Re-embroidering life

After a deep discussion with Ji Zimo, Shui Qinghua officially started designing her new embroidery. Design cannot be done behind closed doors, so she often took Yuhua out to collect inspiration, sometimes on the street to see people's clothes and jewelry, sometimes between shops, not only silk weaving and embroidery, ready-made clothes, jewelry, furniture, stone carving, pottery, even opera troupes, grocery stores, looking for fresh shapes and patterns. Sometimes she would take a carriage to the suburbs to see mountains and rivers, grass and birds flying, and sometimes she would go to explore the ancient and visit historical sites to understand the history of Chu and its customs.

After walking more, I feel better and more energetic.

This busy schedule lasted for more than a month. She left home early and came back late almost every day. When she returned home, she was often busy organizing her notes and thinking hard. She and her eldest sister-in-law had two quarrels in front of the old lady, which led to the old lady and the first wife keeping a distance from the third wife. Tan Shi had not yet gotten over the previous incident of deducting the share, so she temporarily kept her tail between her legs, or perhaps she was planning something big. The old lady was afraid that the two wives would cause trouble again and she would have to make a decision, which would make her feel torn, so she simply turned a blind eye. The house was unprecedentedly quiet, giving her a lot of freedom.

The old lady's place is not a problem for the time being, but there is a fire in the backyard. Fei'er and Rui'er are quite dissatisfied with not seeing their mother every day. They not only complain to her face, but also go to their father to complain. Shui Qinghua sighs in her heart that it is really difficult for a woman to do something! Ji Zimo also goes to school every day, but no one has ever said that he does not care about his family. Just because he accompanies his wife and children to have dinner every day, he has won praise.

She had already signed a contract with Siyifang, so she had to stick to it no matter how difficult it was. The most urgent thing was to find a way to appease Fei'er and Rui'er. Thinking of Ji Zimo looking for a female teacher, she couldn't help but hope that the female teacher would come soon so as to share the children's attention.

At this time, Qin Xin came over with a note in her hand. Shui Qinghua opened it and saw the words "Dong Yajing" written on it. Shui Qinghua concluded that she had never seen this name before, but still asked Qin Xin to bring the person into the flower hall.

Walking into the flower hall, a girl stood with her back to her. She was thin and straight, like a green bamboo, exuding a sense of aloofness.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Dong?" Shui Qinghua asked softly.

The girl turned around. She was still young, with a flawless face. Her skin was as white as cream, her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her facial features were extremely delicate. One point more or one point less would not do. Everything was just right. Her posture was also beautiful, and her every move was pleasing to the eye.

Shui Qinghua realized that this was a girl who had received a strict lady education. Ordinary women did not have such style and grace, and even such perfect skin. Nowadays, gorgeous beauties are not sought after. Thin and beautiful talented women are the beauties in the eyes of the public, and this girl meets all the standards of beauty.

The beauty's two black crystal eyes also looked at Shui Qinghua curiously. She was a few years older than herself, and had the charm of a young woman. Maybe she was not in good health, her face was pale, and her eyebrows were full of gentleness. Her face was very beautiful, and her figure was graceful. If she was healthy and her face was rosy, she would be like a hibiscus flower.

"I'm Dong Yajing."

Shui Qinghua asked the beauty to sit down and asked in confusion: "Excuse me, I have never seen Miss Dong before. I wonder why Miss Dong is here?"

Dong Yajing smiled, revealing two dimples: "I am your husband's junior sister, Master Dong's daughter."

The daughter of Dong Daru? Even though Shui Qinghua was trapped in the harem in her previous life, she had heard of this famous girl, the most beautiful woman in Jiangxia, a talented woman who was proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Her mother was a county lady in the imperial family, and her father was a world-famous Confucian scholar. A few years later, she was appointed as the Crown Princess by the Emperor.

Why did the future Crown Princess come to Ji’s house?

Perhaps the surprise on her face was too obvious, Dong Yajing burst out laughing: "Don't be afraid, I heard that your family is looking for a female teacher, what do you think of me? I have read a few books with my parents, so I have no problem in educating the child."

The idea of ​​the Crown Princess being a female teacher for her family was completely beyond Shui Qinghua's imagination.

Why is it difficult to find a female tutor? It is because women who can read and write are usually well-off and do not need to work to support their families. Most of the time, only women from financially difficult families would seek this path. Among them, the well-educated ones have already been hired away by wealthy families. Given the Ji family's current financial status, it is naturally difficult to find one.

No matter why Miss Dong came, she knew that she must not agree. First, she might offend Dong Daru and the county lady. Second, if people knew in a few years that a family that had committed a crime dared to hire the Crown Princess as a tutor, it would inevitably be used by people with ulterior motives to make a fuss. In the court, making a mountain out of a molehill is a common practice.

Shui Qinghua thought for a while and asked with a smile: "I wonder how Miss Dong knew that my family is hiring a female teacher?"

Dong Yajing blushed and said with a little guilt: "Of course I heard it from my senior brother! I know your family is in a difficult situation and you can't hire a good female teacher... No, I mean..." The future Crown Princess is just a young girl now, without so many twists and turns, and she showed her timidity after just two sentences.

"It is precisely because of the difficult situation at home that I dare not let Miss Dong down." Shui Qinghua said politely.

"I'm not wronged!" Dong Yajing opened her eyes wide, "I have conditions, I will stop practicing!"

"Oh? How do I pay for the tuition?"

"Did you embroider the embroidered screen with a picture of galloping horses?" Dong Yajing looked at Shui Qinghua with burning eyes.

Shui Qinghua's eyelids jumped: "Did you hear this from your senior brother?"

"That's not the case," Dong Yajing was embarrassed to say that she and her senior brother didn't know each other yet. "I saw that embroidered screen at Magistrate Huang's house and admired it very much. Later I learned that the picture of galloping horses was painted by my senior brother, so I guessed that it was embroidered by my sister-in-law."

"Actually, I've been looking for this embroiderer. I want to learn the art!" Dong Yajing's eyes lit up. "You teach me embroidery, and I teach your daughter. Isn't it a good exchange?"

Shui Qinghua slowly frowned. Natural embroidery was her secret skill that she never taught to others. Only those who signed a confidentiality agreement were qualified to learn it. Teaching it to Miss Dong, even if she was the future Crown Princess, would violate the agreement between her and Siyifang.

She thought for a moment and said, "My embroidery skills are very limited, but I know some Suzhou embroidery techniques. If Miss Dong likes it, I would like to teach you everything I know."

"I like it!" Dong Yajing was very happy: "Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble. Next year is my grandmother's 60th birthday. I have been thinking about what birthday gift to give her. Until I saw the embroidered screen with the picture of galloping horses, I wanted to embroider a picture by myself. I also learned needlework when I was young, but I was not satisfied with any needlework I tried."

Shui Qinghua breathed a sigh of relief. It would be no problem to just use it to fulfill her filial piety. If Miss Dong's embroidery paintings attracted attention in the capital, it would invisibly pave the way for her new embroidery workshop, which would be a good thing.

"It is my honor to teach Miss Dong embroidery. You can come and learn anytime. Forget about the female tutor. I don't think Mr. Dong and the county lady would agree." Shui Qinghua declined politely.

Dong Yajing knew that she was telling the truth, so she didn't force it: "Well, then I won't use the name of Master. If I have time, I will accompany my senior brother's daughter to study, and no one can say anything!"

This was exactly what she wanted, and it would be good for her daughters as well, so Shui Qinghua agreed immediately.

"What's your name, sister-in-law?"

"No need to worry about your surname being Shui."

"Then I'll call you Sister Shui, it will seem more intimate."

"Then I will call you Yajing."

The two immediately agreed to start the first class three days later.