Qin's embroidery of "Funny Flower Bear" is finally finished. The piece, a foot square and double-sided, features elegant colors, vibrant lines, and lively stitching. The flower bear is adorable and lifelike, even more beautiful than the painting itself.
Xu Lanyin had previously spent twenty taels of silver to have a carved screen frame made of chicken-wing wood at a carpenter's shop. She then took it to a framing shop to have embroidery inlaid into it.
Even the framing shop's master praised it highly, saying it was the first time someone had embroidered a bear so well. A southern merchant happened to be there and was willing to buy it for three hundred taels of silver. Xu Lanyin hadn't sold it yet, thinking it could fetch a higher price.
She had always wanted to go to the capital, sell her embroidery, visit the Herbal Medicine Hall, and then take Xu Lanting to see a famous doctor.
Qin seemed to be very resistant to the capital and did not allow her to go there. She was also very firm in her attitude and told her that if she really wanted to go, she could go to the provincial capital.
Xu Lanyin said, "The journey to the provincial capital is not much shorter than to the capital, so it's better to go to the capital. If you are worried about us, mother and Lan Zhou will go with us."
She didn't want Zhao Wu to go to the capital for the time being, so she didn't mention Zhao Wu.
Qin also wanted to cure her youngest son's illness as soon as possible. The family had no extra money, and her health had always been poor. Now that the family was better off and her children were grown up, she still didn't want them to go to the capital. She insisted, "Let's go to the provincial capital. There are good doctors there too. I won't go. Let Zhou'er accompany you. It would be best if Wu'er took a few days off so you can go together."
The matter of going to the capital had to be put aside for the time being.
The next day when she went to the Hu family, Xu Lanyin told Mrs. Hu that she wanted to ask Hu Wan in the provincial capital to help find a good pediatric doctor.
Mrs. Hu smiled and said, "No problem. I'll have someone send a letter to Wan'er tomorrow. Lanting is a good kid, smart and pretty, and I like him too. It's easier to recover while he's young. If you wait until he's older, some illnesses will be harder to cure."
Xu Lanyin hurriedly thanked him.
Xu Lanyin went home and told Qin and Xu Lanting what Hu said, and they were both very happy.
In the evening, Zhao Wu came back from the yamen and looked unhappy.
Xu Lanting joked, "Are you unhappy because you received too little reward?"
Zhao Wu laughed dryly, tapped his head and said, "I underestimated you, Brother Zhao." Then he said to Xu Lanyin, "I have two things to tell you today, one good and one bad. Which one do you want to hear first?"
This line is so familiar.
Xu Lanyin said, "Whatever."
Zhao Wu said, "I was transferred to work under Brother Xu, specifically in charge of public security in the county."
"It seems that's a good job, which means you will be reused." Xu Lanyin said this, but he secretly thought that suddenly transferring Constable He who was taking care of him might not be a good thing.
However, since Zhao Wu is in charge of the capital's public security, it would be easier for him to monitor the Yi Ju Restaurant.
Zhao Wu continued, "More bad news. I don't know why, but Master He used to be so nice to me, but now he's completely indifferent to me. I've spoken to him directly, but he seems to be oblivious." He scratched his head and continued, "I haven't offended him in the slightest."
Zhao Wu was very confused and his eyebrows were twisted into a rope.
Mr. He was the legal advisor of the magistrate of Min County.
Xu Lanyin thought for a moment and then asked, "How does Lord Min treat you?"
Zhao Wudao said, "I met Lord Min once these days, as usual." He added, "I'm not stupid, how could I possibly offend the county magistrate? Last time I went to talk to him about the Wang family, I was very careful with my words and didn't offend him at all. Now, his good reputation is even greater, and I have contributed to it. It's impossible for him to be dissatisfied with me."
Xu Lanyin couldn't figure out the connection either, and said suspiciously, "You might have offended Mr. He, or you might have offended Lord Min without knowing it. Lord Min is so high and mighty, no matter how unhappy he is with you, he won't openly argue with a small constable. He just needs his lackeys to give you a cold shoulder." He pursed his lips and said, "There's another possibility, you've offended someone, and someone has reported you to Lord Min."
Zhao Wu took a deep breath and said, "Could it be Captain Zhang? But I heard that I was able to be transferred to Brother Xu because he and Lord Sun recommended me." His eyes widened again and he said, "This is not in line with Captain Zhang's character. They say his mind is as small as a needle's eye. Is he deliberately transferring me away from Uncle He's control to do something bad?"
Xu Lanyin said, "That must be the case. No matter what the situation is, you must be more careful with your words and actions in the future, and never fall into other people's traps. I will find an opportunity to go to the Min family someday and tell Madam Min that you rejected the marriage proposal for Captain Zhang's daughter. If Captain Zhang really slanders you in front of Lord Min, we will explain the whole story to them. But this matter must be done without leaving any trace, so that Lord Min will not find out and be unhappy."
Qin Shi also felt worried for Zhao Wu after hearing this. She said, "They say the relationships within the government are the most complicated, and some people are incredibly wicked. You must leave the court on time, and don't hang out with them unless necessary. Don't take money you shouldn't take, even if it means offending others..."
Zhao Wu didn't want them to worry about him, so he smiled and said, "Maybe I'm just being overthinking. Aunt and sister, don't worry about me."
On the morning of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Xu Lanyin was going to the mountain to pick peach blossoms again. She wanted to make another box of peach blossom rouge and send it to Min Nan together with the two boxes of rouge she had made before.
Xu Lanting was so tired that he cried. Xu Lanyin, thinking of the peach trees at the foot of the mountain to the south, took him along. Because he was going, she also brought a gourd of hot water and two snacks.
Hanako and Mako were running beside their legs and flying above their heads respectively, which was very interesting.
After returning home, Qin made a pot of egg noodles.
After lunch, she made ointments under Qin's guidance. Qin didn't use any of the ointments, but she enjoyed making them.
Generally, people make rouge at home using the simplest method. They put the flower petals in a stone mortar and crush them finely, filter out the residue with a fine cloth, dry the juice, and add a little oil.
But Qin's method is much more complicated and uses more raw materials. The paste produced is much better, with brighter and moister color and purer fragrance.
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "These creams made by mother are better than those sold in cosmetics shops."
Qin smiled and said, "My mother is the best at making these things..." Thinking of the distant past, her eyes became empty. She stared blankly ahead for a while, sighed softly, and lowered her head to work again.
Xu Lanyin asked curiously, "Are my grandparents still alive?"
Qin acted as if she didn't hear it.
Several children in the family have asked these questions many times before, and she always has the same attitude.
Xu Lanyin had no choice but to shut up.
The next morning, the peach blossom water in the bowl had dried up, and Xu Lanyin placed the peach blossom paste into two small porcelain boxes. The pink paste had a sheen thanks to the addition of lily powder and a bit of filtered pearl powder she had ground herself.
Xu Lanyin prefers this color and this light fragrance, while most young ladies of this era prefer bright red and stronger fragrances.
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