Chapter 342 Take a liking to it? Value it?
Li Mingshu turned her suspicious gaze to Qin Xiangxiang, and nodded subconsciously when she heard Qin Xiangxiang's question.
Her father sent Changning to the capital to bring her and Yue'er back. During the trip, Changning also brought back the imperial edict, which shows that Changning must be a valuable asset in her father's heart.
Of course, he must value her. Moreover, Changning is so young yet she has managed to carve out a path for herself on the frontier and catch her father's eye. She must have some ability, so it's not surprising that her father values her.
Thinking of this, Li Mingshu said, "Changning is very skilled in martial arts and has risked his life for my father many times. He has also saved my second brother's and my lives. My father naturally values him."
Qin Xiangxiang was speechless: "Huh? So fast? The prince has already taken a liking to him?"
Li Mingshu thought Qin Xiangxiang was referring to Lin Changning's rapid promotion, and nodded again: "There's nothing strange about that, is there? Changning is capable, he saved my family's lives, and he has made many merits. It's not surprising that my father values him."
Qin Xiangxiang quietly covered her mouth, her heart already overflowing with tears. Shushu was about to remarry, while she herself was still unmarried; it was truly a sad story.
Helpless, Qin Xiangxiang took two more bites of shaved ice, turning her grief and anger into appetite, and finished the whole bowl of shaved ice.
Li Mingshu looked at Qin Xiangxiang, shook her head and chuckled. Suddenly remembering what Lin Changning had mentioned about the embroidery workshop, she asked, "Changning, you mentioned opening an embroidery workshop last time. Is there any progress now?"
Lin Changning nodded: "It's progressing well. The location has been chosen, and the furniture and other things are being made by carpenters. The children from Ciyoufang who are twelve years old or older are now living in the embroidery workshop. My mother is managing this matter."
Li Mingshu's eyes lit up: "I'm still waiting for the clothes you made. There will be a banquet at the manor in a few days, which will be a perfect opportunity for me to show off my new clothes."
Qin Xiangxiang's curiosity was piqued: "What clothes? Shushu, are you hiding something good from me?"
As he spoke, he wiped his mouth and pounced on Li Mingshu, tickling her armpits.
"That's so unfair! Shushu, I never hide anything from you, yet you keep your good stuff from me!!!"
Li Mingshu chuckled and stopped Qin Xiangxiang's fidgeting hands, saying, "Good Xiangxiang, how could I not tell you? We just met, and I was just about to tell you."
Qin Xiangxiang snorted: "I'll let you off this time, but if you hide it from me again, I'm not going to be friends with you anymore!"
Li Mingshu laughed until tears streamed down her face. After wiping away the tears, she pointed to Lin Changning opposite her and said, "Changning can draw some patterns for dresses. The designs are gorgeous and exquisite. I saw them on our way back to Taiyuan. Changning is about to open an embroidery workshop, so I ordered a few pieces."
Qin Xiangxiang stared at Lin Changning and raised an eyebrow: "You two have this kind of relationship? You even need to make a reservation and charge money?"
Lin Changning was puzzled, but since the princess wanted to help her make a name for herself, she naturally wouldn't accept any money. She then looked at Qin Xiangxiang and explained, "The princess is helping our embroidery workshop to make a name for itself, so there's no need to charge us. The designs are already prepared, but we haven't recruited enough embroiderers yet, so we'll probably have to wait a while. We should be able to deliver the clothes to the palace before the banquet."
Li Mingshu looked at Lin Changning with a smile: "One thing at a time. How could I let you lose money? The deposit price will be based on your price."
Qin Xiangxiang felt that Li Mingshu was helping people. Nowadays, most clothes are similar in style, with only slight differences in the patterns and fabrics. Otherwise, they look pretty much the same.
Therefore, I don't think Lin Changning, a military general, could make any nice clothes.
But seeing Li Mingshu being so polite, asking for a deposit, and wanting to reserve her place first, I couldn't help but become a little interested.
"Shushu, you're saying the blueprints were all drawn by Inspector Lin? That's amazing!"
Li Mingshu nodded: "Of course, I was able to escape safely from the capital thanks to a mother-daughter dress that Changning gave to my aunt. I saw it at the banquet and it was truly exquisite."
Lin Changning smiled politely: "The group leader is too kind."
The two were praising each other, which made Qin Xiangxiang roll her eyes. Seeing Lin Changning's calm and composed face, as if he were really good at drawing, she pouted and said, "I'd like to see what kind of clothes it is that Shushu is praising so much. But since the design was drawn by Lin Qianshi, it shouldn't be difficult to draw another one now."
Lin Changning looked at Qin Xiangxiang, who had suddenly attacked him, somewhat puzzled.
Li Mingshu looked at Lin Changning with a faint smile, understanding in her heart that the words the two had just spoken had aroused Qin Xiangxiang's competitive spirit.
"Xiangxiang doesn't believe you can make a pretty dress for a girl. Changning, just draw it for her."
As she spoke, she stood up, went to a corner of the room, opened a drawer, took out paper and pen, walked to Lin Changning, put down the paper and pen, and quietly helped Lin Changning grind ink with water and an inkstone.
Seemingly remembering that the drawings she had seen before were all in black and white, she suddenly asked, "Changning, the drawings we saw last time were all in black and white. We happen to have some paint here, do you want to draw them in color?"
Lin Changning put down Yue'er from her arms, stood up, and looked down at Li Mingshu standing beside her: "It's alright, Princess, I can do it myself. How can I trouble you to grind the ink for me?"
Seeing Qin Xiangxiang's increasingly strange gaze, Li Mingshu suddenly remembered Changning's identity, her face flushed, and she led Yue'er back to her seat.
Lin Changning picked up his brush, first outlining the white areas and then filling in the colors. Halfway through the drawing, Qin Xiangxiang couldn't help but come over to take a look.
The exquisite and gorgeous dress leaped off the page, and Qin Xiangxiang's eyes lit up as soon as she saw its general shape.
Watching Lin Changning paint so intently, they didn't dare to breathe and waited for him to finish.
After Lin Changning put down his paintbrush, he breathed a sigh of relief and snatched the design that Lin Changning had made.
"It really is a new style, with novel patterns and gorgeous designs. Shushu, I want to order a few sets too. When we wear them to the banquet, we'll definitely dazzle them."
Lin Changning said helplessly, "Miss Qin, the embroidery workshop has not yet officially started production. At most, we can rush to make a few sets before the banquet, and the princess has already reserved those sets."
Lin Changning certainly wanted to make money, but she hadn't found all the embroiderers yet, and the young girls in the embroidery workshop were just inexperienced newbies. It would take at least three or four days to make a single garment, so the princess couldn't be sloppy.
From materials and styles to patterns, everything needs to be carefully selected. It's already the limit to be able to rush out two or three sets before the banquet.
Upon hearing Lin Changning's words, Qin Xiangxiang immediately clung to Li Mingshu like a boneless rag doll: "Shushu~ I want pretty dresses too~"
Li Mingshu patted Qin Xiangxiang and said with a wry smile, "Alright, alright, I'll give you a set. Once the embroidery workshop in Changning is on track, you can order it yourself."
"Shushu is the best!"
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