There were people coming and going in the store, and Lao Zhou and the others didn't care about greeting the two, so they only hurriedly said hello, and then they were busy greeting the guests.

Fortunately, the two of them didn't matter, so they went up to the attic by themselves.

The attic is cleaned every day, so even if no one comes for so long, the inside of the house is still as clean as new. The two of them sat by the window where they used to sit, leaning against the soft collapse, watching the people and cars coming and going downstairs, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

This street is still very prosperous, and on this street, the most lively is this Manrou ready-to-wear shop.

Whether it is an official woman or an ordinary person, everyone can find what they need when they go in and out of the Manrou Garment Workshop. Perhaps because the business of this Manrou Garment Shop is too prosperous, the surrounding vendors have gathered here, and this section of the road has become the most lively scenery on the whole street.

Listening to the shouting and laughter downstairs, Xiao Man held his chin with both hands, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised.

"When I first opened this store, I really didn't expect it to be able to do this." Xia Wanrou said with heartfelt emotion.

Xiaoman nodded in agreement, "Yes, we have experienced so much at the beginning, I thought we would not be able to operate, but I didn't expect that now there are so many branches." ”

Not only that, but the business of each semicolon is still so prosperous, although this is also the result of everyone's joint efforts, but Xiaoman is still a little surprised, but seeing the store developing in a better direction, she sincerely thanks Lao Zhou and Aunt Yang and others.

If it weren't for them, according to the nature of himself and Lu Li, who was playing around, where would he have time to run the store well.

"Da Da Da-"

The sound of horses' hooves on the street brought Xiaoman back to reality, she frowned, leaned over and looked out the window, only to see a team riding horses from the direction of the city gate in the distance, they were all dressed in clothes made of animal skins, tall horses and well-defined silhouettes, and at a glance she knew that they were not from Donglan Country.

These men rode fast, even the women, and they rode through the streets as they rode their horses, looking like they were in a hurry. Although there are also foreigners who do business and live in Shangjing, these people are in a hurry, and they are dressed differently from the foreigners they have seen in Shangjing, and they do not carry goods, so they do not look like they have come here to do business.

"Sister Wanrou," Xiao Man was puzzled in his heart, and couldn't help asking, "Where are these people from, why are their clothes like this?" ”

Xia Wanrou also leaned over and looked at it twice, frowning: "Looking at their outfits, they look like people from the north, but their costumes are really strange, I haven't seen them, I don't know where they are." ”

The pearl on the side couldn't help but say when she heard this: "Madam, look at the direction they are going in like a palace, could it be that they are the envoy of a small country?" ”

In recent years, Donglan has become stronger, and the small border countries will occasionally send missions to Beijing to pay tribute to some rare treasures, or negotiate peace matters, in order to reconcile the two countries.

"They came with so many people, but they were all riding horses and didn't bring anything, if the mission entered Beijing, I'm afraid it wouldn't be like this, right?" Xia Wanrou questioned.

After thinking about it carefully, Pearl felt that there was some truth, and couldn't help but say: "What Mrs. Wei said is reasonable, but if the two ladies want to know, it would be good to go home and ask?" If it was really the mission to Beijing, Lord Wei would definitely know the inside story; If not, according to Lord Wei's connections, he will definitely be able to inquire about it. ”

Xia Wanrou smiled slightly, "That's the same, wait until I go back and ask him." ”

As he was talking, there was a knock on the attic door, and when he opened it, he saw that Lao Zhou had come up with the account book.

"Two shopkeepers, but it just so happened that you came today, so I brought this month's long spot by the way." Lao Zhou said, while opening the account book, said: "Maybe because the weather is getting cooler this month, there are more people making clothes, and this month's business is much better than last month." ”

Hearing this, Xiao Man got up and approached, glanced at it roughly, and nodded; "Indeed, the business is even better than this time last year, Lao Zhou, thank you for your hard work."

In addition to the fixed silver given to Xiao Man and Xia Wanrou each month, the rest of the money is divided equally between a few guys, so that they will naturally work hard to entertain guests so that they can make more money.

In the past few years, Lao Zhou not only bought a small house near the store, but also took out the extra money to let his son and daughter-in-law open a shop, and life is getting better and better, and he is also grateful to Xiaoman from the bottom of his heart.

"Shopkeeper Su, how long are you going to live in Beijing this time?" Lao Zhou rubbed his hands and said with a smile: "I heard that there is going to be an embroidery competition for a while, Lord Jiang came to visit before, because you were not in Beijing at that time, so he asked me to tell you that if you are also in Beijing at that time, you must go." ”

Embroidery competition?

There is a comprehensive competition in the summer of Beijing, which includes embroidery, because the summer competition has the emperor's participation, it is very authoritative, why is it held in the winter now?

Xiaoman frowned, a little puzzled: "Is this the first time this year?" Is it still hosted by Jiang-sama? ”

"Yes, Master Jiang is now in charge of several businesses, and he is very strict with the people under him, and he also laid off a batch some time ago, and now he is hosting this competition, which is probably convenient for him to choose people." Lao Zhou said.

In this way, it does make some sense.

Xiao Man looked sideways at Xia Wanrou and raised his eyebrows, "Sister Wanrou, do you want to go?" ”

"Hearing Lao Zhou say this, I really want to take a look." Xia Wanrou got up with a smile, chuckled twice after walking to Xiao Man's side, looked into the other party's eyes and asked, "However, do you want to go to the competition, or go to see the excitement?" ”

According to Xiaoman's competitive temperament, I'm afraid I won't be willing to watch it from the sidelines.

Sure enough, Xiao Man sat down and poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and said with great interest: "Of course I'm going to participate in the competition, what's the point of just watching from the sidelines." ”

"This is a competition organized by Master Jiang, it must be very interesting, just go to play, I don't care if I win the first place or not."

She didn't want to win the first place to become Jiang Qiming's buddy, and it would be much easier when she wanted to come to the competition. I haven't touched the needle and thread for so many years, and I don't know if I can do it now, what is the difference between this competition and the previous ones, who will I meet in the competition, for these unknown and challenging things, Xiaoman is very excited.

Moreover, since Jiang Qiming means that he wants to recruit talents in this competition, there will definitely be a lot of people who will participate, and it must be easy to recruit a few guys for his store at that time.

Of course she has to participate in such a good thing.

Xia Wanrou raised the corners of her lips with a look of "I know", sat down opposite Xiaoman, smiled solemnly and said: "But you have to think clearly, this is not a child's house, in case you are robbed by someone else, you won't feel uncomfortable?" ”

Don't look at what Xiaoman says now that the ranking doesn't matter, but if someone else really sits at the top of the list at that time, she doesn't know how uncomfortable she will be.

Hearing what Xia Wanrou said, Xiao Man, whose heart was pierced, couldn't help but stick out his tongue, if you say that the person who knows her best, except for Lu Li, it is Xia Wanrou.

The two have not known each other for a long time, but the other party can guess their thoughts every time, and they can say it in a way that does not hurt the relationship between the two parties, which is really admirable.

"You still know me best." Xiao Man leaned over to the other party, smiled hehe, and told his thoughts: "Just think of it as a fun, if you really lose at that time, I'll let the top of the list come to my store, isn't that good?" ”

Xia Wanrou pinched Xiaoman's cheek dotingly, pretending to be indifferent: "If you really lose, don't regret it." ”

Xiao Man rubbed the other party and said coquettishly: "I know Sister Wanrou, don't worry." ”

The competition is about to start in five days, Xiaoman was not idle for a moment, she went to Jiangfu and told Jiang Qiming that she was going to participate in the competition, the other party was very surprised, but she still added her to the competition list, and according to Xiaoman's wishes, she got a fake identity.

The reason why he wants to participate in the competition with a fake identity is not only to not attract too much attention, but also to prevent outsiders from questioning the authority of the competition.

At night, in the bedroom in the backyard of the Lu Mansion.

"Are you really going to the game?" Lu Li looked at Xiao Man, who was seriously studying embroidery, and raised his eyebrows and asked.

Xiao Man buried his head in the book, and didn't bother to raise his head, and responded: "Yes, Master Jiang has added my name to the list of participants." ”

She hadn't done a needlework for a long time, and the fashion style in Beijing had been changing in recent years, so she had to hurry up and learn it, otherwise she would probably be brushed off at the beginning of the competition.

"When does the game start? How many days are you going to go to the garden outside the city or at home? Is there no one in your store to join you? Lu Li did not leave with a slightly perfunctory attitude from the other party, but was still asking about the game.

However, Xiao Man was not annoyed by this, but suddenly remembered some things because of Lu Li's words.

She and Qin Chun met in a competition a few years ago, when Qin Chun had to withdraw from the game because of the villain's calculations, at that time she was not confident that she could go to the end, and she was not familiar with Jiang Qiming, so she could only helplessly watch Qin Chun leave.

But now it's different, after Qin Chun's accumulation in the past few years, the embroidery must be more exquisite than before, if she can participate in the competition, she can not only fulfill her wishes, but also have someone to accompany her.

Thinking of this, Xiao Man immediately got up, didn't bother to read the book, and hurriedly took his robe, looking like he was going out.

Seeing this, Lu Li couldn't help but get up, "What are you going to do, do you want to go out so late?" ”

"I'll go out and I'll be back soon!" Xiao Man casually put on his robe and went out.