Embroidered Phoenix Chronicle

The commotion subsided, and the crowd, somewhat overly excited, began to discuss the battle that had just taken place.

Xiangxiang was already surrounded by everyone and taken to the backyard, where she washed her face and changed into her usual clothes.

As everyone gradually took their leave, the courtyard returned to calm. Gong Jianyun nudged Zheng Tu, who was seeing people off, with his elbow and said in a low voice, "Put away the scissors and such. Tell your daughter to hang herself tonight, make a scene for a few days. That way, if the Liu family has anything to say again, we'll have a better chance of dealing with it. If that doesn't work, go to the yamen and sue the Liu family for humiliating and coercing your daughter!" Zheng Tu nodded.

Xiangxiang lowered her head, feeling a little ashamed, and didn't have the courage to look at everyone. Gong Jianyun coughed dryly outside the door, and Xiu Luan pulled Liulian into the inner room. Zheng Tu lifted the curtain and accompanied the two constables in. Xiangxiang quickly got up, curtsied, and stole a glance at Gong Jianyun before sitting down properly. The two constables only offered a few perfunctory words of comfort to Xiangxiang, and then got up to take their leave without saying anything more. Xiangxiang stared at Gong Jianyun's retreating figure, momentarily lost in thought.

With things as they were, the three took their leave. Zheng Tu prepared some braised dishes as a return gift, which Ruiqian politely declined a few times before accepting. Zheng Tu hesitantly asked if it would be convenient for Xiangxiang to visit the Liu family in town the day after tomorrow. Ruiqian quickly agreed, "It's just that my sisters-in-law are both a bit unavailable, so I'm afraid it would be a bit inconvenient for the two young ladies to entertain Xiangxiang. Please forgive us!" Zheng Tu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Everything else is fine, but I would like to ask the two young ladies to help Xiangxiang choose some clothes and jewelry. You city people certainly have better taste." Xiu Luan readily agreed—she loved doing these kinds of things!

Time flew by. Madam Xu looked the uneasy Zheng father and daughter up and down, then sent someone to take Xiangxiang to the Embroidery Courtyard. She then put on a big smile and said, "It's alright, it's alright! It's just that the eldest daughter-in-law hasn't finished her postpartum confinement yet, and the second daughter-in-law has gone to the countryside. I'm afraid the two girls' tastes might be a bit lacking. Fortunately, the second daughter-in-law's family owns a jewelry store, so they won't be cheated when buying jewelry. I guarantee it will be a few cents cheaper than elsewhere! My family's silk and cloth shop is also one of the best in our city. Would we make money off our own family? I'll just send an old woman to go with them and pick out what the girls like. It'll be sure to be both beautiful and cheap! Let the girl stay a couple more days. What can she buy in a day or two?" Zheng Tu thanked her profusely and took his leave.

When Madam Xu opened the gifts brought by the Zheng family father and daughter, she found a pork hock, a roast duck, a box of pepper and salt pastries, and a box of two-colored red bean paste cakes. She pursed her lips, ordered someone to take the pork hock and roast duck away to be cleaned, and sent the two boxes of pastries to Xiu Luan's room.

The three of them, though only a day apart, were as close as if they hadn't seen each other for years, their intimacy impenetrable.

Xiangxiang later pretended to hang herself again, causing a huge uproar. The Liu family chickened out and sent someone to beg for mercy. "Hmph! These scoundrels!" Xiu Luan's eyes almost sparkled. Although Xiangxiang was a little chubby and her feet were not properly bound, the way she snorted was so carefree and charming, so brave and dashing. It was even more handsome than the way Liu Lian angrily denounced the hooligan. For a moment, Xiu Luan began to have deep doubts about the education she had received.

Like birds released from their cages, the three girls rushed into the market. Zheng Tu gave Xiangxiang twenty taels of silver, enough for them to squander. Xiangxiang insisted on giving the two girls something, and they couldn't refuse. Each girl took a gilded lotus hairpin, and Xiangxiang kept one for herself. They shopped for three whole days, and Xiangxiang returned home with two boxes of jewelry and four bundles of fabric. The jewelry consisted mostly of silk flowers, velvet flowers, and hairpins with intertwined patterns, some ornate and some simple, but actually not very valuable. The more expensive items were just a few pearl-embroidered silver hairpins. The fabrics were silk and brocade, mostly from Liu's shop, which was particularly cheap. There were also three or four pieces of fabric, some blue and some brown, clearly bought for him. Zheng Tu was a little touched: his daughter had grown up and knew how to care for him! He could die without regrets, wearing clothes made by his daughter's own hands!

Xiu Luan ate the jade-yellow boneless plums that Zheng Tu had brought when he picked up Xiang Xiang, and then pleaded with Madam Xu, wanting to go to Shiqiao Town with the Seventh Miss for a few days. Madam Xu refused—it was almost the Fifth Festival, what kind of place would it be to go to the countryside! Xiu Luan shook Madam Xu ingratiatingly, making all sorts of promises, her only thought was to go. These days, Xiu Luan was no longer aloof and eccentric, full of stubbornness; she had become much more easygoing and generous, which pleased Madam Xu. If that person hadn't been her eldest daughter-in-law's sister, and hadn't coveted her son, Madam Xu would have been happy for her daughter to associate with her. Unfortunately, there were no "ifs." Her pleading failed, and Xiu Luan threw a tantrum. Seeing her daughter's face flushed and lips pale, Madam Xu feared her daughter would become ill from anger and tried to comfort her gently, but Xiu Luan ignored her and stormed off.

Fengxian held Liulian's hand tightly, extremely reluctant to part, tears welling in her eyes. From childhood, Fengxian had been lonely; even after marriage, she and her husband were just two lonely people, finding warmth in each other's company. This girl possessed a warm power that warmed her heart, dried her tears, and gave her the courage to face her bleak life again. Soon, Xiuluan packed her things and swept Liuye away like a gust of wind.

Fengxian wasn't surprised that the two girls were friends; Xiaoqi could befriend anyone, if she wanted to. Deep down, she didn't want Xiaoqi to be her sister-in-law. The eldest and second/third branches of the family were bound to clash sooner or later, and she didn't want her sisters to be enemies. She feared she might harden her heart and disregard their sisterly bond, or she might be too soft-hearted and only care about sisterly affection. She didn't want dirty interests to taint their sisterly bond. Tears blurred Fengxian's vision as she stared blankly in the direction the car had disappeared.

The two girls in the car didn't seem too sad about parting.

While learning to sew, Xiangxiang eagerly awaited the Dragon Boat Festival. Zheng Tu no longer allowed her to help at the butcher's stall, but instead found her an apprentice. Xiangxiang was strictly forbidden from leaving the backyard and was specially taught needlework by a seamstress to prepare her dowry. However, Zheng Tu still allowed her to visit the Huo family at Shiqiao on the fifth day of the festival and watch the dragon boat races.

Xiangxiang worked happily, the clothes in her hands her father's, but her thoughts were on Gong Jianyun. A slight smile played on her lips, her heart filled with sweetness. At this moment, she was no longer the impetuous, silly girl who helped her father sell braised meat. She would no longer argue and quarrel with others over a single coin. Growing up sometimes happens in an instant, and Xiangxiang had undergone a perfect transformation. She possessed a bright radiance, a girlish shyness. She had found something to hold onto, something to yearn for. The blind ignorance of the past had faded from her eyes, replaced by the light of hope. She looked forward to the Dragon Boat Festival, hoping to perhaps meet that person, and ideally, to have a chance to exchange a few words. Even if they couldn't speak, just a glance would be enough. Xiangxiang lowered her head, her face flushed with shyness, her heart filled with that dark face, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Gong Jianyun's lips curled into a wicked smile. He had taken on the task, and no one contested it. He led the team to the Stone Bridge Dragon Boat Festival to maintain order.