Having initiated the price war, Qin Sheng and Yun Cizhai naturally kept close watch on Taoran Pavilion.
The moment Manager Tang sent word to Prince Li Manor, Qin Sheng's faction was alerted.
Gu Yanshu's subsequent movements—visiting Taoran Pavilion, then heading straight to Taoran Kiln outside the city—were all meticulously tracked.
As these reports reached Prince Qin Sheng's study, a man in blue brocade robes voiced his concern:
"Your Highness, the Princess Consort inspected both the shop and kilns—could he have devised a counterstrategy?"
This was Zhou Maoran, second son of the Zhou family, elder brother to Qin Sheng's concubine, and current manager of Yun Cizhai.
Qin Sheng scoffed: "That good-for-nothing? What could he possibly conceive?"
"Good-for-nothing?" Zhou Maoran frowned.
A nearby advisor clarified: "Young Master Zhou, being new to the capital, may not know—the Princess Consort was Yanjing's most notorious wastrel before marriage."
The term wastrel left no ambiguity.
Zhou Maoran, though puzzled why a prince—the only one granted the title of Qinwang no less—would wed such a fool, knew better than to question aloud.
If Gu Yanshu was indeed incompetent, it only worked to his advantage:
"Since Your Highness says so, this commoner needn't worry."
Subsequent reports seemed to confirm Gu Yanshu's ineptitude:
He'd spent hours at Taoran Kiln, discussing something with the foreman—
But with the entire estate under Gu Yanshu's control, Qin Sheng's spies couldn't eavesdrop.
When he departed, the kilns remained cold and silent, showing no signs of resuming production.
His visit to Taoran Pavilion was equally futile—
The deserted shop apparently unnerved him so much he berated Manager Tang publicly before storming off.
Then, silence.
No further action from Prince Li Manor.
"Truly a fool," Qin Sheng sneered. "Satisfied now?"
Zhou Maoran rose, bowing: "Your Highness is wise. This commoner overthought matters."
With a dismissive wave, Qin Sheng declared the matter unworthy of further attention.
To both men, Taoran Pavilion's demise was inevitable—
Merely a question of time.
Back at Prince Li Manor—
Gu Yanshu had barely stepped inside when he spotted Qin Lu sipping tea in the main hall.
Raising a brow, he asked:
"You're back? How did it go on your end?"
Initially, Qin Lu had planned to accompany him to Taoran Pavilion—
Until urgent news arrived: Movable type had made a breakthrough.
Here, Gu Yanshu had to commend Prince Li Manor's efficiency.
Only days had passed since he'd first mentioned the concept to Qin Lu—
Yet not only had artisans been recruited, but prototypes were already underway.
Compared to a porcelain shop, movable type held far greater strategic value.
Thus, they'd divided tasks:
Gu Yanshu inspected Taoran Pavilion alone
Qin Lu oversaw the printing innovation
Now, naturally, Gu Yanshu sought updates.
"Smoother than anticipated." Qin Lu made no attempt to hide progress, retrieving a wooden tray and several papers. "Care to see?"
Gu Yanshu strode over, settling beside him to examine the items:
The papers bore identical characters rearranged into different sentences.
The tray held neatly aligned wooden blocks—each carved with raised, interchangeable characters.
Though Gu Yanshu had never handled physical movable type before, he recognized it instantly.
Flicking a block with his finger, he marveled:
"To achieve this in mere days? Your Highness's talents are exceptional."
"Ahem." Qin Lu coughed lightly. "Your instructions were... thorough."
While Gu Yanshu's knowledge had been fragmentary—
To veteran carvers with decades of experience, his hints were revelations.
Hence this miniature prototype's rapid development.
"Credit goes to your craftsmen's skill." Gu Yanshu waved off the praise, then cut to practicality: "When can we deploy this?"
Qin Lu's faint smile faded slightly: "At least another month."
"A month? Faster than I expected." Gu Yanshu nodded approvingly.
Given Tianqi's vast character set—
Where common characters needed dozens of duplicates—
And factoring in wear-and-tear—
A month was impressively swift.
(He missed Qin Lu's subtle exhale of relief at his reaction.)
Shifting topics, Qin Lu asked: "And Taoran Pavilion?"
"Manageable. Better than anticipated."
A cryptic smile played on Gu Yanshu's lips—
A look familiar to those who knew him:
The prelude to a masterstroke.
Though Qin Lu didn't fully grasp the meaning behind Gu Yanshu's smile, he could guess the general direction.
"Does my consort require assistance?"
"There is one matter where Your Highness's help would be invaluable," Gu Yanshu replied without hesitation, his lips curving slightly. "Though it may require Fifth Prince's involvement."
The faint smile on Qin Lu's face faded almost imperceptibly at the mention of Fifth Prince, his tone cooling:
"Oh? What matter?"
Gu Yanshu offered a placating smile before explaining:
"With the New Year approaching, the palace will soon replace its porcelain, will it not? I'd like Fifth Prince to take charge of this task."
Qin Lu immediately understood why Gu Yanshu specified Qin Hao.
As a military commander, Qin Lu's every move was scrutinized.
Even a seemingly minor act like overseeing porcelain replacement could be misinterpreted as political maneuvering.
But Qin Hao was different.
Though close to Qin Lu, Qin Hao was still perceived as an independent figure—
A carefree prince with no official duties, whose sudden interest in palace porcelain would be dismissed as a whim.
At worst, observers might assume Qin Hao was helping his sister-in-law's struggling business—
A harmless favor, whether self-motivated or subtly requested.
Qin Lu assumed Gu Yanshu simply wanted to sell Taoran Pavilion's stock to the palace.
While imperial porcelain for the Emperor and consorts underwent rigorous selection—
Servants and eunuchs also used ceramics, albeit of lesser quality.
Taoran Pavilion's wares could easily meet those standards.
Dismissing it as a trivial matter, Qin Lu nodded:
"This prince will have Zhi Ge inform Fifth Prince."
Gu Yanshu, reading Qin Lu's expression, merely smiled.
Once Qin Hao took on the task, Qin Lu would soon realize the true plan.
Qin Lu's efficiency was unparalleled—
The very day Gu Yanshu made his request, a messenger was dispatched to Qin Hao.
Upon learning this was Gu Yanshu's plan, Qin Hao immediately prepared to enter the palace and take charge of the porcelain replacement—
Only to be stopped by Gu Yanshu himself:
"Wait a few more days."
"Why?" Qin Hao frowned.
This wasn't some complex scheme—why the delay?
Gu Yanshu's lips curved slightly:
"I'm a merciful man. Since Eldest Prince and Yun Cizhai went to such lengths to dig this pit for me, shouldn't we let them enjoy their triumph a little longer?"
Qin Hao highly doubted Gu Yanshu's self-proclaimed mercy—
But having witnessed his methods before, he knew better than to question further.
If Gu Yanshu wasn't explaining, there was a reason.
"Just inform me when Third Brother-in-law deems the time right, and I'll approach Imperial Father."
He blinked up at Gu Yanshu with exaggerated obedience, hoping to coax out a hint of the plan.
Gu Yanshu merely smiled and walked away.
______
The following days unfolded like a rehearsed performance—
Gu Yanshu visited Taoran Pavilion daily, only to find it still deserted.
Yun Cizhai's prices remained 10% lower, drawing all customers away.
Each time, Gu Yanshu would publicly berate Manager Tang—
Blaming him relentlessly for the shop's decline, dismissing all explanations.
After roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, he'd storm out in apparent fury.
Manager Tang, left pale and shaken, often needed minutes to recover.
Next came Taoran Kiln—
Where Gu Yanshu would summon Zhou Lao-San, exchange heated words, then tour the facilities.
Though Qin Sheng's spies couldn't eavesdrop, rumors spread:
Gu Yanshu had smashed ceramics in rage, lambasting every worker from foremen to apprentices.
He'd depart with visible anger, a pattern repeating for days.
______
Meanwhile, these were Qin Sheng's happiest days.
Each report of Gu Yanshu's tantrums deepened his satisfaction.
"Futile rage from an incompetent fool," he remarked, sipping tea leisurely.
The steam rising from his cup mirrored his smug amusement.
Zhou Maoran, who had been sitting quietly, finally voiced his confusion:
"Isn't Prince Li going to intervene?"
The moment these words left his mouth, mocking smiles appeared on the faces of the First Prince, Second Prince, and even the Fourth Prince.
It was the usually inconspicuous Second Prince, Qin Rui, who spoke first:
"Intervene? Our third brother is far too lofty a figure to concern himself with such trivial matters. He probably doesn't even remember what his own consort looks like."
A ripple of low laughter spread through the study, accompanied by murmurs of agreement from the assembled advisors:
"Hahaha, Second Highness speaks the truth!"
"As always, Second Highness sees things clearly."
...
Yet, instead of being reassured, Zhou Maoran only grew more perplexed:
"But the rumors—"
"Those rumors?" Qin Sheng cut him off with a cold snort. "Just nonsense spread by that meddlesome Qin Hao to annoy me."
Qin Sheng didn't believe a single word of the gossip about Qin Lu and Gu Yanshu being a loving, harmonious couple.
Outsiders might not know Qin Lu's temperament, but his brothers certainly did.
From childhood, he had been cold and aloof, looking down on everyone.
Only someone as shameless as Qin Hao—who didn't mind throwing himself at others despite their indifference—could tolerate him.
Believing that Qin Lu and Gu Yanshu were deeply in love?
Might as well believe the sun would rise in the west tomorrow.
Seeing Qin Sheng's absolute certainty, Zhou Maoran finally felt the last of his worries lift.
There was one thing he had never dared to admit in front of Qin Sheng: he was terrified of Prince Li.
But now, hearing Qin Sheng's unwavering confidence that Qin Lu wouldn't lift a finger to help Gu Yanshu, Zhou Maoran could finally relax completely.
Just as Qin Sheng and the others were mocking Gu Yanshu's recent actions, another servant entered the room.
"Speak," Qin Sheng commanded, tilting his chin slightly when he recognized the man as one of his spies assigned to monitor Taoran Pavilion.
"Your Highness, Taoran Pavilion has made a new move."
"Oh? What did they do?" Qin Sheng's tone was indifferent—clearly, he didn't consider anything Taoran Pavilion did worth his attention.
"They lowered their prices—this time by a full 15%!"
Fifteen percent.
Before this price cut, Yun Cizhai's prices had only been 10% lower than Taoran Pavilion's.
Which meant—Taoran Pavilion was now cheaper than Yun Cizhai.
Qin Sheng's face froze in shock before his eyes narrowed sharply.
"A price cut? Impossible. Whose idea was this?"
"Replying to Your Highness, it was indeed a price cut. It seems to have been Manager Tang's decision." The servant bowed his head, delivering the information he had gathered.
"Manager Tang?" Zhou Maoran frowned. "Why would he suddenly make such a move?"
Yun Cizhai and Taoran Pavilion had clashed many times before, so Zhou Maoran was quite familiar with Manager Tang's tendencies.
The man was competent but excessively cautious, rarely taking risks.
This very trait had been evident throughout the current price war.
Even with Taoran Pavilion on the brink of collapse, Manager Tang had never dared to wage an all-out price war against Yun Cizhai.
So this sudden price cut had to have another motive.
The servant's next words confirmed Zhou Maoran's suspicion:
"Manager Tang didn't act impulsively. The Princess Consort's daily reprimands grew harsher—today, he outright threatened..."
"Threatened what?" Zhou Maoran prompted.
"That since Manager Tang had ordered the increased production last month, he'd be held accountable. If the ceramics remained unsold by year's end, Tang would have to buy the entire stock himself."
The servant relayed Gu Yanshu's words verbatim.
Zhou Maoran scoffed:
"Buy them himself? Tang couldn't possibly afford that."
"Exactly! Tang pleaded poverty, begging mercy for his years of service—"
"—but the Princess Consort refused," Zhou Maoran finished, smirking. "So Tang, unable to pay, chose to slash prices instead?"
The servant nodded.
Even Zhou Maoran's father—head of the Zhou family—wouldn't casually berate veteran managers like Tang.
Such seasoned stewards were irreplaceable, overseeing everything from supply chains to sales strategies.
Yet Gu Yanshu had alienated him completely.
"Truly an imbecile," Zhou Maoran muttered.
Qin Sheng eyed him: "Will you just watch them undercut you and steal your customers?"
"Your Highness needn't worry," Zhou Maoran smiled. "Yun Cizhai can lower prices again."
"Further?" Qin Sheng's eyes narrowed.
Though no merchant himself, he understood basics: past a point, losses began.
Yet Yun Cizhai could still afford cuts?
Zhou Maoran's smile deepened:
"Our family's proprietary glaze formula reduces production costs. Even two more price drops won't incur losses."
But even if it did—
Crushing Taoran Pavilion, the capital's second-largest porcelain dealer, would be worth it.
Monopolize Jingdu's ceramic trade?
Dominate Tianqi's entire market?
All while cementing the Zhou family's standing with the First Prince?
A temporary loss meant nothing against such gains.
Seeing Zhou's confidence, Qin Sheng waved dismissively:
"Handle it as you see fit."
In the days that followed, the capital's citizens witnessed an unprecedented spectacle—
The price war between Yun Cizhai and Taoran Pavilion reignited with a vengeance.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, households keenly tracked porcelain prices—
Having noted both shops' earlier discounts before Taoran Pavilion's abrupt pause.
Just when the public assumed the drama had ended—
Round two erupted.
This time, Taoran Pavilion struck first, breaking its silence with another price slash.
Each morning, citizens awoke to find new reductions—
Sometimes from Yun Cizhai, sometimes from Taoran Pavilion.
Just when buyers thought prices had hit rock bottom—
The shops proved them wrong:
"Think again—we can go lower!"
Those who'd purchased ceramics during the initial truce now bit their nails in regret—
While others adopted a wait-and-see approach, curious how far prices might plummet.
Amid this heated duel and the public's delighted voyeurism—
No one noticed Fifth Prince Qin Hao slipping into the palace.
By the time Qin Sheng and Zhou Maoran learned of it—
Qin Hao had not only exited the imperial grounds—
But secured himself a modest yet strategic assignment.