Seventh Miss’s heart stirred. She lowered her voice and said by Madam Feng’s ear, “Uncle Lian has only met Xiao Qi once. We didn’t discuss much about the past.”

Madam Feng seemed somewhat relieved, yet also gained a trace of melancholy. She shifted her body, struggled to find a comfortable position, then said softly, “He’s unwilling to speak of it—he has his reasons. Those matters, for him, after all… Ah, speaking of it, I also watched him grow up.”

“The Zheng and Feng families were relatives for many years. The two families were always on good terms. Zheng Lianji often came to the Feng house to play from childhood. Your uncle was studying at the private academy then and had obtained the xiucai degree. In the local area he was quite a figure. With some inherited property from ancestors to support him and your mother’s craft to supplement the family income, though the household couldn’t be called extravagant, it was quite prosperous.”

Madam Feng’s voice gradually grew louder. She seemed moved by that past period full of happy days, and her face even radiated with color.

“The Feng family’s hereditary relief embroidery technique was always passed to daughters, not sons. Inheritors through the generations remained at home as matriarchs and recruited husbands. Your mother learned the craft from her aunt. At that time she was only fourteen or fifteen, already surpassing her teacher. Every day she just sat at home with flying needle and thread. In a month she could often save four or five taels of silver. The family’s expenses came from this and were still quite comfortable. Both her brother and I treated her very well. Her brother personally said that half of this money would go to the family, and the other half she could save for her own dowry.”

“In those days, young girls at home rarely went out even once a year. During the New Year’s first month, my husband permitted Hong Niang to go to the Fragrant Snow Sea to view plum blossoms, and even let her stay overnight at the Fragrant Snow Sea before returning. He had to study and prepare for exams, so mostly I accompanied Hong Niang.”

“Though Hong Niang was diligent, she was still a young girl after all. When she put down her needle and thread, her face would show worry as she became lost in thought about her life’s great matter. I was pregnant with Feng Jin then. My husband felt sorry for me and bought me a young maid to do the work. Suddenly having nothing to do, I often sat in Hong Niang’s room and chatted with her. Throughout the year, it seemed her smile was most radiant only when going to the Fragrant Snow Sea to appreciate plum blossoms.”

“Also, when Zheng Lianji occasionally visited our home, she would often go out to speak a few words with him. My husband devoted himself to studying, shut in his study and rarely coming out. About these matters, he knew nothing at all. It wasn’t until Zheng Lianji came to propose marriage that he understood the two had long had feelings for each other.”

“At that time, our family’s several mu of farmland yielded several dozen taels a year. We were usually frugal in our spending. The two or three taels of silver Hong Niang gave the family monthly was already enough for expenses. Over these years, the family had also saved four or five hundred taels of silver. This was prepared as travel money for my husband when he went to the capital for the imperial examinations. However, my husband had already failed the juren examination twice in a row. His temper grew worse and worse. He even had the idea of purchasing a tribute student position to go directly to the Imperial Academy to study in preparation for the metropolitan examination. But this money wasn’t something our family could produce all at once. At this time, the Zheng family came to propose marriage. My husband said that unless they paid one thousand taels of silver as betrothal money, he absolutely wouldn’t let Hong Niang marry. Moreover, it was stipulated that after Hong Niang married, half of her embroidery earnings would still go to her natal family. Otherwise, Zheng Lianji would have to be adopted into the Feng family as their son-in-law.”

“Zheng Lianji was his family’s only son. Being adopted into the Feng family would mean he couldn’t continue his own family line—how could he agree? What my husband wanted was still just money. One thousand four hundred taels of silver was already enough to grease palms above and below and buy a tribute student position. But this matter made me very uncomfortable. Hong Niang was also very angry. The siblings quarreled several times. Hong Niang insisted that the craft was passed to her by her aunt and had nothing to do with my husband. But my husband said this was a family hereditary skill—though now passed to Hong Niang, fundamentally it was still the Feng family’s property. Allowing Hong Niang to keep half the sales proceeds as private savings was already generous toward her. He said Hong Niang didn’t know what was good for her, didn’t understand the principle of a woman’s three obediences and four virtues, and was a country shrew.”

“The siblings quarreled so fiercely that I felt very uncomfortable. Feng Jin had just been born then. My husband was very good to me, so I boldly went to persuade him, saying Hong Niang had been opinionated since childhood. If he quarreled with her too fiercely, in the future she would certainly become alienated from her natal family. If she stopped doing embroidery work, it would also be a great loss to the Feng family. After hearing this, my husband’s anger subsided somewhat. He no longer quarreled with Hong Niang so unpleasantly. However, Hong Niang became increasingly distressed. Often while doing embroidery work, she would suddenly burst into tears. One day, she suddenly said to me that over these years she had earned about two hundred taels of silver for the Feng family bit by bit. Among the inheritance left by their parents, she certainly had her share. Even calculated as an out-marrying daughter’s dowry, three hundred taels of silver was definitely due. She hoped I could give her these three hundred taels. She would pool together five hundred taels to give Zheng Lianji as capital. Presumably within a year or so, this one thousand tael dowry would still be within reach.”

Madam Feng’s brows gradually furrowed again. Her voice lowered. Unconsciously, she gripped Seventh Miss’s hand again. She sighed.

“Actually she was right. If it was stipulated she wouldn’t marry but recruit a husband at home, certainly half of the over one thousand taels of property the in-laws left would be Hong Niang’s. Even if she was to marry out, we should give her a dowry of three or four hundred taels. But when the in-laws passed away, Hong Niang was still young, so this matter wasn’t brought up. When her aunt passed away, she did say a few words about it. Ah, but after all she wasn’t the real parents, so when my husband heard it, he didn’t take it to heart.”

“Regarding family matters, I never said much. This time I knew that once I brought it up with my husband, the siblings would certainly quarrel again. I thought Zheng Lianji was also a straightforward person. Usually his bearing and manner were very proper. If he went into business, if nothing else, at least recovering his investment would be no problem. So I privately took it upon myself to agree with Hong Niang and helped her exchange five hundred taels in banknotes, which we delivered together to the Zheng family.”

“Unexpectedly, Zheng Lianji himself also had three hundred taels of capital. So Hong Niang gave her two hundred taels to Zheng Lianji and returned the three hundred tael banknote to me. She thanked me profusely in private, saying I was far more reasonable than my husband.” Madam Feng’s lips curved into a bitter smile. She said quietly, “Zheng Lianji was very happy then. He said as soon as he made money he would return to marry Hong Niang. He even privately asked me to speak more on Hong Niang’s behalf and not let her brother arbitrarily match her with someone. I thought in my heart that even if someone came to marry her, my husband probably wouldn’t agree. How could our family’s few mu of poor farmland compare to Hong Niang’s craft?”

“Unexpectedly, once Zheng Lianji left, there was no news for over half a year. My husband found connections to purchase the tribute student position. Not only did he give out all the family’s savings, he also asked Hong Niang for her private savings, saying it would be considered a loan that he would certainly repay her later. Hong Niang couldn’t produce it and was unwilling to. The siblings quarreled again. My husband pressed the question to me. I…” Madam Feng’s voice suddenly paused. After a long while, she sighed and said, “I couldn’t withstand the beating, so I told him. My husband was very angry, saying Hong Niang didn’t know what was good for her, that Zheng Lianji was absolutely not a good match. The siblings quarreled irreconcilably and said many harsh words. My husband said he would sell Hong Niang to a brothel to get two hundred taels of silver. Hong Niang was driven to distraction by his quarreling. Just at that time, the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s wife very much liked Hong Niang’s craft and had her come to the residence to talk several times. Hong Niang then begged someone and privately signed a contract with the Commissioner’s wife, stipulating she would work in the embroidery workshop for three years at two hundred taels per year. She then threw the money at my husband, packed her bundle herself, and went to work at the Qianxiu Workshop.”

Among the events of those years, there were actually such twists and turns—this was something Seventh Miss had never imagined. She had once thought it was Ninth Yiniang who had privately misappropriated the Feng family’s savings. But looking at it this way, it was clearly Uncle Feng…

Her brows immediately furrowed tightly as she listened to Madam Feng continue. “Your uncle… Ah, your uncle just couldn’t see reason. Though this craft belonged to the Feng family, once it was in Hong Niang’s hands, wasn’t it also Hong Niang’s own? He insisted repeatedly that this was the Feng family’s property. Hong Niang had absolutely no standing to work for the Qianxiu Workshop. Moreover, he didn’t know about this matter at all—this was deceiving her elder brother without permission, a crime equivalent to adultery. However, the backing behind the Qianxiu Workshop was too strong, so my husband couldn’t say much. Just like that, Hong Niang didn’t return home at all during the first year. We only knew she was doing well at the Qianxiu Workshop. At year’s end, I made her several garments and asked her good friend Huang Xiuniang to deliver them to the Qianxiu Workshop. Not long after, Huang Xiuniang brought out five taels of silver, saying it was New Year’s money for Feng Jin. I knew that though Hong Niang spoke harshly, she still had her brother and sister-in-law in her heart.”

“Though Hong Niang worked hard during those years, the family’s days were good. My husband had smoothed over the relationships and was just waiting for the tribute student selection to be reported. After studying several more years at the Imperial Academy, he could take the metropolitan examination. However, one tribute student position cost three thousand taels. The family’s bit of silver still wasn’t enough. He went around asking Hong Niang about it. Though Hong Niang didn’t completely agree, she vaguely promised she would give the family five hundred taels. During those years she did very well at the Qianxiu Workshop. The mistress liked her very much and always gave rewards during festivals. One of her embroidered screens was even sent to the palace as the Emperor’s birthday gift. Her reputation as Suzhou’s number one embroiderer was established then.”

Madam Feng’s expression dimmed again. She opened her mouth to say something, then dejectedly stopped.

Seventh Miss already knew that from here on, this story would change its tune. She wanted to comfort Madam Feng and tell her not to continue, but when the words reached her lips, she couldn’t say them.

Huang Xiuniang had been sent who knows where by Madam Feng. The only other person in this world who still knew about the events of those years was Madam Feng. If she didn’t speak, there would probably never be a second person to tell her about what happened back then.

After an unknown length of time, Madam Feng ultimately continued speaking. “Ah, unexpectedly at this very moment, Zheng Lianji returned to Suzhou. Hong Niang’s tune suddenly changed. She insisted repeatedly that these five hundred taels were the young couple’s foundation for the future and absolutely wouldn’t give them to her brother. My husband was extremely anxious. He said Hong Niang was foolish—a tribute student’s younger sister versus a xiucai’s younger sister, which status would marry into a higher position family? Wasn’t it obvious at a glance? Moreover, Zheng Lianji was frivolous and base, absolutely not a good life match. Hong Niang had her mind clouded, which was why she was single-mindedly determined to marry him. As long as he still had a breath in him, this marriage absolutely could not happen. So he… he…”

“So he found the culprit from the rice merchant case back then and revealed the news of Zheng Lianji’s return home?” Seventh Miss softly finished the sentence for Madam Feng.

From Madam Feng’s tightly closed eyes, several tears flowed. She spoke with almost a trace of choking, “If I had known about this matter earlier, even if it meant being beaten to death, I would certainly have stopped my husband. But my husband arranged everything behind my back. By the time I knew, Zheng Lianji could no longer stay and had disappeared to who knows where. Ah, my husband just didn’t understand—no matter how unreliable Zheng Lianji was, what could be done when Hong Niang had set her heart on him? This was originally a matter with no solution.”

She suddenly gripped Seventh Miss’s hand and said in a hoarse voice, “This matter was entirely my fault, your uncle’s fault. It had nothing to do with Feng Jin. Good child, you, you must not tell Zheng Lianji about this matter…”

Seventh Miss lowered her eyes and said softly, “Yes, the events of those years—once past they’re past. Xiao Qi won’t speak of it.”

Madam Feng let out a long breath. She said glumly, “As for what happened after, I don’t even want to think about it. Finally there was news about the tribute student position. Your uncle pressed for that five hundred taels very urgently. But Hong Niang said even if she had the silver she absolutely wouldn’t give it to her brother to spend. She also said her brother had no conscience and didn’t treat his sister as a person. My husband was extremely angry. Just at this time, someone else came seeking Hong Niang’s hand. They said their family circumstances were clean and prosperous. They had taken a fancy to Hong Niang’s talents. Upon entering she would be a concubine. The betrothal gift alone was four hundred taels, and once she entered the household there would be another four hundred taels as compensation. Your uncle was immediately moved when he heard this. I struggled desperately to stop him, saying we didn’t know what kind of power was behind that family. Now that Hong Niang’s embroidery work was so famous, the Qianxiu Workshop might not be willing to let her go. But my husband said, at home obey the father, when the father dies obey the brother—whoever he betrothed Hong Niang to was entirely his pleasure. At worst he would pay back double the silver! He also said this family was much better than Zheng Lianji. Once Hong Niang married in, she would understand his painstaking care. I persuaded him repeatedly, and he finally agreed to go to the Qianxiu Workshop to speak with the steward. Unexpectedly, the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s wife took it very seriously and immediately called him in, asking many questions about that family. She also looked very displeased… When my husband came back and told me, I knew things had gone badly—we had offended the Commissioner’s wife.”

“Sure enough, not long after, the Yang family said they were willing to pay eight hundred taels as betrothal money to give Hong Niang face. Upon entering she would be elevated to concubine status… They also said that in the future, after purchasing the tribute student position and going to the capital, they could write a letter asking the Qin family steward to take more care of your uncle. When my husband heard this, he was overjoyed. He took the silver and brought Hong Niang back home, prepared her dowry, and gave Hong Niang the remaining three hundred taels for her personal use. He said he actually wasn’t greedy for money—in all matters, reason came first. No matter how much Hong Niang acted on her own initiative, he wouldn’t hold it against her. These eight hundred taels would serve as Hong Niang’s dowry. He told Hong Niang not to be ignorant, and in the future she would understand his thoughts. Marrying Zheng Lianji, a murderer—how could that compare to being the Provincial Administration Commissioner family’s concubine? Wealth and glory would be within easy reach… Ah, Hong Niang couldn’t listen to a single word. Day after day she washed her face with tears. My husband grew angry and questioned Hong Niang to her face, asking how much silver she had wasted on Zheng Lianji over these years. He said… said Hong Niang was stupid and foolish, only knowing how to throw away silver for nothing while also ruining her reputation. Now even marrying into an ordinary family, no one would take her. Being able to be the Yang family’s concubine was good fortune she had cultivated in her previous life.”

Madam Feng sighed several times, then continued, “At that time Feng Jin was already five or six years old. My husband held him every day while quarreling with Hong Niang, saying how much money the relief embroidery technique had earned for the Qianxiu Workshop these years, and whether even one fen had fallen to the Feng family. He said Hong Niang was betraying those who fed her, privately selling the family hereditary skill for money, that the Yang family was usurping our family’s secret technique… When he brought up this matter, Hong Niang stopped speaking. My husband said she felt guilty too, because the relief embroidery technique was truly in her hands but had been given another family’s name… Just like that, after Hong Niang married into the Yang family, she never gave us any news at all. Even when my husband obtained tribute student status before she went to the Northwest, and asked the mistress to show mercy by letting her return home for a day of celebration, she didn’t come. She became so successful in the Yang family and expanded the Qianxiu Workshop into five branch shops with gold pouring in daily. Her brother said she had forgotten her roots. Ah, regarding the grievances between these siblings, I also don’t know who was right and who was wrong. Only Huang Xiuniang came to see me several times. She said that though Hong Niang appeared glorious and successful, she wasn’t actually happy…”

“Not long after that,” Madam Feng’s tone became even more dejected, “before your uncle went to the capital, he somehow ate something bad and got cholera. That summer he actually became bedridden with that illness. For this tribute student position, he had scraped the family completely clean. With such difficulty he obtained this title, yet it resulted in such an outcome. Our Feng family suddenly showed signs of decline. Without a male to manage affairs, our several mu of farmland were occupied and seized by others. Within a few years, life became increasingly difficult to sustain. When I gave birth to Feng Ling, I developed an eye disease and couldn’t do embroidery work well either. Your cousin could only attend half-day classes, and that was only because the xiucai, remembering their past as classmates, didn’t charge him tuition… As for what happened after that, Shanheng, you already know it all.”

Seventh Miss was silent for a long while before saying softly, “Yes, I already know.”

The room suddenly became quiet. Madam Feng coughed several times. She opened her mouth wearily, “Regarding this matter—who was right and who was wrong—your maternal aunt can no longer discern. I have no education. My whole life I only knew the three obediences and four virtues. But your uncle insisted repeatedly that only the Yang family and Hong Niang had wronged him. I vaguely felt it wasn’t like that. But Feng Jin heard his father speak this way from childhood. Growing up, he believed it without doubt, thinking the Yang family had usurped the silver that should have belonged to the Feng family. This child didn’t have it easy growing up. He deeply revered his father. And I… I couldn’t bear to… He doesn’t know anything. Actually, I should have told him, should have told him…”

Seventh Miss said gently, “You also had no choice. Xiao Qi understands.”

She tucked the quilt corners around Madam Feng. After hesitating, she continued, “When Mother mentioned the Feng family while alive, her tone rarely carried resentment or hatred. I think she didn’t blame you.”

Madam Feng immediately relaxed. She gripped Seventh Miss’s hand and repeatedly asked, “What you’re saying—is what you’re saying true? Hong Niang doesn’t resent me? She doesn’t resent me?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she also understood the meaning in Seventh Miss’s words: not resenting Madam Feng, but whether or not she resented Uncle Feng was another matter.

She laughed again in self-deprecation, patting Seventh Miss’s hand while saying softly, “Ah, I still remember taking Hong Niang to the Fragrant Snow Sea to view plum blossoms. After viewing them and returning, we brought a branch of green calyx plum for my husband. Walking several dozen steps through the alley and pushing open the door, my husband was already standing at the entrance, smiling and saying, ‘Before the person even enters the courtyard, I can already smell the plum blossom fragrance’…”

Madam Feng’s voice gradually diminished until finally it transformed into breathing of varying depths.