2710 Blacklist Them
The young crown prince consort burst into laughter as she caught sight of them, unable to contain her amusement.
Caiqi couldn’t stifle her giggles and covered her mouth. “Then, shall we proceed inside?”
Agreeing, the young crown prince consort led the two companions through the main entrance of the Couture House, mustering her resolve.
Eunuch Chen followed along, somewhat cluelessly.
As they stepped inside, they immediately sensed an unusual atmosphere.
It must be noted that the interior of the shop appeared unexpectedly somber, which took them aback.
When the shopkeeper responsible for Couture House got wind of the Crown Prince Consort’s presence, he promptly emerged to extend his welcome.
Upon catching sight of the young crown prince consort, he lowered his head with a remorseful expression. “This humble servant has failed in his duties. Business at Couture House has experienced a noticeable decline today. Despite the approaching noon, the shop remains devoid of customers.”
The young crown prince consort waved her hand, signaling for him to rise and speak.
All of this seemed rather unjustifiable.
Situated along Changle Boulevard, Couture House’s prime location surpassed even that of Butterfly Pavilion’s. The storefront was met with a constant stream of passersby, and who among the noble ladies and young misses out shopping could resist the allure of jewelry? Even if just browsing, they’d step inside, wouldn’t they?
Yet, on this particular day and time, no one had crossed the threshold. Clearly, external factors were at play.
The shopkeeper, well-versed in his trade, had already dispatched inquiries through his staff.
Seeing the arrival of the Crown Prince Consort, he swiftly ushered them to their seats and arranged for tea to be served.
In due course, the assistants tasked with gathering information returned, their expressions perplexed, as they reported their findings to the senior shopkeeper.
“This humble servant made inquiries with a fellow villager and uncovered some information. That villager happened to be in the service of the Gu Family’s young master. I learned that Young Madam Gu from the Gu Family has united with several other noble ladies to orchestrate a boycott against our Couture House. Th-They have claimed…”
As the young assistant conveyed this, he tentatively glanced up at the young crown prince consort, his eyes inadvertently meeting hers.
This accidental meeting left him somewhat flustered. The young crown prince consort possessed an exquisite beauty that resembled a cold jade sculpture. How could he dare to hold her gaze any longer? He quickly lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
“Speak,” Qiao Mu instructed, aware of his apprehension. Her tone was dry as she stated, “You have my permission to speak freely.”
“Yes,” the assistant responded, feeling his heart sink. He considered his phrasing and hurriedly continued, “These noble ladies have expressed the opinion that Crown Prince Consort, coming as you do from a, ahem, humble mountain village in the Lower Star Domain, presents a rather unremarkable appearance. They fear that if they were to patronize our establishment, it might, um, lower their social standing.”
“Absurd!” The shopkeeper couldn’t contain his outrage and blurted out, “Utterly preposterous!”
Meanwhile, the young crown prince consort appeared relatively unperturbed. She commented with nonchalance, “Take note of the names of those noble ladies and add them to the blacklist. Under my patronage, they shall receive no welcome within these walls.”
“Rest assured, everyone. Even if the shop experiences financial setbacks, I shall continue to provide support,” the young crown prince consort assured in a composed tone. “Things will eventually take a turn for the better.”
Caixiu, engrossed in her embroidery work, couldn’t help but feel a surge of sympathy for her mistress.
From her perspective, the Crown Prince Consort never actively sought to provoke others. Despite her seemingly indifferent attitude towards people, she was, in fact, well-versed in courtesy and adeptly managed various situations. Her noble status never led her to perceive her servants as superior to others.
It truly puzzled her why those noble ladies persistently plotted against the Crown Prince Consort, especially when they seemingly had an abundance of leisure time after satiating their own needs.
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