Shen Yuning intended to get rid of Shen Jingui, but she was also afraid of pushing him too far. A cornered dog might bite, and that would do her no good at all.
She quickly put on a troubled look and comforted Shen Jingui with a look in her eyes. "Brother, don't be like this. I'm in a difficult situation too. We've been struggling outside just to make life better for our family. But you... Forget it. Let's not talk about the past. Please give Yuanbao back to me. She won't suffer if she stays with me. I'll give you some silver. Go back and live a good life. How about that?"
Shen Jingui stared with wide eyes and hurriedly shouted, "What are you talking about? Isn't Yuanbao with you?"
Shen Yuning looked innocent. "With me? Didn't you and that Master Wan steal Yuanbao last time?"
"Later, Xuanzhi knocked me out, locked me up, and then took Yuanbao away."
As soon as Shen Jingui finished speaking, he sensed something was wrong. Shen Yuning was doing this on purpose to prove that Yuanbao wasn't with him.
Sure enough, Shen Yuning looked worried. "Xuanzhi did come back. He said you sold Yuanbao to someone as a child bride. He was so angry that he beat you up... But he said you ran away with Yuanbao. Afraid that we'd worry, he came back to tell us and then rushed to Shenjiapo to look for you. Yuanbao isn't with you? You're not going to sell Yuanbao, are you?"
The on - looking passers - by suddenly realized that this beggar - like father was actually a heartless man who sold his daughter. At this moment, the common people didn't remember that when they couldn't make ends meet in the past, they had also thought about pawning or selling their children, and many families had actually done such things.
Now that the laws in Yun County were strict, they knew that selling one's children was illegal and dared not do it. Moreover, now that every family had money, no one did it anymore. So they all looked down on Shen Jingui in front of them.
Shen Jingui couldn't hold his head up under the scolding of the crowd. One reason was his attempt to rape a woman, and the other was selling his own daughter. Under such double scolding, he didn't have the strength to argue with Shen Yuning. He just quickly snatched the purse from Shen Yuning's hand and fled in a hurry.
The purse in Shen Yuning's hand was prepared for him. There were ten taels of silver in it. If he went back to Shenjiapo and farmed the land well, he could live a decent life alone.
However, afraid that Shen Jingui would cause more trouble, Shen Yuning sent a message to Xuanzhi, asking him to hide with Yuanbao for a while.
Xuanzhi wasn't worried that the shop couldn't run without him. With Shen Yuning around, he didn't need to worry about the shop. But he was always worried about the increasingly gloomy Yuanbao, afraid that after this incident, the child would go back to the state of being depressed.
Yuanbao was silent all day. She wasn't very interested in the homework Xuanzhi arranged for her. Her reading was also in a mess. Only when Tiger was mentioned did her face show a bit of cheerfulness.
But no matter how Xuanzhi asked, she just lowered her head and didn't answer. Xuanzhi thought that it might be the thing that Shen Jingui sold her as a child bride that scared her, and it would take some time for her to recover.
Old Man Zhang was worried about Yuanbao. He secretly brought Tiger to see her. Seeing her smiling, he thought she was okay and left at ease.
Another ten days passed like this, and the old customer of Shen's Embroidery Workshop came again.
Chen Wenwei seemed even more high - spirited than three months ago. Presumably, after returning to the capital, he had received a lot of praise from both his family and the emperor.
Shen Yuning quickly invited him into the house and asked with concern, "How was your trip, my lord?"
Now when Chen Wenwei drank the tea made by Shen Yuning, he no longer thought it was hard to drink. Instead, he felt that the bitter taste had a kind of reassuring feeling that attracted him.
He nodded. "The emperor originally wanted me to serve in the Ministry of Revenue. Seeing that I didn't want to return to the capital, he decided to transfer me to Lingcheng. But I refused all of them. I think if I can't do a good job in Yun County, I'll just be muddle - headed no matter where I go."
Shen Yuning knew that the current emperor was a wise one. For a down - to - earth person like Chen Wenwei, the emperor would never blame his stubbornness. Instead, he would praise him highly.
Sure enough, Chen Wenwei added, "Although I'm still the county magistrate of Yun County when I return, the emperor has granted me that I don't need to report things through Lingcheng first and then to the higher - ups. Instead, I can report directly to the court. Even if there are important matters, I can directly submit a memorial to ask the emperor."
Shen Yuning was overjoyed and quickly congratulated Chen Wenwei. In this way, although Chen Wenwei was only a fifth - rank county magistrate on the surface, he was actually a close minister of the emperor and a favored one.
Seeing her so happy, Chen Wenwei said, "Why do you only congratulate me on my great joy? How do you know there's no happy event for you?"
Shen Yuning was stunned and asked in surprise, "I also have a happy event?"
Chen Wenwei nodded. "Yes. I reported to the emperor in detail what you've done for the women and children in Yun County. The emperor also highly praised you. Although you're a woman and can't be appointed an official, the emperor personally wrote the name of your shop and asked me to bring it to you."
With that, he took out a scroll and opened it. There were four powerful characters on it: Shen's Embroidery Workshop. There was also the emperor's seal in the lower right corner.
Shen Yuning was in a daze for a long time and couldn't believe it was true. If it was the former Xue Yuning, with the identity of the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion, she could see the emperor from afar at the palace banquet. If she was lucky, she might even get a few words from the emperor. But now she was Shen Yuning, an ordinary village girl and a businesswoman. To get a signboard personally written by the emperor was an unparalleled honor.
Seeing the dazed Shen Yuning, Chen Wenwei thought she seemed thinner and darker. He felt a bit heart - ache. Such a beautiful and gentle girl should be well - raised at home. But for the sake of her livelihood and family, she had to show herself in public and be strong alone.
He remembered the booklet his step - mother gave him when he returned to the capital. It introduced in detail the names and family backgrounds of the girls who were suitable for him. Because of his current glory, the family backgrounds of those girls were all good.
But he didn't like any of them. The reason he went all the way to Lingcheng and became a county magistrate in this remote and poor Yun County was to avoid the edge of his elder brother. He was afraid that his step - mother would think he was too ambitious. Naturally, he wouldn't go back now and marry a woman from a high - ranking family.
He still remembered the extremely kind and gentle look in his step - mother's eyes before he left. It meant she was satisfied with his initiative to go to a lower - level position, and it also meant she didn't want him to choose a in - law family from those high - ranking noble girls.
What if it was Shen Yuning? A peasant girl who did business. Even though she had received the emperor's praise, her status was still low. She was raised by the Xue family, so her upbringing was good. He was satisfied with such a girl, and he thought his step - mother would be satisfied too.
Thinking like this, there was more in Chen Wenwei's eyes when he looked at Shen Yuning. He asked softly how she had been in the past three months.
Shen Yuning naturally nodded and said, "My lord, don't worry about me. I've survived the most difficult days. It can only get better from now on..."
But as soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Rong rushed over in a hurry. Without caring that there was an official there, she shouted at Shen Yuning, "Yuning, Shen Jingui is here again."
Shen Yuning quickly got up and asked Shen Fugui to take another five taels of silver and give it to Shen Jingui.
Zhang Rong was quite unhappy. "This is simply a bottomless pit. He used up ten taels of silver so quickly?"
Shen Yuning shook her head. "Probably not used it up. He just feels he's suffered a loss. Forget it. Let's just consider it as spending money to avoid disasters."
Zhang Rong opened her mouth and said angrily, "How much does he want? Give it to him all at once and don't let him come again, okay?"
Shen Yuning laughed. "People's desires are hard to satisfy. He didn't think ten taels was little last time, but now he thinks it's not enough after just a few days. If we give him more now, he'll still think it's not enough later. Moreover, if we give too much, it will only make him get used to spending money extravagantly. Let's just give it to him little by little."
Zhang Rong muttered, "I don't know when this will end."
After listening for a long time, Chen Wenwei finally understood something. He quickly asked, "Sister Yuning, do you need help?"
Shen Yuning shook her head. "No need. I can handle it for now. It will take some effort for you, my lord, to get back to work after being away from Yun County for several months."
Although Chen Wenwei didn't say anything on the surface, he secretly made up his mind to handle this matter well. In this way, he could protect Shen Yuning and leave a good impression on her.
Although there was the troublesome Shen Jingui, now that the embroidery workshop had the signboard personally written by the emperor, things bestowed by the emperor were extraordinary, not to mention something personally written and sealed by the emperor. Naturally, the embroidery workshop would rise to a higher level.
The owner of the Yong family rushed over from Lingcheng in a hurry. With a big smile on his face, he wanted to give the position of the president of the Cloth Merchants Guild to Shen Yuning.
Shen Yuning waved her hands repeatedly. "Master Yong, you're really being too polite. The president of this guild must be a capable person. I have no special skills. I only know a little embroidery. It's not worth mentioning."
Seeing that Shen Yuning's refusal seemed sincere, Master Yong was quite worried. He only said that since her embroidery workshop was now personally appointed by the emperor, her status was the highest, and she was naturally qualified to be the president.
Shen Yuning quickly waved her hands again. "The emperor praised me because of what I did for others, not because my shop is well - run. Master Yong, please don't flatter me like this. Under your leadership for so many years, the guild has developed steadily and prosperously. If it's handed over to me, it will only make people laugh."
After much persuasion, Master Yong finally agreed to let Shen Yuning be the vice - president. At first, Shen Yuning didn't agree either. Later, when she heard that there were already three vice - presidents in the guild and she would only be a nominal one, she reluctantly agreed.
A few days later, Shen Yuning finally understood why Master Yong said her embroidery workshop was personally appointed by the emperor.
The Qiao family, a royal merchant, actually sent people to Shen's Embroidery Workshop. They placed a large order for both the cloth from the dyeing workshop and the embroidery from the embroidery workshop and paid the deposit.
Moreover, the several shopkeepers sent by the Qiao family all shook their heads, saying that the finished products from Shen's were too few.
The leading shopkeeper waved his hand. "Our Qiao family has some connections in Lingcheng. If you, Madam Shen, agree, we can recognize several shops under your Shen family's name. You don't need to worry about them. Just take the interest every year."