275 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

"Can you get your hands on Xiaoyao Powder?" Yun Niang asked hastily, her mind occupied with thoughts of Xiaoyao Powder. To her, it was the biggest obstacle. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of hope. "Isn't it just Wushi Powder?" Ran Fan Yin thought. "As a medical student, making it wouldn't take more than a minute. But creating such a harmful thing is unnecessary." First, she needed to find a harmless substitute. A substitute alone wouldn't suffice; addicted customers needed to be weaned off the powder, their attention diverted gradually. Ran Fan Yin remained silent for a moment, as if deep in thought, then nodded and said, "I have a substitute called Immortal's Delight." It was the height of summer, and the best substitute at the moment was—cold drinks! Yun Niang pressed on, "What is Immortal's Delight? Is it more potent than Xiaoyao Powder?" "Sort of," Ran Fan Yin replied, "but it requires a large amount of saltpeter. By tomorrow morning, we'll need at least two dans of saltpeter." "Saltpeter? Where am I supposed to find that?" Ran Fan Yin disregarded her, instead asking, "Are there any alchemists in the county?" "There are, but why would you need one?" Ran Fan Yin had to explain, "An alchemist can get what we need. Quietly find one and make sure no one else knows. Otherwise, not even Guanyin Bodhisattva can save the Fengming Courtyard." "I understand. I'll follow your instructions to the letter," Yun Niang said, thoroughly convinced by Ran Fan Yin's meticulous plan. She seemed to regard Ran Fan Yin as the true boss. "If there's nothing else, Yun Niang, you should return to your room and rest. Tomorrow morning, I'll give you the latest sheet music for the girls. I'll also provide a list of supplies needed for purchase, so we can reopen in two days if all goes well." Ran Fan Yin saw that Yun Niang had no intention of leaving, so she subtly hinted for her to go. "I'm not tired. If there's anything you need help with, let me know. The girls haven't slept yet either." "These tasks can't be delegated. It's better to rest well tonight and prepare for tomorrow." She stayed up all night, writing sheet music and making lists of supplies. She also sketched out designs for the girls' outfits and wrote down the recipes for various cold drinks. By dawn, she had brainstormed and written five scandalous romance novellas. Next, she summarized the business operations, highlighting key selling points, and drew several eye-catching promotional flyers. Just as she dozed off at her desk, a knock came from outside. "Miss Yu, are you awake?" Xiao Liu knocked softly on the door. Ran Fan Yin opened her eyes, still groggy, stretched her stiff neck, yawned, and reluctantly said, "Come in." Papers were scattered all over the desk and floor. 'Take Immortal's Delight for Boundless Joy, Fengming Courtyard's Exclusive Formula' 'Exclusive One-on-One Service, Immersive Visual Feast' 'Free Drinks on Opening Day' 'Rain or Shine, Fengming Courtyard Awaits You' "Miss Yu, what's all this?" Xiao Liu pointed to the flyers on the floor. Though he was somewhat literate, he couldn't make sense of the jumbled words. Ran Fan Yin explained, "Think of these as posters to attract customers, like telling them in advance what makes our place special." "I don't understand," Xiao Liu shook his head. "Isn't submitting a complaint to the authorities done with a written statement? These are like that complaint, and the customers are like those officials. Understand now?" Her explanation was as simple as she could make it. Embarrassed, Xiao Liu scratched his head and chuckled, "Miss Yu, you're really something." Ran Fan Yin instructed, "Gather these flyers and stick them in high-traffic areas. Spread the word that Fengming Courtyard will reopen tomorrow with special promotions. The first thirty customers get free drinks, snacks, and a glimpse of the top dancers and their enchanting performances." Creating buzz in advance was crucial, targeting the consumer's love for freebies to ensure a flow of customers. No one could resist the lure of free and enticing offers. "Got it, Miss Yu. By the way, Yun Niang asked me to call you for breakfast," Xiao Liu said. Though he didn't fully grasp the reasons behind the actions, Yun Niang had instructed everyone to obey Ran Fan Yin for the next three days without question. After breakfast, Ran Fan Yin gathered everyone together, holding the list of names provided by Yun Niang. She divided the girls into three groups based on their strengths: 'Beauty Beyond Compare', 'Heavenly Melodies', and 'Graceful Movements'. 'Beauty Beyond Compare' consisted of girls who were stunning but otherwise untrained, focusing on makeup and service techniques. 'Heavenly Melodies' was for those with exceptional vocal talents, training them in traditional songs. 'Graceful Movements' featured the dancers, where Ran Fan Yin imparted what little street dance she remembered from school. The male staff took on the laborious task of decorating. Ran Fan Yin was busy teaching the girls to sing and dance, while also answering the men's questions about blueprints. "Careful everyone, handle everything gently. This is my hard-earned savings at stake!" Yun Niang, acting as supervisor, was anxious about the money being spent and the potential ridicule if the renovation failed. ＊ By evening, the saltpeter finally arrived. "This stuff was hard to find. We scoured every Taoist temple in Pingyang County. Look, my shoes are worn out! We eventually bought it from Old Daoist Yuan at Qingyang Temple. It cost quite a bit of silver too," the worker complained about the difficulty of the task. Although the quantity was limited, it would suffice if used sparingly. Everyone did their best. Once I develop Immortal's Delight, everyone will get the first taste. After a day of renovations, the interior was about sixty percent complete—a decent result considering the limited time and money. The promotional buzz for Fengming Courtyard's reopening spread, and now they awaited the next day's grand opening to see the results. "Miss Yu, we have a big problem!" Yun Niang ran over, panic-stricken.