She had checked some data, and mercury was extremely rare and valuable in this era, while aluminum, though also not abundant, was more plentiful and cheaper.

A few days ago, when Big Brother Luo was leaving, she mentioned to him the business of making mirrors, so that no one would suspect it was related to her.

Indeed, no one suspected a thing, as Apricot Forest Hall was widespread throughout the land, and it was very normal for Young Master Luo to know of this matter.

The truth was clear as day to Long Xuanmo, but he didn't expose it in public, just looked at his Ah Jiu with eyes full of pride and tenderness.

"Father, you and the workers need to accelerate the production of more Ceramic Glaze to make mirrors. I'll go find my uncle to have the mirrors embedded into the new dressing tables," Yang Mengchen instructed her father.

"Hai Tang, Qing Qing, inform all workers and servants that after they finish work at noon, every household should go to my second brother's place to collect a bottle of aluminum water for coating the Ceramic Glaze on their home dressing tables; the servants' dressers should be coated too."

Yang Mengchen knew well that one must be kind yet strict with employees to ensure their loyalty, so she would always distribute new products to her staff. Moreover, Big Brother Luo had sent over quite an amount of aluminum water, so she intended to give some to her three maternal families and the workers there as well.

Hai Tang and Qing Qing immediately went to carry out her orders.

"Thank you, Miss (Ms. Yang)!" Both workers and servants felt deeply grateful towards Yang Mengchen.

Smiling and waving her hand, Yang Mengchen, with Long Xuanmo and others including Sister Jin, headed to the furniture factory, while Mo Yun carried the small mirror.

Long Xuanmo asked Yang Mengchen beside him, "Ah Jiu, shall we continue the usual practice?"

"Yes," Outside of Qinghe Prefecture, Yang Mengchen had a share in the Ceramic Glaze sales; naturally, she had no objection, "However, the furniture factory will craft some small, exquisite, and portable dressing mirrors; I won't sell those exclusively to the Prince."

"Don't worry, Ah Jiu, I won't block your way to wealth, and I'll also command them only to make larger dressing tables," Long Xuanmo promised indulgently.

Long Xuanmo was so cooperative, and Yang Mengchen was very satisfied.

Upon arriving at the furniture factory and receiving the news, everyone was still very surprised to see the mirror, and also very grateful that Yang Mengchen always remembered to share good things with them.

Yang Mengchen called Yang Chaowen and a few stewards to the office and, after presenting drawings that had been prepared earlier and discussing them at length, they left for home with Long Xuanmo, Sister Jin, and others once everyone felt there were no issues.

The next day, after breakfast, Yang Mengchen and her seven servants arrived at a separate courtyard, where Long Xuanmo and Long Jingxi were already waiting in the living room.

When Long Jingxi saw Yang Mengchen and her group arrive, she greeted them with a smile, "Ms. Yang is here."

The previous day Third Imperial Younger Brother had come back and ordered all the dressing tables in the rooms to be fitted with mirrors, saying it was Ms. Yang's idea. She and the prince consort were amazed. Ms. Yang was truly smart and capable; no wonder Third Imperial Younger Brother was so fond of her, she herself genuinely liked her too.

"Greetings Eldest Princess, greetings prince consort," Yang Mengchen greeted them with a curtsey.

Long Jingxi helped Yang Mengchen up at the right moment, feigning reprimand, "Ms. Yang needn't be so formal in the future, otherwise it would make us uncomfortable, wouldn't it?"

Next to her, Min Luozhan smiled and nodded in agreement, fully in sync with his wife.

Yang Mengchen didn't behave coyly, smoothly standing up and briefly meeting Long Jingxi's eyes with meaningful intent; Long Jingxi immediately found an excuse to send Sister Lu away, and Yang Mengchen glanced at Hai Tang, who quickly left.

Sister Jin led all the servants and guards out of the living room and closed the doors before she stood guard outside.

Yang Mengchen got straight to the point, "I must declare that due to the Eldest Princess's special condition and the length of time it's been present, the acupuncture will be particularly painful. Although it's not as unbearable as being cut by a thousand knives, it will feel like a burning fire torturing her to the brink of death. Does the Eldest Princess still wish to continue with the treatment?"

At his words, all three of them were shocked; they had not anticipated it being so difficult.

"Doesn't Ah Jiu have a way to make one not feel pain?" Long Xuanmo looked at Yang Mengchen.

Yang Mengchen replied calmly, "The Eldest Princess's condition requires stimulation of acupuncture points to expel the evil qi from within through the needles. If the points are sealed, we cannot achieve the therapeutic effect."

Long Xuanmo didn't say anything further, just looked at Long Jingxi with worry.

"Continue!" Long Jingxi said determinedly after pausing briefly.

Upon hearing this, Min Luozhan urgently exclaimed, "Ah Jing…"

As though she knew what her husband was about to say, Long Jingxi gazed at him—his eyebrows and eyes brimming with worry and urgency—and revealed a gentle yet resolved smile, "Ah Luo, I really want to have a baby with you. No matter how bitter or painful it is, I can bear it, I can endure! Please, don't stop me, alright?"

"Ah Jing, rest assured, whatever you want to do, I will support you with all my strength!" Knowing how much his wife adored children, despite his heart wrenching with pain, Min Luozhan still smiled and agreed.

Seeing the couple with a love as deep as the ocean, Yang Mengchen said warmly, "If the prince consort is worried, you can accompany the Eldest Princess throughout the process; after all, the Eldest Princess is doing this for the child you both long for."

"Even if Ms. Yang didn't mention it, I would stay with Ah Jing," Min Luozhan said affectionately, looking at his wife.

While Long Xuanmo waited in the living room, Yang Mengchen and the couple, Long Jingxi and her husband, went to the inner chamber behind.

After instructing Long Jingxi to undress until only a pair of panties remained and to lie flat on the bed, Yang Mengchen gave her a pill to swallow and then placed a clean white handkerchief in her mouth to prevent her from biting her tongue due to pain. He took out a deer leather bag from his satchel and selected an appropriate Black Needle.

"Eldest Princess, no matter how painful it becomes later, you must endure and not faint. If you do, there's a high possibility you may never wake up again, so you must persevere until the very end, understand?"

Long Jingxi nodded firmly.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Min Luozhan held his wife's right hand in his left, with intense pity and self-reproach hidden behind his tender and fervent gaze.

Yang Mengchen inserted the Black Needles one by one into the acupoints on Long Jingxi's body. With his left hand, he twisted the needles while his right hovered over her heart, constantly feeding his robust Inner Strength into her body. He directed the evil qi within her to each needle, and after some time, a faint black trace of blood began to seep out from around the needles.

Feeling pain that felt like cuts all over her body, and which became more and more intense, Long Jingxi bit down hard on the white cloth, her eyes open, enduring the pain.

Seeing his wife enduring such excruciating pain, Min Luozhan wished he could take her place. Even as her nails dug deep into his flesh, he seemed not to feel the pain, instead gently wiping the cold sweat from her forehead and comforting her with a tender voice.

Two hours passed, and only when he saw a faint red trace of blood around the needles did Yang Mengchen withdraw his Inner Strength and remove the Black Needles, putting them back in the deer leather bag.

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