Chapter Eighteen: The Embroidery Auction

  Fan Yicheng said: "Jin'er, I want to tell you something."

  Xu Mingjin rarely saw Fan Weichen smile, she curiously asked: "What's going on?"

  Fan Yicheng said, "That still has to start from when I was recuperating at the Qi family's medicine shop. You go and ask about that time." He smiled slightly and said, "That day, you told me many things, and I promised to become the manager of the embroidery workshop. Later, as the sky was getting dark, you left. When I was preparing to rest, Li Zhuang suddenly came looking for me."

  "What does he want from you?" Xu Mingjin asked in surprise, she didn't expect this turn of events.

  "Mr. Li told me that he supports me in becoming the shopkeeper, and he hopes I will use my original name. If anyone comes to cause trouble, he will help me resolve it. He has already taken care of those beggars in the broken temple, so I no longer have any worries. Now all I need to do is tell outsiders that I am the owner of Xiu Zhuang and that I have turned over a new leaf, and that Mr. Li kindly took me in and let me become the shopkeeper."

  Xu Mingjin said: "So kind? Why did he want to help you?" "Boss Li said it was Young Master Ze's instructions before he left." At this point, Fan Weichen said: "The silver you gave me, let me recover from my injuries and then give it to Boss Li. He refused to accept it no matter what, saying that Young Master Ze had instructed him. I could only use the silver to cover the renovation costs of the embroidery shop."

  Xu Mingjin hadn't heard the name Ze Gongzi for a long time, and upon hearing it, she was taken aback. After thinking for a moment, she realized who Ze Gongzi was. She asked: "If there are guests asking about the owner of this embroidery shop, what would you say?"

  Fan Yicheng smiled slightly and said: "I'll just tell everyone that the owner of Xiu Zhuang doesn't want anyone to know about him, so please forgive me."

  Xu Mingjin praised: "This is also good, in short, I and my mother are not good at showing our faces, you can't say that the owner of this embroidery shop is you, so it's a good arrangement." Fan Yicheng was anxious as soon as he heard it: "How could Uncle be the owner of the embroidery shop?"

  "You are!" Xu Mingjin said solemnly: "Uncle, I'm going to the capital with my mother. The good things about Zhuang Village are up to you to decide, so of course, you're the boss! Just a behind-the-scenes boss. Let's agree, we'll split the money 50/50."

  Fan Yicheng shook his head: "No! The money you earn is yours, just pay me the monthly salary as the shopkeeper and that's it." Xu Mingjin said seriously: "Uncle, although the renovation funds were all provided by Mother, we are going to Beijing soon, and in the future, the renovation matters will still be your concern. Taking half of the money is not too much, Mother has agreed. Uncle, aren't you afraid of losing face? I've given you an opportunity, now it's up to you to seize it!"

  Fan Yicheng heard this and still shook his head, while Xu Mingjin half-jokingly complained: "Uncle, save some money for me, I'm still waiting for you to bring back Auntie!"

  Fan Yicheng said: “……”

  "Alright, alright, it's settled then."

  Xu Mingjin was just recalling the excitement, when he suddenly heard Fan Yicheng say in his loud voice: "The auspicious time has arrived, let's set off firecrackers!" For a moment, all that could be heard were the deafening sounds of firecrackers going off one after another. They drowned out the chatter of the ladies and girls, and everyone stopped talking, those inside covered their ears and peeked outside, while those outside rushed in, covering their ears, and for a moment, the place was packed to capacity, what a lively scene!

  Xu Mingjin was squeezed by the crowd and couldn't breathe, Chun Xing and Qiu Yun two people, wholeheartedly protected her around, pushing those squeezing ladies to one side. The scene was very chaotic. Xu Nainai was almost knocked down by the squeeze, she regretted agreeing to get off the car with Xu Mingjin, what a miscalculation!

  The firecrackers finally stopped, and the crowd relaxed their ears, smoothed out their clothes, and regained their composure. However, due to the people who had squeezed in, the scene was still a bit chaotic. At this time, Fan Yicheng said: "Thanks to the love of all the fellow villagers, our embroidery shop is open for business today, and all customers who come to buy embroidery products will receive gifts from our shop!" As he spoke, he asked his assistants to bring out two large trays of various kinds of embroidered pouches, handkerchiefs, and tassels. The designs were exquisite and elegant, attracting the ladies and young girls to come forward and take a look.

  Those things were all painted by Xu Mingjin, and embroidered by Qiu Yun. In her previous life, when she was a child, she was quite interested in these things and learned a bit about them. However, so many handkerchiefs and pouches were all embroidered by the embroidery girls at the Embroidery Workshop. All of Qiu Yun's embroideries were used by Xu Mingjin. Xu Mingjin protested, but Qiu Yun insisted: "Miss, you can't not have any for yourself! If Madam finds out, she'll think we're all lazy and won't kick us out!" Xu Mingjin had no choice but to surrender.

  Those ladies were tempted by the gifts and picked out those embroidered goods one after another.

  Fan Yicheng finally had the opportunity to greet Xu Mingjin, saying that it was a greeting, but in fact it was just a mutual smile and nod. In this situation, it wasn't suitable to openly arouse suspicion. Fan Yicheng was very happy to see Xu Mingjin arrive, and he had his servant escort her to the elegant room upstairs, following after them himself.

  At this moment, a woman called out to Fan Yicheng: "Boss, introduce me to the embroidery products in your embroidery shop!"

  Fan Yicheng was taken aback.

  The guests all went to see for themselves, and didn't expect this young lady would ask the shopkeeper to introduce them. Fan Yicheng was taken aback, but quickly reacted, giving Xu Mingjin a "you go first" glance, and smiling slightly at the woman: "I'm honored to serve you." He walked in front of the woman, keeping a distance of two steps, saying: "This way, please."

  Fan Yicheng led the woman to the counter and introduced each of the embroidered pieces: "Miss, look at this authentic Suzhou embroidery..." The woman suddenly interrupted him, saying: "What's this poem?" It turned out that Fan Yicheng had been introducing to the woman the lotus flower painting with a poem from "The Love Lotus" that Xu Mingjin had painted for the first time after arriving in this world.

  Fan Yicheng was just about to respond when he heard the woman recite: "I alone love the lotus because it emerges from the mire without being stained, washes in the clear water without being seductive, is upright inside and out, not sprawling or branching, its fragrance wafting afar and growing purer, standing tall and clean, to be admired from a distance but not trifled with..." The woman's voice was not soft, and most of the people in the shop heard her. For a moment, the crows and sparrows made no sound.

  "What a magnificent and unparalleled poem! I wonder who wrote it?" The woman asked excitedly.

  Fan Yicheng was just about to answer when Xu Mingjin, my niece, spoke up, and then Zhang Shuozi chimed in from the side: "Who else could it be? Of course it's a poem written by our boss Fan!"

  However, Xu Mingjin caught the eye signal from Fan Yicheng to leave first, but she didn't walk away. She was very interested in looking at the woman standing with Fan Yicheng. The woman had a light and graceful gait, her figure was agile and nimble. Her face was as beautiful as a lotus flower emerging from the water.

  She was wearing a silver-embroidered hundred-butterfly skirt, with her hair styled in a fragrant cloud bun. Xu Mingjin took one look and knew she must have some background, standing in front of Fan Yicheng, no matter how he looked at her, it was a picture of a talented scholar and a beautiful woman. When she heard her ask Fan Yicheng who wrote that poem, she suddenly had an idea, and hastily ordered Chun Xiang to call Zhang Shuozi, saying something like this. And then there was the scene just now.

  Fan Yicheng was shocked by this sudden change, and it took him a long time to react. When he came to his senses, the first thing he did was look at Xu Mingjin, only to see her gazing deeply at him, indicating that he shouldn't expose what had happened.

  Everyone also reacted and crowded over to see the poem, constantly praising it. The woman was even more excited and asked: "May I ask how the shopkeeper is called?"

  Fan Yicheng heard her ask his name, thinking that this was a good opportunity to correct it, so he said seriously: "I am Fan Yicheng, just the owner of this embroidery shop, a humble name, I don't dare to trouble Miss to remember." As soon as he finished speaking, the guests in the hall were even quieter than when they were reciting poetry. A quarter of a second later, the crowd erupted.

  "What? Is he the one who brought down the Fan family, Fan Dui Chen? Didn't he become a beggar?" A lady exclaimed in surprise. "Yes, Fan Dui Chen is just a beggar, ugly to death! How can he possibly look like this refined young master? Am I mistaken?" Another lady asked disbelievingly. The noble-looking lady next to her showed disdain and chimed in, "Right, right, I don't believe it either, Fan Dui Chen that good-for-nothing son is completely different from the shopkeeper!" The rest of the ladies all echoed in agreement.

  Fan Yicheng thought that after everyone knew, they would despise him and insult him. But he absolutely did not think that everyone would not believe him.

  Everyone discussed for half a day, no matter how Fan Yicheng explained, everyone was unwilling to believe him. Xu Mingjin smiled slightly, her poor uncle, still didn't know the reason, he might not even know for his whole life! Should she remind him? Alright, she'll write a letter to tell him when she gets back. Xu Mingjin thought, looking at those chattering ladies, sighing, it's all because of men's lust!

  Mrs. Fan was stunningly beautiful, and her sons and daughters were all good-looking, so why should her brother be ugly? Fan Daimin was originally handsome, and although he had been rolling around in the beggar's pile for many years, enduring wind and frost, hunger and hardship, his charm had not diminished in the slightest. In his youth, he was a dashing young man. Now that he had shed his youthful awkwardness, at 28 years old, he was in his prime. Today, all the ladies of the Embroidery Mansion couldn't help but steal glances at him! He told them that he was Fan Daimin, the very person they used to despise the most - how could they possibly accept it?!

  While everyone was still discussing, a slightly older woman walked out and carefully examined Fan Yicheng's face before firmly saying: "No mistake, he is Fan Yicheng!" Upon hearing this, the crowd burst into an uproar, all asking: "How did Mrs. Xue determine that he was that good-for-nothing Fan Yicheng?"

  It turned out that the woman was the matriarch of the Xu family, a highly respected and dignified person. No one dared to question her words, but only hoped that she could dispel their confusion.

  Xu Mingjin's heart skipped a beat, the matriarch of the Xu family? She secretly raised her eyes to look, and saw that the woman's dress was indeed extremely luxurious, but a pair of phoenix eyes shot out a fierce light. Xu Mingjin's heart trembled, this person is not someone who is easy to get along with. Hopefully she won't say anything unpleasant.

  "More than a decade ago, when he was still a kid, I saw him, and his appearance was similar to this. Now he has matured and become more stable, but nobody recognized him. Let everyone think carefully, maybe they can recall the wife before he became a spendthrift."

  As soon as she said this, everyone looked at Fan Yicheng with their eyes, and the more they looked, the more they felt that what she said was right. At this time, many people recognized Fan Yicheng one after another, and exclaimed in unison: "Mrs. Xu is right! He is indeed Fan Yicheng!"

  Although everyone recognized Fan Dicui, no one uttered a contemptuous voice. Instead, they all praised: "Good, good! Being able to write such poetic lines means he has already repented and reformed!"

  At this time, the woman who had just introduced the embroidery to her, stepped forward and said: "I don't know how much that embroidered piece costs, I'll buy it!"

  The crowd immediately erupted, all shouting: "Sell it to me! Sell it to me! Sell it to me!"

  Xu Mingjin looked at those ladies and young women, all with an air of determination, and smiled slightly to herself: "Great! Now I can make a big profit!" She beckoned Zhang Shuo over and gave him some low-voiced instructions. Zhang Shuo listened, then praised Xu Mingjin excessively: "Miss, you're too amazing!" Xu Mingjin urged him on: "Save the flattery for later, now hurry up and take care of things!" Zhang Shuo responded with a sound, then hastily ran over to Fan Dichen's side and quietly told him what Xu Mingjin had instructed. Fan Dichen's eyes lit up - what a great idea!