The brocade competition was held in a spacious two-story corner building. The main hall consisted of seven north-facing rooms, with corridors connecting the east and west wings. The south side had a reversed-seat arrangement marking the main entrance. The four sides enclosed a vast courtyard paved with blue flagstones. Today, a high platform had been erected in the center of the courtyard, level with the second-floor gallery.
When Ji Yingying and her brother reached the entrance, they were surprised to find not city guards but armored soldiers on duty. The Yizhou Brocade Guild’s competition was a civilian event. Out of respect and fairness, they always invited the Prefecture Governor to help judge. Usually, city guards maintained order.
“I heard the Military Commissioner himself is coming as chief judge this year. Deputy Commander Niu is leading troops to protect his safety,” Ling’er whispered the news to her masters.
The Jiannan Circuit was divided into Western Sichuan and Eastern Sichuan. The Western Sichuan Military Commissioner’s office was located in Yizhou Prefecture’s capital – the direct superior of the Yizhou Prefecture Governor. With the Military Commissioner as chief judge, the Governor could only nod in agreement.
When Ji Yaoting and Ji Yingying heard these troops were personally led by Deputy Commander Niu, they exchanged glances. Ji Yaoting looked worriedly at his sister: “Did you clear things up with Second Young Master Zhao?”
Ji Yingying remembered Zhao Xiuyuan’s angry departure and felt inexplicably bitter: “I said everything I needed to say.”
“What does that mean?” Ji Yaoting sensed something unspoken in his sister’s words, “Don’t tell me Second Young Master Zhao accused you of being unfaithful?”
Ji Yingying instinctively defended Zhao Xiuyuan: “He was heartbroken. Seeing me so calm, he couldn’t take it for a moment.”
“What, would he only be happy if he saw you seeking death over him?” Ji Yaoting sneered.
Deputy Commander Niu had invited the Military Commissioner as chief judge for this marriage alliance. Second Young Master Zhao’s engagement to the Niu family’s daughter was set in stone. You’re engaged to another family’s daughter, yet you complain my sister is too cold? Remembering his sister’s reaction when she first learned of this, Ji Yaoting grew increasingly dissatisfied with Zhao Xiuyuan.
He thought it would be better to arrange his sister’s marriage soon. Ji Yaoting inexplicably thought of Yang Jingyuan. As an outsider, he felt Yang Jingyuan’s enthusiasm toward his sister exceeded mere acquaintance.
However, the Yang family was even wealthier than the Zhao family. Thinking of this, Ji Yaoting immediately dismissed the idea. He began considering whether his sister might accept marrying Sheng Dalang.
“If there’s blame, it’s the Zhao family’s obsession with the Brocade Prince title. Who made Second Young Master Zhao the legitimate eldest son? Dear sister, look at the Niu family’s power – we can’t afford to offend them. Since you’ve made things clear with him, stay away from Second Young Master Zhao from now on.”
Only today did she seem to wake from her dream. How laughable that she, a daughter of a small dyeing workshop, thought she could marry into the Zhao family just because of Zhao Xiuyuan’s affection. Ji Yingying finally saw her worth clearly, her expression becoming more clearheaded: “Don’t worry, brother. I understand the stakes. I won’t bring trouble to our family.”
The Military Commissioner and Prefecture Governor sat in the center of the second floor. Local celebrities and guild leaders filled the lesser seats. The wing rooms on both sides of the second floor were also full of people – either officials or local gentry and major brocade merchants. At this time, restaurant servers carrying food boxes of various sizes moved constantly, delivering ordered meals to the wealthy and powerful.
The three sides around the platform downstairs and the open hall on the first floor were filled with tables and chairs for spectators.
To secure seats, the Ji siblings arrived before noon, sitting in a corner of the first floor’s left-open hall. With the brocade industry prosperous, the wealthy guild provided free tea. Experienced from previous years, the siblings had instructed Ling’er to buy food outside. They ate with their tea, waiting for the afternoon gong.
Though they sat in a corner, some people on the second floor still noticed them.
The door to the first wing room on the right of the main hall was tightly closed. Fine bamboo blinds hung at the window. The Niu sisters stood behind the bamboo blinds, with a clear view of the reversed-seat hall.
Niu Qinian pointed her fan at Ji Yingying: “Sister, that’s Second Miss Ji from Huanhua Dyeing Workshop.”
Niu Wuniang wore a veil, revealing a smooth broad forehead and autumn-clear eyes with upturned corners exuding charm. From the distance, she could only see Ji Yingying’s pink and white dress and graceful figure. Niu Wuniang turned to instruct her maid: “Go, take some dishes over. Say it’s from Seventh Young Lady’s wishes.”
Niu Qinian stared with confused eyes: “Sister, what are you doing? If you want to meet Second Miss Ji, I can just send someone to invite her up for tea.”
“What’s there to see in a small merchant’s daughter?” Niu Wuniang’s eyes showed proud disdain as she gazed at Zhao Xiuyuan standing by the opposite second-floor window and said softly, “I want to watch him.”
Niu Qinian blinked, her face almost pressing against the bamboo blind. Zhao Xiuyuan had been sitting with his back to the window, and she muttered dissatisfied: “Turn around already, my sister came specially to see you.”
Deputy Commander Niu had thoughtfully arranged the Niu family’s wing room diagonal to the Zhao family’s, allowing Niu Wuniang to see Zhao Xiuyuan personally.
When the maid delivered the dishes, Ji Yingying heard it was Niu Qinian’s doing and quickly sent Ling’er upstairs with the Niu family’s maid to express thanks.
When Ling’er reached the upper floor, her eyes nearly popped out. Madam Niu and the young ladies were dressed luxuriously, with even the maids wearing silk dresses. The fragrant clothes and elaborate hairstyles displayed all the dignity and grandeur of an official family. She quickly lowered her head after a swift glance, properly bowing in thanks.
“This little maid looks quite clever. Reward her.” Madam Niu had three legitimate daughters. Niu Wuniang had suffered smallpox as a child leaving scars on her face, so she was most pampered. Following her daughter’s wishes, she rewarded Ling’er.
Niu Qinian also followed her sister’s arrangement and casually asked Ling’er a few questions before smiling: “Your mistress let my sister and I have the clear mirrors. I said I would give her a set of combs. I happen to have them with me, take them.”
Ling’er thanked them and carried the box downstairs.
Only then did Niu Qinian ask Wuniang: “Sister’s calculations are miraculous, guessing we’d meet Second Miss Ji today. I still don’t understand – after receiving my gift, Second Miss Ji will surely come to thank us personally. Why did you say you don’t want to see her?”
Niu Wuniang turned to look out the window, smiling without answering.
Niu Qinian’s straightforward nature couldn’t match Niu Wuniang’s scheming mind. She looked through the bamboo blinds again. This time, she saw Zhao Xiuyuan finally turn around to look toward their wing room, and realized: “Sister wants to test Second Young Master Zhao?” She then snorted, “If he dares hurt sister’s heart, I’ll beat him to death!”
“Seven, stop always talking about fighting, you’re scaring Young Master Sang from visiting.” Niu Wuniang teased her sister, fanning herself while gazing at Zhao Xiuyuan through the bamboo blinds, her heart both hopeful and uneasy, “Let’s wait and see.”
Meanwhile, when Ling’er returned with the combs, Ji Yaoting and Ji Yingying looked at each other.
“Miss, this servant looked carefully. Madam Niu had three young ladies beside her. One had a foot-high hundred-flower bun, clearly already married. Two were unmarried. One wore a veil, with exquisite eyes. Though she didn’t speak, I felt she watched me constantly.”
“Clever!” Ji Yaoting praised her, then sighed, “Must be that young lady.”
Must be the young lady engaged to Second Young Master Zhao.
Ji Yingying opened the box containing two combs, one black and one red. The black one was exactly the peach wood comb with gold and silver foil rose pattern she had admired that day. Niu Qinian was very thoughtful. She closed the box and said softly: “Since the Niu family’s young lady is so gracious, by all rights, I should go thank her.”
Niu Qinian sent food and combs to Ji Yingying – the Ji siblings didn’t believe it was merely because of letting her have the clear mirrors. The Niu family had heard about Ji Yingying and Zhao Xiuyuan. Ji Yaoting was very worried.
“Don’t worry, brother. Those with nothing to lose don’t fear those who have everything to lose.” Ji Yingying looked at the increasingly bustling corner building, “On such an occasion, the Niu family values face even more. At worst they’ll be harsh with words. I can bear it.”
With that, she headed toward the right-wing room with Ling’er.