Chapter 7 Gazing into the White Deer Cave, a look of unspoken thoughts lingers...
When Su Jinxiu pushed open the wooden door of the courtyard, she heard Wen Shiqin chopping firewood with an axe.
The boy had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, a straight back, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. His chopping of wood was swift and steady, and even his breathing carried a unique vigor.
He chopped the firewood diligently, unaware that Su Jinxiu had entered. After finishing, he gathered the firewood and headed to the kitchen. The stove quickly caught fire, and the orange light illuminated his profile as he squatted to add firewood, shining like a spectator on the wall.
"Aqin." Su Jinxiu approached and spoke while holding onto the edge of the stove.
"Hmm?" Wen Shiqin looked up in response, his eyes still showing the focus he had when he was working.
"Do you want to study at Bailudong Academy?" Su Jinxiu looked down at him and asked softly, "You are good at both literature and science, passing the entrance exam should be a piece of cake for you."
If we don't let him go, if we don't let him enter officialdom, will he always remain as he is now, purely gentle and honest?
Before he could answer, Su Jinxiu lowered her voice again, tentatively saying, "It's just that my family... might not be able to afford it."
Wen Shiqin's hand, which was adding firewood, suddenly stopped. Sparks flew onto the back of his hand, leaving several red marks, but he didn't even notice.
The firelight from the stove cast dappled shadows on his face, making his high, straight nose appear even more defined in profile. His usually bright eyes now seemed veiled in a layer of gray mist, their light dimmed.
"Yes, I know."
The schoolteacher said a few days ago that the academy's land rent had been embezzled by officials and gentry, and that the students would be dismissed next month. Knowing the family's difficulties, he didn't mention it to his older sister.
“It’s fine if I don’t go.” He suddenly looked up and smiled at Su Jinxiu, revealing a youthful clarity. “I’ll talk to the martial arts instructor and ask him to let me stay there. He’ll provide food and lodging and I can learn kung fu.”
Su Jinxiu hadn't expected him to accept it so openly, and he even started making plans, like going to the martial arts arena to work hard, which was better than studying and becoming an official.
Wen Shiqin added another piece of firewood to the stove, the firelight reflecting his smiling face: "From now on, I will go out to earn money through manual labor, and my sister will stay at home to do embroidery. We will stay together like this for the rest of our lives, and live peacefully."
The words "to be together for a lifetime" sounded a little strange to Su Jinxiu, but she still softly replied, "Okay."
Before she could think it through, Wen Shiqin suddenly stood up. Su Jinxiu was startled and instinctively took a half step back.
After hearing her say "okay," he was like a little animal that had been fed honey, his eyes shining brightly. Ignoring the ash still on his hands, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly and gently rubbing his chin against the top of her head, his laughter almost overflowing.
"Sister keeps her word."
Su Jinxiu's hair was ruffled by his touch, and her nose touched his firm chest, causing a slight tickling sensation. She raised her hand to push him away, but he grabbed her wrist and pressed it against his heart.
Even through the coarse cloth, you could clearly feel his heart pounding like a drum.
Each sound was more urgent and louder than the last.
"Instructor Xiao from the martial arts school said I have the makings of a martial artist, and that I learned Taizu Changquan quickly, so no one can bully me in the future."
In fact, having stayed here for a long time, apart from the time He Shi made things difficult for him, he had never experienced being bullied. However, there always seemed to be a hurdle in his heart, like holding a stone that could not be erased, repeatedly rubbing it and mentioning it.
"Once I've mastered the skills, I'll go and escort goods for a security escort agency. One escort mission will be enough for us to live on for a month."
Wen Shiqin then spoke of his aspirations and plans for the future, his eyes shining brighter than the stove fire, his words full of hope.
Su Jinxiu listened quietly in his arms, and inexplicably didn't push him away again.
The fire in the stove gradually died down, and he gradually calmed down, only patting her back gently, like soothing a baby, his voice as low as a sigh.
"Sister, let's stay like this forever, okay?"
Su Jinxiu suddenly felt him trembling, the trembling hidden in the crook of his arm, so subtle it was heartbreaking.
The stove was still warm, so it couldn't be cold. Was he afraid? What was he afraid of?
He readily agreed to her test, but a strange sense of guilt lingered in her heart.
It wasn't that she couldn't afford it; she had already figured out the ways of things at Huayun Pavilion, and if she gritted her teeth and worked harder, she might be able to scrape together the expenses for his studies. But because of her own prejudice, because of a few words in a book, she cut off his path to education.
Isn't that too selfish and shameful?
Unable to sleep at night because of this thought, Su Jinxiu waited for him to finish class by leaning against the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley the next day, wanting to discuss it with him again.
Before long, Wen Shiqin came over, his eyebrows and eyes adorned with a light smile, and his steps were more hurried than usual, clearly indicating that he was carrying good news.
He looked up and saw his older sister standing under the old locust tree at the alley entrance, wearing a light lilac soft gauze dress, with a few clusters of pale white irises embroidered on the hem, which rippled in the wind.
She didn't style her hair into an elaborate updo, but simply braided her long hair into a loose side braid that hung over her shoulder, with a light purple beaded flower that he had found a few days earlier pinned in her hair.
Sunlight filters through layers of locust leaves, casting dappled patterns that fall upon the gentle features of the beautiful woman.
Wen Shiqin's heart softened, and he quickly quickened his pace to meet him.
Su Jinxiu went up to him and brushed the fallen locust catkins off his shoulders, asking with a smile, "Why are you so cheerful today? Did your teacher praise your studies?"
The moment her fingertips touched Wen Shiqin's shoulder, he flinched away, his body tensing for a moment. But the slight pain was quickly masked, and a sly smile curled at the corner of his lips, adding to his lively and handsome appearance.
"Sister, just guess." He deliberately lowered his voice, his tone filled with excitement. "I can't tell you right now, but I'll give you a surprise in a few days."
Seeing his childish behavior, Su Jinxiu didn't press him further. Just as she was about to start talking about studying again, she suddenly heard the tinkling of jade pendants beside her. Two young women in embroidered skirts walked by, chattering, each holding a delicate, light red necklace.
Su Jinxiu took a closer look and realized that the pattern and pendant of the necklace were the same design she had rushed to make at Huayun Pavilion a few days ago. An Chisu had said she wanted to prepare a few more, so she embroidered five or six overnight and sent them over.
The girl in the pink dress exclaimed in surprise, "Is that the same necklace that Miss Yusheng wore on the pipa strings when she went on stage the other day?"
Another woman in a green dress nodded eagerly, with a hint of pride: "That's right! Huayun Pavilion sold out long ago, and I only managed to reserve this one by asking the shopkeeper."
Su Jinxiu was puzzled and looked up to ask Wen Shiqin, "Who is Yusheng?"
Wen Shiqin pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "The top courtesan of Zuichunfang." He paused, then added, "That brothel and theater by the Bian River."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Jinxiu's eyes lit up instantly, a light smile appeared on her lips, and her mind started calculating rapidly.
After calculating her business acumen, she suddenly narrowed her eyes and glared at Wen Shiqin, saying, "How do you know she's the top courtesan at Zuichunfang? Do you go there often?"
When Wen Shiqin was asked this question, he almost dropped the book in his hand. He hurriedly waved his hands and explained, "I haven't been there! I only heard a classmate mention it a few times!"
Su Jinxiu suddenly wanted to tease him, so she remained silent and pretended to be half-believing and half-doubting as she continued to examine him.
"Really! Sister, you have to believe me! I..."
Seeing the boy's anxious and incoherent speech, with beads of sweat on his forehead, Su Jinxiu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Look how anxious you are. I didn't say I didn't believe you."
When asked about Bailudong again, he only changed the subject, and Su Jinxiu couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
Before she knew it, Su Jinxiu had spent another week embroidering at Huayun Pavilion, her days uneventful and peaceful.
Knowing that Ah-Qin was still growing, she would bring something home every day. Sometimes it was braised pork ribs glistening with oil, sometimes it was a bag of eggs, and occasionally she would buy a couple if she came across a vendor selling flower cakes or milk syrup. Wen Shi-Qin, however, always said that his older sister was shorter than him and that she should fill in the gaps. After a few rounds of shoving, most of the good stuff ended up in Su Jin-Xiu's bowl.
This afternoon, An Chisu was picking out mother-of-pearl inlays in front of her dressing case when she saw Su Jinxiu come to deliver handkerchiefs. She pointed to the box on the table and said, "Jinxiu, I can't leave here. Could you go and deliver these embroidered items to Miss Yusheng at Zuichunfang for me?"
Zui Chun Fang, as Aqin described, was the most bustling brothel on the Bian River. The girls inside were skilled at playing the pipa and their songs could be sung so beautifully that they could circle the beams three times.
She had been incredibly curious ever since he mentioned it last time, and now she finally had a chance to ask.
Leaving Huayun Pavilion, the sun was warm. Walking southeast along the Bian River to Zuichunfang, before even getting close, one could smell the fragrant breeze. Faintly, the sounds of string and wind instruments drifted in the wind, the pipa tinkling like pearls falling on a jade plate, interspersed with a few soft and sweet singing voices.
The neighborhood was filled with young men in fine clothes or scholars and poets waving folding fans. At the entrance stood several maids with double buns and smiling eyes, who would greet people with soft words and sweet voices as melodious as nightingales.
As soon as Su Jinxiu stepped into Zuichunfang, she was stopped by a pimp in a short-sleeved shirt and a belted waist. The pimp looked her up and down at the gilded box in her hand, raising an eyebrow with a hint of wariness: "Which household are you from, young lady? Do you have any regular customers to introduce you to?"
"I'm not here for fun." Su Jinxiu quickly bowed slightly. "It's Mr. An from Huayun Pavilion who asked me to deliver embroidery to Miss Yusheng."
After hearing this, the pimp turned around and called out loudly, "Xiao Cui!"
Before long, a maid in a light green dress came quickly over and, following the instructions of the pimp, led her into the courtyard. Just as they reached the moon gate leading to the back courtyard, a commotion suddenly arose in front of them, sounding as if some drunkards were causing trouble.
Xiao Cui frowned and pointed diagonally ahead: "Please go by yourself, Miss. Yu Sheng Lou is just ahead." After saying that, she hurriedly ran away.
Su Jinxiu made her way to Yusheng Tower. Before she could even knock on the door, a scolding voice came from inside: "What kind of nonsense is this? Are you deliberately trying to annoy me by leaving me clothes that don't fit? That girl Ningzhu is so arrogant, she even dares to steal my clothes!"
Then came the maid's soft, persuasive voice: "Miss, please calm down. You know that Ningzhu has recently been hanging around the son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. He's from an official family and is currently very influential in Zuichunfang. Naturally, she gets to choose the things they buy first..."
The coquettish voice hadn't subsided when she added hatefully, "She only deserves to be smug for a few days!" She seemed to take a deep breath, "Bring me that light red silk dress!"
Su Jinxiu's heart tightened, knowing she had offended the person, but she still had to do her job, so she could only raise her hand and gently knock on the door.
"who?!"
The door was opened by Yu Sheng herself. Although she looked annoyed, her face was still radiant and her charm was irresistible. No wonder she was the top courtesan in this Drunken Spring Brothel.
"Is this Miss Yusheng? Boss An from Huayun Pavilion sent me to deliver the embroidery."
Yu Sheng's anger subsided somewhat, and she stepped aside to let her in: "So you're Sister An's person, please come in."
Su Jinxiu followed her inside and saw that the room was decorated with brocade curtains and elegant furnishings, a blend of refined and common styles. Several sets of clothes were displayed by the window, all held up by maids on hangers. Judging from the necklines and waistlines, they were indeed wider than Yusheng's.
Yu Sheng paced around the room with her hands on her hips, not forgetting to instruct her maid, "Serve this young lady tea." Just as her foot moved to the table, the hem of her skirt got caught on the corner of the table and tore open with a "rip."
"Oh! Miss!" the maid exclaimed.
Yu Sheng looked down and saw that it was the last straw that broke the camel's back. She plopped down on the felt and wiped away her tears: "I love this light red one! But it doesn't fit, and it's torn... Waaah..."
Seeing this, Su Jinxiu quickly stood up and said, "Miss, don't worry. I have a sewing pouch with me at my waist. If you trust me, I can embroider a few stitches for you."
Yu Sheng wiped away her tears, looked up, and sobbed, "You are Sister An's person, so of course I trust you."
Su Jinxiu calmly squatted down, pinched the same color light red silk thread between her fingertips, hid the stitches in the lining of the fabric, and lightly stitched on the reverse side. After the repair was completed, it looked as smooth as new from the front, without any seams.
After she stood up, Yu Sheng touched the hem of her skirt and found it so smooth that it looked as if it had never been torn. She exclaimed in surprise, "Sister, you are truly a master craftsman."
Su Jinxiu put away her needlework and said softly, "Would you mind getting up and turning around for a bit, Miss?"
Although puzzled, Yu Sheng still did as she was told and twirled half a circle. Her light red skirt swept across the ground, creating a gentle breeze: "What is this, sister?"
"When will you need this outfit, young lady?" Su Jinxiu's gaze fell on her waist, which was indeed a bit loose.
"You'll need to wear this when you perform at Mingyu Courtyard tomorrow night." As soon as Yu Sheng finished speaking, Su Jinxiu nodded and said, "There's still enough time."
"Shall I help you adjust your waistline and add some decorations?" Su Jinxiu pointed to several embroidered robes and beaded tassels displayed next to the antique shelf.
Yu Sheng nodded vigorously.
Su Jinxiu then took a pair of scissors and cut off half an inch of the excess silk at her waist. She then carefully finished the edge with overlock embroidery, the stitches as dense as silkworm silk. The garment immediately clung to her body, making Yusheng's waist appear slender.
She then took two feet of silver-red ribbon from beside her dressing case and tied it diagonally in front of her chest. The ends of the ribbon were embroidered with a few rice beads with gold powder thread, making it even more exquisite.
Finally, she took a gilded light gauze shawl, draped it diagonally over Yu Sheng's shoulder, and tied the corner of the shawl through the ribbon at her waist, adding a touch of ethereal charm.
Finally, Yu Sheng moved to the mirror and was stunned by what she saw. The clothes that had been loose and shapeless just now looked as if they had been tailor-made. The pearl belt at the waist and the embroidery on the lapel were all perfectly fitted, and they were all styles that she had never seen in the capital.
This combination made her eyes appear even softer and her complexion even more radiant, adding a touch of charm while subtly exuding an air of nobility. Even the attire of noble ladies in the palace might not be as exquisite and fitting as this.
"Sister, you're so beautiful, and your cooking is so good too!" Yu Sheng smiled, her fox-like eyes curving into crescents. The maid beside her also chimed in, "Miss, you'll definitely outshine Ning Zhu tomorrow night with this outfit!"
Su Jinxiu brushed her fingertips across the silver beads on her lapel and said softly, "If there were some embroidery patterns on this fabric, such as a continuous scene of roses or small clusters of camellias, it would accentuate your figure and make you stand out even more."
She pointed to the loose-fitting clothes on the rack and said, "These clothes are all made of the finest silks and satins. If you trust me, I'll take them back and alter them to your exact measurements."
Yu Sheng's eyes lit up. She had never thought that matching outfits was so particular. Looking at Su Jinxiu's eyes now, which were full of trust, she quickly replied, "I believe you! Of course I believe you!" With that, she turned around and ran to the dressing table. She took two silver ingots from the mother-of-pearl inlaid makeup box as a reward, and then had the maid pack the clothes into a bundle and personally handed them to her.
As Su Jinxiu was about to leave with her bundle on her back, Yu Sheng saw her off a couple of steps and said, "Sister, just send someone to let us know when you've finished making the changes. I'll go get it myself!"
Su Jinxiu helped alter the clothes not only for the money, but also for a bigger plan.
She was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't notice a pair of familiar eyes fixed on her under the eaves of a teahouse not far away. The eyes were deep and thoughtful, and she couldn't tell what they were thinking.
A note from the author:
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