I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

"To make cosmetics, you dye cotton pads. The best color comes from lac insects. Safflower juice and wild pomegranate flower juice are the next best options. You can also use the dregs from safflower dye, which is the cheapest method, but the quality is poor, so it’s best not to use it."

Song Yunzhao had done her homework on this, so she spoke with confidence and was very persuasive.

"It sounds so simple," Wang Zhaorong said in a daze. ’And here I am spending so much silver on a single box of rouge. Merchants are such shameless crooks.’

"There are more complex methods, too, like for making face cream. This requires beef marrow, but that’s hard to come by, so beef tallow can be used. If you can’t get tallow, you can use plain lard. You soak cloves and patchouli in warm wine, use sweet wormwood to develop the color, then filter it with flour and let it set in a porcelain or lacquer cup. If you’re making lip balm, you just need to mix in some vermilion and wrap it in tung oil."

Seeing Wang Zhaorong’s surprised expression, Song Yunzhao continued, "There’s also a method using wax. You melt the wax, add gromwell root, and boil it for a certain amount of time. Then you add fragrant spices, stir it well, and pour it into a bamboo tube. Once it cools, you take it out, and you have lipstick."

"It really doesn’t seem that difficult."

"That’s why this business is guaranteed to be profitable. Zhaorong, are you interested in partnering with me?"

"...You want to start a business? Isn’t that against the rules?"

"Do the palace regulations explicitly forbid a concubine from doing business?"

"Well, no, but no one has ever done it." Wang Zhaorong looked at Song Yunzhao as if she were some kind of freak. ’We’re already the Emperor’s concubines, and she still wants to do business? How mortifying.’

"But aren’t you short on silver?"

A shot to the heart!

Wang Zhaorong clutched her chest. Yes, she was short on silver. Very short.

"But if the Emperor finds out, will he punish us?" This was Wang Zhaorong’s biggest worry. A way to earn silver that wasn’t illegal would solve her most pressing problem.

"Then I’ll ask the Emperor for a decree later and see if I can get his permission."

"Really? If you get his approval, you must include me! Your Highness, I’ll never forget your immense kindness," Wang Zhaorong said immediately.

"What are you two talking about? What immense kindness will you never forget?" Consort Shu turned her head and asked, looking at them suspiciously.

Wang Zhaorong hesitated, unsure if she should say anything, but then she heard Song Yunzhao explain everything in just a few words and even ask the others if they wanted to buy a share.

Consort Shu wasn’t interested. "If you really manage to make some, I’ll buy a few," she said, as a way of showing her support.

’Doing business? That’s beneath my station. If word got out, I’d become a laughingstock.’

Feng Yunjin, Han Jinyi, and Lu Zhixue were all quite surprised. Lu Zhixue was the most direct, however. "Count me in."

She had long since wanted to stop relying on her family for support, but her monthly stipend from the palace wasn’t enough to live as comfortably as she was now. If she could earn her own silver, it would also ease the burden on her family.

Once Lu Zhixue spoke up, Han Jinyi and Feng Yunjin also nodded in agreement.

Consort Shu was speechless.

’So I’m the only one not joining in?’

’Wouldn’t that make me seem unsociable?’

’Song Yunzhao is the Emperor’s favored concubine, and even she isn’t afraid of embarrassment. What do I have to be afraid of?’

’Besides, if the Emperor agrees, wouldn’t we be acting on his orders?’

Consort Shu quickly convinced herself. She cleared her throat and said, "Since you all want to participate, you can count me in as well. I’d hate for your little stall to collapse without my support."

Song Yunzhao smiled. "Then we must thank you, Consort Shu. However, this is just my own idea for now. If I can’t get the decree, please don’t be disappointed."

Consort Shu huffed. "Just make sure you all don’t end up crying about it. I, for one, don’t care either way."

Later, when Consort Shu was holding stacks of shiny silver, she couldn’t get enough of it.

"There’s one more thing I need to make clear. If we really do this, we’ll open a proper shop and pay taxes to the court. That way, we can avoid dissatisfaction from the court officials and shut them up." But Song Yunzhao had another plan in mind. The deficit in the Ministry of Revenue was growing larger. She had overheard Feng Yi worrying about it. Although they had won a great victory last year, Beiming might return with a vengeance this year.

If another war broke out, the silver in the National Treasury likely wouldn’t be enough to cover the costs.

Although Song Yunzhao had never studied economics, she had seen all sorts of business tactics in her past life. She felt she could copy what she’d seen, try to stimulate the economy a bit, and increase the National Treasury’s tax revenue.

For example, if their rouge business grew large enough, they would need to purchase beef marrow, tallow, gromwell root, cloves, patchouli, and other materials. This could easily create a supply chain. Once a cluster effect formed, the economy would start to gain momentum.

She didn’t have much experience right now, so she had to start small. But if she was lucky enough to expand the business and help solve Feng Yi’s worries, her own status and importance in his heart would naturally change.

The more important she became, the harder it would be for the Empress Dowager to challenge her.

At that point, she wouldn’t even have to worry about one An Shutong, let alone five, six, seven, or eight of them.

’One shouldn’t fear growing old, but becoming worthless.’

Song Yunzhao gave them a brief explanation, and they all became interested. Spending all day in the palace either embroidering or playing cards, without any new amusements, was truly boring them to death.

’Having a hobby would be for the best. It could pass the time, earn some silver, and boost their presence in front of the Emperor. It’s killing three birds with one stone!’

Consort Shu looked at Song Yunzhao. ’Hmph, so the fox’s tail is showing, is it?’

’She just knew Song Yunzhao had ulterior motives. What was all this about contributing to the court through taxes? It was clearly about securing the Emperor’s favor.’

The group chattered excitedly, reaching a preliminary consensus.

After seeing everyone off, Song Yunzhao had Zhang Maoquan send a message to the front palace. If Feng Yi had time, he would surely come over in the evening.

Sure enough, when she returned with Feng Ze from a stroll in the Imperial Garden, Feng Yi was already there.

When Feng Ze saw his imperial father, he charged forward on his little short legs. Feng Yi quickly stood up to catch him, and Feng Ze’s laughter echoed through the hall.

Seeing the father and son both beaming with smiles, Song Yunzhao said, "Why are you here so early? Weren’t you in a meeting? I thought I’d have to wait a while longer, so I took the child to the Imperial Garden."

Feng Yi placed Feng Ze on the large couch by the window, then replied, "It’s rare for you to send for me. Of course I had to come over early."

Song Yunzhao was speechless.

Perhaps because they had spoken more openly last time, she felt that Feng Yi was treating her with more intimacy than before.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Feng Yi asked with a smile.

Song Yunzhao called for Nanny Qi to take the child away. Feng Ze was tired from playing, so when Nanny Qi came to pick him up, he went with her willingly, clearly knowing it was time to be fed.

Once the hall was quiet, Yun Zhao sat down next to Feng Yi and briefly explained what she had discussed with Wang Zhaorong and the others that day.

Feng Yi was speechless.

Seeing Feng Yi’s astonished expression, Song Yunzhao was also a bit surprised. "Can it not be done?"

Feng Yi looked at Yun Zhao. "I didn’t say it can’t be done, but no one has ever done it."

"So if I want to do it, is it possible?"

"How much tax revenue can your little business bring to the court? I think you should just save yourself the trouble," Feng Yi said with a smile. "If you enjoy this sort of thing, you can just make them in the palace for fun to pass the time."

Song Yunzhao knew Feng Yi wouldn’t agree right away, so she said in a serious tone, "Then how about we make a bet?"