Li Huang

In a blink of an eye, it was almost the New Year. I embroidered the handkerchief, clothes, and screen. I took care of it that day. I took the carriage from the village to Anyang with Xi He, planning to hand the things to Bilian.

Before going to Anyang, Aunt Huang had told me Bilian's address. It was in a large courtyard not far from the Yamen. Several households lived together, but they were easy to find.

So we set off early in the morning and arrived in Anyang by midday.

As New Year’s Eve is approaching, every family in the city has lanterns and festivities. The people are just at the peak of buying new year’s goods. Small merchants and vendors are also rushing to sell the goods, so the streets are very lively.

As soon as Xihe arrived, Zhang Dage pulled him to find Gongzi Liu. He said that Gongzi Liu was talking in front of him every day. If he didn't find him, he would definitely be blamed by him. Xihe couldn't escape, so he had to go.

Bi Lian opened the package, and saw that all the thirty-square embroidered handkerchiefs were embroidered with various butterfly and flower patterns, two pieces of clothes, the layered Tao Zhiyaoyao embroidered by the second pink silk thread in the color of the lotus, seemed to huh. The air blows out, but the deepest part is like the steaming clouds, and the beauty is extremely bright. The lotus green color was a bit heavy, but at this time, even young women could wear such a pattern.

I embroidered a bunch of grapes on the purple piece of grapes with pale purple silk thread, and interspersed the blue branches and leaves, and looked at "the frame is full of purple cables, and one branch is slanted with gold."

The screen, naturally, as I thought, was embroidered into a double-sided picture of peony striving for beauty. The peony chose two colors of red and pink, and a poem was embroidered next to it: "To exaggerate the world's unparalleled beauty, the first fragrance in the world."

Bi Lian opened the package and kept uttering "tsk tsk" praise. When she saw this peony Zhengyan, her eyes widened. She wanted to touch her hand, but she didn't dare. She just looked carefully and shook her head again and again: "It's so beautiful. ,So beautiful."

After finishing talking, I stood up and pulled me: "Let's go to Xuji Silk and Satin Village, just in time that boss Xu has always wanted to see you."

I was a little embarrassed, but thinking about seeing this person sooner or later, I agreed.

Xu Ji is a large silk and satin shop in Anyang, which has various grades of fabrics and also sells some ready-made clothes. Located on the busiest Qingrui Street in Anyang, it is a three-story building with very elegant decoration.

"Is Boss Xu here?" Bi Lian walked in, and a buddy immediately greeted her.

Seems to know Bilian, the guy first let us go to a small room on the second floor, poured tea and then called for people.

After a while, Boss Xu arrived. He was a little bit fatter and his face was very kind, giving people a smile.

"This is not Mrs. Zhang, please sit down. This is?" As soon as Boss Xu entered the door, he greeted Bi Lian and his eyes fell on me.

I put on a drapery hat to cover most of my face, and heard him ask to stand up, "I have seen Boss Xu, this is Xie's."

Bi Lian quickly explained: "Those veils are embroidered by Niang Xie."

Boss Xu suddenly realized a look on his face, and he immediately smiled: "This is Niang Xie, I've been admiring for a long time. Please sit down." He asked the buddy to bring tea.

I took a seat and opened the package in my hand: "Boss Xu, these are the veil, clothes and tea screen you brought before. I have embroidered them. Do you think it is satisfactory?"

Boss Xu turned over those one by one, and the surprise in his eyes became more and more intense. When he finally saw the screen, he could not help but say a few words "good". The excitement on the surface was even more difficult to hide. The cheeks are rosy.

"Boss Xu, you haven't looked at the back yet." Bi Lian reminded him with a smile when seeing Boss Xu just holding it up and looking at it.

"Ah! This is..." He looked up at me.

I took a sip of tea from my teacup, smiled slightly and said, "Yes, this is double-sided embroidery."

Boss Xu's eyes are brilliant: "Xie Niang, you can't find a second embroiderer in Anyang." He exclaimed, "No, I'm afraid there is hardly a comparable one in the world."

I shook my head: "Boss Xu is too acclaimed. The world's best embroiderer is like a crucian carp who crosses the river, especially Suzhou and Hangzhou. But we are located around the capital, so there are a lot less."

Boss Xu nodded: "But seeing Niang Xie is so young, I thought it was a middle-aged woman before."

I faintly said: "I have been practicing embroidery since I was a child. In fact, many embroiderers are about the same age as mine. After all, I am older and have fine craftsmanship, but their eyes are not as good as when they were young. Where's my mother."

When I say this, Bilian and Boss Xu thought that I was from Xiu Niang before, so they stopped asking more questions. I am also happy that they think so, at least they can round out some of what I said before.

At exactly this time, a buddy ran up and told Boss Xu that the wife of Old Master Li's family had come. Boss Xu hurriedly bowed his hands and apologized: "Let's get out of company first. When I'm doing an affair, I will ask Mrs. Zhang and Niang Xie to have a casual meal. Don't refuse!"

I nodded as an agreement: "Boss Xu is busy first."

The second floor of this Xuji Silk and Satin Village was actually used to greet distinguished guests, so after a while, I heard footsteps going upstairs and women talking.

"Boss Xu, bring the best materials and clothes in your store. My lady will do more clothes this year."

"Miss Li, please sit down here, I'll let them all bring it up." It was Boss Xu's voice.

"I've seen all those materials. Compared with the other companies in the city, there is nothing that stands out." This voice should be that of Miss Li: "I will prepare for the draft in the next year, so I must be the best."

I was stunned when I heard the word "draft", and the tea in my hand almost spilled. Bi Lian glanced at me suspiciously, I smiled at her, and whispered: "Why don't you all have to be official girls?"

Bi Lian whispered: "It has been changed this year, and women from wealthy families with good folks can also be elected. Master Li is a well-known and good person in Anyang, and his daughter is the number one beauty in Anyang, so he will naturally be selected. The middle school should be selected." After speaking, he said, "There is also a daughter of Wu Daren, the prefect of Anyang, selected for the election. Recently, I heard that both of them are preparing for their daughter to enter Beijing, and they are buying."

As soon as Bi Lian's voice fell, he heard footsteps coming again, and then a clear voice sounded: "Isn't this Sister Li, are you choosing clothes too?"

"Sister Wu, didn't you choose in Wang Ji, why are you here again?" Miss Li's voice was obviously dissatisfied.

"Boss Xu, why don't you see the clothes?" Miss Li's maid was talking.

"Two young ladies, please sit down, I'll let them bring the materials." Boss Xu's voice was awkward, and then he heard his voice coming downstairs.

"Sister Li, I heard that you bought more than a dozen gold hairpins in Liao Ji Jinxing. My sister is really big. I just heard that the sage doesn't like luxury."

"What's a dozen hairpins? The emperor doesn't like luxury anymore, but the imperial concubine must have a posture. Is it just the Jingchai sarong to lose face to the emperor?"

I hold down the smile in my heart, this Miss Li hasn't been selected yet, and hasn't even gotten the place of the last Golden Temple face saint. Is her speech so arrogant? As for whether Shen Xiyao likes luxury, how can they understand the emperor's mind? If he likes it, he should be full of pearls. If he doesn't like it, the simple dress will only be said to be imperial.

I quietly stepped forward, through the crack of the door, I saw two beautiful ladies sitting outside. One with a goose egg pink face and full stature, a rose-red right gusset that makes people look like a dazzling peach; the other has a good temperament and looks open and clean, wearing a lake-green skirt that looks like a spring willow.

Bi Lian also leaned forward and whispered to me: "The one in red is Miss Li. The green one is Miss Wu."

At this time Boss Xu brought the guy up, and the finest fabrics were spread out on the table. For a while, cherry red, light lotus red, coral red, grass green, light bean green, turquoise green, cyan, tea green, crab shell The brocades of blue, peacock blue, sapphire blue, light purple blue, crystal purple, grape purple, lilac purple... make the whole house radiant.

"Two young ladies, this coral red material just came in yesterday. You see it also has a rich and auspicious pattern on it. It matches both of you." Boss Xu introduced one by one, but I could see that he was embarrassed. The color.

"This horse, this horse, this horse and this one, I want it. The other peacock blue one too." Miss Li immediately pointed.

"Is there still that peacock blue? I want one too." Miss Wu was not to be outdone, and she pointed it up, for fear of being snatched by Miss Li.

I did smile and my eyes fell on a moon-white satin, which was Shen Xiyao's favorite color. If cut into upper skirts, skirts of all colors are excellent. If you embroider a slightly shallower pattern, it will be very elegant. It just seems that both Miss Li and Miss Wu are attracted by those colorful fabrics, and don't even look at the plain patterns.

"Bi Lian, I want to buy the moon white horse. Can you talk to Boss Xu later?" I whispered.

The moon-white satin looks like Hang satin, the thinnest and softest. It is made into a coat for Xi He, and he must be comfortable to wear.

"Boss Xu, don't you still have ready-to-wear garments here? Take them out and have a look." Miss Wu asked Miss Li again when she saw Miss Li missed the grab.

Boss Xu nodded again and again: "There are ready-made clothes, but most of them are sold to the common people. The two young ladies are of noble origin. I'm afraid they are..." His face was embarrassed, and when he suddenly remembered something, his eyes brightened and his complexion brightened.

I had guessed that, I pulled Bilian back to my seat and sat down.

"Wait, two, there are just two new clothes. They are very beautiful." He said as he walked to my door and knocked in.

I smiled slightly, and Bi Lian handed him the package of clothes. He took out the veil again. Come in again and take the screen out.

"Miss Li, this is what my father asked me to embroider. Miss first will see if it suits you."

"My father bought a tea screen?" Miss Li stepped forward questioningly, pulling down the silk covering the screen, and she couldn't help exclaiming: "This embroidery is so good! This peony is so beautiful!"

"This poem is good too!" Miss Wu stepped forward when she heard the sound, and said in surprise: "This word is also embroidered!"

"Boss Xu, how much is this screen? I bought it twice." Miss Wu said.

"This..." Boss Xu was a little embarrassed, but after all, Master Li did not pay.

"My father has already bought it, why should Sister Wu take her favor? Boss Xu, send the material directly to my house. The price will be discussed." Miss Li guarded her baby like a baby, after thinking about it again: "Yinxiang, hold it and take it home."

"Boss Xu, where's the clothes?" Miss Wu didn't fight anymore. After all, Master Li made the decision first. It was inconvenient for her to grab it, but there was obvious regret in her eyes.

"Here, here." Boss Xu opened the package and shook his clothes.

Behind the door, I saw Miss Li and Miss Wu open their mouths in surprise, and the maid beside them exclaimed: "It's so beautiful. I have never seen such beautiful clothes."

"I want it." The two young ladies said in unison, their eyes full of fanatical love.

Then they glanced at each other without saying anything.

"I think it's good for two people, how about one piece for one person? Don't hurt your peace with the clothes. This is also just got back today. Only these two.

The two of them nodded reluctantly after pondering for a while.

"Miss Li is rich and honorable. This lotus green embroidered peach blossom is just right. Miss Wu is white and wears this grape purple to match her complexion." Boss Xu said and took out her handkerchief: "There are also some handkerchiefs here, all of them are the same embroidered. The mother embroidered, the two ladies can pick some."

I sat back on the chair, no longer worrying about the scramble of the two young ladies outside, just thinking that they had chosen them so that I could go out and return home.