Chapter 61 My sister's safety is like a wild goose flying away; separation in life is like death.
With Ye Lingbo's approval, Su Jinxiu began visiting the Feng residence frequently over the past two weeks. Each time she visited, she would bring exquisite tea snacks such as Qiongsu and Yulu cakes that she had made herself, or a few pieces of plain silk embroidery adorned with orchids and larks.
Ye Lingbo loved needlework, but her fingers were not very nimble. Su Jinxiu took the opportunity to teach her the techniques of Suzhou embroidery, such as satin stitch and wrapped stitch, carefully guiding her as she worked each stitch. Gradually, the frost on Ye Lingbo's face melted away, and her smiles became more frequent each day.
Today, in the courtyard of the mansion, a winding stream flows around a green jade tablet. Inside the pavilion, two people sit facing each other, with plain silk spread out on the table, embroidering a picture of sparrows in winter.
Su Jinxiu picked up her needle and thread, and the silver thread outlined the fluffy wings of the sparrow. Ye Lingbo followed suit and used light ink-colored silk thread to embellish the withered branches. Although the stitches were occasionally crooked, they added a touch of childlike innocence.
"Jinxiu, look, under your guidance, my stitches have improved somewhat. Speaking of which, I'm several generations older than you, so I should call you my mentor."
"Madam, you flatter me. My teaching has been successful not entirely because my students are naturally gifted and can grasp concepts immediately."
This half-serious, half-joking remark made both of them laugh.
The warm sunlight filtered through the lush branches of the crabapple blossoms, casting dappled shadows on their clothes. A faint, pleasant fragrance filled the air. From afar, they truly resembled a mother and daughter from a distinguished family. The mother, her eyes lowered, worked on her thread, her smile gentle, the sharp authority of a matriarch gone. The daughter, bright and clever, chatted and joked with her mother, her hands deftly weaving the silk threads.
A maid stood quietly by, holding a teacup, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the courtyard.
However, Butler Wu's hurried arrival was like a boulder thrown into a still lake, shattering this moment of bliss.
"Madam!" His face was grave. He took a few steps to the pavilion and knelt down, his voice filled with barely concealed anxiety, "Second Young Master... a letter has arrived from the front lines!"
Just as Su Jinxiu was about to place the embroidery needle, her fingertips trembled upon hearing this, and the needle tip pierced straight into her fingertip, without her noticing the blood seeping out.
Ye Lingbo suppressed her unease and gently comforted her, "Jinxiu, don't panic. Come on, let's go take a look. Maybe it's a letter from home bringing good news."
"well……"
The two quickly got up and hurried towards the study.
Su Jinxiu felt a chill in her heart. She wished she would never receive a letter from home, because she knew the front lines were not like Jiangzhou. Before, when he was in Jiangzhou, he could send letters whenever he missed her; short letters conveyed deep feelings, and this was commonplace. But now, with war raging for months, a letter from home was worth its weight in gold. Ordinary words of reassurance were simply not worth the manpower and resources to send from the front lines.
Therefore, this letter is most likely his obituary.
Upon arriving at the study, they found no trace of General Feng.
The two men grew increasingly uneasy. Had the general already gone to make arrangements for his funeral?
The thought popped into their heads simultaneously, but they exchanged a glance and then forcibly suppressed it. Then, Ye Lingbo's gaze fell on the desk: "Jinxiu, this letter hasn't been opened yet. The General must not have returned. Let's take a look."
Su Jinxiu clenched her fists, forcing down her rapid breathing, and watched as Ye Lingbo unfolded the plain paper and eagerly looked at it. But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate, the few lines of writing were as blurry as if they were seen through a thin mist.
Fortunately, Ye Lingbo managed to keep her composure and read it aloud softly:
My injuries are healed; please don't worry, parents. Auspicious times bring forth heroes; I will return victorious.
Greetings to my elder sister.
Siyuan.
With the letter from home finished, Su Jinxiu breathed a sigh of relief, like a drowning person surfacing after breaking free from a raging torrent. The pent-up fear in her heart instantly burst forth, turning into hot tears that streamed down her face.
Ye Lingbo quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears: "You silly child, I told you long ago that Siyuan was a lucky person, and that this was bound to be good news!"
"What are you two doing here, mother and daughter, sharing your joys and sorrows?" Feng Yanting's voice came from the doorway, carrying a hint of cheerfulness.
Su Jinxiu hurriedly stood up to curtsy, but Ye Lingbo grabbed her arm and scolded, "We're all family, why be so formal?"
Su Jinxiu was taken aback, a warm feeling welling up in her heart, as if she had truly become a part of this family. She smiled and didn't insist any further.
Feng Yanting nodded in agreement: "Yes, from now on we are all family, why bother with such formalities? Look how flustered you all are, but I wasn't worried at all when I saw the letter from home. Siyuan is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and this trip is an opportunity for him to earn fame and establish his career. You don't need to worry so much. When I was his age, I had already been on the battlefield many times, as you know, Lingbo."
"That's true." Ye Lingbo nodded in agreement, then, with a hint of reproach, brought up old grievances, "You said back then that you would come back and marry me if you won, but you never kept your promise. You didn't return until you had won three matches. By then, I had already stepped into other people's bridal sedan chairs!"
Feng Yanting's stern expression softened slightly, revealing a hint of embarrassment. He coughed lightly and retorted, "Wasn't it because the Emperor sent another messenger to deliver an edict back then, adding two more battles? Besides, didn't I eventually intercept you from the bridal sedan chair? You're so persistent, still holding a grudge about this to this day."
Su Jinxiu stood to the side, watching the two bickering, their affection nurtured by the years. She felt that the couple's love was as strong and harmonious as ever, and she couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips.
Feng Yanting turned to look at her, his gaze gentle: "Jinxiu, look, why worry so much?"
Su Jinxiu nodded repeatedly: "Father is right."
Upon hearing the word "father," Feng Yanting was taken aback. In the past, Su Jinxiu always addressed him as "General" or "Madam," so this sudden change in address caught him somewhat off guard.
But then he thought about it again. Over the past few days, he and Lingbo had treated her like their own daughter. With her intelligence and grace, she must have already felt this warmth. Today, she couldn't help but blurt it out.
Feng Yanting realized what was happening and immediately burst into laughter: "Good! Good! We'll set a table for Siyuan's good news at noon!"
As the laughter subsided, he gazed at Su Jinxiu's beautiful features and was suddenly overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
Lingbo was physically weak and had difficulty conceiving. The couple exhausted all their efforts but only managed to save their one legitimate son, Zhidu. Their second son died young, and their unborn daughter also died in the womb. For this, the two of them were depressed for three whole years.
Now, it seems as if heaven is compensating them, not only has Siyuan distinguished himself outside, but he also has a thoughtful child like Jinxiu by his side. Next month, the eldest son, Zhidu, will also return from his posting. In an instant, Feng Yanting felt that all he had ever wanted in this life was this perfect.
After the meal, Su Jinxiu helped Ye Lingbo with some household chores, and as night fell, she stayed in the bedroom of Heliting.
The bed was spacious and soft, with silk quilts as fluffy as clouds. After her afternoon nap last time, she couldn't forget the comfort of it. She had a feeling that she had never had such a pleasant place to sleep.
However, when she stayed here a few days ago, she kept tossing and turning and couldn't fall asleep.
At this moment, Su Jinxiu, dressed in a plain blue nightgown, her long, black hair cascading down like a waterfall, leaned against a soft pillow. Bathed in the soft moonlight streaming through the window, her beautiful eyes sparkled as she carefully examined the letter from home, reading it word by word.
Her gaze lingered on the four words "Greetings to my elder sister" several times before she carefully placed them under her pillow.
By a twist of fate, she became his older sister.
But this is for the best; it's better than being complete strangers.
Thinking about it this way, I found myself falling asleep much faster and more soundly than I had in the past few days.
The moonlight poured down like a ribbon, making the girl's figure on the bed appear even smaller. She clutched a plain-colored men's nightgown tightly, her breathing becoming long and steady.
Since that letter from home, the embroiderers of Huayun Pavilion have noticed that the pavilion master's complexion has improved day by day. The smiles in her eyes and brows have become more genuine, and she has shown a more cheerful demeanor that is rarely seen before.
That day, the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" painting, which was hastily made for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, was finally completed. Taking advantage of the warm afternoon sun, Su Jinxiu stretched gently and turned to the embroiderers in the pavilion, smiling, "Sisters, we've taken a break from work today. Let's go to Fanlou for a drink."
Linlang immediately joked with the group of embroiderers, "Let's all go! The head of the household is really going all out today!"
Upon hearing this, Su Jinxiu retorted, "Look at what you're saying! Have I ever treated you badly in the past?"
As they chatted and laughed, the two arrived at Xiuxinlou, which was located across the street from Huayunge. This building was acquired by Su Jinxiu and was specifically used to establish an embroidery school.
Most of the students who came here to study were daughters from poor families who were on the verge of being sold or orphans who had nowhere to go.
The two climbed the stairs to the second floor. The window curtains fluttered slightly, and various embroidered samples were displayed inside the room, several of which were by Su Jinxiu.
Today's instructor was Manshu. She sat upright in the center, with the girls sitting around her, each holding embroidery cloth and needles, practicing the needlework techniques she demonstrated. Whenever they had questions, Manshu patiently answered them, occasionally telling an interesting anecdote, which filled the room with laughter.
Most of the girls in the pavilion live on the third floor. Now, they are no longer the disheveled, weak, and emaciated girls they were when they first arrived. Their complexions have improved, and confidence and radiance have appeared in their eyes. The youngest among them is only three or four years old. She is an orphan girl who was abandoned along the way. She is not yet able to learn embroidery, but only runs around and plays, passing silk threads to her older sisters.
Su Jinxiu looked out the window one by one, feeling very gratified. She felt that although she had not reached the level of helping everyone in the world, she had done something within her power.
Linlang followed her gaze and pointed to a girl who was concentrating on embroidery, saying with a smile, "Look at Ah Chun, when she first came, she couldn't even hold a needle properly, but now her needlework is quite skillful."
Su Jinxiu nodded: "They are all promising talents. By the way, speaking of which, how about you come with me to the north of the city another day?"
Linlang asked curiously, "North of the city? What are you going there for?"
“I’ve heard that some merchants over there have introduced new looms, which can replace manual labor with machines, making the work twice as efficient,” Su Jinxiu pondered. “Perhaps we could go and observe them, and see if these new technologies can be integrated with our hand embroidery…”
Linlang immediately replied, "Okay, I'm free tomorrow, I can leave anytime."
Su Jinxiu was about to agree, but she suddenly stopped herself from speaking: "Oh dear, tomorrow won't work. I have to go to the palace tomorrow."
Linlang's eyes lit up: "Entering the palace? Jinxiu, you've really become quite something!"
“It’s not what you think.” Su Jinxiu quickly waved her hand. “The ‘Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix’ embroidery for the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet is finished. Tomorrow I have to go to the palace with Sister Yunyu to present it to her.”
Author's Note: Well, it's probably just the calm before the storm. Things are starting to get complicated once I enter the palace. [cat paw emoji]
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