In a hurry, the Imperial Textile Commissioner Cao followed the steward out of the mansion. Sure enough, in a secluded area behind the Cao Mansion's back gate, several men dressed as villagers had tied the peacocks as tightly as zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival, leaving only their long necks exposed. The peacocks were lying crookedly on the ground.
The steward knew full well that this matter was of great importance and must not be leaked easily. So he was extremely cautious and avoided being seen.
However, the hunters had been waiting for a long time and were already a bit impatient.
"Sir, are you going to buy them or not? We still have a lot of work to do at home. Please don't make fun of us common folks."
A flash of anger crossed Commissioner Cao's face.
Truly, a tiger that has fallen on hard times!
In the past, as a favored minister of the former emperor, although he held the fifth - rank position of Imperial Textile Commissioner, he had received the emperor on several occasions and was on par with imperial envoys. Throughout the capital, who didn't recognize the Cao family from the south of the Yangtze River!
But now, even these insignificant hunters dared to speak rudely to him!
Commissioner Cao took a deep breath. He didn't want to lose his composure and dignity in front of these hooligans. He just snorted coldly and casually raised his eyes to look at the peacocks.
Although each peacock was tied up like a down - and - out chicken, its long neck with a faint blue sheen, the high - raised head crest like a feather fan, and the pair of bright eyes on its snow - white cheeks all exuded pride and nobility.
"Sir, what do you think of these peacocks?" the steward asked softly. Commissioner Cao frowned slightly.
The birds in front of him were indeed lively and majestic peacocks. But as he looked closely, he always felt that they were somewhat different from the king of all birds he had seen in the imperial gardens in the past.
If he was asked to explain what was wrong, he couldn't put it into words.
Seeing that he was still hesitating, the hunters picked up the peacocks and were about to leave.
"Sir, if you don't want these wild game, we'll take them to the market to sell!"
Commissioner Cao was in a hurry. Without further thought, he quickly stopped them and said, "Wait! I'll buy them! If you can catch more of these birds, bring them all here. No matter how many, I'll take them all!"
The hunters readily agreed, and the servants led them to get the silver.
Commissioner Cao ordered his men to carefully untie the ropes on the peacocks. Seeing that these "divine birds" that had saved him from trouble were safe and sound, he finally secretly let out a sigh of relief.
To be on the safe side, he simply raised the large group of peacocks in his own garden and plucked all their peacock feathers. Finally, they were barely enough.
The weavers worked day and night without rest. Occasionally, someone couldn't bear the workload and vomited blood and fell to the ground.
Commissioner Cao just ordered his men to send some gold and silver as a pension to the weaver's family, and then someone else would fill the vacancy.
After working like this for a full five days and nights, they finally spun enough peacock gold thread.
However, "kesi" was not an easy technique to master.
All the weavers, young and old, in the Jiangnan Textile Bureau got together. They wished they could rub the palm - sized piece of cloth mended by Li Ying to a shine. They studied it over and over again, but still couldn't figure out the mystery.
The so - called "continuous warp and broken weft" sounded like just four simple words, but when it came to actual weaving, they didn't know how to firmly weave the broken threads into patterns!
Commissioner Cao flew into a rage several times, scolding that the money of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau had actually raised a bunch of useless people. They were all weavers who had woven tribute silk on the loom for half their lives, yet they couldn't compare to Li Ying, a simple - dressed country girl.
In his great anger, he even beat and killed several weavers, which made everyone in the Jiangnan Textile Bureau panicked. But there was still no progress in the "kesi" technique.
In desperation, Commissioner Cao had no choice but to reluctantly accept his fate.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager's birthday was approaching, he really didn't have time to delay. He had to order the weavers to do their best to at least weave the peacock gold robe first and hand it in.
Fortunately, with the peacock gold thread, although the weavers still used the brocade - weaving method to make the peacock gold robe, this time the embroidered robe shone brightly with the change of light, reflecting blue, green, or dark purple satin luster.
It was simple, elegant, and yet full of nobility, just like the peacock and the dragon bird, looking down on all other birds with grace and dignity.
Commissioner Cao had been a bit worried in his heart. When the brand - new "peacock gold robe" was finally held heavily in his hands, the heart that had been hanging in mid - air finally landed.
Today, he finally knew that there was always someone better and there was always a sky beyond the sky!
The peacock gold robe made of brocade was already so elegant and outstanding. This tribute would surely be foolproof and would surely make the Empress Dowager happy.
With the Empress Dowager's appreciation, it wouldn't be difficult to regain the emperor's favor.
Given time, after he defeated Lu Xunguang and dug out the "kesi" weaving method from that young lady Li Ying, the imperial tribute silk business would still be firmly in the hands of the Cao family!
From then on, no one could shake his position!
Commissioner Cao put down the peacock gold robe in his hand satisfactorily and ordered, "Everyone in the Textile Bureau has worked hard these days. Pass on my order. Everyone will be generously rewarded!"
He personally put the "peacock gold robe" back into the exquisitely carved wooden box and locked it.
Lu Xunguang had already been ordered to send all the officials' birthday gifts to the Ministry of Rites.
Presumably, by now, these birthday gifts should have already entered the palace.
Commissioner Cao was not in a hurry. He waited until all the servants had left, and then quietly summoned his confidant and whispered a few words in his ear.
The confidant picked up the box and cage, and his figure disappeared into the ink - like night like a ghost.
There was no moon tonight.
Li Ying stood in the courtyard and looked up at the dark sky.
When she raised her eyes, she met Lu Xunguang's starry eyes.
"Xunguang?"
He was holding a thin note between his fingertips. After reading it, he ignited it with a fire starter and burned it to ashes.
Seeing Li Ying's curious look, Lu Xunguang didn't hide anything. He just looked thoughtfully in the direction of the palace and said in a deep voice, "Commissioner Cao has already ordered his men to secretly send the birthday gift back to the palace."
He knew all the tricks Commissioner Cao had played, but he pretended not to know anything, waiting for this moment.
Li Ying also let out a sigh of relief.
After stealing the box and cage that day, Commissioner Cao had only left an empty box in the Lu family.
Although she had arranged everything, and even the hardest - to - find peacocks had been personally found through the channels of the little princess from Nanyang and presented with both hands.
But what Lu Xunguang had sent to the Ministry of Rites was an empty box after all. She was really worried that Commissioner Cao was so stupid that he wouldn't be able to weave the peacock gold robe before the Empress Dowager's birthday.
Fortunately, the Jiangnan Textile Bureau had finally lived up to its mission.
Fortunately, he was so bold that he had even planted his own insider in the emperor's palace. Otherwise, if there was no birthday gift for the Empress Dowager, even though Lu Xunguang was smart, he would inevitably be involved and unable to defend himself.
Now, everything was ready, and everything was developing as they had wished.
Li Ying and Lu Xunguang looked at each other and smiled tacitly.
They were just waiting for the day of the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet to see how this former court official, the extremely powerful Imperial Textile Commissioner, would dig his own grave.