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Chapter 229, Bone Textile Store (4000 words chapter.)_l Translator: 549690339 | From the staircase on the second floor, a voluptuous woman in her 30s emerged, gracefully maintaining her appearance despite her age. Her burgundy-colored long hair fell in loose waves on both sides of her carefully dressed in a red gown, wrapped around tightly, accentuating her feminine curves. She walked down the stairs, her face adorned with a slight smile. “The City Lord of Lyss City must be unwell,” Fang Hao thought, ruminating on the appearance of the slowly descending City Lord’s wife, concluding with a sense of certainty. But that didn’t seem right. With potions available to improve physical health and Lyss City being large, acquiring some should not be a problem to maintain her health. In that case, the City Lord seems to be enjoying a life of luxury. “Has everyone arrived?” asked the City Lord’s wife. She scanned the crowd, her gaze ultimately settling on Fang Hao in the corner. All of them had their heads bowed, except for him who was staring straight at her. Feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught, Fang Hao smiled awkwardly and pretended to be interested in the hall’s decor. “Ma’am, everyone has arrived,” a servant gently replied. “Mmhm.” The City Lord’s wife advanced to the front of the hall, gracefully ascending the platform. She addressed the crowd, “Before the winter arrives, I will be representing Lyss at the Federal Conference. You are all renowned cloth merchants in the city. I hope you will present satisfactory designs. Similarly, the selected merchant will be exempt from city taxes for a year.” As soon as the City Lord’s wife finished speaking, all the cloth merchants in attendance exhibited eager expressions. Whether it was presenting designs that pleased the City Lord’s wife or obtaining a year’s worth of tax exemption, both were important for businesspeople in the city. If the City Lord’s wife wore their dress at the conference, it would be an intangible endorsement. Business would be without a hitch for several years. More interestingly, their boutique could become famous in other cities, expanding the business further. “Alright, let’s begin. I’m sure none of us want to linger till midnight.” The City’s Lord wife stated. “To start, the first merchant: ‘Weston Bruce’.” announced the servant. A chubby man stepped forward with a smile, presenting his design draft along with a prepared clothing model. “Lady Rebecca, this is our latest design: ‘Rose Knight’. The material we used ” He rattled on enthusiastically about everything from raw materials to his design philosophy. He spun a tale that gave meaning to the dress, primarily in shades of red. Then came the second shop. A somewhat effeminate man approached, swaying his hips as he walked. If it hadn’t been for his mustache, Fang Hao would have assumed he was cross-dressing. After the effeminate man had finished showcasing his design, the City’s Lord’s wife nodded her acknowledgement, seemingly somewhat impressed. Then came the third and fourth, each presenting their designs one after the other. “Choosing a dress requires such a fanfare?” Fang Hao asked quietly, his hand on his stomach. They were staging a commercial bid all for selecting a dress. This group really does not have much to do, he concluded. “All the cloth merchants prepare for this every year. If selected, their business could double in the next few years,” Tavek whispered in explanation. Choosing the dress has become a tradition among cloth merchants. Even if they were not selected this time, they would immediately start preparing for the coming year, hoping to seize back what they lost. This became a focal point of comparison among cloth merchants. Their sales no longer mattered; gaining Lady Rebecca’s approval became the industry’s goal. Once Lady Rebecca made her choice for the year, ladies officers from every noble circle would flock to the selected shop. Business would boom. “Have you ever been chosen?” Fang Hao asked curiously. “Uh, I’m still trying, still trying…,” Tavek said, wiping his sweat. “What about this year? We risked our lives to get here and you hold the village’s hopes.” Tavek’s face grew even sweatier, “I’ll do my best, I’ll do my best.” Seeing the state Tavek was in, Fang Hao understood it was a fraught outlook. After observing the first few designs, Tavek seemed to have lost confidence. It seemed like this year, too, was about only participation. Soon, it was Tavek’s turn. He presented his design with his companion by his side, showcasing his proposed dress for the City Lord’s wife. The combination of brown and blue colors, a fitted waist, and puffy skirt seemed pretty appealing. However, all the designs were rather similar, with only minor modifications made in colors, embroidery, and frills. There wasn’t any breakthrough approach. Even after Tavek had respectfully presented his offering and returned, the City Lord’s wife remained expressionless and continued observing the next merchant’s introduction. “How did it go?” Fang Hao asked. “We shall strive harder next year,” Tavek sighed heavily. Fang Hao thought for a moment, then asked, “Can you make a design sketch?” What he referred to was the draft in the merchant’s hand, outlining a figure’s shape and clothing outline on paper. “Yes, I can.” “Then make one for me. I want to participate with my store,” Fang Hao said. “You have a store?” “Just established. It’s called Bone Textile Store. Quick, make one according to my description” The two huddled together, and Tavek opened his toolkit, starting to create a design as per Fang Hao’s instructions. Time ticked by. Rebecca, the City Lord’s wife, sitting on the stone platform, felt disheartened as she surveyed the merchants below. These were the most renowned cloth merchants in the city and its surrounding areas, yet none had presented a design that satisfied her.