In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

As he spoke, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Xie Zhen and Xie Yige, then turned and left the backyard.

Thirteen Sister turned around, saw Xie Zhen, and then saw the extremely beautiful young woman beside him. She was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and a bright smile bloomed on her face.

"Thirteen Sister greets Young Master and thanks Steward." She gave a crisp bow, her tone cheerful and generous, a stark contrast to her earlier fiery and argumentative demeanor.

Xie Yige couldn't help but smile slightly, feeling a surge of goodwill towards this straightforward woman. She asked curiously, "Was that person from the Ink Treasure Pavilion just now?"

Thirteen Sister didn't mince words and quickly explained the man's identity: "He is the manager of the Ink Treasure Pavilion, named Cui Zhilin. He is from the Cui family of Qinghe and is of the same generation as the current Prime Minister, Cui Zhinuan. However, his mother is of low status, so he is a very marginal figure in the Cui family."

The Cui family of Qinghe.

It's the Cui family again.

So this person... is he Cui Yutang's cousin?

Xie Yige's heart stirred slightly, but she didn't ask any further questions. She followed Shisan Niang into the private room inside and sat down. Shisan Niang personally brewed a pot of the finest Mengding Shihua tea, its fragrance delicate and refreshing.

Xie Yige picked up her teacup, took a sip, then put it down, asking cautiously, "Our silk shop... doesn't have a very good relationship with the Ink Treasure Pavilion?"

The shouting match just now was hard to ignore.

Thirteen Sister blushed slightly and glanced at Xie Zhen somewhat awkwardly. Xie Zhen remained calm, showing no intention of helping her out of the awkward situation.

"There's no conflict of stance or principle, so please don't worry, young master," Thirteen Lady coughed and explained. "It's just... we couldn't stand each other, so we were just bickering."

Seeing her guilty look, Xie Yige couldn't help but laugh, nodded slightly, and didn't ask any further questions.

Seeing this, Thirteen Sister quickly changed the subject: "Young Master, I have prepared the account books. Please take a look."

She took out a thick stack of account books from the cabinet and presented them with both hands.

Xie Yige took it and examined it closely. Upon closer inspection, she immediately understood its significance.

Every income and expenditure item is categorized and clearly labeled, with income, expenditure, inventory, and losses readily apparent. Even better, each page includes a small summary column at the end, concisely summarizing the data for that page and saving you the trouble of flipping through each page.

This is a unique way of keeping accounts that my mother invented.

Xie Yige had seen similar account books at her home in Donglin City. At the time, she thought they were clear and easy to use, and her mother had even taught her how to use them. As she flipped through the pages, she became more and more alarmed—Shisan Niang had managed this silk shop exceptionally well, with clear accounts, considerable profits, and steadily increasing revenue every year.

"You've worked hard, Thirteen Sister." Xie Yige closed the account book, her gaze towards Thirteen Sister becoming more serious. "I may need to ask you for help often in the future, so I'll stop here for today."

"Please feel free to give any instructions, my lord. I will be at your service at any time," Thirteen replied with a smile.

As Xie Yige left Xizi Silk Shop, she couldn't help but glance once more at the Ink Treasure Pavilion next door. The plaque above the door gleamed warmly in the sunlight, and she could vaguely see figures moving inside.

She looked away and got into the carriage.

The next business will also be located in the East Market.

The carriage stopped at the more bustling intersection of Zhuque East Street. Xie Yige got out of the carriage and looked up to see an exquisite little building with a plaque above the door that read "Lankou Pavilion".

She couldn't help but startled.

Isn't this the rouge shop that Li Zhiwei mentioned, the one that "all the noble ladies in the capital are fighting tooth and nail for"?

She remembered Li Zhiwei saying that Lancôme's rouge and face powder were the best in the capital, and even the ladies in the palace used them frequently. The box of rare rouge that Li Zhiwei had given her that day was from there.

It turns out that this was also her family's business.

Xie Yige was even more surprised when she stepped into the store.

The shop's decor was unlike anything she had ever seen. Various cosmetics were displayed in expensive glass cases, sparkling and translucent, gleaming softly under the lights.

The rarer rouges were placed separately on brocade trays, with small luminous pearls placed beside them, their luster and the rouge's glow complementing each other, bathing the entire shop in a radiant glow.

Xie Yige was dumbfounded.

"Miss, this is too extravagant!" Bichun whispered in her ear.

"Young master, is there anything you like? Ninth Sister will personally deliver it to your residence later."

The manager of Lancôme was a gentle and elegant woman, around thirty years old, with the air of a well-bred lady.

She speaks softly and clearly, yet she is very knowledgeable about the raw materials, origins, and characteristics of every rouge in the store. Some of the rouges even have their own unique stories behind them.

Xie Yige walked around the shop and flipped through the account books, gaining a deeper understanding of Jiu Niang's competence.

After leaving Lancôme Pavilion, Xie Zhencai explained Jiu Niang's background to her in a low voice: "Jiu Niang was originally a daughter of an official. Her father was implicated in a cheating case in the imperial examinations and his family was raided. She ended up in a brothel and was bullied by spoiled brats. It was her master who saved her and used some means and sacrifices to help her change her status to a respectable one. So she stayed at Lancôme Pavilion and became a manager."

Xie Yige remained silent for a moment, feeling an even greater respect for her mother.

Over the next two days, Xie Zhen took her to see embroidery workshops, teahouses, pastry shops, tea estates, villas, and even a jewelry and jade shop in the West Market. Every business was well-managed, with clear and transparent accounts.

Xie Yige watched it all the way through, from initial shock to numbness, and finally to complete conviction.

Who exactly is her mother?

Finally, Xie Zhen led her to a quiet alley. Surprisingly, it wasn't far from the Imperial College.

"This is..." Xie Yige stepped into the courtyard and her eyes lit up.

This is a study. Named Shufangzhai, it is spacious and bright, and decorated with extreme elegance and romance. The shelves are not filled with the usual Four Books and Five Classics, but with various miscellaneous notes, vernacular stories, travelogues, and even some beautifully bound women's books that she has never seen before: the art of managing a household, emotional issues, and the way of business.

Those writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were also unique—the paper carried a faint floral fragrance, the inksticks were engraved with exquisite portraits of ladies, and the brush handles were painted with elegant orchid designs.

"This is a study that specializes in selling women's books and stationery," Xie Zhen explained. "It was also the master's idea. She said that women should read more books. The saying 'a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent' is a deceitful lie."

Xie Yige strolled around for a while, picked up a storybook in the central area, flipped through a few pages, and was immediately captivated by the stories inside.

The shopkeeper here is called Seventeen Sister. When she saw that Xie Yige liked it, she took out an unopened book and wrapped it up for her.

"Young master, you can come here often in the future. Seventeenth Sister is waiting for you." Her voice was charming and seductive, and her eyes were cunning. Then she glanced at Xie Zhen, who was drinking tea and waiting on the side, and whispered in her ear.

"I also have a deluxe illustrated book of Kyoto's top ten most handsome men, guaranteed to be so good-looking you won't be able to close your legs."