I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 131 Fiefdom
Bai Rouyin asked in surprise, "So fast?"

Chunfeng politely replied, "Yes, please come earlier next time, Madam Yang."

Upon hearing that there was no stock, Zhang, disregarding her composure, anxiously asked, "When will there be stock again?"

Chunfeng continued politely, "This servant does not know either."

Zhang glared at Bai Rouyin, then turned and returned to her seat, sulking.

Lady Zhongyong stepped forward and grabbed her daughter's hand. She wanted to start a fight, but she was afraid that Zhang would take advantage of her mother-in-law's name to openly torment Bai Rouyin. For a moment, her eyes reddened with heartache.

Bai Rouyin helped Lady Zhongyong Hou back to her seat, and the mother and daughter talked for a long time.

Seeing that the ladies and young women present were very fond of the Huguang Mirror, Princess Xuan allowed them to freely pick flowers from the flower garden to wear, while she had someone bring out the Huguang Mirror given to her by Tang Zhao and arrange them side by side for everyone to admire and use.

After the Hairpin Flower Festival, the news of the Huguang Mirror spread throughout the upper-class circles of the Northwest, arousing the interest of many wealthy and powerful families who were eager to see it for themselves.

However, Liuli Pavilion remained closed for a long time, and many people returned empty-handed.

Three days later, Chunfeng and Butler Gu personally led people to deliver the goods to the door, and also gave away seasonal flower arrangements according to the amount spent.

Madam Shen touched the wooden plaque in her hand, the front of which was carved with lifelike roses. "What is the use of this flower plaque?"

"Liuli Pavilion divides customers into different membership levels based on how much they spend, and gives different flower plaques according to the membership level."

Chunfeng explained, "For spending four thousand taels of silver, Madam received a rose-shaped plaque. In the future, any new product launched in Liuli Pavilion will be given as a sample, and Madam will also have the right to order ten products."

"Oh, so you're saying the Glazed Tile Pavilion will come up with other new tricks in the future?"

"Yes."

"Are there any more advanced Hanafuda cards?"

"Yes, the rose is the peony, which can be obtained by customers who have spent more than 10,000 taels at Liuli Pavilion."

Ten thousand taels is no small sum. Madam Shen gasped. After Chunfeng and the others left, she pondered how to distribute the mirrors.

Madam Shen, thinking of her family, kept one for herself, her daughter-in-law, and her daughter, and sent the rest of the mirrors to Luoyang by fast horse.

In Luoyang, the women of the Zhao family were overjoyed to receive the Huguang Mirror sent by Madam Shen. They had thought they would have to wait several more months, but they didn't expect to receive it so soon.

“In the past, new ideas would come out of Luoyang and spread to the outside world. But I don’t know when it started, the situation has reversed. Before it was soybean oil, now it’s pot-shaped mirrors, and who knows what else will come in the future.”

Madam Zhao admired the makeup box and exclaimed, "How come Princess Zhaoshan has so many ingenious ideas?"

Madam Zhao echoed, "That's right. Just a few days ago, my husband said that the new farming tools mentioned in the memorial submitted by Prince Xuan were developed by Princess Zhaoshan. Those tools are extremely useful and have saved the people a lot of trouble."

Madam Zhao covered her mouth and smiled, "Now all the officials in the Ministry of Works are devoted to the production and promotion of new agricultural tools. His Majesty has personally praised them twice in recent days!"

“A pearl is a pearl. Even if it has been buried as a fish eye for so many years, it can still shine brightly,” Madam Zhao instructed. “My daughters in the Zhao family should be like that too.”

Madam Zhao solemnly agreed.

In the Crown Prince's residence, the Crown Princess looked at her reflection in the mirror with a smile on her face. "Did the Crown Prince go to see Consort Tang today?" The Crown Princess had been asking this question every day ever since she presented the soybean oil recipe and regained the Crown Prince's favor. Therefore, the maid answered fluently, "No, the Crown Prince hasn't set foot in Langyue Garden for more than two months."

"A few days ago, the Crown Prince summoned Consort Tang to inquire about the Mirror of Light, but Consort Tang knew nothing about it, which greatly angered the Crown Prince. He has now forbidden anyone around him from mentioning her."

The Crown Princess couldn't help but laugh out loud, "That slut comes from the same household as Princess Zhaoshan. The Crown Prince thought that since his elder sister is so capable, his younger sister should learn something from her. Who would have thought that slut is so useless?"

Thanks to the discord between Princess Zhaoshan and that vile woman, she was able to take advantage of Princess Zhaoshan's influence to severely curb that vile woman's arrogance.

"Go, take one of the mirrors sent by the Yang family to Langyue Garden," the Crown Princess ordered. "She is, after all, a concubine. If she doesn't even have a mirror, who knows how many jokes she'll make if word gets out."

"That shameless woman may be able to afford to lose face, but the Crown Prince's residence cannot!"

The maid agreed and personally delivered it to Langyue Garden.

Tang Ming, having endured a lot of ridicule, sat in front of the dressing table, staring blankly at his reflection in the mirror.

In just four months, she went from being the most sought-after concubine in the mansion to a discarded concubine who stayed at home and was even mocked by a lowly maid, all because of Tang Zhao!

Tang Ming clenched his fists, his fingernails, stained with balsam flowers, digging into his palms. The sharp pain barely suppressed the anger that was about to burst forth from his chest. "Cut the paper and grind the ink."

The maidservant hurriedly helped Tang Ming write the letter, and then secretly delivered it to the Duke of Wei's mansion.

Every move in Langyue Garden was reported to Canyang Garden by the servants. Upon hearing this, the Crown Princess sneered, "Let her be."

She wanted to see what kind of trouble that bitch could cause!
Inside the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was talking with Emperor Sheng'an. "I don't think it's a big deal. Princess Zhaoshan has made a contribution to developing new agricultural tools and should be rewarded. Only then can the Emperor show that he is fair in rewarding and punishing."

Emperor Sheng'an sighed, "I think so too, but I don't know what to reward him with."

“Princess Zhaoshan was granted a title of royal family as a subject’s daughter and married into the Xuan Prince’s mansion. Her status was already noble. As for wealth, the national treasury was empty, and the emperor had to reduce the expenses of the harem. It would be better to give her less.”

"This is exactly what I'm worried about."

The Empress Dowager turned the prayer beads in her hand and said, "In my opinion, it would be better to bestow Wuwei as a fiefdom upon Princess Zhaoshan."

"A fiefdom granted?" Emperor Sheng'an was surprised. "There has never been a case in Dayu where a member of the imperial family was granted a fiefdom, and Wuwei belongs to the Northwest, which is my second brother's fiefdom."

"If there are no examples, let's take this one as an example," the Empress Dowager said slowly. "I heard that Princess Zhaoshan has moved to Wuwei and is living in the Protector General's Mansion. It is clear that Princess Zhaoshan misses her maternal grandparents' home. In that case, why doesn't the Emperor grant her wish?"

Emperor Sheng'an began to ponder.

"The Emperor knows the value of the Huguang Mirror," the Empress Dowager sighed. "The Northwest army's pay has not yet been raised, and the border soldiers cannot be left to guard the pass on an empty stomach."

Emperor Sheng'an understood the Empress Dowager's meaning: Princess Zhaoshan, who had gathered the wealth of the entire nation, was the best candidate to supply the Northwest Army.

“The Empress Dowager is right. I will issue an edict to grant Wuwei County to Princess Zhaoshan as her fiefdom,” Emperor Sheng’an stood up. “I will also include Ankang in the Northwest as compensation for my second brother.”

The Empress Dowager nodded. Emperor Sheng'an was overjoyed that his most important matter had been resolved. He had lunch with the Empress Dowager, then returned to the Imperial Study and ordered the Grand Secretariat to draft an imperial edict. The edict was then sealed with the imperial seal and sent to the Northwest to deliver the decree.

After Emperor Sheng'an finished dealing with state affairs, he was about to return to the inner palace when he was stopped by Luo Zheng, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, who was rushing into the palace.

Zhao Zhao: Hehehehehehehe.