ushernet Chapter 122 Become famous
Chapter 122 Become famous
Ye Jincheng was still wearing a black brocade robe. He was tall, had long legs, and had a handsome face. He exuded an invisible aura and did not look like a businessman at all.
He stood next to Ji Zimo. They were both tall and handsome. One was stern and the other was elegant. Everyone felt that their eyes were not enough to take them all in.
After Ye Jincheng bowed to everyone, he waved his hand and two little boys came up and led everyone out of the hall and into an elegant room.
The scenery here is different again. The elegant room is equipped with huge glazed windows and faces the lake on both sides. Looking out from the window, you can see the vast sea and the sky and water merging into one. Small boats used to transport guests shuttle across the lake with white sails dotted across them.
The interior decoration is elegant and all the utensils used are exquisite. In one corner, there are guqin, chessboard, and four treasures of the study, while in another corner, there are toys such as tossing pots and backgammon.
Ye Jincheng then sat down and introduced the Shuixiufang to everyone. Although it was called the embroidery workshop, it was actually more like a place for scholars to express their feelings and relax. Various exhibitions were held on the top floor, the second floor was the embroidery workshop, the elegant room could be reserved for gatherings, and even in the courtyard, people could play the game of flowing wine. There were lakes and mountains in the garden, so it was not a problem for them to go boating, fish, pick lotus seeds, and experience the pastoral style.
The guests were first intoxicated by the scenery of Furong Garden, then impressed by the amazing skills of the Ji couple, and finally impressed by the business skills of Mr. Ye. After half a day, they were amazed one after another.
The wealthy scholar persistently asked about the price of embroidery paintings. Ye Jincheng smiled and told him that the price of any work by Furong Jushi started at 3,000 taels, the price of any work by Baicaojun started at 1,500 taels, and the price of any other embroiderer started at 800 taels. If the work was a new style drawing by Ji Hanlin, the price would be increased as appropriate.
"When in Jiangxia, Ji Hanlin's paintings were once sold at a high price of over ten thousand taels per piece. With his current skills, the price will only be higher. Ji Hanlin has made it clear that he does not sell his paintings, so purchasing embroidered paintings from Shui Xiufang is the only way to indirectly obtain Ji Hanlin's paintings." Ye Jincheng stopped talking about this and changed the subject.
Literati are all about elegance. When doing business with them, you should not be too hasty.
The guests spent a day in the garden, some enjoying the scenery, some appreciating the paintings, some rowing boats, some playing the piano and painting by the lake, all having their own fun. Many scholars were inspired to recite poems and write couplets, leaving behind poems they thought were wonderful.
Towards evening, the guests left contentedly and were led to the exit by a child, where they saw an incredibly beautiful little girl, about six or seven years old, holding the hand of a little girl who was even younger than her, only two or three years old. Both of them were wearing the same light green dress and holding a tray in their hands.
"Refreshing, soothing, one for each person!" the two little girls shouted in baby voices, grabbing the medicine sachets on the tray with their little hands and giving them to the guests.
Looking at this pair of golden-like girls, the guest's heart had already melted. He hurriedly took the medicine bag and put it on himself. Immediately, a faint medicinal fragrance came over him, and his spirits were lifted.
From that day on, the name "Furong Garden" became famous in the capital. Some people said that there were the most beautiful scenery, the most exquisite paintings, the most delicate embroidery, and even the medicine capsules were the most effective in the whole capital!
Ye Jincheng took the opportunity to frame the poems and articles written by scholars during the garden tour that day and hung them in the small building. He also deliberately asked people to circulate the best of them among the people in the community, in order to firmly establish the connection between Furong Garden and "elegance".
When Dong Daru heard about this, he wrote down the words "Needle Saint" stroke by stroke and ordered someone to send it to Furong Garden. From then on, "Needle Saint" was no longer a private word of encouragement to the younger generation, but a sincere praise from a great scholar to an embroidery master.
If it was an embroidery workshop, the rich and powerful might not pay attention to it, but it was an elegant place with treasures that had been praised by the empress dowager and great scholars, so why not go and join in the fun? For a time, Furong Garden was crowded with tourists, and many wealthy families held their flower-viewing banquets here, and various literary gatherings were held one after another.
Ye Jincheng was the happiest person. He made a lot of money renting out the garden, but the most profitable thing was the embroidery. The rent of the garden for a month was not enough to sell one piece of embroidery. Especially the one embroidered by Furong Lay Buddhist herself, the price has risen to five thousand taels now, and if it is made with Ji Zimo's drawings, it will exceed ten thousand taels.
Even though the price is so high, it is still popular. In fact, the more expensive it is, the more popular it is. Ever since the third prince's wife spent 5,000 taels to buy the first painting, royal relatives and wealthy families have come one after another to visit and buy it.
He calculated that if he sold a few pieces of embroidery, all the costs would be recovered. When he was calculating, his fingers were shaking. The Ye family had been in the embroidery business for a hundred years, but they had never sold such profitable embroidery. This embroidery was not woven with silk thread, but was even more valuable than one woven with gold thread!
Soon, the three words "Furong Garden" became the golden signboard of the capital. Anything with Furong Garden in it became expensive. Even medicine sachets were sold for ten taels each, and the business was very good. Some ladies from middle-class families came to visit. They could not afford embroidery paintings, but they could afford medicine sachets. When they left, each of them bought one, which was considered a piece of Furong Garden, and it was very prestigious to wear it on their body.
Furong Garden became famous, and more and more people came to see Ji Zimo's painting exhibitions. His reputation became more and more prosperous in the calligraphy and painting circles, and even reached the ears of the emperor.
On this day, Ji Zimo was on duty in the Hanlin Academy when a eunuch beside the emperor summoned him into the palace.
The responsibilities of the Hanlin Academy editors were to compile the Veritable Records, record the emperor's words and deeds, and draft imperial edicts. Although his rank was not high, he had a lot of dealings with the emperor. Ji Zimo thought it was for clerical matters, but he did not expect that when he entered the imperial study, the emperor, while reviewing the memorials, asked him without even looking up: "I heard that you invented a painting technique that can depict things as realistically as looking in a mirror?"
Ji Zimo's heart tightened. "Your Majesty, 'As lifelike as looking in a mirror' is an exaggeration. I have only made a slight improvement on the skills of the senior painters. It is really just a trivial skill."
The emperor continued to review the memorials: "Well, tomorrow you pick out a few of your favorite paintings and have them sent to the palace for me to see, so that I can broaden my horizons."
Upon hearing this, Ji Zimo did not dare to be negligent and immediately agreed. He performed a great salute and then left.
He was just wondering about the emperor's intention when he saw a group of people coming towards him. Looking closely, he saw that the person surrounded in the middle was Princess Dihua, whom he didn't want to see again in his life.
After all, she is a princess, so even if I don't want to see her, I have to bow and greet her.
Princess Dihua did not shout, but sneered, "Ji Hanlin has been very popular recently. I heard that Furong Garden is your business?"
"My princess, you have misunderstood. Officials are not allowed to engage in business, so how could this be my business? The owner of Furong Garden is named Ye, and he is from Jiangxia. My wife and I are just borrowing his garden for the exhibition."
"Who are you kidding? Your wife is not on display, her embroidery is for sale!" Princess Dihua was furious. In the past, when it came to embroidery, everyone in the capital would recommend Jingxiufang as the best. But now, everyone says that Furongyuan embroidery is the most precious treasure in the world.
"My wife is doing boudoir embroidery. It is not uncommon for girls to earn some pocket money with their own embroidery." Ji Zimo replied.
Princess Dihua almost applauded his shamelessness. That was just a little pocket money. One embroidery piece sold by Shui Qinghua was equivalent to ten pieces of clothing sold by her Jing Xiu Fang!