Embroidered Phoenix Chronicle

Night fell in the blink of an eye. Liulian sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) drinking tea, staring blankly at the teacup on the kang table, the suppressed sobs of her elder sister echoing in her ears. This woman was about the same age as herself, how unfortunate! A surge of emotion welled up in Liulian's heart; she wanted to do something!

The newly arrived Li Ma lived in the south-facing side room, and found herself much more comfortable living alone. She leaned against the kang cabinet, stroking a bolt of hibiscus silk beside her. It was a bright, hibiscus-colored silk, suitable even for someone in mourning, and could be used for a skirt or a blouse—neither overly expensive nor lacking in style. She was a woman of intelligence and gentleness. However, her eldest sister's reputation was not good; she suspected it was because of her strenuous efforts to protect her family that she had earned a reputation for being fierce and jealous. Lost in thought, she saw a lamp lit under the pomegranate tree, and Old Master Huo asked Li Ma to bring hot water for tea. Presumably, the old man wanted to inquire about her eldest sister's situation, so she slipped off the kang and went outside.

The old man inquired about the whole story in detail, but kept his head down. Liu Lian cautiously said, "Why don't we find someone to talk to my brother-in-law about taking a concubine? If he doesn't agree, you can't force a cow to drink water."

“Your eldest sister has been married for over ten years. She had no luck with children for the first few years, then gave birth to her first child at twenty-five, but it was tragically lost. After that, she suffered a series of miscarriages. This is… the third of the three unfilial acts…”

"My elder sister has no family to support her. If I were to give birth to a child, and then have a mother-in-law who always causes trouble behind my back, wouldn't I be bullied to death?"

"It's not that bad, your brother-in-law still respects your sister very much..." The old man became more and more guilty as he spoke. Liu Lian then interjected, "Godfather, you should try to calm your brother-in-law down first, and then I'll go and persuade your sister. It's still a bit early to send the zongzi over now, how can we think of a way to go?"

"Don't think of any other way, just say you're worried about your elder sister's health after her miscarriage, and try to comfort her!" The old man pondered for a long time. "I'll go and advise your brother-in-law not to rush into taking a concubine. Let me think about how to say it." As he spoke, the old man stood up. "It's getting late, you should rest too. Lock the door."

Five or six days later, the old man packed a bunch of things and gave Liulian some detailed instructions, then sent Jiang Ma with Xiao Hu'er. Liulian had no experience with the intrigues and power struggles between families, and was distracted the whole way. Jiang Ma chuckled, "Silly child, Xiao Hu'er is the future head of the Huo family. Even if you two say something outrageous, the Liu family will have to tolerate it. Even if you two agree to something, the Huo family can deny it! Seventh Miss, once you get through this, the Eldest Miss and the Master will remember your kindness..."

Liu Lian suddenly realized that he had been pushed out to take the blame. After understanding the intricacies of the situation, Liu Lian breathed a sigh of relief, guessing that Aunt Jiang was sent by the old man to enlighten him and assist him.

The old lady of the Liu family came out to greet them, remarking in admiration how amazing it was that such a small child could bypass Mrs. Liu and meet the old lady directly. The old lady smiled and said, "My husband isn't home, so this old woman has to come out and keep you company. I apologize for the inconvenience!"

Despite her smile, Liu Lian could clearly sense the old lady's displeasure. She quickly put on a forced smile and said, "My second, third, fourth, and fifth sisters all miss my eldest sister, but they didn't want to bother her, so they sent these things home to our godparents to pass on. They said they'd come to see her again once she's fully recovered. My uncle in Beijing also sent some toad oil, it's incredibly nourishing!" Liu Lian blushed. How could she have made a round trip to Beijing in just a few days? This lie was utterly ridiculous! Fortunately, the old lady didn't call her out on it, but just chuckled and said, "Why did you bother the capital? We can't accept that!"

Liu Lian continued, using her connections and bluffing, "My uncle in the capital sent word that a new princess has been born in the palace, and he can't leave. If we can't treat her here, he'll have my brother-in-law accompany my sister to the capital so he can give her a proper examination. He also said that we mustn't let my sister worry too much and should keep her in a good mood. You know, Grandma, my sister and godmother have a grudge, so my godfather won't let her come anymore! Little Tiger kept asking to see Auntie, so we brought him along!" She then lowered her voice and said to Old Madam Liu, "My godmother consulted a fortune teller for my sister, saying she was worried about evil spirits. She said children's eyes are pure, so she asked him to look at her. If Little Tiger cries too much, she's asking you to perform a ritual for my sister to exorcise them!"

What is passing the buck? This is passing the buck! Liu Lian watched as the old lady's expression gradually became serious, realizing that he had hit the nail on the head, and secretly praised Old Man Huo for his brilliance.

The old lady of the Liu family had a conflicted expression on her face. Forcing a smile, she called for someone to escort them to her eldest sister's courtyard. As soon as the three of them stepped out of the courtyard gate, the old lady's forced smile crumbled, and she turned to her personal maid, asking, "What do you think?"

"What can I do but close my eyes and look!" she thought, inwardly regretting being there. She cautiously said, "This old servant has never experienced anything like this before, I really don't know!" The old lady of the Liu family snorted coldly, "What, Mrs. Huo going to consult a fortune teller? Nine times out of ten..." She didn't finish her sentence, instead instructing, "Tell the kitchen to be more careful, don't just use braised pork hock to fool them. Treat them well, don't let the in-laws find fault. Make some plum juice, I saw that child liked it last time. What's a child doing drinking tea! Also prepare some pea flour cakes, sesame rolls, glutinous rice cakes, and hibiscus cakes!" The old woman responded with a "yes" and went to deliver the message herself.

Grandma Liu was lost in thought: her daughter-in-law was a second wife, and it wasn't uncommon for her to make things difficult for her son and daughter-in-law from the first wife's side; she had no choice but to turn a blind eye. If the eldest son's line died out, all the benefits would naturally fall into the hands of that mother and son! This heartless scoundrel had probably already started their scheme, perhaps even from the very first child… Her in-laws were doctors themselves; they probably already noticed something amiss, but without concrete evidence, it was hard to say! I was too careless!

Sure enough, Little Tiger was fussy and difficult to soothe in the afternoon, even when the old lady tried to help. Liu Lian found it amusing; it was no wonder such a young child cried in unfamiliar surroundings. So she accompanied Jiang Ma, carrying the child around. They finally managed to soothe him to sleep outside the door, but as soon as they turned back, he started yelling again. The old lady clearly saw that Jiang Ma's hands were open and aboveboard; she hadn't done anything underhanded. Helpless, they turned to leave again, and only then did the child stop whimpering. Jiang Ma said anxiously, "What's wrong with this child today? He's making such a fuss. I can't carry him anymore." The old lady suggested taking him to her room. Jiang Ma and Liu Lian carried Little Tiger to the old lady's room, calling his name all the way. Exhausted from crying, Little Tiger fell asleep on the old lady's kang (heated brick bed).

Exhausted, Jiang Ma slumped onto the footstool, panting heavily. "Seventh Miss," she said, "why don't I take the young master home first? He's making so much noise, it's making the eldest young lady uncomfortable. Let's bring him back when the eldest young lady is healthier!" It's customary for families without children to take in other people's children to play and stay temporarily; it's said that the child can attract other children, like a blessing. The old lady's heart churned, but she forced herself to remain calm and smiled, "Seventh Miss staying is fine too. She can attract children just as well. Go back and tell your husband that I feel a connection with Seventh Miss and want her to stay a few more days!"