Chapter 47
Yuli was slightly startled and subconsciously held his arm.
He stood still, not holding her as he usually did, nor did he take the initiative to speak.
Could it be that the great defeat in the northern border had a great impact, and he was a little dejected?
Yuli’s hand slid down his arm and held his hand. “What time is it now? Have you eaten? Do you want me to make you something delicious?”
Yuli only heard his breathing, deep and slightly rapid.
“Then let’s go to bed?” Yuli didn’t know how to comfort him. She wanted to raise her hand to touch his face but was held tightly by his wrist.
Her body was suddenly lifted and pressed onto the quilt.
Yuli let out a cry of surprise. But he just held her tightly, buried his head in the side of her neck. Yuli could hear his disordered breathing, but he said nothing.
Yuli was a little pained from being pressed, but she still raised her hand to hold him and patted his shoulder.
After a long time, Xie Yao propped himself up, picked her up and placed her properly, and lay down beside her. “It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired. Go to sleep.”
Yuli hummed in agreement, turned on her side, and held his arm, her fingers tightly clasped with his.
*
Early the next morning, Yuli woke up when Xie Yao got up. The sky was still dim. She wanted to get up to see him, but he pressed her down. “I woke you up last night. Sleep a little longer.”
Hearing his gentle voice and normal tone, Yuli gave up.
Thinking back, perhaps he was really tired last night. In the original novel, he had personally led the expedition to the northern border and had returned with a smooth victory, without much trouble. It should just be a temporary setback.
Yuli got up, planning to go to Huayan Fang. She was about to go out when she heard a maid say that Jingyu was not feeling well and could not go out with her.
Yuli quickly asked, “Is she alright? Have you called a doctor?”
The maid replied, “Jingyu just has a cold. It’s nothing serious. She has already gone home to rest.”
She had seen her face was not good yesterday morning. Yuli didn’t ask any more questions. It was better for her to rest well without having to accompany her out.
Yuli and Xiyun went to Huayan Fang. The moment they entered, Lizhen came up to them excitedly. “We succeeded! Mr. Ye has dyed it!”
Yuli quickly walked to the backyard and went straight to the east wing. Before she entered the door, she saw a bright red, shining with a dazzling red light under the morning sun that came in through the window lattice.
Yuli approached and found that it was a few strands of red silk thread, hanging on a rack, hanging down from a man’s height, swaying slightly with the April morning wind, like a hanging flag.
Looking closely, there were slight differences from left to right. It was a gradient of red.
Just like Ye Weiqing’s paintings, the shades were different, but they were all extremely bright.
Although Yuli’s eyes lit up, she was not very surprised. She turned to Ye Weiqing on the side. “Is this color stable when dyed?”
Ye Weiqing nodded, lifted the white cloth hanging on another rack, and the same bright red appeared. Zhile was also on the side. She pushed the two racks together. Yuli compared them carefully. The colors on the two racks were exactly the same.
“If you use this red to make flowers, whether it’s peonies, camellias, or peonies, it will definitely be extremely dazzling,” Zhile said from the side.
Yuli touched the silk thread, rubbing it from left to right, and there was no trace of dye.
Ye Weiqing knew what she wanted to ask. He brought the copper basin from not far away. Inside was half a basin of red silk thread soaked in water, spread out like a goldfish’s tail, shining with golden light points under the sun. Xiyun reached in and scooped it up. The water was clear and without any red.
Ye Weiqing: “This strand of silk thread has been soaked for two days.”
A gradient of bright red, colorfast, and stable. Ye Weiqing had really done it.
In just over a month, he had surpassed all the reds on the market, including Wanse Fang’s. It was exclusive to her Huayan Fang.
Yuli’s face was flushed red by the silk thread. She looked at Ye Weiqing fixedly. “Mr. Ye, you are a genius.”
Ye Weiqing was taken aback. Before he could be modest, Yuli said again, “I will hire you as the shopkeeper of my dyeing workshop and recruit a few capable craftsmen for you. As long as you get the dyeing workshop on the right track, you can come to work whenever you want. You can also continue to paint your paintings. I will give you a 10% profit share every year. How about it?”
Ye Weiqing’s face was also flushed red. He looked straight at Yuli and said nothing.
Yuli thought he was unwilling and tried to persuade him again. “We have gone through hardships together. You know the situation in my shop. From the shopkeeper to the apprentices, they are all pure and kind people. When this flower becomes famous, the orders will surely be tight. At that time, the demand will increase greatly, and the dyeing workshop will have to expand. Mr. Ye, Huayan Fang needs you.”
Ye Weiqing swallowed and replied, “Alright, I’ll stay.”
Yuli’s lips curled into a smile. She said to Zhile, Lizhen, and Xiyun, “After we turn this around, I will give each of you a 10% profit share at the end of every year.”
For a moment, the dyeing workshop was filled with cheers and laughter. Yuli encouraged everyone and finally reminded them all to keep it a secret. Everyone was motivated and went their separate ways to get busy.
The dyeing workshop fell silent. Ye Weiqing stood in front of the silk threads and suddenly began to cough, coughing until his face was red.
After a moment, he stopped coughing. He straightened up and caressed a row of silk threads, his slender fingers trembling incessantly.
*
Having learned her lesson from the “Ronghua Lihua” last time, although Yuli was fully confident of turning things around, this time, she had to make a more thorough plan.
The first thing to consider was the raw materials. This time, she could not take on more orders than the supply of raw materials. She would take as many orders as her dyeing workshop could produce. If she couldn’t, she wouldn’t sell, no matter how much others wanted to buy.
As for the pricing, there was a Welcoming Summer Festival in the capital this month. Yuli had originally arranged for Yingniang to promote other flowers, but now she had changed it to red. At that time, depending on how popular it was, she would set the price as high as she could.
If it succeeded, it would be the treasure of her Huayan Fang, sold in limited quantities, not to ordinary people. Then, using this as a gimmick, she would release some lower-end styles, which would surely sell well.
Next was personnel. She would probably have to recruit a few more clerks and apprentices.
The order form also had to be designed to be foolproof.
The decoration of the shop also had to be upgraded. She would have Zhile or Mr. Ye paint some pictures.
Zhile’s fine brushwork was delicate, and her style was warm. Mr. Ye’s was gorgeous and eye-catching. Both were in line with Huayan Fang. Zhile could also carve and paint beams. She would have them come up with some designs around the new flower color to make the decoration more stylish.
Yuli made some rough plans. She had wanted to immediately call them for another meeting, but when she went out, she saw that they were all busy.
Yuli suppressed her impatience. This time, she had to be steady and thoughtful.
Near dusk, Yuli returned to the Xie Residence. When she reached Mingyue Residence, she saw Song He outside the hanging flower gate.
Yuli approached. His eyes were lowered, and he bowed in greeting but did not speak.
Yuli entered the hanging flower gate, walked along the small path around the rockery, and saw Xie Yao sitting in the parlor. The round table was filled with brocade boxes and trays of all sizes.
Yuli walked in with some suspicion. Xie Yao’s gaze fell lightly on her face, and he slowly smiled. “You’re back.”
Yuli felt that his smile was very faint, but inexplicably deep. She had not come back late today.
Yuli hummed in agreement, but she saw that he was just looking at her gently as usual. She turned to the table. “What are these?”
“Open them and have a look.”
Yuli opened one by her hand. Inside was a set of gold head ornaments. Unlike the ones he had prepared for her before, the pattern was a phoenix on top of flowers and birds, gorgeous and heavy, with all kinds of gemstones stacked on it as if they were free, almost blinding.
Yuli opened the others. They were all such gorgeous and eye-catching jewelry, as well as complicated and cumbersome buyao, and palm-sized gold hairpins.
The workmanship was all exquisite and flawless. It was clear that they were the crystallization of countless craftsmen’s heart and soul. Yuli’s eyes lit up again and again. She asked, “Is Husband giving a gift?”
These did not match her, were not convenient to wear, and he also knew that she did not like this kind of gorgeousness. Yuli naturally thought that he was giving a gift and was asking her for some advice.
“They are all for you,” Xie Yao said.
Yuli had just lifted the red cloth on the tray, and a pile of gold stung her eyes.
She could do without the others, but the gold could be spent directly, and she was short on cash. Huayan Fang was waiting to burn money.
Yuli swallowed. “You know about what happened at Huayan Fang today?”
Xie Yao said nothing.
Yuli had a fawning smile on her face. She walked to his side, went around behind him, and playfully massaged his shoulders. “I haven’t succeeded yet. Your congratulatory gift is too early. But this time, I definitely won’t mess it up. I’ve kept an account of all the money you gave me. When I make money, you’ll have a share.”
Yuli didn’t say she would pay him back when she made money, because she had spent too much. She didn’t dare to make a full promise. Besides, he didn’t necessarily want her to pay him back. She was being a little cunning, only saying that he would have a share, not how much his share was, nor how long it would take to give it, or how to give it.
Yuli pursed her lips and smiled slyly. Sure enough, she heard him say, “Everything of mine is yours.”
Yuli bent down from behind to hold his neck and kissed his cheek.
Xie Yao said with a faint smile, “And yours is also mine.”
How could he care about her few pennies? Yuli pressed her whole body against his back and smiled. “Alright, alright, it’s all yours.”
Yuli was just happy about the timely rain of gold. She felt that the jewelry that was completely not to her liking was a bit strange, but she didn’t take it to heart.
Xiyun and a maid came to move the things to the west side-room. Yuli asked if Jingyu was better. The maid replied that she was much better.
Yuli had someone send a message for her to rest well. Although she needed her to do the purchasing now, her health was important. Yuli planned not to tell her about Huayan Fang’s affairs for the time being.
There were still five days until the Welcoming Summer Festival. Yuli had to quickly come up with a plan, gather everyone to discuss it tomorrow, and implement it as soon as possible.
After the meal, Yuli did not accompany Xie Yao for long and went straight to the study.
Just as she was engrossed in her thoughts, someone walked to the front of the desk, stood there without leaving. Yuli looked up and saw that it was Xie Yao. She lowered her head again. “Just a little while longer. When I’m done, Husband can help me have a look.”
Xie Yao didn’t speak. Yuli took it as a tacit agreement. Usually, when she was busy in the study, he would not disturb her.
Unexpectedly, today he walked to her side, held her hand, and took the brush from her hand.
Yuli let out a sound. Before she could stand up, he picked her up, sat down, and placed her on his lap.
Yuli quickly looked at the door; it was closed.
“Let me finish writing,” Yuli said, pushing him.
Xie Yao’s large palm came from behind, kneading her collar roughly. Yuli’s body instantly went soft. She turned her head and saw his eyes were deep, hiding a dark desire.
She couldn’t tell if he was happy and suddenly like this, or unhappy and abnormal. Yuli tried to bargain. “Just half a quarter of an hour, okay? Let’s go to the bedchamber.”
Xie Yao turned his eyes to look at her. “You said, what’s yours is mine.”
Yuli was taken aback.
Xie Yao held her waist tightly with one arm and pressed her into his arms. “It’s all up to me.”
Yuli’s body stiffened slightly. Her collar tightened and then loosened. With a rip, a large part of her robe came undone.