Re-embroidering life

Shui Qinghua and Dou Jianzhi observed for a few more days and were relieved to be sure that no villains would cause trouble for the Shui Xiufang.

"Second sister, it's so peaceful outside that I can't believe it."

Shui Qinghua has figured it out: "Our two business partners have finally made a move."

Last time when Meng Xiu Niang turned against them, these two were not very enthusiastic, and Shopkeeper Wang just stood by and watched. The expression on Dou Jianzhi's face was hard to describe.

"There's nothing hard to understand. The business world is like a battlefield. It's not about relationships, it's about strength. We are valuable and can make money, so we deserve to be protected." Shui Qinghua was very calm. "Once we have enough strength, we don't need to hide under the wings of others."

The two innovations of new silk thread and pension money helped Shui Xiu Workshop to turn things around. Ten months after its opening, the workshop finally enjoyed a prosperous development.

Shui Qinghua began to pack her luggage. She had already prepared the list and was about to give it to Lan Xin and Ji Fei to do when the concierge brought in a letter from her second sister-in-law, Sun Xiaolan. The second sister-in-law said that she had asked someone at the Tang family and found out that Tang Fu was a new widow and her husband's family, considering her beautiful appearance, were willing to return her dowry and send her home. But just to give an explanation to her son in the underworld, Tang Fu had to observe mourning for a year at her husband's family.

It was the same in the previous life. Tang Fu's husband's family was a scholarly family, and they were reasonable. The Tang family had carefully chosen this marriage for Tang Fu. But that person was not blessed with a long life, and caused many troubles out of thin air.

Shui Qinghua knew that she would not be able to see Tang Fu for the time being, but there was still a long way to go.

One evening before leaving Beijing, Shui Qinghua was making final arrangements in the embroidery workshop. As she was instructing Dou Jianzhi and Shui Yuhua, a tall and burly figure flashed outside the door. It was Ye Jincheng who came for the first time.

Although it was a shop owned by Chu Xiu Pavilion, Ye Jincheng seldom came here. Shui Qinghua took him to visit this not-so-big shop while guessing his purpose.

The layout of Shuixiufang is no different from other embroidery workshops, with two floors, the first floor displays embroidery, and the second floor has private rooms. But there are obvious differences. As soon as you enter the door, you will feel the room is full of light and splendor. All the brocades reflect the soft pearl luster, which makes people want to come forward to take a look and touch it unconsciously.

Looking around, I found that there were many lamps placed at different angles on the wall. The lights intertwined and faintly projected on the fabric. Ordinary candles were too bright, the flames flickered, and there was smoke, so they could never achieve such an effect. However, the candles of Shuixiufang were housed in expensive colored glass covers, the light was dim, and there was a scent of flowers when they burned.

Ye Jincheng stared at the dream woven by the candlelight in front of him and asked softly, "How did you make the candles smell like flowers?"

Shui Qinghua's eyes were surprisingly bright under the light. "It's very simple. I specially made the candles in a candle workshop. There's a dried flower stamen in the wick. I also tried and adjusted the angle repeatedly to ensure that the light is cast on the most beautiful part of the embroidery."

Ye Jincheng laughed loudly: "People like you will practice everything to perfection, so why worry about not achieving great things?"

He stopped laughing, and a rare look of worry appeared in his eyes: "Have you ever heard that too much wisdom will lead to harm? You have a very smart mind, but you are too demanding. Over time, I'm afraid your body won't be able to bear so much worry."

Shui Qinghua's heart sank. This was the second person to say this after Ji Zimo. With her past life experience, she knew that Ye Jincheng was not exaggerating. She took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Mr. Ye, for reminding me. I have already changed it."

"It's easy to change the country, but hard to change one's nature. I think it's difficult!" Ye Jincheng shook his head and finally got to the point: "You want to go to the capital, have you ever thought about opening a water embroidery shop in the capital?"

Shui Qinghua was stunned. After going through so much hardship, Shui Xiufang finally got on the right track. Before she even had time to catch her breath, was she going to open a new shop?

"With the help of Chuxiu Pavilion and Siyifang, it is only a matter of time before your embroidery products become popular in Chu and Jiangnan. The capital city is a place neither you nor I have ever set foot in." Ye Jincheng tried his best to convince her.

"It's precisely because we have never set foot in the capital, and it's full of royal relatives and wealthy aristocrats. The water is too deep. If outsiders like us go in, there is no guarantee that we will never come back." Shui Qinghua shook his head and refused.

Ye Jincheng was very confident in his eloquence: "You are right, otherwise the Ye family would have gone to Beijing to develop. But the situation is different now, because of you."

"Me?" Shui Qinghua opened her mouth wide and pointed at the tip of her nose.

"Yes, you. Furong Garden embroidery follows the path of boudoir embroidery, which is just what the wealthy and the literati like. Your fusion embroidery style is something that people in the capital have never seen before. You also have hair embroidery, which can all be competed for in the capital." Ye Jincheng looked at Shui Qinghua with burning eyes.

The feeling of being led by Ye Jincheng when they first met came back, and Shui Qinghua instinctively remained on guard. "I do plan to bring Furong Garden embroidery to Beijing to help Shuixiufang become famous, but I don't plan to open an embroidery workshop. Beijing is a place where top schools gather. Hunan embroidery, Guangdong embroidery, Suzhou embroidery, Sichuan embroidery, and the local Beijing embroidery, which one doesn't have a deep foundation? Shuixiufang is still too shallow."

No matter what Ye Jincheng said, Shui Qinghua was determined not to give in. Ye Jincheng was not disappointed, and said politely: "I believe that your mind will change when you arrive in Beijing. If that day comes, don't forget to find me for cooperation. I am the first one to propose it to you."

After saying that, he left leisurely.

On the way, Ye Jincheng's long-time attendant asked him, "Boss, how can you be sure that Boss Shui wants to open an embroidery workshop when he goes to the capital?"

"Because I know how to judge people. She seems easy to get along with, but in fact she is competitive. There are so many masters in the capital, I don't believe she won't be eager to show off her skills and compete with others. With her personality, once she achieves one thing, she will want to challenge another. Isn't it natural for her to want to open an embroidery workshop step by step?"

After hearing what Ye Jincheng said, the long-servant suddenly realized: "Chu Xiu Pavilion has failed to enter the capital for so many years. It seems that the one who solved the problem is the Shui family!"

Ye Jincheng did not deny that cooperating with her might be the most worthwhile deal he had ever made in his life.

Shui Qinghua was also discussing Ye Jincheng's proposal with Dou Jianzhi. "It's really interesting. He advised me to take care of myself in one sentence, and then he urged me to open a new embroidery workshop in the next sentence. Is he worried that I'm not tired enough?"

Dou Jianzhi thought for a moment and said, "Maybe what he said is true. As a friend, I advise you to take care of your health. As a business partner, I advise you to open an embroidery workshop together."

Shui Qinghua snorted, indicating her agreement. "My mission in this trip to the capital is to arrange Yajing's marriage and help her husband prepare for the exam. I will not consider anything else."

Dou Jianzhi nodded vigorously and decided not to think about it.

The moon rose, with a light yellow, hanging on the black velvet sky. Shui Qinghua leaned against the tree, looking up at the bright moon. The silver light shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on her skirt. The leaves swayed gently in the breeze, and the shadows moved with them.

Shui Qinghua wondered if the capital, thousands of miles away, was also illuminated by the same bright moon? Would the stories there be different from those here?

In her past and present lives, this was her first time traveling far away from home. Facing an unknown journey, she was both excited and nervous. But no matter what happened ahead, she would not be afraid to retreat, because she was no longer the Shui Qinghua of the past.

(End of Volume 1)