Re-embroidering life

After the children started to read and learn to read, there was more work to do at home. Shui Qinghua and Shui Yuhua also had a lot of study tasks, so hiring someone was urgent.

Now that they were well-off, money was no longer a problem, but the Ji family was no longer a family of officials, and having too many servants would be a nuisance. Shui Qinghua invited a matchmaker to pick and choose, and finally chose two fourteen-year-old maids, one named Lan Xin and the other named Hui Xin. After bringing them to Tan Shi and passing the test, they were handed over to Qin Xin for training.

Tan felt uncomfortable, but Qinxin was the old lady's person and not considered as the third wife's. It was not against the rules for the third wife to have two maids, so she didn't say anything in the end.

It was already April, and the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching. Ji Zimo's birthday was after the Dragon Boat Festival. The relationship between the couple had eased recently, and it would be wrong not to have any birthday gifts, but the embroidered screen had already been sold. Shui Qinghua had an idea. Fei'er had already learned simple plain stitches, so she could ask Fei'er to make a small item for Ji Zimo, which would be a good idea and save trouble.

Shui Qinghua started to draw a picture of ducks playing with lotus pods, intending to embroider a sachet. The most important part of embroidery was the silk cutting and coloring, which were done by Shui Qinghua and Shui Yuhua, and Ji Fei did the final stitching.

To embroider this picture well, it is best to use a set of stitches, that is, long and short stitches are staggered, and they are stacked one after another, which can show the roundness and fullness of the lotus pod. Fei'er is young, and now she can only do the stitching, that is, one stitch after another, slowly drawing it. It is amazing that she knows that it is for her father's birthday, so she is very patient and draws carefully, layer by layer. Although it is not as delicate and smooth as the set of stitches, it is also very well done. The little duck and the lotus pod protrude on the red satin, as if they are alive, and the water surface is glittering. After being made into a sachet, it is full of childishness, and it is obvious that it was made by the little daughter.

Shui Qinghua was very pleased. The relationship between father and daughter was strained in the previous life. She hoped that this small sachet could help break the ice and add color to the relationship between father and daughter in this life.

On this day, my mother's family sent in an invitation, saying that her younger brother Shui Yongming was getting married at the end of April, and invited Shui Qinghua and his wife to attend the ceremony.

Shui Qinghua then realized that she had forgotten something very important!

In his previous life, Shui Yongming was hit by a nobleman's carriage on the road more than half a month before his wedding, and his leg was broken. Although the nobleman compensated him with money, Shui Yongming's leg could never be saved. He should have failed the imperial examination next autumn, and he would have withdrawn from the imperial examination forever due to his disability. The bride was unhappy that her husband became disabled before she even got married. After the marriage, the two quarreled constantly, the sister-in-law ran back to her parents' home from time to time, and the in-laws were also very dissatisfied with this son-in-law.

Shui Xiucai and his wife pinned their hopes on their only son. His son had no future, and his daughter-in-law was always making trouble. The family was in turmoil. Shui Xiucai was depressed and sighed all day long. He fell seriously ill and died within two years.

Thinking of this, Shui Qinghua could no longer sit still. What day was it today? Would she be able to save her brother in time? She told Lan Xin and Hui Xin to prepare carriages, horses, and clothes separately. She was going to stay at her parents' home for a few days, to keep an eye on her brother, and not to let him go out.

A few people didn't know why the usually calm Third Wife suddenly became anxious, but she worked hard and quickly packed up everything. Shui Qinghua told Qinxin and Lanxin to take care of the children, and she took Yuhua and Huixin to the Shui family.

The carriage arrived at Qinghe Street, only two blocks away from the alley where the Shui family lived. Shui Qinghua sat in the carriage, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked out the window.

Suddenly, a luxurious carriage came rushing from the opposite direction. Its appearance was extremely eye-catching. The body of the carriage was painted in bright vermilion. The carriage was decorated with exquisite carvings all around. The horses pulling the carriage had shiny fur and looked extremely majestic.

Just as the luxurious carriage passed by a study, an accident happened. For some reason, the horse suddenly went crazy, neighing and raising its front hooves. A scholar wearing a green shirt and a square scarf on his head happened to be walking in front of it. It seemed that a tragedy was about to happen!

Shui Qinghua's heart suddenly tightened, she could hardly believe her eyes. The scholar passing by was her own brother Shui Yongming! She held the door frame of the carriage tightly, her heart filled with panic and helplessness: What should I do? Can't I change my brother's fate of a broken leg in this life?

At the critical moment, she saw a familiar figure in a black brocade gown with silver edges in the crowd. She didn't care about the rules and screamed, "Master Shen! Help!" She didn't know whether Shen Yi could help, but she didn't have time to think too much in times of crisis.

Shen Yi's hearing and eyesight were far more sensitive than those of ordinary people, and he caught the shout in an instant. He saw that his partner, Mrs. Shui Er, had a terrified look on her face. She was shouting at him frantically and pointing her finger towards the center of the street.

Everything happened in an instant. Shen Yi saw the danger in the middle of the road, leaped forward, and grabbed the horse's reins with both hands like iron clamps, pulling back with all his strength. His muscles were tense, veins bulged, and he and the crazy horse were fighting in strength.

Several attendants surrounding the carriage came to help immediately. Crazy Horse gradually calmed down under the control of everyone, and finally fell to the ground helplessly. The violently shaking carriage gradually calmed down. After a while, a young man in gorgeous clothes came out of the carriage. He was pale and obviously frightened, but he still tried his best to stay calm.

Shui Yongming had already fallen to the ground, his eyes closed and his whole body shaking.

The young man in gorgeous clothes bowed deeply to Shen Yi: "Thank you for saving my life, sir." Several followers behind him followed suit. They were all tall and impressive, with shame and frustration for their dereliction of duty on their faces, as well as a hint of relief for surviving a disaster.

"Yongming!" Shui Qinghua and Shui Yuhua jumped off the carriage and ran desperately towards Shui Yongming who was lying on the ground.

The driver helped Shui Yongming up. Shui Qinghua looked him up and down and saw that he was just frightened and had some scratches on his skin. His legs were fine. The heart that had been in her throat was relieved. She took a few deep breaths, her legs softened, and she sat on the ground all of a sudden, feeling alive again.

Shui Qinghua stood up and wanted to thank Shen Yi. But Shen Yi waved his hand and looked at Shui Yongming on the ground, "Could this be the brother of Second Lady Shui?"

"He is my third brother. Thank you, Mr. Shen, for saving my life today." Shui Qinghua bowed deeply.

"It's okay!" Shen Yi smiled brightly, revealing two rows of snow-white teeth.

An attendant behind the young man in fancy clothes stepped forward and said, "It is our fault that we frightened this young master today. My master will send you a letter of silver to calm you down."

Shui Qinghua looked at his brother and found that he was not seriously injured, it was just a false alarm. Knowing that the nobleman wanted to settle the matter with money, he did not refuse and accepted the silver.

The young man in fancy clothes stepped forward, his eyes full of admiration for Shen Yi: "This young man is very skilled in martial arts! May I know your name?"

Shen Yi smiled slightly, seemingly not noticing that the young man was interested in getting to know him, and only said, "It's just a favor, don't take it to heart. If you want to thank someone, thank this lady. If she hadn't warned me, I wouldn't have paid attention to this place."

The young man nodded to Shui Qinghua. Seeing that Shen Yi was not interested, he did not force him and asked his attendant to hand over a business card of his own, which Shen Yi accepted respectfully.

The attendants had already brought a new horse from somewhere else and harnessed it to the carriage. The young man waved his sleeves, got into the carriage gracefully, and drove away leisurely.