SFS Chapter 853 Everyone has his own ambitions
Chapter 853 Everyone has his own ambitions
"Your Majesty, I have brought you a damaged embroidery. If Miss Shu can use her skillful hands to make it look like new again, then it will be considered a success." Manager Zhao presented the embroidery. After several people took a look at it, they all felt that it would require some ingenuity to repair it.
This is a question used by their Shangyi Bureau to test the embroiderers. Anyone who wants to join the Shangyi Bureau must pass this test, which tests the embroiderers' adaptability and practical skills.
After entering the Shangyi Bureau, there will be a creative assessment. They will be given a topic and asked to embroider a work. The grade of the embroiderer will be determined by the quality of the work. Grade A embroiderers will make clothes for the empress dowager and the emperor in the future, Grade B embroiderers will make clothes for princes and princesses, and Grade C embroiderers will make clothes for concubines. However, there are also favored concubines who use high-grade embroiderers.
For example, the previously favored Concubine Li had the special permission of His Majesty to use a Class A embroiderer, and only after she fell out of favor did she return to using a Class C embroiderer. And now the Crown Prince, the Fifth Princess, the Fifth Prince, and the Second Prince all use Class A embroiderers, a special instruction from His Majesty, as a testament to His Majesty's greatest favor towards the Empress' children and the Second Prince.
Shu Yunyun walked forward and carefully looked at the damaged embroidery. Her brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed again.
She bit her lower lip, her eyes revealing a determination to succeed. She picked up the needle, selected the thread she liked, and with light and skillful movements, she began to repair the embroidery.
Sometimes she lowered her head in deep thought, sometimes she moved her needle rapidly, each stitch landing with pinpoint precision. Concubine Xian took a sip from her cup of tea, then glanced at the focused Miss Shu with a dark, undefined expression. Manager Zhao and the others observed Shu Yunyun's movements, glancing at each other with satisfied glances.
Mrs. Shu sat aside waiting, her expression unremarkable.
As time passed, the once-imperfect embroidery gradually took on a whole new look under Shu Yunyun's hands. A lifelike butterfly seemed to be about to fly from the embroidery, and the flowers became even more delicate and charming. Manager Zhao and several other ladies came forward to examine it more closely, their eyes filled with surprise and approval.
"Miss Shu, you are indeed very skilled. After you repaired this embroidery, it was transformed from a worn-out piece into something magical. Moreover, your needlework is also very skillful. I'm afraid you must have practiced for more than ten years, right?" Manager Zhao couldn't help but praise.
Shu Yunyun smiled and said, "I've been learning embroidery since I was a child, and I've learned some of the embroidery techniques from the Jiangnan area. I heard that the Shangyi Bureau is full of experts, and it would be a great honor for me if I could learn from them."
After hearing what Zhao had said, Concubine Xian came over to watch carefully. "Although I'm not good at embroidery, I can tell the difference between good and bad. Miss Shu, you've passed this test. Welcome to join the Shangyi Bureau. Since you're a daughter of the Shu family, you should be Zhao's assistant."
"Congratulations, Shu Siyi." The two embroiderers congratulated Shu Yunyun.
Shu Yunyun's face was filled with joy and she quickly expressed her gratitude.
Madam Shu didn't stay long. Once Shu Yunyun successfully entered the palace, she could leave. However, she still disliked Shu Yunyun and was furious that she had been allowed to stay so easily. So on her way out of the palace, she asked a young eunuch to go to Changchun Palace to report, saying she wanted to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.
"My sister-in-law is a chatterbox. I'm afraid she has something to say, so she's just saying it. Well, call her over. I want to hear what new things she has to say."
The corner of Eunuch Qin's mouth twitched. The Queen Mother's hobby of listening to gossip has remained the same for decades.
Madam Shu was invited into Changchun Palace. As soon as she saw the empress dowager, she went forward and hugged her and cried bitterly.
Queen Mother: "..."
"Ahem, sister-in-law is sad, I know it, poor Shu Cai has such a bad fate. You should get up first, the person is already dead, the living must always live their lives." The Queen Mother said a few words of comfort, and then asked if there was anything else that Madam Shu wanted to see her about.
Madam Shu wiped her tears and said, "The Queen Mother lives deep in the palace, and we don't see her very often. We miss her terribly."
The Queen Mother curled her lips and smiled. "You're going to miss me?" I'm afraid the sun will rise from the west.
Madam Shu felt a little embarrassed when she saw the Empress Dowager's expressionless face. She coughed lightly and said, "Today I'm sending Aunt Xia's daughter, Shu Yunyun, to the palace to take the examination for female officials. Shu Yunyun is quite good-looking compared to her sisters. I originally planned to find her a good match, as a legitimate mother, to help my concubine's daughter. Alas, I never expected that she wouldn't appreciate it at all. She only wanted to enter the palace."
The Queen Mother's eyes darkened. "Everyone has their own aspirations. As a mother, you have done your best. You don't need to be responsible for her future."
Madam Shu nodded. "My husband said the same thing. He told me to stop interfering and just take her into the palace. I was thinking, how could the character and potential of a child born by this concubine be good? We are family, so I came to talk to the Queen Mother specifically to prevent the child from causing trouble in the future and bringing trouble to the Shu family."
The Queen Mother smiled and said, "She entered the palace as a female official. As long as she serves her master well, what tricks can she possibly come up with? Besides, let's put it this way. If everyone from the Shu family brings trouble to the Shu family, then the Shu family would have been implicated long ago if Concubine Shu had murdered the Queen and the concubines."
The Empress Dowager looked at Madam Shu with a sharp gaze. Madam Shu quickly apologized: "Madam Shu... was confused for a moment, but she is gone now. Please don't blame me, Your Majesty."
"Okay, get up. If there is nothing else, you can take your leave." The Queen Mother ordered her to leave, and Madam Shu had no choice but to kneel down and pay her respects.
"Hmph, you still look down on your aunt's daughter. Her own children are not good people either, just the same." The Queen Mother complained and continued to tease the bird.
"You are the best and don't cause trouble." The Queen Mother fed the parrot some food and touched its little head.
"It's my honor that the Queen Mother is satisfied. It's my honor that the Queen Mother is satisfied." The little parrot flattered eloquently. Eunuch Qin twitched his lips and sighed that he was inferior.
"Empress Dowager, I want to ask for leave tomorrow and leave the palace. Two of my fellow countrymen are going back to their hometown to retire and want to get together." Eunuch Qin asked.
"Well, fine, go ahead. Remember to bring me some Xiangmanyuan cakes."
Eunuch Qin: "..."
There are so many cakes and pastries in the imperial kitchen, and the Empress's palace also makes many more. Aren't they enough for you?
Eunuch Qin had no choice but to agree: "Yes, I will remember it."
The next morning, Eunuch Qin left the palace. Mu Yu's carriage was already waiting outside the palace. It picked him up and took him directly to the Sihai Restaurant.
Eunuch Qin now accepts all the care from Island Master Mu. After all, Island Master Mu wouldn't be so attentive for no reason. He only takes care of him so that he can bring something to the Queen Mother.
After the two fellow townsmen arrived, they had a good meal with Eunuch Qin at the Sihai Restaurant. Before leaving, Eunuch Qin wanted to pay, but the restaurant owner said with a smile, "A Mr. Mu has already paid, and he also asked us to prepare two jars of good wine as a gift for your two friends."
Eunuch Qin raised his eyebrows, thinking that today's arrangements were so well-made, he was afraid that there must be something difficult that required his help.