Re-embroidering life

From then on, there were two more embroidery frames in the Ji family's embroidery room, one for Jinlan and one for Huixin.

Huixin was a maid, and although she contributed a lot to the embroidery of the portrait, she was ignored by many people.

Shui Qinghua didn't. Ever since Huixin said "There is wind in my sleeves", she knew that Huixin's talent was the best among all the girls, even better than Dong Yajing. She couldn't read or paint, but she had a kind heart and was naturally sensitive and understanding of natural scenery.

After returning from Chen's house, Shui Qinghua asked Huixin if she wanted to get rid of her slavery and become her apprentice. Huixin immediately knelt down and said no, she was willing to learn embroidery, but not as a master and apprentice, she only wanted to serve the Third Madam for the rest of her life.

Shui Qinghua did not force her. The girl who had been sold here and there at a very young age had deep insecurity and inferiority complex towards the world. Being freed from her status would not allow her to get along freely with the daughter of a great scholar or the granddaughter of an imperial physician, so she had to hide under their wings.

In addition to teaching a few girls embroidery and urging Fei'er Rui'er to read and write, Shui Qinghua often wondered, with so many talented women around her, could she get them all to participate in her new embroidery workshop? If she drew a hundred embroidery pictures by herself, the style would inevitably be monotonous. If everyone came together, there would be a hundred flowers blooming, and the time would be shortened a lot. For these girls, their talents could also find space to display.

Shui Qinghua decided to hold a banquet herself.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, it will be Ji Zimo’s 27th birthday, so the reason will be his birthday.

That night, Shui Qinghua asked Ji Zimo to help her write a few birthday party invitations. Although there were only a few words, Ji Zimo's calligraphy made the ordinary Xue Tao paper suddenly look like an exquisite work of art.

The next day, the Shui, Dou, Chen, and Dong families all received invitations written by Ji Zimo. Shui Qinghua's original intention was to invite her brothers and sisters, best friends, and disciples to a small gathering, but these invitations brought her unexpected guests.

The tenth day of the fifth lunar month was Ji Zimo's birthday. The small courtyard of the third room was decorated anew. A newly planted pomegranate tree was in bloom. The bright red flowers, like bells, looked like a tree of lanterns lit in the daytime. The banana leaves by the wall were lush and green, and tiny yellow flowers were blooming in the cracks of the bricks on the ground. In front of the courtyard gate, there was a green wicker curtain, with small pink and yellow hydrangeas interlaced on the curtain, as if a curtain of flower stamens was sprinkled.

Seats were set up in the courtyard, and snacks and fruits were placed. Since they were all family members and had long been familiar with each other, there was no distinction between the front and back yards, and only a screen was placed in the middle of the seats to separate the male and female guests.

Shui Qinghua dressed the whole family in new clothes and dressed up her husband and daughters beautifully. Ji Zimo knew that today was his birthday, but he was not the protagonist of the birthday party, but he didn't mind. Since he found out that his wife had devoted herself to him for seven years, even at the cost of her health, he decided to do something for his wife. He found that supporting her to open an embroidery workshop would make her happiest, so he would continue to do so.

During the 7th hour, guests arrived one after another. The first to arrive were the Shui brothers and sisters. Shui Yongming arrived with his newlywed wife, Xu, and Shui Minghua and Shui Yuhua, followed by Dou Jianzhi and Shui Xiuhua and their spouses.

Shui Yongming will also participate in the autumn examination next year. Hearing that his second brother-in-law has learned from a famous teacher, he asked Ji Zimo to teach him about writing. Shui Qinghua asked Xu to chat about family matters. Xu had a face like a silver plate, eyes like apricots, and a slightly plump figure, which was exactly the lucky appearance that the elderly liked the most. She was also the daughter of a scholar. Xu Xiucai and Shui Xiucai taught at Yuquan Academy together. After chatting for a while, Shui Qinghua found that the young couple got along well, and she was completely relieved.

Shui Qinghua was just wondering why Dong Yajing hadn't arrived yet, when the doorman rushed in and shouted, "Third Madam, Miss Dong is here, and with her is her mother, who is the county lady!"

Shui Qinghua stood up suddenly. Dong Yajing's mother was of noble status, and this was just a small banquet for the third room. She only sent invitations to her peers, but she never thought that the county lady would come!

In the main courtyard, Old Lady Ji was also shocked when she heard the news. She knew that the Third House only invited relatives and friends to the banquet, and they were all younger generations, so she didn't ask much and didn't let the eldest daughter-in-law come forward to take care of it. She didn't expect the county lady to come to visit suddenly.

Since the Ji family fell into decline, there had been no distinguished guests for seven or eight years. The Ji family did not know how to receive them and were at a loss. Mrs. Ji had been a government official's wife, so she could keep her composure at the critical moment. She ordered the gate to be opened, changed into her clothes to meet the guests, and went to the gate with her eldest son and daughter-in-law to welcome them. Ji Zimo and Shui Qinghua were already waiting there.

The old lady took the lead and personally invited the Dong mother and daughter to get off the carriage. Dong Yajing was still wearing a blue shirt as usual, but the embroidery was more complicated. The clothes of the Tanghua County Lady were also very simple, probably the clothes she usually wore when going out, not very grand. But it didn't matter. No one paid attention to her clothes. They just felt a pressing aura coming over them, making people bow unconsciously. So this is the aura of the royal family?

Everyone had seen Miss Dong. She often came in and out of the Ji family. They heard that she was the most beautiful woman in Jiangxia. They also thought she was very beautiful, but when she stood next to her mother, she looked like a young girl who had not grown up yet.

I heard that Princess Tanghua's father, Prince Hui, is the emperor's cousin, so the relationship is quite distant. A county princess can be so bold and courageous, I wonder what the princes, princes and even the emperor will think?

The county lady was a second-rank official, and Mrs. Ji was now just an ordinary country lady. Mrs. Ji led her children and grandchildren to pay full respects to the county lady, who avoided them and returned half a respect.

"It's my fault. I came here rashly and caused trouble for the host." She spoke, her voice as sweet as a gushing spring.

"My Lady, you are too polite. It is an honor for the Ji family to have you here." The old lady responded appropriately without being humble or arrogant.

The county lady smiled and said, "Old lady, you don't have to treat me as the county lady. Just treat me as Yajing's mother. Yajing is good friends with Mrs. Ji San, and she has taken care of her a lot and taught her embroidery. When I learned that it was Mr. Ji San's birthday, I came here to celebrate his birthday and to thank Mrs. Ji as a mother."

After he finished speaking, the maid behind him presented two plates of gifts, one of which was a seal carved from Shoushan stone, a birthday gift for Ji Zimo; the other was filled with the finest silk threads and satins, a gift for the female relatives. The items were of course good, but not particularly expensive, and were gifts from well-connected families, not rewards from superiors.

The old lady secretly sighed that the county lady was very thoughtful, and said a few humble words on behalf of Shui Qinghua, and praised Dong Daru for his unrivaled knowledge, and thanked Dong Daru for teaching her son. The two of them chatted back and forth, and it was quite lively.

Shui Qinghua listened to the county lady's words and looked at Dong Yajing secretly. Dong Yajing winked at her and smiled. This girl knew her situation in the Ji family and brought up her mother to support her. Shui Qinghua felt warm in her heart.

Tan Meixue felt uncomfortable. She knew that her third brother's wife was good friends with Miss Dong. She didn't care at first, because she was just Ji Zimo's junior sister. But it was different when the county lady came to thank her and gave her gifts in person. The third house would definitely have a higher status in the old lady's heart in the future. She couldn't help but look at her husband, but found that his eyes were shining and his mouth was smiling. He looked at his third brother and his wife with a look of pride. Why is the eldest master always at odds with me? Tan Meixue's face suddenly darkened.

The county lady said a few words, and even if the purpose of coming today was achieved, she said goodbye first, using the excuse that staying would only make the younger generation uncomfortable. The old lady led the whole family to see the county lady out of the gate again, and watched the carriage leave.