After finishing breakfast, Leng Ruo Li took out the posters and stickers prepared in her spatial dimension, brought Xing'er and Ling'er, and headed to her clothing store in a carriage.
Upon their arrival at the clothing store, Shi Zheng He and Zhao Yuan Qing were busy hanging the plaque for Jin Xiu Ge.
Seeing Leng Ruo Li approach, they immediately stopped their work and greeted her.
"Miss, our Jin Xiu Ge has been completely renovated today, and the store can reopen tomorrow or the day after," Shi Zheng He said with a smile.
Leng Ruo Li pondered for a moment and replied, "We won't open tomorrow. Let's open the day after. There's no need to rush. Today, you'll accompany me to purchase some fabric, and we'll try to produce a batch of winter clothes as soon as possible."
"Understood. I'll do as you say, Miss," Shi Zheng He nodded.
Afterward, Leng Ruo Li looked up at Zhao Yuan Qing.
"Brother Zhao, gather the brothers inside in a moment. I will pay you for the renovation work."
"Miss, there's no need. General Leng has helped us a lot since returning from the frontier; we don't know how to repay him," Zhao Yuan Qing politely declined with gratitude.
"No, no, Brother Zhao. This is one matter, and that is another. You must accept the wages from me, or I won't dare to ask you to help me renovate houses next time," Leng Ruo Li said, feigning anger.
Uh…
"Alright then," Zhao Yuan Qing said helplessly, scratching his head.
"That's the spirit!"
Leng Ruo Li's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"In a while, I also plan to open a medical clinic in the capital specializing in treating difficult and complicated diseases. Brother Zhao, you and the brothers will have to help me with that as well, by managing the renovation."
Leng Ruo Li's beautiful apricot eyes, clear and bright like flowing springs, were filled with wisdom. Zhao Yuan Qing was mesmerized, as if seeing the exceptionally gifted woman who had always accompanied General Leng.
"Yes, yes!"
Zhao Yuan Qing nodded vigorously.
Then, Leng Ruo Li asked Shi Zheng He and her two young maids to enter the house with her and take out the posters and stickers they were carrying.
"Zheng He, these are the posters I've made. You can have two or three people form a group to peel off the outer layer of paper, then paste them vertically on the walls. Try to be careful and avoid creasing them," Leng Ruo Li instructed patiently.
"Understood, Miss," everyone replied in unison.
They then consciously divided into groups, each taking a poster. As they slowly unfolded them, gasps of "Wow!!!" erupted.
The posters instantly astonished everyone.
"Miss, these paintings are too beautiful! The scenery inside is like a fairyland. We can't bear to paste them on the walls," everyone exclaimed.
"Haha, don't be reluctant. If we paste them on the walls, we can see them every day, wouldn't that be even better?"
Leng Ruo Li watched their clear and bright apricot eyes, her smile widening.
The group suddenly felt that Leng Ruo Li made a lot of sense and began to act.
In a short while, they had covered the entire shop with posters. Instantly, the entire Jin Xiu Ge was transformed, leaving everyone inside stunned.
As Leng Ruo Li finished her tasks, Zhao Yuan Qing also led his brothers in. The posters in the shop also amazed them.
Leng Ruo Li quickly calculated their wages. Zhao Yuan Qing and his group numbered eleven people. If they were paid according to the price for masons, two taels of silver per worker would suffice. However, Leng Ruo Li had promised to pay them more than three times the usual wage when she hired them, so she intended to pay them six taels of silver per worker.
Furthermore, because their work was exceptionally well done, she decided to give each of them an additional subsidy of four taels of silver. Thus, Zhao Yuan Qing and his group were each to receive ten taels of silver.
When Zhao Yuan Qing and his men received the ten taels of silver from Leng Ruo Li, they were astonished.
"Miss, this wage is far too much! These ten taels of silver are five times what we usually earn. We cannot accept so much money from you. Two taels of silver per person would be sufficient."
Zhao Yuan Qing and the others were nearly shocked by the wages Leng Ruo Li had calculated.
"This money is rightfully yours! You must accept it! Otherwise, I won't need your services for the renovation of my medical clinic next time," Leng Ruo Li commanded.
"Alright!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan Qing and his men's eyes turned red. They were deeply moved, understanding that Leng Ruo Li was helping them in a roundabout way while preserving their dignity. Both General Leng and his daughter were truly kind.
After leaving the clothing store, they immediately shed tears.
Zhao Yuan Qing tearfully said to his brothers, "Brothers, the young lady is helping us in her own way. We must remember her kindness for a lifetime."
"Yes, Brother Yuan Qing, we feel it too. The young lady has not only helped us this time but also maintained our dignity. She is truly thoughtful," said Liang Lao Si, one of them.
Immediately, everyone echoed, "Yes, yes…"
—
After Zhao Yuan Qing and his group left, Leng Ruo Li also gave Shi Zheng He and the others who had helped at the store over the past few days two taels of silver each as a subsidy.
Shi Zheng He and the others firmly refused to accept it. She had to keep the silver for them and give it to them when they received their wages later.
Then, she immediately arranged for the employees in the shop to rush the production of clothes.
Leng Ruo Li, with her two young maids and Shi Zheng He, took a carriage to the largest fabric store in the capital to select fabric.
"Miss, this Old Guo Fabric Store is where I usually purchase fabric," Shi Zheng He said, pointing at the store with a smile.
"Good, let's go in," Leng Ruo Li nodded slightly.
The four of them walked in.
The fabric store had good business, with people coming and going, making it very busy.
However, because Shi Zheng He was a regular customer of the store, the owner of the fabric store was particularly enthusiastic when he saw Shi Zheng He enter.
"Boss Shi, it's been a while since you came to purchase fabric. We've just received a shipment of excellent fabric today. Why not come up and take a look?" the fabric store owner said with a beaming smile.
"Boss Guo, I'm ashamed! I am no longer the owner of Jin Xiu Ge. This young lady is our proprietor," Shi Zheng He said with a smile to the fabric store owner.
"Oh, oh, may I know your surname, young lady?"
The owner of the fabric store, having been in the fabric business for years, was very adept at handling people. He quickly reacted and hurried to greet Leng Ruo Li.
"Boss Guo, my surname is Leng, and it's not a humble surname," Leng Ruo Li replied with her signature smile.
"Oh, so you are Miss Leng! Pardon me, pardon me!" Boss Guo said politely. "What kind of fabric do you need today?"
"Boss Guo, could you show me first?"
"Of course. Please follow me, Miss Leng."
The four followed Boss Guo upstairs to the fabric room. As soon as the door was opened, they all smelled a burnt odor.
Boss Guo regained his senses and burst into tears, "Who on earth would set fire to my fabric!"
As Boss Guo cried and tried to put out the fire, Leng Ruo Li and the other three quickly rushed over to help him extinguish it.