In the Republican era, there were quite a few prestigious tailoring establishments.
Not to mention the various skills like flat cutting, stand-up cutting, applying decorative trims and lace, making knotted buttons, and seed stitching. Just talking about fabrics, those used in summer alone included cotton cloth, silk, gauze, satin, woolen fabrics, and so on, with many sub-varieties within each category.
Su Ning was quite interested, mainly because the master tailor was explaining while opening a specialized fabric sample book to show her, which contained small swatches of pre-cut materials.
"Silks and satins are best made in the south. Our tailor shop sources them all from there. Look at this luster. It seems unremarkable here, but under the sunlight, it shines beautifully."
Seeing her interest, the master tailor was happy to elaborate.
Curious, Su Ning held a small piece of silk up to the sunlight streaming through the window. It resembled a shimmering pool of water, breathtakingly beautiful.
She decided on the spot to have several summer outfits made from this material.
You get what you pay for.
The master tailor calculated that this additional business would bring in a profit of at least a hundred silver dollars. His heart grew even more delighted, and his introductions became increasingly witty and eloquent.
He wove stories into the descriptions of the fabrics—which materials were fashionable last year but outdated this year, which family newly arrived in the capital made a fool of themselves because of this...
Su Ning listened attentively, extracting useful information from his words. The real-life Beiping was vast, with intricate and complex networks of power. The original book couldn't possibly cover everything, so she had to be cautious at every turn.
Soon, the conversation turned to cloth.
The master tailor furrowed his brow slightly and sighed, "...In recent years, factories run by foreigners using new-style machines produce cloth that's both fast and of good quality. Old cloth merchants like the Fang family are finding business increasingly difficult."
At this point, he sank into a somewhat sentimental mood.
He didn't notice the momentary flicker of concentration in Su Ning's eyes across from him.
The Fang family?
If she remembered correctly from the original book, the family her cousin Su Zhenzhu was engaged to was named Fang, and they were also in the cloth business.
Su Ning seamlessly steered the conversation and, as expected, managed to glean quite a bit of information about the Fang family from this industry insider like the master tailor.
For instance, the Fang family's rise to prosperity had only been in the last few decades. They made their name with several types of cloth that others couldn't weave or dye, later expanding their business and becoming renowned within the trade.
Unfortunately, impacted by foreign cloth, their business was becoming harder to run.
According to the master tailor, the Fang family was still relatively fortunate. They had loyal old customers, and relying on those signature products, they could still get by. Other cloth merchants, however, were described as precarious, living from hand to mouth.
Also, for example, the young master of the Fang family who studied abroad was very promising and had secured a connection for the family to purchase new-style machinery.
They were just waiting to acquire enough foreign currency to buy and bring back the machines.
Perhaps the Fang family was about to prosper again.
A faint smile playing on her lips, Su Ning casually agreed with a few remarks.
"Host, do you intend to prevent the Fang family from buying the new machines?" the system suddenly spoke up.
"Of course. Zhenzhu is my dear cousin, flesh and blood. How can I, as her elder sister, stand idly by while the Fang family treats her so poorly?"
"I must teach that Fang family a lesson."
"Let them know the Su family is not without people!"
Su Ning's performance was filled with deep emotion.
Unfortunately, it failed to move the system: "A reminder, host. The Fang family has been operating in Beiping for a long time. If you try to sabotage their affairs, be careful not to end up losing more than you gain."
"Don't worry." Someone who could endure plain pancakes for half a month while waiting for an opportunity was not one to act recklessly: "A direct confrontation is, of course, not feasible. But using an opponent's strength against them is achievable. The Fang family must use foreign currency to buy the machines—that's 'heavenly timing.' The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) gives me the green light all the way—that's 'geographical advantage.'"
Su Ning paused, the laughter in her words growing richer: "As for Bureau Chief Jian Ren, currently imprisoned and urgently needing US dollars, that's 'human harmony.'"
Commoners do not contend with officials. Even an unstable figure like Jian Ren was not someone the Fang family could directly challenge.
"With heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony all on my side, why worry about not winning?"
Even judging from the original book.
Su Zhenzhu did nothing wrong in the early stages. Throughout, she diligently tried to please everyone in the Fang household. Everyone knew she was the future young mistress of the Fang family.
As for Fang Lin, upon returning to the country, he immediately wanted to break off the engagement.
He was part of the New Youth, rebelling against feudal marriage arrangements, something that should garner everyone's support. But did he ever consider how Su Zhenzhu would cope after the broken engagement?
Being jilted for no reason, all the gossip and rumors would come crashing down on her. A life of hardship was almost a certainty at a glance. Why should she suffer this injustice?
Therefore, no matter how the original book tried to justify it, she couldn't muster sympathy for Fang Lin or even the Fang family. Instead, she could somewhat understand the perspective of the Su family, portrayed as utterly villainous in the book.
Such were the times. If you didn't fight or strive, you were just a piece of meat on someone else's chopping block.
The Su family members simply didn't win, that's all.
Of course, Su Ning also had no inclination to play judge, determining who was right or wrong for the characters in the original book.
What did it have to do with her?
She just wanted to play the "villain" well, spend the ten billion, return to the safe modern era, and be a carefree, wealthy woman. It was that simple.
With her mind clear, Su Ning waved her hand cheerfully and added several winter fur coats to her order. The room filled with the flattering voices of the tailors.
Ring, ring, ring.
The telephone rang.
She answered. As expected, it was her "human harmony" arriving.
…………
His subordinate, though unremarkable in appearance, was an excellent driver. He managed to make an old Ford, missing even a headlight, perform like a BMW.
Inside the car.
Bureau Chief Jian Ren had calmed down from his initial excitement of grasping at a lifeline, and his brain began to work.
To be honest, sending a visiting card to Su Ning, a person of unknown origins, was an act of desperation. Whether there was a chance or not, he had to try.
When he received the message for a meeting, he felt only joy. Now, a thousand thoughts bubbled up in his mind like boiling water.
The figure of thirty thousand US dollars was too large.
Could Su Ning actually come up with it?
Could it be that a young lady was just toying with him? In the one-in-ten-thousand chance she could produce the money, what price would he have to pay in return... Clever people overthink, and Jian Ren vividly illustrated this saying.
Coupled with the excessive speed, before long, he felt his stomach churning and a piercing headache.
He considered telling his subordinate to slow down.
But he also wanted to arrive as soon as possible.
Torn between these thoughts, time slowly passed. Fortunately, the police station wasn't far from the Beiping Grand Hotel, and soon the car finally came to a stop.
Getting out of the car.
Gazing at the resplendent, golden entrance, Bureau Chief Jian Ren took a deep breath but still couldn't help turning his head to the side and vomiting with a retch.
…………
After hastily rinsing his mouth and tidying his appearance.
Bureau Chief Jian Ren regained his composure. With a smile, he watched Driver Liu ask the front desk to call Su Ning, keenly noticing the front desk clerk's instinctively respectful attitude when making the call.
Instead of being annoyed, he was pleased.
The people coming and going at the Beiping Grand Hotel were either wealthy or noble. For the front desk here to treat someone with such deference, this Miss Su must be exceptionally generous with her spending.
She was undoubtedly a wealthy person.
His expectations suddenly soared. So much so that when he learned Su Ning was still trying on clothes and he would have to wait downstairs a while longer, he could even say kindly:
"I'm in no hurry. Please let Miss Su finish her business first."
