of the capital.

Having transmigrated from the modern era, she understood the vital importance of market research. The capital was crowded with restaurants and taverns, and while the competition was fierce and the profits potentially high, standing out would require an enormous investment of energy—a luxury she currently lacked.

Her focus eventually settled on an emerging field with immense potential: high-end cosmetics and skincare. The noble ladies of the capital had an insatiable pursuit of beauty, yet the rouge and powders on the market were mostly crude and offered mediocre results. This was, quite clearly, a blue ocean waiting to be tapped.

"Your Majesty, I have discovered an excellent path to rapidly accumulate wealth and strengthen the national treasury," she communicated with the System in her mind, her tone tinged with a seductive allure.

The System was silent for a moment, its voice laced with suspicion: [Traitor, what are you plotting now?]

"To enrich the country is to strengthen the army, Your Majesty," Ye Qingyan said, leading it on. "Think about it: with a full treasury, your armies will be well-fed and well-armed, invincible and capable of uniting the world! This is for your grand cause, Your Majesty! Eternal glory, across the ages, ruling the realm! Hahaha!"

The System seemed moved by the phrase "uniting the world," its voice wavering: [Beep... how to enrich the country?]

"Naturally, by developing the economy!" Ye Qingyan struck while the iron was hot. "I need products that can quickly capture the market and generate massive profits. For instance... those herbal skincare formulas from later generations that have been proven time and time again to be miraculously effective!"

[Absurd! How can mere rouge and powder be compared to the foundation of my empire!] The System was stubborn, but its tone had lost its former resolve.

"Your Majesty, these are not ordinary rouge and powder!" Ye Qingyan said solemnly. "These are magical items that will make every woman in the world go wild! With them, we can earn vast amounts of wealth to replenish the treasury and lay the foundation for your hegemony! Think about it, Your Majesty: when your armies are campaigning across the land, how can you sustain them if the treasury is empty? With this wealth, you can sit back and relax, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes!"

The System was completely won over.

[...Fine. For the sake of my hegemony, I shall trust you this once.] Reluctantly, the System redeemed several highly effective herbal skincare formulas from the "treasury" and transmitted them directly into Ye Qingyan’s mind.

Ye Qingyan felt a secret thrill, though her expression remained dead serious. After digesting the formulas, she began looking for a suitable partner. She needed a storefront, and more importantly, a reliable shopkeeper.

After several days of scouting, her attention was drawn to a failing rouge shop on the capital's West Street: "Hundred Flowers Pavilion." The owner was a young widow named Su Yuniang. She possessed a gift for scent-making and a deep understanding of the properties of various herbs and flowers, but she lacked business acumen. Being overly honest, she had been suppressed by her competitors until she could barely keep her head up. Now, the shop was deserted, struggling merely to survive.

Ye Qingyan decided to pay a visit. When she entered, Su Yuniang was behind the counter, shedding tears in solitude. Seeing a customer, she wiped her eyes and forced a smile.

"Customer, what can I get for you?" her voice was raspy.

Ye Qingyan didn't mince words: "Shopkeeper Su, I am not here to buy; I am here to talk about a partnership."

Su Yuniang was startled, a flicker of vigilance in her eyes. These days, she had seen plenty of debt collectors and vultures looking to buy her shop for a pittance.

"A partnership?" Su Yuniang said coldly. "My shop has nothing to offer."

Ignoring her attitude, Ye Qingyan pulled a stack of banknotes from her robe and placed them gently on the counter. The thickness of the stack made Su Yuniang’s eyes widen.

"This is my investment," Ye Qingyan said, her voice calm and firm. "Additionally, I have several skincare formulas that are miraculously effective, allowing women to regain their beauty and stay forever young." She pulled a folded sheet of paper from her sleeve and pushed it toward Su Yuniang. "I provide the investment, you provide the skills and the shop, and we split the profits three to seven." Ye Qingyan looked at Su Yuniang’s shocked face and enunciated clearly, "You get seven, I get three."

Su Yuniang was utterly stunned. She thought she had misheard—seven tenths of the profit to her? It was like a pie falling from the sky, leaving her dizzy.

"You... what did you say?" she asked, her voice trembling as she looked at Ye Qingyan in disbelief.

"I said, seven for you, three for me," Ye Qingyan repeated firmly. "I only want thirty percent, but I require absolute control over operations and decision-making."

Su Yuniang was half-doubtful, her heart in turmoil as she stared at the money and the formula. She could not fathom why anyone would offer such "generous" terms.

Sensing her hesitation, Ye Qingyan smiled slightly. "If you don't believe me, Shopkeeper Su, you can try making one batch of the facial mask according to the formula. Once you try it, you will understand." She pointed to the "Jade Skin Fragrance Mask" in the recipe.

Su Yuniang hesitated for a moment, but ultimately could not resist the temptation. She carefully followed the formula in the back room to create a small batch. When she applied it to her face, within a quarter of an hour, she felt a cool, soothing sensation. When she washed it off, the face reflected in the mirror left her completely paralyzed. Her previously sallow complexion had become fair and translucent, fine lines had faded significantly, and her whole face looked ten years younger!

Su Yuniang was beyond shocked; she had never seen such a magical skincare product! She rushed out, grabbed Ye Qingyan’s hand, and said with a trembling, excited voice, "Miss... Miss Ye! This formula... this is a gift from the heavens! I’ll do it! I will partner with you!" All doubt in her eyes was replaced by fanaticism and worship.

With the partnership settled, Ye Qingyan immediately began transforming "Hundred Flowers Pavilion." She completely renovated the interior with high-quality materials, creating an elegant, atmospheric space that exuded a sense of low-key luxury. She also changed the name, combining her own name "Yan" with Su Yuniang's "Yu" to call it "Yan-Yu Workshop."

Ye Qingyan introduced concepts like membership tiers and experiential marketing. She planned to build "Yan-Yu Workshop" into the top skincare brand in the capital, serving only the circles of noblewomen who truly had the spending power and the desire for quality.

While "Yan-Yu Workshop" was busy with preparations, Chen Huai'an began to move quietly. Leveraging his influence in literary circles, he inadvertently spread rumors at poetry gatherings and salons about the upcoming opening of "Yan-Yu Workshop" and its miraculous products.

"Have you heard? The new 'Yan-Yu Workshop' on West Street has a secret fairy recipe that keeps one’s beauty from fading."

"Is that so? I heard that one drop of their rouge can make one smell heavenly for days."

The rumors, a mix of truth and fabrication, spread rapidly through the circle of noblewomen, creating enough suspense and anticipation. However, tall trees catch the wind. The rise of "Yan-Yu Workshop" soon caught the attention of "Wanfang Studio," the largest rouge shop in the capital.

The owner, Shopkeeper Wang, was an old fox. Seeing the growing momentum of "Yan-Yu Workshop" and fearing for his own business, he sent over a "visiting card." It was styled as an invitation, but it was essentially a declaration of war. It read: *Congratulations on the grand opening of Yan-Yu Workshop. We cordially invite the noble ladies of the capital to attend and judge. On that day, Wanfang Studio will present our finest treasure to compare with your shop.*

The implication was clear: he intended to expose the "fraud" of "Yan-Yu Workshop" on opening day and force it to close. Upon reading the card, Su Yuniang turned pale. She knew the power of "Wanfang Studio" in the capital and was well aware of Shopkeeper Wang’s methods.

"Miss Ye, they... they are coming to sabotage us!" Su Yuniang said, her voice shaking with worry.

Ye Qingyan sneered. This was to be expected.

On the day of the opening, Zhuque Street was bustling with people and the sound of gongs and drums. In front of "Yan-Yu Workshop," flower baskets were arranged in clusters, and a red carpet was laid out.

Not far away, Shopkeeper Wang of "Wanfang Studio" marched over with a crowd of assistants. Behind him followed several luxurious sedan chairs carrying the most prestigious noblewomen of the capital. They wore expressions of disdain and anticipation, clearly there to humiliate "Yan-Yu Workshop."

Watching the display, Su Yuniang’s palms were slick with sweat. Ye Qingyan stood at the entrance of "Yan-Yu Workshop," wearing a simple yet elegant dress that could not hide her cold, poised temperament. She looked at Shopkeeper Wang and the noblewomen without a trace of fear.

She turned to Su Yuniang beside her and offered a slight, confident, and powerful smile.

"Don't be afraid," Ye Qingyan said softly. "Yuniang, open the doors and welcome our guests—"