Inside the box was not a real leopard but a jade-crafted leopard radiating a pure, lustrous glow. He Weifang drafted a contract and handed it to Jiang Changyang for review. To her surprise, Jiang Changyang was even more cunning than she expected. He changed the proposed profit split from 50-50 to 90-10 in his favor. Moreover, if there were any losses, He Weifang would still have to repay the entire principal. With no other benefactor to turn to besides Jiang Changyang, He Weifang had no choice but to agree to these terms.
Meanwhile, the Princess of Ji’an convinced Prince Ning to choose Liu Zishu as her new son-in-law. Overjoyed, she prepared to send a message to Liu Zishu, who was far away in Luoyang. On her way, she encountered Jiang Changyang and his entourage descending the mountain. Curious, she inquired about the woman Jiang Changyang seemed so eager to hide away.
Jiang Changyang spun a web of lies, but the Princess, buoyed by her fulfilled wish and in high spirits, did not press the matter. However, Jiang Changyang, ever perceptive, gleaned from the Princess’s words that, in the eyes of outsiders, He Weifang was presumed dead after falling off a cliff. He also learned that Liu Zishu would soon arrive in Chang’an. Jiang Changyang told Mudan (Peony) that while their partnership came at one price, keeping her presumed death a secret from the Princess and Prince Ning would come at another. He Weifang quickly pledged her loyalty, asserting that Liu Zishu’s arrival in Chang’an did not concern her. When the time was right, she would personally settle accounts with the Liu family.
Under the meticulous care of He Weifang and Qin Shengyi, their dwarf peonies finally bloomed. At dawn the next day, the two brought the flowers to the market to sell. He Weifang named this variety of dwarf peony “Huai Xiu Xiang” (Fragrant Keepsake) and priced each pot at 80 wen. With their lush and vibrant appearance, the flowers were affordable for ordinary households. Huai Xiu Xiang sold out quickly, with many customers placing advance orders as well.
With money in hand, He Weifang planned to rent a yard, which would allow them to care for their flowers properly without worrying about excessive moisture during the rainy season. Through a property broker, He Weifang and Qin Shengyi found a promising house. Although dirty and dilapidated, it was conveniently located next to the Jiang estate, making it easier for them to demand money or credit from Jiang Changyang in the future.
Liu Zishu arrived in Chang’an and, thanks to familial connections, secured a position as a sixth-grade assistant official in the Ministry of Revenue. The Princess even arranged for Liu’s old residence to be cleaned and prepared, ensuring he could move in immediately upon arrival. Those in the Ministry of Revenue, eager to curry favor with Prince Ning, subtly vied for Liu Zishu’s attention. However, Liu Zishu felt uncomfortable, longing instead to prove his talents through genuine achievements.
He Weifang and Qin Shengyi soon discovered they had been duped by the property broker—the house they rented was not merely adjacent to the Jiang estate but was, in fact, the Jiang estate’s backyard. By the time they realized this, the broker had fled with their money. After much negotiation and assurances to pay ninefold profits by the end of the month, Jiang Changyang reluctantly agreed to lease the overgrown backyard to them.
The cost of hiring workers to clear the weeds was exorbitant, so the two women rolled up their sleeves and did the work themselves. During this process, He Weifang discovered that the wild weeds in the yard included purslane, a plant with medicinal value. She offered to let people dig it up for 10 wen, attracting buyers.
Qin Shengyi was puzzled and asked why they didn’t harvest the purslane themselves to sell as medicinal herbs for extra income. He Weifang patiently explained that one of the most valuable lessons she had learned from her years of observing her father’s business was that time is more precious than money. While purslane was profitable, it paled in comparison to peonies. Though they might appear to be losing out on some herbal profits, saving time would allow them to turn a profit on their main business sooner. Qin Shengyi, initially skeptical, had an epiphany after hearing He Weifang’s reasoning.
