CHAPTER 370: CHAPTER 370: EMBROIDERY MASTER

Gu Dashan thought of the events he encountered on the road when fleeing the famine and realized that some things in this world are not as they appear to the eye. He immediately nodded emphatically: "Mmm, Third Aunt can rest assured, I remember. If I encounter such things in the future, I will not take matters into my own hands but let others save the day."

He glanced at Mrs. Cui and added: "Right now I have nothing to ask for, I just want to take good care of my wife and children."

He had already caused Mrs. Cui and the others to suffer for many years. Now that life was better, how could he add to their troubles?

Mrs. Cui had been keeping her head down the whole time, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Gu Dashan’s words.

Inside the house, Gu Jinxiu heard the conversation outside and looked at Gu Jinli, asking her in a low voice: "Was it you who asked Third Grandma to say that?"

Gu Jinli closed the door, walked over, and said, "How did you know?"

Gu Jinxiu replied: "If it weren’t for you telling Third Grandma, why would you run back into the room? And you had a guilty look as if you were a thief."

Gu Jinli admitted with a nod and a smile, praising her sister: "My sister is really smart indeed."

Then she added: "Sister, have you finished embroidering the portrait of Elder Mi and his wife for me?"

She planned to visit Hu Yun Temple soon and get on the good side of Master Hu. The last time she met Master Hu, she noticed that he was very interested in the embroidery patterns by Gu Jinxiu. Thus, she thought of bringing an embroidery portrait with her.

Elder Mi’s mother grew up with Master Hu and they shared a special bond. To give a portrait of Elder Mi and his wife as a gift was perfect for Master Hu.

While sorting threads, Gu Jinxiu replied: "It’s almost done; I can give it to you in a couple of days."

The portrait of Elder Mi and his wife was only the size of a copper mirror. Even if she had to prepare spices in the afternoon and could only use the morning for embroidery, in ten days she could complete it.

Hearing this, Gu Jinli was very pleased and said enthusiastically: "Thank you, big sister, you’re the best to me."

Gu Jinxiu smiled: "The day before yesterday, when Good Brother An went to water the medicinal field, you said the same to him. Who is the best to you, after all? You sure know how to say pleasant things."

Seeing her getting too close, she added: "Step back a bit, you’re too close, and I can’t sort threads properly."

As Gu Jinxiu spoke, her hands skillfully twisted and loosened the embroidery threads and then deftly separated a new thread with the tip of her fingernail.

Her fingers moved as though playing a piano, and in no time she had split twenty strands of embroidery thread into hundreds of fine strands, tied them into live knots, and hung them on the uprights of the embroidery frame.

Gu Jinli admired her: "Sister, it’s no wonder Granny Li took a liking to you. Your craftsmanship is truly unparalleled."

During the Qiqiao Festival, Gu Jinxiu became the celebrated craftswoman at Jiang Mansion’s Qiqiao Banquet, not only earning a valuable reward but also attracting the interest of the Shopkeeper of Huaiyu Embroidery Shop who wanted her to become their embroidery master.

Embroidery masters are different from embroidery ladies. An embroidery lady does what the shop assigns, similar to any other job, with some even signing indentures and becoming slaves.

But an embroidery master is prestigious.

Famous embroidery masters in Great Chu are comparable to scholars, with people bringing gold and silver in exchange for their works. Moreover, an embroidery master can sign his or her work with a personal mark, establishing a reputation with their signature, making their signed works collectibles to be revered by future generations.

At the time, Gu Jinli was very tempted, feeling that Gu Jinxiu was well suited to be an embroidery master. Gu Jinxiu was also moved, but they did not accept immediately, saying they would need to go home and discuss with the family.

Granny Li was not in a hurry. She said they could wait and specifically instructed Gu Jinxiu to think it over carefully, as she did not want Gu Jinxiu to give up halfway.

After all, finding a good candidate for embroidery master was not easy.

When they got home and told everyone about it, the family was very happy, and they had been discussing the matter lately.

However, the family had not made a decision yet... This was a major decision that would affect Gu Jinxiu’s entire life, they were afraid of making a hasty decision that might harm Gu Jinxiu.

Gu Jinxiu was just a delicate young girl, and she was also very pretty. Once she became an embroidery master and gained fame, they were afraid others might target Gu Jinxiu, and they, being weak and powerless, would not be able to protect her.

After finding out about this, Gu Yumei was green with envy.

She had always thought that among all the girls in their circle, Gu Jinxiu was the most useless. If it weren’t for her younger sister Gu Jinli looking after her, Gu Jinxiu would have died on the road while fleeing the famine. Now, a visit to Jiang Mansion had actually caught the attention of the Big Embroidery Workshop’s Shopkeeper, and she was even considered for the role of an embroidery master!

Gu Yumei had heard of embroidery masters and knew that they were a hundred times more precious than ordinary embroidery ladies. If Gu Jinxiu really became an embroidery master, it would be like ascending to the heavens in a single step.

Then there was herself, who to this day had accomplished nothing.

She had been in a competition with Gu Jinli, saying she would create something even better than tofu or seasoning sauces, but after fussing for half a year, she hadn’t made anything good, not to mention creating something utterly worthless.

And because of Zou Yuwan, she had been beaten several times, losing face in front of everyone.

Thinking about it, Gu Yumei felt so wronged she could cry... Why was her life so tough? Couldn’t God open His eyes and help her out, let her have some clever ideas, and create a few money-making things so that everyone would look at her with new respect?

Mrs. Chen, seeing her envy Gu Jinxiu to the point of tears, was astounded and sternly told her, "Your own skills are inadequate, even if you’re green with envy it’s no use."

Gu Yumei refused to accept this, retorting, "How are my skills inadequate? Is it just that I’m slightly worse than Gu Jinxiu? How did she acquire those skills? Wasn’t it because her family was poor and needed to earn money to support the household that she practiced from a young age? Our family is the village chief’s household, the conditions are better, and I didn’t need to do embroidery work to earn money since I was a child, so naturally, my skills are a bit worse... If I practice more, I’ll definitely catch up to her."

"Tch, with your skills, you couldn’t catch up to Sister Xiu even if you practiced to death." Mrs. Chen, seeing her so stubborn, always wanting to compete with Xiao Yu and Sister Xiu, advised her earnestly, "Sister Mei, doing embroidery work is like studying, it’s about talent. If you don’t have the talent, even trying your hardest is futile."

"Besides, you’re so lazy and restless, if you really sat for hours like Sister Xiu to do embroidery, you’d probably smash the embroidery frame to pieces."

This naughty girl had indeed once smashed an embroidery frame when she was younger.

Gu Yumei shook with anger, and furiously asked Mrs. Chen, "Auntie, whose side are you on? I’m your own niece!"

Mrs. Chen sneered, "Mother’s side with silver."

Being her niece was so troublesome, while silver was so appealing, she wasn’t crazy to side with her over Xiao Yu, the treasure basin.

Hearing this, Gu Yumei was infuriated to tears again.

"Cry, cry, cry, you won’t cry yourself to death." Mrs. Chen said with a headache, "Madam, just resign yourself to it; admitting that you lack ability is not something shameful. We might not have abilities, but as long as we attach ourselves to those who do, we’ll succeed."

Look at their families; weren’t they all prospering because of Xiao Yu?

"Alright, stop your fuss. Just work honestly at home, waiting to get married. You like the Wan Family, don’t you? Then marry into the Wan Family and become the young madam."

Gu Yumei’s eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked, "Auntie, what do you mean by this? Is it that the marriage arrangement with the Wan Family... is settled?"