Zhang Jie's arm felt smooth to the touch.

They withdrew their hands and did the same to their forearms.

It was rough and unpleasant in comparison.

And with them experiencing what it was to have the smooth feel, these young mistresses couldn't get it off their minds.

It lingered and gnawed at their hearts.

They must have what she had.

No matter what the cost would be.

"What's that smell?" one of the mistresses said when she smelled a whiff of jasmine flower.

The other mistresses took a whiff too and they could also smell the same thing.

Zhang Jie gave a smirk and said, "That's the added bonus when you use this."

She glanced back at her servant girl.

The servant girl came forward and placed a bar of soap onto the tabletop.

"That's it?" The other mistresses narrowed their eyes and glanced at it with disbelief.

"Does anyone of you want to try it out?"

Zhang Jie picked it up and glanced at them from left to right, seeing their expressions change when her gaze landed on them.

After all these years of hers to endure them showing off their gifts and whatnot from their husbands, it felt great to be the one doing so for once.

She was now invested in the success of this thing called soap.

Coming from a merchant family, she was smart enough to know what was going on between Sima Long and Lin Xuan Qi.

Finally, her gaze stopped at someone younger than her; the younger mistress had been at least cordial with Zhang Jie.

"Sister Lan, come try it and wash your hands with it." She handed the bar of soap over to young mistress Lan.

Young mistress Lan opened her eyes wide and was glad that she had the opportunity.

The other mistresses weren't as happy.

They mumbled among themselves and one of them said to young mistress Lan, "Are you sure about that? What if it was poisonous?"

"Yeah. You be careful."

"Your husband might not be too happy if you were to go back with your hands scarred for life."

"Zhang Jie, you should stop it before the joke gets out of hand. We as sisters in the Sima family should be cordial and harmonious among us."

The others gave out subtle taunts and threats trying to frighten young mistress Lan.

Young mistress Lan hesitated for a moment, and she glanced back and forth at the other mistresses and Zhang Jie.

Zhang Jie stayed calm, picked up her teacup, and took a sip from it.

As if the discussion had nothing to do with her.

Young mistress Lan bit her lower lip as she was in two minds; the other mistresses were from the more powerful branch of the family, she didn't want to outright be enemies with them.

But the lure of having something that would make her desirable to her husband kept pulling her heartstrings.

"Are you guys going to the brothel later?" A man's voice boomed in the distance.

It was one of those young masters planning to have fun later at the brothel.

It was enough for young mistress Lan to make her decision.

Young mistress Lan glanced back at her servant girl and the servant girl bowed and got to work.

She left and came back moments later with a copper basin filled with water.

The servant girl knelt and held the copper basin for young mistress Lan.

Young mistress Lan began to dip her hands into the water with the soap.

At first, she had reservations and washed her hands with the soap with small movements.

When she felt nothing uncomfortable but had a pleasant sensation of her hands feeling cleansed and smooth, she began to wash her forearms with it.

The other mistresses watched on with their teeth grinding at each other.

They had hoped what they'd said came true.

But it was not to be.

Young mistress Lan took out her hands and another servant girl of hers came and helped wipe her hands with a silk handkerchief.

After her hands were dry, she held her arms close to her nose, and she took a whiff of it.

There was a familiar pleasant jasmine smell.

The other mistresses looked on with envy and anger.

Why wasn't I chosen? they thought to themselves.

Zhang Jie covered her mouth with her sleeves and gave out laughter.

Her laughs made their anger more intensified.

But Zhang Jie couldn't be more bothered and in fact it was what she wanted them to feel.

"Sister Lan, how was it? It's like a miracle, huh." She glanced at young mistress Lan and said.

Young mistress Lan nodded her head vigorously and agreed, "Yes, it feels so nice and pleasant. I can't wait to show it to my husband."

Her cheeks blushed red after she said it.

Zhang Jie grinned at her remarks of her wanting to see her husband as soon as possible.

Everyone knew what she would do after that.

She proceeded to be nice and said, "If you like it so much, take the soap. It's a gift for you since you've taken care and helped me and Sima Long so much previously."

"I... Thanks!" Young mistress Lan thanked her profusely and she quickly pondered on anything appropriate as a return gift.

"I have some herbs from the east mountains; they are good for your husband's vitality. I will ask my servant girl to send them to you later."

Young mistress Lan said.

Zhang Jie rolled her eyes in her mind.

Her husband Sima Long was healthy and able to perform.

He in fact had too much vitality to get a tong fang servant girl against her liking.

But she wasn't about to make a fuss over it with young mistress Lan.

Young mistress Lan had good intentions after all.

"You don't have to..." Zhang Jie said with a smile.

The other young mistresses after their initial envy and anger now came to their senses and one of them couldn't wait anymore.

"Sister Zhang Jie, I think we might have had some misunderstandings previously. I hope you can be kind enough to forgive me."

Zhang Jie gave out a burst of laughter again.

The other mistresses frowned at her.

But to their surprise, when she stopped, she said, "Why would you think otherwise? We are all in the same family after all."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.