Days flew by after the Three-Day Bath Ritual for the baby.
All of Su Ji's shops were now bustling with activity.
As Su Li had anticipated, with the arrival of spring and its pleasant weather, ladies and young misses alike had shed their heavy winter clothes for lighter spring attire, bringing the streets, dormant throughout the winter, back to life.
Among them, Su Ji's jewelry shop was undoubtedly the most popular.
Southern jewelry and ornaments, while different from the opulent styles of the north, were renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship and unique charm.
Su Ji's jewelry shop not only offered a wide variety of styles, each one beautifully intricate, but also maintained fair pricing.
Even if one wasn't an expert in appraising jewels, the shopkeeper and assistants were honest and never deceived customers. They would recommend jewelry suitable for the customer's budget and needs.
As long as you stepped into Su Ji, you were guaranteed to find something to your liking.
Besides the jewelry shop, other Su Ji businesses, such as Su Ji's Antique Shop, Su Ji's Pawnshop, Su Ji's Cosmetics Shop, the Apricot Grove Hall (Xinglin Tang), and Today's Drunkenness (Jin Zhao Zui), were also performing exceptionally well.
Looking at the daily income, Su Li considered Su Ji's excellent reputation and thought about gradually opening a few more branches in surrounding towns. Once the shops in the south were established, the future income would be even more substantial.
That evening, the family sat together for dinner. Yu-ge'er, having fallen asleep, had been taken to the adjacent room by his wet nurse.
Father Su looked at his daughter and said, "Walking down the street, you see 'Su Ji' every few shops. Isn't this a bit too conspicuous?"
He had initially thought his daughter opened Today's Drunkenness just for fun, like a young girl's hobby. He never expected her to open more and more shops, with business growing increasingly prosperous.
Father Su felt both proud and worried.
Su Li replied, "Father, don't worry. Some of these Su Ji shops actually belong to Prince Jing. The Emperor surely knows this in his heart, so it's fine. Besides, I haven't shortchanged the tax silver at all. Even if someone dislikes it, they can't submit an impeachment against you."
Father Su sighed, "I never imagined my daughter could earn more silver in a single month than I've earned in half my life."
"Father, how can you compare it like that? What you've done for the common people, ten daughters couldn't match you," Su Li said with a smile.
Mother Su also chuckled, "I saw Li'er's account book a few days ago, and it truly startled me. Li'er, why are you earning so much money?"
"Right now, this might seem like a mountain of gold and silver, but if something truly happens, it can be spent very quickly," Su Li explained.
In truth, she harbored a quiet worry deep in her heart.
She put so much effort into earning money not just because wealth offered security, but also for another reason: Nanjiang.
Last year, Nanjiang's Young Lord Liang Xuanting came to Tianqi and developed a grudge against her.
Liang Xuanting was not someone who would give up easily; the look on his face when he left, injured, was still vivid in her memory.
Starting this year, Jun Mo had been receiving news that the situation in Nanjiang was tense, and Liang Shao was becoming increasingly brazen in court.
He used to at least maintain a facade of restraint, but now he wasn't even bothering with appearances. The young emperor of Nanjiang was completely powerless to resist.
If things continued this way, the very thing she worried about would surely come to pass.
In terms of troop strength, Tianqi and Nanjiang were evenly matched.
But in terms of horses and weaponry, Tianqi couldn't compare. This was Nanjiang's geographical advantage; with abundant iron ore, they naturally had more weapons.
Besides the hidden danger of Nanjiang, she also had Jun Hui, an enemy.
Father Su saw his daughter's serious expression, though he couldn't imagine a young girl having such a grand vision.
Looking at his daughter's bright, watery smile, Father Su said, "It won't be long until Li'er's Hair-pinning Ceremony."
Mother Su nodded, looking at her daughter with a mother's pride in her eyes.
"Yes, we must start preparing," Mother Su agreed.
"You just gave birth to Yu-ge'er, don't overexert yourself. You can just instruct the steward to handle some of these matters, and I'm here too, after all," Father Su looked at his beloved wife, his eyes full of tenderness.
"I know, don't worry. I'm just troubled about who to invite as the Officiant."
The Officiant was the person who would pin the hair of the girl undergoing the ceremony on the day of her Hair-pinning Ceremony.
Not just anyone could be an Officiant; typically, it had to be someone of high moral standing, blessed with happiness and a harmonious family life.
Su Li said softly, "Mother, Imperial Consort De said she would be your daughter's Officiant."
Mother Su's eyes lit up. "It seems Imperial Consort De is very fond of Li'er."
Father Su nodded. "Then the Officiant is settled. I'll draft the invitations."
"And I'll take care of Li'er's clothes and hair ornaments for that day," Mother Su added.
This was not something to be taken lightly. The Hair-pinning Ceremony was a public announcement that a daughter had grown into womanhood.
The three sets of clothing and hair ornaments for that day had to be distinct and adhere to strict conventions.
Su Li smiled, "Mother, just tell me the rules. We have Su family's embroidery workshop and jewelry shop at Su Ji. Your daughter will oversee it, so you don't need to worry."
Seeing her husband and daughter being so considerate, Mother Su felt a warmth spread through her heart.
Mother Su began explaining the intricacies of the required garments to her daughter, and also what needed attention during the Hair-pinning Ceremony.
Su Li occasionally nodded, and Father Su listened with a smile beside them, occasionally adding a few remarks.
In a blink, April arrived, and the Minister's Estate was once again abuzz with activity.
"Miss, these are the hair ornaments and clothes for your Hair-pinning Ceremony. Please come and try them on."
Several maids entered, carrying trays.
Su Li walked over and examined them carefully. Every piece showcased exquisite embroidery, all based on designs Su Li had drawn herself and produced by the Su family's embroidery workshop.
Su Li tried on each piece, and every single one fit perfectly.
Su Li usually wore no other accessories besides the jade bracelet bestowed by Imperial Consort De.
Because she held Yu-ge'er daily, she didn't wear any hairpins or elaborate hair ornaments, merely half-tying her long hair with a silk ribbon. There were almost no decorations on her clothes either, again, to avoid accidentally hurting Yu-ge'er.
Suddenly being dressed so formally made the maids' eyes light up.
"Miss, you look truly beautiful!" Mohua exclaimed with admiration.
Even though she was by Miss's side every day, Mohua always felt she couldn't gaze enough.
"They fit very well. Put them away for now," Su Li said, changing back into her original clothes and removing the hairpins.
"Yes, Miss."
Su Li stood by the window. A gust of wind blew, scattering a shower of falling petals.
Once the Hair-pinning Ceremony was over, it meant the confrontation with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was about to begin.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau was Jun Hui's last trump card. Once it was removed, Jun Hui would become a toothless tiger—no, a toothless mad dog.
She wondered if he would be driven to desperation and resort to something drastic.
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