The shopkeeper diligently introduced the fabrics in the store to Mrs. Guo, but Zhou Shaojin was not very interested.
She had a lot of fabrics, and most of them were good things that her father Zhou Zhen had found from all over the place and left for her sisters as dowry. She was attracted by the camellia in the courtyard. When Mrs. Guo was picking up the fabrics, she walked over and took a closer look.
It looks like a pot of Eighteen Scholars' camellia.
But she was a little unsure.
He lowered his head and looked at the pot of flowers carefully.
Over there, Madam Guo picked out a piece of cherry red material with butterfly patterns and wanted to give it to Zhou Shaojin to make a cotton vest for winter. When she turned around, she found Zhou Shaojin squatting there looking at the potted camellia. Madam Guo couldn't help laughing and called her, "Shaojin, come and take a look at this material!"
Zhou Shaojin responded "yes" in a sweet voice and stood up.
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I didn't expect that the young lady is such an expert. This is a pot of Eighteen Scholars. I bought it from a flower farmer in Tianmu Mountain. I wanted to keep it until the New Year to get a good luck. I didn't expect that the young lady would see it."
Zhou Shaojin smiled slightly and said, "It looked like that just now, but I didn't expect it to be true. Where is the flower farmer you mentioned? In addition to camellia, do they have any other rare varieties? It's not easy to raise these eighteen scholars. If they can grow a pot of flowers like this, they should be able to grow two-color peonies..."
Mrs. Guo was pleasantly surprised: "I didn't expect you to like growing flowers!"
Zhou Shaojin said embarrassedly: "I just raise them for fun, unlike this person who raised eighteen scholars, he is a real flower grower."
Mrs. Guo nodded slightly and asked the shopkeeper, "What other flowers does the flower farmer have?"
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I didn't expect to meet two people who love flowers today. The flower farmer is quite famous in Hangzhou. His last name is Miao, and because he is the fifth child in the family, we all call him Master Miao Wu. His family not only grows two-color peonies, but also black chrysanthemums. Now is the time when chrysanthemums are in full bloom. If the old lady and the young lady are interested, I will send someone over to see if Master Miao Wu has any good varieties, so that the old lady and the young lady can taste them, which can also add a scene to the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Mrs. Guo smiled and said, "Then send someone to take a look. If there are any good ones, send them to Yutai Bank in Shangjie."
The shopkeeper said hurriedly, "I know, I know. Mrs. Wang from your bank is a frequent customer here."
How could Mrs. Wang dare to call herself rich in front of Madam Guo? She said with a smile: "If you serve our old lady and cousin well, you will be a real important customer! Why don't you send someone to ask about the flowers?" At the end of her words, there was a hint of sarcasm, which showed that she was very familiar with the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper immediately called a servant and gave him instructions.
Madam Guo took the cloth and measured it on Zhou Shaojin's body, saying, "This color looks good in winter. Bring me a few pieces of this cherry red, turquoise, brocade red, and blue lotus color."
Because they didn't know who they were buying it for, Zhou Shaojin didn't say much. She let Mrs. Guo pick out a lot of cloth, and the shopkeeper counted them and sent them to Yutai Bank. They just went to the next house empty-handed.
Mrs. Guo saw a man selling rice cakes on a pole across the street. A group of people were waiting for the steaming rice cakes. She smiled and said to Feicui, "Go buy some for Miss Cousin to try."
Zhou Shaojin was embarrassed.
Old Mrs. Guo treated her like a child.
She said hurriedly, "No need, I'm already this old, why would I fight with a child for food?"
"It seems that you still want to eat." Old Mrs. Guo laughed, "It's just that you're too embarrassed to do it because you're older. It's okay, just follow me, eat when you want to eat, drink when you want to drink, don't worry about those." After saying that, she motioned for Feicui to go buy it quickly.
Jade went to buy rice cakes with a complicated expression.
Mrs. Guo led Zhou Shaojin into a silk flower shop next door.
Mrs. Wang paused for a moment and walked with Zhenzhu, who was following behind Old Madam Guo. She smiled and said, "I heard that the second cousin is a relative of the fourth house. I didn't expect that she would catch the eye of the old lady and be treated like her own daughter."
Zhenzhu didn't like her saying that about Zhou Shaojin, as if Zhou Shaojin was so successful because he pleased the old lady. She was unhappy and retorted, "It was because the second cousin's handwriting was good, and the old lady specially asked the second cousin to help copy the scriptures at Hanbi Mountain House, and then the fourth room's old lady An agreed to let the second cousin follow us to Putuo Mountain."
Cheng Chi started to settle down in branches in various places after returning from Mount Putuo. They only then knew that the old lady had a cousin with her, but they asked around and finally found out a little bit about who this cousin was. They originally thought that the fourth room sent her to serve the old lady in order to curry favor with her, but after a few days, the old lady treated this cousin very fondly. She didn't look like she was here to serve the old lady at all. Instead, the old lady valued her very much and doted on her wherever she went.
They rarely have a chance to flatter the old lady. Since this cousin has won the old lady's favor, they naturally cannot ignore her. The old lady is experienced in human relations and is clear-sighted. When she was managing the Cheng family's affairs in her early years, she was a person who could not tolerate any sand in her eyes. The elderly managers and shopkeepers still remember it today. It would be great if they could speak to the old lady through this cousin.
Mrs. Wang treated Zhou Shaojin even more warmly.
However, Zhou Shaojin has never been a person who likes to be in the crowd. Besides, he knows in his heart that the reason why others are like this is just because of the influence of Mrs. Guo and Cheng Chi. If others respect me an inch, I will respect them a yard. At the end of the day, Mrs. Wang couldn't find a chance to say anything to Zhou Shaojin alone.
She couldn't help feeling a little discouraged.
Zhou Shaojin was looking forward to going to the West Lake to watch the moon. He went back home at night and rummaged through his boxes and cabinets. He decided to wear a blue, green and gold bodice and a few glass bead flowers he bought two days ago when he went to the West Lake to watch the moon.
Ji Ying smiled and said, "You finally know the priorities - what's so good about the temple fair? If you want to see something, just look at the scenery of the four seasons. Will you have the chance to come to Hangzhou in the future? Even if you come to Hangzhou in the future, will you have the chance to go to West Lake to enjoy the moon? Even if you can go to West Lake to enjoy the moon, will you still be with these people?" As she spoke, she took a red gold pearl flower inlaid with hundreds of gems and gestured on her head twice, saying, "What do you think of me wearing this?"
"Not so good." Zhou Shaojin said, "You should wear the big kingfisher flower! This flower is too bright, and it looks a bit tacky on you. The kingfisher flower has a cooler tone, and it looks better on you."
On this point, Jiying trusts Zhou Shaojin's vision very much—Zhou Shaojin himself is very good at dressing up.
She followed Zhou Shaojin's advice and changed into a black brocade jacket, combed her hair into a fallen horse bun, put on large kingfisher flowers and pearl earrings, and went to the yard to wait for Mrs. Guo.
Because today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, Cheng Chi came to pay his respects to Madam Guo early in the morning, and happened to meet Zhou Shaojin on his way out.
Seeing that she was wearing something brighter than usual, I couldn't help but look at her a few more times.
Zhou Shaojin saw that Cheng Chi had changed into a lotus-colored Hangzhou silk gown, with a jade belt tied around his waist, and a small seal and purse hanging on it. He was dressed very formally, so he knew that he was going out. After going forward and paying his respects, he couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Chi, will you go to the West Lake with us tonight?"
"Of course." Cheng Chi smiled and said, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival! If I didn't have something to do, I would accompany you to Lingyin Temple today."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "Then Uncle Chi, please come back early. We are waiting for you to eat mooncakes."
Cheng Chi nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "This colored glass looks fine during the day, but it's not as beautiful as gemstones at night."
Zhou Shaojin's face suddenly brightened up and he said "hmm" softly.
Cheng Chi smiled and walked out of the yard.
Ji Ying snorted coldly and said, "You are so nosy." He pulled her to the tea room to talk.
However, Zhou Shaojin felt that what Cheng Chi said made sense.
She originally wore this two-tone gold vest because she thought that when she went to visit West Lake at night, the lights would be bright, and the bright colors would not only look festive but also make her look energetic.
"Please go sit in the tea room first!" Zhou Shaojin said, "I will go back and change the pearl flower."
Ji Ying opened her eyes wide and said, "You didn't take his casual words to heart, did you?"
"But I think he's right!" Zhou Shaojin said, "Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, doesn't everyone want to be happy?"
"Okay!" Ji Ying opened her eyes for a long time and said dejectedly, "You can change your jewelry. I don't really understand these. Maybe the Fourth Master is right."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and sent Jiying to the tea room, then went back to the house to change her jewelry.
Chun Wan said, "What should we change? These glass beads are exquisitely made, each one is only the size of a thumb, so we combed your hair into a hanging bun so that you can wear the beads... How about we change your bun? Even if the fourth master gave you a coral bead flower, it must be very beautiful."
"No!" Zhou Shaojin said, "I was going to give that coral pearl flower to my sister to add to her makeup. There must be a lot of people at the temple fair today. If someone took it or dropped it, I would definitely regret it. Besides, it's too late to comb my hair into a new bun now..." She suddenly thought of the South Pearl headpiece that Cheng Chi gave her, and said, "Or I can use the hairpins in that headpiece - pearls are the brightest and most gorgeous under the light."
For gemstones, the craftsmanship of the craftsman is also important, but for pearls, only the texture of the pearl is important.
The pearls Cheng Chi gave her were genuine South China Sea pearls. A little bit of light was enough to make them shine as brightly as the full moon.
Chunwan smiled and agreed, helped Zhou Shaojin change the South pearl flowers and hairpins, and went to see Mrs. Guo.
Elderly people all like their younger generations to dress festively, but because Zhou Shaojin has a quiet personality, she looks good in elegant clothes. Now that she has dressed up a little, she looks radiant and beautiful. Old Madam Guo also likes her very much, especially the South Pearl flower on her head, which emits a hazy glow and it is obvious that it is not an ordinary item.
She nodded with a smile, stood up and said, "Let's go to Lingyin Temple."
※
There were so many people in Lingyin Temple that the sedan chair could not move when it reached the foot of the mountain.
Mrs. Wang's face was covered with sweat. She said, "Madam, wait a moment. I will find a way to get someone from the temple to pick you up."
Mrs. Guo hadn't seen such a grand event for many years. She smiled and said, "Then we'll wait for you here."
Mrs. Wang wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned to look for someone.
Zhou Shaojin sat in the sedan chair and waited.
After a long time, it's inevitable to get a little boring.
She quietly lifted the curtain a little and looked out.
※
Sisters, there are only two updates today, this is today's update.
Tomorrow's update will still be around 5pm.
⊙﹏⊙bSweat... I will find a way to adjust as soon as possible.
PS: Regarding the question about Slender West Lake and West Lake, I made a mistake and have corrected it.
※(To be continued)