Chapter Twenty-Two: Embroidery Skills
The opera was halfway through, and everyone was engrossed. Jinchao, however, had little interest in the performance. She picked up a piece of pastry nearby and took a bite. Having left in a hurry, she hadn’t had time to eat earlier and was now quite hungry. Finding the pastry delicious, she ate several more pieces. As they were a bit dry, she picked up the blue-and-white porcelain teacup with intertwining floral patterns on the table and took a small sip to moisten her throat, careful not to make too much noise and disturb the others.
After setting down the teacup, Jinchao took out an embroidered handkerchief to wipe the corners of her mouth and casually placed it on the side table. Turning her head, she noticed someone watching her with an amused smile—Gu Jin Hua. Jinchao smiled back, slightly embarrassed that her ravenous eating had been witnessed.
Once the opera ended, it was time for the banquet. Only then did Jinchao see her father, chatting and laughing with Second Master Gu and Gu Wuye. The three brothers seemed to get along without any grudges. When her father arrived, he first summoned Concubine Song and exchanged a few quiet words with her. Both of them laughed, her father looking refined and dignified while Concubine Song appeared delicate and tender—truly a well-matched pair.
Concubine Song then took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the frost from her father’s eyebrows. He lowered his head, letting her tend to him.
Gu Lian, sitting beside Gu Lan, remarked, “Your mother is so good to your father…”
The room full of female relatives fell silent. Jinchao, who had been speaking with Gu Jin Hua, also quieted. Gu Lian had misspoken, and Gu Lan had no choice but to clarify, “...That’s my birth mother, Concubine Song. My legal mother is ill and stayed at home, so she didn’t come.”
Gu Lian stuck out her tongue carelessly. “Oh, I mistook them!”
The atmosphere around Gu Lan shifted subtly. With a favored concubine as her birth mother and a frail legal mother, who knew if she might one day rise to become the legitimate daughter?
The Gu family banquet was extravagantly lavish. Hot dishes, cold platters, hot pots, fruit trays, and pastries were served in an endless stream by maids and matrons. After these, frozen pears and dried fruits were brought out, but Jinchao, having eaten too many pastries, had little appetite. She only nibbled on some hot dishes and fruit before stopping.
After the banquet, the men naturally had other matters to discuss, while Tai Furen invited the women to Slanting Abode, where the garden was filled with beautifully blooming plum blossoms. Snow had fallen the night before, leaving the sky clear and vast, making it pleasant to set up tables in the courtyard.
Tai Furen had mahjong tiles and dice brought out for entertainment but excused herself first. Gu Jin Hua, along with several visiting ladies and Gu Jin Xiao’s wife, the eldest young madam, formed a table to play mahjong. Second Madam, meanwhile, gathered the unmarried girls to do needlework and discuss embroidery patterns.
Jinchao sat in a corner, leisurely embroidering a butterfly on a small hoop, stitching slowly without hurry.
Before she could finish the butterfly, Gu Lian’s voice rang out, “Lan Er, your lotus embroidery is so beautiful! The soft pink and white look just like the real thing! And the dragonfly resting on it—its wings even look transparent…”
Gu Lan smiled modestly. “I just learned casually from my mother. You flatter me, Lian jie er.”
Gu Lian giggled. “Don’t be shy! Let me show Mother—isn’t it well done?” She took the embroidery hoop to Second Madam, who marveled at it. Soon, everyone gathered around to admire it, all praising the work.Gu Lan tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her lips curving into a faint smile she couldn't suppress. "My embroidery skills are nothing special. The teacher who instructed Eldest Miss, Master Xue, was once a disciple of the Ji family, renowned for their Suzhou embroidery. Wanxiu Pavilion in Yanjing offered three hundred taels to invite him, but Master Xue declined..."
Mo Xue clenched her hands upon hearing this. Yet Gu Jinzhao remained silent, calmly continuing to embroider her butterfly.
This Second Miss was truly cunning! Knowing full well that while Eldest Miss had studied under Master Xue, her needlework was clumsy, she deliberately steered the conversation here—clearly intending to embarrass Eldest Miss!
With Gu Lan's remark, everyone naturally followed her lead. Second Madam turned her gaze to Gu Jinzhao with a smile. "Chaojie, what pattern have you embroidered? Show us so we may admire it!"
Only then did Gu Jinzhao rise leisurely, offering a slight bow. "I fear I must disappoint you, Second Aunt. Though I studied under Master Xue, my skills are not even one-thousandth of his. I wouldn't dare disgrace his reputation by displaying my poor work."
Gu Lan quickly added, "How thoughtless of me. Our Eldest Miss may not excel in embroidery, but she is skilled in music and chess. Perhaps she devoted more time to those pursuits and neglected her needlework..." Her words sounded like a defense.
Gu Lian snorted. "What use are music and chess for a young lady? She's not some courtesan from Yangzhou's pleasure quarters! Mastering needlework and household management is what truly matters! No wonder no one has come to propose marriage to our Eldest Cousin!"
At this, Second Madam had to reprimand her. "Enough! You're not even fifteen—where did you learn such vulgar talk about courtesans?"
Rarely scolded by her mother, Gu Lian glared resentfully at Gu Jinzhao. "It's true! She even beat her maid until she went mad! Who would dare marry such a woman?"
The room fell silent. Gu Jinzhao, however, smiled and asked, "Lian jie er, who told you I beat my maid senseless?"
Gu Lian, simple-minded and unable to keep secrets, blurted out, "Lan Er told me!"
"Did she also tell you why I struck the maid?" Gu Jinzhao pressed forward step by step. This Gu Lan—spreading rumors to tarnish her reputation! She had tolerated her earlier provocation with Gu Lian, but dragging Liu Xiang into this was beyond endurance.
"She... she wanted to save her sick brother, and you forbade her..." Gu Lian mumbled uncertainly, having only half-heard the story.
"Let me clarify: her brother wasn't ill. He owed gambling debts and had his legs broken when he couldn't pay. My maid stole from my jewelry box without asking for money first. Before I could even punish her, she frightened herself into madness. How is that my fault?" Gu Jinzhao smiled. "Lian jie er, you should be more careful about what you hear."
"But... you still shouldn't have driven her out..." Gu Lian attempted to argue further.
Gu Jinzhao had no patience left. This sheltered young miss spoke and acted with such careless thoughtlessness."If you forgive every thief, don't you think they'll become even bolder next time? If every maid and servant starts imitating them, wouldn't the entire household be emptied in no time? Driving her away without harming her is already the utmost kindness I could show."
"As for Lan Er..." Jinchao smiled slightly, "next time, be careful not to accidentally spread false stories about your elder sister. Looking at it this way, who knows how much of the outside gossip came from you? Although you don't seem to like me much, I am still your legitimate elder sister and our father's face. Even if you don't consider me, you should at least think of Father, don't you agree?"
The crowd's gaze toward Gu Lan immediately changed. Gu Lan's expression darkened—Gu Jinchao had effortlessly shifted the blame with just a few words, not only clearing herself but also trying to pin everything on her! As if the things she had done before needed any exaggeration—none of them were good to begin with!
She bit her lower lip and looked at Gu Jinchao, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "It was my mistake... I only heard it from the servants. But I've always admired my elder sister—how could I spread false rumors about you? I was just casually chatting with Lian Jie earlier... Please don't take it to heart. I... I'll apologize to you right now! Please don't dwell on it!" She appeared utterly pitiful and fragile.
Second Madam, not wanting any unpleasantness during the New Year festivities, tried to mediate: "Since it was unintentional, Chaojie, please forgive Lan Er. After all, you're sisters. I see Chaojie excels at embroidery, while you're skilled in music—your personalities complement each other, one firm and the other gentle..."
Jinchao sat down and replied with a smile, "Thank you for your praise, Second Aunt. We are sisters, and there are no grudges between us."
Though Gu Lan had salvaged some dignity, she was now left with a reputation for gossip, and the awkward glances from the crowd lingered. Concubine Song was playing a card game with Fifth Madam and others, unaware of the scene unfolding here. Gu Lan inwardly cursed her miscalculation—how could she have known Gu Lian would be so loose-lipped...
Meanwhile, Gu Jinchao had handled the situation with grace. Though angered, she hadn't lashed out and remained composed after sitting down, which only deepened Second Madam's understanding. The rumors outside must have been deliberately exaggerated by someone with ill intentions...
No wonder she was upset. If it were her being slandered, she'd probably be even angrier.
Unaware of the trouble she'd caused, Gu Lian pouted and said, "Even if the maid incident had nothing to do with her... her embroidery really is terrible."
"Who are you saying has terrible embroidery, Lian Jie?" A voice laced with amusement rang out as three figures entered the Slanting Abode. The speaker was none other than the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Jin Xiao.
Gu Lian jumped up to greet them: "Big Brother, you're here? Weren't you supposed to be horse racing outside the city?"
Gu Jin Xiao sighed, "Don't even mention it. Father would never allow us to go horse racing outside the city. We came to the Slanting Abode to play chess, but it seems you're all here instead."
Gu Lian nodded, "...We were just talking about embroidery. Cousin Jinchao's needlework seems quite poor!"
Ye Xian remarked casually, "I think her embroidery is rather good."
Gu Lian blinked in curiosity, "Uncle, have you seen Cousin Jinchao's needlework before?"He leisurely pulled out a pale green silk handkerchief from his sleeve and said with a smile, "This handkerchief belongs to your elder cousin. The orchid embroidered on it is a vivid emerald green, and there's also a poem in small seal script beside it." Gu Jinzhao's hand lightly brushed against her sleeve, only then remembering that she had left her handkerchief at the opera viewing spot earlier. How did it end up in the hands of the Marquis Changxing's heir! And he had the audacity to display it so openly!
Second Madam's expression changed instantly, though she maintained her smile: "Let me see how fine it is."
The handkerchief passed into her hands carried a faint orchid fragrance—one she had smelled on Jinchao before.
Jinchao had recently been cultivating orchids in her room, filling not only the chamber with their scent but also permeating her own garments.
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