After the first dance, Wei Wei continued to dance a second one with Felix. Afterward, Felix went to dance with his sister, giving Wei Wei a chance to rest.
As the music for the second dance began, other guests joined in, allowing Wei Wei to politely decline invitations along the way and make her way to a resting chair by the dining table.
"Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of dancing with you?"
"I'm sorry, I'm a bit tired and would like to rest."
After turning down yet another gentleman, Wei Wei felt a pang of envy for the noble ladies of the future, who could use fan language to decline invitations. In her current situation, no one even knew what a fan was.
Perhaps sensing her firm resolve, after several gentlemen were turned down, no one else dared to approach her.
But soon, another dance ended, and the girls began to leave the dance floor. Wei Wei, who was busy eating to satisfy her empty stomach, noticed that the seats around her were starting to fill up.
Wei Wei glanced at the young woman sitting next to her. She appeared slightly older than Dolores, but it was hard to tell exactly how old she was. Europeans always seemed more mature than Asians, and Wei Wei wasn't yet skilled at discerning their ages.
Seeing Wei Wei look her way, the girl immediately smiled. "Hello, I'm Ariel West, daughter of Baron West. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wei Wei."
She was an enthusiastic young girl.
Wei Wei returned a polite smile. "Hello, Miss West."
"Please, call me Ariel," she said warmly, then quickly added, "Miss Wei Wei, your outfit today is stunning. I'm sure the Count must be very fond of you."
How was Wei Wei supposed to respond to that? She could only offer an awkward yet polite smile and try to change the subject. "I don't see Baroness Hunt or Miss Hunt around. I thought they might take advantage of Felix's absence to come and mock me."
Remembering what the Baroness had said earlier, Ariel chuckled awkwardly. "Baroness Hunt isn't feeling well, and Miss Hunt is accompanying her to the restroom."
Everyone knew why Baroness Hunt was feeling unwell, so it wasn't a topic worth pursuing. Ariel eagerly asked the question she was most curious about: "Miss Wei Wei, your skin is so lovely—even more delicate than my eight-year-old sister's. Could you tell me how you usually take care of it?"
Wei Wei noticed that as Ariel asked this, other women nearby also perked up their ears, eager to hear her answer.
They all wanted to know.
Wei Wei understood.
Since they wanted to know, she might as well take the opportunity to promote her products.
"Oh, it's a beauty product from my country called essential oil. The production process is quite complex, but it has a wide range of uses. Not only does it make the skin fair and smooth, but it also..."
Wei Wei went on and on about the miraculous effects of essential oils, leaving the girls, who had never encountered such a sales pitch before, wide-eyed and eager to get their hands on a bottle to see if the results were as good as she claimed.
This was exactly the effect Wei Wei wanted. As she explained the different effects of various essential oils, she mentally calculated how much she still had in stock.
The low-concentration essential oils she had made using simple methods had been tested and proven effective. While not as potent as the big-brand products from her time, they were genuine and free of additives. Except for those allergic to certain ingredients, almost anyone could use them. For medieval Europeans, who only had olive oil and the like for skincare, the results were remarkable. The downside was their short shelf life—once opened, they had to be used within a month, and even sealed, they could only last about three months.
High-concentration essential oils made through distillation could extend the shelf life significantly, but Wei Wei had yet to find a suitable alchemist. While some had come forward after hearing about the Count's recruitment, they turned out to be mere charlatans. None had the real skills.
Thus, Wei Wei's plan to start an essential oil business after finding an alchemist had been put on hold. But now, hearing Ariel's question, she realized that while large-scale sales might not be feasible, she could still promote the oils on a smaller scale within the noble circles of Sardinson County.
And clearly, her promotion was a success. More and more girls forgot they were at a ball, where handsome young men were waiting to dance with them. They joined Wei Wei and Ariel's conversation, and soon, a beauty salon centered around Wei Wei had formed.
In the end, Wei Wei reluctantly agreed to show the girls her essential oils the next day—just to look at, of course.
If she had offered to sell them right then, not only would they not believe her, but they might also think her behavior improper. But by acting as she did, she made the girls even more convinced that the oils were truly effective, which was why she was unwilling to share.
While the young girls were busy surrounding Wei Wei, Felix was also quite occupied.
By this point, it was clear that their secret goal—to have a female family member marry the Count—was unlikely to succeed. So, the barons pragmatically shifted their focus to business.
They had come primarily for the insect repellent, but after arriving at Sardinson Castle, they became curious about something else—fire manure.
On their way to the castle, the barons had taken note of the lands around Sardinson and confirmed that there were indeed no pests, and the crops were thriving. The wheat planted last year was already being harvested, which was earlier than in their territories. Moreover, the yield seemed excellent.
If the absence of pests was due to the insect repellent, then the early maturity and increased yield of the wheat must be due to something else. After discovering this, they asked the serfs working in the fields and learned that the wheat's success seemed to be linked to something called fire manure.
Felix had already decided to sell the formula for the insect repellent. He had even drafted the contracts. The barons only needed to agree to the terms—using it solely for their own purposes and not reselling it—sign the contracts, pay the fee, and take the formula.
Though the conditions were strict, considering the worsening pest situation in their territories and Felix's mention of presenting the formula to the king, the barons, though reluctant, had no choice but to agree.
—If they didn't sign now, this year's harvest would suffer greatly, leading to even greater losses. And once Felix gave the formula to the king, who knew if His Majesty would forbid Felix from selling it to others? At that point, they would have to buy the repellent annually, incurring a significant ongoing expense. It was better to buy the formula now and be done with it.
"Since no one has any objections, we'll sign the contracts tomorrow."
The barons naturally had no objections. It was still the middle of the ball, and leaving the others to attend to business wasn't the noble way, so everything else would have to wait until tomorrow.
As for the fire manure they wanted, Felix said he would consider it.
On one hand, he wasn't keen on selling it. While making fire manure was simple, its effects were remarkable. In an era lacking fertilizers, it was undoubtedly a groundbreaking agricultural technique, and Felix naturally wanted to keep it to himself, profiting by selling the prepared fire manure in bulk (this was something Wei Wei had suggested).
But the situation with the five barons was a bit different. They were direct vassals of the Williams family. Unlike knights, who only needed to provide military service to offset taxes and receive fiefs, the barons had to pay 2% of their territory's harvest as taxes to the Williams family.
Therefore, if their territories could increase production, Felix would receive more taxes.
What Felix needed to consider was whether it was more beneficial to teach them how to make fire manure to increase their yields or to simply sell them the fire manure.
"Of course, selling it is more profitable!"
After the ball ended, Felix escorted her back to her room and sought her opinion. Wei Wei didn't hesitate to give her answer.
She analyzed it objectively: "The technique for making fire manure isn't difficult. With some effort, anyone could figure it out. Besides, when we made it, we didn't hide it from your serfs. If they could think of making it themselves to sell, wouldn't they be willing to sell the method if someone offered to pay for it?"
Of course, they would. They probably wouldn't even need much incentive to spill the secret. Even if Felix ordered them to keep it confidential, it would be impossible to stop them from talking. After all, his territory wasn't just populated by serfs but also freemen. If the freemen were persuaded to move away, how could Felix control them once they were gone?
Even the serfs weren't entirely reliable. The manor's surroundings weren't heavily guarded, and as long as they didn't leave the estate, they could easily sneak a few words to outsiders without anyone noticing.
"So rather than letting them secretly extract the method from your serfs later, it's better to take advantage of the fact that the technique hasn't been made public yet and use it to gain some benefits now."
Felix understood: "Just like with the insect repellent."
"Exactly."
So the next day, Felix relented and agreed to sell the fire manure formula to the barons—of course, for a price.
"If you agree, I'll send someone to your territories to teach your people."
Instead of the more convenient option of having them send people to learn, Felix chose to minimize risk. Sardinson Castle had many secrets, and he didn't want to increase the chances of them being exposed.
The barons, overjoyed, readily agreed.
Though their expressions were quite telling when they received the insect-repellent formula, that wasn't Felix's concern.
While they were signing the contracts, Wei Wei was in a parlor with the other girls, demonstrating the essential oils.
Wei Wei hadn't brought just one bottle of essential oil but a wooden cosmetic case containing over a dozen varieties, each in a small glass bottle holding about 30 milliliters. Used sparingly, a bottle could last a month, but with heavier use, it could be gone in ten to fifteen days.
When Wei Wei brought them out, she explained that these were all her current stock. Each had different effects, but since they had to be used quickly after opening, she couldn't let everyone try them. She could only show the effects using a partially used bottle of rose oil.
Ariel, who had first approached her, became the lucky tester.
Under the watchful eyes of the girls and the uninvited noblewomen—including Baroness Hunt and her daughter, who sat at a distance—Wei Wei poured a drop of the oil onto Ariel's hand and gently spread it with her fingertip, demonstrating the difference between the treated and untreated skin.
The difference was noticeable. The skin with the oil appeared smoother and more refined. The girls couldn't help but imagine what long-term use might achieve.
Instantly, their gazes turned to the cosmetic case held by the maid Qin, their eyes gleaming like wolves eyeing their prey.
As the tester, Ariel was the most direct in experiencing the difference (though the effect wasn't as dramatic as Wei Wei made it seem, relying more on her persuasive skills). She delightedly touched her hand and expressed her desire for Wei Wei to give her a bottle of the oil—not for free, of course.
She clung to the partially used bottle of rose oil, unwilling to let go. Wei Wei explained that this particular oil had the effect of lightening freckles and whitening the skin.
"I know these oils are precious, but you said they only last a few months, right? You have so many; that you can't possibly use them all. Couldn't you spare this one for me? I'd even be willing to buy it!"
Wei Wei shook her head. "But it's already been used. I can't sell it to you."
Ariel grabbed her hand and pleaded, "Please, dear Wei Wei, you know how much I want these horrid freckles gone. They're so unsightly."
"But it can only lighten them; it won't make them disappear completely."
Ariel immediately replied, "Lightening them is enough! Please, Wei Wei, for heaven's sake."
Wei Wei, unable to withstand her persistence, finally relented. "Alright, I'll give you this bottle. I've recently made some more, so in a month, I'll have a new batch."
"You've made more? You have more?!" Ariel nearly shrieked. "In that case, why not give me a bit more? I don't need it for free—I'll buy it! I'll pay any price!"
She looked at her mother, who also seemed eager for the oil, and chimed in, "Yes, Miss Wei Wei, we can't take advantage of you. Could you sell some to us? How about two gold coins per bottle?"
She tentatively suggested a price.
This was double what Wei Wei had estimated.
She had thought one gold coin was already a high price, but to the noblewomen, it could go even higher.
Though tempted, Wei Wei shook her head. "While the production process and ingredients are quite refined, two gold coins is a bit too high. If you need it, Ariel, I can give you one more bottle. As for the price, one gold coin is enough."
As she said this, she felt a twinge of guilt.
These oils weren't as complex as she made them out to be. They were just a mix of flower petals, olive oil, and some firewood.
While olive oil was relatively expensive, even the best olive oil sold by weight wouldn't cost a gold coin. Yet here she was, selling 30 milliliters for a gold coin—a staggering profit.
But to the others, her honesty seemed almost foolish.
Baroness West had offered two gold coins, yet Wei Wei had lowered it to one, essentially throwing away potential profit. Only a noble lady from a wealthy, doting family could have such a carefree attitude toward money.
Of course, they weren't about to correct her "foolish" decision. Why pay two gold coins when you could get it for one?
Ariel hugged her, almost planting a kiss on her cheek. "You're so kind! Thank you, dear Wei Wei!"
After expressing her gratitude, she turned to Qin for another bottle of rose oil, not forgetting to have her maid pay for it.
With Ariel leading the way, the others also began asking Wei Wei to share some of her oils.
"We're all the same, dear Wei Wei. You can't just favor Ariel."
"Yes, didn't you say you'd have more soon? Sharing some with us now wouldn't hurt, right?"
"We're willing to pay too."
"No more rose oil? That's fine, what about the others? What do they do?"
Under their collective pressure, Wei Wei "reluctantly" sold all the oils she had brought. Only when Qin nervously reminded her that only one bottle remained did she snap out of it and firmly refuse the girls who hadn't gotten any.
Those who were too slow could only settle for the promise that Wei Wei would sell to them once the new batch was ready.
Of course, whether some of them wanted to see the effects on others before deciding to buy was anyone's guess.
Since only a few girls hadn't gotten any, Wei Wei, not wanting to play favorites, agreed to send them some once the new oils were ready.
When she returned to her room with a look of regret, her expression immediately shifted to a smile as she turned to Qin. "You did very well today."
Qin curtsied. "I'm honored to have pleased you."
Their entire performance in the parlor had been an act. Wei Wei had discussed the plan with Qin beforehand and asked for her cooperation. Qin had delivered.
This was also why Wei Wei hadn't brought Penny along. Penny wasn't as composed as Qin and might have seemed unnatural in front of so many people, risking exposure. So Wei Wei had sent her off on other tasks earlier.
Qin placed the cosmetic case containing the gold coins on the table. There weren't many coins inside, as not every girl carried money while visiting. But Wei Wei wasn't worried about them reneging on payment.
Sure enough, servants from various households soon arrived to deliver payment on behalf of their mistresses. Meanwhile, Wei Wei maintained a sullen expression in her room, staring at the lone remaining bottle of oil.
This scene quickly reached their mistresses' ears, and the ladies, who already felt they had gotten a bargain, were even more delighted.
As if fearing Wei Wei might change her mind, the baronesses urged their husbands to return to their territories as soon as possible after concluding their business with Felix.
Preferably that very day.
"Why the rush?" the men asked. "Even if the Count didn't take a liking to our daughters, there are other excellent marriage prospects. We could stay and observe a bit longer."
The woman had a ready answer: "Haven't you noticed how all the young men's eyes are on that beautiful Miss Wei Wei? With her around, our girls are being overshadowed. How can the young men notice their virtues? Instead of staying here, we can invite them to our territories later. It'll be much more convenient than being in someone else's castle."
This made sense, and the barons, still smarting from Felix's earlier dealings, weren't keen on watching him bask in his success. After some thought, they went to bid Felix farewell.
"The pest situation in our territories is too worrying. We'd like to return and address it as soon as possible."
Though surprised by their sudden departure, Felix was more than happy to see them go. After a polite attempt to persuade them to stay, he saw his guests off.
Thus, the castle, which had been lively for just a day, returned to its usual tranquility. Everyone in the castle breathed a sigh of relief at the departure of these unwelcome guests and happily returned to their tasks.
After the guests left and Felix was less busy, Wei Wei went to his study to find him.
"You want to discuss a partnership? About the essential oils?"
Felix was quite surprised by Wei Wei's sudden proposal.
"Yes, about the essential oils."
The idea of this partnership had been on Wei Wei's mind for a long time.
Even before she accepted Felix's gifts.
From the beginning, Wei Wei's feelings for Felix weren't the romantic kind. As she had written in her schedule, love had never been part of her plans. Similarly, she didn't believe that so-called affection could remain unchanged.
Even now, as their relationship had progressed significantly, she still didn't truly believe that Felix's feelings would last forever.
Wei Wei had even considered that after a few years—or even sooner—if Felix realized he wouldn't receive the emotional response he desired, or if his feelings changed, he might grow to resent her.
If it came to that, as an outsider, Wei Wei would be in a very vulnerable position.
So, long ago, she had thought of binding herself and Felix together through shared interests. As long as their interests aligned, even if Felix's feelings eventually soured, their relationship wouldn't become too strained.
Of course, if he chose to abandon her for greater gains, Wei Wei wouldn't hesitate to use less savory means to protect herself.
Thus, this partnership plan had initially been more of a test—a way to gauge whether Felix would make unfavorable choices when faced with potential profits.
But as their relationship evolved, the element of testing diminished—though it didn't disappear entirely. She was now more genuinely interested in the partnership.
And in thinking about all this, she had forgotten that the plants she had grown in the backyard were also highly desirable, leading to her earlier mistake.
So, she was still too young.