The Eldest Daughter-in-Law [Reborn] - Chapter 125

Zhu Yun was truly audacious, utterly disregarding him.

Was he deliberately provoking him, trying to force him into divorcing Xie Yunchu so that he could swoop in?

Wishful thinking.

The radiant glow of the lantern illuminated Wang Shuhuai’s pale face, but his gaze remained locked onto it. He didn’t know how long he sat there, staring, until the lantern’s wick burned out, and the room was swallowed once more by darkness.

Not just darkness, but absolute silence—an abyss where nothing could be grasped or felt.

Everything in this house was unfamiliar. Though he had lived here for over a month, every time he returned, he felt out of place.

The landscape painting they had once worked on together, which used to hang opposite his desk, was no longer there. The pot of acorus she had tended to daily was gone. The late-night ginseng soup she used to prepare with her sleeves rolled up was no more.

What had once seemed trivial details, now that they were lost, came back to him with painful clarity.

Only now did he realize—he had grown accustomed to her meticulous care. With her absence, the warmth of daily life had been stripped away, leaving behind an emptiness he could not fill.

Moonlight spilled onto the floor, the table edges—like dust settling everywhere, or a thin layer of autumn frost.

His shadow sat hunched in the armchair, silent and motionless, as if sculpted from the night itself.

He took a sip of cold tea. The burning in his stomach subsided slightly, and his mind slowly regained clarity.

After a brief pause, he lit a lamp, unfolded his documents, dipped his brush in ink, and continued writing in one smooth motion.

He needed to push forward the land survey as soon as possible. Only by securing achievements and returning to the capital with merit could he truly deal with Zhu Yun.

The next day was the fifteenth of the eighth lunar month.

For Wang Shuhuai, even a holiday meant for family reunions was just another day of work.

Over the past month, he had gained a firm grasp of the influential clans and the political landscape in Nanjing. Now, it was time to take real action.

The Nanjing Six Ministries were merely nominal positions, far less demanding than their counterparts in the capital. Most officials took leave for the Mid-Autumn Festival, leaving only a few young, low-ranking ones with no connections to remain on duty.

That day, Wang Shuhuai sent a report to the Nanjing Censorate—it was the case regarding Liu Chang from Yuhang, which Leng Shan had investigated earlier. This case had originally been reported to the capital by someone beating the Dengwen Drum, but the Grand Princess had suppressed it. Now that their goals aligned, she swiftly discarded this pawn, handing it over to Wang Shuhuai to use as a stepping stone.

In recent weeks, Leng Shan had continued digging into the case, unearthing even more shocking evidence.

The wealthy Liu Chang had been illegally seizing ancestral farmlands, abducting women, and oppressing the local people to the point of despair.

The usually refined and composed Wang Shuhuai was uncharacteristically ruthless. On this Mid-Autumn Festival, he threw a heavy stone into the Nanjing political scene, stirring up massive waves. A large-scale national policy—measuring land and verifying population records—was now set in motion.

Meanwhile, in the capital, a fine drizzle fell.

Xie Yunchu had just completed a batch of orders and received even more, her shop’s business booked until the year’s end. Yet, at Linglong Embroidery, the embroiderers and managers remained calm and composed, working at a steady pace without any signs of urgency.

The clothing released during the Qixi Festival had quickly gained favor among the noble and wealthy women of the capital. The materials were luxurious, the embroidery exquisite, and the designs uniquely elegant—flattering yet modest, showcasing a woman’s beauty to perfection.

Soon, envious merchants began to imitate the designs. Some impatient customers, unable to purchase from Linglong Embroidery, sought similar garments elsewhere. However, no matter how much they tried, they could not match the comfort and craftsmanship of Linglong’s clothing.

For one, the dye used in the embroidered flowers was a proprietary formula, impossible to replicate. Secondly, Linglong Embroidery had nearly monopolized the supply of the finest gauze fabrics.

Still, counterfeit designs continued to emerge.

Xie Yunchu had a sudden thought—why should others be allowed to freely copy her designs?

She ordered her shopkeeper to submit a lawsuit to the local yamen, accusing rival businesses of plagiarizing her work and profiting from her creativity.

The magistrate’s office had never handled such a case before. They found it novel yet tricky to judge. Nonetheless, Xie Yunchu’s reasoning was sound, so the matter was escalated to the Censorate. Unfortunately, the officials there did not take it seriously.

Unwilling to wait, Xie Yunchu took the initiative to seek an audience with the Grand Princess, laying out her concerns in full.

At the time, Chao Yun was also present. After listening, she was thoroughly impressed.

She helped Xie Yunchu to her feet and turned to the Grand Princess, saying, “Your Highness, I find Yunchu’s argument quite reasonable. Innovation should be protected. If imitation runs rampant, who will bother to create new things in the future? Why not grant her request and establish a special bureau within the city office? Any merchant with original designs can register their work there, preventing other shops from copying them.”

The Grand Princess, with her vast political experience, saw the bigger picture.

“This is no small matter. If implemented, many details would need to be refined.”

Xie Yunchu quickly responded, “Then why not use my case as a precedent? Other industries will surely follow, and over time, we can gather ideas to improve the regulations.”

Princess Chang thought for a moment before nodding. “Very well, I shall instruct the city bureau chief to summon the merchants’ guild to discuss this matter.”

It so happened that on this very Mid-Autumn Festival, merchants from all over had returned to the capital for family reunions. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the city bureau convened a gathering at the yamen, bringing together prominent merchants and affluent traders to put this proposal on the agenda. Unexpectedly, it received overwhelming support. Many had suffered losses—some had their wine recipes stolen and sold by others. If there were an official trade bureau where formulas could be registered for exclusive rights, even if someone managed to steal them, they would not dare to sell them, lest they violate Imperial law and face severe punishment.

That day, ideas flowed freely, and suggestions were offered in abundance. Even the penalties for violations were discussed and devised. When the merchants learned that it was the mastermind behind Linglong Embroidery who first proposed this initiative, they unanimously nominated the owner of Linglong Embroidery as the head of the merchants’ guild.