Madam Cheng sat to the side, holding a cup of tea, but her gaze remained fixed on the embroidery frame in Wang Xiuxiu's hands.
The aroma of tea wafted through the air, yet it couldn't conceal the expectation and scrutiny in her eyes.
Wang Xiuxiu felt a little nervous when she sensed Madam Cheng's gaze, and her fingertips trembled slightly. However, she quickly adjusted her mindset and focused intently on her embroidery.
When Madam Cheng saw Wang Xiuxiu's skillful technique, with her needle moving freely through the fabric, creating layers upon layers of lifelike peony petals that seemed to exude fragrance, she was deeply moved.
She was secretly pleased, a slight smile playing on her lips. She put down her teacup and said softly, "Xiuxiu, the peony embroidery is quite good, but the shoes need to be more refined. Do you have any ideas?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu immediately stopped what she was doing and respectfully replied, "Madam, I was thinking of embroidering a blooming peony on the shoe, with layers upon layers of petals, and a pearl inlaid at the stamen, to make it look rich and grand. The upper part of the shoe can be embroidered with some branches and leaves to add a touch of liveliness."
After hearing this, Madam Cheng nodded, her smile deepening: "You have quite the ingenuity, girl. Let's do as you say. However, the pearls must be of the finest quality; don't skimp on them."
Wang Xiuxiu quickly agreed, secretly relieved.
Madam Cheng approved of her design, and the subsequent work went much more smoothly.
She spent almost all her time on these embroidered shoes.
During the day, she worked in front of Madam Cheng, and at night, after returning to her own little house, she would work late into the night, carefully considering every detail.
In the stillness of the night, with the candlelight flickering, Wang Xiuxiu's fingertips ached from being pricked by needles, but she was completely unaware of it.
She embroidered and unraveled the peony flowers on the shoe upper, unraveled and embroidered again, until every petal was lifelike before she was satisfied.
The branches and leaves on the shoe uppers were also carefully designed to complement the peony flowers.
Seeing how dedicated Wang Xiuxiu was, Madam Cheng's trust in her grew even stronger.
She would occasionally offer a few pointers, but most of the time she would just quietly watch Wang Xiuxiu work, a hint of approval in her eyes.
Finally, three days before the banquet, Wang Xiuxiu finished the embroidered shoes.
The peony flowers on the shoe upper are elegant and luxurious, the pearls at the stamens are dazzling, and the branches and leaves on the shoe upper are lively and natural. The whole shoe is both grand and exquisite.
Sometimes, she would even have someone bring Wang Xiuxiu a bowl of hot soup, reminding her not to overwork herself.
But if Granny Lu hadn't repeatedly urged her to hurry up and finish the work, Wang Xiuxiu would probably have been even more moved.
Finally, three days before the banquet, Wang Xiuxiu finished the embroidered shoes.
The peony flowers on the shoe upper are elegant and luxurious, the pearls at the stamens are dazzling, and the branches and leaves on the shoe upper are lively and natural. In short, the whole pair of shoes is both grand and exquisite.
After trying them on, Madam Cheng was very satisfied and praised them repeatedly: "Good, good! These shoes not only fit well, but the style is also excellent. Xiuxiu, you really did not disappoint me."
After hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu finally felt relieved.
She respectfully stepped aside and said in a low voice, "I'm glad you're happy, Madam. I was just doing my duty."
Madam Cheng was so fond of these embroidered shoes that she wore them to a banquet, where they indeed won the praise of many women.
At the banquet, even the wife of the education commissioner, who had always been at odds with her, took the initiative to talk to Madam Cheng, praising her shoes for their uniqueness and even asking which embroiderer had made them.
Madam Cheng was secretly pleased, but she didn't show it on her face. She just smiled faintly and said, "It was just a little maid in the manor who did it casually."
When Wang Xiuxiu returned from the banquet, Madam Cheng was in a great mood and rewarded her with two silver ingots.
As usual, Wang Xiuxiu wanted to share the reward with Granny Lu, but was unexpectedly refused.
Granny Lu was greedy for money, but she was also sensible and genuinely wanted to see her mistress do well.
Today, Madam Cheng stole the show among all the women in the family with these shoes.
Not only did he outmaneuver his arch-rival, he also won the favor of a high-ranking official's wife who was difficult to approach at the banquet.
When Granny Lu saw this, she was also grateful to Wang Xiuxiu.
"Xiuxiu, just work hard with Madam, and you'll definitely have a bright future!"
Wang Xiuxiu listened with great excitement on her face, but remained indifferent in her heart.
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She thought she could relax after this incident, but unexpectedly, Madam Cheng soon assigned her a new task.
This time the requirement was more subtle: to make a pair of embroidered shoes that were made in the same style as the peony shoes, but not exactly the same.
The subtext is that it must neither overshadow the peony shoes nor appear careless; it must be just right.
After hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu felt helpless; this was even more difficult than embroidering a brand new pair of shoes.
She sighed inwardly, but dared not show it on her face, and respectfully agreed.
Back in her little house, Wang Xiuxiu sat in front of her embroidery frame, her brows furrowed.
This task not only tested her embroidery skills, but also her mental fortitude.
If it's done too brilliantly, it might steal the spotlight from Madam Cheng's peony shoes.
If she does it too perfunctorily, Madam Cheng will think that she is not putting in enough effort.
After much deliberation, Wang Xiuxiu decided to find out the lady's preferences first before making any plans.
After much deliberation, Wang Xiuxiu meticulously crafted a pair of plum blossom embroidered shoes.
Since Madam Cheng's peony shoes are mainly dignified and elegant, these plum blossom shoes should follow a gentle and graceful style.
She decided to embroider the patterns on the uppers of the shoes, so that they wouldn't overshadow the uppers and would still be unique.
Wang Xiuxiu chose the finest satin, with elegant colors and a smooth texture. With every movement, it exuded a shimmering luster, adding a touch of cool and luxurious elegance.
The plum blossom pattern is embroidered with exquisite detail, extending slowly upwards from both sides of the shoe, lifelike, as if proudly blooming in the cold wind.
Wang Xiuxiu didn't want to give Madam Cheng the impression that these shoes were easy to make, so she deliberately took her time.
When Madam Cheng became slightly anxious, she handed over the finished product as if rushing to complete it.
Madam Cheng took the shoes, examined them carefully, and a hint of amazement flashed in her eyes.
Although these shoes are not as ornate as the peony shoes, they possess a unique, cool, and elegant beauty.
When Madam Cheng saw this, she felt a pang of reluctance.
She couldn't help but ask, "How did these shoes take so long to arrive?"
"Reporting to Madam, in order to avoid the sharp edge of the peony shoes, I designed the patterns on the uppers of these shoes. The uppers were difficult to sew, which is why it took some time."
Madam Cheng gently stroked the plum blossom pattern on the shoe upper, praising Wang Xiuxiu's ingenuity in her heart.
These shoes not only suited the lady's taste, but also showed great ingenuity.
She valued Wang Xiuxiu even more, and her tone softened considerably: "You've been working hard for many days, go back and rest."
After Wang Xiuxiu left, Madam Cheng immediately instructed Granny Lu to prepare the visiting cards.
These plum blossom shoes may be the key to her re-entry into the elite circles.
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