Chapter 128: Third Sister’s Name

Wu Wei had a simple bite to eat at the inn. Once the sun was no longer beating down so fiercely, she set out alongside the Embroider Maiden.

She asked the inn’s shop assistant for directions to the ready-to-wear shops. As expected in a major fiefdom stronghold, Taizhou City boasted five reputable clothing stores. Two of them had stood for over a century, enduring the reigns of three successive regional princes. Another two had opened during Prince Pingyan’s time and had been operating for several decades. The last one was a recent addition—its name wasn’t as renowned as the others, but its premises were the largest. Called Orchid Pavilion, it was said to be backed by a wealthy owner who had bought two adjacent shops, knocked down the wall between them, and merged the spaces. Not only did it sell ready-made clothes, but it also offered a wide array of fabrics. Best of all, skilled Embroiders who mastered every embroidery technique lived right there in the back courtyard. As the assistant put it, if you had the silver, Orchid Pavilion had the garment you couldn’t find anywhere else.

Wu Wei and the Embroider Maiden exchanged a glance, both instantly intrigued by this Orchid Pavilion. Wu Wei’s thinking was straightforward: as a transmigrator with a keen interest in history, she was eager to witness some ancient craftsmanship firsthand.

The Embroider Maiden, for her part, wanted to observe the other Embroiders’ techniques. Picking up a trick or two would be a bonus.

The two women were perfectly in sync. They left the inn and headed straight for Orchid Pavilion, sharing a smile that said they had both been thinking the same thing.

The Embroider Maiden carried a cloth bundle containing her carefully prepared embroidery samples.

They asked for directions a couple more times along the way. Orchid Pavilion was well-known in Taizhou City, so it didn’t take long to find. It lived up to the assistant’s description: grand and elegantly appointed in its own distinctive style.

A signboard hung squarely in the center of the door curtain, bearing the words “Orchid Pavilion.” Flanking it on either side were six long strips of fabric apiece, each about a foot wide. One end was secured under the roof tiles, while the other dangled freely in the air, weighted at the bottom with a string of copper coins to keep it from flapping in the wind.

These twelve strips came in a rainbow of colors, from deep shades to pale, including hues Wu Wei had never seen since transmigrating—likely due to complex dyeing processes or rare materials unavailable back in Qinglu County.

The Embroider Maiden stared at them in a daze for a moment before pulling Wu Wei forward. She stopped in front of an indigo strip, admiring how true its color was and the embroidered koi swimming across it.

Only then did Wu Wei notice that each of the twelve strips featured a different embroidery design: lotus flowers, pine trees and cypresses, verdant bamboo, auspicious clouds, koi, dragonflies, golden toads, mandarin ducks, wild geese, chrysanthemums, orchids, and plum blossoms. Every one showcased the Embroiders’ exceptional skill, though Wu Wei offered only a casual word of praise.

Leaning close to the Embroider Maiden’s ear, Wu Wei whispered, “Embroider Maiden, I think your work is even better than theirs—more lively, with finer stitches.”

The Embroider Maiden smiled to herself without replying, though her anxious heart settled considerably.

“Shall we go in?” Wu Wei suggested.

“Sure.”

No sooner had they stepped inside Orchid Pavilion than an enthusiastic shop assistant approached. “Are you two ladies here to browse fabrics or buy ready-made clothes?” He gestured to the garments and bolts hanging on the walls. “We also take custom orders at Orchid Pavilion—fabric, style, embroidery, all chosen by the customer. Our Embroiders live right in the back courtyard.”

At the word “Embroiders,” Wu Wei couldn’t help frowning. She’d never discussed this with outsiders before and had subconsciously assumed “Liu Embroideress” was the Embroider Maiden’s actual name. The assistant’s casual use reminded her that it was merely a title for the profession—and the woman holding her hand had no proper name of her own.

It was just a nickname bestowed because of her superb embroidery.

If she had to have a name, it was Liu Sanniang—Third Sister Liu.

A complicated feeling welled up in Wu Wei. She glanced at the Embroider Maiden, who seemed utterly unperturbed, and it only made Wu Wei feel worse.

They were both daughters of the Liu family. Why did Eldest Sister Liu have a name while someone as dutiful and kind as the Embroider Maiden did not?

This wasn’t right!

…

“Young sir,” Wu Wei said to the shop assistant, “does your esteemed shop purchase finished embroidery samples? I’m from Qinglu County, and I’m an Embroider myself.”

The assistant raised an eyebrow and gave Wu Wei and the Embroider Maiden an appraising once-over. Their clothes weren’t shabby by any means, so he replied politely, “Miss, you may not know this, but we already have more than twenty Embroiders in our back courtyard. This matter…”

Wu Wei cut in smoothly. “Survival of the fittest, as they say. Orchid Pavilion rose to prominence in Taizhou City so quickly because of its strengths. But my Third Sister’s skills are no slouch either. We’ve seen the samples on display at your door. For us to walk in takes courage, but at least it proves that in my eyes, Third Sister’s work belongs here.”

She deliberately avoided “Embroider Maiden,” opting for “Third Sister” instead. She didn’t want that generic title pinned on her any longer.

Taken aback by Wu Wei’s confidence, the assistant watched as the Embroider Maiden lifted her cloth bundle. “I’ve brought a few samples,” she said. “Have a look and decide, young sir.”

“Alright, but I can’t make the call on this. If your work is top-notch, I’ll make an exception and fetch the manager.”

“Thank you.”

The Embroider Maiden opened the bundle and handed over several pieces: dragonflies playing among lotus leaves, red plum blossoms defying the snow, and verdant bamboo.

The fabrics and threads she had used couldn’t compare to Orchid Pavilion’s high-end displays, but her embroidery was certainly worthy.

Putting aside his initial skepticism, the assistant said, “Please wait here, ladies. I’ll go get the manager right away. May I take these samples in as well?”

The Embroider Maiden smiled graciously. “Of course.”

He snatched up the samples and dashed off, weaving past shelves and through the small door behind the counter.

Wu Wei and the Embroider Maiden exchanged a look. Things were looking up; now it was just a matter of haggling over price.

Wu Wei didn’t care too much about the exact amount. She wanted the Embroider Maiden to keep doing what she loved, to realize her value—without overworking herself.

Moments later, the assistant returned, ushering in a middle-aged man with three long strands of mustache. Dressed like a prosperous merchant and slightly portly, he had an honest, genial face.

He stopped before Wu Wei and the Embroider Maiden, cupping his hands slightly in greeting.

They returned the courtesy.

“Whose handiwork are these samples, if I may ask?”

“Mine,” the Embroider Maiden said.

“Impressive. Orchid Pavilion is planning a line of premium ready-to-wear using the finest fabrics and tailors. Naturally, we’ll need the best Embroiders too. Would you care to join us? Two taels of silver a month, plus room and board.”

The Embroider Maiden shook her head. “Thank you for the kind offer, sir, but I have a mother to support at home and household duties to manage. I can’t take the position. If it pleases you, though, I can deliver samples on the fifteenth of each month for you to price and purchase. Would that work?”

Wu Wei stood quietly by, smiling throughout, her heart swelling with pride. The manager couldn’t hide his raised eyebrow at the Embroider Maiden’s words—curiosity and surprise flickering in his eyes.

Wu Wei knew exactly what he was thinking, and it made her even prouder.

For one thing, even in Taizhou Prefecture, two taels a month was no small sum. Prince Yi had stirred up families to abandon their own fields for a mere one tael. Yet here was the Embroider Maiden, unmoved by double that.

For another, in this era, men were the ones who supported their parents and held the household reins. But the Embroider Maiden had just revealed herself as the one calling the shots and bearing the burden—how could that not catch him off guard?

One aspect Wu Wei hadn’t anticipated was the Embroider Maiden’s poise.

She seemed perfectly natural to Wu Wei, but to the manager meeting her for the first time, the woman was poised and gracious, articulate and composed. She outshone not just Embroiders, but even the men who peddled door-to-door.

He subtly sized up Wu Wei and the Embroider Maiden, pondering their backgrounds. Fortunately, they were both women; otherwise, he might have suspected the Embroider Maiden was a runaway nobleman’s daughter. And if that were the case… he wanted no part of the trouble.

“You’re from Qinglu County?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, please bring your household registry next month on the fifteenth so we can draw up a contract. Orchid Pavilion will supply all threads and fabrics for the embroidery. We’ll pay two hundred cash coins per sample, and we’ll specify the designs. Once those are done, you’re free to do as you please.”

“Thank you, sir.” The Embroider Maiden curtsied deeply.

The manager smiled. “We’ll take these samples you’ve brought, though the materials are ordinary, so they’ll go on everyday clothes. One hundred cash coins apiece—does that suit you?”

“Perfectly. I have a few more here if you’d like to see them.”

With that, Embroider Maiden pulled all her embroidery samples from the cloth bundle. The shopkeeper examined them closely and grew even more pleased. He instructed the accountant to purchase every one of her pieces at a hundred copper coins apiece, bringing the total to twelve hundred coins in a single go.

They exchanged a thousand coins for a single tael of silver, strung the rest into two strings, and concluded the deal with money and goods fully cleared.

After asking Embroider Maiden for her family name, the shopkeeper had a shop assistant see the two women out.

Wu Wei watched Embroider Maiden’s joyful expression and felt a genuine happiness for her from the bottom of her heart. Even so, she leaned in close and murmured softly, “Embroider Maiden, when we get back, just say you took on some sewing work and your monthly earnings were… two hundred coins. Best not to stir up extra trouble.”

Embroider Maiden nodded. Then she took Wu Wei’s hand and placed the silver ingot and the two strings of copper coins into her palm. With great solemnity, she declared, “I know what you have planned next will require a lot of silver money. I—I will work hard and earn more!”

Embroider Maiden had prepared a whole speech, but she had barely gotten started when she began stumbling over her words. She could only abruptly change tack and force herself to wrap it up, her face turning bright red from the effort.

Suddenly, Wu Wei felt her heart quiver, her eyes growing hot. She fought down the powerful urge to pull Embroider Maiden into her arms and simply gazed at her in stunned silence.