The next day, Su Xiaoman and Xia Wanrou arrived at the store early in the morning, and before the guests came, the Jiang family's little servant came again.

The little guy was very respectful, "The two shopkeepers, this year's competition is about to start, because this year's Manrou ready-to-wear shop is also invited, so today I specially invited the two shopkeepers to participate in the discussion of the competition." ”

Xiao Man subconsciously looked at Xia Wanrou, but when he saw that the other party was also puzzled, he shouldn't know the doorway.

Therefore, she asked, "Dare to ask this little brother, what are you going to discuss today?" Do you have to go to both shopkeepers? We haven't participated before, and I hope that the little brother will tell us about it. ”

This little guy is also from a big family, and his status is higher than that of the children of those poor families, plus he often attends various big banquets with his master, so this talk is naturally different from ordinary people.

In addition, Xiaoman had a good attitude and didn't treat him as a subordinate, so this little guy didn't show any displeasure on his face, but explained to them very patiently.

This annual competition was originally made up by the imperial businessmen out of boredom, originally to assess the skills of the embroiderers and masters hired by the family, but because it attracted the attention of the emperor, the number of people participating in the competition gradually increased.

There are many people, and there will inevitably be more people who cheat and cheat, and even more malicious chaos in the competition of previous years, secretly breaking the opponent's embroidery thread, weaving machine, etc., the framed person is naturally dissatisfied, and also wants to retaliate. After coming and going, the meaning of this game gradually changed, and the matter became big, and it reached the ears of the emperor, and the son of heaven was naturally angry.

That year, not only the shops that were making trouble with each other were affected, but even the yellow merchants who held the competition were scolded by the emperor.

Therefore, in recent years, every time the competition starts, all the merchants participating in the competition have to participate in the discussion, saying that it is a discussion, in fact, it is to give them a warning in advance, so that they can abandon such a lewd winning method.

After listening, Su Xiaoman nodded thoughtfully, "I see." ”

"Two showcases, I don't know if it's convenient for you two today?" "The game will start soon, and we will start discussing the details today." ”

Xia Wanrou got up and said with a smile: "Naturally, there is time, please ask the little brother to lead the way, and we will go with you." ”

"Okay."

This competition has attracted a lot of attention, and it is held by the imperial merchants, so it is very generous.

As soon as Xiao Man went out, she was amazed by the carriage parked at the door, she looked left and right curiously, and then whispered to Xia Wanrou, "Sister Wanrou, this carriage is so big and luxurious." ”

It's no wonder that Xiaoman didn't know anything, it's just that this carriage is so luxurious, even Xia Wanrou was a little surprised.

Although she is the eldest lady of a big family in Shangjing, her family background is solid and her identity is extraordinary, but because of the family rules and the teaching of the elders in the family since childhood, this Xia Wanrou has always been simple and has never been so extravagant.

The carriage was twice as large as the one they had ridden before, and the two of them entered the carriage with the help of the maidservant, and Xiao Man couldn't help but let out another exclamation.

The inside of this carriage is soft and low, and this soft collapse takes up most of the interior of the carriage, even if you sleep here on weekdays, you don't have to worry about falling off when you turn over.

There were teapots and various sweets on the low table, and because the road to Beijing was stable, the objects on the table did not move for more than half a minute until the place where the content of the game was discussed.

Xiao Man and Xia Wanrou got out of the car again with the help of the maid, and then followed the little maid all the way to the conference hall.

The conference hall is a very large room, and there are three Taishi chairs in the middle, and the chairs on the left and right are lined up, there are three or four rows, and there is a small table in the middle of every two chairs, and these chairs add up to at least a hundred.

There were already a few shopkeepers of big shops in Beijing sitting in the conference hall, most of them were forty or fifty years old, and they were about the same age as Xiao Man's elders, so Xiao Man and Xia Wanrou saluted very obediently, and then they chose the most inconspicuous place to sit down.

"Have you heard that the final winner of this year's competition will not only get a large amount of silver, but also get the emperor's own inscription!"

"Hey, we haven't won the ranking in several sessions, and this time we don't even think about it, and the province will feel uncomfortable at that time."

"There are a lot of shops that haven't participated in the competition this year, Brother Zhao, don't be too discouraged! If you can get your majesty's handwriting, then the business in the store will not have to worry! ”

Listening to the conversation of several people, Xiao Man's heart moved, she quietly poked Xia Wanrou, lowered her voice and said, "Sister Wanrou, did you hear what they said?" The winner can get the emperor's autograph inscription! ”

This is equivalent to a living signboard, if you get this signboard, then you don't have to worry about no one in Beijing knowing about their ready-to-wear shop.

After hearing this, Xia Wanrou nodded her forehead with a smile, "Xiaoman, we have only been open for a long time, and it is not easy to participate in this competition, don't be too greedy." ”

Having said that, Xia Wanrou firmly believes that Xiao Man has such a ability, but the tree is very popular, and the masters in Beijing are like clouds, if Xiao Man is too obsessed with the first place now, she is only afraid that if she fails, Xiao Man will lose interest in it, and thus return to the previous appearance of not being interested in anything.

"I'm just talking about it." Xiaoman stuck out his tongue mischievously, and didn't continue to talk about it.

While the two were talking, the conference hall was already full of people, and everyone was talking about something in twos and threes, although the atmosphere was not harmonious, but it was harmonious.

"Ahem!"

With a few soft coughs, three well-dressed men came out from behind the chamber, and they first glanced majestically around the room, and saw that all the chairs were full, and then nodded and sat down in satisfaction.

Xiao Man blinked and looked at the three in the distance, and asked softly, "Is this the principal of the three imperial merchants?" ”

"That's right." Xia Wanrou responded softly: "The one on the far left is called Yao Yue, his family's rouge is sent to the palace and used by the ladies of the palace, the one in the middle is called Jiang Qiming, and he is also the biggest undertaker of this competition, his family is dedicated to providing palace clothes, and the one on the right is named Han Dongcheng, who is a well-known cloth merchant in Shangjing, and has close cooperation with the Jiang family, and the relationship between the two families is also the best." ”

Xiao Man nodded as if she didn't understand, and just as she wanted to ask something more, Jiang Qiming in the distance spoke, she was busy holding her mouth and listening intently to the other party's speech.

At the beginning, of course, Jiang Qiming wanted to say some very polite words, the content of which was probably to let everyone love each other and focus on the game.

"This competition is divided into five sessions, the first one will be held the day after tomorrow, and the venue is still here, everyone just needs to bring their own works." Jiang Qiming paused, looked around the room again, and his tone suddenly became serious: "However, if we find out that this work is plagiarized or stolen, or someone reports that someone maliciously destroys other people's works, then we will severely punish it!" ”

Subsequently, Jiang Qiming explained the rules of this competition again, answered the questions of several newcomers who only participated in the competition this year, and saw that it was noon, Jiang Qiming announced that he could disperse.

More than 100 people in the house got up to leave, and Xiao Man and Xia Wanrou took the lead in going out because of their position at the door.

The two of them were sent by the Jiang family's servants, so they were naturally sent back when they left, and Pearl and Hongyu couldn't participate as maidservants, so they waited outside the door, and when they saw their master come out, they were busy trotting forward.

"Madam, what is it said inside, why has it been so long?"

Su Xiaoman rubbed his neck, was helped into the carriage by Pearl, and sighed, "Hey, I've talked a lot, I just hate myself for not being able to get a pen and paper, and I'm really afraid that I will forget the rules of the game in two days." ”

Xia Wanrou couldn't help but smile after hearing this, "I remember everything, you can just ask me." ”

Xiaoman soft mud generally leaned on Xia Wanrou's body, coquettish: "It's better to be Sister Wanrou." ”

When he returned to the Manrou ready-to-wear shop, Su Xiaoman saw the shopkeeper of Baiwei Zhai waiting at the door, holding a large food box in his hand, looking like he was waiting for someone.

Xiao Man was very grateful for what happened last night, so he hurriedly stepped forward and invited him into the house and upstairs, "Shopkeeper Du?" How did you get here? Come in. ”

Xia Wanrou also entered the house, and was very tired and was helped upstairs by Hongyu, and as soon as she sat down, she saw the food box in the hand of the shopkeeper Du.

"Shopkeeper Du, this ......," Su Xiaoman asked out loud.

Shopkeeper Du smiled innocently, "I saw the silver ticket left by Shopkeeper Su yesterday, that meal is far from worth so much money, and I came today to make amends and repay the money." ”

As he spoke, he put the food box he was carrying on the table and opened it, and explained while serving the food in the food box outside: "These are all new dishes that I have just developed these days, and I specially sent them to the two shopkeepers to taste. ”

Xiao Man and Xia Wanrou met and smiled, and then Xia Wanrou said softly: "Shopkeeper Du, thank you for saving me that day, that money will be regarded as our compensation for your dishes, you must not be too polite." ”

Looking back now, Xiao Man also felt that he was too reckless at that time, although those people did speak too rudely, but this is Shangjing, her words and deeds represent Lu Li, if the shopkeeper at that time was facing that group, then he would not be able to get off the stage at all.

Therefore, Xiaoman is grateful to the shopkeeper Du, and he does not regret that he left such a big silver ticket.

Therefore, Xiao Man also persuaded him: "Shopkeeper Du, I was too impulsive in what happened that day, but you still came to make amends to us, we are really ashamed." ”

In the face of the excuses and thanks of the two, Shopkeeper Du was stunned, and he took the chopsticks placed at the bottom of the food box, "Shopkeeper Su tastes it first, and it will be regarded as a food trial for me, okay?" ”