Time is money, and anyone in the know can see its value. This drawing technique was something he had never seen before.
He looked up at Lin Yun, his eyes filled with eagerness: "Miss, how many of these designs are left? I want them all! Name your price!"
Lin Yun calmly asked, "There are still 20 sets left. How much do you think they're worth, sir?"
The owner pondered for a moment, then held up five fingers: "Fifty taels of silver, how about that?" A normal drawing would only be worth one tael of silver, and 30 drawings would cost 50 taels. He thought he was giving a fair price, at least he wasn't ripping them off.
Mr. Lin gasped. Fifty taels of silver—that was the family's income for many years!
Lin Yun gently shook her head: "Master, you are joking. The value of these designs is far more than that."
The young owner squinted: "How many do you want?"
Lin Yun smiled slightly: "One hundred taels, plus a 10% cut for every garment sold in the future."
The landlord suddenly stood up: "That's impossible!"
Lin Yun calmly put away the pattern: "In that case, let's find another buyer."
The owner's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. He knew that once these designs entered the market, they would create a sensation. What if a competitor got their hands on them…
He gritted his teeth and finally nodded: "Alright! One hundred taels it is! But we need to discuss the commission."
Knowing she couldn't push too hard, Lin Yun backed down: "How about we change the commission to the first three months?"
The head of the household breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "Deal!"
So the shopkeeper drafted the profit-sharing document, signed and sealed it, and then took it to the official filing office—quite a busy job.
When Lin's father heard "one hundred taels," he was stunned. He sat motionless in his chair, unable to even breathe.
After finalizing the deal, the client began to inquire: "My surname is Xie, and my given name is Yu. May I ask your name, young lady..."
Lin Yun smiled slightly, curtsied, and said, "My surname is Lin, and I am the second child in my family. Please call me Second Madam Lin, Master Xie." She then took her father's arm and said, "This is my father."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. You are truly blessed to have such a smart and capable daughter," Xie Yu said, feigning maturity.
Lin's father then came to his senses: Huh? Huh! Huh? Who am I? Where am I? ...What did you say?
Xie Yu wasn't surprised. After all, country folk earned only a few copper coins a day; they'd never seen so much money before. Xie Yu smiled and looked at Lin Yun.
The girl was dressed simply, and although she was only thirteen or fourteen years old, she could not hide her natural elegance and charm.
Especially her eyes, clear as water yet unfathomable, completely unlike the timidity of an ordinary village girl.
His heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive: "So it's Miss Lin. Your designs are truly exquisite. May I ask who your teacher was?"
Lin Yun knew the other party was testing her, so she said casually, "It's just a little gadget I tinkered with in my spare time. I hope you'll forgive my rudeness, Master Xie."
She deliberately lowered her eyes, feigning shyness, but in her heart she was plotting how to take the opportunity to find out the details of Jinxiufang.
Xie Dongjia found it even more interesting that she avoided answering his question.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said casually, "Your skills are unparalleled in the county. If you have the chance, you might as well come to Jinxiufang more often."
Lin Yun sensed the recruiting intent in his words and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kind words, sir. I was just lucky to have drawn a few decent designs."
She paused, then asked with feigned innocence, "The embroiderers at Jinxiu Workshop must all be extremely skilled, right?"
A hint of pride flashed in Xie Yu's eyes: "That's for sure. The embroiderers at Jinxiu Workshop are all carefully selected from all over the country." He suddenly lowered his voice, "However, talent like yours is rare."
Lin Yun feigned shyness and lowered her head, but inwardly she sneered: This Master Xie is so young yet already manages Jinxiufang; he's definitely no pushover. She had to be careful not to let him see through her.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Xie Dongjia suddenly changed the subject: "Where does Miss Lin live? If it's convenient, I'll send someone to pick up the drawings another day, so you won't have to go through all that trouble."
Lin Yun's heart tightened, but she smiled calmly: "We're from a humble family, and I'm afraid it would offend the master's ears if I said it. I'll deliver it myself, and I can also learn a thing or two from the embroiderers in the workshop."
Seeing that she was so meticulous, Xie Dongjia had no choice but to give up.
He stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "In that case, I, Xie, will await your good news, young lady."
Lin Yun curtsied and took her leave, a slight smile playing on her lips as she turned—this Master Xie might become an important pawn in her plans. Master Xie, watching her departing figure, a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes: This girl is interesting.
---
When he walked out of the shop, Lin's father's hands were still trembling.
He clutched the hundred-tael silver note tightly, trembling as he put it into his pocket, and then walked with uneven steps, which upon closer inspection revealed that he was walking with his hands and feet moving in unison.
He seemed to be dreaming: "Yun'er, we...we really made so much money?"
Looking at her father's worthless appearance, Lin Yun smiled slightly, stepped forward and took his arm, and whispered, "Dad, this is just the beginning."
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