Chapter 97: The Worry of the Northern Frontier

Xiao He reported to Jun Jun Zijin on the shop's profits and the popularity of these styles. Jun Jun Zijin looked at the busy yet orderly shop, her heart filled with gratification.

Jun Jun Zijin nodded, her gaze sweeping around the shop. She walked to a winter coat, reaching out to touch the soft fabric:

"When were these winter coats put on sale?" Jun Jun Zijin asked.

"They were put on sale just yesterday, Young Lady," Xiao He replied with a smile. "Young Lady, you have been busy these days and haven't sent design sketches. Seeing the weather turn cold, I took the liberty of stocking a batch of winter coats. However, although these winter coats are timely and business is good, they still fall short of several parts compared to the autumn clothes designed by you, Young Lady."

Jun Jun Zijin nodded in approval; Xiao He was indeed material for doing business, growing extremely fast.

"Xiao He, tomorrow I will send someone to deliver the winter coat design sketches. Urge the tailors to work quickly, pay them extra wages, and put them on sale gradually over these few days," Jun Jun Zijin instructed.

She calculated silently in her heart. These clothes were designed by her several months ago, with every piece incorporating 21st-century fashion elements. She had originally worried whether these styles would be too avant-garde, but now it seemed her worry was entirely superfluous.

"Young Lady, look, this red autumn coat is the most popular," Xiao He said, pointing to a red long skirt.

"Those Young Ladies all say that wearing this dress makes the whole person appear noble and elegant."

Jun Jun Zijin smiled, secretly pleased in her heart. This red long skirt was one of her most proud works; the design inspiration came from the red plum blossoms that bloomed early in Aoyue Courtyard that day, elegant and solitary. Jun Jun Zijin gently stroked the hem of the long skirt, recalling the stunning feeling she and Quan Quan Aoyu had when seeing the red plum blossoms together. Thinking of that person, the corners of Jun Jun Zijin's mouth could not help but turn up.

"Xiao He, change this skirt to thicker material, add a circle of white fur around the collar and cuffs, make it into winter wear. Like red plum blossoms blooming in the white snow, it will surely be outstanding."

Xiao He's eyes lit up, and she nodded hurriedly:

"Young Lady is truly exceptionally wise. With such a change, it will surely outshine everyone at the winter banquets."

Jun Jun Zijin nodded, and just as she was about to speak, she saw a fast horse galloping from the distance, the rider on it looking heroic. It was Quan Quan Aoyu. Jun Jun Zijin's heart jumped suddenly. Quan Quan Aoyu flipped off the horse and walked quickly to Jun Jun Zijin, his eyes full of concern:

"I heard someone in your household caused trouble. I was worried something happened to you, so I rushed to check," Quan Quan Aoyu said, his voice low and warm, as if able to dispel the chill of winter.

Jun Jun Zijin felt warmth in her heart, the corners of her mouth rising slightly, and she chided: "Why so reckless?" Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of helplessness, yet unable to conceal the joy within.

The two looked at each other and smiled, as if everything around them no longer existed. Fallen leaves drifted between them, as if adding a touch of romance to this moment.

A trace of sorrow flashed in Quan Quan Aoyu's eyes, but it did not escape Jun Jun Zijin's gaze. Her eyes darkened slightly, and she asked softly: "Did you encounter some trouble?"

Quan Quan Aoyu frowned slightly: "This year's cold winter came early. The winter coats for the soldiers in the Northern Frontier are likely to face supply difficulties."

Jun Jun Zijin frowned slightly, her heart already understanding Quan Quan Aoyu's worry. He was worrying about the soldiers far away. In this era, cotton was scarce, and due to the lack of later cotton-ginning technology, the cotton seeds in the cotton were not cleaned thoroughly; a cotton coat weighed over ten jin and was still not warm. Moreover, the efficiency of making cotton coats was extremely low; rushing to make cotton coats indeed could not keep up. The cold wind of the Northern Frontier was like a knife. If the soldiers did not have enough cold-weather clothing, they would likely be unable to withstand this sudden severe cold, and the consequences would be unimaginable. Jun Jun Zijin particularly missed the warm and lightweight down jackets of the future.

She sighed lightly, her gaze fixed firmly on Quan Quan Aoyu:

"Leave this matter to me. I will rush to produce a batch of down jackets and send them to the Northern Frontier."

Jun Jun Zijin then began to introduce what a down jacket was:

"Down is the fluff from duck and goose feathers without the quills. As long as there are enough ducks and geese, filling is not difficult, because down can trap more air, will not clump with long-term use, and remains fluffy. Its warmth retention is far superior to cotton coats, and it is also lighter; a two-jin down jacket has warmth retention enough to equal ten cotton coats."

Quan Quan Aoyu nodded slightly, a trace of understanding flashing in his eyes. He pondered for a moment and understood the intricacies. He looked at Jun Jun Zijin with admiration, a smile curling his lips:

"Sometimes I really want to knock open your little head to see what exactly is inside." As he spoke, he reached out and touched her head, the action gentle and doting. "Hmm, it seems you've grown a bit taller."

Jun Jun Zijin slapped his hand away, glaring at him reproachfully: "Stop fooling around; we still have serious business to attend to."

The two put aside their joking and continued to plan the upcoming down jackets.

Quan Quan Aoyu's eyes showed worry: "There are still 20,000 soldiers without cotton coats. Time is tight; how can you complete this alone?"

A flash of the refugee camp in Jingcheng crossed Jun Jun Zijin's mind. She smiled slightly, a hint of cunning in her eyes: "Not me alone. We will hire workers, including beggars and refugees. Divide the work: one side rushes to make the outer garments, while the other side purchases clean and dry feathers throughout the city and surrounding areas for filling. Additionally, send the processing methods to cities along the route and arrange for those cities to do it as well; we will collect them along the way. At the same time, we must arrange people to purchase the duck and goose meat that cannot be processed, so that poultry farmers have no worries. The recovered meat will be properly handled."

Jun Jun Zijin's arrangement was extremely clever and thorough; her wisdom made Quan Quan Aoyu unable to help but marvel and submit.

They got to work immediately. Jun Jun Zijin immediately gathered the embroiderers, craftsmen, and refugees in the city. As for the shop's business, it was merely a matter of earning silver, so she arranged for Xiao He to implement it; that red dress could be modified and put on sale first, while the design sketches would be postponed.

Upon hearing that Lady Lady Qingping, the Juniper of the Juniper, was making cold-weather clothing for the soldiers of the Northern Frontier for the sake of the country and the people, everyone responded enthusiastically, full of energy.

Jun Jun Zijin divided the crowd into several groups, arranging various tasks in an orderly manner. The embroiderers were responsible for cutting and sewing the outer fabric; their skills were proficient, and needles and threads danced up and down in their hands. The craftsmen forged special tools for processing feathers, while the refugees were responsible for collecting and preliminarily sorting the feathers. Although the work was hard, everyone's face was filled with hope and gratitude.

Especially the refugees: Lady Lady Qingping not only sent them steaming hot mantou and buns as food but also paid them wages. They no longer had to go hungry, nor did they have to worry about surviving this winter. Looking at their own children gnawing on steaming hot big buns with happy faces, they felt incomparably satisfied. They firmly believed that only by completing the task better and faster could they repay Lady Lady Qingping's kindness to them.

At the Jun Manor, Qing Yu was wearing the clothes Jun Jun Zijin had specially bestowed upon her today. She stood before the bronze mirror, carefully examining her makeup. She gently pressed her lips together with rouge, then smoothed the stray hairs at her temples, a seductive smile curling her lips.

Jun Jun Zhihao looked respectable on the surface but was actually a lecher. Having returned to the manor for only a few short months, he had already taken in three handmaidens as companions, and none were of great age. Although Jun Zhengyuan had no concubines, his heart was probably already unable to hold back. Although Li Shi was a she-tiger, Jun Zhengming usually did not provoke her, but once a man got serious, what could Li Shi do? Although Li Shi had a loudmouthed daughter on her side, how could an unmarried daughter manage affairs in her father's room? Once married, she would have even less control.

Qing Yu pondered for a long time and decided to set her sights on Jun Zhengyuan. As long as she successfully entered the second branch, even if Li Shi was a she-tiger, she could pull out Li Shi's teeth one by one.