Chapter 26
Winning (Part 2)
A light and elegant woman’s voice interrupted the Master of the government office, and also attracted all of everyone’s gazes. Everyone looked towards Murong Shu Qing, and only saw that she was still sitting on the chair. Facing everyone’s gazes, she was still as leisurely and carefree as before, it was clear that the person who spoke, was not her.
At this moment, standing next to Murong Shu Qing was a woman who was wearing a purple dress, who was looking around, she was following everyone’s gazes. Walking to the front of the Master of the government office, she asked with a natural and relaxed smile: “You have not seen the rain in this falling rain and new lotus, so if you declare the result, is it not too early?”
This woman should be Murong Shu Qing’s servant girl?! Her look was rather delicate, it seemed that she was also clever. Even though they had never seen any young servant girl who would talk in this kind of situation, but looking that Murong Shu Qing was smiling and looking at her all along, and expressing her encouragement (through her eyes) from time to time, the two elderly gentlemen (Rong & Lin Daren) had not stopped her words either. The Master of the government office conveniently asked: “The meaning of Miss’ words is that this embroidery still has hidden rain on it!”
Even though Zi Yuan’s heart was somewhat nervous, but she still firmly said: “Of course, there is rain!”
The Master of the government office frowned and asked: “Then why do you not say anything a moment ago?” Was she deliberately looking for trouble? When everyone was looking at the embroidery a moment ago, she did not (say anything), she only said at the very last minute!
Zi Yuan looked outside the window to see the sunshine that was already very bright and beautiful, and she walked to the front of the falling rain and new lotus, smilingly said: “The time had not come a moment ago, so you could not see the rain yet ah!”
Hearing that she had finished talking, everyone who was at the scene, looked at each other in dismay, what was the relationship between this, they were not able to see (the connections between) the rain and the time. Looking at the bright and colorful sunshine from outside, and then looking at Murong Shu Qing who was still faintly smiling but not talking, nobody could guess the reason. They had no choice but to return their gazes to this purple dress’ servant girl, then they saw that Lin Hang and Rong De Ren were also curiously looking towards Zi Yuan.
The Master of the government office’s heart was full of questions also, he could not figure it out after pondering again, so he did not have any choice but to say to Zi Yuan: “I hope that you will explain it!”
Zi Yuan made the two servants who were behind her, to hold up a thin silk, walking to the side of the door, they unfolded it, the sunshine immediately penetrated through the thin silk.
“This ~~ this is ~~!!” The Master of the government office cried out his words in fear but could not continue on.
All of the people who were inside the hall, were stunned at the scene in front of their eyes, the original thin white silk, that was shone down by the sunshine, it unexpectedly looked so transparent. The sunshine could not stop the penetration to come through, then with the reflection of the sunshine, everyone could clearly see the secret fine threads that looked like drizzles (rain). Even there were a few tiny droplet of mildews on the lotus leaf, and the lotus petals. These drizzles and the droplets looked like they were shining, hazily shrouding the leaves and the pink lotus, in a flash, everyone only felt this falling rain and new lotus as if it just appe
ared before their eyes now!
Lin Hang slowly walked closer to the thin silk, the radiance unexpectedly shone on him and he was nearly unable to open his eyes, gently caressing and stroking the thin silk, he was startled in his mind. These thin secret drizzles were actually embroidered up, when he displayed it on the table, he actually had not found it, and absolutely did not see that rare white thin silk. How many thin needles and threads did this use, that it could produce the fine drizzles like this.
Putting his hand down, Lin Hang lightly sighed and said: “Hard to imagine, it is hard to imagine that unexpectedly, there is somebody who can do this kind of heaven’s work like this.”
Fu Bo Wen’s complexion was ashen, who would have thought, that Murong Shu Qing could have this kind of trick in the end, no wonder that she was very calm, it seemed that he had to accept his defeat at the brocade competition this time. Fortunately, he had already prepared at an earlier time, the Imperial brocades needed more than half of the locust tree seeds as a dye, and he had already purchased all of the locust tree seeds. The Murong’s family could only purchase them from him, since the time limit was already here, if they could not hand over the brocades, then it would a crime to cheat the Monarch! At that time, even if he wanted a ten times of the price, she would have no choice but to pay him.
Once he was planning this in his mind, Fu Bo Wen’s complexion was slightly improved. Everyone who was initially astonished, finally recovered, they were talking about this special embroidery. Tomorrow, in the Huadu district, this would surely be the source of discussions in everyone’s leisure times!
Lin Hang walked back to seat on the Master’s seat, and slightly nodded towards the Master of the government office, he walked to the middle of the hall again, and said with a bright voice: “The winner of this year is, the Murong family Su Ni Chang’s falling rain and new lotus (embroidery)!”
Zi Yuan’s heart that was so worried, she could finally let it go, she was nervous a moment ago and her palms were sweating. The situation related to the government, originally, she could not talk at all, but it was Miss who had encouraged her to go, so she said it out loud. Fortunately, they still won!
Murong Shu Qing intimately patted Zi Yuan’s hand that was still held firmly, it was not that she did not know that Zi Yuan was nervous, but if she wanted to be discipline, to mature, she need to actually experience it. Uncle Xue was already quite old, he had already been serving the Murong’s family since her paternal grandfather’s time, as the family’s head of the housekeeper (Guan Jia) so he had already worked more than 40 years also, it was time for him to enjoy his life in retirement. Zi Yuan was steady and reserved, plus she had a lot of self-disciplines, she could actually replace Uncle Xue to become Murong family’s head of housekeeper, and she could assist Xing Hun in the future. Up until that points, Zi Yuan needed a lot more opportunities to practice her courages, grow her knowledges and experiences, and nurture her abilities to response in emergency situations.
She would not stay at the Murong’s family forever, she was already really tired for these past several years, she had been thinking about indulging her days in the mountains and rivers. When there was a time, she would give Zi Yuan and Xing Hun many opportunities to act on their own more and more. After they studied more and more, she would leave, the storm that they would face would be smaller, and they should be able to solve it.
Surrounded by many congratulation voices, Murong Shu Qing’s contemplation was interrupted, she only returned the people’s politeness by smiling one after another. And she did not say anything at all. At this time, the Master of the government office, was holding a small brocade box, and walked to the front of Murong Shu Qing, then he respectfully gave it to her while saying: “This is the list of the required embroidery clothing for this year, deliver them to the government office (Fu Ya) after three months. After (the government office) has checked them, then send them to the Capital, you must not make any mistakes. Furthermore, the Emperor has ordered that the workshop that wins the brocade competition, will have to embroider a birthday picture to congratulate the Empress Dowager’s big birthday.”
Murong Shu Qing forced a smile, Qin Fu and Qiu Yu, these two guys were really causing troubles for her. She must receive a recognition in this Imperial brocade’s competition, for her, this satin embroideries’ competition was an extremely important function to control the market, but she did not order them to exert all their strengths (to win it all). The sample was already done like this outstandingly, then the brocade for the birthday feast would give her a headache even more. Besides, if the Emperor, and the Empress Dowager were dissatisfied, that was a crime to deceive the Monarch. If they were satisfied, her reputation would be extremely prosperous, but that was not a good thing either. The monthly surplus was a loss, the full water was overflowed (things to the extreme will decline), accompanying one’s sovereign could be like accompanying a tiger, in short, it was —- troublesome.
Zi Yuan who was beside her, took the small brocade box, and had thanked the Master of the government office, she took out the list of items that was inside, and handed it over to Murong Shu Qing. Murong Shu Qing wanted to open and look at it, Fu Bo Wen already walked in front of her, he cupped his hands and smilingly said: “Congratulations, congratulations ah!” A pair of small and sharp eyes were slightly smiling, unfortunately, the smiling expression did not reach his eyes.
Murong Shu Qing slightly raised half way from her chair, and said with a faint smile: “You let me win (polite way to answer after winning something)!”
“As expected, the hero is a youngster ah, but in the future, if Miss Murong needs any help, there is no harm to look for Lao Fu.” Looking at Murong Shu Qing who always had this calm and not alarmed manners, Fu Bo Wen felt really depressed in his heart. He wished that he could break that tranquil and gentle face. He was really in a hurry to want to see when she was anxious now, and asked for his help.
Fu Bo Wen just wanted to turn around and leave, but Murong Shu Qing raised the brocade list of items that was on her hand, she handed it over to Fu Bo Wen with a smile, and said: “Master Fu, do you not want to look at the list of items for this embroidery?”
What did he want to do with this list of items? Every year, was the list of items not the same, but since Murong Shu Qing specifically gave it for him to look, could it be that it was fishy?! Fu Bo Wen took it and opened it to look, his complexion became deathly pale in a flash. A pair of slightly old hands were shaking tensely when he pulled the corner of the list, his eyes were big when they were staring on the words. After a long time, his body was staggering and withdrawing back for several steps, the family servants who were behind him, caught his body up, his body could be considered strong.
“You ~~!” Fu Bo Wen who was originally had a smiling expression on his face and was concealing his proudness, it disappeared completely, there was no confidence at all. Staring at Murong Shu Qing who was still simple and elegant, he could not see any unusual color on her face, without even saying anything, he dropped the list down, and stormed off in a huff!
Murong Shu Qing did not pay attention either, she slightly mended her skirt, and completely did not pay any attention to Fu Bo Wen who was angry and leaving. The people who were still inside the hall, actually saw that strange situation, did Master Fu not look at this list for the last three years, so he could be completely startled like this?
These would probably be the mystery that could only be understood by Fu Bo Wen and Murong Shu Qing. This year, because of the Empress Dowager’s big birthday, and the Empress also gave birth to the Emperor’s first son, two simultaneous happy events in the family. And also seeing that there were still many of the bright yellow brocades remaining from the previous years, the Emperor issued an Imperial edict deliberately, the bright yellow Imperial brocades would be reduced from the original 50% to 20%. The Empress Dowager always liked purple color, and the Empress liked a bright red color, (those two colors) would be increased by double. That locust tree seeds that the Fu’s family had gathered, were actually useless, and they actually spent twice as much to purchase those (seeds). It was no wonder that when Master Fu looked at the list of items, his complexion was ashen.
Not paying attention on everyone’s curious gazes, Murong Shu Qing slightly saluted towards Rong De Ren and Lin Hang, then she unhurriedly departed the government office.