Qian Embroidery was part of Qian Yuanyuan’s dowry.
The Qian family were tea merchants. Their business covered the entire chain—leasing mountain land, cultivating tea, harvesting it, processing it, and then transporting it by land and river to sell in distant provinces.
Cuixi County was famous for its tea, but even more renowned for its “silk” and “brocade.” Unlike the low-profit coarse silk, the fine silk and Shu brocade—though produced in limited quantities—were celebrated throughout the empire. In particular, the Jialing brocade with a red base and gold thread had, in recent years, become highly sought after among the aristocracy of the Capital.
Seeing that there was profit to be had, the Qian family naturally wanted a share of the market. They attempted to run a cloth shop—Qian Embroidery.
Unfortunately, a trade apart is a mountain apart. After opening, the shop’s monthly profit barely covered its rent.
Fortunately, the premises belonged to them, so it was not considered a loss.
When Qian Yuanyuan married, Qian Dayou waved his hand and included Qian Embroidery as part of her dowry chest. The shopfront, its goods, its staff, and all future earnings belonged to her.
He had no real interest in managing it himself, but giving it to his daughter was not an attempt to offload a burden. Rather, he believed that running a cloth shop required little capital, and even if she chose to change trades in the future, the location alone would ensure it remained valuable.
It was a father’s earnest love for his daughter, plain to see.
The county yamen carriage stopped in front of the shop. Two Yamen Runners jumped down from the shaft.
Inside the carriage, Madam Qian adjusted Miss Player’s veiled hat and instructed, “Do not take this off before entering the shop.”
Mother and daughter stepped down. A shop attendant immediately came forward to lead the horses to the back for feeding.
The Jiang family did not own a carriage.
Keeping horses was costly, and the carriage itself required upkeep. The family of a County Deputy Magistrate already had the privilege of using official vehicles, and Magistrate Huang had personally ordered that the yamen staff prioritize their needs. For a household that was not especially wealthy, buying and maintaining a carriage was unnecessary.
Jin Sui supported Madam Qian, while Miss Player was still carried by Taozi.
The shopfront had three bays, displaying bolts of fabric and ready-made garments. Larger transactions were typically concluded upstairs.
The moment Madam Qian entered, she headed directly upstairs. The shopkeeper led the group into the largest private room, where a maidservant served tea and refreshments.
Miss Player removed her veiled hat and tossed it aside.
The maidservant responsible for attending female guests and the shopkeeper, who had been about to leave, both froze in place. It was only when Madam Qian spoke that the shopkeeper snapped back to his senses and retreated, glancing back repeatedly as he left.
Seeing Miss Player staring curiously at the dressing mirror covered with a thin gauze, the maidservant said gently, “This mirror was recently acquired by the shopkeeper from foreign traders. It reflects one’s appearance with remarkable clarity. If you are not afraid, I can remove the gauze for you to take a look.”
“I’m not afraid,” Miss Player said.
The maidservant lifted the gauze. “When I first saw it, I was quite startled! Seeing my own reflection, I thought it was some kind of spirit. But after getting used to it, the bronze mirrors at home feel hazy and indistinct in comparison.”
Of course it was clear—this was a full-length glass mirror, only framed in intricately carved wood in a traditional style.
Miss Player looked at the figure within.
The little girl in the mirror had a face like a silver plate. She was not the frail, emaciated figure Miss Player had expected after a serious illness. She knew her arms had flesh on them, but she had not imagined she would resemble a plump spring peach, or a ripe red apple glazed with honey.
It was enough to show how carefully and attentively Madam Sun had raised her.
Ah—how could a living person’s eyes be so beautiful? They seemed to hold an entire sky of stars. And this nose, this mouth—the proportions were perfect.
So adorable—how could this possibly be a monster?
This was Miss Player’s first time seeing herself in a mirror. Even with mental preparation, she was struck hard by her Appearance of 18.
“Simulated Life” truly deserved to be called a god of modeling.
The character’s beauty was filled with childlike innocence—completely free of adultization—yet it could not simply be described as “cute.” She exceeded the limits of that word.
If one had to define it conceptually: a creation that gathered the essence of heaven and earth, a masterpiece crafted to display divine skill.
Only the traces of recent illness left a faint fragility between her brows—but rather than diminishing her looks, it made her even more endearing.
Miss Player’s eyes shimmered with excitement.
With a face like this, she deserved everything.
“Miss? Miss?”
Seeing her young mistress staring motionless at her reflection, Taozi called softly, worried.
Miss Player looked up. “What is it?”
Seeing no fear on her face, Taozi changed the subject and asked whether she wanted to sit and have some refreshments.
Miss Player shook her head. Holding up the hem of her skirt, she spun in front of the mirror. In motion, she appeared even more lively and nimble. If she cupped her cheeks and blinked, it would be enough to melt anyone’s heart.
In short—no matter how she looked, it was never enough.
Half an hour later, Qian Yuanyuan set down her brush and pushed the account book toward the shopkeeper, who had been waiting for some time.
“The items I’ve circled all have issues—thirty-six in total. Check them first, then we’ll continue reviewing the accounts.”
The shopkeeper’s back, already damp with fine sweat, was instantly soaked through. Bowing so low his head nearly touched the floor, he said repeatedly, “Yes, yes—this humble one will verify them at once.”
Qian Yuanyuan was about to stand and stretch when Jin Sui entered.
“Miss Wang happens to be at the Treasure Pavilion next door and would like you to come over and help her take a look.”
Qian Yuanyuan smiled. “Perfect. Let’s go.”
Miss Wang, given name Xiang, was a close friend of Madam Qian from their unmarried days. Their families were similarly wealthy, both daughters of local merchants.
If compared, the Wang family was even richer.
Today, Miss Wang had come out specifically to buy a hairpin. Since money was no concern, she naturally went to the largest jewelry store in the county—the Treasure Pavilion.
The scale of business at the Treasure Pavilion was on an entirely different level from a mere cloth shop. The private rooms for receiving guests were understated yet luxurious. Everything a lady might need was provided, from utensils to furnishings. The variety of refreshments and tea was greater, and of higher quality.
The items laid out before Miss Wang were a chaotic assortment—from jade pendants to dangling hair ornaments to delicate forehead decorations, even complete sets of jewelry. Two maidservants attended her attentively, their eyes alight at the sight of a wealthy customer.
Miss Wang might as well have had the words “easy profit” written across her forehead.
The moment Qian Yuanyuan entered, she laughed. “Have you come to stock up for the Treasure Pavilion? Is Miss Wang planning to open her own jewelry shop?”
Miss Wang kept a straight face. “I’m selecting meeting gifts for my future husband’s family.”
Qian Yuanyuan’s smile vanished.
She knew Miss Wang’s situation well.
Miss Wang had been unlucky. The family she had been engaged to in her early years suffered successive bereavements, delaying her marriage. When the mourning period finally ended, her fiancé died of illness.
Fortunately, the Wang family was not foolish and refused the proposal to send their daughter over to live as a widow. While secretly cursing that ill-fated family, they searched everywhere for a suitable match.
But Miss Wang was now too old, and somehow rumors spread that she brought misfortune to her husbands. For a time, no suitable match could be found. After much delay, she was recently engaged to a rural gentry family in a neighboring county.
Unfortunately, the man was a widower.
He already had a daughter of five and a son not yet a year old.
The moment she entered that household, she would become a mother to two children—and would have to bow before heaven, earth, and the memorial tablet of his late wife.
What that felt like… only she herself knew.
Miss Wang dismissed the two maidservants and said, “That man holds a degree and is not old. If my family didn’t have money, this position wouldn’t even be mine to take. Since they value wealth, I’ll give generous gifts. It should spare me some trouble after I marry in.”
Qian Yuanyuan did not know how to comfort her.
Her own marriage… had it been any better?
The atmosphere grew even heavier.
Miss Player had no intention of speaking. The moment she entered, she leaned back against a rosewood chair by the window and began tapping at the game panel.
A new task had appeared—
【Growth Task Two: As the saying goes, with wealth in the household, one may act freely. Now that you have grown a little, you understand that “a wealthy childhood heals a lifetime, while a poor childhood takes a lifetime to heal.” You begin to consider obtaining a growth fund. The required amount is ten thousand gold. From whom do you wish to obtain it? Time limit: four months.】
【A. Sun Wanhang, Shipping Magnate】
【B. Court Musician of the Bureau of Entertainment】
【C. Qian Yuanyuan, wife of the County Deputy Magistrate】
As Miss Player pondered her choice, an old beggar and a young beggar entered Cuixi County together.
Their clothes were tattered, their faces filthy—indistinguishable from any other beggars on the road. Yet those who saw them could not help but pause, their gaze lingering for a moment without understanding why.
Only a well-traveled merchant had a fleeting thought:
How could beggars so dirty and foul-smelling carry themselves with such bearing?
The pair seemed long accustomed to such attention and ignored it completely.
They walked in silence, aimless, circling the looped streets again and again.
At last, the old beggar clutched his chest and began coughing violently. The young beggar stopped, squatted down, and spoke first.
“Enough walking. Before sunset, if someone comes to speak with us of their own accord and can answer the two questions I pose, then your son will leave the temple, return to secular life, and seek justice for the Wen family. Otherwise, it is heaven’s will for you, foster father, to let go of your grievances. Do you agree?”
“I agree! I agree! I agree!!!”
Despite the harsh terms, the old beggar agreed without hesitation, his eyes glistening as he said in a trembling voice,
“Five years… a full five years. I have pleaded every day, urged you at every moment—and now you finally relent…”
They struck their palms together to seal the oath.
The old beggar did not sit down, however, but said, “Let’s change location.”
“The wager is to be held here,” the young beggar replied.
The old beggar argued that sitting here would block the shop’s business. Pointing toward the bustling street ahead, he said, “The road there is wide, with more people coming and going. Unlike here, where only two deserted tea stalls stand. Even for a wager, starting with a guaranteed loss is too unfair.”
The young beggar sighed but stood up, following him forward.
From a distance, one could already see the row of shop signs along the street—
Qian Embroidery, Hexing Brokerage, Gold and Silver Pavilion, Drunken Immortal Tower…
And the most eye-catching of all was the black-lacquered, gold-lettered sign gleaming with silver brilliance—
The Treasure Pavilion.