Re-embroidering life

The next day, Shui Qinghua was busy in the embroidery workshop.

"Sister Shui." A familiar voice sounded in my ears.

It was Dong Yajing. She had rarely come to the Ji family to do embroidery since the auction. She had also been in a hurry at the opening ceremony yesterday. It had been a long time since the two of them had a good chat.

Dong Yajing looked a little haggard. "Sister Shui, I'm here to say goodbye to you," she said.

"Are you going back to Beijing?" Although Shui Qinghua had anticipated this day, when it finally came, she still felt indescribably uncomfortable.

Dong Yajing nodded: "Grandmother's birthday is coming soon, and my embroidery of "Hundred Flowers Birthday" is almost finished. My mother and I will return to Beijing to celebrate her birthday. My father will stay in Jiangxia for a while until my senior brother enters the autumn examination."

"You are in such a hurry to leave. Is it related to your marriage?" Shui Qinghua knew she shouldn't ask, but she asked anyway. After almost a year of getting along, Yajing is no different from her biological sister. If she didn't know Yajing, she would also think that it is so glorious and respectable for a woman to become the crown princess and the future queen. But if it was Yajing, she didn't think it was a good marriage.

"Sister Shui, you guessed it." Dong Yajing smiled faintly, not surprised, "It's almost time. The wedding ceremony is complicated, there are too many things to prepare, too many human relationships to sort out, and it will take a long time before the imperial decree is actually issued to grant the marriage."

"Sister Shui, the past year has been the happiest time of my life. I met you, truly fell in love with embroidery, and also got to know Jinlan, Yuhua and others. I never had friends of the same age before." When she said this, Dong Yajing's expression finally became cheerful, and there was a light in her eyes.

"Ya Jing," Shui Qinghua couldn't help but worry as he looked at her face, "You compare yourself to a bamboo and admire the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties. You can live a carefree life among the mountains, forests and springs. Why do you have to step into that vortex? You have talent, beauty and noble birth. Even the princesses and princesses in the capital may not be as good as you. Power and wealth are just icing on the cake for you. Did you make this choice just for him?"

Dong Yajing smiled and shook her head. "Sister Shui, my mother has asked me the same questions as you. You are wrong. You think that because I was born into a noble family, I can freely choose my life. No, it is precisely because I was born into a noble family that I have no choice."

If her father had not had so many students, and if her grandfather had not been so senior and prestigious in the royal family, she would have been just an ordinary noblewoman with no profit to gain, and she could have married anyone. But since she had such a background, those princes and nobles would not let her go easily. Instead of letting other forces snatch, plan, and manipulate her marriage behind her back, it would be better to take the initiative and choose someone with an emotional foundation, a suitable age and appearance, and a promising future. No matter how you look at it, the third prince is the most suitable one.

"My mother is also worried that I will be blinded by love. In fact, we girls have understood since childhood that love is a luxury for us. If we get it, we are lucky, but if we lose it, we will die. Since it is unavoidable and destined to take this path, I will be the most successful one. Sister Shui, you don't have to worry about me. I will live a very good life." After she finished speaking, a faint smile broke into her face, so beautiful that it was dazzling.

A sour taste rushed into Shui Qinghua's nose and eyes. The circle of princes and nobles was too far away from her. She didn't understand that. She just hoped that sister Yajing would have a smooth life. "When are you leaving?"

"In a few days. Sister Shui, you don't have to come and see me off. Brother will surely pass the imperial examination. You can come to the capital with him then. We made an appointment to meet in the capital."

Shui Qinghua accepted the invitation without hesitation.

***

In a blink of an eye, it was time to go to Chen's house for a follow-up visit.

Everyone in the Chen family knew her. As she walked along the road to the main courtyard, people kept greeting her and calling her "Mrs. Shui". She nodded and returned the greetings. Suddenly, someone who shouldn't be here came into her sight.

Tang Fu was dressed in plain clothes and had a slender figure. She was walking towards the gate with her maid. The maid from the Chen family who led her way saw Shui Qinghua and stopped to bow. Tang Fu then saw Shui Qinghua.

Both of them were secretly surprised by each other's appearance.

Soon, they nodded to each other and passed each other.

Shui Qinghua laughed at herself in her heart. Ji Zimo's inner demons were cured, but hers were not. Last night, she was just a hair's breadth away from nodding her head. Now it seemed that it was fortunate that she had held back. Now, Tang Fu appeared in front of her again.

It has been several months since Tang Fu returned to Jiangxia. Even if it was to visit her parents, it was still too long. Wouldn't she go back to her husband's home in Jiangnan?

When Old Madam Chen saw Shui Qinghua, her face was full of smiles. She liked this kind, gentle and strong girl.

After taking her pulse, Old Madam Chen said, "Take another course of treatment, which is three months of medicine, and your illness will be basically cured. Just pay attention to your health in the future."

Shui Qinghua was naturally happy. She asked about the current condition of the famous doctor Chen, and Mrs. Chen was even happier: "Much better, he has gotten out of bed and walked around. Thanks to the three Snow Lotus Pills you sent, I gave one to the old man."

Speaking of Snow Lotus Pill, the old lady hesitated to speak. Shui Qinghua saw it and waited for the old lady Chen to continue.

"The woman you just met is the Tang family's grandmother. She came to seek medical treatment for her husband," Old Madam Chen sighed, "She was also unlucky. Not long after she got married, her husband fell ill. She has been seeking medical treatment and medicine everywhere for so many years, and has spent a lot of money, but there is no improvement."

Shui Qinghua bowed her head and said nothing. In her previous life, Tang Fu's husband passed away at the same time as she did. After Tang Fu became a widow, the Tang family began to think about marrying into the Ji family.

"After listening to her retelling of his condition, I know that it's unlikely that he can be completely cured. But if he is nourished with the best herbs, it's not impossible for him to live another ten or twenty years. At least he can have a child. They don't even have a child yet." Old Madam Chen finally got to the point. "The Snow Lotus Pill should have a miraculous effect on his illness."

"Madam, since the Snow Lotus Pill has been returned to you, you have the right to dispose of it. You don't need to ask me again." Shui Qinghua understood it all at once.

Old Madam Chen's wrinkles smoothed out with joy. "If you want to ask, the medicine is yours now that it's given to you. You were so kindhearted that you gave three pills to our master. Now that I want to give them to outsiders, I naturally need your consent."

Shui Qinghua smiled and nodded, indicating her agreement. First, this was a life, and she couldn't just stand by and watch him die. Second, as long as he was alive, Tang Fu was a married woman and couldn't covet someone else's husband. As a mother, she had to protect her family and her three young daughters.