The Spiritual Power Jin Shanyao followed Yao Yuniang into the courtyard.
Cloud Brocade Workshop remained unchanged five years ago and five years later; the courtyard was still filled with embroiderers. However, this day was different from usual, as Cloud Brocade Workshop had taken in a new batch of apprentices.
They were both seven or eight years old, standing in the courtyard, curiously looking around Jin Shanyao recognized Qiuju and Xiaju at a glance.
Their gazes frequently fell on the embroidery pattern, their eyes filled with envy and longing.
Bai Yunjin stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze gentle, and her smile as warm as a spring breeze. "Welcome to Cloud Brocade Workshop. Here you can find all the needlework techniques and color matching you want to learn."
The apprenticeship lasts five years. After completing the apprenticeship, you can stay at Cloud Brocade Workshop as an embroiderer, or you can go out and start your own business. It's up to you whether you stay or leave."
Bai Yunjin's gaze swept over their youthful faces, and he was quite pleased with their beautiful and delicate features. "You're still young, so you may not have heard of... the embroiderer who left Cloud Brocade Workshop last year, who has already opened her own embroidery shop in the next county and become a boss."
Seeing the children's delighted expressions, he smiled and continued, " Cloud Brocade Workshop is not just an embroidery workshop, but also a springboard for you. I hope that all of you will achieve your own success."
When others ask, I don't ask for anything else... I just hope you can proudly say that I learned my craft at Cloud Brocade Workshop.
He turned to the side, pointing to a young embroiderer who was working diligently with her needle and thread, his tone filled with pride.
"Do you see that lady in the lotus-colored shirt? Her name is Chunju, and she's not much older than you. Last month, she sold a handkerchief with the 'Butterfly Loves Flowers' design to a merchant from the provincial capital. The money she got was enough for her younger brother to study peacefully at the private school for a year."
The children's eyes lit up instantly.
Bai Yunjin caught the light, her smile deepening, and she said earnestly, "Of course, learning a craft inherently involves hardship."
At this moment, Xiaju still had a childlike face and bright eyes, saying, "I'm not afraid of hardship... When I earn money, I'll build a big house for my mother and slaughter a pig for the New Year."
Her words drew laughter from the surrounding children. There were two types of people who came to Cloud Brocade Workshop as apprentices: one was those who came from poor families and wanted to make a living; the other was those who came from families with some money but wanted to marry well and gain fame.
Families with real wealth and connections would never send their children to Cloud Brocade Workshop to be waited on hand and foot.
Bai Yunjin nodded in satisfaction and praised, "You've got potential... You'll definitely become an excellent embroiderer."
Encouraged by her master, Xiaju's eyes shone even brighter, and she secretly resolved to become the most outstanding embroiderer in Cloud Brocade Workshop.
After Bai Yunjin finished speaking, she called out to the maid under the eaves, " Yao Yuniang... take them to their lodgings."
Yao Yuniang quickly stepped forward, saying, "Everyone, follow me," and led the way.
Xiaju boldly approached Yao Yuniang, "My name is Tang Ni. My master just gave me a new name, Xiaju. He said all the embroiderers in Brocade Workshop need to have a nickname. What's your nickname?"
Yao Yuniang laughed and said, "My name is Yao Yuniang, I'm a maid, not an embroiderer... My mother can't afford eight taels of silver a year, but I love embroidery."
Xiaju leaned closer and whispered, "I'll teach you... I've been sewing since I was three, and I can do all the basic stitches now."
Yao Yuniang's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this, "You're really willing to teach me?"
"Of course... Once I'm familiar with the embroidery workshop's schedule, come find me whenever you have time..."
Yao Yuniang nodded emphatically, "Alright... it's settled then."
"Okay, it's settled."
The scene abruptly ends here.
All sounds and sights receded like the tide. Inside the inn room, the oil lamp crackled softly.
Jin Shanyao slowly opened her eyes and realized that her talisman had indirectly caused Xiaju Ju's death. Xiaju's death accelerated the embroiderer's revenge plan, and Zhou Yan wanted to take over the Meng Household's property by taking advantage of Bai Yunjin's death.
This proves the saying: cause and effect are unpredictable and ever-changing.
She walked to the desk, picked up a pen, and wrote down all those who had harmed the embroiderer in chronological order.
There are only three kinds of people in this world: black, white, and gray... Every kind has its enemies. Zhou Yan wanted to kill Zhu Huaizhang, so naturally someone wanted to kill Zhou Yan.
Jin Shanyao tied the written incriminating evidence around Xiaoli's neck, "Go find Lu Chi... as his servant, give him some political achievements."
Xiaoli raised her head proudly and glanced at the dumbfounded Dahuang. "See that? What does 'being reused' mean... You're so smug about digging a hole."
Hmph... The Xiaoli turned its head and disappeared into the night in a flash. If it were an ordinary mountain fox, it would take a whole day to run without stopping.
But it was a mountain fox that had climbed the Southern Heavenly Gate, and it stood in front of Lu Chi's door in less than half an hour.
Inside the room, Lu Chi was lying on Fu Congxi's stomach, "Son, son... can you hear me?"
Fu Congxi leaned against the wall, patted his head and laughed, "Are you stupid? You're three months pregnant and not showing yet. What could he hear? Go and tell the maid to bring in the foot-washing water."
"Sigh... I'll go right now," Lu Chi carefully got up, and as soon as he opened the door, he saw a mountain weasel standing at the door, which startled him.
Seeing that something was wrong, Fu Congxi sat up abruptly. Just as he was about to grab the rolling pin from the kang (heated brick bed), he saw Xiaoli slowly walk in.
Fu Congxi, " Xiaoli, what brings you here... Did the boss go to the capital?"
Xiaoli stood in front of Fu Congxi, raised her chin at Lu Chi, and revealed a cloth bag.
Lu Chi snapped out of his daze and rushed into the courtyard. Finding it empty, he immediately closed the gate and hurried over to Xiaoli.
" Xiaoli... you ran away from home?"
The Xiaoli rolled its eyes, used its paw to hook the cloth bag off its neck, and handed it to Lu Chi.
Lu Chi took it and exchanged a glance with Fu Congxi.
The two opened the bundle, inside which was a letter and a porcelain bottle. Lu Chi was moved to tears. "It's been over a year, and our eldest sister has finally remembered to write to us. It wasn't for nothing that I kept writing to her to keep in touch."
As the letter was opened, Lu Chi and Fu Congxi's smiles gradually faded. Lu Chi quickly read through the entire letter, his face darkening, and said, "You go to sleep first, I'm going to the Eastern Palace."
Just as Fu Congxi was about to speak, she saw Lu Chi had already left the house. She looked down at Xiaoli again, and saw its round bottom disappear into the night in the blink of an eye, so fast that she thought she was seeing things.
Fu Congxi picked up the small porcelain bottle on the table. The bottle was labeled "Pregnancy-Stabilizing Pills." He uncorked the bottle and looked inside. The bottle was full of pills the size of soybeans.
She marveled inwardly; her eldest daughter was truly amazing—how did she know she was pregnant?
The Eastern Palace.
Lu Chi handed the letter to Crown Prince Xiao Yuan Xiao Yuan, whose expression was serious, his brows furrowed. "This matter is of utmost importance. Where did you get this information?"
"Your Majesty, wasn't I sold to Willow and Poplar County a few years ago? My mistress at the time was Jin Shanyao... Although she is ignorant of etiquette and her words are incoherent, she is sincere and simple, and never lies."
The evidence in the letter must be irrefutable. We just need to question each person on the list, and the case will be solved.
Xiao Yuan was surprised; he hadn't expected the messenger to be Jin Shanyao, the fortune teller whose name he had only heard of but whose face he had never seen.