The Good Grandson of the Red Chamber

Chapter 91: The Empress Advertises, the Number One Fragrance in the World

"There's a sudden rumor going around that the perfume contains poisonous creatures like toads, centipedes, and snakes, which is why it smells so strong, and that spraying it on your body is harmful!"

"If you use it for a long time, it will poison you! This rumor spread so widely that no one dared to buy the perfume anymore."

"Grandmother, this perfume of mine has been used by you and the concubines in the palace. The imperial physicians have tested the ingredients, and it is made from wine and flower juice."

"It has never caused any harm to the body! Everyone who has used it says it's great! My grandson could have made a fortune from this perfume to supplement the family income!"

"In this way, my royal grandfather and grandmother, as well as my father and mother, won't have to worry about my royal residence being in debt!"

"Who would have thought someone could be so despicable? To resort to such vicious means and cut off my source of income."

"Grandson really can't go on living, please, Grandmother, do me a favor."

The Empress has controlled the harem for so many years, and she has risen through the ranks in the struggles of the palace; she is certainly not an innocent, pure woman.

She first heard that her grandson was being bullied to the point of despair, and she was filled with righteous indignation, vowing to seek justice for him.

But as she listened, she realized what she meant.

She asked with a smile, "Zong-ge'er, how would you like Grandmother to make the decision for you?"

"Should the Imperial Guards arrest and behead all those who secretly slander the perfume? And find the mastermind behind it and punish them severely?"

Xia Chengzong said righteously, "Grandmother, although these people are extremely despicable, and although I am a grandson of the emperor, I cannot abuse my power to bully others."

"These people are truly despicable and certainly deserve severe punishment, but they should be punished according to the law. How can the law be disregarded because of me?"

"As for the mastermind behind it all, they are extremely well hidden and may not be able to be found out, so there's no need to waste manpower investigating them."

"What I'm thinking is that, since the palace needs to purchase rouge and face powder anyway, and my shop produces the best quality rouge and face powder."

"In the future, may the palace purchase perfumes from my grandson's shop? Also, I would like to add the words 'Royal Supply' to the perfumes sold to the public."

"Furthermore, I would like to ask the Empress to help me get a penis. I will send a batch of perfumes to the palace, and the Empress will bestow the perfumes upon the noble ladies when she summons them."

"This will not only dispel the rumors, but also ensure my grandson's business prospers."

"In this way, grandson can earn some clean money to supplement the family income, and Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, and Mother will no longer have to worry about me. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone and achieving the best of both worlds?"

Hearing this, the Empress gave Xia Chengzong a deep look and said:

"You little rascal, you're quite clever indeed, knowing how to invoke the imperial palace's name! Logically speaking, this is certainly not the way to do it."

"But who told you to make it sound so pitiful? At such a young age, you have to support an entire royal palace all by yourself! It is indeed pitiful."

"Alright, this matter is decided by the Empress Dowager, who allows you to do it this way. As for those who slander you in secret, the Empress Dowager will also stand up for you."

"By the way, you just said you wanted me to help you type GG, what does 'GG' mean?"

Xia Chengzong laughed and said, "Your Majesty, GG means to spread the word. With Your Majesty's promotion, the perfume will soon become famous."

Xia Chengzong showered the Empress with compliments, making her even happier.

After Xia Chengzong left, the Empress sent someone to invite Emperor Yonglong.

When Emperor Yonglong arrived, the Empress told him about the matter.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yonglong laughed and said, "It's not hard to guess who's behind this; it's none other than these few wretches."

"They've really gone too far, actually treating their own nephew like a thorn in their side, using such despicable methods on him. They're really going downhill as they get older."

"They're all grown up, yet they're not as sensible as a mere child like Zong-ge'er. How could Zong-ge'er, so intelligent, not guess that it's his good uncles who are causing trouble behind the scenes?"

"Yet, in front of you, he didn't complain about those wretched children. That magnanimity alone puts them to shame!"

The Empress laughed and said, "This little fellow has a mischievous side, I wonder what he was thinking, putting the words 'Exclusively for the Royal Family' on the perfume. Doesn't that break the royal family's rules?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yonglong laughed.

"He is my beloved grandson, and he once saved my life. He is so young, yet he has to manage such a large palace all by himself. What's wrong with him doing something out of line once in a while?"

"Not only that, I will also personally write an inscription for him and present it to him. I want to see if anyone dares to resort to underhanded tactics behind his back."

After saying this, Emperor Yonglong immediately ordered that writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones be prepared.

Emperor Yonglong, with his flowing brushstrokes, wrote the five large characters "The Most Fragrant in the World".

After finishing writing, he said to the Empress, "Zitong, have someone send this plaque to Zongge'er as well."

The Empress nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

……

The next day, Xia Chengzong received the plaque.

He was extremely satisfied with this.

This time, his visit to the palace was not merely to file a complaint or seek help.

At the same time, it is also an opportunity to deepen the relationship with the Emperor and Empress.

They say the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Similarly, a grandson who only knows how to be filial but doesn't know how to ask for anything in return cannot compete with a grandson who is both filial and knows how to ask for something in return.

Because when they ask for something, the elderly feel a sense of satisfaction from being needed.

Such interaction can enhance the relationship between the two parties.

Of course, it's important to strike the right balance.

Too much of a good thing can be bad; if you don't grasp the right balance, it will backfire.

This time, he struck just the right balance.

With this GG (Golden Key), and Emperor Yonglong personally writing the plaque, who would dare to act recklessly?

In this way, the perfume business could bring him at least several hundred thousand taels of silver in profit each year.

With this money, he could start building up a team.

Xia Chengzong planned to first build a grassroots force in the city.

He used this power to spy on the lower levels for him.

To seize the throne, intelligence is of paramount importance and must be established as soon as possible.

Of course, building a team requires more than just money; it also requires reliable personnel.

He now has almost no capable people around him and needs to recruit a group of reliable people.

However, you can't see into someone's heart, so how can you tell who is reliable and who is not?

Coincidentally, there is such a character in the novel *Dream of the Red Chamber*—Drunken Vajra Ni Er.

This is a scoundrel who has appeared in chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber.

Although this person mingled in the streets, he possessed a chivalrous spirit.

If we can subdue him, we can entrust him with this important task.

Of course, Xia Chengzong did not blindly believe what was written in the book, but instead sent Xia Bei out to secretly gather information about Ni Er.

Soon, Xia Bei presented the information about Ni Er to Xia Chengzong.

Ni Er's father was originally a drunkard who drowned himself in a pond after getting drunk.

His mother did not remarry. She raised him by doing laundry and needlework.