Chapter 87 Looking for Trouble
The county magistrate's words were golden, and Mr. Su was full of affection. This drama taking place in front of the Pingjiang Embroidery Workshop was a hundred times more exciting than the competition at the Yingke Tower.
When the county magistrate and the second concubine and their entourage left satisfied, Master Zhou, who had been so arrogant just now but now looked as pale as death, could no longer face the situation. He put his tail between his legs and ran away in disgrace amid the undisguised ridicule of the people around him.
Feng Lan looked at his disheveled figure without a trace of sympathy. She helped her three daughters up and looked at their flushed faces, which were flushed with excitement. She felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and pride.
"Chen Ya, Chen Hui, Chen Ling."
Feng Lan whispered her daughters' new names, her eyes moistened. "Great, that's great. From today on, you are all daughters of the Chen family, not just the first, second, and third daughters."
"Mom..." Chen Ya, no, I should call her Chen Ya now.
She looked at Feng Lan, then secretly glanced in the direction where Su Wenbin left. Her heart was still pounding, and the blush on her face would not fade away.
"A beautiful lady is a good match for a gentleman... Oh, sister, Master Su is confessing his love to you!"
Chen Ling, also known as San Ya, was the most outspoken. She slid closer to her eldest sister with a wink and said with a mischievous smile, "Chen Ya, the name Yao is so beautiful! Why don't I have this blessing?"
Chen Hui (Er Ya) also smiled and gently pushed Chen Ling: "You are the one who talks too much. Big sister is thin-skinned, so stop teasing her."
The family was beaming with joy behind closed doors. Chen Kangbo was even more delighted, patting one daughter's head, then patting another's shoulder, muttering to himself, "Chen Ya, Chen Hui, Chen Ling, such nice names! They are truly my good daughters, Chen Kangbo!"
This strange story quickly spread throughout the county. Everyone said that the Chen family of the East Courtyard was really lucky. Not only was their business booming, but their daughters had been given names by the county magistrate himself, and their eldest daughter had even been favored by the magistrate's wife's aristocratic nephew. They were simply about to soar to fame!
A few days later, Su Wenbin came again.
This time, he did not come empty-handed, but brought many fine silks and novel embroidery patterns from the capital. He did not go directly to Chen Ya, but first respectfully paid a visit to Feng Lan and Chen Kangbo.
"Uncle, aunt," Su Wenbin said humbly and sincerely, "I came here to ask for a favor."
"Mr. Su, you are too polite. If you have anything to say, just tell me."
Feng Lan understood everything clearly and politely asked him to sit down.
Su Wenbin then explained his purpose:
"My nephew sees that the embroidery workshop is doing a booming business, but the embroidery styles are ultimately limited to Pingjiang County. If we want to take it to the next level, we need to learn from others."
"In half a month, the capital will hold the largest fabric and embroidery exchange meeting in Jiangnan. Famous embroidery masters from all the major embroidery shops will gather together. I think if Miss Chen Ya could go with us and see the top embroidery workers and the latest fabrics with her own eyes, it would be of great benefit to the future of our embroidery workshop."
His words were flawless and were entirely based on the perspective of the embroidery workshop's business. They not only reflected his foresight, but also gave the Chen family enough face, leaving no room for any selfish thoughts.
But Feng Lan still hesitated.
Letting her daughter travel alone with a young man, to the capital city thousands of miles away? This was extremely risky and against the rules at the time. She subconsciously wanted to refuse. She would rather have a smaller business than let her daughter take any risks, and she didn't want her to be gossiped about.
She opened her mouth and was about to speak, but unexpectedly, Chen Ya, who had been standing quietly with her head down, suddenly raised her head.
"Dad, Mom, I'm willing to go."
Chen Ya's voice was not loud, but every word was extremely clear and firm.
Feng Lan and Chen Kangbo were both stunned. They looked at their eldest daughter in disbelief.
Chen Ya took a step forward and bowed deeply to her parents.
"Dad, Mom, I know what you are worried about." She raised her head, and her bright eyes sparkled with a light she had never seen before.
"Our family's embroidery skills might be considered good in Pingjiang Village and Pingjiang County, but I know it's far from enough. Just like my mother said, we can't always be frogs in a well."
"Mr. Su is right. I need to go out and see how big the world is and what the best embroidery skills are like. If I stay here and stay complacent, my skills will never improve and my embroidery workshop will always be just a small shop in the county town."
She took a deep breath, her eyes sweeping over her parents and her sisters. Her voice trembled slightly, yet it was filled with strength. "Before, it was Mom and Dad who protected us. Now that I've grown up, I want to learn how to support this family. I want my embroidery skills to spread beyond Pingjiang County, so that everyone will know the name of Pingjiang Embroidery Workshop. I want to be someone you can rely on, not just a child hiding behind you forever."
These words, like a stone, hit Feng Lan's heart hard.
She looked at her daughter in front of her and suddenly felt that she had really grown up.
She is no longer the timid girl who only knows how to sew.
She has her own ideas and ambitions, and she wants a broader sky.
As a mother, what else can I do besides helping my child?
Feng Lan's eyes were red again. She walked forward and hugged Chen Ya tightly: "Good child...it was my mother who was thinking too much. Go ahead, I support you! Whatever you want to do, just go for it!"
On the day of departure, Feng Lan got up early to pack Chen Ya's luggage. She stuffed a large bag full of food, clothes, and daily necessities, fearing that she would be wronged outside.
At the door of the embroidery workshop, Su Wenbin had already prepared the carriage.
Feng Lan held Su Wenbin's hand and gave him many instructions: "Wenbin, our daughter...our daughter Chen Ya has never been far away from home since she was a child, and she is very introverted. I'll leave it to you to take care of her along the way. If she does anything wrong, please bear with her and don't let her suffer any injustice..."
She kept on talking, tears welling up in her eyes but refused to fall.
"Aunt, don't worry." Su Wenbin solemnly bowed to Feng Lan and Chen Kangbo.
"I, Su Wenbin, swear hereby that I will take good care of Miss Chen Ya and bring her back safely. If she loses even a hair, I will be the only one you will hold responsible!"
Watching her daughter get on the carriage, lift the curtain, and wave goodbye to her, Feng Lan felt both reluctant and proud.
After the carriage had gone far away, Chen Kangbo put his arm around his wife's shoulders and said to her in a soothing voice, "Okay, the child has grown up and will eventually go out and explore the world. With Wenbin here, nothing will happen to him."
Feng Lan nodded and wiped the corners of her eyes, but as soon as she turned around, she pulled Chen Kangbo back to the house. There was no sadness of parting on her face at all, but instead she looked like she was going to do something big.
"Kang Bo, we have to prepare Daya's dowry quickly!"
"Ah?" Chen Kangbo didn't react for a moment.
"What?" Feng Lan rolled her eyes at him. "Look at the look in Wenbin's eyes. He can't wait to hold our daughter in his mouth. When they return from the capital, it's only a matter of time before they propose marriage! We have to prepare in advance so we don't get caught off guard when the time comes. My daughter's dowry must be the most magnificent in the entire county!"
Chen Ling, who was hiding behind the door and eavesdropping, couldn't help but stick her head out and asked curiously, "Mom, my eldest sister just left, and you're already thinking about the dowry. Isn't that too early?"
Feng Lan glanced back at her, suddenly smiled, and asked, "What about you? My third daughter, Little Chef Chen Ling, do you have any young men you like? Do you want me to look for some for you?"
"Me?" Chen Ling immediately shook her head like a rattle when she heard this. "Mom, please stop teasing me! I only have my little stall on my mind right now and I just want to make a lot of money! Men and the like will only slow me down!"
Chen Ling did what she said. The next morning, she hummed a little tune and carefully counted the copper coins in her small money box, feeling very happy.
Her elder sister had gone to the provincial capital to see the world, so she couldn't be left behind.
She figured that with the weather getting hotter, selling only sour plum soup and mung bean paste wasn't enough anymore, so she needed to develop new products. For example, she could use fresh fruit to make iced sherbet, or make a sweet and refreshing white fungus and lotus seed soup, which would surely fetch a good price.
She pocketed the money she had saved with great difficulty, carried a small bamboo basket, and ran to the market with high spirits.
But she never expected that she would run into a plague god when she went out today without checking the almanac.
She had just walked up to the fruit stand and spotted a basket of freshly picked green plums, crisp and juicy, perfect for making sour plum soup. She was about to bargain with the owner when a greasy voice rang out behind her.
"Boss, I want all the plums in this basket!"
When Chen Ling turned around, she saw a face that made her feel sick - Chef Wang from the Yingke Building.
He had a big belly and squinted eyes, and was followed by two kitchen helpers, looking like a bully.
Chen Ling frowned, not wanting to argue with him, and turned to look at the hawthorns next to her. But as soon as she reached out her hand, Chef Wang came over again and waved his hand: "These hawthorns, too!"
From then on, whatever Chen Ling saw, Chef Wang would grab. Fresh osmanthus flowers, plump lotus seeds, even mung beans for making mung bean paste, he bought them all first.
It's obvious that he is here to cause trouble!
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