Chapter 152: Over Ten Thousand Taels of Silver

"Mrs. Cheng? You are here..." Lin Sangqian looked at her in surprise.

"Miss Lin, there are some distinguished guests who wish to visit your home, and I have brought them here personally."

No sooner had Mrs. Cheng finished speaking than a middle-aged man walked in. He glanced at Lin Sangqian and asked Mrs. Cheng, "Is this the young lady with the excellent embroidery skills?"

His voice was thin and delicate, immediately reminding Lin Sangqian of the eunuchs she had seen on television.

"It is not her, it is her mother," Mrs. Cheng replied. "Miss Lin, this distinguished guest is aware of your mother's exceptional embroidery work and has come specifically to commission a piece."

Lowering her voice, she added to Lin Sangqian, "He is extremely generous!"

Just the fee for guiding them here was a hundred taels of silver! Although Mrs. Cheng was not short of money, earning a hundred taels for nothing was certainly a pleasant surprise.

"I see," Lin Sangqian said. "Please, come in and take a seat."

The middle-aged man nodded politely and walked inside. The others—aside from Mrs. Cheng’s two maids—appeared to be the man’s entourage. Each one seemed to be armed with a sword, and as they stood in a line in the courtyard, they exuded an intense sense of pressure.

Xiao Yawen subconsciously leaned closer to Zhao Lan'er. Although Zhao Lan'er often scolded her for being a "little green tea," she reached out to hold her arm at that moment.

Lin Sangqian and Liao Shuxia led the middle-aged man and one of his subordinates into the house. Lin Wenyan brought in some tea.

The man took a small sip and said to Liao Shuxia, "Madam, I apologize for this abrupt visit."

"Not at all. Please, tell me how I may be of service," Liao Shuxia said.

"It is like this: my master happened to see your embroidery work and liked it very much. Therefore, I have been sent here to commission a piece from you."

"What kind of embroidery?" Liao Shuxia asked.

"A 'Horses Galloping to Celebrate a Birthday' scroll," the man replied, pulling a drawing from his sleeve. "Please follow this design, but the size must be ten times larger than this sketch."

Liao Shuxia took it, opened it, and gasped.

"Is this troublesome for you, Madam?" the man asked, observing her reaction. "This design is indeed quite complex." Furthermore, enlarging it tenfold would surely make the embroidery process incredibly difficult. But his master had specifically set her heart on Liao Shuxia’s work.

"I have no problem stitching this, and I can certainly make it look exactly like the design," Liao Shuxia said. "However, it will take a very long time. It would be impossible to complete such a perfect piece in less than three to five years."

"There is no rush," the man said with a smile. "My master said that as long as you can finish it within six years, that will be sufficient."

Lin Sangqian listened from the side, feeling puzzled. Who exactly was this master? To commission such a piece without urgency, willing to wait for six years? A "Horses Galloping to Celebrate a Birthday" scroll was clearly intended for a birthday celebration. What kind of person could command such patience for a single gift?

Liao Shuxia was still hesitant. If she accepted this commission, she would likely have to dedicate all her time to it for the next few years, leaving her unable to embroider anything else for sale.

The middle-aged man coughed twice, and his subordinate immediately stepped forward, holding a box. When the box was opened, the sight nearly blinded Liao Shuxia and Lin Sangqian. The box was filled with gold!

"Here are one hundred taels of gold," the man said with a smile. "This is merely the deposit. Once the embroidery is complete, I will present another one thousand taels of gold."

Liao Shuxia: "..."

Lin Sangqian: "!!!"

In the era they currently lived in, one tael of gold was worth roughly ten taels of silver. This meant the man’s master was willing to pay over ten thousand taels of silver for this single embroidery! Who on earth was his master?

"Madam, what do you think?"

"It’s a deal," Liao Shuxia said decisively. She would be insane not to take a job worth over ten thousand taels. Even if it took five years, that was over two thousand taels per year. Besides, it seemed clear that the master was no ordinary person. Perhaps she could use this to further elevate her reputation.

"Wait a moment," Lin Sangqian interrupted. "I would like to ask, if my mother does not finish in six years, what will happen?"

"The deposit will be refunded in full," the man replied.

"Just that?"

"Yes," the man smiled. "Although my master very much hopes to receive this embroidery, she has made many other preparations; if this is not finished, she will have other gifts. However, I believe you will not disappoint us, will you, Madam?"

Liao Shuxia nodded. She had confidence in her skills, and having spent so much time embroidering lately, her technique had improved significantly. She was certain she could complete it within a few years.

"That is good to hear," Lin Sangqian sighed in relief.

"Then it is settled. If you need to contact me, please send a letter to this address." The man took a slip of paper from his robe and handed it to Lin Sangqian.

"I understand. Thank you."

After seeing the man and Mrs. Cheng off, the whole family gathered together, still in shock.

"Who on earth are they? To be able to bring out so much money just to commission an embroidery?" Lin Wenyan picked up a piece of gold and weighed it in his hand.

Lin Sangqian looked at the address on the slip of paper and said, "It is very likely they are from the Imperial Palace."

Zhao Lan'er was stunned. "Sangqian, how can you tell?"

"The address is in the capital," Lin Sangqian explained. "And that man’s voice, his mannerisms, his demeanor—they are very much like those of a eunuch. I suspect he was sent by someone in the palace. Perhaps a consort? Or a prince?"

"People from the capital, how would they find me?" Liao Shuxia asked blankly. "Could my reputation have spread all the way to the capital? That’s impossible!"

"Why impossible? Mother, have you forgotten about Mrs. Murong?" Lin Sangqian said with a smile. Before Murong Xiu had left, she had bought handkerchiefs and pouches from Liao Shuxia. She had returned to the capital, and given her status, gaining access to the palace shouldn't have been difficult. It was possible she had brought Liao Shuxia’s work into the palace, where it caught the eye of someone of high standing, leading them to inquire about its origin.

Moreover, the middle-aged man had been brought by Mrs. Cheng. In this town, Murong Xiu and Mrs. Cheng were the closest of friends.

"When you put it that way, it does make sense," Lin Beitao said.

"Wait! For someone in the palace to go to such lengths, sending someone thousands of miles to find me, willing to pay so much and wait for years... could it be that this birthday scroll is to be presented to..." Liao Shuxia looked nervous.

"Exactly," Lin Sangqian nodded. "There is a very high probability that it is a gift for the Emperor himself."