Chapter 121: Wedding Gown

Chapter 121: Wedding Gown

Outside the door, Tan'er looked up at Meng Qianqian with her tiny fists under her chin. "Sister."

Meng Qianqian calmly said, "Let's go."

Tan'er's almond eyes widened in surprise.

Wasn't she going to listen some more? That was her real mother! And she was still alive!

As she watched Meng Qianqian's graceful and determined figure stride away, a glimmer of moisture appeared in Tan'er's eyes. Incredulously, she murmured, "Not even caring about her own mother... Sister is truly... so ruthless! So unfeeling! So heartless! So... admirable!"

A spark of excitement flashed in her eyes, and she dashed after Meng Qianqian.

The neighboring courtyard gate was ajar, and Meng Qianqian called out for Grandma a couple of times at the entrance. Receiving no response, she grew concerned and, after announcing her presence, slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Lee-momo hadn't lied to Meng Qianqian. Grandma had indeed fallen, and Ban Xia had seen it happen.

Ban Xia had wanted to help her up, but a fierce glare from Grandma had scared her off, and she had hurried back to her own courtyard.

Meng Qianqian found Grandma in her room, her face pale and beaded with cold sweat, as if she were enduring great pain.

"Grandma."

Meng Qianqian quickly approached the bed.

Grandma's attitude towards Meng Qianqian had not improved just because she had fixed her roof. The harsh look she gave Meng Qianqian was identical to the one she had given Ban Xia earlier.

However, Meng Qianqian was unfazed.

"Grandma, let me take a look at your leg."

Meng Qianqian bent down and gently lifted the blanket covering Grandma.

A glint of maliciousness flashed in Grandma's eyes.

"Is it this leg?" Meng Qianqian immediately noticed the stiffness in her right leg and gently probed the bones. "The bones seem fine, Grandma. Let me take your pulse as well."

Without waiting for Grandma's refusal, she took the elderly woman's frail hand in hers and placed her fingertips on Grandma's wrist.

Grandma stared at Meng Qianqian coldly.

Meng Qianqian was aware of her wariness and alertness, but she understood that such a reaction was only natural for a lonely old woman who had lost her family.

"Does Grandma have arthritis?" she asked softly.

Grandma rasped, "You're the doctor. You're asking me?"

Meng Qianqian nodded. "Yes, so let's treat it my way."

She turned to Tan'er, who had just entered the room, and said, "Tan'er, go get the Blood Coagulating Ointment."

Tan'er whispered in Meng Qianqian's ear, "Sister, there's only one jar of Blood Coagulating Ointment left. There isn't another one in the entire capital. Are you just going to give it to her? What if you get hurt in the future?"

The Blood Coagulating Ointment was a miraculous medicine for healing wounds and was also effective against arthritis.

Meng Qianqian said, "Go get it."

Tan'er pouted. "Okay, fine."

Meng Qianqian scanned the room with her eyes and added, "I remember that Mrs. Du made dragon bone soup. Go get a bowl of that, and ask Mrs. Du to stir-fry some bamboo shoots with pork. Add a little chili."

Tan'er counted off on her fingers, "Blood Coagulating Ointment, dragon bone soup, chili bamboo shoots with pork. Got it!"

Meng Qianqian stood up and walked to the window. "Grandma, rest here in your room. Keep the house well-ventilated. The weather is nice today, so I'll open the window for you now and close it when I come by again this afternoon."

Grandma ignored her, but Meng Qianqian pretended not to notice and propped the window open.

"Sister, I got it!"

Meng Qianqian looked at the leaves on Tan'er's shoulder. "Did you climb over the wall?"

Tan'er looked up at the sky. "It's closer that way."

She placed the food box on the table and said to Grandma, "Grandma, I'll often climb over the wall to come and see you from now on!"

Grandma: "..."

Tan'er opened the lid of the food box, and the tantalizing aroma of bone broth mixed with the savory fragrance of bamboo shoots, pork, and chili filled the room.

Grandma swallowed.

Meng Qianqian smiled and applied the ointment to Grandma's leg. She left the jar of ointment on the table, saying, "Grandma, apply the ointment twice a day. You should feel some relief by tonight. I'll come by again tomorrow to check on you."

After leaving the courtyard, Tan'er asked curiously, "Sister, how did you know that Grandma likes spicy food?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "I saw a row of dried chili peppers in her backyard last time."

Tan'er exclaimed in realization, then entered their own courtyard and looked towards the east wing, saying, "I wonder what Cousin has been up to lately. He's hardly been home."

Meng Qianqian said, "Didn't he say he met up with his classmates?"

Tan'er hugged herself. "He's from Youzhou. What classmates could he have in the capital?"

Meng Qianqian thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they're classmates who came to the capital from Youzhou to study."

Yu Li was a guest, and he had his freedom to go wherever he pleased. It wasn't her place as his cousin to interfere.

"Oh dear, is he so heartbroken that he can't marry Sister that he can't bear to face you? Poor Cousin—"

Tan'er immediately got into character and put on an exaggerated display of crying.

Of course, there were no tears.

Meng Qianqian shook her head. She didn't feel that Yu Li had any romantic feelings for her beyond that of a cousin. His offer to marry her seemed more like a responsibility he had shouldered since childhood.

Her maternal grandfather's family didn't want her to marry into another family and suffer, so they arranged for Yu Li to take her as his wife.

However, her grandfather later arranged for her to marry into the Lu family, a prestigious clan. Logically, the Yu family should have been upset, but they weren't. Not only that, they set aside past grievances and still allowed Yu Li to marry her even though she was a divorced woman.

The relationship between the two families felt peculiar.

Perhaps all of this had something to do with her mother, who had been missing for many years.

"Sister, let's go out and play!" Tan'er interrupted Meng Qianqian's train of thought with her excited, soft voice.

Meng Qianqian nodded. It just so happened that she wanted to visit their tea business and see how things were going after Liu Changsheng's reforms.

"Let's go to the tea shop," she said to Wu Ge'er.

"Yes, Miss," Wu Ge'er replied as he drove the carriage to their tea establishment.

Liu Changsheng hurried out to greet them. "Esteemed Master!"

"Shopkeeper Liu," Meng Qianqian acknowledged with a nod as she alighted from the carriage. She turned back to survey the bustling storefronts, each filled with customers, and remarked, "I never realized there were so many embroidery towers and fabric shops on Chang'an Street before."

"They've always been here. Perhaps Esteemed Master simply didn't pay attention before," Liu Changsheng replied.

Tan'er pointed to a shop across the street. "Sister, look at all the people in that store!"

Liu Changsheng followed the direction of her finger and said, "That's Yanyuge, the largest embroidery tower in the capital. It's said that the embroiderers there were hired from all over the world at a great cost. A single piece of clothing is worth a hundred taels, and that doesn't even include the cost of the fabric."

Tan'er asked in confusion, "Why is it so expensive? How come there are still so many people there?"

Liu Changsheng said enviously, "Yes, it's very expensive, but it's still in high demand."

"Let's go and learn a thing or two," suggested Meng Qianqian.

The three of them entered Yanyuge and discovered that there were even more people inside than out. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the place was packed like a mountain forest.

Liu Changsheng was puzzled. "Business has always been prosperous, but it's never been this crowded before."

A kind-hearted madam explained, "You didn't know? The owner of Yanyuge has returned to the capital, and all these officials and nobles are here to request her to make clothes for them."

Tan'er asked, "Madam, is that the case for you as well?"

The madam smiled and said, "I can't afford it. I'm just here to watch the excitement."

Tan'er asked again, "Is she very expensive?"

The madam replied, "The skilled hands of the owner of Yanyuge can't be hired with mere silver. I wonder who has such a great connection to invite her back to the capital."

As they were speaking, Lin Wan'er and Lu Luo entered the main hall of Yanyuge.

The mistress and servant pair immediately spotted Meng Qianqian standing off to the side.

It was strange. Yanyuge was packed with people, yet Meng Qianqian's position was not noticeable at all. Still, she seemed to stand out and catch one's eye.

Meng Qianqian wore a powder-white waist-bound skirt, her skin as translucent and fair as fine mutton fat jade.

She stood quietly, as if the surrounding clamor was isolated from her, leaving only the tranquility and beauty of a young girl.

Lin Wan'er also noticed that many customers were secretly appraising Meng Qianqian, and their eyes shone with surprise and admiration.

A strong sense of jealousy suddenly welled up in Lin Wan'er's heart.

Lu Lingxiao was twenty-three years old this year, two years older than her, making her twenty-one. How old was Meng Qianqian? Seventeen.

"What are they doing here?"

Lu Luo also spotted Meng Qianqian and Tan'er, and she muttered unhappily, "Is Yanyuge a place they should be visiting? Don't they know their place?"

"Are you still not satisfied after getting slapped last time?" Tan'er asked, lifting her chin.

Lu Luo jumped in surprise.

This girl must have ears like a dog! How did she hear me when I was speaking so softly?

Meng Qianqian was wholly focused on observing Yanyuge's layout, customer service, and hospitality, and she had no time to pay attention to Lin Wan'er and her servant.

Lin Wan'er felt even more displeased when she saw that Meng Qianqian was acting as if she didn't exist.

She had come today with a nanny from the Duke's Manor, and having someone from the Duke's Manor backing her up gave her much more confidence than usual.

She walked up to Meng Qianqian and gestured as she spoke: I'm about to marry a general soon, and I came to Yanyuge today to have my wedding dress made. You probably don't know, but Yanyuge is famous for its wedding dresses. Every woman in the capital dreams of owning a wedding dress from Yanyuge.

Don't think you're so great just because you have a little money. Yanyuge doesn't accept just anyone's business. They look down on merchants like you.

After saying this, Lin Wan'er felt much better.

She might not be as young as Meng Qianqian, and she might not have as much family wealth, but she was the daughter of Shen Hou and had been adopted as the Duke's Manor's daughter. Yanyuge was a perfect example of that. Meng Qianqian could never hope to have a dress made here!

"Excuse me, who is Miss Lin?" A young maidservant walked downstairs and quietly asked the crowd.

Green Ivy said, "My young mistress is here."

The nanny from the Duke's Manor stepped forward and showed the maid the emblem of the Duke's Manor.

The maid said, "Please follow me."

Amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, Lin Wan'er gracefully made her way upstairs.

"She was actually invited upstairs! Who exactly is this Miss Lin?"

"Didn't you see the emblem the nanny had? It's from the Duke's Manor!"

"Oh, she's the daughter of the Duke. No wonder."

Listening to the crowd's comments, Lin Wan'er finally felt a sense of satisfaction.

Meng Qianqian, you don't even have the qualifications to hire a seamstress from Yanyuge, and here I am, being treated as a VIP on the second floor.

The maid led the three of them into a private room and said to Lin Wan'er, "Miss Lin, please have a seat."

Lin Wan'er sat down.

Green Ivy asked, "May I ask which seamstress will be making my young mistress's wedding gown?"

The maid replied, "It will be Yu Seamstress. She is the master's personally taught disciple."

Upon hearing that it was the master's disciple, Lin Wan'er was pleasantly surprised. As expected of the Duke's Manor.

Green Ivy asked, "I heard that your master has returned to the capital. Could she be persuaded to make my young mistress's wedding dress?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the nanny from the Duke's Manor's face turned slightly grim.

Even when her own young mistress got married, they hadn't been able to engage the services of the master of Yanyuge to make the wedding dress. How dare an adopted daughter make such a request?

Lin Wan'er also felt a bit embarrassed.

She wasn't so blindly arrogant as to expect the master of Yanyuge to make her dress. Having the master's personally taught disciple make it was already a pleasant surprise, and she wouldn't dare to dream of anything more.

The maid smiled and said, "Unfortunately, our master has already taken on another business engagement."

The nanny from the Duke's Manor was shocked.

Even Princess Wanping had to wait three years for the master of Yanyuge to make her clothes. Who had such great influence that they could truly engage her services?

"Sister, it's so stuffy here with all these people!"

Tan'er was getting squeezed from all sides and was about to go crazy.

Meng Qianqian said, "Let's leave and come back another day when there are fewer people."

The three of them left Yanyuge.

Meng Qianqian asked Liu Changsheng, "Liu Shopkeeper, did you gain some insights?"

Liu Changsheng replied thoughtfully, "I learned a lot. In the past, I always thought that for our tea business to thrive, we needed to offer lower prices and higher quality than our competitors. But I overlooked one thing—gimmicks."

Meng Qianqian smiled and said, "It seems Liu Shopkeeper already has some ideas."

Liu Changsheng nodded.

The three of them then visited a few other shops.

Tan'er said, "Sister, I'm hungry. I want to eat Mrs. Du's roast chicken."

Seeing that it was getting late, Meng Qianqian decided it was time to head back. So, they bid farewell to Liu Changsheng and got into the carriage back to Fengshui Hutong.

As soon as they entered the house, Nanny Wan informed Meng Qianqian that they had a guest. The guest had arrived right after she left and had been waiting ever since.

"She said her surname is Yun, and she was invited by Manager Cen to make a wedding dress for you. This seamstress is quite beautiful. If she hadn't told me, I would have thought she was a noble lady."

"I understand."

Meng Qianqian entered the main hall and looked towards the woman sitting in a chair. She wore a light green chiffon skirt, with a landscape of misty rain and misty mountains of the Jiangnan region embroidered on the hem.

It was lifelike, with gentle raindrops.

She was ethereal and refined, with a calm and serene aura, like a mountain stream breeze blowing amidst the bustling city.

But what was even more stunning were her delicate jade-like hands. An ordinary teacup in her hands seemed like a celestial vessel.

Meng Qianqian politely greeted her, "Apologies for keeping you waiting, Yun Seamstress."

Yun Xiyao put down her teacup and appraised Meng Qianqian, "Are you Meng Xiaojiu?"

Her voice was like a gentle breeze, soft and gentle.

Meng Qianqian replied, "Yes, that's me."

Yun Xiyao said indifferently, "You have good taste."

"Hmm?"

Whose taste was she referring to?

Yun Xiyao asked, "Did your nanny tell you? Your wedding dress will be made by me. Do you have any requests?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head, "No."

Yun Xiyao asked, "Don't you want it to be more beautiful? More eye-catching? More dazzling?"

Meng Qianqian shook her head again.

Yun Xiyao was silent for a moment before saying, "Turn around, let me take your measurements."

Meng Qianqian turned around as instructed.

Soon, Yun Xiyao said, "Done."

Meng Qianqian turned around in surprise, "You don't need a measuring tape?"

Yun Xiyao said, "If I still needed a measuring tape, then all these years would have been for nothing."

Tan'er exclaimed, "So amazing! Who's better, you or the master of Yanyuge?"

Yun Xiyao gave them an unexpected glance, "Didn't Manager Cen tell you?"

Tan'er asked, "Tell us what?"

"It's nothing." Yun Xiyao's lips curved slightly, and she smiled, "She and I, we are the same."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end