Zhu Fu thought that today, the three of them would chase away the small people together, and it was a matter of fate. He said that no matter what, he wanted to be sworn brothers with Dandan (Mofan) and Shengyi. The swearing-in ceremony is complex, but they simplified it by not including any deities from heaven and earth. Dandan suggested that they swear in front of the God of Wealth, but Zhu Fu couldn’t bear to read out the long oath, so Dandan simplified it to: “Not born on the same day, month, or year, but I hope we will be rich together.”
Meanwhile, in the backyard, a fire seemed to be burning. Chen Xiu explained that Hu Weifang had hired a new employee who was going through a swearing-in ceremony. To make incense powder, they need glutinous rice as the base and various herbs on top. However, the glutinous rice can overpower the scent of the herbs, making the incense powder not fragrant enough. Dandan suggested using flowers as the base instead, which would increase the cost but ensure that it is done to perfection.
The three of them worked together with Sun Big Lady to make the incense powder. They first made the glutinous rice flour (yifan) and then created the flower water (huayu). Finally, they reached the step of adjusting the scent. Adjusting the scent is not difficult, anyone can do it, but the intensity of the fragrance and the amount used are all up to Dandan’s personal preference. However, Shengyi likes a milder scent, while Zhu Fu prefers a stronger scent. Sun Big Lady suggested that they could use other flowers to make incense powder, but the process is too complicated and labor-intensive.
Dandan had an idea – let the customers adjust the scent themselves according to their preferences. This plan turned out to be a success, as they earned back all of their expenses and even made some profit.
The Emperor’s health has taken a turn for the worse again, and he missed another meeting with his officials. Ning Wang continued to fill in, but this time, it caused discontent among the other ministers. Xu Zuping was particularly angry, saying that Ning Wang and Jiang Changyang were treating the imperial court like their own backyard. However, Jiang Changyang didn’t seem to care.
There have been complaints about Cui Shilang’s corruption, and now Xu Zuping is advocating for a scientific reform of the examination system, focusing on talent rather than social status. Many ministers agree with him, putting pressure on Ning Wang’s faction. Ning Wang sees Xu Zuping as a threat to his own power and decides to take action against him.
Meanwhile, Liu Zishu has been working hard and wrote an essay on how to manage water resources. However, Ning Wang didn’t even bother to read it and instead reminded Liu Zishu to pay attention to his clothes.
Shengyi’s flower cakes are a hit with the customers, and Dandan is reminded of the tea called “Jade Dew” that she used to love. She starts to cry, wishing that Jade Dew was still around so she could enjoy these flower cakes.
Dandan discovers that Jiang Changyang has been secretly taking care of his children’s expenses, including hiring a wet nurse and even burning water for them himself. This is not the image that Dandan had in mind when she thought of Jiang Changyang as just a wealthy and powerful man.
The incense powder business is booming, and Zhu Fu quickly returns to bring Dandan back to sell it. The new and improved version of Dandan’s flower shop is thriving, and Hu Weifang has plans to open another stall and cultivate new products so that they won’t run out of business anytime soon.
