Chapter 36 Beautiful
Chen Hui’s spy theory made Li Youde look up and laugh at her. Xiao Liu’s original words were naturally not like this. Xiao Liu just told him truthfully what had happened at that time. He made this summary based on Xiao Liu’s words. Under the circumstance that Lady Chen obviously knew that the other party is a Commandery Princess and still took the initiative to provoke. If the shop was demolished in the end, the reason would also not be on his side.
Li Youde humphed once, “I think that you are the spy sent by that bitch Wang Youcai!”
Chen Hui took a peek at Li Youde and felt that he was not accusing her. He was just saying angry words, so, she was not nervous. She smiled and said, “Lord, don’t joke. You know that this Lady Chen’s whole heart is leaning towards you. This Lady Chen still has to help you.”
Chen Hui really felt that she has more confidence after being assigned the task by Li Youde. What did it matter if he said a few words that were not pleasing to the ears? Anyway, she was not afraid since he still needed her help.
Li Youde glanced once at the papers in Chen Hui’s hand. He felt angry and funny. Seeing that he wanted her help, she became more strong-willed. With her ability to speak the human language when meeting humans and speak ghost language when meeting ghosts, presumably, she would be able to live better than most imperial consorts!
- Speak human language when meeting humans and speak ghost language when meeting ghosts: able to deal with various kinds of people and situations.
Li Youde stood up and said, “The fewer people know about this, the better. Make them as fast as possible, have you heard?”
“Lord, rest assured. This Lady Chen promises to complete the task,” Chen Hui smiled and said, “After the meeting with Commandery Princess Shuning tomorrow, this Lady Chen will start the production immediately.”
Li Youde looked once at her and smiled understandingly, “What, do you want me to promise you to not hold you accountable for letting someone break the shop?”
Chen Hui said, “How can that be? Lord, don’t worry. The shop can’t be broken.”
Li Youde stood there and stared at Chen Hui’s confident expression for a while. In the end, he relented and said, “Alright, don’t waste your schemes here. You can go tomorrow! But I also want to remind you that Commandery Princess Shuning is the only daughter of the emperor’s uncle the Prince Qing of First Rank. She had been spoiled from a young age and is very bratty. If you offend her, you can only pray for a good fortune!”
Chen Hui said, “Thank lord for your reminder. This Lady Chen would definitely not cause trouble for lord. If Commandery Princess Shuning hates me, then, I am Chen household’s daughter. If Commandery Princess Shuning likes to interact with me, then, I am a member of lord’s residence.”
Li Youde looked a bit surprised at Chen Hui. Why didn’t he know before that this woman was so considerate? If she really could do what she says then she is indeed to be spared of worry and attract people’s affection.
“The words are nice,” Li Youde snorted, “Alright, let it be like that.”
Xiao Liu had reported to him that there was a scholar surnamed Qi and said that he was Lady Chen’s former acquaintance. However, seeing that the two were not familiar with each other, he didn’t even bother to mention it.
After Li Youde left, Chen Hui sat back on the bed with soft legs. Xiao Tiao hurried in and closed the door carefully. She looked nervous and afraid to ask.
Chen Hui also didn’t want to talk about it. Today, she found out that Li Youde wasn’t so difficult to convince. Of course, the premise was that she must be useful to him. He gave her a task and waited for her to do something. Wasn’t this attitude much better?
“Xiao Tiao, let’s sleep first. Recharge your energy and fight again tomorrow,” Chen Hui said. Originally, when she thought that she would meet Commandery Princess Shuning the next day, she felt that her stomach was twitching. It was inevitable that she would be nervous. With Li Youde’s disturbance, her nervous state calmed down a lot.
Xiao Tiao was a little worried when she saw Chen Hui’s messy clothes. Hearing her say that, she felt relieved.
Chen Hui went out again the next day with Xiao Liu. On the way from Chrysanthemum Yard to the main gate, Chen Hui asked Xiao Liu, “Xiao Liu, I heard that you accused me of a crime yesterday in front of lord?”
Xiao Liu was very clear about his identity and responsibilities. He was not embarrassed at being caught and smiled slightly, “Lady Chen, you are too serious. This little one is just being loyal to lord.”
“Right, you are loyal,” Chen Hui said, but she also didn’t make things too difficult for him. Xiao Liu was originally Li Youde’s people, so, there was nothing wrong with being loyal to Li Youde. She thought that he also wasn’t as daring as to add oil and vinegar when reporting. Presumably, it was Li Youde who talked drivel and deliberately want to irritate her. If she wanted to settle this account, it would be with Li Youde.
Xiao Liu chuckled twice and didn’t speak anymore.
The three went to Li Clan’s Cloth Shop. As Chen Hui had requested, the innermost part of the cloth shop had been vacated. The clothes that she had instructed the tailors to make had been carefully hung one by one.
Chen Hui felt bored while waiting. Therefore, she asked for paper and a brush from shopkeeper Wu and recorded all the inspirations that came to her. Just halfway through the morning, a carriage suddenly stopped outside. A girl adorned in red jumped out of the carriage and walked in proudly.
“Where is your boss Chen? Humph, did she go to hide because of being afraid? If I can’t see a riding attire that satisfies me today, I will immediately smash your shop!” As Commandery Princess Shuning spoke, she turned around and glanced once. Beneath her proud smile, she said pamperingly, “Big cousin sister Rong, you cannot stop me later, otherwise, I will butt heads with you!”
A beautiful woman walked slowly from behind her. Hearing that, she covered her mouth to smile lightly and said, “Will I be able to stop you?”
Chen Hui already came to welcome Commandery Princess Shuning when she heard her voice. Seeing that there was one more woman, she cast her a curious glance and then quickly withdrew her gaze.
“Commandery Princess, you finally came. I have waited all morning for you,” Chen Hui said.
Commandery Princess Shuning raised her chin and snorted, “The one who is afraid is you and not me, how can I not come?! I came with my cousin sister in case you lose and not acknowledge the debt!”
That beautiful woman only nodded slightly to Chen Hui when she heard that. She had the reserved restraint that every woman of a great family has.
Chen Hui didn’t mind and smiled politely at her. She also didn’t care whether Commandery Princess Shuning introduced her or not. She turned her attention back to Commandery Princess Shuning and said, “Commandery Princess, let’s not talk too much nonsense. Please come in.”
Chen Hui raised her hand and signaled Commandery Princess Shuning to go inside.
Commandery Princess Shuning walked in confidently and commented as she walked, “The fabrics of this cloth shop is nothing special.”
Chen Hui ignored her. According to her insight and comparison, the fabrics at Li Clan’s Cloth Shop were considered to be mid-to-high grade. Also, shopkeeper Wu had shown her the account and she had also inquired. Many wealthy people directly asked for the fabrics from here. The business of Li Clan’s Cloth Shop was quite good.
“Really, even if such fabrics are used to make a handkerchief for me, it would be considered a discomfort for my hands…,” Commandery Princess Shuning was originally prattling on self-importance, but when she walked to the exhibition area specially made for the clothes, her gaze directly froze. Amazement filled her eyes.
“Is, is this the riding attire you spoke about?” Commandery Princess Shuning asked Chen Hui in disbelief, but her eyes didn’t look away from that attire. She had been pampered by her father ever since she was young and naturally had the best in everything. Hence, her temper was arrogant and willful, but her vision was not bad. The riding attire in front of her, before she even wore it, she already knew that this was tailor-made for her. If she wore it, she would be more dazzling than now!
“Exactly, I wonder if Commandery Princess Shuning satisfied?” Chen Hui asked.
Princess Shuning retracted her gaze and pretended to be nonchalant,” It’s acceptable!” However, her eyes aimed at that red riding attire from time to time and wished to immediately wear it on her way back.
When Chen Hui saw Princess Shuning’s expression, she knew that she liked it more than just ‘acceptable’, but Chen Hui wouldn’t expose the other party. She just let out a sigh of relief and laughed, “It is so great that Commandery Princess is satisfied. My shop is saved.” She emphasized the words ‘my shop’. No one knew that she was secretly competing with Li Youde who wasn’t even here.
Commandery Princess Shuning’s eyes were fixed on the riding attire and didn’t speak, but that ‘big cousin sister Rong’ who came with her, covered her mouth and chuckled. It was apparent that Commandery Princess Shuning told her about the agreement between the two.
Chen Hui said, “If Commandery Princess thinks it is still pleasing to the eyes, you can go try it inside. If somewhere is too big or too small, we can adjust it immediately.”
Commandery Princess Shuning’s eyes lit up and she quickly said, “Alright, I will go try it on!”
Chen Hui asked people to take down the riding attire and handed it to a maid that Commandery Princess Shuning brought. She also asked Xiao Tiao to take Commandery Princess to the room at the back to let her change clothes. She stayed to take care of this ‘big cousin sister Rong’.
That woman was sipping tea slowly. She put down the tea and said, “Little cousin sister Xi has caused trouble for Lady Chen.”
Chen Hui heard that the other party was just being polite and didn’t feel that it was causing her any trouble, so, she smiled politely and said, “It’s nothing. That the Commandery Princess can try on my clothes is a blessing that I wouldn’t be able to ask for even if I wanted.”
That woman smiled upon hearing this and seemed quite satisfied with Chen Hui’s tactfulness.
Afterward, the two drank their own tea and the silence between them was broken when Commandery Princess Shuning came out.
“How is it? Beautiful?” Commandery Princess walked out excitedly in a riding outfit that was as red as the blazing sun. She turned around in front of her cousin with an expectant expression.
The woman looked up and down at Commandery Princess Shuning appreciatively, nodded her head and said, “It’s really beautiful.”
After being praised by her cousin, Commandery Princess Shuning was very satisfied and said to Chen Hui, “It seemed that you do have some real skills.”
Chen Hui said modestly, “It is Commandery Princess who has an extraordinary aura, otherwise, how could I make such beautiful clothes. If you don’t believe me, you can look at this other one. It doesn’t have that aura of the one on Commandery Princess.”
Commandery Princess Shuning followed Chen Hui’s gaze and found another attire. Her attention had been attracted by the riding attire before and she didn’t notice this one. Now, after looking at it carefully, she found out that this one also looked very beautiful. In her opinion, it was only slightly inferior to the one she was wearing.
“I also want…this one!” Commandery Princess Shuning said hurriedly. She originally came to find trouble because she was bored. Who would’ve known that she really found treasures?!
An embarrassed look flashed on Chen Hui’s face and she smiled, “That Commandery Princess likes it is the greatest appreciation for me. This attire was originally wanted by another lady. Since Commandery Princess likes it, I have no choice but to offend that lady and sell it to Commandery Princess!” This attire was also tailor-made for Commandery Princess Shuning. Naturally, it had to be sold to her. That she could take the initiative to mention it saved her (CH) a lot of trouble.
Commandery Princess Shuning didn’t feel at all that she was defrauded. She felt that she had been fast and that she has much face. The corners of her mouth raised. Then, she seemed to have thought about something again and said, “I want all the clothes you make in the future!” There was no discussion. It was only as natural as a command.
Chen Hui frowned slightly. This…she couldn’t agree! She still wanted to see the style of clothes she makes become a trend. How could it be monopolized by one person?
Author’s note: I’m afraid that everyone has expectations. Let me be clear, this book would not write about making a career. The current plot is related to the love story. Don’t expect the heroine to make a business empire. That is not what I write…
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