The Female Supporting Role Shows Out - Chapter 90
Translator: NovelMultiverse | Editor: NovelMultiverse
The next day, Xu Ling rushed into Meng Clan Embroidery Shop with a group of servants. Seeing her angry face, the shopkeeper knew that she was coming to make trouble, so he hurried to stop her, but was kicked away.
“Meng Si, Meng Si, come out!” She rushed into the VIP room on the second floor and shouted.
“Miss Xu, what can I do for you?” Meng Si and Li Jiarong walked out of the screen together, followed by Li Xiudian and Meng Zhong. The four of them frowned and looked unhappy, but they didn’t dare to lose their temper because of Xu Ling’s identity. Her father had been guarding the city for many years, killing countless bandits. The pamphlet recording his military achievements was piled up as high as a man, which could be said to be the real local emperor of the city. Li Ran is Imperial Concubine Min’s brother. So what? He had to yield to Admiral Xu when he came to the province.
“What’s the matter with me? Look at the tattered embroidery by yourself!” Xu Ling threw the valuable peony dress on the ground, and said angrily, “I made a fool of myself yesterday with your dress. Are you the best embroider in the city? Do you think you are qualified?!”
“Is there anything wrong with this dress?” Meng Si picked up the dress, looking worried.
Liu Xiudian looked at her sympathetically and reproached, “Miss Xu, let’s have a talk. Everyone can see how skillful Meng Si is. If there is something wrong with this dress, you can point it out and we can improve it. Don’t hurt the harmony.”
“This dress is fine. What’s wrong with it?” Li Jiarong grabbed the dress and looked at it again and again. She pointed at Xu Ling’s nose and scolded, “Xu Ling, are you here to make trouble on purpose? Sisi is my good friend. You can bully her! I, Li Jiarong, am not afraid of you!”
Xu Ling grabbed Li Jiarong’s finger and pulled it down hard. She said in a ferocious tone, “What are you going to do? Hit me? If you are not afraid of me, will I be afraid of you? Meng Si’s skill was even inferior to that of the newly learned embroiderer. The dress she made was luxurious and vulgar. How could she call herself the best embroider in the province? I think the title of the best embroiderer must be given by you!”
“Who she can’t compare with? Make it clear!” Li Jiarong withdrew her finger and grimaced in pain.
“She is not as good at embroidery as Lin Dan. Last time when she was in the Faxing Temple, she had the nerve to say that Lin Dan’s embroidery skill was only good, and even the disciple of Meng Clan Embroidery Shop was not as good as that of her. Can a disciple of Meng Clan Embroidery Shop make the dress Xu Qian wore?” Xu Ling gnashed her teeth in anger.
“Do you mean that Miss Xu was beaten by a dress made of wisteria flowers which is more beautiful than my sister’s?” Seeming to understand Xu Ling’s intention, Meng Zhong said politely.
“Yes, you made me a fool at the family feast. I won’t let you go!” Xu Ling snatched the peony dress and stepped hard on it. Then she knocked down several embroidered frames standing next to her. She behaved overbearingly.
Meng Si’s face turned pale with fear. She took a step back. Li Xiudian quickly protected her and glared at Xu Ling. Meng Zhong pulled Li Jiarong behind him and continued, “May I know the style of Lin Dan’s dress? How can you compare it with my sister’s carefully made dress? You know, to make this dress, my sister used hundreds of pearls, gems, and emeralds, and also used the Cantonese embroidery technique. She also added a lot of newly developed embroidery lines. No matter in workmanship or material, they are absolutely first-class.”
As he spoke, he picked up the dress, patted it gently, and spread it on the embroidery rack.
The customers who were attracted by the noise all craned their necks to see what was going on. This dress was so elegant and brilliant. If she could wear it and walk around, she would wake up with a smile in her dream, but Xu Ling was not satisfied. Then what kind of dress did she want to wear? Fairy’s feather robe?
Xu Ling couldn’t find a word to describe the beauty of that dress for a long time. Just as she was secretly anxious, her wet nurse pulled her sleeve and reminded her, “Miss, she is downstairs. Please let them see by themselves.”
Standing on tiptoe, Xu Ling saw that Xu Qian and her ninth sister were walking along the street hand in hand. She quickly pulled Meng Si to the window and sneered, “Have a good look! Let’s see if I have wronged you! You are not as good as Lin Dan, and you don’t want to admit it. I won’t come to your shop to make clothes again!”
Meng Si and Li Jiarong lowered their heads and were both stunned. The customers who came to join the fun also squeezed to the window and then showed a surprised look.
Xu Qian was beautiful and attractive, and her temperament was also very gentle and quiet. Set off by the colorful wisteria skirt, she looked more fresh and refined, but also added some intelligence and niftyness. The passers-by were either stopped to look or turned around to look. Their faces were full of obsession.
It was totally out of Xu Qian’s expectation that this dress would have such an effect. Her face flushed with shyness, and she walked faster and faster. The hemline of the dress with petals was flying under her feet as if it was about to fly away. She was like a fairy who had fallen into the mortal world, so panicked, pitiful and cute.
The people on the second floor were all stunned. They didn’t let out a series of exclamations until Xu Qian disappeared at the corner.
“Is the wisteria flower on her dress real? I seem to see petals swaying gently in the wind!”
“It’s true. I saw it too! There are so many wisteria flowers on the ground, but they don’t look bloated at all. Instead, they make your body more light and elegant. Only a fairy dress and a feather robe can indeed have such an effect!”
“What’s that look in your eyes? Those flowers couldn’t be real, or they would have withered. I can see that it’s real. It’s cut into the shape of petals with gauze, dyed, embroidered with stamens, and sewed up one by one!”
“How many messy flowers made of chiffon and sewed on the dress? What the hell is that embroiderer thinking? How can she be so skillful!”
Everyone was amazed. They inquired about what had happened to Lin Dan, and then looked at the peony dress on the embroidery rack. Unexpectedly, they showed a look of disgust. Although the dress was beautiful and eye-catching, it was not enough to compare with the fairy dress and feather robe. If she could be a fairy daughter, who would be willing to be a mortal?
Thinking of this, the ladies who had planned to order several clothes in Meng Clan Embroidery Shop all got their deposit back and inquired about the address of Lin Family Embroidery Shop. Xu Ling glared at Meng Si, turned over the embroidery rack, and left.
Meng Si still looked out of the window, looking a little confused Li Xiudian gently stroked her tense back and comforted her in silence.
Li Jiarong took back her shock and said sincerely, “Sisi, that wisteria’s dress is made of broken cloth. It’s not as good as you. She only knows how to play with these strange, lewd, and skillful tricks. When she is exhausted, she will ask for help. Don’t take her too seriously!”
If it weren’t for Meng Zhong, she would have been in a hurry to inquire about the dress.
“I’ve never seen her work. I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s also a kind of talent to have a strange mind. After all, she has some real ability.” Meng Si said.
Meng Zhong didn’t take it seriously. “She has just learned embroidery for a short time. How long have you learned it? How could she stand out if she didn’t put her mind on these unorthodox ways? The Lin family was defeated by me. If she gets into trouble with you after she gets famous, I won’t let her go.”
“It’s not a big deal. Our debt is already clear. Brother, please let go of her.” Meng Si shook her head, her eyes full of pity.
Seeing her like this, Meng Zhong didn’t say anything, but his eyes were somewhat vicious. Li Xiudian became more fond of such a gentle and kind girl, so he couldn’t help but rub her head.
—
Three days later, the threshold of the Lin manor was almost broken by the guests who came here. Lin Dan had used up all her primitive power. She didn’t want to accept the second order in a short time. The two aunts’ and Cuilan’s fingers were also rubbed and swollen by scissors and stitches, and they hadn’t recovered yet. Fortunately, Xu Qian sent someone to give her fifty taels, which eased her pain when she saw the money flowing away.
At first, the customers who were refused by her made a big noise and didn’t want to let her go. Then, after hearing the news, Du Ruyan arrived and explained in detail how Lin Dan embroidered the wisteria dress. She said, “It takes a lot of time and energy to make such a fairy dress. It’s good that you can receive one order a month. If you want it in a hurry, it won’t work at all. The more exquisite the dress was, the more it needed to be designed and cut according to the appearance and temperament of the guest. The finished product must be unique in the world and would never clash with others. If you are in a hurry, you can go to another house. If you are not, you can wait in line.”
After the explanation, Du Ruyan increased the price by two or three times. The guests didn’t quarrel and left silently. Those who couldn’t afford it lined up and paid the deposit. Although there were only three customers, they asked Lin Dan to get a deposit of 75 taels of silver in one breath. After getting the dress, they would pay another fifty taels of money.
“A dress costs 75. Do you think they are stupid?” Lin Dan looked at Du Ruyan in confusion.
Sitting on the table with a smile, Du Ryan shook her head and said, “Don’t be silly! Do you know how much it will cost if I take the wisteria dress you made before to the capital?”
“How much should it be sold?”
“At least one hundred taels. A meal from a rich family in the capital was more than that. To eat a special duck tongue, they can kill dozens of ducks at the same time, leaving only their tongues. The rest of the meat will be given to the servants. It’s not too much to spend money like water.” Said Du Ruyan with a look of memory, but she didn’t feel envious. In fact, it was not bad to have a simple meal.
“Then I have to take the embroidery shop to the capital city sooner or later.” Lin Dan rubbed her hands unconsciously.
Du Ruyan covered her mouth again and smiled happily.
With a wave of her hand, she put the two silver ingots into Du Ruyan’s arms and said generously, “You brought the guests, and the price was set by you. In the future, I will give you five taels of silver for each extra order. But you have to continue to help me answer their questions and haggle like today.”
She didn’t like to socialize with others. If only Du Ruyan could help her, that would be much better.
Du Ruyan hurriedly held the silver ingot and said with a smile, “Okay, let me help you. Let’s open the embroidery shop together. But I have to warn you in advance that you can’t accept any orders without my permission from now on. It’s best if you accept one every one or two months. In this way, your dress will be more expensive and the price will be pushed higher and higher. Do you understand?”
“Okay, it’s up to you!” Lin Dan reached out her left hand.
Du Ruyan looked at her with an inexplicable expression.
With a helpless look, she pulled her hand over and patted it gently. Then she said seriously, “Let’s clap our hands to swear that we will be partners in the future.”
Hearing this, Du Ruyan giggled and took Lin Dan’s hand to slap her again.
Hearing the silvery laughter from the next door, Du Rusong, who was practicing, couldn’t help shaking his head and smiling. The two of them got together, but the days seemed to pass better. Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com
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Those who couldn’t afford it lined up and paid the deposit. Although there were only three customers, they asked Lin Dan to get a deposit of 75 taels of silver in one breath.
– Shouldn’t it be, those who could afford it?