Embroidered Phoenix Chronicle

Li Ma should have taken a holiday during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but she insisted on changing it to spend the festival in Xia Shiwu City, just so the whole family could have a few days of fun. Li Ma's hometown was a bit remote, so the family stayed in a side courtyard where the third son had once lived. Old Li was a kind-hearted man and felt bad about staying for free, so he brought over one of his dairy goats. Old Huo wanted to pay, but Old Li got anxious, his face turning red, "I'm not selling the goat, you can drink it first. It can produce five or six catties of milk a day, and goat milk is very nourishing. I'll take it away when it runs out of milk. My goat is good at milking, and to tell you the truth, my children often ate it when they were little, and they grew up to be fair and chubby! You should try it too, it's not bad!" In the end, Old Huo accepted Old Li's kindness, and lingered for another ingredient.

Liu Lian wasn't particularly skilled at making dairy products, but making simple ginger milk curd, milk tea, milk tofu, and milk cakes was enough to keep the two children from leaving Old Man Huo's place. The old man didn't actually experience any noticeable benefits from drinking them, but the two children and Liu Lian visibly became healthier and more radiant. Sixth Sister, seeing this, became envious, and even though she usually avoided cooking, she started learning and achieved considerable success—these things didn't require much skill, just a little care.

The yams were in season, and Liu Lian made hawthorn jam, pear jam, red bean paste, and jujube paste, making yam cakes in different varieties every day. Old Man Huo appreciated her efforts, but he couldn't eat much. The two little ones ate with great relish, admiring their aunt. The old man looked at his happy grandsons but didn't say anything. Liu Lian instructed Aunt Jiang to take the children out to eat, so as not to upset the old man.

Gradually, the old man became bedridden, and one day, he couldn't even swallow ginseng soup anymore. Liu Lian cried and futilely poured spoonful after spoonful of soup onto the old man's neck and pillow. Aunt Jiang and Aunt Li carried her away, and Liu Lian threw herself onto her bed and wailed, causing Aunt Jiang and Aunt Li to wipe away their tears as well.

The old man breathed his last silently, not wanting to cause anyone any trouble. His seven daughters wailed and cried, even though they had known for a long time that their husband was dying, they still couldn't accept the fact. The old man didn't even utter a last word before he passed away quietly, as if he didn't want to cause anyone any trouble.

The funeral was not lavish, and not even any prayers were recited—the old man felt he had lived an honest and upright life, had done nothing wrong, and didn't need to spend extra money; the funeral was kept simple. The funeral procession was long and spontaneous, with the pallbearers changing every few steps, and the deafening cries drowned out the sobs of his daughters.

Liu Lian packed her things and went to town. At first, her sixth sister wouldn't allow her eldest sister to take her away, forcefully keeping her behind. However, the next day, Master Liu personally accompanied his eldest daughter-in-law. Without much explanation, she simply repeated what the old man had told her to Xuewen. Xuewen calmed his wife, who was still crying and cursing, and helped Liu Ye'er onto the carriage. Liu Ye'er tearfully bid farewell to her sixth sister. She liked her simple-minded sixth sister; her joys and sorrows were written all over her face. Being with such a person was easy. But, unfortunately, her fate was not in her own hands. In Fengxian's courtyard, there were three small side courtyards located west of the main courtyard. Passing through the north porch, one had a south gate, one a north gate, and the second gate had no porch on the west side, but a small side gate leading directly to the north porch of the third courtyard. Liu Ye'er lived in this courtyard. These small courtyards were prepared for unmarried children. There were three small north-facing rooms, no east or west wing rooms, three south-facing porches, and a pear tree in the courtyard.

Liu Lian was generally satisfied with the courtyard—it was easy to walk directly from the second gate without having to pass by the main house window. The north-facing room wasn't very spacious, with no back room, featuring a layout of one dark and two bright rooms. The east room was the bedroom, the south side had a kang (heated brick bed), and the north side had a wardrobe. Against the east wall were a dressing table and a washbasin stand. The two outer rooms were separated by a display shelf. In the west room, a large table was placed under the south window, and a row of bookshelves lined the north side. Several embroidered stools were placed against the west wall. The middle room didn't have the usual long, rectangular table or eight-immortal table, but rather a low couch with an exquisitely crafted, gilded, carved, red lacquered kang table on top, and two light pink cushions. It was very comfortable for one person to live in.

In the south shed, there were piles of pots, pans, knives, spoons, cutting boards, bottles, and jars, which had not yet been tidied up.

"You decide how to arrange it yourself," the old lady said, gesturing with her cane towards the pile of things. "Just say what you need! I've never seen such a stubborn person as your godfather, humph! I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but... never mind, just say what you need!"

After saying that, she led the way out, saying, "Your godfather may look like a scholar, but he's actually a real man. It's a pity that good people don't live long! Just stay here in peace. If anyone dares to utter a single word of nonsense, this old woman will be the first to punish them!"

Liu Lian settled down at the Liu family's house, returning with Fengxian to pay respects at the graves every seven days. Otherwise, she stayed quietly in her room, having not had such peaceful solitude for a long time. She wanted to plan for the future but didn't know where to begin. The kitchen was well-stocked; she spent two strings of cash on some charcoal, rice, flour, oil, and salt. Her new life began. She no longer needed to painstakingly conceal her unusual dishes, nor did she need to deliberately make food unpalatable for fear of being discovered as a skilled cook! Xiu Luan often found excuses to stay for meals, and the old lady would often give her fresh vegetables and fruits in return. Fengxian didn't press her too hard about her needlework. The days passed slowly and peacefully.

That day, after visiting the graves, the two sisters were walking back as usual, chatting idly in the carriage. Ruihong, who had a day off from school, volunteered to be the coachman. Suddenly, the carriage slammed on the brakes, and the two sisters nearly tumbled out. Ruihong angrily cursed, while Liulian peeked out from behind the curtain and saw a dirty little beggar on the ground, grinning slyly, clinging to the carriage shaft. Ruihong's words were all bark and no bite; he kept threatening to whip the little beggar to pieces but hesitated to do so. Liulian felt a pang of pity, turned around, grabbed two large white steamed buns—slightly smaller than her head—and handed them, along with the bundle, to the beggar, saying gently, "Here, eat this!" The beggar hesitated for a moment, then took the bundle and ran off in a flash.

The car continued to sway and wobble forward. Fengxian asked Liu Ye'er with a smile, "You knew who she was, yet you gave her those two big steamed buns?"

"I don't know, he's just a pitiful guy, look at him..."

Fengxian interrupted her, "She specializes in stopping carriages and begging in this area. Today, seeing that it was your brother-in-law driving the carriage, she knows he's kind-hearted and soft-hearted, so she came here specifically to beg for money! If it were the driver, do you think she would dare to come up? She would have whipped him long ago! This little rascal specializes in begging in this area. She looks pitiful, but she's actually hateful!"

"Never mind, Liu Ye'er doesn't know. She's a pitiful person too, giving her two steamed buns is nothing!" Ruihong chimed in from outside the car.

"Giving us two steamed buns is nothing, but I'm afraid we won't dare to take this road again. If we want to take it, we'll have to pay a toll. This scoundrel only bullies honest people. Just you wait and see!"