Wu Niang, Shiyi Niang and Wu Xiaoquan's family filed out of the door.

Everyone standing at the door seemed to be in a more relaxed mood, and the expressions on their faces softened a lot.

Wu Xiaoquan's family smiled and asked the two sisters: "I will go to my husband to get the size and style of the screen. I just don't know where to find the two young ladies later?"

To make a hundred-year-old embroidered screen, one must first determine the shape and size of the screen. Then Wu Niang will write the words to be embroidered according to the size of the screen. Shiyi Niang will select the fabric and silk thread for the screen. Then she can use the needle as a pen and start embroidering the screen according to the font written by Wu Niang, based on the warp and weft direction of the fabric.

So, at the beginning, it was a matter between Wu Xiaoquan’s family and Wu Niang.

Naturally, Eleventh Lady couldn't interfere.

She looked at Wu Niang with a smile.

Wu Niang also knew that she had promised the eldest lady a two-day period. If she did not give anything to Shiyi Niang after two days, and if Shiyi Niang could not produce anything by then, then it would all be her responsibility.

This is not the time to be polite.

"If you don't mind, why don't you come over to my place and have a seat!" She smiled at Shiyi Niang, "My place is closer to mother, and later Mother Wu can go and give her a reply."

Wu Niang lived in Jiaoyuan, west of the main house, and it took less than a cup of tea to get there.

"Sister, you are really thoughtful." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Then I'm sorry to bother you, sister!"

"We are sisters, why should we be so polite? It makes us seem strange." Wu Niang said with a smile, "You stay in your room doing needlework every day, and you never go anywhere except to the eldest lady's place. You are a distinguished guest that I cannot invite. I wish you would come and bother me every day."

Eleventh Lady laughed and said, "Then I won't be polite to my sister!"

Wu Xiaoquan's family also agreed with Wu Niang's decision: "In that case, I will go to Miss Wu's Jiaoyuan to report back later."

Wu Niang and Shiyi Niang nodded: "It's so cold, thank you for your hard work, mom!"

"Miss, what are you saying? This is my job!" Wu Xiaoquan's family said a few polite words and turned to look for their wife.

Eleventh Lady instructed Bin Ju who was standing by the side: "Go tell Dong Qing that Sister Amber who is by Mother's side will come to our house to work from now on. Ask her to ask someone to prepare a place for Sister Amber to rest, and then go to Mother's place to greet her - to see if Sister Amber can help. I still have to go to Fifth Sister's place to wait for Mother Wu's screen. Spread the word, and then go to Fifth Miss to find me!"

Ever since she knew that the eldest wife had sent Amber to Eleventh Lady, Binju felt very upset and wanted to fly back to Lvjun Tower to discuss with Dongqing what to do. Now that Eleventh Lady asked her to go back and tell Dongqing the news, it was exactly what she wanted. She said "yes" respectfully and left in a hurry.

Wu Niang looked at Bin Ju's back with a twinkle in her eyes and said with a smile, "Sister, you are so polite!"

"After all, she has served mother." Shiyi Niang smiled gently, "She must have been wronged by me. If we don't treat her better, I'm afraid Sister Amber will feel wronged and reject mother's kindness in vain!"

Wu Niang looked at her deeply, then took her to Jiao Garden with a smile.

Jiaoyuan was located to the west of the main house of Zhiyun Pavilion. It had three rooms and two entrances, with a patio in the middle. Several banana trees were taller than the house, so it was originally called Jiaoyuan. Later, it became the residence of the eldest daughter Luo Yuanniang. The eldest wife thought the name was not good, because "jiao" and "jiao" are the same as "jiao", so she changed the name to "Jiaoyuan". After Yuanniang got married, the eldest wife placed Wuniang there. In order to respect her sister, Wuniang kept the second entrance building where Yuanniang lived, and had people clean it day and night, just like Yuanniang was at home. She moved into the first entrance building, and used the middle as a place for daily sitting and resting, the east as a study, and the west for the maids and mothers. She and the two big maids Ziyuan and Ziwei lived on the second floor.

After entering the door, Ziwei came to greet them with two maids.

After greeting each other, Wu Niang and Shiyi Niang sat down in order of importance. The maids served tea, and Ziwei served bright yellow tangerines on a crystal plate: "This was a gift from the eldest lady the other day. Miss Shiyi, please have a taste."

"Silly girl," Wu Niang glanced at Shiyi Niang, "The Madam rewarded me, so she naturally rewarded Shiyi Niang as well. There's no need for you to be so attentive to her."

Ziwei smiled and said, "Miss Eleven has it. It belongs to Miss Eleven. This is our intention."

Eleventh Lady smiled brightly, peeling an orange in her hand. "There are many people at my place, and a few Fengxian oranges are like ginseng fruits, which are gone in the blink of an eye. I was just feeling sleepy when Sister Ziwei brought out a plate. It's like a person who is sleepy and finds a pillow. What a thoughtful offer!"

Her fingers were slender and white like green onions, and the golden orange peels fluttered between her fingers, which were as gorgeous as the rosy clouds.

Wu Niang's gaze couldn't help but fall on Shiyi Niang's face.

Her hair is as black as crow, her skin is as white as fresh snow, her eyes are like autumn water, her lips are as red as a dot... When did Eleventh Lady become so beautiful!

She felt dazed.

Eleventh Lady's gentle and soothing voice sounded in my ears again: "There are exactly one hundred 'Shou' characters. Have you thought about how to write them? Do you want to write a big 'Shou' character in the middle and then write ninety-nine small 'Shou' characters behind it? Or do you want to arrange ten 'Shou' characters in each row? After thinking about it, I think these two designs are good. I wonder which one you think is better? Do you have any good ideas that I can't think of?"

Wu Niang was shocked and came to her senses.

What does it matter if she is beautiful? If she cannot marry into a good family, and time takes its toll on her, she will probably end up in a different situation, which will only make people laugh. But if she wants to marry well, she needs the approval of the first wife...

She smiled and stood up: "Sister, come with me."

*

Wu Niang's study was spacious, but there were only two pieces of furniture in the room - one was a large black lacquer painting table by the window. On the table was a pile of calligraphy works by famous people, four or five inkstones, and a sky-blue old kiln brush holder with more than a dozen brushes of varying thicknesses. The other was a black lacquer chaise longue against the wall, covered with a brocade cushion with autumn-colored cloud patterns that was neither old nor new. It was inevitably empty and looked a bit deserted.

Eleventh Lady rubbed her hands and said, "Sister, why don't you light a brazier? What should I do when practicing calligraphy? I can't do that. If I want to embroider, I have to light a brazier." As she said that, she laughed, "However, the place I live in is only as big as sister's study, and maids and wives often ask me to help with needlework. Even if I don't light a brazier, we can squeeze together to work and it won't be cold."

Wu Niang knew that Shiyi Niang was good at embroidery, and the maids, wives and old women in the family all liked to look for her, either to help with embroidery or to give her advice on embroidery. After hearing this, they joked, "How can my place compare to the bustling crowds at your place!"

Eleventh Lady smiled a little embarrassedly. She pointed to the pen with the thickest barrel in the sea of ​​pens and said, "Sis, when did you start writing big characters? I remember that you like to write hairpin flower small regular script the most."

Wu Niang smiled and said, "My sister and I had the same idea - we wanted to write a big 'Shou' character in cursive script in the middle, and then write ninety-nine smaller 'Shou' characters in small regular script next to it..."

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but be surprised.

Wu Niang's words were equivalent to hinting to Shiyi Niang that she had long known what birthday gift the eldest wife was going to give to the wife of Yongping Marquis...How could she know so early? Either the eldest wife told her, or someone who knew the eldest wife's thoughts had tipped her off. If it was the former, it meant that she was more favored by the eldest wife than Shiyi Niang. The eldest wife not only told her about her plan, but also asked her to prepare in advance, so as not to lose face when the time came; if it was the latter, it meant that she had an extraordinary relationship with many respectable maids and mothers, which was not comparable to Shiyi Niang!

No matter which one it is, expressing it this way is a naked demonstration!

Before Wu Niang finished speaking, a regretful expression appeared on her face, as if she regretted what she had just said. She said hastily, "You know me. I like calligraphy. When I have nothing to do, I like to think about these things..."

It seems like he is trying to cover up his mistake.

Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded after hearing this: "Sister has always been smart, I can't compare to her."

It was not as bitter or gloomy as Wu Niang had predicted.

It seemed as if he had no doubts at all about Wu Niang's "liking to think about these things when she has nothing to do".

Wu Niang couldn't help but feel discouraged.

Every time I talk to her, it's like punching cotton, without any sense of accomplishment. Unlike Shi Niang, who is full of anger but dares not to vent...

She found it very boring, and took out several drafts she had written before to show to Eleventh Lady: "...This one is what we all mentioned just now, with a big longevity character in the middle and ninety-nine small longevity characters on the sides...This one is written in a diamond shape, with small regular script in the middle and official script on the edges...This one is written in a circle, all in small regular script..."

As they were talking, Ziyuan brought a brocade stool to Shiyi Niang.

Just as Eleventh Lady sat down, Wu Xiaoquan and his family arrived.

Ziwei and Ziyuan were busy serving tea and snacks and carrying brocade stools. It took a while before the three of them sat down to talk.

"This is the one I drew earlier according to the eldest lady's wishes." Wu Xiaoquan's family took a piece of kraft paper and showed it to Wu Niang. "The base is made of boxwood with eight hundred children of Peng Zu carved on it, and the frame is made of chicken wing wood..."

"Why not use yellow pear wood?" Wu Niang interrupted Wu Xiaoquan's family, "Since the base is made of boxwood, it might not be a good idea to use chicken wing wood for the frame, right?"

Boxwood is yellowish in color, while wenge is dark red in color.

"Who said it wasn't?" Wu Xiaoquan's daughter was originally a maidservant of the eldest wife. She learned to read and write, so she had some basic appreciation skills. "Originally, I had other ideas. One was to replace the base with red sandalwood, the same color as chicken wing wood. But now yellow pear wood is hard to find, let alone red sandalwood. This method is definitely not feasible. The second is to replace the base with chicken wing wood, so that the frame and the base are made of the same material, which is the best. My wife happened to have an impression that there seemed to be one at home that could be used. When I went to the warehouse to pick it up, I found out that last time when the mother of Mr. Huang, the Zhejiang Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, had a birthday, the master asked someone to carve a birthday star as a birthday gift. The eldest wife made a hasty decision on this matter, and there was no wood on the market for the time being. She left letters with several familiar wood dealers, but there has been no reply so far."

Wu Niang couldn't help but frowned when she heard this: "Who decided this? It's too rude! Does mother know?"

(New book...(*^__^*) Hehehe... Click, recommend, and collect it!)