"Big Sister Shuiche, do you really not want to reconsider?" Xi Cui confirmed for the third time.
"En, after finishing this cushion, I still want to help Ah Yao sew two thicker inner garments." Su Shuiche smiled and tactfully declined Xi Cui's good intentions.
The weather had turned cold, but Lin Siyao was still only wearing two layers of unlined clothing. Even though the winter robe and jacket had already been made, he was not used to wearing them at home and always said that it was not cold.
However, looking at her body, she had already wrapped herself in a thick cotton jacket.
Early in the morning, the river water had already shown signs of freezing.
If it continued to get colder, it would be snowing heavily and freezing three feet into the ground.
Therefore, she planned to wait until she was done with the work at hand before she sewed two thicker layers for him.
She lowered her head and continued to sew.
That's right, after Lin Siyao sprayed this piece of black bear skin with a flaming knife, it no longer had a strong smell of rank meat.
These past few days, taking advantage of the good weather, she quickly dried it again and again until it was soft and odorless. Then, she gently combed it with a fine fine-toothed comb until all the loose hair was cleaned. The entire piece of fur appeared smooth and shiny.
After that, she cut the flat bear-shaped fur into several pieces and sewed it into a rectangular fur mattress according to the size of the step bed.
Although it was still not enough to fit the size of a large bed, being able to have a thick and soft black bear skin as a cushion on a cold winter night was such a blissful thing.
Hehe … Su Shuiche thought of this and couldn't help but curve her beautiful lips.
"Big Sister Shuiche …" Xi Cui looked at Su Shuiche's expression and knew that she was daydreaming again.
She helplessly called out.
"That's a whole six taels." She weakly added.
She tried to persuade her to take this embroidery job.
When Xi Cui went to hand over the embroidery, the Lady Boss of Yueyun Embroidery House specially invited her upstairs for a chat.
Knowing that the last "A Male Phoenix Seeking a Female Phoenix" was mainly made by Su Shuiche, she was full of interest and suggested that this time, the new embroidery "Drunken Imperial Concubine", she hoped that Su Shuiche could personally make it.
Six taels of silver was only the basic wage. If the embroidery was of high quality, it would definitely be like 'A Male Phoenix Seeking a Female Phoenix', which would give a large amount of silver as a reward.
The Lady Boss also revealed that the 'Drunken Imperial Concubine' painting was one of the New Year's gifts that the Lord of Fanluo City would present to the officials of Jindu City at the end of the year.
There must be no mistakes.
Therefore, Xi Cui calculated that if she could maintain the quality of "A Male Phoenix Seeking a Female Phoenix" this time, she would be able to get at least eight taels of silver.
Eight taels!
Thinking about how her parents had worked hard for most of their lives to save up twenty taels of silver.
Now, if Su Shui Yong were to nod and agree to this embroidery job, in less than two months, she would be able to earn enough silver taels that an ordinary farmer's family would need to spend more than ten years of conscientious labor and careful calculation to save up.
If she, Xi Cui, had this ability, eight taels of silver would be enough for her to buy a large number of luxurious decorations that she had been yearning for for a long time to enrich her dowry.
Of course, she was purely daydreaming.
Last time, the embroidery "A Male Phoenix Seeking a Female Phoenix" had allowed her to earn a large amount of silver that she didn't even dare to think about before.
She should be laughing now, and that was with the help of Su Shuiche. Otherwise, with her embroidery skills, even if she delivered the embroidery on time, she wouldn't be able to get that much silver.
Therefore, Xi Cui was very confident in Su Shuiche's embroidery skills.
The problem was that the key person hadn't agreed to take this embroidery job.
Xi Cui really couldn't figure it out.
Why would Su Shuiche refuse such a good opportunity?
Eight taels of silver was enough for her and Lin Siyao to live comfortably for three years, right?
"Xi Cui, I promised Ah Yao that I wouldn't take on any more time-limited embroidery jobs." Su Shuiche explained with a shy smile.
Since it was to be offered before the new year, there must be a time limit.
It was already the fifth day of the eleventh month, less than two months away from the new year.
After the embroidery job was completed, the embroidery shop still needed to do a series of processes such as washing, bleaching, drying, softening, and framing.
Then, the embroiderer only had a month's time at most.
However, according to Xi Cui's description, it was about five meters wide and two meters tall, and was estimated to be used as a large folding screen for eight doors. With her previous embroidery speed, it would take her at least a month or so to finish it during the day, except for the three meals, if she only focused on it during the day.
Therefore, once she agreed, it meant that she would have to ignore Lin Siyao's feelings and work on it wholeheartedly for a month.
Although six taels of silver was a lot of money, since she had promised Ah Yao that she wouldn't take on such a stressful time-limited embroidery job, she didn't want to break this promise.
Moreover, she still had to make two sets of inner clothes for him and a pair of new cotton boots and indoor cotton shoes for each of them. Just these tasks alone would take her ten days of work.
How would she have enough time to take on such a tight embroidery job?
"But … eight taels of silver …" Xi Cui saw that Su Shuiche still insisted on not taking the job and helplessly dropped her shoulders.
In fact, this had nothing to do with her.
Even if Su Shuiche took on the embroidery job, the embroidery shop didn't say that they would reward her.
She just couldn't bear to part with the eight taels of silver.
Even if it didn't go into her pocket.
She couldn't bear to part with it.
"Pfft!" Seeing this, Su Shuiche couldn't help but chuckle. "Uh … I'm sorry, Xi Cui.
I just think that your expression is too cute. "Seeing Xi Cui's sad eyes fixed on her, she hurriedly smiled apologetically.
"Cute?
That's mourning, okay? "Xi Cui muttered.
Mourning that the eight taels of silver was about to go into someone else's pocket and not Su Shuiche's pocket, which could be called a first-class embroiderer in her mind.
"Xi Cui, in fact, your embroidery skills are not bad. If you can get rid of the conservative embroidery method, you can definitely take on the job." Su Shuiche wasn't just comforting her.
After several months of hard work, Xi Cui's embroidery skills were already outstanding in Fanluo City.
At least, in Su Shuiche's eyes, except for her conservative embroidery method, there were no problems in other aspects.
Then again, the embroidery method of the Dahui Kingdom was similar to that of Su embroidery.
Most of the embroidery methods were very similar, but there were a few unique embroidery methods in Su embroidery, such as random needle embroidery, golden plate embroidery, and so on.
Of course, the Dahui Kingdom also had its own unique embroidery methods, such as veil embroidery, spiral embroidery, and so on. These embroidery methods were similar to Shu embroidery, but they were different from Shu embroidery. Su Shuiche spent a month or so to learn from Xi Cui.
Because of this, Xi Cui worshipped her even more.
"Sister Shuiche, are you comforting me?"
Xi Cui's face was a little red, and she pouted as if she was complaining, "The proprietress didn't even ask me if I wanted to take on the job. She only asked me to persuade you." It was obvious that her embroidery skills were far inferior to Su Shuiche's!
"You should be more confident, Xi Cui." Su Shuiche saw this and couldn't help but laugh.
Lao Xicui, who was going to get married next year, was doing these cute little actions, which made her look like a child.
Then she thought that it might have something to do with her mental age.
There was a big gap between fifteen and twenty years old.
"This has nothing to do with self-confidence!"
Xi Cui also learned from Su Shuiche and casually sat on the bench under the big date tree. She leaned back on the bench and squinted her eyes to bask in the warm winter sun.
There was no wind today, and the sun was shining brightly.
Through the few leaves on the big date tree that had not yet fallen, the mottled sunlight shined on her body, making her feel warm and comfortable.
Su Shuiche put away her needlework and stretched her body. She had finally finished the bear skin cushion.
She stood up, chopped her feet, and shook the bear skin cushion to get rid of the threads on it.
"It's so beautiful!" Xi Cui sincerely praised.
She also admired Lin Siyao, who was busy making lunch for two people in the kitchen.
"Sister Shuiche, brother Ah Yao is so good to you."
She reached out and stroked the soft and warm bear skin cushion. She was a little envious and also a little emotional: "If I could marry such a husband, I wouldn't let him suffer so much." She clenched her fists as if she was complaining about the injustice for Lin Siyao.
"Xi Cui — —" Su Shuiche suddenly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Xi Cui, between husband and wife, it's not as simple as you think." Su Shuiche emotionally reminded her: "It's not as simple as giving and receiving corresponding returns.
The premise is that that person — — your future husband must love and protect you.
However, if he really loves and protects you, he will not let you be busy all day and not share any of the chores with you.
If that's the case, then he is not worthy of your love and protection.
Do you understand? "Su Shuiche's expression was a little serious.
She was thinking of her mother who was far away in the People's Country of Suzhou.
As the eldest daughter-in-law of the Su family, as the Mistress of the family, she had put in a lot of hard work and thought.
In order to win a smile from her husband (who was also her father), in order to have the same love and care as Second Mother, her mother's efforts were not insufficient.
But the result?
Su Shuiche had never seen her mother's gentle smile from the bottom of her heart.
Even when her inner residence was stable and her children's prospects were smooth, she had never smiled to her heart's content.
In the end, her father's heart was not with her.
He could not see her hard work, could not see her suffering.
"Sister Shuiche …" Xi Cui had never seen Su Shuiche's solemn and cold tone and expression. She was a little stunned.
"It's nothing.
I just want to tell you that the way of husband and wife is to understand each other.
When you get married, use your heart to experience it and you will know. "Su Shuiche returned to her senses and smiled as she rubbed Xi Cui's hair that was still in a young girl's bun.
"Sister Shuiche, I'm not a child."
Xi Cui's cheeks flushed red. Su Shuiche's words and actions treated her as an ignorant child. She was a little annoyed.
According to her father and mother, Su Shuiche was only fifteen years old.
She was younger than her by a year.
Could it be that after marriage, she would become an adult?
An unmarried woman is a child!
Really!
No wonder when she was still unaware, she was misled by her mother, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and repeatedly asked her to call her "Sister Shuiche". Oh, later on, when she found out about Su Shuiche's age, she really thought it was awkward.
However, she had already called her "Sister Shuiche" for several months, so she didn't care if she continued.
At least, she had improved her embroidery skills and learned the embroidery method. It was good enough that her mother didn't chase her and force her to call her "Master".
So, 'Sister' it is then!
Xi Cui comforted herself very much.
"Oh, sorry.
I forgot. "Su Shuiche smiled and stuck out her tongue.
It wasn't that she forgot Xi Cui's age, but that she herself was only a fifteen-year-old girl.
(To be continued.
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