The most dissolute couple in the capital

Just one month after Chenxiang Pavilion opened, Cui Qingyi realized that she had made another fatal mistake.

She underestimated the purchasing power of the noblewomen of Chang'an.

"Your Highness, these are today's account books." Madam Xiao handed over a thick booklet with a beaming smile.

Cui Qingyi took the book, flipped through a couple of pages, and then frowned.

The facial cream is the best-selling product and is out of stock. Although the other three products are being restocked every day, the inventory can't last more than three days before they need to be replenished.

"That's not right." Cui Qingyi leaned back on the soft couch. "We've only been open for half a month. Logically speaking, word-of-mouth shouldn't be spreading this fast."

Madam Xiao hesitated for a moment: "I heard that a few days ago, a noble lady used our beauty cream at a palace banquet and was praised by the Empress."

Cui Qingyi: "..."

Suddenly, I suspect that the Queen set up a scheme to collect donations.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing," Cui Qingyi said slowly, "it just came a little too quickly."

Fast means that the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it.

What she fears most is being fished out of the water and dried.

-

Sure enough, the good days didn't last long.

That afternoon, the sun shone brightly in front of the incense room in the front courtyard of the Prince's Mansion.

Cui Qingyi disliked that the century-old osmanthus trees in the backyard blocked the sun, so she specially ordered the servants to move the chaise lounge to the corridor of the study in the outer courtyard.

At this moment, she was half-closing her eyes, listening to Su Xin reading the accounts of Chenxiang Pavilion. Meanwhile, in the study separated by a curtain, Li Chengjing was rolling up his sleeves, fiddling with his newly developed osmanthus essential oil among a pile of bottles and jars.

Just as things were peaceful and serene, a commotion suddenly broke out at the moon gate in the outer courtyard.

"Young Master He! Young Master He, please slow down! Let me inform you that the Princess Consort is also inside..." The servant's anxious voice drifted over on the wind.

However, He Li, consumed by anger and anxiety, paid no heed to the rest of the sentence. He rushed up the steps in three strides: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Someone is selling counterfeit goods!"

As soon as he looked up, he saw Cui Qingyi, who was slowly lifting her eyelids, on the recliner in the corridor.

"Gah—"

He Li gasped in fright and slammed on the brakes.

"Greetings, Your Highness! I was unaware that Your Highness was also in the front courtyard. My apologies..."

Cui Qingyi was too lazy to argue with him: "No need for formalities. Young Master He's legs are quite good, but his door is useless."

Li Chengjing walked out, looking at his dilapidated wooden door, and hearing his princess speak, he understood everything: "The finest huanghuali wood, one hundred taels. Remember to settle the account at the accounting office."

"Is this the time to feel sorry for the door?!" He Li was practically in tears. He ran up to Li Chengjing and slammed the porcelain vase he was holding onto the table. "Look at this thing!"

Li Chengjing took a half step back in disgust before he could barely make out the porcelain vase.

"Agarwood Pavilion".

wrong.

Cui Qingyi narrowed her eyes slightly and took a closer look.

It is "Chenchun Pavilion".

The upper half of the character "春" (spring) was deliberately written in a connected and blurred style, and from a distance, it looked exactly like the character "香" (fragrant).

Li Chengjing uncorked the bottle and took a sniff.

"What the hell is this stuff?" He pushed the bottle away. "This stuff not only has no skincare benefits, but it might even cause skin ulcers if you have sensitive skin."

He Li nodded repeatedly: "That's right! This morning I passed by the West Market and saw a peddler setting up a stall on the street, selling a bunch of these bottles, and shouting at the top of his lungs, 'Same style as Chenxiang Pavilion, only one tael of silver!' When I got closer, wow, the packaging is almost identical to ours. The peddler even said something like, 'The materials are the same, but it's cheaper because there's no shop rent!'"

"and then?"

"Then I..." He Li scratched his head somewhat guiltily, "I overturned his stall."

"..."

"But!" He Li quickly added, "It's not just him! I had my servants investigate, and there are people selling these counterfeit goods in the West Market, the South Market, and even the grass market outside the city! And not just one, but at least seven or eight stalls!"

Cui Qingyi sat up straight: "The cost of this kind of thing is only a few dozen coins, but it sells for three taels of silver, making the profit extremely considerable. Moreover, the person who makes these imitations is very clever; he didn't completely copy our brand. 'Chenchun Pavilion' and 'Chenxiang Pavilion' differ by only one character. If we really take it to the authorities, he can just say it's his own brand, and what does it have to do with you?"

He Li grew anxious: "Then what do we do? Just watch them ruin our reputation?"

Retail investors who imitate others are easy to deal with; just find them, go to their door to warn them, or report them to the authorities.

But organized counterfeiting is different; there must be someone backing them up, and their purpose is often not to make a little bit of profit.

The question is, who would do that?

Cui Qingyi lowered her eyes, her mind racing.

The most famous cosmetics shop in the capital is called Yu Rong Fang. Could it be them?

However, Chenxiang Pavilion and the cosmetic shops in the capital city take completely different approaches. They are basically not open to ordinary people, and to put it bluntly, even ordinary minor officials may not be able to afford them.

"Counterfeit products will indeed affect our business in the short term. But as long as our quality remains consistent, those who have used genuine products will naturally know the difference. What we need to do now is not to compete with counterfeit products, but to make everyone able to distinguish between the real and the fake."

"So you're just going to ignore these street vendors?"

Cui Qingyi shook her head: "Young Master He, after you return, have your people go to various markets and neighborhoods. If they see anyone selling counterfeit goods, don't alert them. Just note the stall locations and the peddler's appearance. At the same time, find a few victims whose skin has been damaged by using counterfeit products and have them report the case to the Jingzhao Yin's office."

He Li was still somewhat confused.

Cui Qingyi smiled: "I don't know if the Prefect of the Capital deals with disputes between business firms, but surely Lord He can't ignore a case of assault?"

He Li's eyes lit up: "My father! That's right, my father is the Prefect of the Capital!"

"That's your greatest contribution," Cui Qingyi said slowly.

He Li: "..."

Sister-in-law, what you're saying sounds like an insult.

Cui Qingyi added, "Once the Prefect of the Capital intervenes and finds out where these counterfeit goods came from, who is supplying them and who is organizing them, it won't be our concern. We are just pitiful and helpless shop owners, and we just need to cooperate with the investigation."

Are they pitiful? Are they helpless?

You swear on those single items in the shop that cost hundreds of taels each.