Love Lock

Chapter 143 Addictive Poison
The moment Princess Chang Le stepped onto the third floor, everything before her eyes seemed to transport her to a dreamlike world.

The luxurious decorations, dazzling lights, and wide array of goods overwhelmed her.

Her gaze lingered on each counter, her heart filled with amazement and curiosity.

“It’s so beautiful here!”

Princess Chang Le couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, her voice filled with excitement and exhilaration.

How could this place not be beautiful?

When Yang Haibo and his group arrived in Beijing, Han Lei showed him a video of a modern jewelry store and purchased all the necessary finished products through the system to bring to the capital.

The layout here is completely based on the Jewelry Building in the Confucius Temple area of ​​Nanjing.

The counters displaying goods on the third floor are completely different from those on the first and second floors.

The first and second floors were designed to cater to the average consumer's spending power, with all goods displayed on wooden shelves for sale.

The third floor features a display case made of precious glass, with small solar lights hanging inside, making the entire case transparent and sparkling.

The goods in the counter included jadeite, agate, jasper, and pearls, which are common in this era.

More often, they come from modern times and include rare and exotic items such as crystal, cinnabar, obsidian, aquamarine, platinum, and cloisonné glass.

Each item has a price tag made of acrylic with red paint, clearly indicating its price.

Jewelry from that era was monotonous and outdated in design, while modern jewelry is not only diverse in design but also bold and realistic.

Especially some of the rhinestone-encrusted jewelry, under the illumination of solar lights, shone brightly and glittered.

Those cosmetics, eyebrow pencils, nail polishes, and so on, with their exquisite packaging, clearly weren't ordinary items.

Each counter also has a small mirror, in which the image is clearer and brighter than that in the bronze mirror, as if it were a real person face to face.

When Tang Xiaotong saw Princess Chang Le arrive on the third floor, a playful smile appeared on his lips.

He had come upstairs ahead of time and doubled the price of some items.

Tang Xiaotong went to greet him personally, his face beaming with the smile of someone who had found a sucker.

"Your Highness's presence is an honor to our humble establishment!" he said respectfully, his tone full of flattery.

Princess Chang Le smiled slightly, her gaze still sweeping around.

She liked every single item here, and she wanted them all.

However, as a princess of noble status, she could not appear ignorant.

So she simply said, "Shopkeeper, the things here are really rare; I've never seen them anywhere else."

Tang Xiaotong was overjoyed; these were the words she had been waiting for.

"Your Highness truly has a discerning eye. Every item here comes from a distant land, especially these ornaments, which are truly unique."

As he spoke, he led Princess Chang Le toward a glass counter.

Inside the counter, tiny "luminous pearls" emitted a soft glow, transparent and sparkling, as if they could attract one's soul.

Princess Chang Le couldn't help but reach out and touch the small solar lights through the glass cabinet, a hint of obsessive greed flashing in her eyes.

"These luminous pearls are absolutely gorgeous!" she exclaimed.

Upon seeing this, Tang Xiaotong immediately said, "Your Highness truly has an eye for talent. These luminous pearls are rare treasures, and only someone as noble as you is worthy of them!"

Princess Chang Le felt a surge of pride upon hearing this, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"Shopkeeper, what other good things do you have here? Show them to me."

Tang Xiaotong was overjoyed, knowing that Princess Chang Le had taken the bait. He immediately ordered his men to display more goods.

Crystal, cinnabar, obsidian, aquamarine, cloisonné glass... one novel and rare item after another was placed in front of Princess Chang Le.

“These are all treasures, each one is unique,” ​​Tang Xiaotong introduced, her tone full of allure.

Princess Chang Le's gaze lingered on these goods, her heart filled with longing.

She picked up an amethyst necklace, put it around her neck, and examined it carefully in the mirror on the counter.

"This necklace is absolutely gorgeous, more beautiful than any piece of jewelry I've ever seen before."

Upon seeing this, Tang Xiaotong immediately praised, "Your Highness truly has excellent taste. This necklace is crafted from the purest crystal, and it suits you perfectly. Wearing it makes you look noble and elegant, and your temperament is completely different."

Princess Chang Le was overjoyed upon hearing this. After admiring herself in the mirror for a while, she said without hesitation, "I want this necklace!"

Tang Xiaotong smiled slightly, immediately wrapped the necklace herself, and followed behind Princess Chang Le.

"Princess, please take a look at these rouge and face powders. They are all the latest models, with exquisite packaging and extraordinary effects."

Princess Chang Le took the rouge and face powder, opened it, and found that the packaging was indeed exquisite and the fragrance was delightful.

She gently applied a little to the back of her hand and found the color to be very natural and the texture delicate.

"These rouge and face powders are really good, better than anything I've used before," she exclaimed.

Upon seeing this, Tang Xiaotong immediately followed suit.

"Princess, these rouge and face powders are the latest models. They are very effective. After using them, you can't tell that you're wearing makeup. Your face will be as tender as white jade."

Upon hearing this, Princess Chang Le replied without hesitation, "I'll take all these rouge and face powder!"

"Princess, please take a look at these skincare products. After applying them, your skin will feel moisturized and smooth. With long-term use, your skin will look younger. There are samples here; you can try them first."

"Skin care products?"

Princess Chang Le was hearing this novel term for the first time.

Princess Chang Le took the skincare products, opened them, and found that the packaging was indeed exquisite and the texture delicate.

Following the child's demonstration, she gently applied a little to the back of her hand and found that her skin immediately became smooth and moisturized.

"These skincare products are really good, much better than what I used before," she exclaimed. With the help of these skincare products, she was convinced that Zhao Zun would look down on her.

Seeing this, Tang Xiaotong pretended to put the skincare product back on the counter.

“Princess, these skincare products use rare ingredients and are complicated to make, so they are very expensive. Do you think you should... forget about them? Or, I can introduce you to some more affordable ones.”

"What, do you think this princess has no money?"

There were other customers shopping here, and Princess Chang Le felt embarrassed when Tang Xiaotong said that.

Her face darkened, and she waved her hand without hesitation.

"I want all of these skincare products!"

Princess Chang Le's reaction was exactly what Tang Xiaotong had expected. Since Princess Chang Le was vain and liked to put on a show, then he shouldn't blame him for being impolite.

Tang Xiaotong immediately picked up the face cream next to her and unleashed her full persuasive skills. Moreover, every word she uttered struck at Princess Chang Le's weak points.

"Princess, take a look at these BB creams. They're much more convenient than rouge and powder. After using them, there's no trace of makeup, and your face will be as smooth and white as jade. Right now, apart from the Empress, no other noblewoman in the capital has them!"

"Oh? Only Her Majesty the Empress has it?"

As expected, Princess Chang Le's gloomy expression vanished upon hearing this, replaced by a face full of joy.

"I want to try this."

Tang Xiaotong immediately gave Yang Xiaomei a wink, and Yang Xiaomei brought over the sample, standing smiling in front of Princess Chang Le.

"Princess, please look at my face."

Princess Chang Le looked up at Yang Xiaomei and immediately pointed at her face in astonishment.

"Your face, how could it be like this..."

Yang Xiaomei's face was crystal clear, fair and radiant, and looked just like a peeled egg.

Although Princess Chang Le was of noble status and paid great attention to skincare, she had never seen anyone with such skin, not even the ladies in the palace.

The sight of such skin on a commoner woman aroused Princess Chang Le's jealousy.

As soon as she saw Princess Chang Le's expression change, Yang Xiaomei smiled slightly.

"Princess, I used this BB cream and then applied some light makeup."

As she spoke, Yang Xiaomei picked up a makeup remover pad and gently wiped her cheek. The difference between the two skin types was immediately apparent.

Yang Xiaomei's original skin was somewhat yellowish and dark, but the areas where she applied the BB cream looked completely different.

So that's the effect of this BB cream. Princess Chang Le felt much better after seeing that.

"Quick! Let me try it too."

Yang Xiaomei politely curtsied, then stopped and began to apply makeup to Princess Chang Le.

Yang's mother wanted Yang Xiaomei to learn some skills from Han Lei, but unfortunately, Han Lei didn't understand her meaning. Han Lei only thought about the positioning of the "Mandarin Duck Hairpin," which was mainly aimed at women, and that modern cosmetics needed someone to demonstrate them. At that time, besides Yang's mother, Yang Xiaomei was the only woman by her side.

So Han Lei downloaded several skincare and makeup tutorials and videos of cosmetics sold in shopping malls for Yang Haibo to learn from, hoping that she could be of some help to him after they arrived in Beijing.

Little did she know, her unintentional actions would lead to unexpected success. Yang Xiaomei possessed an exceptional talent for beauty and makeup. The day before she left Jingzhou, she spent the entire night watching videos in her room.

Now, she can handle the entire process herself, from cleansing to skincare, makeup, and makeup removal.

She first practiced countless times on her own face in front of the mirror. After the "Mandarin Duck Hairpin" opened, she did makeup for the imperial concubines and young ladies in the shop and promoted the products.

She did a great job, and the customers who came to the store all liked her. Yang Haibo paid her a salary as usual, and Yang's mother was happy to see this.

Yang Xiaomei fiddled with Princess Chang Le for a while, which attracted the maids around Princess Chang Le to gather around and watch.

"Oh! The princess is so beautiful."

"My goodness! Her cheeks are so smooth and delicate!"

"Even the fairies in heaven are no more beautiful than this."

The maids all praised her, which made Princess Chang Le feel quite flattered.

After Yang Xiaomei finished arranging things, she placed the mirror on the counter in front of Princess Chang Le.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Princess Chang Le couldn't help but gasp; she almost didn't recognize herself.

The person in the mirror not only had smooth, radiant skin, but even their once flat nose bridge looked more prominent. They looked not only beautiful, but also a few years younger.

"Such a wondrous item is indeed only fit for Her Majesty the Empress to use."

Princess Chang Le looked at herself in the mirror, extremely excited. She pointed to all the cosmetics she had just used for makeup and went on a shopping spree.

"Wrap them all up for me, I'll take them all! I'm the Empress's niece, she won't blame me."

Tang Xiaotong raised an eyebrow, delighted, and praised her repeatedly.

Next, Tang Xiaotong introduced whatever was rare or unusual, such as highlighter, false eyelashes, nail polish, obsidian bracelets, and dressing mirrors. Princess Chang Le accepted everything offered to show off her status.

Every time she picked something out, her gaze would sweep defiantly over the other customers, as if only in this way could she display her superiority.

Princess Chang Le was completely fooled by Tang Xiaotong and regained her ridiculous self-confidence. She not only believed that she was the most beautiful woman in the world, but also that she would definitely make Zhao Zun look at her differently.

Tang Xiaotong kept persuading Princess Chang Le to keep buying things.

In a fit of pique, she generously bought goods worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver at double the price, had her maids and servants carry them, and left happily.

Wei Chengchao, who followed him up, sat quietly on the sidelines watching the scene unfold.

Thinking that Princess Chang Le's generosity would also bring him a ten percent bonus, Wei Chengchao felt inexplicably like to laugh.

For the first time, he felt that these novel and dazzling cosmetics were the "poison" that Han Lei, that bitch, had given to Princess Chang Le.

It's a poison that Princess Chang Le will become addicted to.

Wei Chengchao's lips twitched involuntarily a few times, and he thought to himself, "Didn't you call me an idiot? Looks like you're not so smart after all."

If Han Lei were here, I wonder how much she would laugh.

Those products that Tang Xiaotong touted as being the best of the best were nothing more than ordinary cheap goods on Pinduoduo...

...Robbery on the road, leaving behind the bills...

Meanwhile, at the newly built military camp in Fufeng County, Han Lei was standing on a hillside watching Hua Tianyou lead the new recruits in physical training.

"Ah!"

Han Lei suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason. She rubbed her nose and muttered, "Someone must be talking bad about me."

No sooner had she finished speaking than she heard the clear sound of horses' hooves approaching.

Han Lei turned her head and saw a fast horse galloping towards them in the distance, followed closely by a carriage. The wheels rolled over the cement ground with a dull thud.

Han Lei was startled and her brows furrowed slightly.

The cement plant area has long been under closed management, with dedicated personnel stationed and patrolling the perimeter. Transportation has also been changed to three-wheeled vehicles. If you're not one of our own, you simply can't get in. So why would there be a horse-drawn carriage?

She quickly took out a telescope from her spatial storage and looked into the distance.

The person on horseback in the video is Eleven, the woman she stayed in Jingzhou.

Han Lei felt a sense of relief. She had left Eleven behind in Mianning County, Jingzhou, to be responsible for gathering together impoverished military wives and homeless beggars.

The fact that Shiyi suddenly appeared here clearly means that there has been progress on that matter.

But who is sitting in the carriage?
Han Lei put away her binoculars, walked quickly down the hillside, and headed towards the National Day holiday.

Upon approaching, Eleven dismounted, a smile on his face, and respectfully bowed.

"Greetings, young lady, I'm back."

"Eleven, it's good that you're back. How did you find this place?" Han Lei asked with a slight smile.

"I brought them here!" a clear voice came from inside the carriage.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Ling'er jumped out of the carriage, her movements as light as a swallow.

Behind her, Aunt Li slowly got off the carriage, carrying a cloth bag in her hand.

"Sister-in-law, Mother asked me to bring you and Brother Tianyou some food," Zhao Ling'er said with a smile, a hint of playfulness on her face.

Han Lei nodded, gesturing for them to wait a moment, then turned to Eleven: "How did that matter go?"

Eleven straightened his expression and replied, "For more than half a month, I rode my horse all over the counties of Jingzhou and asked many people to go to various villages to spread the word. Some people have already set off for Cangzhou, and I estimate that before long, more impoverished military wives and beggars will arrive one after another."

Just then, Hua Tianyou finished his training and came over.

When he saw Zhao Ling'er, his face lit up with surprise and delight: "Ling'er, what brings you here?"

Zhao Ling'er pointed to Eleven and Aunt Li and said with a smile, "Mother asked me to bring them over, and also brought you some food."

As she spoke, she handed a bag of pastries to Hua Tianyou, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Hua Tianyou glanced at Han Lei and the others who were busy talking, then smiled and accepted the snacks, speaking gently.

"Come on, let's eat over there. You should have some too."

The two walked side by side to the grassy area, sat down, and chatted while eating, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

After asking about the situation during the National Day holiday, Han Lei looked at Aunt Li.

"Sister Li, this place is a mess. Why aren't you resting at home? What are you doing here?"

Aunt Li rubbed her hands together a little embarrassedly and lowered her eyes.

“I’ve been eating and drinking at home for free for half a month now, and I’m getting embarrassed. So I thought I’d come with them to ask the Princess if she could arrange something for me to do, or if she could help you out.”

After a moment's thought, Han Lei remembered that the chicken and duck farm and the pig farm were already under construction, so she nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then you can stay by my side. First, help the laborers cook, and in your spare time, watch videos of modern farming to learn some techniques that you'll need in the future."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Li's face showed gratitude, and she nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I will definitely study hard and won't cause you any trouble."

Han Lei smiled slightly and patted her shoulder: "No need to be so polite, we're all family."

"Oh, right." Han Lei suddenly remembered Li Sao's son's injured leg and said apologetically, "I've been too busy lately. I'll treat Xiao Dongzi's leg after I've settled things here."

"No rush, no rush," Aunt Li waved her hands repeatedly, afraid of causing Han Lei any trouble.

Han Lei was still thinking about Xiao Dongzi's leg, but she was already very happy.

During his time at the Zhao family's residence, he heard the guards and servants talk about Han Lei's exceptional medical skills, and he believed that Han Lei would definitely cure Xiao Dongzi's leg.

However, on the carriage to Cangzhou last time, Han Lei said that Xiao Dongzi's leg injury had not been properly treated and had grown crooked, requiring it to be broken and reattached.

Knowing that this unprecedented treatment method would take a long time, she felt a growing sense of dread. Therefore, she didn't want to rush Han Lei.

Han Lei and Aunt Li were talking, while Zhao Ling'er and Hua Tianyou were also talking about something nearby. Their laughter carried on the wind, and the sunlight on the grass created a warm scene.

Suddenly, Han Lei frowned slightly.

She quickly took out her binoculars and looked towards the distant official road.

Through the lenses, she saw again the Xuzhou army that had gone to support Beiguan a few days earlier. The commander leading the army was none other than Song Yuanqing, the youngest son of the Song family.

Once she confirmed that Zhao Zun and his guards were not with Song Yuanqing, a big smile appeared on Han Lei's pretty face.

"Tianyou, you'll be in charge of taking Ling'er and the others back later. Remember to train the new recruits well every day. I have to go meet the Prince and the others."

Han Lei said with unusual excitement.

Please don't hold back, everyone! Bombard me with a whole dragon of water! I can handle it. Thank you again for your company and support.