Harem Daily Life

At Tao Yanyan's request, He Linzhang wore coarse cloth clothes today, and his whole body exuded "uncomfort". The clothes were very old, and it was unknown where Tao Yanyan had gotten them. She herself was dressed very simply, with her hair tied up in a simple bun and a silver hairpin inserted.

Once inside the shop, they looked around, and the shop assistant, seeing that they didn't seem like they would make a purchase, didn't approach them to solicit business.

Hua Yurong drank a cup of tea and came out from the inner room. She immediately saw the two people being neglected in the corner of the shop. She glared at the shop assistant: "Don't you know how to greet customers?" After saying that, she smiled and stepped forward to apologize in person: "Gentlemen, there are many customers and few staff in the shop. I haven't been able to attend to you. What kind of fabric would you like to buy? How about I show you around?"

Tao Yanyan sized up the girl in front of her. She had a round, short face, big, round, bright eyes, and exuded a youthful vibe. She was quite pleasing to the eye.

"We don't have much money, and we want to buy a bolt of cloth to make clothes for our children. We don't know which kind would be most suitable?"

Hua Yurong asked how many children there were, whether they were boys or girls, and their ages. After asking, she pointed to a bolt of blue-and-white floral fabric and said, "This fabric is quite durable and reasonably priced. Both boys and girls can wear it. However, since you have seven children, buying only one bolt might not be enough to make so many clothes. If you buy two bolts, not only will you have enough fabric, but I can also give you half a bolt of floral fabric from over there, which can be used to make a few more sets of undergarments for the children."

Tao Yanyan raised an eyebrow. This guy was really good at business, giving away fabric and thinking about his customers.

However, she looked troubled and said, "But this fabric costs five taels of silver per bolt. After I buy it, I'll need to hire an embroiderer to help me make it, which will cost another sum of money. We only have seven taels of silver on hand, and spending five taels is already our limit. Buying more fabric would be..."

He Linzhang took a deep breath, his ears turning slightly red; pretending to be poor was too embarrassing for him.

Hua Yurong bit her lip, picked up the abacus and clicked away a few times, then said with difficulty, "How about this, I'll give you the cost price of this fabric, and you can buy one and a half bolts. But I can't give you that much of my floral fabric, at most six feet. I'll charge you six taels of silver, what do you think?"

Tao Yanyan chuckled, "You're quite generous, leaving me an ounce to treat the embroiderer."

Hua Yuerong smiled and said, "If you trust this embroiderer, I can recommend one to you. Go out and turn right for three streets. There's a widow who makes clothes for people to support their children. She's very skilled and only charges a small fee for her work. If you ask her to make clothes, you won't even need a tael of silver. Just tell her my name, and I guarantee she'll make them for you quickly, well, and cheaply."

What could Tao Yanyan say? Hua Yurong was practically a top salesperson; she'd even thought of after-sales service for you. She took out her purse and pulled out six taels of silver: "Alright, let's do it your way."

He paid the money readily and took the fabric handed to him by the shop assistant, holding it in his arms.

“It’s cold outside, your shoes will definitely get wet from walking all this way. I just happened to be heading out, so I’ll give you a ride.”

As Hua Yurong spoke, she had already ordered someone to prepare the carriage and personally helped Tao Yanyan up.

"Uncle, please sit on the side of the carriage. My aunt and I will sit inside." Since men and women do not ride in the same carriage, Hua Yuerong dared not invite the man in front of her into her carriage.

He Linzhang's lips twitched, and he looked at Tao Yanyan with a wronged expression.

Tao Yanyan gently patted the back of his hand and said with a smile, "Three streets, that'll be quick, thank you for your hard work." After saying that, she got into the carriage with Hua Yurong's help.

Not far away, Shadow Three and the others broke down in their guard, watching as the Emperor and Empress boarded someone else's carriage, while His Majesty was still sitting on the carriage frame outside. They didn't know what to say.

"Third Brother, we've witnessed our master at his most pathetic. Could he be..." Shadow Four made a gesture as if he were about to end his own life.

Ying San glared at him fiercely: "Are you stupid? Just pretend you didn't see it, right? Also, don't call me San'er. The Empress said that's not a good word."

Shadow Four patted his head: "We're used to it. Besides, we're all named according to the order in which we were adopted by our master. What's there to fuss about?"

Shadow Three was too lazy to argue with him anymore. He ordered someone to put him in the carriage and then followed behind with Shadow Four and the others.

Tao Yanyan looked at the carriage from inside and said, "This young lady certainly knows how to enjoy life; the carriage is quite exquisitely decorated."

Hua Yurong gave her hand warmer to Tao Yanyan and said with a smile, "I usually travel by carriage, so I need to make myself comfortable. I can't skimp on myself." Then she covered Tao Yanyan's legs with a blanket, saying, "This is brand new, don't mind it. My mother's legs and feet get cold in winter. You're about the same age as my mother, so you need to cover yourself with a blanket when you go out to keep warm."

"Are you an only child? Don't you have any siblings?" Tao Yanyan asked, feigning ignorance.

Hua Yurong's expression was somewhat unpleasant, and her round eyes lost their brightness: "I have a younger sister at home. But I don't get along with her; we've been arguing since we were little. Never mind, let's not talk about her; it's bad luck." Hua Yurong didn't want to say anything more, so Tao Yanyan had to ask something else: "So, how old are you this year, young lady? Are you engaged?"

Hua Yurong bit her lip, nodded, and then shook her head.

Tao Yan asked in confusion, "Are you engaged or not?"

Hua Yurong saw that Tao Yanyan didn't seem like a bad person, and she desperately needed someone to listen to the frustration that had been building up in her heart these past few days, so she said, "I was originally engaged, but a few days ago the engagement was nullified. Later I got engaged to another person, but... but it seems that the other person didn't take it seriously at all, and hasn't come to visit these past few days. I don't even know his name, and I can't find him anywhere in this vast sea of ​​people."

Tao Yanyan: “…”

"Your engagement is really... vague." She didn't know how to describe it. She didn't expect Jin'an to not even give her a name or address. Where was the young girl supposed to find him?

The carriage soon stopped in front of a small courtyard. Hua Yurong got off the carriage and helped Tao Yanyan down. Tao Yanyan glanced at He Linzhang, stepped forward, took his hand and warmed it for him: "Thank you for your hard work, my husband."

The coachman helped carry the fabric inside, and He Linzhang, holding Tao Yanyan's hand, followed Hua Yurong through the door.

"Oh dear, Miss Hua, are you introducing me to guests again? I can't accept this. Please come in and sit down." Madam Li was in her twenties, with a child of about three years old beside her. Her mother-in-law was blind. She groped her way to move stools for Tao Yanyan and He Linzhang, and the two sat down silently.

"These two families have seven children. I'll trouble you, Madam Li, to make clothes for them. The measurements are all here. I've calculated the fabric; it should be enough if we're frugal. If it's a little short, you can just go to my shop and get some more. Those few feet of floral fabric are for the girls to make their undergarments." Hua Yurong explained everything clearly and made all the arrangements perfectly.

Tao Yanyan took out one tael of silver and handed it over: "This is to pay you for your work first."

Madam Li took the money, saying, "I don't need this much." She counted out forty copper coins and handed them to Tao Yanyan. Tao Yanyan didn't say anything, accepted them all, and put them into an inconspicuous money bag.

Several people came out of the courtyard. Tao Yan said that they were going in different directions and did not ask Hua Yurong to see them off. Hua Yurong did not insist. She gave a few instructions and then got into the carriage by herself.

The Emperor and Empress waited at the crossroads for a short while before a carriage arrived. On the way back to the palace, He Linzhang played with Tao Yanyan's purse filled with copper coins: "What does the Empress think?"

Tao Yanyan pondered for a moment: "He's not bad looking, he's very approachable, kind-hearted, compassionate, warm-hearted, and quite filial. It's just... he's too straightforward and not cunning enough."

He Linzhang smiled and said, "Jin An is shrewd enough; he won't suffer any losses."

Tao Yanyan knew immediately that His Majesty was satisfied: "However, our status is indeed not a good match. Will His Majesty mind?"

He Linzhang shook his head: "If it's about choosing a Crown Princess, then I have to be the one to oversee it. As for choosing a wife for Jin'an, as long as he likes her, that's fine." His wife's family doesn't have much power, so it might even be more suitable for He Jin'an.