Shen Miao wore a cyan-green brocade robe today, its fabric smooth and lustrous. A belt cinched gently at her waist, accentuating her slender and upright figure, giving her an almost fragile, ethereal appearance.
She glanced around, a faint smile flickering in her eyes.
“You’ve arranged everything so meticulously that even if I wanted to find fault, I couldn’t.”
Zhao Chengyu stood at the entrance of the private room, dressed in snow-white robes, his tone relaxed. “It’s opening day today. Should I have some brothers from the Water Transport Guild keep watch at the street corner? Just in case someone clueless disturbs your peace.”
Shen Miao was leaning over, examining the clothing designs spread out on the table. Her fingertips lightly brushed the intricately embroidered lotus patterns on the paper, so lifelike they seemed real. Without looking up, her voice clear as a spring, she replied with unwavering certainty, “No need.”
Her fingers paused, and she glanced at him before lowering her gaze back to the designs. Her tone was calm, yet each word carried weight. “For Nianqing Ge to establish itself, it must rely on craftsmanship and reputation, not the influence of the Water Transport Guild.”
Zhao Chengyu chuckled, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. “You’re right. I was overthinking it.”
He knew all too well the capabilities of the person before him—accurately stockpiling grain before the disaster and distributing it during the crisis.
Without taking advantage of the situation or exploiting the locals, in just a few months, the name “Shen Gongzi” had already left a deep impression on the hearts of the people in Jiangnan.
It was the gratitude for saving lives in desperate times, a rare conscience in turbulent times. This weight far surpassed any display of power or authority.
…
At the third quarter of the Chen hour, the auspicious moment arrived.
Firecrackers suddenly crackled, red silk streamers fluttered down from the lintel, and the black-lacquered doors of Nianqing Ge slowly swung open.
The crowd, already waiting on Zhuque Street, surged forward instantly, yet surprisingly maintained order without any noise or pushing.
“I heard this is a clothing shop opened by Shen Gongzi! I must come in and take a look today!”
“Last month during the great flood, if it weren’t for Shen Gongzi opening the granaries to distribute grain, my family wouldn’t have survived. Even if I don’t buy anything today, I have to come and support Shen Gongzi!”
“I heard that anything from Shen Gongzi’s shop is bound to be top quality. I’ve brought the silver I’ve saved for a long time—I must order a new dress for my wife!”
Amid the chatter, there was nothing but gratitude and respect.
The people of Jiangnan remembered kindness. Shen Gongzi’s previous acts of charity had won hearts for Nianqing Ge even before it opened.
When the exquisite garments displayed inside were finally revealed to the crowd, the bustling room fell silent for a moment.
Unlike the gentle and elegant styles commonly seen in Jiangnan clothing shops, or the rigid and formal designs favored by the nobility in the capital, the clothing at Nianqing Ge was beautiful with both character and restraint.
A pomegranate-red embroidered skirt with layered hems flowing like clouds.
A moon-white brocade robe with dark gold cloud patterns embroidered on the cuffs.
A black fox fur cloak adorned with dongzhu pearls at the collar.
And those few high-end custom garments, using the Shen family’s lost double-sided gold-weaving technique, shimmered with fine golden light under the sunlight, captivating all eyes.
“This craftsmanship… I’m afraid even the palace embroiderers would be outmatched!”
“Shen Gongzi truly is extraordinary—not only skilled in managing grain but also so talented in making clothes!”
With the prefect’s wife taking the lead, the noblewomen and wealthy merchants’ wives present could no longer hold back, gathering around the shopkeeper to select garments.
The clerks arranged by the Water Transport Guild worked swiftly, showcasing the ready-made clothes while registering orders.
In just an hour, the hundreds of garments displayed in the shop were sold out.
The order list filled two thick books, with appointments scheduled two months in advance.
The shopkeeper was an experienced man meticulously selected by Zhao Chengyu, having managed stores for the Water Transport Guild for many years—steady and reliable.
Holding the account book, he hurried up to the second floor, bowed respectfully outside the private room, and reported, “Shen Gongzi, today’s grand opening was a great success. All the ready-made garments have sold out, orders are booked for the next two months, and the silver has been fully accounted for without a single penny missing.”
Shen Miao leaned against the soft couch, her fingertips lightly tapping the windowsill as she gazed through the bamboo blinds at the bustling scene below, her eyes calm and unruffled.
Such results were well within her expectations.
“You’ve worked hard, Uncle Zhang.”
The shopkeeper dared not claim credit, knowing full well that today’s overwhelming success was entirely due to Shen Gongzi’s meticulous planning. “You flatter me, Gongzi.”
“Uncle Zhang, leave the account book here. You may go attend to your duties,” Zhao Chengyu said softly from the side, pouring a cup of hot tea for Shen Miao.
“Yes.”
The shopkeeper respectfully placed the thick account book on the desk, bowed, and withdrew.
Zhao Chengyu turned to look at the person on the couch, his eyes gentle with a smile, unable to resist teasing, “Ah Shen, with this move of yours, you’ve directly claimed the top spot among Jiangnan’s garment shops.”
“Without your help, I could never have achieved this.”
As she spoke, Shen Miao picked up an exquisite wooden box beside her and gently pushed it toward him. “This is what you deserve.”
Zhao Chengyu had initially thought it was some thoughtful little gift, raising an eyebrow curiously. But when he opened it, he instantly frowned, looking at her with feigned displeasure. “This… you really don’t treat me as a friend, do you?”
“It’s precisely because I treat you as a friend that I want to keep things clear between us.” Shen Miao pushed the plate of pastries in front of her toward him, her tone calm.
“Keep things clear?” Zhao Chengyu casually pulled out a stack of banknotes, flicking them lightly between his fingers, his eyes tinged with helplessness. “This isn’t treating me as a friend—it’s treating me like a subordinate, even rewarding me.”
“Pfft…” Shen Miao couldn’t help but chuckle at his expression. “I truly am grateful to you.”
She understood better than anyone that only transactions measured in money would not cross boundaries, stir emotions, or lead to looking back.
Yet how could Zhao Chengyu not understand her thoughts?
From the very beginning, he had never been a purely transactional ally.
He had been captivated by her peerless beauty hidden beneath the mask when they first met.
Later, he was awed by her astonishing talent.
And now, his heart and eyes were filled with nothing but pain for the scars and obsessions she concealed beneath her cold, hard exterior.
He did not want to accept it.
Not a single coin.
…
Just then, a sharp, shrill voice, like a sharp knife, brutally sliced through the joyous atmosphere of Nianqing Ge.
“Move aside! All of you, move aside! What kind of shop opened by riffraff dares to occupy the prime location on Zhuque Street? I want to see what kind of trash could make you all scramble like this!”
The crowd was forced to part to both sides as a group of servants and maids clad in brocade, surrounding a charming and flamboyant young woman, swaggered in arrogantly.
Standing by the second-floor corridor, Shen Miao took only one glance, and a bone-chilling coldness rose from the depths of her heart.
Liu Rumei, Su Manrou’s cousin. She had seen her too many times in her past life and hated her just as much.
Relying on Su Manrou’s favor in the capital, Liu Rumei had come to Jiangnan with her family to visit relatives. She was accustomed to throwing her weight around in Suzhou Prefecture, looking down on everyone and holding the people of Jiangnan in utter contempt.
Liu Rumei crossed her arms, her gaze sweeping disdainfully over the racks of luxurious garments. She deliberately raised her voice, each word piercing and grating:
“Is this all? And it dares to call itself a famous shop? The fabric looks cheap, the style is neither here nor there, all gaudy and flashy. I think this ‘Nianqing Ge’ might as well be renamed ‘Joke Pavilion’!”