Shi Gaoyan was astonished upon seeing that. He had never seen fabric that could move with the wearer’s steps. The elderly envoy, who was already interested in the fabric, widened his eyes in amazement. “Lady Zhao, how does the embroidery move like that?” He couldn’t help but ask, even if it was considered impolite manners in front of the Emperor. Li Si beamed. She was pleased by their reaction. “The movement of the embroidery is due to a unique stitching technique used by the embroiderer, Your Excellency. Additionally, this fabric is a special type that reflects light from its surroundings—be it lantern light, lamplight, or sunlight. When light reflects off the fabric, it creates a moving image.” “Furthermore, this silk has many other unique properties.” Li Si walked over to pick up the portable stove she had placed earlier. “What is she planning to do with that stove? Is she going to hug it for the Emperor to see?” “I don’t know. Let’s wait and see. She must have a reason for holding it like that.” The ladies didn’t have to wonder for long. As Li Si’s dress gradually changed color from light yellow to pink, and then to a deep red, until the whole dress turned bright red. The color highlighted her delicate, fair complexion. Despite wearing such a bold color, her bright eyes and cheerful face endeared her to the dignitaries even more. Shi Gaoyan chuckled with satisfaction. “What kind of fabric is this that it can change color?” “This is Tiejin silk, Your Majesty. It is a type of silk with uncommon properties. It changes color based on the body temperature and the surrounding environment. Additionally, it has a self-regulating temperature feature. When it’s hot, the fabric keeps the wearer cool, and when it’s cold, it provides warmth. Besides these features, the silk also has naturally beautiful colors that aren’t dyed. The production process itself creates these colors, so these are its natural color, it has not been dyed at all, ensuring that the silk remains vibrant over time without fading.” "That’s not all, Your Majesty. This fabric is also extremely durable," Li Si said as she walked over to a guard and borrowed a sharp object from him. She sat on the floor and placed the hem of her dress down. She stabbed the knife into the fabric with all her strength. The sound of breaking stone echoed in everyone’s ears. As the daughter of a general, her martial skill couldn’t be ordinary. Li Si stood up slowly, revealing the stone that was under her hem shattered into pieces from her stab, while the hem of the dress she was wearing had only a minor scratch. "How is this possible?" "Isn’t this too miraculous?" "How did the fabric not tear, but the stone did?" "Is Tiejin silk really this durable?" "I must rush to find one of these dresses," one lady’s eyes sparkled with intense desire for the silk. "Lady Zhao, may I try it myself?" The elderly envoy could no longer sit still. He was so excited. Such fabric was no ordinary, if brought back to present to the Emperor of Chu Region, what would that be? It wasn’t just the elderly envoy who was excited; even some of the concubines were stretching their necks to look at the Tiejin silk, with a few whisperings to their attendants to find it for them. In the shadows, Yaoyao stood watching Li Si. She was so furious. Why did such silk fabric exist, and why had she never known there was such a silk in this world? Yaoyao knew best about silk. Her knowledge about silkworm was not less than townsfolk who had been raising it for life. Once she knew there was a good breed of silkworm that could provide a fine silk texture, she would find it and raise it. Yet, she had never encountered silkworms that could provide such high-quality silk. Seeing there was a person who was interested in testing the silk, Yong Saiweihao stood up and bowed to the Emperor. He took off his cloak then handed it to the elderly envoy with a stoic expression, yet his eyes were piercing. This old man did not want to die from natural cause, asking for his head to be chopped off, how dare he wanted to touch clothes of a lady from other family? The elderly envoy from Chu Region felt deeply embarrassed, having forgotten his manners in his eagerness. "Please forgive me, Young General Zhao. An old man like me behave so badly." "Oh, it’s no problem, Envoy. You can test with Big Brother’s cloak; it’s made of the same fabric," Li Si smiled, defusing the situation. Look, even when he was before the Emperor, he still looked at someone with that murderous looks. Her older brother was no ordinary, if not for the elderly man being a guest of the region, her older brother might have kicked him out of the wall. The elderly envoy nodded, feeling sorry for troubling him. He then asked for the knife from her, using it to stab Yong Saiweihao’s cloak with all his might. No matter how much force he applied, Yong Saiweihao’s cloak remained intact. The audience was astonished. Not only was the fabric beautiful, but it was also incredibly durable. "Lady Zhao, where can I purchase this type of silk?" The elderly envoy asked eagerly. Li Si, who had been waiting for this word, lowered her head slightly with a secret smile. However, when she looked up, her face expressed profound regret. "Sigh, to be honest, Your Excellency, this silk is produced by a friend of mine in Fengfu City. Unfortunately, it’s extremely difficult to produce. My friend mentioned that silkworms are very hard to raise. If the weather is too hot, too cold, or too humid, they won’t spin their silk. Therefore, the quantity of silk produced is very limited, making Tiejin silk incredibly expensive. A bolt can cost between 500 to 700 taels, and a fully tailored and embroidered garment can cost between 1,500 to 2,000 taels. This is due to the properties and durability of the silk, which require specific methods for tailoring. So, the price is high. The dress I’m wearing costs 2,000 taels," Li Si explained with a regretful tone. How could it be worth 2,000 taels? A’Zhu gave it to her without charging a single coin. The military uniforms A’Zhu made for the army only cost 200-220 taels each. Given its exceptional qualities and longevity, 2,000 taels was not too much for such a magnificent garment. A dress , if only wear to the gathering or casual use and not going to the battle like a soldier, could be passed down as an heirloom for many generations. However, a few thousand taels were not a significant amount for the royalty and nobility attending this event. Look at those consorts—they were probably already sending people out to find the fabric store. "Such a high price, how unfortunate, Your Excellency. Moreover, production is limited. If you want to place an order, you will have to wait for it to be made," Li Si added with a sorrowful expression. Items that are difficult to obtain are highly desired, and their prices naturally increase. She was reciprocating the favor for the dresses A’Zhu had sent her. Despite her cunning eyes, which she hid well, Shi Gaoyan noticed. He chuckled lightly. How could it be that expensive? This fabric was the same as the military uniforms Yong Saiweihao petitioned for the army, priced at 200 taels each. Was this girl profiteering? The emperor glanced at her father and sighed. The daughter of this friend was clever, just like her father. Upon hearing the price, Wenlang took a sip of tea. He did not say anything. Look at that, this girl was just like her friend in what aspect. "Indeed, such fine fabric cannot be cheap. I would like to purchase several bolts to present to the higher-ups. Lady Zhao, could you tell me the name of the store?" the envoy inquired. Not only was the envoy keen to know, but many ladies in the banquet also listened attentively. Yaoyao, hiding in a dark corner, was stunned. People were willing to buy such expensive fabric? Her jade pearl silk, priced at 50 taels per bolt, seemed insignificant. Now, its price had dropped to only 30 taels per bolt. Did this mean her silk would become a low-price and low-quality product? "The fabric store is called Fu Zhenzhu, Your Excellency. However, it is not officially open yet. You must wait. High-quality silk takes time to produce.” "Ah, what a pity. I won’t be in Yan Region for long, but no matter. I will send someone back to purchase it. Thank you, Lady Zhao," the elderly envoy said with great regret. "Don’t trouble yourself, Envoy. Once the Fu Zhenzhu fabric shop opens, we will send the fabric to Chu Region for you," Shi Gaoyan said. Li Si’s eyes widened with excitement. With the Emperor’s words, it was a guarantee of the fabric’s quality. Now, it was up to A’Zhu to handle such high-profile customers. "Your Majesty, please don’t trouble yourself. I can have someone come back and purchase it.” "That won’t do. Consider it a gesture of goodwill from our Yan Region," Shi Gaoyan said, cutting off further discussion. After the welcome banquet for the Chu delegation, news of the Fu Zhenzhu Shop’s Tiejin silk fabric spread throughout the capital. Many high-status women tried to buy a bolt of the Tiejin silk to flaunt their wealth and status. However, when they sent people to Fengfu City, they returned empty-handed. The Fu Zhenzhu Shop refused to sell the fabric because it had not officially opened yet. This scarcity of Tiejin silk only increased its fame. There were even claims of fake Tiejin silk from Fengfu City being sold, but those who had seen the Tiejin silk at the banquet confirmed these were counterfeit. Because they had asked Li Si and been told that every bolt of fabric and every garment from the Fu Zhenzhu Shop would bear an embroidered characters. To prove this, Li Si wore a dress from Fu Zhenzhu Shop for people to see in public. By wearing a dress made from Tiejin silk, she caused much envy among other women. Fabric sellers tried to imitate the embroidered characters of Fu Zhenzhu, but despite their efforts, they could not replicate the unique style of characters. This was because the characters were created by He Yu, whose art skills had significantly improved. After advanced to the dark blue tier, his characters had become increasingly distinctive. Now, Tiejin silk has become a symbol of high status. "Miss, someone is here to buy Tiejin silk again," Peipei entered Zhenzhu’s residence with a tray of various desserts. In recent days, due to an unknown reason, numerous people from the capital had traveled to Fengfu City, waiting outside the weaving factory to purchase Tiejin silk. However, not only that her mistress did not sell the silk to them, but she also even locked herself in the residence, leaving Peipei to deal with the customers. This was causing her to feel as if her hair was turning gray prematurely. "Oh, we won’t sell," Zhenzhu, who was practicing weaving various shapes with spirit energy, said as she looked up. What she was practicing was part of the Ten Thousand Silks Concealing the Sun technique, and she had reached an intermediate level. "But miss, many customers are waiting outside the weaving factory. They haven’t gone anywhere.” "Announce that our shop is not open yet and that the Tiejin silk is sold out. We can’t produce it fast enough," Zhenzhu said. After receiving a letter from her friend, Zhenzhu was pleased. Li Si really understood her well, having announced such a high price for the Tiejin silk. Thus, that was her goal. Zhenzhu planned to sell the Tiejin silk exclusively to the elite, in limited quantities. Whoever could purchase Tiejin silk would be seen as prominent. Things that are limited and hard to obtain will surely attract the attention of people. It is human nature to value something that is hard to come by. Now, her plan for the fabric shop was underway. She still needed to plant many more mulberry fields to produce military uniforms for the government, which were sold at a much lower price than her regular fabrics. However, trading with the government ensured large orders. Zhenzhu lowered her head to continue her practice of the Ten Thousand Silks Concealing the Sun technique, feeling at ease. Meanwhile, on the other side of Fengfu City, Master Tiao was inspecting several baskets of Xinjing grass in the warehouse while listening to Mi Fan’s report. "We currently have 2,000 jin of Xinjing grass, Master. Moreover, Caijin Pharmaceutical Manufacturer nearly has enough." Follow current novels on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽 "Ah, in that case, hire the townspeople to sell all these Xinjing grass to the Caijin Pharmaceutical Manufacturer." Master Zhong must have spent a lot of money by now. By this time, there was no need to keep these 2,000 jins of Xinjing grasses, selling them to Master Zhong would gain him a lot of profits since he brought them at cheap price. Currently, Caijin Pharmaceutical Manufacturer was buying Xinjing grass at 35 taels per jin, so it was time to proceed with the next step. "Yes, Master," Mi Fan replied before hurrying off to carry out Mater Tiao’s orders. The Zhong family was deeply stressed. They had almost accumulated 100,000 jin of Xinjing grass but had spent a considerable amount of money. "Father, if we’ve bought enough Xinjing grass, should we buy more?" If they continue to outbid the master of Ruyi Pharmacy, they will waste money. But if they stop buying, their previous investments will be in vain. "If we’ve bought enough, we don’t need to waste money for nothing. Now, we need to save funds for the next investment," Luanchen said sternly. "But what should we do if the master of that pharmacy starts buying in large quantity after we stop? Won’t our investments go to waste then?" If the Caijin Pharmaceutical Manufacturer stops buying Xinjing grass, the price of Xinjing grass will continue to drop because there will be no competition. Master of Ruyi Pharmacy will be able to buy the Xinjing grass at a low price, putting their Caijin Pharmaceutical Manufacturer at a disadvantage since they bought it at a higher price. “No need to worry about that. Father has already prepared a plan,” Luanchen said confidently. How could someone like him allow others to take advantage of him in trade? Luanchen’s fox-like eyes rolled back and forth maliciously. “Already prepared a plan? What kind of good plan?” Su Nu asked, puzzled. However, she felt relieved. It made sense that her father would not let a merchant from a distant city outmaneuver him. “If we stop buying, we will ensure that he can’t buy either. Those townspeople are just ordinary folk with no martial arts skills. Send some men to intimidate them, and they won’t dare sell Xinjing grass anymore.” How could he let the Xinjing grass fall into the enemy’s hands? If conventional methods didn’t work, a bit of trickery would. “Father, you are so astute.” This time, they needed to save money for the next investment once the Caijin Pharmaceutical Manufacturer secured the trade rights. The Zhong family had invested too much to allow any loss. The rapid knocking on the door indicated the urgency of the person behind it, interrupting the father and daughter’s discussion. “What is it? Why are you disturbing me and father? Didn’t I say we are in a meeting!” Su Nu snapped at the guard who had knocked as she opened the door. These servants were becoming increasingly disrespectful. “Miss, something terrible has happened,” one of the guards reported as soon as he saw Su Nu. Seeing his panicked expression, she quickly let him in to report. “Speak,” Luanchen reclined on a low wooden couch. “Master, it’s bad. The authorities are trying to investigate you,” the head guard said with shaky voice. He had been with the Jing family since his master was a noble and he was a child. Although he was quite young, he knew his master’s history well. “What did you say!” Luanchen straightened up, his brow furrowing in concern. He thought he had buried his past thoroughly. Everyone who knew about it had long been dead and buried, turning to soil, talking with the earthworms. Why were people digging up his history now, and why were they government officials? “Are they from the Governor?” It could be that the Governor wanted to investigate his background. “Master, I’m afraid not. They are from the royal court. They have been investigating for over two months. I believe they are trying to gather evidence.” “Master, this is not a simple matter,” the guard said, voice tense. If this turned into a real incident, not only would the master be in trouble, but he himself might lose his head. “Summon everyone for a meeting! In an hour, I want everyone here!” Luanchen stood up, a strong sense of foreboding appearing in his mind. He thought back to the trade rights auction, his heart pounding uncontrollably. Why didn’t he suspect anything at all? When he first submitted his bid for the trade rights, he was confident that he would win the trade rights easily. However, things did not go as planned when the Ruyi Pharmacy also obtained the trade rights. Consequently, they tricked him into buying large quantities of Xinjing grass, leading him to invest. Could this have been a trap laid to lure him in? At this moment, Luanchen’s face turned pale. The money invested was not a small amount. “Su Nu, quickly have people move all the remaining valuables out of the manor and hide them!” “Fa... Father, is it that serious?” Su Nu was alarmed, seeing her father’s pale face. This wasn’t the first time someone had tried to dig into her father’s past. Every time someone had tried, her father had taken care of them. But this time, it was enough to frighten her father. “Don’t ask too many questions. Just do it!” “Y... Yes, Father.” Su Nu hurried off to follow her father’s orders. The chaos immediately erupted at the Zhong Manor. Servants, both young and old, were called to help move things. Jewelry chests, silk fabrics, silver taels, and golds were taken from the treasure room and moved out the back door to be hidden in an abandoned warehouse Luanchen had rented. However, they had only managed to move a few chests when government soldiers surrounded Zhong Manor. Su Nu rushed to her father’s residence in a panic. “Father, soldiers have surrounded the manor!” she shouted in terror. “Go! Bring your mother and younger brother here,” Luanchen shouted. “Yes, Father.” Su Nu ran out and soon returned, helping her heavily pregnant mother. Zhong Furen’s face was pale, and she was trembling uncontrollably. “Hurry, come inside,” Luanchen guided his wife and daughter into the bathroom at the back of the room. Inside, there was a bathtub and a water barrel that the servants filled it up for him. Luanchen quickly moved the water barrels to reveal a small hatch with a ladder leading down. “Father! Is this a secret passage?” Su Nu was still panicking from the events. Her father even prepared an escape route. How did she not know that her father had prepared a secret route? Were things escalated to that extent? And what about the trade rights she and her father had fought so hard for? The panic caused Su Nu to be confused. “Yes, now go!” Luanchen said. He handed a torch from the wall to Zhong Furen before pushing her back to let her get down first. “You and the child go first. I’ll follow once I’ve taken care of things here.” “Go now, don’t dawdle!” Luanchen, a former noble, had witnessed the ruthlessness of those on the Dragon Throne countless times. Charges of corruption would not spare anyone in the family. Many chests of treasure remained, he had to get them out no matter what. He had worked all his life for that money, how could he let the government seize it? He should not fall into the royal court’s trap. Luanchen had withdrawn almost all his funds from the bank to buy Xinjing grass. Without that, he would still have a considerable fortune left and would not be in such a dire situation. "The exit on the other side will be one street away from here. Take your mother and escape through the East Gate, down the sixth street to the east. I’ve bought a small, inconspicuous hut there. Hide there for now, and I’ll follow as soon as I can." "Y... Yes, Father." Su Nu, quick-witted and understanding the situation, promptly led her mother down the ladder into the secret passage. After his daughter and wife had gone, Luanchen closed the secret passage and hurried back to hide the money chests. Once Su Nu emerged from the secret passage, she took her mother to the small hut her father had mentioned. However, upon arrival, someone was already there waiting for them. "So you’ve arrived. You’ve kept [1]Benwang waiting for quite some time." The man standing with his hands behind his back turned around slowly. His handsome face was adorned with a warm smile, but Su Nu trembled in fear. "It is indeed Benwang. I miss your father so I come to visit. How was it, competing for the trade rights? Was it fun?" "T... This..." No words could come out of Su Nu’s mouth. Her face turned pale, and she trembled violently. It was over. Her life and the Zhong family’s life were over. She had lost utterly. In the battlefield she thought she excelled in; she couldn’t compete with this man. Su Nu collapsed to the ground, drained of all strength. Three days later, the news of the Zhong family’s arrest spread like wildfire. The people of Fengfu City learned that Master Zhong, the great merchant, had once been a high-ranking noble. However, driven by greed, he committed corruption to amass wealth. When he came to Fengfu to do business, he saw the potential profits in trading pills and decided to eliminate Master Tiao and Master He. Master Zhong hired people to harm Master He, causing injuries. When the townspeople learned that it was he who had harmed Master He, they were enraged and gathered to seek revenge. Vegetable scraps, food waste, stones, and trash were hurled at the captured Zhong family members. At this moment, Lady Su Nu could no longer be the arrogant noble lady, since she was now covered in filth and bruises from the townspeople’s attacks. “Villains! How dare you harm Master He? Off with their heads, the entire family.” “Yes, execute them all.” “Oh, this is the lady who bought my mantou and stomped on it last month. She was very nasty.” “Well-deserved. The father is , how could a daughter be good? Scoundrels.” The Zhong family had come to an end. [19] Benwang (me, the Wang) is a term used by princes with the title of Wang to call himself. In this context, Shi Wenlang Taizi, has also been given the title of Wang. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en