Madam Xu held onto the half-finished bottle with great affection, thinking, “If this drink could be sold in my family’s tavern, imagine how well it would sell!”
Unfortunately, she knew such opportunities were rare.
Gu Xingzhao, aware of Madam Xu’s thoughts, couldn’t help but admire her business acumen. “As expected from someone with the Xu surname,” she thought. “The first thing that comes to mind is how to turn a profit.”
At this moment, Lu Xingyao finally realized something was amiss. He stumbled into the tent, struggling to push through, only to see a pile of empty bottles. Inside, everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves, clearly satisfied with the drinks.
Lu Xingyao’s heart shattered. So the divine brew wasn’t exclusive to him. “Wuwuwu,” he sobbed internally.
Gu Xingzhao, watching him rush in with those hurt little eyes, couldn’t help but feel guilty. She quickly averted her gaze, pretending not to notice.
Lu Qing was about to pour himself another cup of Maotai, but everyone around him urged him to stop. When he wouldn’t listen, they took the bottle away from him, making sure he couldn’t drink anymore. The liquor was too strong, and at his age, they couldn’t risk him overindulging.
Satisfied with the feedback she had received, Gu Xingzhao packed a sample bag and headed to discuss her new plan with He Zhen.
“You want to open a drink shop?” He Zhen asked in surprise.
Gu Xingzhao placed the drinks on the table. “To be exact, you will open the shop. I’ve brought the products, and you can sample them.”
Hesitant but intrigued, He Zhen picked up a blue bottle and took a sip. The alcohol was smooth, with a hint of sweetness, without the harshness of ordinary liquor. Many wealthy women and ladies in the capital enjoyed drinking, and if this shop were to open, it would undoubtedly attract a wealthy clientele.
He Zhen then tried the other drinks. Each had its own distinct flavor, all perfectly suited to the tastes of the capital’s elite. She had never seen any shop in the city sell such drinks. If she opened this shop, it would certainly stand out and do very well.
Her excitement grew. “I’ll go look at potential locations tomorrow. If I find a good one, I’ll secure it right away!”
Previously, the fireworks shop had been supported by the Xu family, with them providing the store and staff. However, this drink shop would be solely under her management, which would require a lot more effort.
Gu Xingzhao smiled, “Take your time. No need to rush.”
He Zhen added, “The goods and the account books have already been delivered to the house. Please come and check them when you can.”
She had commissioned a full set of gold-inlaid jade hairpins, intricately designed and very beautiful. She was nervous, unsure if the deity would like it.
When Gu Xingzhao went to check the deliveries, she noticed there were even more items this time than before. There were two large chests filled with gold and jade ornaments, all dazzling and clearly valuable.
What surprised her the most was the vanity table, which held a set of red and white robes along with a matching set of gold-inlaid jade hairpins. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the jade was of the highest quality—it must have taken a lot of effort to make.
Clearly, this had been prepared for her.
She couldn’t deny that He Zhen had excellent taste. The outfit alone would be hard for any girl to resist. Even Gu Xingzhao, who wasn’t usually into such things, felt a strong urge to try it on.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a flash of white light passed, and suddenly, the outfit and accessories on the bed disappeared!
Startled, Gu Xingzhao looked around and realized her head felt much heavier. She instinctively raised her hand to touch it and was surprised to find that her sleeve had grown larger. She looked into the bronze mirror on the vanity.
Reflected back at her was a woman with her hair styled in an elegant “Cloud Bun” and dressed in the red and white gown.
Gu Xingzhao exclaimed, “What the heck?!”
The system hadn’t informed her that her teleportation abilities also came with an auto-dressing function! And where were her original clothes? Why were they missing?
The system chimed in, 【Host, your control over your powers is still immature. The original clothes have been returned to their original location. Please rest assured.】
Gu Xingzhao: “What do you mean, original location?”
【Your wardrobe in the modern world.】
Gu Xingzhao: “…” She gritted her teeth. “Send them back to me right now.”
【Apologies, due to space limitations, I am unable to fulfill that request.】
Gu Xingzhao’s expression darkened. “So, what am I supposed to do? Walk around in these ancient clothes when I return?”
The system went silent.
Gu Xingzhao muttered a string of curses. The system was clearly playing dead, and when she returned to the modern world, her outfit would probably be nothing but rags!
Just then, He Zhen’s voice called out, hesitant and nervous, “Divine One, did you see the items in the room? Do you like them?”
Gu Xingzhao looked at her reflection in the mirror and decided not to worry about her return for now. The red and white combination was indeed elegant, and the material was comfortable and fitted her perfectly.
Before this, she had never worn traditional Han clothing. The feeling was completely different from the times she’d draped bedsheets over herself as a child. Wearing the real thing was an entirely different experience.
She took a few selfies with her phone to remember the moment and smiled, “The clothes are wonderful. I love them. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”
He Zhen was overjoyed, “I’m so glad you like them!”
She had been worried that the deity would scold her for overstepping, but she had wanted to express her gratitude, so she had used some of her earnings to commission the finest clothing and jewelry from the best shops in the capital.
It was a pity she couldn’t see the deity in person, but in her heart, He Zhen was certain the deity must be incredibly beautiful, and this outfit must look perfect on her.
Gu Xingzhao glanced at her reflection once more, already dreading how the outfit would turn into scraps of cloth once she returned to the modern world. Still, she had to go back, and she wasn’t about to face modern life in ancient clothes, even if no one could see her.
As she packed up the two chests to take them back, Lu Qing’s voice suddenly called out, filled with urgency. “Ancestor, are you still there?”
Hearing the tension in his tone, Gu Xingzhao immediately knew something was wrong. “I’m here. What happened?”
Lu Qing responded, “King Su has taken Youtang and Ming Yuan. He left a letter requesting to see me. I’m preparing to leave now.”
“Understood. I’ll follow shortly.”
Gu Xingzhao didn’t waste time. She hurriedly made her way back to Ji County.
She had expected chaos when she arrived but was surprised to find the Lu family relatively calm. Madam Xu and Lu Yang were clearly anxious and filled with guilt, regretting how they’d let their daughter out of their sight while indulging themselves.
Neither dared speak, worried they’d only make things worse. All eyes were on Lu Qing, waiting for him to decide.
Lu Zhou had read the letter and was frowning deeply. “Father, Prince Su has always been ambitious. If you go, I fear you won’t make it back. Let me go in your place.”
Lu Qing shook his head. “He asked to meet with me specifically. If you go, Youtang may not return.”
Lu Zhou persisted, “Then let me accompany you!”
Lu Qing refused. “No, you must stay here and keep an eye on the others.”
Lu Yang opened his mouth to volunteer, but Madam Xu grabbed his arm, whispering urgently, “Father has a plan. Don’t cause trouble.”
Lu Qing initially planned to go alone but, concerned that he might not be able to handle the situation, considered his options. His youngest son, Lu Xingyan, was frail and likely wouldn’t be perceived as a threat, which might lower Prince Su’s guard.
“Xingyan, you’ll come with me.”
Lu Xingyan, surprised, agreed. “Yes, Father.”
The rest of the family was shocked. Why would their father bring the sickly third son to such a dangerous meeting with King Su?
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