News of Lin's Clothing Shop spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns of Shangyang County.
"Have you heard? That little girl from the Lin family has reduced her business to just a hundred members!" Manager Liu of the silk shop sneered, holding his teacup.
"She's just a woman, her courage is smaller than the eye of a needle." He shook his head, as if he could already foresee the tragic fate of the Lin family cutting off their own source of income.
Mr. Zhao, the boss at the next table, narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingertips on the table: "Brother Liu, have you forgotten that one of her dresses is worth ten bolts of cloth to you? That's called 'rarity makes things valuable'."
He took a sip of tea, his expression meaningful, "Besides... at the tasting event that day, the young master of the Xie family personally came to our door and spent a fortune."
Before he finished speaking, the expressions of the people around him changed.
Meanwhile, in the embroidery workshop in the west of the city, several master craftsmen were examining a replica of a Lin family dress.
“The stitching is ordinary, but the fabric…” Wang Xiuniang stroked the hem of her dress, her brows furrowed.
"It became even softer and brighter after being soaked in water, as if it were mixed with moonlight!" Everyone looked at each other in disbelief—this skill was something they couldn't steal.
---
In the backyard of the Lin residence, the morning dew had not yet dried.
Lin Yun poured tea from the teapot, and a wisp of spiritual spring water silently mixed into the water.
The spring water was clear and cool, melting on the lips. When Lin's mother took the teacup, she couldn't help but exclaim, "This Biluochun tea is exceptionally fragrant and mellow today!"
Recently, the fine lines around her eyes have faded a bit, and her long-standing cough has not recurred.
"Mother, drink as much as you like." Lin Yun smiled, her gaze sweeping over her father's increasingly straight back.
She never spoke of the matter of the spiritual spring, after all, if this secret were to get out... Her fingertips trembled, and the teapot almost tipped over.
"Miss!" Xiao Tao rushed in, clutching a stack of invitation cards. "The Chen family and the Li family have both sent invitations, saying they want to discuss cooperation! And this one..."
She lowered her voice, "The Xie family's butler delivered it personally, saying he's inviting you to admire the lotus blossoms tomorrow."
Lin Yun unfolded the gold-embossed invitation. Xie Yu's handwriting was sharp as a knife: "The lotus breeze carries fragrance, and the bamboo dew drips with a clear sound. I look forward to a chat with you, young lady." She scoffed lightly; this guy certainly knew how to feign elegance.
“I rejected them all.” She closed the invitation, her eyes cold and clear. “I told them I was in seclusion designing a new design and would not be seeing anyone for the time being.”
Xiao Tao's eyes widened: "But that's the Xie family..."
"It's precisely because it's the Xie family that we need to be even more wary," Lin Yun said, looking out the window.
Amidst the swaying shadows of the trees, a dark figure seemed to flash by—ever since the tasting event, she had felt like she was being watched.
---
Three days later, outside the county school
Lin Feng, carrying a heavy bundle, sweat dripping from his chin, said, "Little sister, are you sure Third Brother needs ten catties of pastries? That's enough for him to eat until he passes the imperial examination!"
Lin Yun smiled without saying a word, carrying the food box. The pastries inside were all made with spiritual spring water, and even the earthenware pot for holding the soup contained a hidden secret. Her third brother had been studying hard and was exhausted; he needed to replenish his energy.
The bamboo curtain of the academy swayed slightly, and a slender young man strode out. Fourteen-year-old Lin Yan was dressed in a long blue cloth robe, the cuffs of which were already frayed, but his eyes burned with a bright light: "Big brother, second sister!" He took the food box, his fingertips calloused from years of holding a pen.
"Did you stay up late again?" Lin Yun brushed away the stray hairs from his shoulder, her brows furrowing with concern.
Lin Yan grinned, revealing two tiger teeth: "My teacher said I'm ready, and I'm sure I'll pass this year's imperial examination in one fell swoop!"
He suddenly lowered his voice, "Sister, the classmates are all talking about... the Lin family shop. But they don't know it's mine." After all, the surname Lin isn't anything special.
Raymond Lam raised an eyebrow: "Praise or criticism?"
"Half of them laugh at our arrogance, while the other half—" the boy blinked, "even the headmaster's wife is inquiring about how to join!"
"This..." Has the audience been that wide? Even the academy knows about it.
"Okay, I got it. I'll bring you a few gold membership cards later. I'll give one to the headmaster's wife, and you can decide what to do with the rest. Just don't let the news leak out."
"Thank you, sister." Lin Yan felt a mix of emotions; her second sister had become confident and beautiful.
She seems like a wealthy businesswoman; that feeling... isn't bad.
He grew up too fast, even his younger brother couldn't keep up, let alone others.
The three of them burst into laughter. As the sun rose higher, Lin Yun slipped a sachet embroidered with "Achieving Success in the Imperial Examination" into her younger brother's hand: "Focus on your studies, we'll take care of things at home."
The sachet is finely stitched, and a subtle fragrance wafts through the air.
Lin Yan was unaware that the silk thread had been soaked in the spiritual spring all night.
On the carriage ride back, Lin Feng suddenly leaned closer: "Little sister, tell your big brother the truth... is there some secret recipe for our family's fabrics?"
The wheels rolled over the gravel, the rumbling sound drowning out Lin Yun's momentarily disordered breathing.
"Why do you say that, brother?" She casually lifted the carriage curtain.
In the distance, the same carriage that had come with them was trailing far behind, following them like a shadow.
Who exactly is it?
"Everyone outside says our fabrics or embroiderers have a secret recipe, making our clothes look different when you walk in them," Lin Feng's voice trailed off.
He continued, "Chen Yu's steward was carried into the clinic this morning. It's said that the spies he sent to keep an eye on our shop all perished in the alley—their joints were all shattered."
Lin Yun clenched her hands tightly inside her sleeves.
She had never used such ruthless methods before.
So, who exactly is secretly protecting the Lin family...?
"Brother, we need to move quickly." I always feel uneasy living behind the shop.
"I know, I have an appointment with the real estate agent to look at apartments this afternoon. Do you want to come with me?" Lin Feng asked.
"I'm not going. You go first, brother. Once you've seen enough, then Mom and Dad can watch with you."
"Remember, it has to be a quiet, safe place. I'm fine with anything else." Lin Yun wasn't familiar with the area, so she didn't follow along; she had many other things to do.
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