Zhang Rong and Cen Xiaoniang were originally beaming with joy at the prospect of such a large business deal. They displayed all the embroidery patterns of the embroiderers in the shop. The Qiao family members didn't even bother to take a look. As soon as they came, they placed large orders.
However, upon hearing what the Qiao family's shopkeeper said, both of their smiles froze. They carefully stole glances at Shen Yuning's expression.
It was only then that Shen Yuning understood the Qiao family's intention. They weren't here for the embroidery work of Shen Ji Embroidery Workshop. They were only after the signboard, the one personally bestowed by the emperor.
The Qiao family's shopkeeper looked at Shen Ji Embroidery Workshop with a haughty and disdainful expression in his eyes.
This was the first embroidery workshop opened by Shen Yuning. It wasn't very big. Half of the people from the Qiao family had to stand outside the shop because there wasn't enough space inside to move around.
The shopkeeper thought that such a small shop was no wonder that the people inside were overjoyed at just a small order. His look towards Shen Yuning was even more contemptuous.
Such an insignificant shop like Shen Ji could be bestowed a personally - written signboard by the emperor. It was all because she had grown up in the Xue family. Otherwise, how could a village girl have such an honor?
"If you have no objections, Madam Shen, please put your seal on this contract."
The smile on Shen Yuning's face remained, but there was a hint of aloofness. She looked at him calmly and said, "I have objections."
The shopkeeper of the Qiao family was stunned and subconsciously asked, "What objections do you have?"
Shen Yuning stepped forward, pressed down the abacus that her own shopkeeper was fiddling with, signaling him to stop, and then turned back and continued, "I, Shen Yuning, open embroidery workshops. I personally manage each shop and train the people I trust to run them. I can't trust other people's management."
The shopkeeper of the Qiao family frowned. "You don't trust us? The Qiao family is the imperial merchant of the Great Zhou. You'll just be a nominal partner. Why can't you trust us?"
Shen Yuning shrugged. "Making me a nominal partner means staking my reputation. How can I trust others' actions?"
Anger welled up in the shopkeeper of the Qiao family. He thought this village girl was being overly picky. Did she still think of herself as a young lady from a marquis's mansion? But even though she was now a village girl, she was still a village girl bestowed by the emperor. The family head had said that they must be polite.
Thinking of this, his smile became more sincere. He nodded and said, "I see. Well, Miss Shen, why don't you go with us to take a look at those shops? There are no sub - standard shops under the Qiao family's business. After you've seen them and have no worries, you'll surely be willing to sign..."
"I'm not available."
The rest of the shopkeeper's words got stuck in his throat. He couldn't help but widen his eyes. What did this young girl say? That she was not available? Did she know that she was talking to the people of the imperial merchant, the Qiao family?
Shen Yuning remained calm. She signaled Zhang Rong to return the prepared goods list. "Your order is too large. If we take it, we may not be able to take other orders for half a year or even a year."
The shopkeeper of the Qiao family's mouth hung open for a long time and he stammered, "What does this mean?"
"We can't take the order."
Shen Yuning looked at him with a smile. "Turn left when you go out. Go straight after crossing this street. There's a shop with a big signboard called Yong Family Cloth Store. They also sell embroidered cloth. The Yong family is a well - known merchant in Ling City. They can handle such a large order."
The shopkeeper of the Qiao family had never seen anyone push a sure - thing business away in his life. For a moment, his throat seemed to be blocked and his mind seemed to be in a knot.
It was only when he saw that the owner of Shen Ji was really checking the goods and sending them back to the warehouse that he slowly came to his senses.
Shen Yuning noticed a man standing behind the shopkeeper of the Qiao family. He was holding a sachet embroidered by Xi'er. She then said, "Sir, do you like this sachet? This sachet was made by our most outstanding embroiderer. It's suitable to give to a girl you admire or a fashionable younger sister. Of course, you can also check the materials and embroidery skills. It's definitely worth the price."
The shopkeeper of the Qiao family's head was buzzing. After pushing away a large business deal, this little girl was still promoting small - scale embroidery work?
It took him a long time to find his voice. "I'm doing this for your own good. Since your Shen Ji Embroidery Workshop has caught the emperor's eye, in the future, the cloth and embroidery work purchased from the palace will surely be supplied by your Shen Ji. But your shop is too small and you have too few embroiderers. You won't be able to meet the demand. Our master has given the order. We don't want to make things difficult for you, so we'll put the Qiao family's shops under your name. You don't have to worry about much in the future. You'll earn a lot of money every year. Why do you have to..."
Shen Yuning looked at him seriously. "Are you asking me to be fraudulent?"
The shopkeeper of the Qiao family couldn't hold back his anger. "Miss Shen is really being unreasonable. Since you don't accept it, can your shop produce enough cloth and embroidery work to supply the palace?"
Shen Yuning burst out laughing. "Why should I supply the palace? Our embroidery workshop serves the common people. Whether it's the cloth or the embroidery skills, they're just ordinary, not very outstanding. If we were to send our products to the palace in the capital and compare them with the excellent quality of others, wouldn't we be laughed at?"
"But... the emperor personally wrote the name of your shop..."
Shen Yuning looked a bit impatient. "It's the emperor's favor, not because the work in my embroidery workshop is good. I don't understand why your Qiao family is forcing me to expose my shortcomings. Don't say any more. I, Shen Yuning, know my own limitations. There aren't many outstanding works in my Shen Ji Embroidery Workshop, and they're not suitable for any grand occasion. As for opening more shops, although I have the intention, I don't want to partner with others."
She ignored the people from the Qiao family and had them "escorted" out. Then she went back to the backyard.
Zhang Rong hurriedly followed her and whispered, "Yuning, those are people from the imperial merchant. Is it okay to just drive them out like this?"
Shen Yuning smiled faintly. "Don't worry. The signboard of our Shen Ji Embroidery Workshop was personally written by the emperor. It's like our amulet."
Zhang Rong wanted to persuade her further when she heard her younger sister - in - law say, "Moreover, we don't have to lower our stance so much. Those rude people aren't here to buy things sincerely. We just need to show our proper attitude."
After saying that, Shen Yuning lowered her head to look at the account books sent by the dyeing workshop. Previously, due to Shen Jingui's incident, the business of the dyeing workshop and the embroidery workshop had declined sharply. But now, with the golden signboard, the business had greatly recovered.
Thinking of Shen Jingui, Shen Yuning frowned. It was already late autumn. The shop was very busy. Xuanzhi was also out and about. Only Yuanbao was left in an unfamiliar village, taken care of by a woman.
However, Old Man Zhang was very careful. Every day, he would take Huzi and secretly go to accompany Yuanbao by ox - cart.
Shen Yuning didn't pay much attention to Shen Jingui. Whenever he came to ask for money, she would give it to him. She just asked Shen Fugui to keep an eye on him and not let him have too much money.
Hearing her ask about Shen Jingui, Zhang Rong also looked worried. "You always said that there's no one - time solution. You were really right. I heard your second brother say a while ago that Shen Jingui is asking for money more and more frequently. The two taels of silver given to him one day, he said he had spent it all the next day. Two taels of silver would last an ordinary family for a month."
Shen Yuning looked up. "Did second brother give it to him?"
Zhang Rong looked a bit embarrassed. "Your second brother is soft - hearted, but I thought it was inappropriate. I didn't allow him to give it so frequently... At least wait for ten days before giving again..."
Shen Yuning knew that she was afraid that she would say she was being harsh to Shen Jingui, so she laughed. "You're right. Next time when Shen Jingui comes, I'll go and see him myself and set a fixed amount of two taels per month for him. Let him come to get it every month. Well, just treat him as an extra mouth to feed."
Zhang Rong was the only daughter in her family. Old Man Zhang scolded harshly, but he was actually very protective of his daughter who had lost her mother early. So she didn't have the idea of giving in to her siblings. It was only after Old Man Zhang scolded her a few times that she gradually accepted that Shen Jingui was like a leech that couldn't be shaken off. There was no other way but to endure and support him with money.
Shen Yuning never expected that just when she was about to see Shen Jingui, a few days later, Shen Jingui came out on his own and gave her another heavy blow.
Yuanbao's thin cotton - padded jacket was torn. Carrying Huzi on her back, she ran quickly towards the town, crying loudly as she ran. "Auntie, Brother Xuanzhi, save people. Hurry and save people..."
The commotion along the way made the passers - by stop. Yuanbao was out of breath from running. Huzi was over one and a half years old and was very solid. Being carried on his sister's back, he was so heavy that he would slide down from time to time. He hugged his sister's neck tightly and also cried loudly.
When Shen Fugui came out and saw this scene, he quickly stepped forward and took Huzi off Yuanbao's back. He asked, "Yuanbao, what happened?"
Yuanbao had lost one of her shoes. Her bare foot was scratched by dirt clods, stones, and grass stems, and blood was flowing out. She didn't seem to feel the pain. She wiped away her tears and snot and grabbed her uncle's hand. "My father came. My father beat Grandpa. Uncle, go quickly. Go and save Grandpa. My father beat us brutally..."
Shen Fugui was so frightened that he was almost out of his wits. He put Huzi in the hands of a neighbor woman and rushed towards the small village where Yuanbao lived.
The neighbor woman looked at Yuanbao's state and didn't have time to call Shen Fugui back. She pulled Yuanbao home to clean her wounds and asked her son to quickly go to the embroidery workshop to find Shen Yuning.
When Shen Yuning rushed back, Yuanbao was already sleeping on the sofa.
The embroidery work had a deadline. Orders for items needed during the New Year were usually placed in the golden September and silver October. The embroidery workshop and the dyeing workshop were very busy. Shen Yuning had been too busy to visit Yuanbao personally for a long time. She just asked Old Man Zhang every day. Since Old Man Zhang said the child was fine, she thought everything was okay.
Now seeing Yuanbao, the round face that had been plump since coming to Xitian Town had become thinner, with a pointed chin. Her eyes seemed bigger and sunken, looking listless as if she hadn't slept for a long time.
When adults have something on their minds, they can't rest well. How much more so for a sensitive child like her.
Shen Yuning felt a bit self - reproachful. She had been working so hard, wasn't it for the well - being of her family and for the well - being of all the women and children in the Great Zhou? Now that she couldn't even take good care of her own niece, wasn't she putting the cart before the horse?
She reached out and stroked Yuanbao's little face.
Yuanbao woke up suddenly, gasping and shouting, "Grandpa, don't worry about me. Run..."