Perfume Stirs the Heart

After Zhao Sanchong left amid profuse thanks, Zhao Xiaobao said worriedly, "Young Master, why not reconsider? The Wang Family may be a local Cultivation Family in Ganzhou, but they are exceedingly ruthless. Fifty years ago, the Chen Cultivation Family was wiped out by the Wang Family. Not a single member of the entire household, young or old, escaped, and it nearly implicated our Zhao Family as well."

Zhao Sheng waved a hand and said calmly, "There is nothing to reconsider. Ganzhou is a land where spiritual qi is sparse and cultivators are few. The Wang Family is also Ganzhou's only Cultivation Family. If I do not seek them out, who else could I seek?"

Zhao Xiaobao hesitated as if he wanted to speak, but ultimately did not continue trying to persuade him.

He knew that once the Young Master had made up his mind, no one could change it.

"Can Young Master really marry a woman of the Wang Family? When the time comes, he absolutely must not force it!"

Thinking of his Young Master's usual style of doing things, Zhao Xiaobao grew even more anxious.

Zhao Sheng had no idea that his loyal servant had so little faith in him. He had his own plans.

After three years of secluded, bitter training, he had raised the Azure Sea Tide Rising Art to the Great Completion realm. His Internal family true qi possessed fully thirty years of cultivation, putting his strength no lower than that of any First-class expert in the Jianghu.

If he also counted the several martial arts he had restored to their peak state, he believed that, aside from Innate Grandmasters, he could handle any martial artist below the Innate Realm.

This had been verified upon Zhao Taizhen, the clan elder of Zhao Family Town, who stood at the Half-Step Innate Realm.

Zhao Sheng had always planned before he acted. His trip to Moling City this time had naturally been well prepared.

The first step of his plan would begin with a Fragrant Powder shop.

Three days later, the long-established Fragrant Powder shop Zhenxiang Pavilion in Moling City quietly changed proprietors.

Ten days later, Zhenxiang Pavilion introduced a new product called Perfume.

Unlike traditional Fragrant Powder, Perfume did not need to be dabbed onto the body bit by bit. One only needed to spray it on casually.

Moreover, not only did its fragrance last long, it also carried the natural scents of all kinds of flowers.

The debut of Perfume swiftly caused a sensation. Every female customer who tried it was utterly captivated, one after another becoming diehard devotees of Perfume.

However, very few female customers could afford it.

Because it was simply too expensive.

A small bottle alone cost twenty taels of silver.

The inventor of Perfume was naturally Zhao Sheng. This was the great weapon he had specially prepared.

There was no woman who did not love beauty, and likewise, few women could resist the charm of Perfume.

What distinguished the women of a Cultivation Family from ordinary mortal women?

Three words were enough to describe it: "They have money."

Therefore, Zhao Sheng had deliberately set the price of Perfume outrageously high. Its purpose was naturally to "screen" for his targets.

The Wang Family could not possibly remain completely isolated from the world. The women of their Lineage would occasionally go out shopping, and Moling City, the closest city to Fragrant Swallow Valley, was undoubtedly the best place.

Time passed quickly. A month later.

Within an elegant little courtyard, Zhao Sanchong, the new manager of Zhenxiang Pavilion, was reporting the developments of the past few days to Zhao Sheng.

"Young Master, targets Number One and Number Two have come to buy Perfume for the third time recently. They both claimed their surname was Wang, so this subordinate believes there is a very high chance they are members of the Wang Family."

"Oh? This time, did they buy out all the Perfume again?" Zhao Sheng asked with great interest.

"Yes. Those two women treat silver as though it were nothing. Their spending is terrifyingly lavish. Every time they come, they will not rest until they have swept the Perfume shelves clean." Zhao Sanchong answered excitedly.

He felt that his Young Master was truly formidable. With one simple move, he had lured out the women of the Wang Family.

After hearing this, Zhao Sheng felt the timing was about right and decided to begin the second step of his plan.

Thus, he instructed, "When they come next time, spread word about the new variety of Perfume. Then do this, and this."

Zhao Sanchong nodded again and again as he listened, then eagerly accepted the order and left.

Three days later, a luxurious carriage drawn by four tall, fine horses slowly stopped outside Zhenxiang Pavilion.

When the stern-faced, broad-built middle-aged coachman reached out and lifted the carriage curtain—

Two young maidens in the first bloom of youth stepped down from the carriage. One wore red, with an oval face and delicate features. The other wore a sky-blue ruqun dress, with a voluptuous figure and a cold, beautiful face.

At the sight of the two, the female attendants of Zhenxiang Pavilion immediately perked up, for wealthy customers had arrived. The quick-witted ones promptly ran to the back to report the news to the manager.

Zhao Sanchong had guessed correctly. These two women were both from the Wang Family of Fragrant Swallow Valley. The one in red was called Wang Yuyan, while the one in the blue ruqun dress was Wang Yuqi. They were half-sisters who shared the same father.

Wang Yuyan took the lead between the two. The moment she entered, she stated that she wished to buy Perfume.

The attendants had already received their instructions, so they deliberately stalled for a few sentences.

During that brief interval, Zhao Sanchong had already arrived in the Main Hall.

Upon seeing the two women, he immediately clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Honored guests, I am the manager of Zhenxiang Pavilion. I am truly sorry! The Perfume in our humble shop has just sold out, and we are temporarily out of stock."

Wang Yuqi was impatient by nature. At those words, her willow brows shot up as she cried, "Manager, we are not short of silver, so do not try to fool me. Has the Perfume truly sold out?"

Zhao Sanchong swore, "It is absolutely true! Zhao dares swear to Heaven that there truly is no Perfume left. However—"

"However what?" Wang Yuqi immediately pressed.

Zhao Sanchong deliberately hesitated for a while. Only when the two were nearly unable to resist urging him did he say reluctantly, "Our shop actually has another kind of Perfume, one that is unique in all the world. It is simply not for sale."

"Not for sale?"

Wang Yuyan gave a cold laugh and said, "There is nothing in this world that cannot be bought; it is only a question of whether the silver is enough. As it happens, silver is the thing we lack least. Manager, name your price!"

After hearing this, Zhao Sanchong's entire face instantly turned as bitter as a bitter melon. He repeatedly bent at the waist and clasped his hands, pleading, "Miss, you have truly wronged this old man. My Young Master repeatedly and solemnly reminded me that this kind of Perfume is only to be gifted to those fated for it. It cannot be put up for sale."

A woman's curiosity could sometimes outstrip even a cat's.

At Zhao Sanchong's words, Wang Yuqi's curiosity was piqued, and she immediately asked, "Who is your Young Master? Why would he say such a thing?"

Zhao Sanchong said with a face full of pride, "My Young Master comes from the Nanyang Zhao Family. Not only is he brilliant beyond compare, but he is accomplished in both letters and martial arts. He can be called a heaven-sent genius."

Wang Yuyan did not care about Zhao Sanchong's words. So what if the Young Master in his mouth was a heaven-sent genius? He was merely an ordinary mortal. How could he compare to a cultivator?

Wang Yuyan asked, "Your Young Master said that the Perfume is only gifted to those fated for it. Then do you think the two of us look like such fated people?"

At this, Zhao Sanchong rejoiced inwardly. He hurriedly suppressed his excitement and feigned distress as he said, "Honored guest, you are making things difficult for this old man. How could I know who the fated person my Young Master speaks of is?"

"Hmph, putting on airs and playing mysteries! Where is your Young Master? Take us to see him at once." Wang Yuqi had little experience in worldly affairs, and in her impatience, she willingly stepped into the trap.