The busiest street in the West Market is Zhengyang Street, where a wide variety of goods are on display, attracting many people.
Meiyun Clothing Store occupies a three-story building here, with eight adjacent storefronts.
"Let's take a look around here." The old lady stopped in front of the ornately decorated clothing store.
Meiyun Clothing Shop opened its doors wide. Inside this magnificent ancient clothing shop, silks and satins fluttered gently like clouds and mist.
Sunlight streamed through the delicate window frames, casting a dazzling glow on the colorful fabrics. Inside the workshop, the embroiderers meticulously crafted lifelike patterns with perfectly balanced colors, showcasing their exceptional embroidery skills.
The walls of the room were covered with all kinds of gorgeous clothes, some embroidered with intricate dragon and phoenix patterns, and others with delicate flowers, birds, fish and insects. These clothes were not only made of fine fabrics, but also exquisitely crafted, with every detail reflecting the artisans' dedication and hard work.
In the center of the workshop, beside a huge workbench, several craftsmen were busy cutting and sewing clothes. The scissors and needles in their hands glittered in the sunlight, as if dancing a graceful dance. Around them, the embroiderers were focused intently on their work, their needles flying across the fabric with meticulous care.
In a corner of the clothing store, rows of colorful fabrics were displayed, emitting a faint scent of dye. These fabrics came from various places and varied in texture; some were as soft as gauze, while others were as heavy as brocade, making one want to explore them further.
In her previous life, Li Xi was a fashion designer who, despite not being able to afford them, had visited many luxury stores.
This was the first time she had ever seen such a traditional yet luxurious clothing store, and she looked around like a country bumpkin. Seeing her like this, Meng Zhelan couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
"Ling'er, look, Lan'er is making fun of me again. I'll tell my godfather later," Li Xi said, pretending to be angry.
"You two are just being cheeky again." Ling'er, arm in arm with the old lady, looked at the two of them with a smile.
Perhaps because it was lunchtime, there weren't many people in the shop at the moment.
Before long, the innkeeper came to greet them. She was a woman in her early thirties, dressed in purple with her hair styled in a woman's bun. "Greetings to our distinguished guests. What would you like to try?"
The shopkeeper was clearly a tactful and considerate person. He did not look down on the four women because of their simple attire. He was humble, polite, and knew how to behave appropriately.
The old lady was also satisfied and said, "My grandsons are preparing to attend the coming-of-age ceremony of the eldest daughter of a powerful family. I wonder what the shopkeeper thinks would be suitable for them?"
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper perked up and led the group upstairs. "Honorable guests, please take a look. This blue emerald green dress, paired with a floral floral pleated skirt and a light blue emerald green veil, is worn by a young lady of exceptional beauty. She would look absolutely stunning in it. Why don't you try it on?"
The shopkeeper's mouth was like that of a crosstalk performer from a certain online comedy troupe; he could talk non-stop, making it hard for anyone to refuse.
"Try putting it on," the old lady suggested.
Meng Zhelan was already gentle and beautiful, and this outfit made her look even more fresh and refined.
"Wow, Sister Lan'er, you're like a fairy descended from heaven." Forgive Li Xi for her limited vocabulary; in terms of ancient literacy, she was practically illiterate.
"It is indeed very appropriate, shopkeeper. Do you have any jewelry to match?" The old lady looked her up and down and felt that it was lacking in accessories.
"Madam, you have a good eye indeed. What do you think of these?" The shopkeeper took out several trays of gold, silver and jewelry from the cabinet for the four of them to choose from.
"Honorable sir, what do you think of this butterfly hair ornament?" The shopkeeper was referring to a hair ornament with dangling tassels and silver threads wrapped around gemstones.
"The craftsmanship is indeed exquisite, but perhaps a bit too ornate; it's not really suitable for a banquet." The old lady picked up a pearl and jade hairpin and placed it in Meng Zhelan's hair.
"The old lady has a good eye. This hairpin was made by the most famous craftsman in the capital, who spent half a month crafting it."
The old lady looked at the hairpin and felt it looked increasingly familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
Ling'er tried on a light purple dress, embroidered with small pale pink gardenias. Paired with a light purple beaded flower, it made her appear even more graceful and delicate.
Li Xi simply picked out some men's clothing at random, as long as it didn't go wrong.
The three of them also selected three or four autumn outfits for the old lady. She didn't have many clothes to begin with, but she took this opportunity to pick out quite a few. They paid extra to have the shopkeeper bring out the clothes for them the next day.
It cost about three hundred taels in total, not much. Li Xi took out a five-hundred-tael silver note and each person selected a few sets of clothes. "Manager, I'll arrange for someone to come and pick up the rest in ten days. Is that enough time?"
"That's enough, sir. Don't worry, our embroiderers and tailors are among the best in Kyoto." The shopkeeper was particularly pleased with this customer who didn't haggle, and his attitude became even more respectful.
"Anyone can come in here. It seems this clothing store is nothing special." The speaker was a brightly dressed woman. Her hair ornaments glittered with gold, and she looked like someone from a wealthy family. She was accompanied by two maids.
Hearing the voice, the shopkeeper became a little anxious. He walked over to the woman and said in a calm tone, "Greetings, Miss Yu. We just received a few bolts of Yun brocade today, and the embroiderers have embroidered some designs. Would you like to take a look and see what styles you would like to have made?"
She was clearly a foul-mouthed and ill-mannered person, so Li Xi and the others ignored her and headed downstairs.
"Hey, you lowly commoners! I'm talking to you! How dare you ignore me?" The woman was furious and ordered her maid to step forward and stop the group.
“Miss Yu, these are also customers of our shop. Why don’t I take you to see those bolts of brocade? The crimson one is particularly beautiful and would complement your complexion perfectly. The daughter of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice said yesterday that she came to pick out some new fabrics. What do you think?” The shopkeeper had already racked his brains to persuade the woman.
"What? That Wu Yutong dares to compete with me? Take me there right now, I'm buying them all, I won't leave her a single one!" The woman stormed off with the shopkeeper.
Seeing this, Meng Zhelan pulled Li Xi and the others away. She even wanted to draw her sword when she saw Li Xi. This capital city was full of powerful and influential people; ordinary citizens couldn't afford to offend them.
"Xiao Xi, if that woman hadn't left, were you planning to teach her a lesson?" The old lady looked at Li Xi, wanting to say something to her.
She definitely knows she can't hit people randomly; after all, she comes from a society governed by the rule of law. She was just itching to do it!
"Don't worry, we certainly can't do anything that disregards the law in broad daylight." That doesn't mean we can't play pranks on her secretly, just make sure she doesn't find an opportunity.
“You are all good children, and Grandma believes you know what you’re doing. Remember, the most important thing is to protect yourselves,” the old lady said with a meaningful sigh.
Having finally managed to get out, the four of them strolled around the West Market. There were many quirky and unusual things there, and quite a few foreigners, indicating that maritime trade had begun in this era.
She remembered the booklet she had drawn, and wondered if the brothers of the Hidden Sect had found it.
Ling'er suggested having a meal at Qing'an Restaurant before going back, as she had long wanted to try it and see what the dishes were like.
"You truly are a qualified chef. Ling'er, you're so dedicated, you deserve a bigger bonus at the end of the year," Li Xi said with a smile, looking at Ling'er.
"Okay, I remember what you said." Ling'er teased her.
Meng Zhelan pulled Tian Tian down to sit. "Tian Tian, don't be so reserved. We're all family."
Li Xi naturally picked out two outfits for Tian Tian as a surprise.
After a satisfying meal, everyone was extremely happy and bought a lot of strange and unusual trinkets and pastries before finally deciding to head home.
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