The surrounding noble ladies flocked over upon hearing it was clothing from Yun Lan Ge. Every piece from Yun Lan Ge was unique, and many couldn't obtain them even with money. Their rarity made them all the more coveted.
"No wonder it's so distinctive and eye-catching. I was wondering whose clothes were so beautiful, and it turns out to be from Yun Lan Ge. Madam Yun, you're truly remarkable to have acquired such hard-to-get attire."
"This dress suits Yun Shu perfectly. She's beautiful, has a great figure, and carries herself with such elegance. Madam Yun, you are truly blessed."
Yong Cui Rong and her daughter exchanged smiles, each with their own thoughts.
Should they admit it wasn't from Yun Lan Ge? If they admitted it, Fang Tian wouldn't have as much prestige as Yun Lan Ge. If they didn't admit it, but it wasn't from Yun Lan Ge, wouldn't they be utterly disgraced if it were exposed?
Moreover, Fang Tian himself was standing behind them.
Just as the mother and daughter were in a quandary, a cheerful voice from behind them was heard, "I'm late, what good thing have I missed?"
Everyone turned to see Madam Jiang, Jiang Gui Xiu, and greeted her warmly.
Yuan Zi Jun immediately spotted the young man beside Jiang Gui Xiu and called out, "Not late at all. Is this Nan Chen? The boy has grown so tall, he looks like a fine young man."
Jiang Gui Xiu sighed with a smile, "What's the use? He's still single. He's getting on in years, and I'm worried."
Yuan Zi Jun glanced intentionally at Yun Shu, "Young people nowadays value chemistry. Just now, Cui Rong was asking me to introduce someone to her daughter. I thought, such a dignified, virtuous, and sensible child, wouldn't she be a perfect match for your Nan Chen?"
Jiang Nan Chen's brow furrowed slightly. He had only come with his mother to greet them. He politely greeted "Aunt Yuan," then said to Jiang Gui Xiu, "Mom, you chat, I'll go over to Uncle Chu's side."
Jiang Gui Xiu frowned slightly, "This child, after studying abroad, his personality has become even more reserved. Look at Yun Shu, so graceful and proper. You didn't even greet her."
Her gaze had already swept over Yun Shu's face several times, and she was increasingly satisfied. Dignified, virtuous, and elegant, especially in a qipao, she was the picture of a refined young lady, the image of the virtuous daughter-in-law she envisioned.
Forced, Jiang Nan Chen could only nod and smile at Yun Shu as a greeting.
Yun Shu had been feeling disdainful. At this event, only Chu Rong was worthy of her.
However, upon seeing him clearly, she was also taken aback. She had previously been solely focused on Chu Rong and hadn't realized Jiang Nan Chen was also a handsome man. Her smile then bloomed, and she became even more ladylike.
Seeing Yun Shu's expression, Jiang Gui Xiu knew she was pleased with her son. She said kindly, "This child Yun Shu is truly likable. She's beautiful and has a great temperament. If they were to be matched, it would be our Nan Chen who is the fortunate one."
Yun Shu was inwardly delighted, but outwardly smiled faintly, "Aunt Jiang, you are too modest. Brother Jiang is so distinguished, he must be liked by many girls."
"He's a blockhead, unresponsive. Haven't you seen him take the initiative with anyone?" Madam Jiang said with a mix of amusement and helplessness.
Seeing this, Yuan Zi Jun immediately chimed in, "Why don't we let the young people mingle on their own? We older folks can sit inside and chat."
Jiang Gui Xiu was overjoyed and immediately signaled her son, but he pretended not to see.
As for Yong Cui Rong and Yun Shu, although the mother and daughter were very pleased with the Jiang family and Jiang Nan Chen, with Chu Rong present, they could play hard to get in private. However, with Yuan Zi Jun standing there, if they agreed, how could they then discuss marriage with the Chu family?
But if they refused outright, with such excellent conditions, even if they didn't arrange a marriage, keeping him as a potential suitor was better than letting him go to someone else. The mother and daughter had similar thoughts, so neither spoke for a moment.
As they were deliberating, Jiang Nan Chen picked up his phone and said to everyone, "Aunt Yuan, Mom, you chat first. I need to handle some work matters." Without waiting for a response, he hurried away.
Yong Cui Rong and Yun Shu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Yong Cui Rong gave her daughter a look: find a moment when no one is around later to chat. Having an extra backup is always good.
Yun Shu naturally understood and her smile became even more obedient.
How could Jiang Gui Xiu not know her son was uninterested? But she was interested. So, she grabbed Yun Shu's hand, "Yun Shu, don't mind him. He's a director. His new drama just finished filming, and there's still a lot of post-production and editing work. He's a bit busy with work."
Yun Shu smiled and shook her head, softly saying, "A man's ambition lies in all directions. I most admire people like him."
Jiang Gui Xiu beamed, holding Yun Shu's hand tightly, "This child, the more I look at her, the more likable she is. Actually, I love daughters the most, but I don't have much luck with daughters, so I can only think about my future daughter-in-law."
After their pleasantries, Jiang Gui Xiu returned to their earlier topic, "By the way, what were you all chatting about so happily just now?"
A noble lady quickly replied, "We were talking about clothes from Yun Lan Ge. Look at Yun Shu's outfit, it's from Yun Lan Ge. They say wearing Yun Lan Ge clothes makes one look much more refined. I didn't believe it before, but seeing it today, I'm convinced. I think Yun Shu is definitely the most outstanding person here today."
The other noble ladies, though they also had daughters, had to admit that the clothes were indeed very unique, making the wearer stand out, almost instantly visible in the crowd.
Another added, "From afar, it looks like a plum blossom standing proudly in the snow, lifelike. If you don't look closely, you can't tell it's embroidery."
Jiang Gui Xiu exclaimed with delight, "This is truly fate! I also love Yun Lan Ge's clothes. In your young people's terms, I'm a die-hard fan. It's just that their clothes are hard to buy, priceless. To be honest, this piece I'm wearing is also from their collection."
The ladies all stepped forward to examine them closely.
"Today has truly opened my eyes. Yun Lan Ge only makes about ten pieces a year, and two have appeared at this banquet today," one lady chuckled.
Another praised, "Yun Lan Ge's clothes are indeed beautiful. Madam Jiang's outfit gives off a classical and elegant aura, while Yun Shu's is refined yet fashionable. They are truly beautiful, and the clothes enhance the wearer's beauty."
Jiang Gui Xiu couldn't help but laugh heartily, "If we're talking about who's the most skilled, it's the owner of Yun Lan Ge. This piece I'm wearing was personally embroidered by her. Look, even up close, it looks real, lifelike."
Yuan Zi Jun and others leaned in to look. Indeed, they couldn't see any traces. Some even reached out to touch it, only to find it was indeed fake.
"This is too magical. They say when embroidery reaches the peak of perfection, it can be indistinguishable from the real thing. I always thought it was an exaggeration, but I never expected such a technique to exist. Who is the owner of Yun Lan Ge? How are they so skilled?"
Those standing at the side who couldn't see Jiang Gui Xiu's outfit turned to look at Yun Shu's, but their expressions were not as shocked. It was obvious it was embroidered at first glance. Were they exaggerating too much?
However, at a birthday banquet with so many people, no one wanted to make a fool of themselves, so they could only pretend to be knowledgeable and offer perfunctory praise.
Yong Cui Rong and Yun Shu felt like they were on a seesaw. With everyone's praise, the mother and daughter's hearts rose and fell. They gained prestige, but the clothes weren't from Yun Lan Ge. Should they say something or not? The mother and daughter were in a dilemma.
"The reason why the embroidery of Yun Lan Ge's owner can be indistinguishable from the real thing is due to her unique ancient embroidery techniques and her meticulous observation of details."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind them. Everyone looked to see Bai Jing, a master embroiderer.
When it came to embroidery, few present were more qualified than Bai Jing, so everyone waited for her to speak.
Bai Jing approached Jiang Gui Xiu, greeted everyone, and then explained, "Everything in the world has its texture and patterns. The reason Yun Lan Ge's owner's embroidery is so lifelike is because she understands how to observe the textures of all things and embroiders by comparing them to the patterns. Wouldn't it look exactly the same as the real thing?"
Everyone marveled.
"Who is the owner of Yun Lan Ge? She has never shown her face. I initially thought it was you, Teacher Bai Jing." Someone speculated.
Bai Jing repeatedly waved her hands, "My skills are inferior to hers. In fact, I know a master elder whose embroidery can reach this level of lifelike realism. Initially, I even thought that elder had come out of retirement. But considering the time, even if that elder is still alive, she would be over a hundred years old, so it's unlikely. Therefore, the most probable person is that elder's disciple."
Jiang Gui Xiu, who was very familiar with this craft, immediately exclaimed, "Are you referring to the world-renowned Heavenly Master embroiderer Wang Hui Ping from decades ago? That legendary figure?"