Previously, when the Wanfeng Grain Store sold oil, custors had to bring their own containers.
Now, the Wanfeng Grain Store provided standardized porcelain jars for the peanut oil, each designed to hold exactly two catties.
At first, Steward Jia didn’t quite understand.
Custom-ordering the jars increased their costs, yet the price of the peanut oil sold by the Wanfeng Grain Store remained unchanged.
The result was a decrease in profits.
He felt the Princess Consort’s move was completely unnecessary.
However, the introduction of the porcelain jars strengthened the public’s recognition of the Wanfeng Grain Store brand. Eventually, whenever people thought of buying peanut oil, the first na that ca to mind was always Wanfeng.
Even when several other grain stores later began selling peanut oil, many people still considered only Wanfeng’s to be the most authentic.
Only then did Steward Jia understand Princess Consort Zhao’s intentions. He couldn’t help but feel ashad of his own short-sightedness.
Once the peanut oil business was running smoothly, Hua Manman left it in the hands of her subordinates to manage. She herself rarely inquired about it anymore.
Lately, she had turned her attention back to making a cloak.
Even though Prince Zhao seed to be deliberately denying her the chance to work on the cloak, she still managed to find opportunities to be alone.
With Prince Zhao’s birthday drawing ever closer and the cloak still not finished, Hua Manman couldn’t help but feel a little anxious.
As it happened, Jin Ling’er ca with her younger brother to pay her respects to the Princess Consort. Jin Ling’er had also brought a pair of shoes she had made by hand.
Hua Manman turned the embroidered shoes over and over, examining them from every angle.
Although the materials used for the shoes were quite plain, the craftsmanship was excellent. The butterflies embroidered on top were especially lifelike.
Hua Manman was delighted.
Her eyes lit up as she looked at Jin Ling’er as if she were a precious treasure.
"Can you teach how to make clothes?"
Jin Ling’er was taken aback, flattered. "My needlework is rely average."
Hua Manman praised her profusely. "This is anything but average! I’d say your skills are on par with a professional embroideress. Please, teach ."
Seeing her insistence, how could Jin Ling’er possibly refuse? She blushed and said,
"If Your Highness wouldn’t mind my humble skills, then I would be happy to teach you."
Hua Manman had Si Yun take Jin Sinian to play sowhere else. Then, she pulled Jin Ling’er into the room and took out her half-finished cloak.
"Quick, take a look for . How is it? I feel like there’s sothing odd about it."
Jin Ling’er picked up the cloak, and her expression instantly beca very strange.
’If the Princess Consort hadn’t said this was a cloak, I never would have guessed what this thing was supposed to be!’
Jin Ling’er used her hands to gesture at its length.
"Your Highness, don’t you think this cloak is a bit too short?"
A normal cloak reaches the ankles, but the one the Princess Consort had made would only co down to her own thighs.
The difference was just too great.
Hua Manman had a sudden realization. "Oh, so I made it too short!"
Jin Ling’er examined the cloak from top to bottom again, but she couldn’t find a neckline anywhere.
It looked like a perfect square, with all four sides of equal length.
’How is anyone supposed to wear this?’
Jin Ling’er said helplessly, "Your Highness, if this was ant for a child, it could probably be altered."
Hua Manman said quickly, "But it’s a gift for an adult. He’s this tall."
She raised a hand to indicate his height as she spoke.
Jin Ling’er knew at a glance that the Princess Consort was making a cloak for the Prince.
She imagined the tall, handso Prince Zhao wearing such a cloak and found the image so ghastly she couldn’t bear to picture it.
Jin Ling’er advised with all sincerity.
"The Prince won’t be able to wear this cloak. Your Highness should cut a new piece of fabric and start over."
Hua Manman was surprised. "How did you know I was making it for the Prince?"
Jin Ling’er smiled, pressing her lips together. "Who else is that tall and also deserving of a handmade gift from Your Highness, if not Prince Zhao?"
This ti, it was Hua Manman’s turn to be embarrassed.
"The Prince’s birthday is soon, and I wanted to give him a surprise."
’If you give him this thing,’ Jin Ling’er thought, ’it’ll be a shock, alright, but not a pleasant surprise.’
Hua Manman’s face fell.
"But Prince Zhao’s birthday is almost here. If I start a new cloak from scratch, I’m afraid I won’t have enough ti."
Jin Ling’er thought for a mont, then suggested.
"Why not alter this cloak into a tunic? That shouldn’t take too long."
The fabric felt soft and smooth; it would be quite nice for clothing.
Hua Manman took Jin Ling’er’s advice and imdiately began altering the cloak.
Jin Ling’er stood by to guide her, teaching her what to do step-by-step.
First ca the cutting.
Jin Ling’er traced her finger over the fabric several tis.
"You must start cutting right here, and only this much. If you’re not sure, it’s better to cut a little less, but you absolutely cannot cut too much."
Hua Manman gripped the scissors, her heart pounding with nervousness.
Following Jin Ling’er’s instructions, she began to cut the fabric bit by bit.
Jin Ling’er stood beside her, watching without blinking.
Hua Manman cut very slowly, terrified of making a mistake.
But in the end, she still slipped and cut it crooked.
By the ti Jin Ling’er realized what had happened, the fabric was already ruined.
Hua Manman held up the piece of fabric, which was now significantly shorter than planned, and blinked.
"Can this still be made into a piece of clothing?"
Jin Ling’er answered truthfully, "With a piece of fabric this small, it’s only suitable for making a child’s bib."
Hua Manman couldn’t help but imagine what Prince Zhao would look like wearing a bib...
’Ah, my eyes! The image burns!’
She dejectedly put the fabric down.
"I don’t think I’m cut out for needlework."
Jin Ling’er encouraged her, "Don’t be discouraged, Your Highness. Nothing can be accomplished in a single attempt. When I was learning needlework, I also spent a great deal of ti and effort. If you just try a few more tis, you’ll surely get it."
Hua Manman replied, "But there’s not much ti. I have to finish the gift before Prince Zhao’s birthday."
Jin Ling’er said, "A piece of fabric this small definitely can’t be made into clothing... How about a pair of socks?
The weather has been getting colder lately. If you make socks for the Prince, he can wear them right away."
Hua Manman thought about it seriously.
’Green socks are a little strange,’ she thought, ’but there aren’t any better options right now.’
So she nodded. "Alright, let’s do that."
Hua Manman picked up the scissors again, ready to start cutting.
This ti, Jin Ling’er found a piece of paper and drew the required shape and size on it. Then, she spread the paper over the fabric.
She told the Princess Consort to just cut along the lines on the paper.
It was indeed a good idea.
Hua Manman cut the fabric along the lines on the paper. This ti, her cutting was perfect, with almost no deviation.
They both let out a sigh of relief in unison.
’Finally, the cutting is done!’
Next ca the sewing.
Jin Ling’er explained the steps and techniques for stitching, holding nothing back from the Princess Consort.
Hua Manman listened intently.
Following Jin Ling’er’s instructions, she began to sew, stitch by careful stitch.
Jin Ling’er watched her for a while. Seeing that the Princess Consort’s stitching looked decent and that she hadn’t made any obvious mistakes, Jin Ling’er gradually began to relax.
’Looks like the Princess Consort might actually succeed this ti,’ she thought.
As it turned out, she had celebrated too soon.
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