Chapter 1043 - 1045: So That’s The Purpose_1
Bai Ruozhu stood up under everyone’s watchful eyes and said to the young lady who nominated her, "The poetry competition is for you unmarried ladies to participate in; I, as a married woman, should not embarrass myself."
Her words were not too direct, but everyone understood immediately, and many recalled that poetry competitions were indeed for unmarried ladies. Asking a married woman to compose poetry was not quite proper, was it?
The young lady’s eyes flickered with vexation, regretting that Bai Ruozhu hadn’t taken the bait, but she still said unwillingly, "Rules are not set in stone. Madam Jiang is so modest—is it because she is too shy to compose poetry in front of others?"
Look, that’s almost like saying outright that she is uneducated and doesn’t even know how to write poetry.
There was no sign of displeasure on Bai Ruozhu’s face; instead, her smile grew deeper. She looked at the lady and said, "I am ashamed at the thought of wasting everyone’s time. With so many young and talented Misses here, what interest could everyone possibly have in a married woman like me?"
Her self-deprecating tone made many laugh, and quite a few unmarried young ladies felt a newfound fondness for her. Since she didn’t try to steal the limelight from them, they naturally appreciated it. It was only the person who had been biting at Bai Ruozhu all this time who truly seemed shameless, wasting everyone’s time.
Princess Huilan burst into laughter and even reached out to pat Bai Ruozhu’s shoulder, saying, "You are too funny, making yourself sound so old-fashioned."
Bai Ruozhu smiled at her, "You flatter me, Princess; I am no talented lady. All I can manage is some accounting and a bit of small business, so I’d rather not make a fool of myself."
Thus, the poetry session continued, but the lady who had sought trouble with Bai Ruozhu did not look pleased. Bai Ruozhu’s skillful deflection made her intentions despised by everyone.
Bai Ruozhu took a closer look and saw that a legitimate daughter from a Marquis’ Residence possessed exceptional literary grace, to which Princess Huilan paid extra attention. Finally, there was a scrutinizing look in her eyes, probably looking for a wife for herself or someone else.
After the poetry, the talent showcase followed. The ladies enjoyed the show and occasionally offered their comments, while the Noble Ladies also performed well, with a few particularly shining. Bai Ruozhu overheard someone nearby saying that some of the Noble Ladies were students of Chang’an Academy.
"Ruozhu, don’t just watch; give us your commentary as well," Princess Huilan suddenly said.
The crowd quieted down once more, all eyes turning to Bai Ruozhu, who once again became the center of attention.
Bai Ruozhu’s expression remained unchanged, but she guessed that Princess Huilan was looking for precisely this effect: to flatter her, to let her taste some sweetness, or perhaps to make her grow complacent?
"All the Noble Ladies here are very talented; why should we worry about Danliang lacking female scholars compared to Chengshui Country? Today, I have truly had an eye-opening experience," she intentionally said a few pleasing words and refrained from giving specific comments. It was not her place to praise someone at the risk of offending another.
The crowd was delighted by her words, and they burst into animated discussions.
"Indeed, now that the Emperor advocates for women’s education, even married women can continue their studies and become female scholars. In the future, their achievements will surely rival those of female scholars in Chengshui Country."
"Isn’t that so? We have many disciples of female learning here who, if someday there was a literary contest between the female scholars of the two countries, might prove Chengshui Country to be no match for us."
"..."
Princess Huilan quietly looked at Bai Ruozhu and thought to herself that this woman was indeed not simple; with just a few words, she had shifted everyone’s attention, avoiding making herself too conspicuous and preventing any dislike. She truly was a clever person.
After another half hour, the banquet concluded, and Princess Huilan took Bai Ruozhu’s hand, saying, "Ruozhu, I’m feeling a bit dizzy, please escort me back."
"Yes, Princess." Bai Ruozhu had no choice but to support her, sensing that they were getting to the heart of the matter, the inevitable confrontation she couldn’t avoid.
After escorting Princess Huilan back to her room, the princess dismissed everyone except for Lüping, who stayed to attend to her.
Patting the back of Bai Ruozhu’s hand, she said, "Ruozhu, I take a liking to you, I knew it the moment I saw you. From now on, you should think of me as your elder and need not be so formal."
"For Princess to show me favor, it is my good fortune," Bai Ruozhu responded, bowing her head.
Princess Huilan tried to gauge her expression but couldn’t see it clearly because her head was slightly bowed.
"It must not be easy for a woman to do business, right? Hua Xiangrong has several competitors in the Capital, like Tianyi Pavilion and Lingxiu Pavilion, well-established shops with strong backing and heritage. It won’t be easy for Hua Xiangrong to overtake them," Princess Huilan said as she picked up her teacup, waiting for Bai Ruozhu to respond.
"Indeed, it’s already impressive that Hua Xiangrong hasn’t been squeezed out," Bai Ruozhu said, seizing the opportunity.
Princess Huilan’s smile blossomed, "It happens that we hit it off, and I quite fancy you too. Why not enter into a partnership and invest some shares? Then, nobody would dare to bully you easily."
Bai Ruozhu sneered inwardly, thinking, Do you believe that you’re not bullying me right now?
So, this was Princess Huilan’s scheme all along. Initially, Bai Ruozhu hadn’t considered this possibility, subconsciously believing that the princess wouldn’t demean herself to snatch her business, given that she probably didn’t lack money. Who would have thought that the princess would actually dare to propose this?
First came the gestures of goodwill, then public displays of affection, elevating her to cloud nine. Next came the warning about how tough the Capital was, suggesting she should seek protection; and in return for support, Bai Ruozhu would have to offer up a share of the profits, while continuing to shoulder the workload alone.
"May I inquire how many shares the Princess wishes to obtain?" Bai Ruozhu asked tactfully, curious to see how far Princess Huilan dared to push her.
Thinking that Bai Ruozhu was tempted, Princess Huilan said with a beaming smile, "I think taking a forty percent stake should suffice. What do you think?"
Huh, expecting to receive forty percent of the profits without contributing anything, swooping in midway just to reap the benefits—how was this different from robbery?
Bai Ruozhu kept a polite smile on her face, though her heart was icy cold. She feigned difficulty and said, "Originally, I started with a small business. I thought about expanding it, so I partnered with friends and relatives right from the start, giving each of them a share of the profits. I’ll have to discuss this with them first so they don’t think I’m making decisions rashly and ruining our relationship down the line."
The smile faded from Princess Huilan’s face, her expression darkening, and those narrow eyes turned somewhat chilling as they took on a hint of menace.
"Your friends and relatives wouldn’t fail to give me this bit of face, would they? Or perhaps they are unaware of my reputation? Who in the Capital doesn’t show me some respect? If they’re really so blind, they can forget about doing any business at all."
Without changing her expression, Bai Ruozhu respectfully said, "The Princess is absolutely right. I will convey her words to them. I believe they wouldn’t dare to disagree."
Princess Huilan scrutinized Bai Ruozhu with an evaluating gaze. Was she really going to discuss it with her partners, or was she simply unwilling to collaborate with her? However, it was not an empty threat to scare Bai Ruozhu—if she lacked the foresight, Princess Huilan would not hesitate to ensure that her business ended in the Capital.