The most dissolute couple in the capital

A few days later, Cui Qingyi brought the new incense in a glass bottle to the palace to express her gratitude.

Li Chengjing insisted on coming along, and his reason was quite valid: "These are the cosmetics I mixed. What if my sister-in-law asks about the process and you can't answer? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?"

Cui Qingyi couldn't refuse him, so she changed into casual clothes and went with him.

Inside Kunning Palace, the Empress was looking through the account books sent by the Imperial Household Department. Seeing the two men bow, she smiled and offered them seats.

"You are an honest child, you have both appreciated my kindness and earned extra money."

Cui Qingyi lowered her eyes and smiled faintly: "My sister-in-law is so kind to me. If I were to take the things and leave, wouldn't I be ungrateful? This profit is an unexpected windfall. If it can be donated to the orphanage, it will also help alleviate Princess Zhao's worries."

The palace maids presented the incense items one by one.

The crystal-clear glass bottle refracted a water-like halo in the morning light, and the various facial creams and essential oils inside were clearly visible. The creams were as delicate as cream, and not a single impurity could be seen.

The Empress looked satisfied: "This face cream looks even better with it inside."

Cui Qingyi smiled slightly: "With this glass bottle, no one else can imitate it. I specially sent a few bottles to you today, sister-in-law. These are all newly formulated products. If you have any suggestions, you can ask the prince to make some modifications when he gets back."

The Empress said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I have sensitive skin and never use lead powder or similar products."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengjing couldn't help but interject, "Sister-in-law, this stuff doesn't contain lead powder. Although lead powder is white, the color is too dull. I use pearl powder instead. Pearl powder itself has a natural luster, and when applied to the face, it adds a kind of moisturization that doesn't look like a dead white, but rather shines through the skin."

Cui Qingyi also pointed to one of the bottles: "Your Majesty might as well try this one. It has pearl powder as a base, with a small amount of coix seed and angelica root added. When you apply it, you can hardly see the powder, but your complexion will be much better."

The Queen picked up the bottle, unscrewed the cap, and dipped a little on the back of her hand with her fingertip.

The cream is delicate and soft, with a light color. After spreading, it is almost transparent, leaving only a faint sheen, like the natural moisture of skin after a bath.

Li Chengjing raised an eyebrow smugly: "Using lead powder for a long time will make your skin dark and yellow. Then you'll have to apply more lead powder to cover it up, making it thicker and thicker, which will damage your skin in a vicious cycle. Pearl powder is more expensive, but it's good for both nourishing and protecting your skin. It's actually more convenient to use in the long run."

The Empress put the cap back on the bottle and nodded: "In that case, I will accept it."

She ordered the palace maids to put away the bottles and jars, then turned her gaze to Cui Qingyi: "The shop has been open for a while now, what's your most expensive item?"

Cui Qingyi replied calmly, "Your Majesty, it is a beauty cream. The one I gave to the Empress Dowager was the first version. Later, the Prince and I re-adjusted it several times, and now the color and effects have reached a very good balance. It has remarkable effects on wrinkle removal and fading spots."

The Empress became interested: "A miraculous effect? ​​That must be expensive."

"The ingredients are too precious, and the main ingredients are extremely difficult to find. The processing is also complicated," Cui Qingyi said frankly. "Now we only have about a hundred bottles of the base material left in the warehouse."

The Empress nodded, tapping her fingers lightly on the table. After a moment's thought, she said, "Things are valued for their rarity. If such fine items were displayed on a counter for anyone to buy and sell, they would be sold out in less than three days, causing those who couldn't buy them to complain. Only the most loyal customers can afford them."

Cui Qingyi had a sudden thought.

The Empress looked at her, a meaningful smile playing on her lips: "Think about it. These days, all the noblewomen in Chang'an are scrambling to buy your Chenxiang Pavilion's cosmetics. But cosmetics are like that—once they're used up, they're gone; you have to buy more next time. How can those who only buy a few bottles a year be treated the same as the noblewomen who buy regularly?"

Cui Qingyi understood immediately.

Facial creams are already scarce, and the added barrier of "only loyal customers can buy them" turns them into a status symbol.

What kind of face cream do you use? Agarwood Pavilion Nourishing Face Cream. Oh, then you must be a regular customer, right?

Wonderful.

"Your Majesty's teachings have been remembered by this concubine," Cui Qingyi said, rising to bow sincerely.

The Empress waved her hand: "What teachings or lectures? I'm just thinking of you. As for that beauty cream, I'll take two bottles from here too."

Cui Qingyi smiled and said, "The Empress's share is naturally reserved separately and does not conflict with the shop's quota."

The Empress was satisfied.

"I never expected that the Empress, who looks so dignified and virtuous, would have such sophisticated business ideas."

Inside the carriage, Cui Qingyi leaned against the soft pillows, recalling the conversation she had just had in Kunning Palace, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Li Chengjing, who was bored and playing with the carriage tassel on his fingertips, came over when he heard this: "What's wrong, Sister-in-law?"

"I originally thought we could just set a high price and sell the items to wealthy people," Cui Qingyi said to Li Chengjing, analyzing earnestly, "but Her Majesty the Empress has hit the nail on the head. There are plenty of wealthy ladies in this world, but truly top-tier items are rare. If money can buy anything, what kind of symbol of status would it be?"

Li Chengjing scratched his head, seemingly understanding but not quite: "So?"

"Therefore, we need to establish rules for Chenxiang Pavilion." Cui Qingyi's lips curled into a "kind" smile. "I understand what Your Majesty meant by 'loyal customers.' Everyone who comes here says they're out of stock of all the finest cosmetics."

"what?"

Cui Qingyi stretched out her slender finger and drew a circle in the air. "We'll make a special register. Everyone who buys cosmetics from Chenxiang Pavilion each month will have their spending recorded in the register."

"Only the top twenty spenders each month are eligible to purchase the premium face creams, including the wildly popular nourishing face cream." Cui Qingyi found the Empress's scheme both insidious and ingenious as she spoke. "Just think about it, what would the matriarchs of the five noble families and seven powerful clans, and the ladies of various dukes and marquises, do to compete for those twenty spots and avoid being outshone by the other ladies?"

Li Chengjing gasped, finally realizing what was happening.

"They need to buy far more of these premium face creams than they actually need!"

Cui Qingyi interrupted him, a hint of admiration for the Empress in her eyes, "This is all thanks to the Empress's grace and protection. Even a few words of guidance from her are of immense benefit to us. The Empress truly deserves to be called the mother of the nation. Her vision and perspective are far beyond what we ordinary mortals can compare to."

She paused for a moment after saying this, realizing that her tone was becoming more and more like Li Chengjing's.

The Empress, far away in the Kunning Palace, suddenly sneezed.

The Queen rubbed her nose, looked at the glass bottle on the table, and felt a secret sense of satisfaction.

Let the practice of order fulfillment sweep across this dynasty!

That evening, Cui Qingyi personally drafted a set of rules:

Firstly, the premium face cream uses rare and precious ingredients, with only ten pieces produced daily; thirty for the rarest grade and fifty for the finest. Once sold out, no more will be added.

Secondly, only those who purchase flowers for the pavilion and accumulate 500 taels of silver can be recorded in the "Orchid Gold Register" and are then qualified to inquire about incense of the highest quality or above.

Thirdly, within the golden register, the monthly accounts are settled, and only the top twenty VIPs with the largest expenditures are allowed to obtain the finest items, and the daily quantity is limited.

Fourth, the ranking of the Golden Register is announced and re-arranged on the first day of each month, based on the amount of real money and silver spent in the previous month. Old accounts are cleared, and there is no accumulation or extension.

After she finished writing, she blew on the ink and nodded in satisfaction.

The entry threshold of 500 taels of silver eliminated the vast majority of people. The dynamic ranking of "top 20 each month" ensured that those qualified ladies would continue to spend.

After all, nobody wants to be a privileged customer this month, only to be squeezed out next month. Where would they put their pride then?

As for why it's twenty, that was also carefully considered. The best cosmetics are only produced in a maximum of ten bottles a day. Twenty ensures that there is a risk of running out of stock every day, but the supply over the whole month is sufficient, and there is also room for social gifts.

Since the rules are so precious, the shop's attire must naturally match them.

The ordinary wooden shelves in the lobby were removed and replaced with rosewood high tables, and several precious glass lamps were added.

As night falls or dawn breaks, make sure those crystal-clear glass bottles, illuminated by candlelight, refract a dazzling halo of wealth.

Not only that, she also specially set aside several extremely quiet private rooms at the back of the shop, exclusively for the "first twenty" distinguished guests to rest and make their selections.

Finally, Cui Qingyi selected four or five pretty and clever maids from the mansion and invited an old nanny from the palace to give them a crash course in etiquette.

I don't expect them to be good at sales pitches and praise, I only ask that they have a dignified and proper royal demeanor in every gesture, and serve me personally in a private room.

Her only goal was to make these top guests in Chang'an feel that every tael of silver they spent at Chenxiang Pavilion was worthwhile.