Re-embroidering life

In March, the weather was clear and the breeze was gentle. Ji Wei turned two years old. This was not only an important moment in Ji Wei's growth, but also meant that Shui Qinghua had been reborn for two years.

To celebrate Ji Wei's birthday, the Ji couple carefully prepared a small family dinner. As there were not many relatives and friends in Beijing, they only invited their mentor Dong Daru and his wife, as well as several of Ji Zimo's senior brothers and literary friends to come to the gathering.

The house was originally found by Tanghua County Lady. Before the Ji family came to Beijing, Dong and his wife personally visited the house, so they were naturally familiar with it. As they walked along the way, they found that under Shui Qinghua's skillful arrangement, the courtyard was less sparse and tough like the capital, and more gentle and bright like the south of the Yangtze River.

On both sides of the courtyard gate, several newly planted weeping crabapples are exuding fragrance. In a corner of the courtyard, a blue-and-white porcelain basin filled with water is placed, and a few goldfish are playing among the green lotus leaves, creating ripples. In the middle of the courtyard, a small bamboo shed is built, and the roof is covered with wisteria. It is the flowering season, and the lavender flowers hang down like a waterfall, emitting bursts of sweet fragrance. Under the shed is a large round table, on which are placed various kinds of exquisite fruit snacks. The midday sun shines through the flower rack and falls on people, warm.

The most eye-catching thing in the courtyard was not the flowers, birds, insects and fish, but a landscape screen. Dong Daru recognized it as soon as he saw it: "This is a landscape painting by Mi, Zimo, is this a recent copy you made?"

Ji Zimo smiled but said nothing.

Dong Daru walked around the screen a few times and found something wrong. There was a river shining in the sunlight. He leaned in to take a closer look and found that it was embroidered with very light silk thread mixed with silver thread. The silver thread flashed with a dark light, like a white silk thread. Dong Daru laughed and twirled his beard: "I always say that the river water is like a silk thread. I didn't expect that the best presentation was actually an embroidery!"

He looked at Shui Qinghua with admiration. This was the first time he had taken a serious look at his apprentice's wife. In the past, he only knew that she was the daughter of a scholar, gentle in nature, and quite compatible with Yajing, but he had no other impression of her. Today, he realized that she was a woman of great talent and wisdom, and she was a perfect match for his apprentice.

Dong Daru looked at the inscription and exclaimed: "Mr. Furong, you embroider very well! In your hands, embroidery is no longer just a thing for pleasure in the boudoir, but a masterpiece that can be displayed in a formal hall! Come, come, let me add a few strokes for you!"

Dong Daru ordered Ji Zimo to bring his brush and ink, and he painted on the embroidery. With a few strokes, the misty rain and the vast river waves in Mi's paintings were more vividly reflected. He also wrote an inscription on the screen and stamped it with the seal of "Dong Siqi".

"Your workmanship is exquisite and ingenious, and your peers cannot even hope to match it. Human ingenuity is the best of nature, it's incredible!" Dong Daru was still not satisfied, "There are poets who write poetry, painters who paint, and there should be needlework saints for embroidery. In my opinion, you are that needlework saint!"

Shui Qinghua was very happy to receive the praise from the great scholar of the time, and she readily promised that the next embroidered screen would be sent to the residence of the great scholar Dong for his appreciation. The great scholar Dong was very happy as if he had met a soulmate.

While they were chatting and laughing, Lady Tanghua came over with Ji Wei in her arms and said to Dong Daru, "You only see that Zimo and his wife are talented people, but you don't know that their daughters are even more beautiful and smart."

The Dong couple only have one daughter, Yajing, and there is no third generation yet. At first glance, the little girls are lined up like flowers, which is extremely rare. Look at the eldest daughter of the Ji family. Her eyes are like ink and her eyebrows are heroic. She must be a child with high aspirations. Look at the second daughter. Her little face is impeccably beautiful, innocent and naive. She is a soft and sticky little dumpling. Look at the youngest daughter. She is the youngest, but her eyes are very calm. Occasionally, when she raises her eyes, it is like a flash of starlight, hiding indescribable wisdom.

Dong Daru looked at the little birthday boy again and again, secretly surprised. With his life experience, he intuitively felt that this little kid was unusual. Although he was only two years old, he exuded a calmness that was no less than that of an adult, and even a little vicissitudes of life.

His heart skipped a beat. This family is extraordinary! Why does it feel like if his disciples don't work harder, they will be surpassed by his wife and daughter? No wonder he is a wife slave and a daughter slave.

Shui Qinghua found an opportunity to ask Lady Tanghua: "How is the princess doing these days?"

The face of Tanghua County Lady was mixed with joy and worry: "She's fine. She has been in the mansion for less than two months. I heard that she has been diagnosed with slippery pulse. But we have to wait until the fetus is stable before announcing it."

Shui Qinghua was also happy for Dong Yajing after hearing this. Everyone knew the importance of offspring to a royal daughter-in-law.

"However, not long after her wedding, Minister Liu's daughter also entered the mansion as a concubine. I heard that she was very arrogant and did a lot of things to trip up Yajing." Princess Tanghua and Dong Daru loved each other all their lives, and there was no third person between them. When she thought about her daughter being pregnant and having to worry about the concubine, she sighed and felt helpless.

Shui Qinghua also felt sorry for Dong Yajing, but this was Yajing's own choice, so she could only comfort the county lady: "The queen is very thoughtful, she will be able to handle these things and protect herself and the child."

"I hope so." The county lady sighed.

After the birthday banquet, the news that Dong Daru had praised Shui Qinghua as the "Needle Saint" that day was also spread by his senior brothers and literary friends. Those who heard it did not know Shui Qinghua and had never seen her embroidery works, so they did not take it seriously. The news gradually disappeared like water passing by without a trace.

It is April and the palace examination is approaching.

Dong Daru said to Ji Zimo, "You have already won the provincial and imperial examinations. If you can win the palace examination, you will win three prizes in a row. I have many disciples, but none of them has won three prizes in a row. If you can do it, you will be considered a late bloomer!"

Ji Zimo nodded. He had always aimed to win the top three prizes. He ignored the unpleasant words "late bloomer". Historically, there were only a few people who won the top three prizes in a dynasty. Did he really have the ability and luck to become one of them?

On April 21st, at dawn, the sky and earth were still shrouded in darkness. The imperial palace was like a giant beast in the dark, lurking not far away, announcing the majesty and solemnity of the royal family to the examinees. Outside the palace, rows of guards looked solemn, with their spears shining with a cold light.

Ji Zimo, wearing a brand new tribute scholar uniform, straightened his back and walked towards the palace with steady steps. His face was serious, his eyes were firm, and his slightly trembling hands still revealed his inner nervousness. After going through the etiquette of calling the roll, distributing the papers, praising and bowing, and saluting, the examiner issued the essay questions.

The test question was not long, only about 200 to 300 words. Ji Zimo read it several times and let out a sigh of relief. The question was about flood control!

Ji Zimo closed his eyes, as if he was back in Qianzhou, feeling the torrential rain and floods washing over his body. As for the flood, among the candidates present, who had escaped death like him and felt the pain? Who had worked hard in the disaster area for three months and understood the pain and tears of the people? Who had consulted the county magistrates and buried himself in the mountains of books and literature, just to find a way to deal with the disaster? Only him, Ji Zimo.

With a determined mind, Ji Zimo opened his eyes, sorted out his thoughts, and wrote quickly. This plan was not only for his own future, but also for the people of Qianzhou!