Chapter 42
The moment Yuli arrived at Mingyue Residence, Xie Yao arrived right after.
The painting she had bought was placed in the study by Xiyun. Yuli had made some progress today, and her mood was a little brighter than the past few days. Seeing Xie Yao return, she took a few steps to greet him.
Yuli hugged him and was about to let go, but Xie Yao held her wrist and pressed her into his arms again.
He lifted her chin and saw that her lips were still rosy and slightly swollen. He lowered his head, wanting to kiss her.
Yuli pursed her lips. “Don’t kiss anymore, it’s numb.”
Xie Yao stopped and smiled. Yuli relaxed her lips. He quickly lowered his head, held her lips deeply, and sucked and bit down lightly.
Yuli let out a sound. She couldn’t push him away. After he had kissed his fill and let go, Yuli’s lips were moist and even more vividly red.
Yuli’s breath was slightly disordered, and she glared at him with some dissatisfaction.
Xie Yao gently caressed her snowy cheek and once again lowered his head to approach her.
Their lips, one dark and one light, were almost touching. “I’ll let you bite me back.”
Although he said so, his tone was full of a condescending, doting indulgence, and also a leisureliness that showed he was in control even if she were to bite back with all her might.
Yuli was truly annoyed. She hooked her arms around his neck, pressed her lips against his, and bit down.
Xie Yao’s breath hitched, and his breath grew hot. Yuli quickly let him go and smiled. “Alright, we’re even.”
Yuli took advantage of his not having fully recovered, broke free from his hold, and walked to the table. “I’m hungry, let’s eat.”
Xie Yao didn’t bother her anymore, but when she was eating, he would intentionally or unintentionally look at her, a dark look in his eyes.
Yuli was aware of it. He had kept her up until midnight last night. She was a little tired today and just wanted to rest early. She pretended not to see.
After the meal, Yuli played with Xuemi for a while and then went to take a bath.
Xie Yao went to the study to listen to Jingyu’s report.
“The Mistress saw this painting at a stall and immediately ran over, helping the stall owner to pack up and go to see the painter. The Mistress praised his painting for its exquisite colors, but said that his fine brushwork was lacking, and encouraged him to practice more, saying that she would buy as many paintings as he had…” Jingyu recounted Yuli’s words and actions today.
Xie Yao sat behind the desk and listened. On the desk was the roll of painting that Yuli had brought back, unopened.
Jingyu: “The Mistress proposed to hire him as a craftsman to dye new colors. Fearing that he would not agree, she promised a three-month period, with a salary of his choosing, and also to help him sell his paintings.”
Xie Yao’s lightly tapping fingertips stopped. He looked at the painting on the table. Jingyu stepped forward, untied the string, and slowly unrolled it in front of him.
The colors were indeed eye-catching. It was a painting of a mountain forest in autumn, with rich colors and a very strong contrast between light and dark. Unfortunately, just as Yuli had said, the fine brushwork was a mess.
Since he had taken power, the status of the commoners and the aristocratic clans had almost been reversed. The court painter in the Hanlin Academy was a wandering hermit. In the past, it would have been impossible for him to enter the Hanlin Academy. It was he who had broken the aristocratic clans, allowing the talented commoners to rise.
He had thought it was a real hidden pearl, but it seemed it was not much. The system of selecting talents he had implemented had no loopholes.
Xie Yao glanced at the painting only once. “What does he look like?”
Jingyu lowered her head and said, “He is frail, with a timid air, shabbily dressed, and not talkative.” She said it euphemistically. In fact, he looked like a marginalized person on the verge of not being able to survive.
Xie Yao sneered. “He is not allowed to be within three feet of the Mistress.”
Jingyu hesitated slightly. “But he might really be able to help. The Mistress has always valued talented people around her.” She had a way to control that person of low status, but she couldn’t influence the Mistress.
Among those around the Mistress, Lizhen was a woman from a good family, and was extremely talented and had her own ideas. The Mistress had no airs and trusted her. When she had first arrived, she had still learned to be respectful from her, but now she had also relaxed. Zhile was still young and took the Mistress’s indulgence for granted, learning from Xiyun, with no respect at all. Xiyun was even worse, practically relying on the Mistress’s favor, not knowing the master’s identity, and sometimes even daring to be disrespectful to the master.
In Huayan Fang, her distinction between superior and inferior had become an anomaly. She was also worried that if that painter gained the Mistress’s favor and wanted to get close to the Mistress, he was different from Xiyun and Zhile. He was a man. If he really followed their example, he wouldn’t even know how he died.
“She won’t want to get too close to him,” Xie Yao said calmly. “Since he is useful, I will not see him for now.” To avoid scaring away the self-important, insignificant person.
Jingyu agreed. Xie Yao stood up to leave. She put away the painting and placed it back as it was.
When Xie Yao came out of the bath, Yuli was already wrapped in the quilt, about to fall asleep.
He leaned over and pressed against her. Yuli naturally moved into his arms. Xie Yao’s lips curled slightly. “I heard you hired a painter today.”
Yuli hummed casually.
“That person is down and out and may have a crooked heart. I’m always worried with him near you. Why don’t I find you a proper painter? Don’t see him again in the future,” Xie Yao said gently in her ear.
Yuli felt a chill again. She looked up at him and indeed saw his face was deep and inscrutable.
Yuli had also thought about it, but she saw that although the painter was down and out, he had a proud bone and did not seem like a bad person. And she had two guards with her, and she was not alone with him. Why was he still not at ease?
Yuli’s heart was complicated. She said softly, “It’s alright. There aren’t that many ungrateful people in the world. He only does weaving and dyeing. I won’t have much contact with him.”
Xie Yao: “That’s true. If there’s anything you can’t handle, tell me.”
Yuli agreed. Xie Yao said no more, and the two of them fell asleep in each other’s arms.
*
The next day, Yuli woke up late. When she arrived at Huayan Fang, Lizhen said that a painter Ye had arrived.
Before Yuli could reply, Jingyu said, “Mistress, leave this person to this servant to arrange. This servant will take him to see the two dyers. If he has anything to say, this servant will immediately convey it to the Mistress.”
After leaving the Xie Residence for this period of time, Jingyu had rarely referred to herself as “this servant.” Hearing her so respectfully refer to herself as “this servant” again, Yuli wanted to say something but held back. In the end, she let her be.
In the backyard, Yuli walked towards the north room and saw Jingyu walk into the dyeing workshop and curtsy politely to the person inside. Yuli only saw a corner of a cyan cloth robe lower. It was Ye Weiqing, bowing to Jingyu.
Thinking that Jingyu would not neglect him, Yuli went into the room with peace of mind.
For the next few days, Ye Weiqing stayed quietly in the east wing dyeing workshop. Although it was all related to color, the details of making pigments and dyes were very different, and Ye Weiqing still had a lot to learn.
Under Jingyu’s guidance, Ye Weiqing kept to his place and had not come before Yuli once. The dyed silk threads were all passed on through Jingyu or Xiyun. Yuli would occasionally run into him, and he would just stand far away, not approaching.
If Yuli returned his kindness, he would just bow in place.
According to Xiyun’s description, he was a man of few words, so thin that he looked as if he would be blown over by the wind. But he was not sloppy in his work, often being the first to arrive and the last to leave, and he got along well with the two old masters.
Yuli no longer paid attention to him. Although the lack of detailed communication had slowed down the research and development, she couldn’t just ignore Xie Yao’s control. If she were to be too aggressive, wearing men’s clothes would be the least of it. She was afraid he would really not let her go out.
The slow progress of the research and development was not the worst of it. The problems Yuli faced suddenly came one after another at the end of the second lunar month. First, the purchasing agents of the wealthy families came to rush the delivery one after another, not accepting apologies and refunds, and refused to leave Huayan Fang.
Yuli sent a guard, but it was useless. Just as she was feeling helpless and anxious, Xiyun came with a message, saying that she had seen a counterfeit of the “Ronghua Lihua” outside today. The color was almost the same, but the craftsmanship was crude, and the flower shape was not good.
Hearing Lizhen’s gentle explanation in the front hall being drowned out by the other party’s loud voice, the conflict escalated.
Yuli finally couldn’t take it anymore and, with the remaining guard, was about to go to the shop.
Jingyu wanted to stop her and called out in a low voice, “Mistress.”
Yuli: “I’ll talk to the Young Master tonight.”
Jingyu’s brow did not relax. She quickly called for Xiyun to follow.
Yuli appeared in the hall from behind a curtain. The chaotic scene fell silent for a moment. A trace of amazement flashed in the eyes of the three purchasing agents surrounding Lizhen, but they quickly put on their airs again.
The guard beside Lizhen immediately retreated to Yuli’s front side. The two guards on the left and right flanked Yuli, with Xiyun and Jingyu following on her left and right behind her.
“This must be Shopkeeper Song,” one of them interrupted before Yuli could bow.
“So young, yet with such an air. What, you think you can make us admit defeat with these two doormen?”
Lizhen shook her head at Yuli from the side, signaling for her to go in and ignore these people.
Yuli had a kind smile on her face. She finished her bow to the three of them before saying, “Gentlemen, don’t be anxious. Shopkeeper Jiang has already explained the matter clearly. I know you want the flowers, but my workshop is currently in difficulty and really cannot produce the genuine ‘Ronghua Lihua.’ Based on the principle of honest business, I cannot use inferior products to pass off as good ones. Please be patient. Once my workshop has a new product, I will definitely let the three of you choose first.”
Just now, Lizhen had, as she had discussed with Yuli beforehand, first lowered her stance and apologized, giving a full refund of the deposit. They were not satisfied, so she had offered a double refund and three small velvet flowers as a gift, and had also served them tea and bowed. But they had gathered together, and with one word after another, their momentum grew, and they refused to give in, demanding that Lizhen hand over the “Ronghua Lihua.”
Yuli had an air that was neither servile nor overbearing, but what she said was also useless. It had suppressed the three of them for a moment, but soon a troublemaker shouted, “Don’t say such useless things. We made a deposit, and it’s written in black and white in the contract. If you can’t deliver the goods now, we’ll see you in court.”
Yuli was still calm. “Sir, please calm down. I know the three of you want the flowers to report back. But even if we go to court now, I can’t produce the flowers. Why don’t we think of a way together to explain to the young ladies in your residences, so that they are satisfied, and the matter will be solved.”
As soon as Yuli said this, the expressions of the other two softened, and they had already wavered.
“Lizhen, take these two gentlemen to a private room upstairs. Have Zhile bring all the velvet flowers she is currently working on for them to choose from. If there is anything they like, consider it a gift from me to the two of you.”
The two of them looked at each other, thought it was reasonable, and were persuaded by Yuli. They were about to follow Xiyun.
The troublemaker shouted again, “Is that it? The young lady in my residence wants the ‘Ronghua Lihua.’ If you don’t give it to me, I won’t even be able to enter my own residence today. I’ll just stay here!”
Lizhen had already taken the other two away. The remaining one, seeing that he was outnumbered, began to act shamelessly.
He made a fuss, crossed his legs, and sat on the threshold, refusing to leave.
Yuli would rather believe that he really had a spoiled young lady in his residence. She went to the door and tried to persuade him nicely. “Sir, if it’s difficult for you to report back, how about this? I will go with you to your residence and explain to your young lady in person. All the velvet flowers in my workshop are of my own design. When I see your young lady, I will design a unique one for her on the spot. I will surely satisfy them. How about it?”
The purchasing agent was skeptical. Yuli added, “Sir, think about it. The compensation offered by my Huayan Fang is already generous. Even if we go to court, we won’t get any more benefits, and it will also damage your residence’s reputation, which is probably not what the master of your residence wants to see. Why not say a few good words for me and let me bring someone to explain in person? At that time, whatever you say about my Huayan Fang’s faults, I will accept.”
The purchasing agent was already persuaded. Actually, Yuli had another trick, which was to give him a kickback, but she didn’t want to do that, so she didn’t mention it.
To show respect, Yuli talked to the purchasing agent at eye level. He was sitting on the threshold, and she was kneeling on one knee.
The purchasing agent had a disdainful look on his face, but Yuli always had a smile. There were many passersby outside, and all of them were looking sideways. The two guards beside Yuli almost surrounded the purchasing agent, just waiting for Yuli’s order to beat him to a pulp. This was really not a good look.
Seeing that a crowd had already gathered, Yuli stood up. “If you don’t agree, then we’ll see you in court. You two—”
“Alright, alright, you come with me, right now!”
The purchasing agent finally relented. Yuli stood up and was relieved. “Wait for me to prepare a little, and then I will go back to your residence with you.”
Yuli was really going to go to their home to apologize and please them. Jingyu, regardless of her status, blocked her.
She didn’t have to say it for Yuli to know what she meant. She smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the two of them with me. Nothing will happen.”
Jingyu: “The Young Master doesn’t let the Mistress greet guests because he doesn’t want you to be servile and please others. If you really go this time,” Jingyu paused, “the Young Master will be heartbroken.”
Jingyu said heartbroken was an understatement. She was afraid that the master would get angry, and everyone in Huayan Fang would be punished. At that time, the Mistress would surely step forward to protect them. Jingyu didn’t dare to imagine how terrible that scene would be.
Yuli also felt that Xie Yao would surely be angry, but she was confident that she could coax him. She still said lightly, “It’s no problem. If he really loves me, he will go along with me.”
Jingyu was still anxious, but there was nothing she could do. If Yuli were to be arrogant with his favor, she could have stood by and watched. But she was so resilient and self-reliant. She was afraid that her spirit would be broken by the master.
Jingyu failed to stop Yuli. She got into the carriage and, under the guidance of the purchasing agent, left Huayan Fang and went to a large residence.
Following along the way, besides Xie Yao’s shadow guards, there was also Chu Hong, who had been watching the farce all along.
He had not expected that at this point, this Madam Song could still be so calm and at ease. She seemed to be hiding behind the scenes, but at the critical moment, in order to solve the matter in the best way, she could put down her pride and suffer this grievance.
*
Yuli didn’t feel wronged. She just had a feeling that the young ladies who would like her flowers would probably not be that difficult to deal with.
The things that girls like are nothing more than those: sweets, pretty little things. If they like small animals, they are even more kind-hearted. They are much easier to get along with than those smiling tigers in the business world.
Yuli brought the velvet flowers from the shop and also had Xiangfu Zhai send over a box of pastries. With a kind smile, she went, neither servile nor overbearing.
The purchasing agent could not enter the inner chambers. The two guards also only stopped at the second gate. It was an old woman who led her and Jingyu in. Jingyu’s eyes were lowered, and she looked respectful, but in fact, she was very wary.
The old woman first took them to a main courtyard, left the two of them outside, went in to ask, got a reply, and then led them elsewhere.
They passed through two covered walkways, went through a moon gate, and entered a garden full of spring.
Several young ladies were swinging in the garden, laughing and talking.
Yuli was wearing a light blue men’s outfit, with a string of purple wisteria-shaped velvet flowers. She looked androgynous, graceful, and relaxed.
When the few girls saw her, they were stunned for a few moments.
“You are Shopkeeper Song of Huayan Fang. Are you a man or a woman?” the girl who seemed to be the hostess spoke first.
The moment Yuli heard her delicate and shy tone, she knew she had come to the right place.
Yuli first apologized, neither servile nor overbearing, and then presented the specially prepared apology gifts: three small velvet flowers and a box of pastries from Xiangfu Zhai.
“Pastries from Xiangfu Zhai! How did you get them?” Seeing the pastries, the young ladies all gathered around. The hostess, the third young lady of the Lu family, asked.
Yuli smiled. “I, Song, have some friendship with the owner of Xiangfu Zhai. When I came to the door, I specially asked Shopkeeper Hu to save them for me.” Yuli’s words were half-true and half-false. The third young lady of the Lu family was very happy to hear them.
“Your outfit is so beautiful, and this flower also suits you very well,” the third young lady of the Lu family said shyly.
Yuli: “Before, I thought the one who ordered the flowers was a graceful young matron. I didn’t expect it to be a lovely young lady like the third young lady. I think the third young lady is more suitable for brighter colors. This string of wisteria of mine is barely a match for the third young lady. If the third young lady doesn’t mind, may I give it to you?”
The third young lady pursed her lips and smiled, nodding repeatedly.
Yuli took off the velvet flower and handed it to the third young lady. After a moment of whispering among the girls, the third young lady said, “They all want one too. Do you have any more?”
“Of course. The good thing about my flowers is that they can be made into the same shapes as all of nature, but with unique colors. This string of wisteria can also be made in green or yellow, depending on the third young lady’s mood.”
The third young lady was really happy now. “Hmph, it’s all that Steward Li’s fault. He insisted that Huayan Fang was bullying people and looked down on my Lu family, and gave the flowers I ordered to someone else. It seems he was lying. I’ll have my mother beat him later.”
Yuli just smiled and said nothing. It would be best if they could really beat him.
The third young lady found Yuli pleasing to the eye in every way. In the end, she even asked where her clothes were made. The clothes were prepared for her by Xie Yao, and Jingyu helped to answer.
When she was about to leave, Jingyu couldn’t help but smile gently, as if she were infected by the few young ladies, and boldly stared at Yuli for a long time.
When Yuli was leaving, she was suddenly stopped and taken to the courtyard where she had waited when she had first arrived.
In the room sat a dignified noblewoman. When she saw Yuli, she only raised her eyelids, showing no emotion.
After Yuli bowed, she stood up straight. The other party began to speak slowly. “Shopkeeper Song of Huayan Fang, right? You do have some looks.”
A person’s aura is sometimes very special. Just now, with those few young ladies, Yuli had felt a mutual closeness at first sight. But with this woman, Yuli felt a sense of resistance the moment she saw her. It was clear that the other party felt the same way about her.
Yuli stood, neither servile nor overbearing, and did not speak.
“That daughter of mine is a bit spoiled. She has to chase after the latest trends, without distinguishing their origin, treating fish eyes as pearls,” the woman said, and then took the tea that a maid by her side handed her and slowly took a sip.
During this period, Yuli still had a smile on her face but did not say a single word.
The woman’s hand holding the teacup paused for a moment, and she became even more arrogant. “You probably won’t be buying those useless velvet flowers of yours in the future. Thank you for your trouble in coming this time. Take your reward.”
The old woman beside the noblewoman stepped forward and held out her hand to Yuli.