A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

Chen Wanxing was looking at it purely with an appreciative attitude. Her gaze swept over a round fan embroidered with a hundred flowers in full bloom, and she said softly to Amber, "The layered and blurred colors of these peonies are quite skillful."

Although her embroidery skills were average, she had seen a lot and had a good eye for distinguishing good from bad.

Amber didn't reply; her gaze was like a fine ruler, measuring the embroidery piece by inch.

She stopped in front of a handkerchief made of fine cotton cloth, embroidered with a picture of magpies perched on plum blossoms, which Amber examined with particular care.

The magpie's feathers use three similar colored lines, which blend quite naturally, and its eyes are also quite lively.

She silently compared the two methods in her mind. The way the feathers were handled was more complicated than her usual method, and the effect was indeed more fluffy, but it would be much slower.

If she were to embroider it, it would probably take her a day and a half. I wonder how much she could sell a handkerchief for if she embroidered it and took it to an embroidery shop.

She then walked to a round screen depicting a landscape with clear sounds. The distant mountains on the screen were rendered with layers of light blue and gray-blue silk threads, while the needles of the pine trees in the foreground were clearly visible.

"Young lady, the embroidery on this piece is exquisite. I wonder what price it would fetch?"

Seeing her interest in the painting, the woman smiled and explained, "Young lady, you have a good eye. This is a unique skill of Ma Niangzi from our shop, imitating the style of Ni Zan."

The rock formations alone required seven different needlework techniques applied in alternation; this piece alone cost twenty-eight taels.

Amber nodded and then asked, "If I were to commission a round screen of this size, how long would it take from design to completion?"

"Even a master craftsman like Ma Niangzi needs two or three months to learn."

However, if the customer is in a hurry, we can arrange for several embroiderers to work together; this is all negotiable.

Amber pondered for a moment, then casually pointed to a handkerchief embroidered with lotus scrolls on the counter and asked, "If the craftsmanship is decent, what price would your shop usually charge for a handkerchief like this?"

"To be honest, I used to be an embroiderer myself, working in the capital. Now I've returned to Kaifeng and am looking for work. I wonder if you accept embroidery here?"

"Oh, I see. As long as the craftsmanship is up to par, Jinhua Pavilion will accept them."

A handkerchief with such a common pattern, if the stitches are even and clean, would cost about forty coins. If the pattern is more intricate, or if a special stitch is used, the price can be negotiated.

Forty coins.

Amber mentally calculated that she could finish such a handkerchief in half a day if she put in her full effort.

If she worked day and night, she could probably embroider two pieces a day, earning seventy or eighty coins a day, which would amount to about two taels of silver a month, more than double her monthly allowance at the Marquis's mansion.

But now that we have to factor in daily expenses, there probably won't be much left over. With this kind of embroidery, it will be difficult to repay the money owed to Chen Wanxing.

She then inquired about the purchase price and market price of several different embroidered items, and the calculation in her mind became clearer and clearer.

Small embroidery pieces are simple and have low profit margins, but the returns are quick, and you can pick them up as soon as they are finished; large embroidery pieces are more difficult to work with, and the prices and labor costs are higher, but they take a long time to complete.

Ordinary embroiderers simply cannot handle large pieces. Firstly, their skills are not up to par, and secondly, they have to deposit a portion of the material cost before accepting a job. Even if an ordinary embroiderer wanted to take on a large job, she couldn't afford the initial material cost.

She can handle large items, but these are usually custom-made and have deadlines. Since she's just starting out, the shopkeeper definitely won't be willing to assign her such large items.

After leaving Jinhua Pavilion, they visited two other embroidery shops. The prices and craftsmanship were similar.

As they left the last embroidery shop, dusk was approaching. The two walked back to White Stone Alley, Amber's brow still slightly furrowed, clearly still processing what she had seen and heard that day.

Chen Wanxing glanced at her but didn't ask any questions.

She could help Amber through her difficulties, but not for a lifetime, and she would never carry Amber's life on her own shoulders.

After today's experience, Amber should have a general idea of ​​what's going on.

The next day, past 9 a.m., Chen Wanxing, wrapped in a warm quilt, comfortably rolled over on the four-poster bed, showing no intention of getting up.

Only when a clear feeling of hunger rose in her stomach did she finally struggle to leave the warm, comforting bed she longed for.

She put on her coat and sleepily pushed open the door. In the courtyard, Granny Li was directing Yunzhu to sweep the yard, and the cold air instantly woke her up.

"Girl, you're awake? Are you hungry? It's not good for your health if you don't eat breakfast. Maybe next time you should get up and eat breakfast before going back to sleep."

Chen Wanxing was washing up when she heard this and shook her head repeatedly.

Was she sleeping late because she was tired?

No, of course not.

There's not much nightlife here, so she might read a book at night. Besides, even though there are candles lit, the light is still dim. Except when she's particularly bored, Chen Wanxing rarely reads at night, afraid of ruining her eyes.

It was very cold, and although Granny Li had specially brought her a thick quilt, Chen Wanxing felt it wasn't very useful; her room was still very cold.

If there's nothing urgent, even if she wakes up in the morning, she won't get out of bed until she's hungry and wants to eat.

After Chen Wanxing finished washing up, Granny Li had already brought the food to the main room.

While eating, Chen Wanxing cooperated with Yunzhu combing her hair from behind. Since it was inconvenient for her to turn her head, she simply asked directly.

"Granny, where's Amber? Is she still sleeping? Why is she sleeping in today like me? Did I tire her out yesterday?"

Normally, if Amber had nothing to do, she would sit on the veranda or in her own room doing needlework, but today it was quiet and her room door was closed.

Upon hearing this, Granny Li put down her work and replied, "Miss, Miss Amber got up and went out very early this morning. I asked her, and she said she was going to the embroidery shop to get some embroidery materials and patterns."

Chen Wanxing paused slightly as she wiped her face, her brows furrowing involuntarily: "She went alone?"

It's always a bit worrying to think about a young woman traveling alone in an unfamiliar place.

"Yes," Li Mama nodded. "This old servant asked if Yunzhu or I should go with her, but Miss Amber said it's no need to trouble her, she knows the way and will be right back."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanxing paused for a moment, then nodded: "Understood."

"Never mind," Chen Wanxing sighed softly to herself.

She could understand Amber's eagerness to become independent and her desire to do something immediately to prove herself and escape her sense of powerlessness.