In the end, Li Xiudian was reluctant to abandon Meng Si, so he sent her to the small courtyard that Meng Zhong temporarily rented in the capital, and promised his father that he would never have any contact with the other party again. He knocked on the door with trembling hands. When he heard footsteps from inside, he immediately climbed into the carriage and left quickly, not daring to meet Meng Zhong.
Meng Si looked at the carriage going away, tears streaming down her face. She wanted to cry loudly, but her voice had become hoarse from the torture in the palace, and she was afraid that she would vomit blood if she opened her mouth.
"Sisi, how did you become like this? Who did this to you?" Meng Zhong's eyes were red with anger when he saw his sister's miserable condition.
"Brother..." Meng Si barely uttered a word and then collapsed.
"Go find a doctor quickly!" Meng Zhong hurried home holding his sister.
The doctor was almost carried into the courtyard by the servants of the Meng family. After a careful diagnosis, he said, "Ms. Meng's ten fingers are all broken. Even if they are reattached, it will be difficult to restore their previous flexibility. There is nothing wrong with her throat. She just needs to drink a dose of medicine to moisten her throat."
Meng Zhong quickly ordered someone to boil the medicine and fed it to his sister himself.
Meng Si felt a little better and immediately asked, "Doctor, can I still embroider?"
Meng Zhong's face suddenly changed, as if he had never expected this.
"Embroidery? That's definitely not possible. It's too delicate and too heavy a job. Girl, please don't do it to avoid secondary injuries." The doctor instructed seriously while packing up the medicine box.
"Is it still not possible after the bones have grown back?" Meng Si asked persistently.
"You not only injured your bones, but also your meridians. Even if your bones are healed, your meridians are not healed well, so your flexibility will naturally be greatly reduced. I see that your family is well-off, and you have maids and servants to take care of you every day. You should not need to work to earn money, so it should be fine."
The doctor had been gone for a long time before Meng Si finally broke free from his deep despair. She looked at her unconscious hands and murmured, "Brother, I was wrong, I was really wrong! If I had been able to frankly admit my failures in the several battles with Lin Dan, I wouldn't have been so resentful; if I hadn't been resentful, I wouldn't have accepted Li Xiudian's proposal and come to the capital with him to embroider a dress; if I hadn't embroidered a dress, I wouldn't have lost to Lin Dan again, and then angered the Empress Dowager Cixi and had her crippled my hands. Brother, if I had been able to openly admit that Lin Dan was better than me at the selection meeting, and then stayed at home peacefully to study embroidery skills, even if I could never surpass her in my life, I would have achieved something in the end. I'm just not as good as her, but I also have my own strengths. I was blinded by my inner demons, so I made mistakes one after another. Brother, I can't blame anyone for what I've become today, I can only blame myself."
She lowered her head and choked up, "When you and Li Xiudian were discussing about crippling Lin Dan's hands, I was actually hiding outside the door and eavesdropping, but I not only didn't stop them, I quietly left. At the time, I thought: If Lin Dan lost her hands, it would be such a good thing for me! I no longer have to worry about being surpassed by her, and I no longer have to worry about being looked down upon by others. But look, who was the one who ended up having his hands crippled? Lin Dan never used sinister and vicious means to deal with me, but I had such a dark thought. It is said that God sees what you do, brother, this is retribution for me! God is punishing me!"
At this point, Meng Si couldn't even cry anymore.
Only then did Meng Zhong find out that his sister's hands were broken by the Empress Dowager Cixi. Who could he seek revenge on? He used all means to make his sister famous, even pushing her to the level of a royal embroiderer, but in the end it ruined her life. It was such a cruel thing for her that she could no longer embroider without her hands.
Not until this moment did Meng Zhong shed tears of regret. He had already avenged his father's death long ago, so how Lin Dan would revive the family business was none of his business. If he had let her go and let himself go, nothing would have happened now. But he seemed to be possessed by a devil and devoted his whole body and soul to suppressing Lin Dan.
Embroidering formal clothes for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor is indeed an honorable job, but not everyone can do it. Without top-notch strength and extraordinary embroidery skills, going there would be a death wish. But he knew his sister couldn't afford it, but he still sent her there. How could he be so brave? What on earth was he thinking at that time?
Meng Zhong pulled his hair hard, feeling extremely regretful.
…………
Half a month later, the Lin family had moved to the capital, and a new Danyan Embroidery Shop opened on the most prosperous street in Kyoto. When they heard that the boss behind this embroidery shop was Lin Xiu Niang, who embroidered the phoenix robe for Empress Dowager Du, dignitaries in the capital flocked to the shop and vied to place orders.
They were fortunate enough to attend the young emperor's coronation ceremony. Even though many days had passed, they still remembered vividly the phoenix robe worn by Empress Dowager Du. After the ceremony, there were even rumors that the phoenix robe was actually made of phoenix feathers and was an immortal robe, extraordinary and extraordinary. Empress Dowager Du was the reincarnation of a divine bird, who came to the mortal world to gain experience. Otherwise, how could the scar on her forehead turn into a red spider lily?
The phoenix rises from the ashes and is reborn from the ashes. Empress Dowager Du's experiences completely coincided with the fate of the divine bird. Is this also a coincidence?
The rumors became more and more mysterious. Even those who did not believe in ghosts and gods could not help but feel a sense of awe towards Empress Dowager Du, let alone those who believed in fatalism? The prestige of Empress Dowager Du grew day by day, while the Empress Dowager Cixi was slowly forgotten under her subtle suppression.
Half a month later, Du Rushong was also transferred to the capital and promoted to deputy commander of the infantry. It can be said that he rose to the top in one step. When Marquis Anding, who was idle at home, learned that the brother and sister were going to Beijing, he sent people to wait at the city gate every day, for fear of missing them.
No one expected that Empress Dowager Du would regain favor, let alone that she would be able to rule the country from behind the scenes and hold real power. Therefore, Marquis Anding, who indirectly forced Empress Dowager Du's biological sister to death, became the target of suppression by everyone. Empress Dowager Du's family had publicly severed ties with her when she was demoted. It was now impossible to mend the wounds and reconcile.
On the contrary, Du Rushong and Du Ruyan always stayed by their aunt's side. They never tried to please her because of her glory, nor did they turn away because of her downfall. They even voluntarily abandoned their noble status and were exiled to Lin'an Prefecture with their aunt to suffer hardship.
How could Empress Dowager Du not repay this deep affection and friendship? Before Du Ruyan arrived in Beijing, she had already been canonized as Princess Ruiyang, and Du Rushong was also promoted rapidly. Those who once bullied and trampled on them now avoid them when they see them.
However, these things were too far away from ordinary people, so Lin Dan just listened to them and didn't pay too much attention to them. She hadn't seen the Du brothers and sisters for half a month. She thought that from now on, they would drift away from her and eventually become strangers.
"Dandan, someone has bought the mansion next door. I heard that they spent eight hundred taels of silver." That day, Zhang Huixing hurried into the embroidery room and said, "The capital city is indeed a good place where the rich and powerful gather. Such a big mansion was bought on the spur of the moment, and they are also planning to expand it! Alas, I don't know what happened to Master Du and Yan'er. I think Master Du wanted to marry you at the beginning. Fortunately, I didn't agree, otherwise he would have been broken off now. He is a cloud in the sky, and we are soil on the ground. We are not a match at all."
"Who said they don't match? I think they are a perfect match!" Du Ruyan walked in holding a brocade box, with a bright smile on her face: "Dandan and my brother are a perfect match made in heaven, Aunt Hui, please don't say anything nonsense!"
"Oh, Her Royal Highness the Princess is here. How should I, a humble woman, greet you?" Zhang Hui stood there in circles, completely unsure of how to respond. The most distinguished person she had ever received was the admiral's wife. How could she have ever seen Her Royal Highness the Princess?
"Aunt Hui, please don't bow, you're embarrassing me!" Du Ruyan was even more panicked than her. She quickly put down the brocade box and went to support her.
"Aunt Hui, if you agree to my proposal, you will be my mother-in-law. How can a mother-in-law bow to her son-in-law?" Du Rushong stood at the door with a nervous expression. He glanced at Lin Dan, then lowered his head with a red face.
Zhang Hui was stunned and blurted out, "That won't do. My daughter Tan'er wants to marry a live-in man."
Du Rushong immediately raised his head and said, "I can be a door-to-door servant."
"You? You are a nobleman now, how can you be my son-in-law? No, no, absolutely not!"
"Sure, sure! My brother and I have been homeless for a long time. My brother will marry into the Lin family, and I can find a live-in man. Isn't that the best of both worlds? Dandan, my brother has bought the house next door. Can we live with you in the future? My brother and I didn't eat or sleep well for half a month without you. We had a miserable life! You are our backbone, you must not abandon us!" Du Ruyan hugged Lin Dan and shook her, her tone very coquettish.
Lin Dan put down the embroidery needle, looking somewhat helpless.
Du Rushong sat down in front of her and said seriously, "Dan'er, I know you best. Once I enter your house, I will never restrict you. You can do whatever you want. You are completely free. Besides, I can earn money to support the family, build connections, and solve problems. As long as I am here, you can walk around the capital. If you don't choose me as your husband, but someone else, can you imagine what kind of life you will live in the future? You have to get along with him again, and you have to adapt to the existence of a stranger again. Can you endure it?"
He knew that Lin Dan did not love him. But it doesn't matter, as long as she stays by his side it's the best arrangement. Even without love, she was still warm, making him want to get closer to her and even possess her.
Lin Dan tilted her head to look at him, scratched her scalp with an embroidery needle, and finally nodded and said, "Okay, let's get married." If she had to get married, after thinking about it, Du Rushong seemed to be the only and best choice.
"Thank you, Dan'er, thank you." Du Rushong breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to hug his sweetheart in his arms, but was pulled away by his mother-in-law in time. He smiled foolishly for a while, and then went back to prepare his "dowry" at his sister's urging.
Du Ruyan hugged Lin Dan like a little monkey, laughing and jumping, and looked happier than the groom himself. Zhang Hui and the two concubines were infected by her and began to laugh quietly with their hands covering their mouths. She never expected that her daughter Tan'er not only managed to build up the Lin's embroidery shop, but also married a young man from a noble family. This brought great honor to the ancestors of the Lin family!
…………
After Meng Si's hands were crippled, Meng Zhong stayed in the capital to treat her injuries and never returned to Lin'an Prefecture. The Meng's Embroidery Shop was without a leader, and the news that Meng Si had offended the Empress Dowager Cixi and had his hands broken gradually spread, causing the embroidery shop's reputation to plummet.
Meng Zhong went to see Li Xiudian many times, hoping for help from the Li family. Li Xiudian agreed to his request in person, but turned around and married a noble lady, which almost made Meng Zhong angry to death. He didn't dare tell his sister the news, for he was afraid that she would find out sooner or later while staying in Beijing, so he had no choice but to take her home.
Perhaps Meng Si had some kind of feeling, and from then on he never asked about Li Xiudian again. She never married. After Meng's Embroidery Shop went bankrupt due to poor management, she made a living by teaching embroidery skills and collecting fees. Lin Dan's Danyan Embroidery Shop is growing bigger and bigger, and has branches all over the country. With her promotion, weaving and embroidering have become a very popular profession, which has really supported a large number of women.
A few years later, Empress Dowager Cixi, Li Min, committed adultery with one of the four regents. She was caught in the act and sent to a temple for asceticism. When the emperor came of age, some people claimed that the emperor was not of true dragon blood, but a bastard born from the adultery between Li Min and the regent, and should be abolished immediately. They also produced a thick stack of letters as evidence.
Faced with overwhelming evidence, the ambitious young emperor was soon deposed. Subsequently, the first female emperor in the history of the Great Zhou Kingdom ascended the throne, changed the country's name to "Jin", and issued a general amnesty. The once prominent Li family collapsed, and members of the Li family were either beheaded or exiled. Li Xiudian was very close to the emperor and participated in the conspiracy to overthrow Empress Dowager Du, so he was sentenced to death by slow slicing.
When the news reached Lin'an Prefecture, Meng Si stared blankly at the sky and murmured, "It shouldn't be like this. How could Li Xiudian die? I dreamed that he was in a high position, I dreamed that I was granted an imperial decree, I dreamed that we were happily married and lived in love for the rest of our lives. Things shouldn't have been like this..."
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