Zhu Jiayu kept the matter in mind and didn't delay the next day. After washing up and having breakfast, she went to the embroidery shop.
Liao Puxin was working on his abacus behind the counter when he saw her coming. He put down his work and called out softly, "Miss."
Zhu Jiayu nodded slightly: "Yesterday, Lüzheng said you needed to talk to me?"
Liao Puxin agreed and stepped out from behind the counter, saying, "Miss, please follow me."
He led Zhu Jiayu to the backyard and explained, "Last night, after the embroiderers finished work, I was about to close the door when suddenly a horse galloped down the street, and the rider tumbled off at that moment."
“When I helped him up, he asked me who I was from the embroidery shop, and then said that he was from the Qiu family and wanted to see Miss Qiu. The situation was urgent and could not be delayed, so I came to visit late at night.”
Liao Puxin had been working under Zhu Congjian for a long time, and he knew a thing or two about the relationship between the Zhu and Qiu families. Now, upon seeing Zhu Jiayu, he looked hesitant and unsure what to say.
Zhu Jiayu glanced at him and knew he had something to say to her, but didn't know how to start. But it didn't matter; what he wanted to say was probably related to the people from the Qiu family. What it was, she would know once she met them.
Liao Puxin led her to a guest room in the backyard, opened the door and invited her in, while he waited outside.
A man lay on the bed in the guest room, his face ashen, his clothes tattered, looking as if he had suffered greatly.
Zhu Jiayu didn't approach, but stood two feet away, looking down at him and asking, "What did the Qiu family send you here for?"
The man turned around, a look of surprise appearing on his thin face: "Miss Biao!"
He called out, and hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He told Zhu Jiayu that his name was Changsheng, and then began to tell her about his journey.
From his account, Zhu Jiayu learned that the Qiu family had sent a group of people to Suiping to invite her, but they encountered bandits on the way. Not only were the silks and jewels sent by the Qiu family lost, but even the servants who accompanied them suffered heavy casualties.
He survived with great difficulty, enduring a life of hardship and displacement, and finally arrived in Suiping.
That sounds quite pitiful.
Zhu Jiayu nodded slightly and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Changsheng secretly observed her, thinking that this young lady was very different from what he had heard in Heling, and also very different from what the young masters and ladies of the manor had said.
Seeing that Miss Biao was not interested in his purpose, he became anxious and hurriedly told her about Heling: "Miss Biao, the old lady has been unwell lately. The doctor said that she probably only has two months left. The old lady wants to see you before she passes away."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jiayu let out an "Ah," seemingly neither surprised nor saddened.
Chang Sheng was surprised for a moment, then continued, "She wants to see you."
This time, Zhu Jiayu's expression finally changed somewhat, but it wasn't out of gratitude for family ties; she only felt a sense of irony.
This didn't happen in my previous life.
As for why things went off track, Zhu Jiayu knew perfectly well: it was simply because the Qiu family had seen her abilities, so they wanted to take this opportunity to ease the tension between the two families.
If she remembered correctly, although the Qiu family was large and prosperous, by her uncle's generation, many of their shops were on the verge of bankruptcy due to poor management.
Inviting her to Heling was probably not just about wanting her to keep the old lady company.
Zhu Jiayu pondered for a moment and said, "I understand. You should focus on recovering. As for going to Heling, I'll think about it and then we'll discuss it further."
Without giving Changsheng another chance to speak, Zhu Jiayu turned and left the room, instructing Liao Puxin to look after Changsheng, but not to take special care of him, as they had no concern for his life or death.
Liao Puxin smiled wryly and said yes.
Changsheng, who was inside the house, heard her words and shook his head. It seemed that his godfather was right; this cousin harbored deep resentment towards the Qiu family of Heling.
If they really go to Heling, the Qiu family probably won't have many peaceful days left.
Before leaving the embroidery workshop, Zhu Jiayu went to Weirui Hall to take a look. She found that the embroiderers were working hard, so she didn't say anything. She just pointed out some of their oversights and then went out to Liyun River.
Right now, the Liyun River is at its best, with clear water and plump fish. The riverbank is often filled with anglers, and Zhu Congjian is one of them.
She stood by and waited until her father finished fishing before going over.
Recently, there have been many things going on at the embroidery workshop and Xuanyan Hall, so the father and daughter can only sit together and talk during dinner in the evening. They have hardly seen each other during the day. When he saw her, Zhu Congjian was obviously very happy and asked her when she came and why she didn't call him earlier.
Zhu Jiayu took the fishing bucket from his hand, and while looking at the fish, answered him, "I haven't been here long, and I didn't call you because I was afraid of scaring the fish. Father caught a lot of fish today, how about we have the cook braise them for lunch?"
She was also very happy.
In her memory, she hadn't seen her father smile in a long time.
In her past life, because Lady Wang ruined her reputation, her father was always worried about her marriage. Later, when the bridal chamber was chosen to recruit a son-in-law, her father was happy for a while, but later, he couldn't remember when, but whenever he saw her, he always looked worried.
At that time, she was completely focused on Rong Heng and rarely paid attention to her father's expression. It wasn't until her father died unexpectedly in the fire at the Zhu Mansion that she remembered him as a man with wrinkles and white hair.
But not now. Now her father is in his prime, with plenty of leisure time every day to fish, paint, play chess, and grow flowers. He is very happy.
"Great! You've loved braised fish since you were a kid, and you haven't changed at all over the years," Zhu Congjian said with a smile.
Zhu Jiayu smiled, and then she told her father about the people from Heling. Finally, she said, "Father, I definitely have to go to Heling. I want to expand our embroidery business to Heling, to the whole of Xingchuan Prefecture, and even... to Yujing."
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