Chapter 424
~ DO I HAVE A FACE THAT’S EASY TO ROB? ~
The dissemination of the embroidery needle technique progressed remarkably smoothly. Mu Yunyao was in charge of the overall situation. There weren’t many things that could be brought to her, so she was at leisure.
Su Qing brought the white fungus soup over. Seeing Mu Yunyao’s meticulously matched embroidery, she couldn’t help but say, “Yao’er, drink some white fungus soup and rest for a while.”
Mu Yunyao had a restless personality. Seeing that the New Year was nearing, she began to prepare various kinds of New Year presents. She had to prepare many gifts this year, including the Grand Princess Yi De and the Emperor. In addition, her mother, adoptive father, adoptive mother, and adoptive brother … she’s afraid that she has to be busy until the New Year.
Su Qing looked at the fabric that Mu Yunyao had prepared and casually said, “This navy blue cloth is quite beautiful. If you were make it for your foster father’s clothes, it wouldn’t be enough, right?”
“It really can’t be used up. Does mother have any use for this piece of cloth?”
“What’s the use for me? I just feel that Yue Wang is busy running back and forth. A few days ago, I saw a piece of his sleeves being scratched, but he didn’t notice it. His Royal Highness Yue Wang was alone, and there was no one in the residence to take care of him. Even the servants were men as well, so it’s inevitable that there are omissions.”
Mu Yunyao lowered her eyes slightly, her emotions completely unreadable, “Your Royal Highness Yue Wang is a prince. What kind of clothes he wants is just a matter of one sentence, so there’s no need for us to worry. Mother has been making clothes these past few days. Even though your fingers have been well healed, and there is not much pain in winter, you still have to pay extra attention to it. Do not get tired.”
“Alright, Mother understands.” Seeing that Mu Yunyao was unwilling to bring up the matter about Yue Wang, Su Qing did not force herself. She could only slightly sigh in her heart. She has spent a lot of time interacting with him in the past few days. The more she knows about him, the more she feels that Yue Wang’s character and temperament are considered suitable for Yunyao. The key is that he is sincere to Yunyao. The problem is the different generations. Even if they were cousins, they still wouldn’t need to worry so much as they are now.
Su Qing watched Mu Yunyao finish eating the white fungus soup and then carefully advised her to rest a little before getting up and leaving.
Mu Yunyao put down the embroidery needles in her hand, got up, and walked to the cabinet. Inside was a fine piece of sky water blue cloth. She gently touched it and pursed her lips to close the cabinet’s door.
Sat back in her seat once again, Mu Yunyao picked up the embroidery needle in her hand, but after pausing for a long time, she was still unable to calm down. In the end, she had no choice but to take the fabric out from the cabinet and begin cutting it.
In the Capital, the number of people who had mastered embroidery needle technique became more and more. The number of embroidery products of different colors and grades is gradually increasing. Many commoners had just discovered that the price of embroidery had started to drop. Some merchants also have leased shops and began to buy embroidery products.
Many commoners couldn’t hold back their curiosity. They took out things that they had embroidered themselves and went to ask. The shops are priced according to the appearance of the embroidered products, which could make the commoners earn some silver.
As a result, the women’s interest in learning embroidery needle techniques became increasingly high, and the praises of Ni Yun Fang and Mu Yunyao also increased.
The Capital was bustling with activity, and even Western Guangdong was in an uproar of joy. Steward Qin had already arranged for someone to send a new batch of stir-fried ginger tea. He also ordered someone to set up a caravan and quietly transport the salt from Linjiang City to Western Guangdong.
Yuxi City, which was right next to Western Guangdong, gradually became more lively. After the change of City lord, the investigation of the caravans became more relaxed, and the number of people willing to go to Yuxi City to do business became more and more.
There was actually someone transported a large number of embroidery products through Yuxi City half a month later. When the soldiers guarding the city saw the owner of the merchant caravan, they couldn’t help but ask, “Lord Wang, you’re here again?”
Lord Wang nodded, dismounted his horse, and stuffed a purse in the past: “Thank you, Brother, for taking care of me. Our Wang family’s caravan has not been robbed these two times. It seems like my incense in the temple was still effective, thanks to Buddha’s blessing.”
“Was it fabric embroidery goods being transported this time?”
Lord Wang pulled out a piece of fabric from the carriage and said, “Brother, please don’t mind it. Take this fabric home and give it to your wife to make a dress.”
The soldier touched the fabric in his hand and felt it was as smooth as water, much better than his wife’s face. “This is too valuable....”
Although the conditions of the Yuxi City were much better than those of Western Guangdong, it is not possible to buy such high-quality silk embroidery with silver, let alone a soldier guarding the city gate. It was really too expensive.
“Brother, you are welcome. Thanks to your guidance, my carriage has a lot of embroidery during this period of time. You should keep this item with you. The next time I meet something good, I will bring you a few pieces of materials. Oh right, how is my rival, the Zhang family merchant? I heard that they are still selling tea?”
Speaking of the Zhang caravan, the city guard shook his head, “Don’t say anymore. It was robbed two days ago. The owner of the Zhang caravan is even worse than you. I heard that he even pawned his clothes and managed to stay overnight. The next day the whole caravan cried and left.”
“Hehe, let him be black hearted. Thank you for the information, Brother. Please help me keep an eye out for the Zhang caravan, and please don’t tell him about me selling the embroidery product.”
“Okay, don’t worry, Lord Wang.”
After some time, the Zhang family sent a batch of embroidery and quietly found a piece of fabric to the city guards, “Brother, thank you for communicating with me. Otherwise, all the silver would have been taken away by that evil merchant from the Wang family. I also transported a batch of embroidery. I think it won’t be robbed.”
Before he could finish his sentence, he heard the rumbling of hooves approaching. Soon after, a group of fearless and valiant bandits arrived on horseback. The leader of the bandits even raised his hand to greet the Zhang family caravan, then roar, and drove off at full speed with carriages.
The owner of the Zhang caravan looked at this scene in a daze, then sat down on the ground and started to wail.
The city guard touched the fabric in his hand and felt that it was not as good as the one that was given by Lord Wang last time, so he handed the cloth over to Lord Zhang: “Lord Zhang, this is really a trick of fortune. If not, you can also go into the temple and pay your respects next time. You can take this fabric to the city, sell them and take a rest at the inn in the city for the night.” If he did not give the fabric back, the Zhang family’s owner would probably pawn his clothes again.
“… Thank you brother, how can I be so unlucky? That evil merchant from the Wang family was not robbed. But when I got here, there was a problem. God, you opened your eyes too!”
Just as his voice fell, he suddenly heard a loud cracking sound, as if thunder had exploded in the sky. He was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and kowtowed, “God, please don’t blame me. I was just careless with my words.”
The soldier guarding the city looked a bit embarrassed. He stepped forward and helped Zhang’s family owner up, “It was a stall in the city that collapsed. It wasn’t because of the heavens’ lightning....” After all, it was winter and a sunny day, so how could there be thunder? This Zhang family owner was about to be driven crazy by these robbers.
This year, things were not calm again. The robbers had taken groups after groups of them, treating the caravan like leek and harvesting them one by one. Fortunately, the robbers did not disturb the people, so Yuxi City had turned a blind eye.