Su Xiaoqi moved with practiced ease.
With a turn, she dodged the person charging directly at her.
Seeing her sway and about to fall,
Su Xiaoqi, noticing she was a delicate woman, quickly reached out to help her.
“Ah… Thank you, thank you,” the woman said repeatedly, glancing back as if startled. Without much more to say to Su Xiaoqi, she ran forward in a panic.
Su Xiaoqi didn’t think much of it, assuming it was a chance encounter.
Zhao Xiaozhu called out from behind her, “Hey, is that Haihua Jie?”
The woman’s body stiffened upon hearing her name. She looked back, and seeing it was Zhao Xiaozhu, she let out a sigh of relief.
Then, she cast another hurried glance behind her. She saw several yamen runners, clad in dark blue and carrying swords, pursuing her.
Behind them followed a stout old man.
Su Xiaoqi looked at Zhao Haihua, then at the approaching stout old man, and instantly understood.
She had read in books that Zhao Baoren had a eldest daughter named Zhao Haihua.
She was only twenty this year.
Five years ago, Zhao Baoren had given her to Huang Liangsheng, the county magistrate of Mianzhou City, who was over fifty, as his concubine.
That old fellow was greasy, his eyes were dim, he was greedy for money and lustful.
Crucially, he also had a very peculiar fetish.
He liked young women, and even more, he liked to play perverse games in bed.
Zhao Haihua was a direct victim.
Whenever Huang Liangsheng stayed the night with her, she would surely be unable to get up the next morning.
Even if she did manage to get up, she would be covered in bruises.
Zhao Haihua suffered unspeakably from his torment.
She endured him for five full years.
In recent years, she could no longer bear it.
With a stomp of her foot and a bite of her teeth, she deliberately seduced Huang Yuanxiang, Huang Liangsheng’s young son, with her stunning beauty.
Seeing her alluring appearance just now and her hurried movements, it was likely she had slipped out for a rendezvous with Huang Yuanxiang.
But unexpectedly, Huang Liangsheng had caught up with her, leading to her desperate flight to find any place to escape.
Su Xiaoqi had just been schemed against by her own sister, Zhao Haie.
At this moment, she had no desire to get involved in such trivial, messy affairs.
But unfortunately, Zhao Xiaozhu was familiar with her, and now she was clinging to her.
That’s right, Zhao Haihua was adept at seizing opportunities and had clung to Zhao Xiaozhu’s shoulders with both hands, pretending to be chatting with her enthusiastically.
Their conversation was about jewelry and clothing.
“The Shu embroidery clothes you said you wanted to buy last time are out of stock. I heard they arrived these past few days, let’s go take a look,” Zhao Haihua deliberately spoke loudly to Zhao Xiaozhu.
Huang Liangsheng, along with his men, had already arrived.
He questioned Zhao Haihua with a dark expression, “You woman, why are you running around aimlessly?”
“Ah, my lord, my lord, your concubine was just browsing clothes shops with her good sisters from the village.”
It seemed Zhao Haihua was accustomed to lying; she weaved falsehoods with such smoothness.
Zhao Xiaozhu was timid. Surrounded by so many people, all carrying knives and looking menacing, her mouth turned down, and she was on the verge of tears.
“Oh, Haihua Jie, thank you for treating us to pastries today. Since your master has found you, we’ll be going now.”
Su Xiaoqi forcefully pried Zhao Haihua’s hands off Zhao Xiaozhu and led her away.
Zhao Haihua seemed to have just realized, shouting loudly after their departing figures:
“Hey, hey, alright, alright. If you like them, I’ll treat you again another day.”
After responding to Su Xiaoqi, Zhao Haihua swayed her voluptuous bosom against Huang Liangsheng, twisting her waist and throwing herself into his arms, pouting and feigning affection:
“Oh, my lord, look, I was just thinking about the newly opened Chen Jinji pastry shop on Sihui Street.
I remembered that my lord has always enjoyed sweets.
So, I came out specifically to buy some.
Coincidentally, I ran into good sisters from the village.
So, I just browsed with them for a bit…”
With Su Xiaoqi vouching for her, Zhao Haihua easily shut Huang Liangsheng up.
Su Xiaoqi, with her sharp ears, heard the deceptive nonsense and rolled her eyes, quickening her pace.
“Oh, these two are from your village, good.
Invite them to the mansion for tea next time,” Huang Liangsheng said, his thick lips half-open, almost drooling, as he watched Su Xiaoqi’s retreating back.
Tsk, that girl was beautiful, her skin fair and tender, like tofu.
Zhao Haihua had no idea what he was thinking. It was likely a pretense to invite them for tea.
He had his eyes on the beautiful woman accompanying Zhao Xiaozhu.
Thinking back to their brief encounter just now, it was truly a fleeting glimpse.
She remembered not seeing anyone so beautiful in the village.
She also wondered how Zhao Xiaozhu, who was usually unfavored at home, was now wearing clothes made of fine cotton.
And her complexion was rosy, indicating a comfortable life.
Thinking about the little follower who used to trail behind her, how her life was getting better and better,
While she, who was the most beautiful and intelligent among her sisters, was living the most difficult life.
Alas, it was truly unfair.
“Since my lord has ordered it, your concubine will definitely invite them to the mansion when I return to the village another day,” Zhao Haihua’s face was filled with coldness.
Ideally, that woman would completely captivate this detestable old man,
Allowing her to have ample time to be intimately with his Yuanxiang.
Su Xiaoqi was unaware that she had already become the object of someone’s desires after just one meeting.
She, along with Zhao Xiaozhu, completed the purchase of the six traditional gifts for betrothal.
They returned to the mansion.
Granny Wen, along with a few of the younger children in the household, had already tidied up the courtyard.
The other children, busy in the backyard preparing buckwheat tea, all gathered around upon hearing that Su Xiaoqi had returned.
With Su Xiaoqi as witness, Zhao Xiaozhu performed the apprentice ceremony and offered the ceremonial tea, thus establishing the master-disciple relationship.
Granny Wen then directly asked Su Xiaoqi if it would be convenient for Zhao Xiaozhu to come over every day.
Because what she taught was Shu embroidery, which was very complex and required careful instruction.
It was best to learn continuously without interruptions,
Otherwise, it would be difficult to achieve proficiency.
Su Xiaoqi looked at Zhao Xiaozhu and asked for her opinion.
Zhao Xiaozhu hesitated for a moment and said, “Sister Xiaoqi, can I move out and live with my master?
In my free time, I can also help my master with cooking and cleaning the courtyard, which would ease her burden a bit.”
It was rare for Zhao Xiaozhu to have her own thoughts. To persuade Su Xiaoqi to agree, she even extended her hands, covered in calluses, to show her.
She said she could endure hardship and do any kind of work.
“Oh my, these hands, these hands won’t do. They need to be cared for,” Granny Wen exclaimed, startled by the calluses on Zhao Xiaozhu’s hands.
What kind of family did this girl come from?
How could she have rubbed them so much without hurting herself?
Su Xiaoqi’s eyes flickered. She was wholeheartedly in favor of Zhao Xiaozhu’s request.
However, thinking of her concerned elders, Old Mrs. Yu, Madam Zhao, and Shen Yun,
She felt it was necessary to discuss it with them.
She persuaded Zhao Xiaozhu to return with her for the day.
After discussing it with her family, they would make a decision.
Upon returning home in the evening, after dinner, Su Xiaoqi brought up the matter in front of everyone.
“Oh, how did Xiaozhu find a master so quickly? What is her background?” Old Mrs. Yu asked with concern.
Zhao Xiaozhu lowered her head, unsure how to explain.
That afternoon, her master had taken her aside and told her her entire life story.
Upon hearing it, she was shocked.
Her master, in her youth, had experienced something similar to her own situation.
Except she wasn’t violated by kidnappers.
Instead, she had been harmed by the master of the household.
She had also been beaten by the mistress of the house and lost her child.
She would never be able to bear children again in her life.
Her master was truly too pitiable.
She decided that no matter what she learned from her master, she would care for her in her old age and see her off.
She felt that heaven had led her to meet her master at this time, considering it fate.
She would cherish it!
“She is an embroidery artist from a wealthy family, with excellent embroidery skills,” Su Xiaoqi said, focusing on the positive aspects.
Zhao Xiaozhu looked at her gratefully and quickly took out a handkerchief given to her by Granny Wen from her embrace, unfolding it for everyone to see.
It was a silk handkerchief, embroidered with magpies bringing good fortune, lifelike and vivid.
Everyone in the family marveled at it.
Madam Zhao, feeling proud, held Zhao Xiaozhu’s hand and said this was her good fortune.
“Since you have taken a master, you must study diligently and not give up halfway,”
Old Mrs. Yu also gave a few words of advice.
Su Xiaoqi then took the opportunity to have Zhao Xiaozhu raise the matter of moving to Granny Wen’s place.
“Oh, she can live there to learn? That’s wonderful!” Old Mrs. Yu readily agreed.
Madam Zhao, a little concerned about Zhao Xiaozhu’s safety, asked a few questions. Upon learning that it was a safe place, she nodded in agreement.
Zhao Xiaozhu repeatedly bowed and thanked everyone.
Especially to Su Xiaoqi, she wished she could pour out her heart to her.
Su Xiaoqi patted her shoulder, telling her not to overthink and just to study diligently, that there would be opportunities for her to showcase her skills in the future.
Shen Yun didn’t say anything, but he kept looking at Su Xiaoqi.
Needless to say, this matter was definitely orchestrated by her.
Back in the room, he blocked her between the bedposts, caressed her chin, and murmured:
“My wife is quite formidable. You worry about everyone in the family. When will you worry about your husband’s affairs?”