The proprietress hesitated for a moment before looking at Wang Yongzhu.
Although she did not like Li Jinzhi, that cheap woman, what she said made sense. The Wang Family had been farming for generations; how could they be capable of dyeing cloth?
The last time, it was just a small piece of cloth, it might have been the young lady who dyed it for fun.
But if it were that simple, then everyone would know how to dye cloth.
A bolt of cloth goes through dyeing, bleaching, and drying, and each dye house has its own closely-guarded secrets, alright?
Wang Yongzhu treated Li Jinzhi as if she were thin air, completely ignoring her as she gestured for Wang Yongping to place the basket on the table behind her, "Proprietress, let me show you first—"
Wang Yongping stepped forward, his glaring making Li Jinzhi so guilty that she stepped back before placing the basket on the table.
He even stood between Li Jinzhi and the table, blocking her view and preventing her from any mischief!
In Wang Yongping’s heart, Li Jinzhi was someone harboring malicious intentions, always looking to harm their family, a cheap woman they must be wary of.
Wang Yongzhu uncovered the top layer of cloth, taking out a half-piece of indigo fabric.
At first glance, the indigo color made the proprietress’s eyes light up; the color was calm and appeared even.
Li Jinzhi also wanted to see what Wang Yongzhu had dyed, but she was blocked by Wang Yongping. She thought about pushing past him, but seeing his stature, she decided against it!
She could only see the surprised and delighted expression on the proprietress’s face, and she suddenly felt anxious. Hadn’t she tampered with that dye vat? How could it be that Wang Yongzhu managed to dye it anyway?
Just as she was about to say something, she heard the proprietress sigh, "Ah, what a pity—"
Li Jinzhi, no longer caring about restraint, took the opportunity while Wang Yongping was distracted by the proprietress’s voice, craned her neck to look, and immediately burst out laughing. Turned out, with just a bit of the cloth unfolded, one could see large patches of white on the revealed indigo fabric.
A patch of blue, mixed with white patches, was truly striking.
The proprietress let out a disappointed sigh, "What a shame, the dyeing is uneven, patches of white and blue. Alas, it’s also on me, I was too hasty, trying ’to make a dead horse act like a living one.’ Knowing it was impossible, how could a country maid possibly dye a good cloth! Miss Wang, this cloth is not up to par, I can’t take it! Even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to sell it! Better take it back with you!"
Since the fabric dyed by the Wang Family Young Lady was not up to standard, she had no other choice but to turn her head towards Li Jinzhi, "How much cloth does your family have? I’ll take it all!"
Li Jinzhi lifted her head triumphantly towards Wang Yongzhu, "See, I said so, a country girl dyeing cloth? You want to make me die laughing! Why are you still standing here? Trying to impose on the proprietress? Get lost, get lost, don’t get in the way of our business—"
Wang Yongzhu had not even spoken when Wang Yongping could no longer hold back, slamming the table, "Li Jinzhi you cheap woman, say that again, I dare you! If my sister says she can dye cloth, then she can dye it! You don’t recognize good quality and even mock others, are you asking for a beating?"
As he spoke, he clenched his fists.
Both the proprietress and Li Jinzhi were startled by Wang Yongping’s sudden rage.
Li Jinzhi was especially frightened; Wang Yongping’s gaze just then was as if he wanted to devour her. Back when he found out she had cuckolded him, he had not been this angry, right?
Glancing at the fist hovering before her very eyes, she hastily retreated two large steps back.
Wang Yongzhu patted Wang Yongping’s hand, signaling him to remain calm.
Only then did she turn to address the shopkeeper, "Ma’am, I haven’t deceived you. This is a newly dyed pattern, take another look. You definitely won’t be disappointed!"
The shopkeeper, seeing Wang Yongzhu looking as if she would persist endlessly, and with Wang Yongping looking so menacing and fierce, couldn’t help but overthink the situation.
Could it be that this young lady couldn’t dye the cloth herself, so she brought her brother with her as a threat? If I don’t like it, will they force me to buy it using their fists?
Her face darkened, and glancing again at the unevenly dyed white and blue fabric, she thought, new patterns? Who are you kidding?
"Look here, Wang Yongzhu, have some shame! The trash you’ve dyed, even a beggar wouldn’t wear it! And you call it a new pattern! Bah! Can’t dye, ruined the cloth, and still have the nerve to talk about new patterns? Then I might as well splash some ink on the cloth tomorrow, is that considered a new pattern too?" Li Jinzhi saw the shopkeeper’s displeased expression and immediately seized the opportunity to trample a few more insults.
"Can’t even dye a solid color properly, and still have the cheek to call it dyeing cloth, talking about new patterns! What a joke! Look, if you have any shame left, just take your lousy cloth and roll back home. Standing here making us sick, who do you think you are?"
Wang Yongzhu fell silent for a moment, then asked one more time, "Ma’am, are you sure you don’t want to take another look? No regrets?"
"No regrets! With your cloth dyed , how can you expect me to regret it? Please leave, I have already decided to buy her cloth!" At this moment, the shopkeeper just wanted to usher the siblings out the door; after all, with a young man like that next to them, if they really started a fight, she couldn’t withstand it.
She turned towards Li Jinzhi, signaling through her words that she was settling on Li Jinzhi’s goods, which was also a hint for Wang Yongzhu and her brother to leave.
Wang Yongzhu let out a cold laugh, briskly packed the cloth back into the carrying basket, and signaled to Wang Yongping to shoulder it. "Fourth Brother, let’s go! We won’t sell our Wang Family’s fine products to these ignorant folks!"
Wang Yongping quickly shouldered the carrying basket, shooting Li Jinzhi a glaring look—if not for her, his sister’s cloth would definitely have been sold.
Li Jinzhi sneered, "Don’t you know what sort of mess you’ve dyed yourself? And you say we don’t recognize quality? I’d like to see which fool would buy your lousy cloth!"
"You—" Wang Yongping raised his fist.
Wang Yongzhu methodically straightened her sleeves. "Of course, the quality of my fabric can hardly be recognized by someone with such a condescending view like yours. Don’t think you know everything just because you’ve sold some cloth in the He Family’s Shop for a few days without an actual title. And you call us country bumpkins; aren’t you one too? Coming to Shiqiao and shamelessly staying a few days at the He Family’s, wearing some fancy dresses, and now you think you’re from the city?"
"Today, I will let you see what a newly dyed fabric truly is! Do you really think that the things you dredged up from some corner, unsold warehouse stock that nobody wanted, and brought here are fine products? Laughing at others! I guarantee, after today, you’ll be the biggest joke in Shiqiao Town!"
Saying this, she pulled Wang Yongping along as they exited the Cloth Store and walked forward.
Li Jinzhi’s face turned as red as if she had been struck, while the shopkeeper also looked sheepish. Although Wang Yongzhu’s main target wasn’t her, she couldn’t help feeling somewhat uneasy inside!
The two of them exchanged a glance, then rushed to the doorway, just in time to see the Wang siblings heading towards the most central tavern in town.
What were they going to do there?
Li Jinzhi clenched her teeth, unable to calm her nerves, she abandoned the business deal she had just finalized with the shopkeeper and followed them.
The shopkeeper quickly locked the door in a flurry and chased after them as well.