Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 4: The day is long, the sun is setting, the night is dreamless, the moon is dim

Sunlight traces shadows, and paintings are made on the desk. There is no ink on every scroll, but there is a painting on every page. Sitting at the desk, Guan Yin greases the brush again and again...trying his best not to let any ink drop on the thin rice paper.

Guan Yin and Liu Jiaoan certainly could not afford to buy this paper with their income alone. People who asked for manuscripts would send them some, but there was not much left, so Guan Yin had already wasted two sheets, which was almost the limit.

Liu Jiaoan sat not far away, splitting the thread with her pinky fingernail and embroidering stitch by stitch: "After a while, when the tea from the mountains is harvested, although it's not much, it can be sent to the tea vendors, and it can barely supplement the family income."

"As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. As long as the three of us are all well, there is nothing we can't overcome."

Guan Yin understands that green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as gold and silver.

After spending a few days together, Guan Yin already knew that Liu Jiaoan must be a girl from a wealthy family - including her original self.

"If you can't write it, just ask Sanheng to go back first?"

"If possible, wait another two or three days." Now that they were here, Guan Yin didn't want to sit there and wait, but he couldn't just sit there and wait and do nothing. If they only relied on Liu Jiaoan to support them, the three of them would starve to death sooner or later.

She had already mastered these needleworks in her boudoir. She was thinking about things and talking about things, which did not hinder her needlework. "I will take these out to sell later. Just two days ago, someone wanted my needlework. He said he was a teacher."

Guan Yin had never done needlework, but that didn't mean he had never been to a museum. The dense stitches obviously couldn't be worth so little money. It was just that Liu Jiaoan hadn't gone far, to the streets where the rich and powerful gathered.

Even though he didn't know the whole story, Guan Yin had read a lot of stories and knew that there must be some stories between the nobles behind Liu Jiaoan's stay. It was not easy for him to ask her at this time, but he just watched her silently and thought of his own way.

"Okay, you should rest more and don't think too much... Life has to go on."

Liu Jiaoan has a kind of calmness and gentleness that seems to never disappear. With her every move, one cannot help but admit that the Liu family has a strong family tradition and that Liu Jiaoan is truly a wonderful person.

It's just that such a wonderful person seems to meet the requirements of a lady from a noble family in a feudal environment. Then why would Liu Jiaoan choose to leave the Liu family and come to the foot of the mountain to live next to this small tea field?

This matter must be related to myself, the original "Mr. Guan".

Two flying birds flew under the eaves near the window. The bird calls woke up the early morning and also woke up Guan Yin who was in a daze.

Of course, Guan Yin hadn't done nothing in the past two days. For example, he found a copy of the original writings in the cabinet, and then copied the contents onto this fine paper... With so many flaws, would Liu Jiaoan really not doubt her identity?
"Husband?" San Heng called out, but Guan Yin seemed to be in a trance, and kept oiling the pen.

Sanheng called several times but no one answered, so he turned around and saw a not-so-nice-looking word "管" written neatly on the paper.

"Guan"? Isn't that her husband's last name? Sanheng didn't know why her husband wrote this word on the paper - her husband always called himself "Yin Yunshanren" when he was outside.

Sanheng didn't know her husband's full name, she just thought his name was "Yin Yun". But I heard that his nickname was different from his given name... Scratching his head which didn't itch at all, Sanheng tried to resolve the embarrassment that no one noticed.

"Sanheng?" When Guan Yin finally came to his senses, he saw Sanheng standing in front of him, scratching his head. He didn't know if he was confused or wanted to say something, but he didn't dare to speak. "Sanheng, did you call me just now?"

"Ah, husband..." So my husband heard it! San Heng considered his words and finally said, "Madam doesn't want me to tell you, but recently there are always people who are stealing your business."

"How do you count as stealing business?"

To snatch business, you have to have the same quality, right? Guan Yin was a little confused: With Liu Jiaoan's craftsmanship, how many people in this mountainous countryside can compare with him?
"Madam's embroidery is exquisite, so it naturally takes time." Sanheng also felt that this matter was very unfair to his wife. He said hatefully, as if he wanted to bite off a piece of meat from those people, "So their crudely made ones are cheaper than Madam's." "Then Madam's..."

"How can many people know so much?" Sanheng sighed and gritted his teeth, "Many ladies just put on a show, and when they need it, they just embroider it with something that is almost done. How can it be inferior to those crudely made finished products?"

"not to mention……"

As he spoke, Sanheng's eyes turned red. Sanheng wanted to speak up for his wife, but who could he talk to?
Those who understand will understand, and those who don’t may be able to make sense - but those who pretend to understand when they don’t, and those who understand but then pretend to be stupid, are the ones who are the most troublesome.

"Okay, Sanheng won't be angry anymore." Guan Yin also understood why many customers would not take the initiative to stand up and speak for Liu Jiaoan.

With competition, it will be easier to lower the price of Liu Jiaoan's embroidery samples. If it can be cheaper, then it will be cheaper. After all, no one wants to be cheated. If the embroidery sellers are considered, who will consider for them?
"My husband...my wife is afraid that you will worry, so she won't let Sanheng tell you no matter what."

Liu Jiaoan was afraid of bringing more pressure to "Mr. Guan". Guan Yin understood this, but he didn't know what words to use to comfort Sanheng in front of him.

“Gah.”

It was the sound of a small door in the fence being pushed open a few meters away. Both of them knew that it was Liu Jiaoan who had returned.

Guan Yin finally put down the pen barrel in his hand that he had been polishing for a whole day, which had not been polished but had already been warmed, and stood up: "Madam..."

"It's OK, but the teacher was originally scheduled to come today."

Both the master and the servant could understand what Liu Jiaoan was worried about.

If you can take on this business in a down-to-earth manner, you won't have to worry for a long time in the future - scholars may not be generous, but they are good at keeping their promises.

But now the teacher didn't even show up on time for the appointment, so it seems that all hopes are dashed again.

"Madam, I can actually go out and be a teacher."

"No!" Liu Jiaoan rejected it decisively, "Have you forgotten..."

"I……"

When their eyes met, they didn't know what they were thinking. Liu Jiaoan frowned, but softened her tone: "It's my fault. I forgot that you were still ill."

"But teaching is something you can't do."

Why can't I do it? Guan Yin wanted to say that he was a teacher before he came here! But, what did he do in his original body?

Is it really as simple as just writing some tofu cubes? Judging from Liu Jiaoan's reaction, Guan Yin knew that things were definitely not as simple as they seemed.

(End of this chapter)