**
Time: Same Day, Same Time
Location: Yuan Manor
"Miss," looks Xiu Ying, "What are you making this time?" She peeks at my craft.
I smile, "I am making a pair of traditional Chinese embroidered shoes for you. You only have one pair of shoe and it looks worn out so I thought I'd make you a brand new one. You deserve it."
Xiu Ying tears up, "Elder Miss.." She cries aloud, "You are so nice to Xiu Ying." She wipes her eyes, "It's rich in spirit with flowers and grasses, with butterflies fluttering their wings. It is to my liking already."
Laughing, I reply, "Is that so? I am glad to hear. I spent quite a bit of time on this. You better appreciate it!"
Soon, I sew together a pair of beige colored shoes for Xiu Ying. Upon trying it out, she spins around in joy. "Oh, Elder Miss! I love it, I love it! When did your embroidery skills improve this much?"
"Only recently. I practiced quite a bit." I glance at her in approval, "It fits you very well. Now you don't have to walk around with a hole in your shoe!"
Another female servant enters the room, bowing. "Elder Miss, General Li has arrived in front of the Manor. She is awaiting for your appearance."
"Oh!" I organize up my materials, "Time for me to go now, Xiu Ying. I will return in the afternoon, when Xi Ning comes back to visit us."
"Ah! Miss, what will you be purchasing?" Xiu Ying peeks out the door, as she sees me sprinting away.
"P-Presents!" I exclaim as I wander across the leafless shrubbery.
**
"This is so adorable!" I glance at the tiny shoes laid out across the table stand, surveying them inquisitively. Each color and pattern tells a story and carries different auras.
General Li remarks, "Surely, your younger sister will love one of these." We halt in the booth to buy several pairs of the baby shoes, proceeding to purchase clothing next. After what seems like ten booths, we are weighed down by fatigue and wretchedness. We decide to take a rest.
An old lady pushes her mini stand beside us, "Would you ladies care for a handmade mud figure?"
"Ah!" My face glows up, as I favor items like this. I glance at General Li; she doesn't seem like the type of person to play with mud figures. "Uhm... Sorry-"
General Li nods, "Sure thing. Ma'am, you seem to still have quite a bit of mud left. We have some ideas. Granny, do you make animals?"
The Granny emits a deep and audible breath, expressing sadness. "Sorry, Ladies. This old granny only makes human figures."
"Is that so?" Suddenly, an idea comes into my head, "Granny, can you make a figure of my sister? If so, please display her baby bump, as she is pregnant. I will describe to you how she looks like!"
The granny sets her stand beside us, "I am glad that you ladies are giving me business. I will begin now." Slowly, she molds the base of the figure and I begin to describe Xi Ning's facial and body features.
When the figure is completed, the Granny hands me the item. It looks exactly like Xi Ning. "Granny, your skills have no comparison. This figure looks exactly like my sister!"
She chuckles, "Thank you for the compliment, little lady. I always try my best to meet up to my clients' needs." The Granny turns to General Li, "And now you, Miss? Would you like a mud figure?"
"Ah..." General Li opens her mouth, startled. She seems to not have thought about who she would like the Granny to craft. "Granny, how about I just describe this person's features?"
The Granny nods, "Of course. That is my expertise."
When General Li received her mud figure, she appears to be quite content. The figure never left her eyes; she was amazed at how realistic it looks.
Somehow, it looks like someone I know. It somewhat.. Looks like Wu Lan Jun?
No way. It can't be. Earlier, the way she was describing the figure was...
I thought back to her exact words:
"He is nice to look at."
"..A little rough looking, but women seldom realized it when caught by his charm." She pauses to think for a second, "He has an arresting face, a pointed of chin, and a broad jawline. His eyes.. are round and dark, starred with bristly black lashes and fairly tilted at the end."
..The person definitely does not have an ordinary relationship with her.
Now that I think about it, should I have asked the Granny to make one of Sir Xu? That would have been funny!
A little Sir Xu by my bed side.
..That sounds wrong in so many aspects.
"Shall we head back now, General?" I interrupt her while she is marveling over the figure.
"Ah, yes." She clears her throat and place the figure in a secure box, "Thank you for bringing me along today, Miss Yuan."
I smile, "I hope you had a great time today, because I did. I cannot wait to show Xi Ning these gifts." Suddenly, a raindrop falls atop of my cheek. "Ah, it's beginning to sprinkle!" The sound of rain becomes louder.
General Li eagerly examines the sky, "Grey clouds.. It is about time we head back."
When we exit the horse carriage and arrive back to the Yuan Manor, we hear strange noises. The rain, however, blocks out quite a bit of the cacophony of sounds. Advancing towards the Manor's door, the screams and shrieks of pain become apparent.
General Li and I exchange glances.
Everything goes silent again. I notice the door appears to be unlocked.
With a nervous feeling in my stomach, I decide to push the door open.
YOU ARE READING
The Tale of A Villainess ✔️
Historical Fiction[Completed] Yan Zi, a botanist and author, accidentally transmigrated into her own historical novel as the notorious villainess. She meets Xu Kai, the handsome Co-Commander of the Imperial Military Guards, who is attracted to her during their danger...
