Chapter 237: A Funny Story
Competition is inevitable when doing business, unless you are operating exclusively. In a prosperous metropolis like Jinling City, the food and clothing business is the most prevalent. If you want to carve out a path among the numerous competitors, you must know yourself and your enemy, know where others are strong, figure out where you are weak, play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, create your own characteristics, and have a clear positioning in order to have a foothold.

Quality, style, service, business model, promotion method, each link is closely related, interconnected and indispensable.

People like my sister-in-law, who knew nothing and was confused, thought that if they just put a few pieces of material there, someone would automatically give them money. How naive they were.

Since she couldn't get any answers, Ye Jiayao had no choice but to say, "Then I'll go to your shop tomorrow and look around other shops. I'll find out what the problem is and help you think of a solution."

Mrs. Qiao was delighted: "Thank you very much, second brother and sister-in-law."

As long as she could make the embroidery workshop prosperous and not collapse, she didn't mind the face or not, and she would ask her second brother's wife for help. She had made a big promise in the Qiao family at the beginning, and in order to obtain independent accounting, she rejected the manager sent by her eldest brother. If she failed, she would lose not only money and property, but also face.

"We are all family, there is no need to thank them. Besides, I can't say I can definitely help, I'm just trying my best." Ye Jiayao said with 70% certainty, leaving room for others.

"That's right, that's right..." Qiao was polite, but she still had high hopes for this second brother's wife.

"My eldest sister-in-law is pregnant, so don't worry too much about these trivial matters. Just take good care of her. My third brother's wife is not feeling well now, and mother is already very worried..." As she spoke, a layer of deep worry floated in Ye Jiayao's bright eyes.

Speaking of this, Mrs. Qiao felt a little unhappy. This was her second child. Even when she was pregnant with the first one, Mrs. You's care for her was not even one-tenth as much as that for Liuli. After all, Chunli was not Mrs. You's biological child.

"What happened to my third brother's wife? I've been having a severe reaction lately and can't go to see her, but didn't Imperial Physician Li say that there's no problem?" Although Qiao was unhappy, she still had to put on a show of concern, with a concerned tone and expression that matched perfectly.

Ye Jiayao sighed, "That's what Imperial Physician Li said, but I can see that my third brother's wife looks really bad, even worse than a few days ago. Of course, I've never been pregnant, so I don't really understand, but I think mother should know the situation!"

Mrs. Qiao was surprised: "Is there something wrong with the child? It shouldn't be the case. My third brother's wife is only six months old now. She has passed the most severe reaction stage and her body is not at its heaviest."

"That's really strange. My third sister-in-law has no hidden illness and has never had any headaches or fevers..." Ye Jiayao was confused.

Mrs. Qiao was thinking about it, and suddenly she was startled: "Is there something wrong with the child?"

After saying this, Qiao quickly covered her mouth, then made a "Puh, Puh, Puh" sound, and said with a wry smile, "I was just guessing."

Ye Jiayao forced a bitter smile: "I was wondering, why does my third sister-in-law always complain about being stuffy? Is it because the incense in the house is too strong?"

"Pregnant women should not use incense. Look at me, I used to use jasmine tea porridge and other things, but I stopped using them after I got pregnant." Qiao said.

Ye Jiayao nodded and said, "I think so too. I can't get used to the smell of ambergris and mugwort mixed together. Let alone my third brother's wife, I don't know how the servants do things."

Qiao was stunned: "What fragrance did you just say?"

"Ambergris and mugwort!" Ye Jiayao looked very simple and unsophisticated.

"Did you smell it?" Qiao's eyes flickered, and she was clearly uneasy.

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "My sense of smell and taste has always been very sharp, so I can't be wrong."

Qiao's expression also became a little uncertain.

Ye Jiayao asked anxiously, "Sister-in-law, is there anything wrong with this?"

Qiao forced a smile and covered it up by saying, "No, no..."

Ye Jiayao laughed at herself and said, "We are just worrying about nothing here. Maybe nothing will happen. With Imperial Doctor Li here, how can anything happen to my third brother's wife?"

Qiao asked, "Have you told your mother about this?"

"What's that?" Ye Jiayao pretended not to know. "It's about Xiang."

"What's there to say about the fragrance? It's just that I can't get used to it. Maybe my third brother's wife likes that kind of fragrance. Everyone has their own preferences. It would be bad for me to say anything."

Qiao was silent, looking as if she was troubled.

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I'll tell you an interesting story I heard at the farm!"

Qiao smiled and said, "Okay, I'm bored too, I want to listen to some interesting stories to relieve my boredom."

Ye Jiayao began to talk: "There is a tenant farmer in our village named Jin. He has two sons and one daughter. The two sons are hardworking, but the daughter and son-in-law are lazy and often go back to her parents' home to eat and drink for free. They are also very sweet-mouthed. Old Jin's wife loves the youngest daughter very much. Not only does she not say anything, but she protects them everywhere. However, these tenant farmers' lives are tight, how can they afford two mouths to eat and drink for free? The two sons are unhappy. The second son's wife is pregnant, and Old Jin is cruel. He said that he would kill the only old hen in the family to let the second daughter-in-law replenish her body. Coincidentally, the daughter happened to be pregnant too, and came back to her parents' home to take care of the baby. Old Jin's wife favored her own daughter and gave the hen to her daughter, and the second daughter-in-law didn't even get a sip of soup."

Mrs. Qiao couldn't help but say, "This old Jin's wife is really a jerk, and that little daughter is too shameless. Are we just going to let them do this? I won't allow it."

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "Of course they won't just let it go. The second daughter-in-law was holding back her anger, and her health gradually deteriorated. Medicines didn't work, so the second son had no choice but to invite a wandering sorcerer back. The sorcerer calculated with his fingers and said that there can't be two tigers in one mountain. The child in the second daughter-in-law's belly was some kind of Wenqu incarnate, but unfortunately it was killed in the womb. After another calculation, the sorcerer concluded that there was another pregnant woman in the family. If the sorcerer didn't get rid of this person, the Wenqu star in the second daughter-in-law's belly would be hopeless, and she would never be able to meet that killer again..."

Qiao Daqi: "Is there such a thing?"

Ye Jiayao said: "When Old Jin's wife heard that the second child was pregnant with Wenquxing, this was a big deal for this farm family, so she immediately made up her mind to drive her little daughter away and forbade her to come in the future..."

"Well done, let those two scoundrels come and eat and drink for free again." Qiao said indignantly.

"I think the traveling sorcerer must have colluded with the second son. How could such a thing happen? However, Chunyu disagreed when he heard about it. He said that people would rather believe in such things than not. The theories about gods and ghosts are the most mysterious. He also said that such remarks are used by people in the palace to make excuses, and often have certain effects, such as eliminating dissidents or shirking responsibilities. It makes people feel uneasy when they hear about it." Ye Jiayao shook her head and smiled bitterly.

Mrs. Qiao frowned slightly, revealing a thoughtful look. Ye Jiayao knew that she had listened to her and taken her to heart. Her purpose had been achieved, so she stood up and said goodbye: "I have been rambling here and almost forgot about dinner time. Sister-in-law, I will take my leave first. I will go to the embroidery workshop tomorrow and come back to talk to you when I have an idea."

Mrs. Qiao dealt with it absentmindedly and asked the servant to send her out.

At this moment, her expression was confused, but her heart was filled with huge waves.

"Mother Fang, what do you think about what the Second Young Madam said just now?" Mrs. Qiao called Mother Fang over.

Mother Fang said worriedly, "Regardless of whether the Second Young Madam said it unintentionally or deliberately, if what she said is true and the Third Young Madam used mugwort incense, then there is a big problem here."

Mrs. Qiao motioned her to close the door first, and said solemnly, "I think so too. You and I know under what circumstances pregnant women use mugwort incense. The Third Young Madam said it was okay, but she used mugwort on the one hand, and even used rich ambergris to cover it up. If she said it was okay, who would believe it!"

Madam Fang hesitated and said, "I am sure that the Second Young Madam has already noticed something. A few days ago, Madam scolded the Second Young Madam for not visiting the Third Young Madam. Later, the Crown Prince accompanied the Second Young Madam, and then, the next day, they went to the farm. The Second Young Madam told you that story on purpose..."

"You think, if the Third Young Madam lost the baby in her belly, and it was for no reason, maybe the Third Young Madam herself had a hidden illness. With her stubborn personality, she would naturally not admit that it was her fault that she lost the baby. She would definitely find a reason to put the blame on someone else."

Qiao felt a chill in her heart; this was also what she was worried about.

Mother Fang continued, "Who should we push it to? In theory, of course, the Second Young Madam is the best candidate. It is well known that they are not on good terms. Although on the surface they seem to be good friends, only the Third Young Madam knows what she is thinking in her heart. However, the Second Young Madam is already on guard and will not fall into the trap easily. So, what will the Third Young Madam do when she can no longer hide it?"

Mrs. Qiao's face turned pale. Madam Fang said solemnly, "Just now, the Second Young Madam used the words of the Crown Prince to say that the palace is used to these little tricks. First Young Madam, think about it, you just got pregnant and something went wrong there. Isn't this the best excuse? You just need to ask the Imperial Observatory, or a monk from a temple, or a Taoist priest from a Taoist temple to come. It will save trouble and effort, and it will be solved once and for all, and the First Young Madam will have no way to defend herself."

Mrs. Qiao couldn't keep calm at all, and nervously grabbed Fang's mother's hand: "Then...then what should we do?"

In this kind of matter, it is better to believe it than not. Youshi will definitely stand on Liuli's side. If the empress dowager blames her, the situation will be even worse. Asking her to move out of the house is already a small matter. If she is not careful, the baby in her belly will not be saved.

Mother Fang thought for a long time, and a ruthless look appeared in her cloudy eyes. She said, "Then we have to take the initiative and expose the true situation of the Third Young Madam before she takes any action."

(End of this chapter)