NOVPUBChapter 81: Chapter 082 New Embroidery Designs_1
Chapter 81 -082 New Embroidery Designs_1
Today, Muniang finally got some free time and shed two taels of silver before heading over to Madam Liu’s place.
She chose to visit during the mealtime to avoid missing anyone and it so happened that the Yuanshan family had just finished eating.
“Muniang is here, come inside and sit.” said Madam Liu, welcoming her warmly.
Although Madam Liu’s family had separated from the household, they still lived together with the Qiao Dazhi’s family, so Muniang did feel a bit constrained. However, she had important business and had no choice but to come.
Muniang said with a smile, “I came to learn some skills from Auntie. Those handkerchiefs you had Tianniu deliver last time, I really liked them.”
“What skills? That’s just something I do to put food on the table, it’s hardly a skill,” Madam Liu laughed and pulled Muniang into the house.
Who knew that Madam Zhao’s shrill voice would cut through, “Oh, who is this? She really doesn’t see herself as an outsider, does she? Didn’t she firmly declare that she had nothing to do with the Qiao family in the beginning? Yet today, she has the nerve to step into this house.”
Muniang instantly turned cold, “I didn’t step into your house, that’s for sure. What business is it of yours where I go? Mind your own radish and don’t bother with my business!”
“Hey! How can you speak like that?!” Madam Zhao cried out shrilly.
Muniang coldly replied, “What? You want to use your status as an elder to pressure me? You’ve found the wrong person! I’m sorry, but I really had no intention of stepping into your house. My visit has nothing to do with you. Are you just bored with your peaceful life and looking to stir up some trouble for the villagers to laugh at?”
Madam Zhao, so irritated her teeth itched, could only swallow her anger in the face of Muniang’s blatant threat. She had seen Muniang’s prowess before and knew she was no match for her. With Madam Liu, that ungrateful wretch, not likely to take her side, Madam Zhao had no choice but to endure.
She muttered curses under her breath as she turned and entered the house, “All heartless bastards!”
Only then did Madam Liu pull Muniang into the house, “Don’t be offended now. Your grandma’s always been this way. She doesn’t have the guts to do anything; she just barks a few words. Don’t take it to heart.”
Muniang snorted, “Why should I get upset with her? It would just shorten my life for no reason!”
Once inside, Madam Liu poured Muniang a bowl of sugar water. In peasant homes, they did not have tea, so having sugar water was quite a treat already, something Muniang’s household could enjoy only after becoming rich.
“Auntie, I really want to learn some embroidery work from you. I’m all thumbs and not good at these things,” Muniang said with a smile.
Madam Liu asked in surprise, “Why do you suddenly want to learn this?”
“It’s because of Silver. He complained to me the other day about not having a purse embroidered by me, saying that other men have purses embroidered by their wives,” Muniang said, irritated.
Madam Liu laughed lightly, “You two really are amusing.”
Then she added, “But it’s indeed something girls should learn. Your family was poor in the past and your mother was ill, so naturally, she didn’t have the time to teach you. You know, once a daughter gets married, she’s expected to prepare her husband’s clothes from head to toe.”
Upon hearing this, Muniang jumped in fright. All the clothes? She would take a pass on that! Thank goodness Silver wasn’t too sharp; otherwise, if she really had to make an entire wardrobe, it might be the death of her!
“Then please teach me, Auntie. After seeing those three handkerchiefs you embroidered, I truly felt ashamed,” Muniang implored.
Madam Liu responded, “Your mother’s embroidery is not bad either. Why bother making this trip and putting up with your grandma’s attitude? Is there perhaps something else bothering you?”
Muniang stuck out her tongue, “How does Auntie know everything?”
She immediately said, “Actually, I was thinking, since Aunt’s embroidery is so exquisite, why not use this skill to make a good fortune?”
Madam Liu said in amazement, “How to make a good fortune? My handkerchiefs sell for one qian of silver each in town, and that’s already a high price.”
But Muniang shook her head, “How is that enough? A single handkerchief takes at least five days of hard work, and for such exquisite embroidery, you just get one qian of silver. Aunt, you’re planning to send the kids to school next year, how can this be enough?”
How could Madam Liu not be anxious, but she also had no solution: “Then what do you suggest we do?”
Muniang leaned closer to Madam Liu and said, “I have a few novel designs here. Auntie, try embroidering them onto the handkerchiefs and see if they sell for a higher price.” 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
Madam Liu looked at Muniang in astonishment, and before she could ask, she saw Muniang take out two pieces of paper, on which were drawn a Pleasant Goat and a Big Big Wolf.
Madam Liu looked at the two drawings in wonder and said, “What are these? They seem like a goat and a wolf, but they also strangely resemble humans.”
Muniang smiled and said, “It’s exactly these designs, quite novel, aren’t they? Aren’t they more lively and adorable than the usual animals on embroidered handkerchiefs?”
Madam Liu nodded repeatedly, “Indeed, they are adorable.”
“I think that with Aunt’s embroidery skills, these two designs can definitely be embroidered. Afterwards, we can take them to the Embroidery House in town and inquire about the price,” Muniang said.
Madam Liu said excitedly, “Deal! Once we earn the silver, we’ll split it!”
Muniang knew that Madam Liu was honest and would never take advantage of others. If Muniang suggested now that all the earned silver should go to Madam Liu, she probably wouldn’t agree. So she said, “Hmm, but I only provided the idea, the one who put in the most effort is still you, Aunt. When the time comes, you take seven parts and I’ll take three.”
“How can that be right? If the handkerchiefs sell for a good price, it will probably be because of these designs—”
Madam Liu clearly didn’t agree, but she was interrupted by Muniang, “Aunt, are you treating me as an outsider again? Are you always so reluctant to accept these things from me? When Tianniu brought over three handkerchiefs a few days ago, didn’t I refuse to take two back from you?”
Unable to argue against Muniang, Madam Liu had no choice but to let it go, “Fine, fine, have it your way.”
Only then did Muniang happily take out the embroidery basket, “Then Auntie, give me some embroidery work to do!”
Muniang spent the entire afternoon learning. She only managed to embroider a crooked flower, which she really didn’t want to look at again.
Erliang had known that Muniang was going to learn embroidery work that day, and as soon as she returned, he immediately came up to her, “I want to see my wife’s embroidery!”
Muniang hid the basket behind her back and glared, “You’re allowed to see it only when it’s well embroidered, otherwise you won’t get to see it!”
Seeing the couple playfully quarreling, Mrs. Lin felt at ease, as her daughter’s days were now considered good.
It was now spring, the season for sowing seeds, and fortunately they hadn’t missed the planting time. The day before yesterday, she had the laborers go pull weeds in the field. Today, she would arrange things so they could begin planting.
But upon arriving there, Muniang realized that she had miscalculated everything!
The weeds in the field were still there, the laborers loafed about in twos and threes, half-heartedly pulling weeds; some had even disappeared without a trace, having gone off somewhere to loaf on the job.
Muniang felt her body temperature drop several degrees; oh boy, these people were taking her words for a fart, weren’t they?!
