Ye Anling had given all her money to Ye Chutang and was left penniless.
She couldn’t very well ask Qiulu to chase after Ye Chutang to settle the bill in front of the waiter—it would make her look like she was bullying her newly returned elder sister.
“How much is it?” she asked.
The waiter replied respectfully, “One tael of silver, Miss Ye.”
Seeing the amount wasn’t much, Ye Anling lowered her voice and said to Qiulu, “Pay for it now, and I’ll reimburse you when we return to the manor.”
Qiulu always carried some loose change when she went out. She counted it and found she had exactly one tael.
After settling the bill, the two stepped out of the teahouse and saw Ye Chutang entering Wanbao Pavilion across the street.
Wanbao Pavilion was one of the capital’s most renowned jewelry shops.
Its pieces weren’t particularly expensive but were famous for their variety of styles.
Ye Chutang wasn’t fond of overly ornate jewelry, but the intricate craftsmanship caught her eye.
After purchasing two sets, she called for the shopkeeper.
“Can you customize jewelry based on my specifications?”
The shopkeeper smiled and nodded. “Of course. Most of our craftsmen at Wanbao Pavilion are former palace artisans. We can make any design, though custom pieces cost double.”
“Price isn’t an issue.”
Hearing this, the shopkeeper’s plump face creased into a grin. “What kind of jewelry would the young lady like to commission?”
Ye Chutang wanted to order discreet weaponized accessories. “Let me think it over first.”
The shopkeeper thought she was toying with him—until Ye Chutang handed him a hundred-tael silver note.
“Settle the bill, and keep the rest as a deposit. Issue me a receipt.”
“Right away, right away!”
By the time Ye Chutang left Wanbao Pavilion with her purchases and receipt, Ye Anling had only just sauntered over.
“Elder Sister, you’ve finished browsing Wanbao Pavilion so quickly?”
“Mm. Nothing caught my eye. I’ll return in a few days to place a custom order.”
Ye Anling rolled her eyes inwardly. Who does she think she’s fooling? Someone who’s never seen fine things, putting on airs!
Out loud, she said sweetly, “As long as Elder Sister is happy.”
As long as this wretch doesn’t cause more trouble, she can pretend all she wants.
“Elder Sister, the embroidery shop next door is quite nice. Would you like to take a look?”
Ye Anling was dizzy with exhaustion and just wanted to hurry through Ye Chutang’s shopping spree so they could return home.
Ye Chutang recalled the double-sided embroidery handkerchiefs the original owner had made and nodded.
“Sure, let’s see.”
The original owner suffered so much in the countryside—people ought to know.
Like Wanbao Pavilion, the embroidery shop employed many former palace seamstresses, renowned for their exquisite needlework. They specialized in wedding gowns and bespoke orders.
Ready-made garments were only sold when the seamstresses had spare time, and they came at a steep price.
The capital had no shortage of wealthy patrons, so the shop’s business thrived. Only a few finished pieces remained on display, most being sample garments.
The shop bustled with seamstresses and noble patrons alike.
The moment Ye Chutang stepped inside, all eyes turned to her.
By now, everyone in the commercial district knew that the Ye family’s eldest daughter was a breathtaking beauty who had outshone even Princess Anping.
Had it not been for Ye Anling’s intervention and the timely arrival of Prince Chen, her flawless face would have been ruined by the princess.
Ignoring the curious stares, Ye Chutang examined the fabrics and embroidery with a critical eye, occasionally frowning or shaking her head—clearly unimpressed.
Noticing this, the shopkeeper approached. “Does nothing meet the young lady’s standards?”
Ye Anling’s alarm bells rang, but before she could stop her, Ye Chutang nodded.
“Indeed. The fabrics are excellent, but the embroidery…”
“Elder Sister, if you know nothing about needlework, don’t spout nonsense! These seamstresses once crafted garments for the imperial family!”
The embroidery shop was backed by Consort Yun, the Emperor’s favorite, whose influence even the Empress avoided crossing.
Criticizing the shop was tantamount to insulting her.
Ye Chutang blinked innocently. “Who says I don’t know? I’ve embroidered handkerchiefs in the countryside for over a decade. Even blindfolded, my work surpasses this.”
Her words were a direct affront to every seamstress present.
With Consort Yun’s backing, they had no fear of offending a mere minister’s daughter.
“Are you implying that the garments worn by the Emperor and Empress are inferior to your handkerchiefs?”
“I’ve been a palace seamstress for twenty years—yet I can’t compare to your blindfolded stitching?”
“Boast too boldly, and you’ll invite calamity.”
Ye Anling’s head throbbed with panic. “Elder Sister didn’t mean—”
Ye Chutang cut her off.
“Don’t twist my words. I’m only critiquing the embroidery—no need to drag Their Majesties into this.”
She then retrieved one of the original owner’s handkerchiefs from her spatial pouch and handed it to the shopkeeper.
“This is something I embroidered in the countryside. Forgive my poor skills.”
The shopkeeper took the handkerchief, and her eyes widened at the lifelike double-sided embroidery.
“This… you truly embroidered this?”
As a former head of the palace’s embroidery bureau, she’d seen masterful work—but nothing as exquisite as this.
Only such divine craftsmanship could be called “ten fingers weaving spring breezes.”
Nearby customers gasped in awe.
Ye Chutang nodded. “Of course.”
Then, she played the victim.
“If not for this skill, I’d have starved to death long ago.”
As puzzled murmurs arose, she added,
“Had my mother known I’d be sent to the countryside for fifteen years—enduring hunger, cold, and abuse—I wonder if she’d have regretted marrying Lord Ye.”
Silence fell over the shop.
Everyone exchanged glances—they’d stumbled upon quite the scandal about the Ye household.
Ye Anling stared at Ye Chutang in shock, convinced she’d lost her mind.
Weren’t we discussing embroidery? How did this turn into airing grievances about her miserable past?
And now she was slandering their father in public!
“Elder Sister, you misunderstand Father. He sent you to the countryside to save your life.”
Her implication was clear: without it, Ye Chutang would have died.
It was common knowledge that Tang Wanning had scoured the realm for physicians to treat Ye Chutang’s frail health.
Ye Chutang met Ye Anling’s furious gaze with feigned innocence.
“Don’t misunderstand, Second Sister. I never said Lord Ye was wrong to send me away. I just don’t understand why he never visited—not even for my coming-of-age ceremony.”
She reclaimed the handkerchief from the shopkeeper.
“Do you know how I lived there? To survive, I was forced to embroider two handkerchiefs a day for a measly thirty coins—just to afford moldy scraps of food.”
To prove her point, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a wrist painfully thin from chronic malnutrition.
The spiritual spring water had restored her complexion but couldn’t instantly heal years of neglect.
“If not for my mother’s protection, I wouldn’t have survived. Frankly, when Lord Ye suddenly summoned me back, I was terrified. I can’t help but suspect ulterior motives.”
Her words bordered on treason—yet no one blamed her, seeing her skeletal wrist.
Whispers erupted as patrons speculated why Ye Jingchuan had recalled his daughter.
“She’s of marriageable age. Perhaps Lord Ye brought her back for an arrangement?”
“Unlikely. If that were the case, he’d have held her coming-of-age ceremony years ago.”
“True. Then what else could it be? Surely not her embroidery skills?”
"It's not entirely impossible. The Empress's birthday banquet is just around the corner..."
All eyes turned to Ye Chutang, eager to hear her response.
