Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 43 I drew a priceless design in the cold palace! The richest man begged me to be his manager.

The fifth day of the first lunar month is called the "Breaking Five Festival".

According to palace custom, this day is for "sending away poverty," which means throwing out all the accumulated garbage, symbolizing the departure of poverty. Eunuchs and palace maids are busy sweeping the courtyard, moving out old utensils, and piling them outside the palace gate for unified disposal.

The Tangli Palace was also being swept and cleaned.

Jinshu, accompanied by two young palace maids, shoveled the snow from the courtyard and wiped the doors and windows with hot water. Bao'er, wrapped up tightly, was held under the eaves to bask in the sun. The little one watched the busy people with curiosity, making babbling sounds.

Shen Qingci was not in the courtyard.

She has locked herself in a side hall for two days now.

The table was covered with paper—not ordinary Xuan paper, but prescription paper obtained from Physician Chen, with blank backs, perfect for drawing.

At this moment, she was holding a specially made fine pen and sketching something on a piece of paper.

That was a complex mechanical structure diagram.

The wooden frame, gears, connecting rods, pedals... every line is drawn with extreme precision, and the dimensions and proportions are marked next to them. If someone knowledgeable in mechanical engineering were to see at a glance, they would recognize this as an improved design of a loom.

Unlike ordinary looms, this machine has a more complex structure, capable of controlling multiple warp and weft threads simultaneously, and can weave intricate patterns.

After finishing the last stroke, Shen Qingci put down his brush and rubbed his sore wrist.

This was drawn from her memory—she had seen a similar machine in an old manor in Europe during a mission in her previous life. It was a product of the early Industrial Revolution, and its efficiency was more than ten times that of manual labor.

In this era, this machine is a money tree.

She put down the loom drawings and picked up another piece of paper.

The drawing on this paper depicts clothing—but not the wide-sleeved robes common in this era, but a modified style.

A fitted waist jacket with a neckline that opens just right, revealing a slender neck. The sleeves are narrower than those of regular clothes, and the cuffs are tied with ribbons, giving it a neat and capable look. The skirt is not layered, but rather has a simple A-line cut, allowing it to flutter slightly when walking without being cumbersome.

Several sets of men's clothing were also depicted beside it—short shirts with stand-up collars, long trousers with tapered legs, and a straight robe embroidered with subtle patterns. They retained the elegance of scholars while adding a touch of heroic spirit.

Each outfit is labeled with its fabric, color, suitable occasion, and even styling suggestions.

This is not all.

Shen Qingci then pulled out a third sheet of paper.

This piece of paper contains the "Jinxiufang Business Plan," which is divided into several parts:

I. Product Positioning: High-end custom-made clothing, emphasizing "uniqueness".

II. Membership System: Pre-deposit 500 taels of silver to become a member and enjoy services such as priority customization, preview of new styles, and exclusive embroiderers.

III. Marketing Strategy: Only ten orders will be accepted per month, with a minimum of 300 taels per order. No bargaining allowed.

IV. Expansion Plan: First, open a flagship store in Beijing, then open a branch in Jiangnan a year later, and cover major cities across the country within three years.

V. Talent Needs: Manager (must be business-savvy and good at communication), Craftsman (must be highly skilled and able to keep secrets), Embroiderer (must be highly skilled and creative).

She stared at the paper, lost in thought.

Money, we have it—the 520 taels of gold are the start-up capital.

With technology in hand—improved looms and modern design concepts are the core competitive advantages.

The channels were also in place—the late Empress Dowager had connections in the shadows, including silk shop owners and security escort agency managers; these were readily available networks.

The only thing missing is people.

A reliable person.

The person who can make this grand game of chess come to fruition.

"Your Highness," Jinshu gently pushed open the door and entered, "it's time for lunch. Bao'er is hungry too."

Shen Qingci then came to her senses and realized that it was already past noon.

She put down her pen and followed Jinshu to the outer room. Bao'er was already being breastfed in the arms of the wet nurse—Shen Qingci didn't have enough breast milk, so these days she had started supplementing her feeding with goat milk.

The little guy ate with gusto, making smacking noises with his little mouth.

Shen Qingci looked at her son, and a thought suddenly popped into her mind.

"Jinshu," she whispered, "I want to write a letter to my father."

Jinshu was taken aback: "Lord Shen? But... Her Majesty is still under house arrest, how can the letter be sent out?"

"I have a way," Shen Qingci said. "Have Xiao Luzi go to the silk shop owner in Huaihua Hutong in the south of the city and ask him to find a way to get the letter to my father."

"But... what should be written in the letter? What if it gets intercepted..."

"I will use ciphertext." Shen Qingci had already thought it through. "I will only ask one thing—did my father have any trustworthy disciples or descendants who are now in business or are exceptionally skilled craftsmen when he was in the court?"

Jinshu's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty wants to..."

"Hmm." Shen Qingci nodded. "Jinxiu Workshop needs people. But I can't look for them in the palace, nor can I look for them under the noses of the Liu family. Although my father was demoted, he still has decades of accumulated wealth. The people he recommends should be reliable."

"I understand," Jinshu said. "I'll go and fetch Xiaoluzi right away."

"Wait a minute." Shen Qingci called out to her, picking up the drawings from the table. "Keep these safe too. Put them in the secret compartment, and no one but you and I can see them."

"Yes."

Jinshu took the blueprint, carefully rolled it up, wrapped it in oil paper, and stuffed it into a hidden compartment in the corner of the wall—it was something that Eunuch Li had helped make a few days ago. It wasn't visible from the outside, but it would pop open when the right mechanism was pressed.

After setting up the blueprints, Jinshu hurriedly went to find Xiaoluzi.

Shen Qingci walked to the corridor and looked at the palace servants sweeping the courtyard.

A thin eunuch was struggling to carry an old wooden box. The box was very heavy, and he was moving very slowly.

"You," Shen Qingci suddenly spoke, "what's your name?"

The young eunuch was startled and quickly put down the box and knelt down: "Your Majesty, this servant's name is Xiao Anzi."

How old are you?

"Ten, thirteen."

"How many years have you been in the palace?"

"It's been three years," Xiao Anzi said softly. "I was in the laundry department before, and I was only transferred to Tangli Palace last month."

Shen Qingci sized him up.

He was very thin, but had bright eyes and worked very hard.

"Can you read?" she asked.

Xiao Anzi paused for a moment, then shook her head: "I...I don't know."

"Would you like to learn?"

Xiao Anzi suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with disbelief: "Your Majesty...you mean..."

"Starting today, after you finish your work each day, have Jinshu teach you to recognize one character," Shen Qingci said calmly. "In one month, I want you to learn to write your own name and recognize simple accounts."

Xiao Anzi trembled with excitement, repeatedly kowtowing, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Get up." Shen Qingci turned and went into the house. "Move the boxes to the storeroom. Be careful not to drop them."

"yes!"

Xiao Anzi got up, picked up the box, and his steps became much lighter.

Shen Qingci looked at his thin back and made up her mind.

Talented individuals can be found within the palace.

But they must be blank slates, orphans, people with no one to rely on.

Only such a person can be completely controlled and absolutely loyal.

Back inside, Bao'er had already eaten and was lying in her cradle playing with her little hands. Seeing her mother come in, the little one grinned, revealing her pink gums.

Shen Qingci bent down and picked up her son.

"Bao'er," she whispered, "Mother is going to build you a business empire. With money, Mother can support more people, investigate more things, and do bigger things."

Bao'er, of course, couldn't understand, but she reached out her little hand and grabbed her hair.

"Once Jinxiufang opens, Mother will have the money to hire the best craftsmen and buy you the best things." Shen Qingci kissed her son's forehead. "Your maternal grandfather, your uncle, and all those in the Shen family who were implicated... Mother will save them all."

Firecrackers could be heard outside the window—on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, businesses would set off firecrackers to bring good luck when they reopened.

As Shen Qingci listened to the crackling sound, her eyes grew increasingly resolute.

Business was the second step in her revenge.

The first step in building an intelligence network is using eyes and ears.

The second step in building a business empire is having a money bag and hands and feet.

With these two things, she could truly stand up and confront the Liu family and those enemies lurking in the shadows head-on.

---

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival.

Xiao Luzi brought back good news.

"Your Majesty," he lowered his voice, "the letter has been delivered. Lord Shen has replied."

He pulled out a very small bamboo tube from his pocket, exactly the same as the one from last time.

Shen Qingci took it, opened it, and inside was a piece of paper as thin as a cicada's wing.

Three names were written in tiny print on the paper, along with background information for each person:

I. Qian Sihai, 25 years old, is the only son of the Qian family, a former imperial merchant family in Jiangnan who controlled the textile industry. Three years ago, the Qian family was framed and went bankrupt because they refused to cooperate with the Liu family. Qian Sihai ended up in the capital and currently works as an accountant in a silk shop in the west of the city. Special skills: proficient in business, good at accounting, and has a wide network of connections.

2. Sun Qiaoshou, 42 years old, is the most famous tailor in the capital. She once made clothes for the late Empress Dowager and her craftsmanship is superb. However, due to her straightforward personality, she offended the Liu family and now can only take odd jobs. Special skills: tailoring, embroidery, and design.

3. Zhao Laoshi, 38 years old, comes from a family of carpenters. His grandfather once made furniture for the imperial palace, and the craft has been passed down through generations. However, because he refused to marry his only daughter to a collateral branch of the Liu family as a concubine, he was ostracized and unable to get any work. Special skills: carpentry, mechanical work.

The paper ended with a line that read: "These three men are all trustworthy and usable. Take care, my son."

Shen Qingci's eyes felt a little hot.

Although her father had been demoted and was in dire straits, he was still worried about her.

She held the paper to the candle flame and burned it.

"Xiao Luzi," she said, "go and find out where these three people live now, what they usually do, and who they associate with. Be careful not to let anyone notice."

"Yes." Xiao Luzi hesitated for a moment. "Your Majesty, that Qian Sihai... I've heard of him. The Qian family was once the richest family in Jiangnan, but they collapsed overnight because they offended the Liu family. Qian Sihai fell from grace and must hate the Liu family to the core."

"That would be even better," Shen Qingci said. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"But... how do we contact him? If we go directly to his door, we might alert him."

Shen Qingci pondered for a moment: "We don't need to look for him. Let him come to us."

She picked up a piece of paper from her desk and sketched a garment—a modified version of the jacket she had designed before, but with special patterns added to the collar and cuffs.

"Take this pattern to the silk shop in the south of the city and have the shopkeeper spread the word that a nobleman is looking for a tailor and embroiderer who can make this kind of garment," Shen Qingci said. "Remember, only show the pattern to the shopkeeper; don't let him take it away. Just say that whoever can make it will be rewarded with fifty taels of silver."

Xiao Luzi's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty is brilliant! This way we can test Sun Qiaoshou's skills and see if it will attract other talented people. Besides... Qian Sihai works as an accountant in the silk shop, so he will definitely see this design."

"Yes." Shen Qingci nodded. "If he is truly a business genius as my father says, he will definitely see the business opportunities behind this scheme. At that time, we won't need to look for him; he will naturally find a way to find us."

"This servant understands!" Xiao Luzi took the blueprints and carefully put them away. "This servant will go and do it right away."

After Xiao Luzi left, Shen Qingci walked to the window.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the night of the full moon.

Lanterns were hung everywhere in the palace, and the sounds of string and wind instruments and laughter could be heard from afar.

Her Tangli Palace remained deserted.

But she wasn't in a hurry.

The quieter it is now, the more lively it will be in the future.

The more restrained you are now, the more ostentatious you will be in the future.

She turned and walked to the cradle.

Bao'er is already asleep, her little face is rosy, and her breathing is even.

Shen Qingci gently stroked her son's face.

"Bao'er, wait for me." She said softly, "When Mother opens Jinxiufang, when Mother has enough power... Mother will take you out of this deep palace with dignity."

"Go see the outside world."

"Let's take back everything that belongs to us."

Moonlight streamed in through the window and fell on her face.

Half gentle, half resolute.