The Yang family was bustling with preparations for the October brocade competition. They had never ceased gathering intelligence about other households. Only wealthy families with established reputations could enter the competition. Everyone knew which households in Yizhou Prefecture had the qualifications to rank in the top ten. With only three or four months remaining, most households had already produced sample brocades. Making visits to probe for information had become commonplace.

After dinner, Madam Yang kept everyone behind.

“Our family’s competition piece is already being woven. Other families are in similar situations. Those who started early have produced samples. Only the Zhao family shows no movement.”

This news surprised the Yang family members.

Yang Jingshan asked, “Are the Zhaos just being secretive, with no one able to find out?”

Madam Yang remarked casually, “Unless Old Master Zhao has decided not to compete for the brocade title.”

Yang Jingshan was puzzled. “That’s strange. With less than four months left, how can the Zhao family not be anxious?”

Sitting quietly to the side, Ji Yingying pondered the situation. Every brocade preparation in the Zhao household, from design drafts onward, had to be approved by Old Master Zhao. Know your enemy as you know yourself, and you’ll be invincible in battle. News that the Yang family’s competition piece was named “Huanhua Brocade” had already spread. Only Madam Yang, Young Master Yang, and herself knew its true nature. From Madam’s words, the Yang family had people watching Old Master Zhao’s Pine Breeze Courtyard. While they might not know which brocade the Zhaos had chosen, they would certainly know if the household was busy preparing for the competition. The Zhao family’s silence was indeed peculiar.

“Sister-in-law.”

First Madam Yang, seated beside Ji Yingying, called out to her.

“Hmm?” Ji Yingying snapped back to attention, seeing Madam Chen smiling at her. She quickly asked, “Did you call me, Elder Sister?”

First Madam Yang smiled, “Second Young Master Zhao, who wove last year’s champion piece ‘Immortals by the River,’ grew up with you as childhood friends, didn’t he? You must know him inside and out. Surely you can describe at least seventy or eighty percent of his skills and style. Whatever the Zhao family is planning, as long as their competition piece doesn’t surpass our Yang family’s brocade, we’ll succeed.”

What did she mean by growing up together and knowing Zhao Xiuyuan inside and out? Ji Yingying’s brows furrowed. “Elder Sister, I don’t understand brocade weaving.”

First Madam Yang hit a wall, her smile stiffening. “Sister-in-law, really now—this year’s competition piece was decided through your discussions with my husband. How can you say you don’t understand? Just tell Elder Sister quietly, what kind of brocade does Second Young Master Zhao prefer?”

For Yang Jingshan’s sake, Ji Yingying had already shown restraint by not displaying open displeasure. Hearing these words, she stood up. “Madam.”

Madam Yang interrupted her discussion with her sons about the Zhao family’s competition piece, surprised to see Ji Yingying standing. “Have you thought of something?”

First Madam Yang quickly added, “Yes, what have you thought of regarding the Zhao family’s brocade?”

Her earlier question wasn’t about the Zhao family’s brocade, but specifically about Zhao Xiuyuan’s weaving. Since Ji Yingying couldn’t bring up Second Young Master Zhao herself, she said quietly, “Madam, I don’t understand brocade weaving. I’m feeling unwell and would like to return to Moonlight Residence early.”

“Where are you feeling unwell? Should we call for a physician?” Madam Yang asked with concern.

Ji Yingying made up an excuse: “Perhaps because I stayed up late yesterday without catching up on sleep today, I’m feeling tired. I’ll be fine after some rest.”

Yang Jingshan said guiltily, “Sister-in-law has worked hard these days. Now that the brocade is on the loom, you can rest well.”

“Yes, Sister-in-law needn’t come over anymore. You should rest well at Moonlight Residence… Mother, why not let Sister-in-law stay at her maiden home for a while? The Zhao and Ji families are close neighbors at Three Dykes. My sister-in-law might even gather some information. After all, our brocade is already on the loom, and Sister-in-law needn’t worry about color matching anymore.”

The brocade was being woven. You’d better stay at your maiden home longer. Save yourself the trouble of frequently visiting Willow Residence. Madam Chen had a sudden inspiration and changed her words.

Was she married into the family just for the competition brocade? Now that the weaving had begun, they wanted to send her back to her maiden home. Did they think she cherished living in this grand mansion? Yang Jingyuan had written saying he was busy and couldn’t return. She did want to go home to see her mother and sister-in-law. The more Ji Yingying thought about it, the stronger her homesickness grew, and she blurted out, “Madam, I was just thinking of staying at my maiden home for a while.”

Madam Yang, remembering her injury during her last visit home, was about to refuse. But Ji Yingying had already made up her mind: “If Madam is concerned about safety, send more guards along. We can’t let one incident stop us from even going out.”

She was only sixteen or seventeen. For the sake of the Yang family’s competition and Third Young Master, she had given up colorful clothes after marriage, wearing only blue or green daily. The Ji family’s health was poor, and they had to care for their sister-in-law. In these few months since marriage, except for her eldest brother’s visit, she hadn’t seen the Ji family. Wanting to visit her maiden home was natural. Thinking of this, Madam Yang agreed: “Second Son, escort her back with more men.”

“Yes, Mother,” Yang Jingyan responded.

When the carriage passed through the city gate and approached the large yellow kapok tree, Ji Yingying lifted the curtain.

A new bamboo shelter had been built under the tree, with a fresh blue shop sign hung out.

Remembering the danger of that day and the guards who were killed on Fenduan Mountain, she sighed softly.

Yang Jingyan rode his horse beside the carriage, glanced at the kapok tree, and said quietly, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Those men have been sent back to the Zhao family. They won’t dare try any more schemes.”

What was sent back were corpses. To let the Zhao family know the Yang family’s strength. This lifted the veil between the Zhao and Yang families, bringing their hatred to the surface.

If the Yang family reclaimed the Brocade King title this year, it would mark a powerful return and earn great praise. The Zhao family had finally won once last year after twenty-some years, but couldn’t keep it this year. Better to have never won at all than to win once and lose. Losing would mean being publicly slapped in the face by the Yang family, losing all face.

If this were the case, the Zhao family would be working even harder on their competition piece. Why was there no movement? Ji Yingying knew all too well how passionately the Zhao family desired the Brocade King title. Therefore, their behavior was completely baffling.

The Ji family had received advance notice, and Ji Yaoting was already waiting at the gate.

He led Second Young Master Yang to rest in the outer courtyard and had Ji Gui settle the Yang family guards. Ji Yingying went to the inner courtyard.

Planning to stay for several days, Xiang’er, Ying’er, and Old Madam Ji had all returned with her. Old Madam Ji carried a large bundle, loudly greeting the servant women along the way. Ji Yingying couldn’t help but feel emotional. At the Yang residence, the usually boisterous Old Madam Ji had never spoken as freely as she did at home. The home was truly more comfortable and relaxed.

“Young Miss is back!” Old Madam Wu was waiting at the second gate, greeting Ji Yingying warmly with a bow.

Not calling her Young Madam, but still Young Miss. Ji Yingying’s eyes grew moist as she took her arm: “Nanny.”

Old Madam Wu patted her hand and said, “First go to your courtyard to settle in, then see the Madam.”

Entering the small side courtyard, the yellow kapok tree stood lush and green. Ji Yingying left everyone behind and walked a circle around the tree in the courtyard. A year had passed just like that. So much had happened in this year.

Looking up, she saw the second floor of the Zhao family’s Vine Garden again.

Suddenly, a window on the second floor was pushed open.

Zhao Xiuyuan? From Vine Garden, one could only see her former embroidery room. Ji Yingying still startled, instinctively stepped back two paces behind the tree. When she realized people upstairs couldn’t see her, she boldly looked up again.

The person wore a black wide-sleeved robe, propped themselves on the window, and jumped up to sit against the window frame, lazily gazing toward the Ji family’s direction.

The window was more than twenty feet high, with nothing below for protection. The more Ji Yingying looked, the more puzzled she became. Zhao Xiuyuan would never sit on a window frame like that. One could easily fall.

“Sheng Fengze!” Ji Yingying covered her mouth, nearly crying out. How could Sheng Fengze be on the second floor of the Zhao family’s Vine Garden?