The inability to do anything wasn't the main problem; her biggest fear was offending the Jincheng government and bringing disaster to her family and younger cousin. Officials like those in the government were simply not easy to offend.
An Ning was stunned for a moment. "It's...okay? Just because you work for the Jincheng government doesn't mean you can't work for others? The Jincheng government is too domineering and unreasonable, isn't it?"
Qiao Zhiyi smiled and said, "What the Jincheng government values is my embroidery skills, so naturally the document I'm signing is also a testament to my embroidery skills."
I didn't think it was a big deal, especially since the Jincheng government treated me very well and gave me a lot of money.
So, during the period after signing the contract, my embroidery skills couldn't be used in other shops or with other merchants; I could only work for the Jincheng government.
So, cousin Ning, please be understanding.
I don't want to cause trouble for my family, and I especially don't want to implicate my little cousin. I was only able to get introduced to the government thanks to her. If I offend the officials in Jincheng, things will probably get difficult for her too.
An Ning swallowed hard. She hadn't expected that asking someone to embroider a few purses and handkerchiefs would cause such a big fuss.
Then naturally, I should give up on that idea.
"It's nothing, it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision anyway." It wasn't planned, it was just a whim, so let it go.
"Cousin Ning, are you thinking of starting a small business? Why don't you go talk to your little cousin about it? She should be able to help you, right?"
"I heard that my little cousin has land for two shops. I don't know what she'll use them for yet. Maybe she'll need your help when she starts a business." Qiao Zhiyi smiled reassuringly, unable to bear seeing An Ning's dejected look, and comforted her.
An Ning lowered her eyes, looking frustrated. "Of course I mentioned it to my younger sister. She said she would find me some friends to keep me company, but I haven't heard anything since. I wonder if she has forgotten about it?"
Qiao Zhiyi gave a stiff smile, "I'm probably too busy and forgot. I see my little cousin is always busy in the house."
An Ning nodded and licked her lips. "I know. The entire family's food and expenses are on my younger sister's shoulders. She's already exhausted enough, and I don't want to bother her with such trivial matters." That's why she's here alone, feeling down, conflicted, and bored.
Seeing An Ning looking somewhat forlorn, Qiao Zhiyi paused for a moment, "How about we hire a tutor to come to our house to teach you? You don't want to go to school, do you? We can always hire someone to come to our house. That way you'll have something to do and you can learn more."
An Ning sighed, rested her chin on the stone table, and let her head droop.
"It's not that I'm being willful, but I really can't stand being in the school anymore. The way those young masters and ladies look at me is different now, like I'm a pheasant standing out from a flock of phoenixes."
They looked at me with such arrogance, like I was a pheasant, it was so annoying.
We just can't get along at all.
These aristocratic families and the like, the young ladies and gentlemen there all look down on us commoners from farming families.
Sitting with them made me feel incredibly stifled.
Qiao Zhiyi lowered her eyes slightly. How could she not understand her cousin Ning's feelings?
Back when she was with the Duan family in Baicheng, she was looked down upon by them, living under their roof.
The Duan family despised and scorned her. Their eyes were filled with disdain and disgust as they looked at her, saying that she wanted to climb the social ladder and become a phoenix. She had already experienced the gaze and attitude of these high-ranking families from the very first day her mother brought her there.
So much so that later on, they were completely abandoned in that small courtyard, treated with utter perfunctory indifference, or even ignored.
Even their food, drink, and daily necessities there were paid for by her mother herself, which shows how much people disliked them. So it's true that it's not easy to get into a high-class family, and it's not easy to make friends with such families.
It's understandable that my cousin Ning has this idea; if it were her, she probably wouldn't be able to stay either.
However, my little cousin is very easygoing and carefree. She lets everyone do what they want or don't want to do, and she doesn't interfere in anyone's affairs.
They only provide connections and money when they can offer assistance.
She had never met anyone as carefree and unrestrained as her younger cousin. As the head of the family, she seemed unbound by dogma and unaffected by the outside world, living so unfettered and detached from social norms.
Logically speaking, a place as large and wealthy as her younger cousin's family should have proper rules and regulations, but her younger cousin has never made such demands on anyone.
For example, regarding the fact that my cousin Ning didn't plan to go to school, she only stayed at the school for two days before coming back. My little cousin didn't say anything about it, she just smiled and said that it's good to do something you like.
This infuriated her grandfather. Her two older brothers, her cousins An Ding and An Yi, all went to school. Even her cousin An Kang and some of the younger children from the Qiao family were taught by tutors. But only her cousin Ning couldn't stay in school and kept making a fuss about coming back.
Her grandfather had been talking about his cousin Ning for several days, but seeing that his little cousin wasn't giving him any response at all, and having no intention of sending Ning back to school, he could only swallow his anger and remain silent.
Even her aunt couldn't say anything bad about it, and no matter how anxious her grandfather was, it was no use. He seemed to know that his words were useless, so he didn't mention the matter again.
Staying in this mansion is truly comfortable and relaxing.
My little cousin is easygoing and down-to-earth. She's also very generous to her family and relatives, and everyone really likes her. Even my grandfather seems to have started to be more mindful of her attitude and expression.
You should know that in the past, in her Qiao family, no one dared to disobey her grandfather's words.
Even her grandfather is now impressed by her ability to manage the household; his temper has softened considerably, and he's truly been completely subdued.
Because she had arranged everything for the whole family, big and small, so well that even her grandfather couldn't find anything wrong with it.
Their daily food, drink, and other necessities are beyond question.
They can't compare to those wealthy families.
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