Chapter 92 - Twenty Four Pairs Of Hanfu

"Ming Zhu framed you for stealing her designs and selling them as your own. Your shop got closed for months and you lost all your customers. On the other hand, Ming Zhu used your designs and with a little more improvement in them, she started selling them and became the most famous designer of the Wang Empire. In the past five years, you traveled to different states of the Wang Empire to find some clue about your father's disappearance but found nothing and now you are finally back here to once again settle down and start from the very bottom so that you can give your brother a better future. Impressive!" Li Ming said as she concluded their poor state of living.

Jin Jing nodded her head as she picked up the scrolls of her designs as she said, "I have spent years trying to once again draw some sketches for new designs. I know these are not the best ones in the world but they are all that we have for now."

Li Ming looked at the sadness in Jin Jing's eyes and then at Xiao Sheng who was also looking sad as he stared at his sister's disappointed face.

"Since you already have the designs then why haven't you already started the work on them? According to what you told me you have returned back to the Capital City two months ago then what's the reason behind your lack of activity?" Li Ming asked with raised eyebrows.

Jin Jing sighed as she answered, "After I got crippled I wasn't able to sew clothes anymore. When we first opened the shop, there were three sisters from a nearby village who were quite good at sewing. It took us a bit of time but we finally found a balance between their way of sewing and my designs. But when we returned back two months ago we got to know that the three of them are now working for Ming Zhu. We tried to find someone else who can take the job but it looks like the Eldest Young Miss Lan doesn't want us to start our business again."

Li Ming chuckled at Jin Jing's words who in return glared at her. "What? Come on, were you seriously expecting her to be happy about your return? Of course, she would do everything in her power to make sure that you would never become a hurdle of her path again. I'm actually surprised that she hadn't robbed or burnt this shop down in your absence." 

"Well...you are actually right." Jin Jing said as she lightly massaged her head.

"Do you think that we should leave the Capital City and move to some other state?" Madam Xia asked her daughter who was looking even more tired than the past few weeks.

"Definitely not. Why we have to leave our home when we haven't done anything wrong in the first place? I have stopped investigating about father's case for now but it doesn't mean that I'm giving up. As soon as I can find a permanent income source for our living, I'll start with the investigation again." Jin Jing's voice was calm and collected. It didn't leave any place for any argument.

A small smile appeared on Li Ming's face as she listened to Jin Jing's words but she pretended to be busy in looking through the dresses that were hanging in front of her.

Her eyes landed on a pair of black and grey colored hanfu that attracted her attention.

The upper part was grey in color with a white color undershirt. The long skirt was black with small beautiful prints at the bottom. A long white belt accompanied the beautiful hanfu, giving it the final touch.

Li Ming picked the dress up and showed it to Jin Jing as she asked, "Do you have more pairs of this hanfu in the same design and color?" 

Jin Jing was shocked for a moment but then she hurriedly nodded her head. "How many do you want?" Her voice came out a little breathy and unsure.

"How many do you have?" Li Ming asked as she once again examined the beautiful piece of dress that her expert eyes had found.

Of course, she noticed the surprise and uncertainty in Jin Jing's voice and Madam Xia's posture. Even Xiao Sheng was looking at her in suspicion.

They all were thinking that she was either about to mock them or maybe she was going to buy those dresses out of pity.

"Umm, we have around twenty or something pieces?" Jin Jing replied but her reply came out more like a question.

"Perfect. Bring all of them out. As long as all the dresses would be in perfect condition, I'll buy all of them." Li Ming said in an excited voice.

"Huh? But Miss Li what are you going to do with twenty pieces of same-colored hanfu?" Madam Xia finally asked the question that was swimming through the minds of all three of them.

"I like this color combination and the simple design. That's why I'm going to buy all those pairs for the maids working in my Black Jade Inn. It will look more professional if all of them have the same working clothes. I always wanted to have a fixed uniform for them but either I didn't get enough time to check out the clothes stores or I didn't find anything that caught my eyes. But these look absolutely perfect. They suit the location and the name of my Inn." Li Ming replied as she signaled Jin Jing to hurriedly took out all the other pairs.

It took Jin Jing and Madam Xia a few minutes to bring all the dresses out of the storage. But finally, all the twenty-four pairs of the hanfu was in front of Li Ming.

Since they had been stored for a long time there was a very faint smell lingering in the clothes. 

Jin Jing was about to apologize when just with a flick of Miss Li's fingers, the light foul smell disappeared and in its place was a light fragrance of sandalwood emitting from the clothes.

Xiao Sheng beamed at his Goddess while both Madam Xiao and Jin Jing were looking at her in amazement.

Though this kind of tricks sounded simple and easy the truth was that only those cultivators could perform these simple-looking tricks who had mastered their cultivation level to a very higher rank.

That's why seeing a very young girl using such a trick shocked both Madam Xia and Jin Jing, who were a little familiar with the world of cultivation.

"Now it's perfect. Please pack all of these in a separate bag." Li Ming said as she handed the hanfu to Madam Xia that she had picked from the cluster of other clothes.

Within the next ten minutes, all the twenty-four pairs of hanfu were stocked in the closet of one of her guest rooms in the mansion.

She paid two hundred silver taels to Madam Xia for the hanfu and their brown-colored packages.

She settled back on her chair and signaled Jin Jing to sit on the chair beside her.

She took her wrist in her hand and let her healing energy flow into Jin Jing's wrist. 

It took Li Ming a few minutes before she finally let her hand go.

The poison was too much for Li Ming to heal with her powers. Though she could have healed Jin Jing immediately but the poison would have left some lasting effect since it had seeped into her bones.

So, just to be safe, Li Ming decided to treat Jin Jing by using her vast knowledge of potion and the limited knowledge of alchemy that she had gained in the past few months. In this way, she could also test her medicinal knowledge.

"The poison has seeped into your bones. It will be hard to cure it in one go but I think it will take a maximum of two weeks. After curing the poison we will see exactly how your wrists are going to respond." Li Ming said as she looked deep in thoughts.

It took a few minutes before the meaning behind Li Ming's words sank in the mind of Jin Jing, Madam Xia, and Xiao Sheng.

"Wait, are you saying that Jin Jing could be cured?" Madam Xia asked in a quivering voice.

Jin Jing was too shocked to even speak. Her eyes were staring at Li Ming with an expectant gaze.

"Of course, she could be cured. But just like I said, it's going to take a few weeks. I'm heading towards the Herb Market of the Jin Empire. I'll visit you guys in the next two or three days and we will start Jin Jing's treatment." Li Ming said as she stood up to finally take her leave.

After she left Jin Jing's shop, Li Ming headed towards the Divine Treasure Hall for her next destination. 

It barely took her twenty minutes before she was finally standing on the beautifully decorated streets of the Herb market of Jin Empire.