Spring flowers.

Chapter 40 Collision
On the day Wei Yishang's clothing shop opened, only Pei Xiaorou came to congratulate her.

She specially had flowers brought and placed at the door.

Wei Yishang glanced at the beverage shop across the street, a little hopeful that Feng Yueqiao would come.

But that figure never appeared.

Wei Yishang understood that she needed time.

"We have free 'Balance Pills,' everyone, give them a try..." Cui'er started handing out Balance Pills at the door in an effort to attract customers.

Manager Liu and Granny An both came; they were notified by Zhang Zhong.

Although there didn't seem to be many big visitors outside, many passersby peeked inside to take a look.

Inside the door, however, there was an atmosphere of harmony.

"Look, these clothes are different..."

Several customers who entered the shop cast curious glances at the clothes in the store.

"The price seems fair, much cheaper than Xiang Sheng Ji."

Customers came in one after another, and although they were all talking, no one made a purchase.

Wei Yishang understood that accepting such clothes would take time.

She thought about it and realized she might need other ways to give it a push.

[Host, we have detected that your business is struggling. Please go to the teahouse to find a solution. The reward remains the same: a certain number of Balance Pills.]

teahouse?

Wei Yishang couldn't figure it out for a moment. What was in a teahouse?
It's nothing more than drinking tea.

Go to the theater.

Oh, right, let's watch a show!
Wei Yishang thought of the storyteller in the teahouse and the stage.

You might as well make up a story to deeply ingrain the concept of shortening clothes in the minds of ordinary people.

Without further ado, Wei Yishang asked Manager Liu to keep an eye on things in front while she went to the backyard to start writing the script.

She incorporated relevant content from "Dream of the Red Chamber" to create the story of the Grand View Garden and the Twelve Beauties of Jinling.

The focus was on their clothing, which was naturally the short outfits made by Wei Yishang.

We hope that by spreading the story, people will be more accepting of this kind of clothing.

A solution has been devised, but its effectiveness remains to be seen...

But it's visibly true that more people are coming.

The problem remains: nobody dares to buy.

On this day, a mother and daughter were strolling in front of Chun Chao Ji when suddenly several people on horseback galloped past and knocked the woman down.

The woman had fair skin and a delicate face, like a startled fawn.

The man on horseback reined in his horse, dismounted, and looked at the woman.

Wei Yishang was sitting inside when she heard Granny An whisper, "At the door, it's the Fifth Prince Xiao Minxing. He bumped into a mother and daughter."

Wei Yishang knew the nature of these princes. "Is there any compensation?"

"They said in the street that the woman was a vixen and wanted to bring her back to the manor." Granny An spoke softly, but her helplessness was undeniable.

"Abducting someone in public?"

Wei Yishang was getting restless.

She arrived at the door and saw the woman and her daughter pleading for mercy.

"Lord Cheng, I had no intention of offending you. Please, have mercy on me..."

The woman wept bitterly, but seeing that Prince Cheng was not buying it, he laughed even more unrestrainedly.

“Young lady, if that’s the case, you should come with me even more. You’re a young lady, and you’ve already seen me like this in the street, yet you still won’t give yourself to me?”

The Fifth Prince, Prince Cheng, was holding a horsewhip.

He reached out and stroked the woman's delicate face with the whip.

"Come with me, or else..."

"die!"

King Cheng's words carried a threat.

The woman glanced helplessly at her mother, her gaze resolute.

The old man instantly understood the woman's thoughts; he just wanted to stop his daughter from doing something foolish.

She shouted loudly, "King Cheng is tyrannical!"

He then rushed towards a pillar on the side of the street, crashed into it hard, and fell to the ground covered in blood.

"mother!"

The woman's cries grew weaker. "Young lady, your family has defamed my name in the street. What crime have you committed?" Cheng Wang said confidently.

"you……"

The young girl was filled with hatred and only wanted to kill the person in front of her.

"I like that look in your eyes."

King Cheng ordered his men to seize the woman and take her back so he could "enjoy" her.

"Wait!"

Wei Yishang suddenly appeared and stood calmly at the door.

"Release that girl..."

Wei Yishang spoke with a very firm voice.

"Who are you?"

King Cheng glanced at the woman in the shop over there and smiled.

"You guys, go tidy up this shop and teach them some manners!"

King Cheng ordered his men to smash, loot, and vandalize.

Wei Yishang stood at the door, preventing them from entering.

“Oh dear, shop owner, are you defying the imperial court?” Cheng Wang said casually.

"This country upholds the law. Doesn't Your Highness fear retribution for acting this way?"

After Wei Yishang finished speaking, she saw that Prince Cheng smiled.

"What retribution? This world will all belong to me in the future, what retribution is there?"

King Cheng laughed even harder. He looked at the woman in front of him and found her to be even more beautiful than the woman he had bumped into on the street earlier.

"To curse me is a capital offense. Come with me and you will be spared."

Cheng Wang looked completely nonchalant.

"His Majesty cares for the people, develops the economy, and increases their income. Now, the dignity of the royal family rests entirely on the prince's mind. Whether it will be buried with a reputation for tyranny or spread far and wide as a hero depends on the prince."

Wei Yishang suddenly noticed that there was a palace maid with slender eyebrows and eyes, and behind her stood a man in a blue robe with a dragon and phoenix pattern.

The man had a handsome face, but his eyes held a hint of gloom, sadness, and indifference.

He waved to the palace servants and then sat down.

"You country bumpkin who appeared out of nowhere, really..."

King Cheng thought about it and realized that what she said made some sense, but at the moment, he couldn't care less about that; he just wanted to enjoy himself.

"Guards, take him back!"

King Cheng ordered his men to take their men back.

Wei Yishang was prepared to ask the two secret guards for help. At worst, they would fight to the death. Those two secret guards were highly skilled and no less capable than Prince Cheng's attendants.

"Wait a minute!"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

Wei Yishang saw the man in blue robes walking gracefully towards her.

"Which busybody is it again!" Prince Cheng turned around and saw his elder brother, the eldest prince, Prince Yong.

"This……"

King Cheng's imposing manner vanished by half at once, but quickly returned.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing, trying to stop him?" Prince Cheng didn't understand why Prince Yong would make a move at this moment.

"Fifth brother, your mother, Consort Xian, was recently observing a vegetarian diet and chanting Buddhist prayers to ensure your safety. How could you be so presumptuous?"

After the Prince of Yong's words, the Fifth Prince fell silent.

"I just……"

Although the emperor dotes on Consort Xian, he has not yet formally established an heir apparent.

Everyone thought that the crown prince would be the fifth prince, Prince Cheng, since the emperor favored him the most and spoiled him rotten.

“Our imperial family should not act in this way.” Prince Yong glanced at Wei Yishang and calmly gestured for Prince Cheng to release the person.

"Brother, how could you..."

Prince Cheng couldn't understand why his elder brother, who rarely went out and was even rumored to be impotent, would appear here and help a girl.
However, considering the positions of the Empress and the First Prince, and with the heir apparent still undecided, he dared not take any further steps.

"Hanba, release them!"

King Cheng spat as he watched King Yong's departing figure.

(End of this chapter)