Re-embroidering life

The two looked at each other, and everything was silent.

After a long while, Shui Qinghua finally found her voice: "Zimo, how did you do it?"

"From the day you brought Jinlan back, I guessed that the Zhao and Chen families would have a backup plan. I went to find Yajing, and Yajing went to ask for an audience with the third prince. At the morning court today, an imperial censor impeached the Zhao family. I guess it was arranged by the third prince. As for the rumors outside, you know, for students from poor families, every step forward is extremely difficult. What do they hate the most? They hate those second-generation rich people who rely on the legacy of their ancestors, get something for nothing, and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The spring examination is approaching, and the capital is full of such poor students. It is not difficult to incite them." The way Ji Zimo spoke, he was wise and in high spirits.

"But why should the Third Prince help us?"

"Of course he is not helping us, but himself. The Zhao family is the most destitute and easiest to manipulate among the founding nobles. Toppling the inconspicuous Zhao family may be the beginning of challenging the noble group."

"I don't understand."

"Do you still remember that the Third Prince was defeated by the First Prince's lineage and lay dormant for seven or eight years? The First Prince relied on the Marquis of Zhenyuan. The founding nobles have lasted for several dynasties. Some have long since fallen, but a few have always stood firm. They are intermarried with each other, with complex connections and a large number of troops. They are too powerful to be eliminated and have long been a threat to the emperor. The most powerful among them is the Marquis of Zhenyuan."

"Hiss—" Shui Qinghua took a breath of cold air. In a wife-beating case, she saw the woman's hardship and the family's ruthlessness, but in the eyes of scholars and politicians, they saw intrigue and power struggles.

Seeing Shui Qinghua's surprised expression, Ji Zimo comforted her, "Don't worry, I just provided a clue to the Third Prince and I didn't get involved. How it will develop later is not something we can control. Just wait and see."

In other words, you can attack when you advance and defend when you retreat.

Shui Qinghua looked at Ji Zimo, as if she needed to get to know him again. Was the Ji Zimo in her previous life, who was not familiar with worldly affairs and out of touch with reality, really the same person as the Ji Zimo in front of her who was scheming and cautious?

How can the self in the previous life and the self in this life be the same person?

Because of her rebirth, everyone changed.

Then, the trend of "overthrowing the nobles" in the court became more and more serious. A minister reported that the nobles who founded the country were arrogant because of their merits. They relied on their ancestors' military exploits in the past and made a lot of money. They bought a lot of land at low prices during the famine, took advantage of the fire and forced farmers to give up their land and become tenants. The minister wrote in the memorial that the people called officials their parents, and which parents in the world would be willing to take away their children's food and land to save their lives? But the nobles dared to do so!

It is said that the emperor was furious and ordered the third prince to find out the land farmers in the capital area in recent years, and issued an unusual decree: to rebuild the Gongwei Division, which would be responsible for guarding the emperor, patrolling and arresting, and be directly responsible to the emperor.

Shui Qinghua was not interested in the affairs of the court. She only cared about what would happen to herself and Jin Lan. The Zhao family was now in the spotlight. They were in a difficult situation, so how could they remember a daughter-in-law who was threatening to divorce. They probably never dreamed that the glory of their ancestors, which they were most proud of, would now be the sharpest knife stabbing at them.

No one from the Chen family came to ask about Jinlan.

After all, Jinlan was young and in good health, so she recovered quickly and was able to walk within a few days.

That afternoon, the heavens sent a rare winter sun. Shui Qinghua sat in the yard, basking in the sun while making clothes. She felt someone was looking at her, and when she turned around, it was Jin Lan. She was standing at the door of the wing room, with a golden halo on her body.

Shui Qinghua waved at her.

Jin Lan walked over and said, "Watching the master making clothes, it feels like I'm back in Jiangxia. We are gathered around the master to learn his skills."

Shui Qinghua smiled and said, "One day, we will be reunited. When you are well again, go see Yajing. She is very worried about you and is working hard for you. This dress is made for her. You will wear it at the palace banquet on New Year's Eve."

Jin Lan gently stroked the luxurious dress, with a gentle smile on her face. "Master, let me help you."

Shui Qinghua said, "Your current task is to recover from your illness."

"Lying in bed is boring, so I'll do something that doesn't require much effort." Jin Lan insisted.

The two of them sat in the yard, chatting casually, Shui Qinghua embroidering and Jin Lan threading, and the day passed like this.

A few days later, it was almost New Year and the court sealed it.

Shui Qinghua became increasingly busy. This was the first time the family celebrated the New Year in a foreign land, and as the mistress, she had too many things to take care of.

Before the New Year's Eve, Shui Xiufang sent a large cart of New Year gifts, including a big box full of new silk threads thoughtfully prepared by Dou Jianzhi and Yuhua, which made Shui Qinghua very happy. "Hua Xi Yu Yin Tu" had been completed, and these silk threads were just right for use in the next embroidery painting.

Ye Jincheng also sent a New Year gift, which was quite ordinary and nothing special. He also enclosed a letter, asking her how she was thinking about opening an embroidery workshop in the capital. If she wanted to open one, she must form a partnership with him. Shui Qinghua threw the letter aside.

Shui Qinghua wanted to make the New Year's Eve banquet more sumptuous, so she carefully prepared a menu and called Lan Xin to go shopping together. The two bought several large baskets of food at the market and asked someone to send them to Ji's house. While paying, Lan Xin pulled her sleeve and said, "Madam San, I saw her aunt, she's over there."

Shui Qinghua looked up and saw Shui Minghua's back flashing in the alley in the distance.

Shui Qinghua became nervous. Her elder sister was nowhere to be seen every day. What was she busy with? And where did Mr. Yu, whom she had mentioned so much, come from? After going to court once, Shui Qinghua felt that the waters of the capital were unfathomable, and she was worried.

"Lan Xin, take these things back home." She gave the instructions and hurried away following her elder sister's back.

This is a narrow alley, with large courtyards lined up on both sides. Many of the courtyard doors are open, and people come and go, including hawkers carrying loads to do business, servants wearing shop uniforms, and women wearing makeup and wearing fancy clothes. People in the courtyards are chatting noisily, children are playing hide-and-seek under the wall, and old people are sitting on low stools in the sun, chatting about family matters.

Crowded, dirty and noisy.

Shui Qinghua was no stranger to such places. She had frequently visited Granny Zheng's courtyard to learn Jiang embroidery, which was also a place where poor people lived. Since she came to the capital, she had been dealing with people like Miss Liu, Madam Zhao, and Madam Chen. Shui Qinghua was deeply tired of their hypocritical faces. Suddenly walking into such an alley, she felt a sense of reality that she was stepping on the land of the capital.

After walking for a long time, we finally reached the end of the alley. This was also a courtyard house, but it was much more elegant and clean, with a dark red wooden door. Shui Qinghua suddenly thought of a poem: "Long covered with brambles to avoid the cold and heat, only flowers and plants are used to remember winter and spring."

Someone opened the door, and a girl with two buns and big round eyes, about the same age as Ji Fei, poked her head out. She urged innocently, "Why are you here just now? Come in quickly!"

As if being pulled by something, Shui Qinghua stepped into the yard.