On the 16th day of the ninth lunar month, the Nuan Lou had only been open for a few days, and Li Jingyun's sweater shop was also in preparation for business.
Li Jingyun learned from the business models of her two elder sisters and reserved a room for herself on the third floor. While the apprentices were busy on the first and second floors, she sat on the third floor, holding a cup of milk tea and feeling drowsy.
People tend to feel sleepy in spring and tired in autumn. As the temperature dropped and it was no longer as scorching as before, she always felt like sleeping.
As for the matters of the sweater shop, Su Gui took care of them.
"Princess, here are the lists of those who have pre - ordered sweaters and those who hope our female workers will go to their homes for measurements." A eunuch brought two lists.
The names on the lists were all familiar ones, and the two lists overlapped to a large extent.
Li Jingyun looked at the long list of names and felt a headache. She couldn't just let the highest bidder get the sweaters like in the case of the library before. How did Elder Sister Gaoyang and Elder Sister Xinxing handle such situations?
There were only a limited number of sweaters to be made and only a few skilled female workers. Obviously, they were not enough to meet the demand.
There were so many ministers. How could she treat everyone fairly?
Each of them was either married to one of her elder sisters or aunts, so they were related to her, or they were important court officials that her father relied on.
Seeing Li Jingyun frowning tightly and thinking like a grown - up, the eunuch couldn't help but smile. "Princess, with your status, it doesn't matter who you serve first and who later. They wouldn't dare to argue with you."
"I've got it! Didn't my father order the compilation of the Genealogy of Clans? We'll do it according to that!"
Li Jingyun slapped her forehead and came up with a solution.
"Yes, Princess."
The eunuch also smiled. Their little princess had made great progress. If His Majesty knew, he would surely be happy.
Su Gui rushed in, picked up a teapot and poured water into his mouth. Then he slumped onto a bench and looked up at the sky helplessly.
He had personally said before that living outside the palace was convenient for him and he was willing to run errands for the princess and be her right - hand man. A promise made was like water spilled and couldn't be taken back!
In these days, he had met more noble young masters and ladies than in the previous few years combined. Not to mention those stewards. It seemed that all the dignitaries in Chang'an were flocking to him.
It was really tiring to deal with these people. He would rather go to feed the mother - daughter goats in the villa.
"So tired?" Li Jingyun motioned to the eunuch, who quickly served the snacks and fruits just made in the back kitchen.
Su Gui picked up a bunch of perfectly - ripened grapes and ate them. He nodded blankly. It was completely different to do these things by himself than to watch others do them.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door. The eunuch looked at Li Jingyun for a sign and then rushed over to open the door.
The door was pushed open from the outside.
Two familiar faces walked in. They were Wu Meiniang's two brothers, Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang. They were all smiles and didn't even dare to straighten their backs in front of Li Jingyun.
"Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang pay respects to the princess and Young Master Su."
Li Jingyun rubbed her eyes. The two people were still there. She was sure she wasn't dreaming. "Why are you here?"
"Princess, this shop originally belonged to our Wu family. We are the most familiar with it. We are willing to manage this shop for the princess. We just want to be your apprentices. Please have mercy on us and give us a way to make a living." Wu Yuanqing made himself sound as pitiful as possible, hoping that Li Jingyun would be kind - hearted and take them under her wing.
In these days, they had seen how imposing Su Gui was outside. Relying on the name of the little princess, he was respected wherever he went. Everyone seemed to praise Su Gui to the skies.
How could an eight - year - old child deserve such treatment?
Before Li Jingyun could say anything, the eunuch on the left waved his hand at her, and Su Gui on the right shook his head slightly at her. Their actions were almost simultaneous.
Li Jingyun shook off the eunuch's hand and drank most of a cup of milk tea speechlessly. What did they take her for? She was young, but not a fool. She could tell who was reliable and who wasn't!
If it had been Wu Meiniang who came today, she would have definitely agreed immediately and offered the best treatment. But it was Wu Meiniang's two brothers.
She still remembered clearly how they had scolded Wu Meiniang in front of her a few days ago.
How could such people be capable of taking care of this shop?
If they swaggered around and deceived others in her name and brought trouble to her, it would be a disaster.
"I have enough people here. I don't need you. If you are in need of a way to make a living, there are still a few positions for sweater - knitting craftsmen in my new villa. It depends on whether you are willing to go there." Li Jingyun yawned and looked at them with interest.
She had carefully selected sweater - knitting from all the jobs under her.
The faces of the Wu Yuanqing brothers immediately fell. They still had to force a smile in front of Li Jingyun, but their smiles were uglier than crying.
This made Su Gui lower his head to hide his big smile. His shoulders were shrugging. The little eunuch nudged him, signaling him to be quieter.
"Princess, we brothers don't have the skills to knit sweaters. Besides, there are all female workers there. It's not convenient for two big men to go in." Wu Yuanqing bowed.
"Yes, thank you for your kindness, Princess. We brothers can't do this job."
Wu Yuanshuang pinched himself and forced out a few tears to look more sincere.
Being the head steward of the sweater shop and being a craftsman in the new villa were two completely different things. If he really went to be a sweater - knitting craftsman, he could imagine the mocking expressions on the faces of Lady Yang and her three daughters when he got home, especially Wu Meiniang, who was the most sharp - tongued and hard to deceive.
If the female workers were all young and extremely beautiful women, they might consider going. But facing a group of old women, they would be extremely uncomfortable.
Su Gui smiled. "Don't you want to take my place? You should have some abilities, right? When dealing with so many dignitaries, you should at least know the grudges and good relations between different families, right?"
His words were like pouring oil on fire.
It was an obvious sarcasm towards the two Wu brothers. Even though they were the sons of a duke, their father had been a merchant before. They were not in the same class and couldn't enter the circle of the top playboys in Chang'an. They didn't know those secrets.
Li Jingyun didn't quite understand the implication of Su Gui's words and just echoed, "Yes, you should at least know something."
"We were being reckless, Brother. We hope the princess will forgive us."
Seeing that the situation was out of control, Wu Yuanqing simply pulled Wu Yuanshuang and knelt down directly.
This left Li Jingyun stunned. Kneeling wasn't a common practice in the Tang Dynasty. Usually, a hand - crossing salute was enough. Was what they had just said such a sensitive and serious topic? Why did they react like this?
"You can't be the steward of the sweater shop, and you don't want to be a sweater - knitting craftsman. You'd better go and look for other opportunities." Li Jingyun issued an order to evict them.
"Please leave, gentlemen."
The eunuch understood Li Jingyun's intention and directly escorted them out.
Just then, Princess Gaoyang came over. Li Jingyun told her exactly what had just happened. Princess Gaoyang glared. "Those two hooligans just saw that you are young and kind - hearted, so they came to beg you. Why didn't they come to beg me? If they dared to show up in front of me, I would definitely have them beaten out!"
Seeing that Li Jingyun still looked confused, Princess Gaoyang laughed. "My silly sister, their last kneeling was a way to show weakness and retreat in order to advance. If you had softened your heart, they would have succeeded!"
"Eunuch Feng, Su Gui, tell the doormen that if they come again, no matter what method they use, just send them away!"
Princess Gaoyang was extremely efficient.
"Yes."