V1: Chapter 17: Business Acumen, A Bountiful Harvest

Not eating anymore?

Seeing Liang Di's unusual behavior, Liang Lin stopped chewing and immediately spat out the remaining cookie crumbs.

"Too sweet, it's cloying."

She even made up an excuse to appease Liang Di.

Is there something wrong with these cookies?

Liang Lin hurriedly returned to her room, sitting anxiously until evening, only to find nothing amiss.

"What? Could it be... I was just overthinking it?"

—The Next Day, At The Tea Party—

Liang Di's unique dress design indeed caught Phyllis's attention.

"I've never seen this style of dress before," Phyllis said, bending down to examine the two women closely, her folding fan pressed against her lips. "It feels very practical and light, without the clumsiness of traditional dresses. Although the pattern is a bit simple, but..."

Liang Di looked at Phyllis confidently.

Phyllis nodded affirmatively. "Very unique, I like it. Which tailor shop did you have it made at?"

"It's our own tailor shop."

"Oh..."

Phyllis had heard a little about it; the young lady of the Langwendi family was planning to carve out a portion of her family's tailor shop to make clothes for commoners—very inexpensive and with novel designs. Most people were skeptical, which was understandable, as no noble family had ever done such a thing before.

"Does your tailor shop really make clothes for commoners?"

"Yes."

Liang Di knew that Phyllis was a compassionate young lady, so she said, "I hope that commoners can also wear beautiful and practical clothes, just like us."

Phyllis was silent for a moment, then her expression changed to one of relief and surprise.

"Tomorrow, I will go to your tailor shop to order a dress. I hope it can be made to my satisfaction."

"Don't worry, Miss Phyllis, I will personally make it for you."

Liang Di deliberately raised her hand, covered her mouth and smiled, revealing her slender fingers.

The blue diamond on her index finger sparkled in the afternoon sunlight.

Not only Phyllis, but the other young ladies were also attracted by Liang Di's hand, and they all crowded around, eagerly asking what it was.

“I felt that our gowns were so luxurious, but our fingernails were just too incongruous, so… I got them dyed and added diamonds.”

After explaining, Liang Di waved her hand generously, “If you ladies like it, I’ll have my nail salon dye your nails for free once.”

Once is never enough; there will always be a second time.

The dyeing won’t last long, probably only five or six days at most, and the resin’s adhesiveness will only last a week before the diamonds fall off.

Moreover, she only said the dyeing would be free once, not that the diamonds would be free.

If the ladies didn’t bring their own suitable diamonds and had to buy them at her nail salon, the price would increase by a tenth.

This tea party not only established Liang Di’s reputation as a “people’s tailor shop,” but also brought in a large number of customers for her newly opened nail salon, making her a fortune.

Liang Lin wasn't interested.

She had no enthusiasm for the girls' tea party, keeping a sullen face as if someone owed her a fortune. No one bothered her; the other young ladies had all suffered at her hands before.

"Hmm, you are indeed quite ugly."

"If I had to compliment your figure, well, you're quite like that round, cute stone pillar in front of my house, always blocking my view, very mischievous."

"So, Miss Tangna, you don't think it's cute to trip and fall flat on your face, do you? You should really exercise."

Yes, these blunt and sarcastic remarks all came from Liang Lin. After those few times, no young lady invited Liang Lin to the tea party anymore, and Liang Lin was happy to have some peace and quiet.

"She's just incredibly jealous! A vicious woman with absolutely no emotional intelligence!"

That's what the young ladies said in private, and that's what they said when His Highness asked them.

"Liang Lin? Liang Lin is just a stupid, wicked woman with no brains, only good for fighting and killing, and no feminine qualities whatsoever. She was only stupid before, but now? She's both stupid and wicked."

"Oh? Is she really that stupid?"

"Yes, before she became wicked, she was so stupid she believed everything people said (her original personality). Now, although she doesn't believe them anymore, she's still incredibly stupid and wicked. I often see her twisting her ankle while walking (actually, it's because she's not used to wearing high heels). How smart can someone who's so uncoordinated be?"

If she really is stupid…

Gael stroked his chin and smiled happily.

It came without any effort.

Inside the palace.

“Mother, I think we can change our plan.”

Doris, holding shears, was trimming her red roses. “What did you find out?”

“According to Auston, Liang Lin is a very obedient child. Other ladies who have associated with her say she’s a foolish, jealous, and wicked woman. So… we don’t need to make her get along with Liang Di. We can do it another way: make her jealous of Liang Di, and then…”

“I think your idea is much more mature than Auston’s,” Doris put down the shears and affectionately stroked her son’s head. “No wonder you’re the future heir to the throne, my son. Let’s do it your way. I’ll inform Auston.”

Gael devised a detailed plan:

First, create a sense of crisis for Liang Lin that Liang Di is more popular with her classmates and loved by her family.

Second, occasionally belittle Liang Lin and elevate Liang Di.

Third, and the step he was most confident in, was to make Liang Lin feel that he cared more about Liang Di than about her.

Yes, that's right. He felt that no girl could escape his charm, and all should fall at his feet, willingly becoming his secret lovers.

Gael's plan was quickly put into action. Auston's attitude towards Liang Lin underwent a complete 180-degree turn.

When Liang Lin and Liang Di returned home after the tea party, Auston, with a stern face, immediately launched into a tirade against Liang Lin.

"Liang Lin, can't you learn from Liang Di? Act like a proper girl. Don't spend all your time studying swordsmanship. Having a daughter like you is embarrassing to even mention."

"Then you won't be embarrassing if you don't say anything."

Auston: "?"

She shut him down with one sentence.

Liang Lin looked indifferent, her eyes almost lifeless.

"I'm tired. Stop following me all the time. Instead of wasting your free time, why don't you go find a maid even more alluring than Miranda? You just like that kind of thing, my father."

"Pfft~"

Liang Di couldn't hold back anymore.

Liang Lin always managed to say something unexpected yet witty and cheeky.

Such a foul-mouthed little girl, crying after being "educated," must look adorable, right?

Liang Di's interest grew even stronger.