Mu Yunyao brought the five hundred silver back to the inn and happily gave it to Su Qing. "Mother, look, this is my reward."
"Why is there so much?" How is it possible that a single clothing could cost five hundred silver?
"Your daughter's creations are priceless, five hundred silver is already considered very cheap. Just you wait, when I become famous throughout the lands, Mother will be counting the money till your wrists become sore." In front of Su Qing, Mu Yunyao cannot help herself but act clever.
Su Qing tapped Mu Yunyao's nose. "Alright, Mother will wait to count the silver."
For the next few days, Mu Yunyao specially went to the inn entrance to study the city girls. She saw that there were quite a lot of girls' dresses with peony and vine patterns. The style was pretty much the same as Lady Jin's. Mu Yunyao supported her chin with her hand. She gave a cunning smile. Colour Moon Shop's shopkeeper has been busy, huh?
It was the sixth month's seventh day, and also the date for the Provincial Governor's wife's banquet. Today was also the Emperor's birthday. Today's banquet is for the officials who are not in the Capital to gather and express their well wishes and loyalty to the Emperor who was in the Capital.
Lady Chen had arrived a long time ago. She was eagerly waiting to see Lady Jin's expression. On the surface, Lady Chen and Lady Jin got along, but really, they disliked each other. This has been going for a long time already. The other Ladies present were also aware of this. They were also aware of the origin of the new trend of peony dresses. They also had quite a laugh about it.
"Lady Jin is here." Someone said. Everyone turned to look.
Seeing that she was still in that dress, everyone had a mocking smile. Lady Chen went up with an apologetic tone, "It was all my fault, I saw how perfect the dress was and could not help but talk to someone about it. Who knew, after just two days, there were so many dresses that looked so similar to yours."
"It is easy to draw the tiger and its skin, but it is difficult to draw its bones. It's just a bunch of copycats, it's not like it is anything new." Lady Jin's smile was unchanging. When she saw the Provincial Governor's wife coming towards them, she walked up to greet her.
Lady Chen sneered. Just as she was about to say more, she saw that the crowd was frozen.
The Provincial Governor's wife was also frozen. It was a while before she asked Lady Jin to rise. She went forward to hold Lady Jin's hand and take a closer look. "I have also heard of Jingling City copying your dress. Now that I see it, I have realised that not any person can copy this."
When Lady Jin walked, the peonies would tremble a little and the golden butterflies would fly around. It was all so bright and sparkly, if one said that this was a fairy from the Heaven's dress, no one would disagree.
"It was my good fortune to meet such a talented little girl. If Lady likes it, when you are free, I can bring her over to help you make one.,
The Provincial Governor's wife's smile became wider, "That would be nice."
If Lady Jin was standing alone, it would not be so obvious. But now that Lady Jin was standing with the crowd, the facts became too blinding.
Although the others' dresses were all quite fitting, the fabric at the waist and the sleeves were a bit too wide. On the other hand, Lady Jin's clothes pinched close to her figure, making her waist seem smaller. Her sleeves were also tight at the top and wider at the bottom, making her chest seem more full. She had a mature and noble aura. Everyone else was in her shadow.
Lady Chen had long hid behind the crowd, not daring to look up. She was wearing Colour Moon Shop's new supply of clothes, also the Capital's newest trending clothes. It was colourful and bright. There were also some peony patterns on it. She looked great, but beside Lady Jin, she looked ten years older, and she also looked like a fool for the things she had done.
At this time, no one bothered to notice her. Those who could talk to Lady Jin wanted to know who was the seamstress.
The banquet had begun. Under the Provincial Governor's wife's lead, everyone turned to the direction of the Capital and thanked the Emperor for his care, and that they wished him a happy birthday and that they would forever be loyal to him.
When they finished, a light breeze blew towards them. Lady Jin's dress moved slightly, and a scent that was impossible for humans to smell was carried away by the wind. Immediately, butterflies followed that smell and then started to surround Lady Jin. They flew around her dress and some even went to stick to the peonies' core. Lady Jin looked just like a butterfly fairy.
"By the Heavens, what is going on?"
"It must be how Lady Jin was so honest in her well-wishes to the Emperor. The Heavens and the earth were moved, causing all these butterflies to surround her as a reward."
The commotion here quickly spread to where the officials were. Hearing this, the Provincial Governor patted Cao Yunnian's shoulder. Although he did not say anything, it was clear that the Provincial Governor was closer to him now.
Everyone else looked at Cao Yunnian with envy. How was it that their own wives were not as lucky as Cao Yunnian's wife? When the Emperor hears of this event of the butterflies, he would definitely raise Cao Yunnian's position.
When the banquet ended, Cao Yunnian specially sat in the same carriage as his wife. He looked at Lady Jin's clothes with dilated irises, causing Lady Jin to blush profusely.
It took much effort for Cao Yunnian to keep his deep-longing for Lady Jin on a leash. He quickly asked Lady Jin about what happened at the banquet.
Lady Jin told him everything, "This clothing was made by a young girl. She told me two days before to apply some of the scent that she sent over to the dress's peonies. I did not know that butterflies would be attracted to it."
"Very good, very good. Your husband has also gained a lot, thanks to you." When he thought about the Provincial Governor's attitude to him, Cao Yunnian felt so light-headed. He laughed heartily.
The Su family also gained a lot of attention.
Inside the golden palace, the mountains and rivers picture shocked everyone. The Emperor also could not help but come down from his throne and take a closer look towards it.
At the front, the red sun shone on the mountains and rivers. At the back, a dragon was dancing with a phoenix as the clouds surrounded them. The Nanmu wood and golden thread framed the picture, making it look especially beautiful and delicate. The Emperor ordered the servants to place it at the audience hall to let all the officials admire it.
Su family's gift pushed down all the other gold and jade gifts. The Emperor was very happy and rewarded them in front of everyone else, causing all the officials to become green with envy.
"It was all because of the the Emperor's love for the arts. Our craftsman used a lot of energy and time to do research and we finally brought back a lost embroidery technique."
"Long live the Emperor!"
"Very good. Let us all get to the drinking."
"My thanks to the Emperor!"
Everyone started to drink and admire the mountains and rivers picture together. After some time, the officials suddenly started to rub their eyes and squint at the picture.
"Have all of you become drunk?" The Emperor asked as he, too, looked at the picture. What he saw infuriated him deeply.
On the picture, the red sun had completely disappeared. The front of the picture was covered in red, as if someone had painted blood on it,
Someone whispered, "The land covered in blood..."
(T/N: This could mean the kingdom lost a war, or the kingdom met with a disaster. Whatever it means, it just means that the Emperor will be defeated.
At the back of the picture, a red line cut across the golden dragon, splitting it into two.
The officials were no longer in the mood for drinking. They all knelt down and trembled.
Su Wenyuan's face was white. He wanted so much to destroy the picture with his gaze. "Your Majesty, this official has no idea what is going on. Please give this official three days, I will definitely report back to you of this picture's origin."
"What a joke, Sir Su gave His Majesty a screen, yet does not even know of its origin? Are you saying that you dare present things without a clear origin to the Emperor for his birthday?"
"No, this official wouldn't dare. It's just that this screen was not picked up personally by this official, so I would be unaware if anyone had done anything to this screen in secret."
"So Sir Su would present a present to the Emperor without getting people to check on its condition?"