Ma Lingyi could not help hesitating. Thinking of her husband’s coldness and failure to come home over the past two months, she bit her lip.
“Can it really make me beautiful?”
Seeing her waver, the woman gave a charming chuckle.
“Does that even need to be said? Isn’t the lady beside you the best proof? Besides, there’s no harm in trying; if you don’t become beautiful, I won’t take your silver. Moreover, I only serve those who please my eye. Try it and you will see.”
Ma Lingyi took a deep breath. Only the words becoming beautiful remained in her mind, and she nodded in agreement.
“Proprietress, it’s already dark. About how many shichen will it take? I have children at home, so I’d like to return early.”
The woman shot her an amused glance.
“Rest assured, it won’t take much time at all. Just the time it takes an incense stick to burn will do. You’ll be able to see the results tomorrow, guaranteed to entrance your man so completely he’ll never be able to look away.”
The woman was clearly glib-tongued, every word striking right at Ma Lingyi’s heart.
Madam Wang pointed to herself. “Do for her what you did for me. And I’d like to enhance the effects for myself—would that be possible?”
“Of course. Why would my humble shop turn customers away? Seeing that you brought a new guest today, I’ll give you both a discount. It’s usually fifty taels a time, but now I’ll only charge you ten taels of silver each.”
Hearing this, Ma Lingyi and Madam Wang hastily offered their thanks, feeling even more eager for the upcoming results.
“Proprietress, are there any side effects to this?”
The woman offered a faint smile.
“Of course not. If there were any issues, how could I keep my doors open for business? Put your mind at ease and just wait to become beautiful.”
Ma Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief at her words. She also felt rather embarrassed for constantly asking questions, yet the proprietress had patiently cleared up her doubts without showing the slightest irritation.
“Very well, make yourselves comfortable at any table. I will go make preparations and be right back.”
With a beaming smile, the woman turned around, pushed open a door behind her, and stepped inside. Ma Lingyi stole a glance, but all that met her eyes was pitch darkness; she could see nothing at all.
Madam Wang led her directly to the table closest to where they stood, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Before long, the woman returned carrying a pot of floral tea on a tray.
A pair of smooth, porcelain-white hands lifted the teapot and poured two cups of tea for Ma Lingyi and Madam Wang. The tea was a jade-green color, releasing a floral fragrance that immediately wafted into their noses.
Ma Lingyi was accustomed to fine food and drink in her daily life, yet this pot of floral tea still stirred a deep craving within her. Without waiting for the woman to say a word, she picked up her cup of floral tea and drank it down in one gulp.
Beside her, Madam Wang was even faster, savoring the lingering aftertaste with an enchanted expression on her face.
Having finished the floral tea, Ma Lingyi felt it was far from enough. Moments later, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. She struggled to force her eyelids open once before sinking into a deep sleep.
Seeing the two women lapse into slumber, the proprietress showed no surprise, clearly accustomed to the sight. She cleared away the teapot and cups, then walked back into the room from earlier.
...
When Ma Lingyi awoke from her slumber, she was taken aback. Upon seeing her reflection in the mirror before her, she shook Madam Wang beside her with sheer delight.
“Sister Wang, wake up quickly! Look at my face! The blemishes left from giving birth to Ziyan and Shurou are all gone, and my skin has become so fair and smooth. I never imagined this tea would have such incredible effects!” Ma Lingyi wept tears of joy.
She had thought that even if it worked, the effects would not appear so soon. She never anticipated it would be so instantaneous, and without the slightest pain or discomfort. Her entire person seemed to glow from the inside out, far more gorgeous than before—a vision one could not take their eyes off of.
As for Madam Wang, she was already quite beautiful, but drinking the floral tea this time made her figure even more stunning, like an absolute enchantress. Awakened by Ma Lingyi, she caressed her slender willow waist, the smile on her face never fading for an instant.
The two exchanged a look, their eyes filled with utter satisfaction over their newfound beauty.
The woman watched them quietly. Only when the two recovered from their excitement did she sway her hips and stroll over leisurely.
“Are my guests satisfied? If you are, you may return half a month from now to reinforce the effect. However, the price might increase slightly then. If you bring another fated customer along, the price will remain the same as today—still ten taels.”
Ma Lingyi took out ten taels of silver and handed it to the woman, beaming with joy.
“Thank you, Proprietress. I will definitely come again next time. Your tea is simply miraculous! But why did we fall asleep after drinking it?”
The woman shot them an enigmatic glance.
“I won’t hide it from you. This is no ordinary floral tea; it cleanses the impurities within your body into nothingness and has a calming, sleep-inducing effect, so it’s hardly surprising that you fell asleep. Come once every half month from now on, and you will become more and more beautiful.”
Anxious to return home, Ma Lingyi nodded at her words.
“Proprietress, we will definitely come back in half a month. It’s late now, and we must hurry home. If you don’t mind, we shall take our leave first?”
With that, she took Madam Wang, who had also paid, and hurried outside. As their figures reappeared on the street, the proprietress watched their departing silhouettes with a faint smile. With a wave of her hand, the doors shut on their own without any wind.
She walked into that room. Inside sat an ornament shaped like a reptile, from which wisps of white vapor—invisible to ordinary eyes—drifted outward.
Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the vapor into her body. Her entire presence turned ethereal and dreamlike, seeming even more beautiful than just moments before.
...
Having eaten and drunk her fill, Gu Qingyun left behind five taels of silver to settle the bill and stepped out of the restaurant, casually strolling through the streets. The prefecture capital was indeed a great city; even the evening curfew started much later, and many food stalls and eateries remained open, perfectly embodying the old adage that food is heaven to the common people.
In this tournament, she had claimed three second-place finishes and earned sixty taels of silver. She had offered five taels each to Constable Liu and the others, but they adamantly refused, insisting she had earned it all herself.
Left with no other choice, Gu Qingyun compromised: she insisted on paying for their evening banquet and wine, with whatever remained given to Head Constable Liu and the rest to buy more drink.
Considering how they had spent the past several days either rushing along the road at high speed or competing in tournaments without a single day of proper rest, the group decided to stay in the prefecture capital for two more days to recuperate before heading back to the county seat. They were confident the County Magistrate would not object; after all, Gu Qingyun had brought immense glory to Jiangyin County this time.
Taking in the bustling sights on either side, her eyes caught a carriage passing by. The wind lifted the carriage curtain, revealing two exquisitely beautiful women sitting inside.
Gu Qingyun could not help thinking what heavenly days these past two had been to see so many beauties. The ones today were even lovelier than those she had seen yesterday. She could not resist stealing a few extra glances at the people in the carriage, only pulling her gaze away once it vanished around the street corner.
Tsk, tsk. This prefecture capital truly nurtures fine people. Those living here get to see beauties every day—how fortunate.
...
Ma Lingyi returned home with her maidservants, where her husband, Zhu Ningmo, was already waiting for her in the room. Inside the teahouse, she had merely felt she had grown much prettier, but in Zhu Ningmo’s eyes, it was nothing short of breathtaking. He had not returned for little more than half a month, yet his wife’s complexion had blossomed anew, turning extraordinarily gorgeous.
Her porcelain skin, radiant and spirited eyes, and the faint, lingering fragrance wafting from her person—everything about her enchanted him. He walked over, clasped Ma Lingyi’s delicate hand, and spoke with boundless admiration in his eyes.
“Lingyi, you have become more and more beautiful.”
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