"Can Suiyun Pavilion truly keep my identity a secret?"

"Absolutely."

Bai Qingqing gritted her teeth. "Then I’ll trouble you with this matter."

She wanted to make money.

There was a time when silver meant nothing to her—mere worldly dust. Since childhood, she had never lacked for anything. Even after marrying Fu Yi and entering the cloistered rear courtyard of the Prince’s manor, she had never once worried about food or clothing.

But after the Bai family fell from grace, she tasted for the first time the coldness of the world. Even the smallest favor required silver, and without it, she couldn’t take a single step.

A glint of admiration flickered in Qiyue’s eyes. Bai Qingqing looked delicate and fragile, yet her decisiveness was as sharp as a blade. Compared to the pampered young ladies of Xuancheng, she was leagues ahead.

Now that a decision had been made, things moved quickly. All the paperwork had long been prepared.

Suiyun Pavilion bought the incense formula at an astonishingly high price and would continue to deliver monthly profits to Bai Qingqing. Even though she’d never done business before, she could still sense how favorable the terms were to her.

When Qiyue noticed her doubts, she replied with perfect calm, "It’s nothing—just wealth speaking for itself."

Bai Qingqing: "…" Fine. She admitted—she had been too naïve.

…

A few days later, Suiyun Pavilion’s fragrance shop in Xuancheng launched a new incense. They made no attempt to hide its purpose: to calm the mind and clear the heart.

Rumors had already spread of cases where incense had been used for ill-gotten gains, and now everyone was saying that wearing one of Suiyun Pavilion’s sachets could protect you from manipulation. Demand skyrocketed overnight.

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The price was modest, no higher than that of an ordinary sachet. Everyone could afford one. Bai Qingqing finally breathed a sigh of relief and had someone purchase one for her.

After inspecting it, she confirmed it matched the formula she had provided. Only then did the last shadow of doubt in her heart vanish.

If nothing else, she trusted the incense she made. Suiyun Pavilion had stayed true to their word, and in doing so, they had helped her make up—at least in part—for her earlier carelessness.

The money arrived promptly. When Bai Qingqing looked at the hefty sum before her, a strange feeling stirred in her chest.

In two lifetimes, this was the first time she had earned silver with her own hands.

It felt as if… something had quietly opened.

Bai Qingqing thought for a moment, then lifted her skirts and left the courtyard to find Madam Qiao.

Madam Qiao was poring over the account books, and when she saw Qingqing, she had planned to use the chance to teach her a thing or two. But upon hearing her daughter’s words, she immediately put the books aside.

"You want to open a shop? That’s nothing difficult. Our family owns plenty of them—just pick one. But what made you suddenly think of this?"

Bai Qingqing twisted the silk handkerchief in her hands, feeling uncertain. After fumbling for a reason and failing to come up with one, she simply told the truth. “It was a whim, really.”

"…Is that so?"

Madam Qiao couldn’t help but laugh. She slipped an arm around her daughter’s shoulder, eyes crinkling with mirth. “Then go ahead. I’ll accompany you tomorrow to choose one. You’re always cooped up at home—having something to keep you busy might do you good.”

Bai Qingqing hadn’t expected it to be so easy. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Mother, you agree? But I… I have no experience managing a shop at all…”

Madam Qiao casually adjusted the hairpin in her bun. “The household can spare a few shops for you to experiment with. Even if you run them all into the ground, it’s no great loss.”

…For a moment, Bai Qingqing thought she saw the shadow of Qiyue flash before her eyes—this, too, must be what they meant by "rich enough to be reckless."

Truth be told, the idea of opening a shop had been a passing fancy. But the more she thought about it afterward, the more brilliant it seemed.

The reason was simple—ever since word had spread that Princess Huai Fu had shown her special favor, more and more people came asking for her incense with each passing day.

Bai Qingqing wasn’t thick-skinned, and making incense wasn’t all that troublesome, so she had given it out at first. But as the numbers grew, even a clay figure had its temper. After the umpteenth request, she started to grow resentful.

Once the shop opened, anyone who wanted incense could simply go buy it—saving time, energy, and hassle. How perfect was that!