Free Web NovelChapter 672: Chapter 672: Friendship Can’t Compare to Silver
"Miss Su is here."
Li Family’s second aunt and eldest aunt warmly invited Su Qing to sit down.
"Ming Xiu, you sit too."
The two were not as enthusiastic towards Li Mingxiu.
"I came with Ming Xiu to visit Grandma and also to sit at home for a while."
Su Qing plopped down into a seat and began examining the second aunt’s clothes.
The second aunt felt uneasy under her gaze, but couldn’t bring herself to ask Su Qing’s purpose for visiting.
At this moment, she feared that Tong Huaqiong was truly upset with them and had sent Su Qing to back up Li Mingxiu.
"Miss Su, is there something wrong with my clothes?" The second aunt asked nervously.
Su Qing waved her hand and said with a smile, "No problem at all. Your embroidery work is impressive; I was just captivated for a moment. May I ask whose handiwork is this embroidery on your garment? I’ve been recruiting embroiderers for the weaving workshop recently and thought I’d ask you."
Li Family’s second aunt was flattered by Su Qing’s words.
The clothes were sewn by herself.
To think they caught Su Qing’s eye.
Li Family’s second aunt excitedly said, "These clothes were sewn by me."
Su Qing smiled and said nothing more.
In fact, the embroidery looked ordinary, and Su Qing said this on purpose to lure the second aunt in.
Li Family’s second aunt tried hard to steer the conversation towards her embroidery skills, but Su Qing just sipped her tea in silence.
Li Family’s second aunt gave Li Mingxiu a look.
This time, Li Mingxiu understood her expression and said, "Su Qing, isn’t our embroidery workshop short of embroiderers? What do you think of my second aunt? You said earlier that her embroidery is good, so why not bring her in since we need embroiderers?"
Li Family’s second aunt looked touched.
The little rascal knew to speak up for her.
She calculated in her heart that if she could get into the embroidery workshop, her son wouldn’t even need fifty taels of silver for a girl to want to marry.
Everyone knows that a female worker’s monthly wages at the workshop can support a family.
It’s just that the workshop has strict entry requirements, and she had applied three times without success.
Ming Xiu, that little rascal, never spoke up for her.
Unexpectedly, she ran into Su Qing today.
Su Qing is close to Tong Huaqiong, and any woman entering the workshop must pass Su Qing’s approval.
Su Qing smiled lightly and said, "I traveled to many villages during the New Year to recruit embroiderers for our workshop, but you know space is limited. If I recruit the second aunt, how will I place those I promised before?"
Ming Xiu pouted and said, "If it wasn’t announced publicly, then it doesn’t count."
Su Qing sighed, about to speak but held back, finally saying, "The second aunt should wait until next year to apply when we recruit again."
Li Family’s second aunt looked disappointed.
Li Family’s eldest aunt, however, smiled. They were sisters-in-law, and since she couldn’t even hold a needle, she didn’t want her sister-in-law earning monthly wages at the workshop.
If the second aunt’s family life improved, she would feel uncomfortable.
Li Mingxiu and Su Qing sat for a while longer, then got up to leave.
Just as they were about to leave, Su Qing hurried to the outhouse.
Seizing the moment, Li Family’s second aunt, under the pretense of boiling eggs for Li Mingxiu, secretly pulled her into the kitchen to urge her to speak well of her to Su Qing.
Her son had recently been engaged, and they demanded fifty taels of silver.
She really didn’t want to pay it.
If she joined Tong Huaqiong’s workshop, then girls would willingly marry without dowries.
Li Mingxiu sighed and said, "Second aunt, it’s not that I don’t want to speak well for you, but it’s difficult. I also want you to earn money at the workshop. You used to try to control my marriage prospects just to get my dowry. The women we worked with say it’s not your fault; poverty is to blame. If you had money, you wouldn’t care about the little I have. So I thought if you earned money at the workshop, you wouldn’t keep thinking of marrying me off to a rich old widower."
Li Mingxiu bluntly pointed out the second aunt’s intentions, making her look uncomfortable.
Li Mingxiu, oblivious to this, leaned closer to whisper, "Second aunt, do you know why Su Qing said your embroidery work is good but doesn’t want you? Honestly, Su Qing is second only to Taohua in the workshop. She manages recruitment, and who gets in is up to her. I saw people giving her silver, and I heard that anyone wanting a position needs to give Su Qing a little something, at least twenty taels of silver per spot. For embroiders, where competition is fierce, it’s said to cost eighty taels of silver to get in."
Li Family’s second aunt gasped.
"Su Qing has a really dark heart."
Eighty taels of silver, even with all her savings, wouldn’t be enough.
She currently only had fifty taels meant for her son’s marriage costs.
Li Mingxiu continued, "Second aunt, think about it. If you were in Su Qing’s position, would you not take advantage?"
Li Family’s second aunt wanted to say that she would probably take even more than Su Qing.
Li Mingxiu said, "To make sure uncle and second aunt don’t covet my money, I want you to work in the workshop. I want to help you, but you saw earlier she didn’t even continue the conversation with me. Su Qing and I are friends, but friendship isn’t worth as much as silver, right? Don’t you think so, second aunt?"
"Even if Su Qing does me a favor, it will cost fifty taels of silver. Last time, a woman wanting her aunt to work as a cotton worker with us gave thirty taels. Moreover, embroiderers’ jobs are sought after; many people would break the door down to get in. Why would people spend silver to get in? No one is foolish. The money spent to get in can be earned back. A willing worker in the workshop can make no less than fifteen taels a year, plus seasonal gifts and clothing. Everyone knows our master is generous."
"But as nice as the workshop sounds, second aunt, don’t think about it anymore; you don’t have that much money anyway."
Li Family’s second aunt grabbed Li Mingxiu and said, "You say fifty taels can really buy an embroiderer’s position?"
Li Mingxiu said, "Not necessarily; some have offered eighty. Anyway, it doesn’t concern second aunt, since you don’t have the money. By the way, second aunt, I heard from Grandma that my second brother is getting engaged. Which family is it?"
Li Family’s second aunt, on this topic, felt incensed, blaming the demand for fifty taels in dowry.
"It’s the daughter of my aunt in Pingyang County." Li Family’s second aunt said discontentedly, "Girls care about looks, and your second brother suffers because of his face. If he looked like Young Master Gu Dashu, not a penny would be necessary for girls to chase after him."
A girl from Pingyang County?
The master mentioned Manager He is originally from Pingyang County. Could Manager He’s family have colluded with the second aunt?
Otherwise, why suggest sending her to Manager He as a concubine?
Li Mingxiu restrained her disgust and said, "Honestly, saying it’s about looks is an excuse; poverty is the real issue. Look at those wealthy young masters. Even if they look like mountain demons with missing limbs, people still marry them. Second aunt, if you worked at our workshop, getting a proposal for my second brother would be easy with monthly silver. The threshold for matchmakers would wear out from visitors."
Li Family’s second aunt couldn’t help but nod.
That’s true. Before, people said Ming Xiu had a hard life and would jinx a husband, so no one proposed. But since she started earning as a cotton worker, proposals come often.
Though this girl is proud, looking down on them all.
