Chapter 26: Coming to Collect a Debt

A single sentence was enough to reveal the methods of the Marchioness.

Words would never be traced back to them, yet events would eventually unfold exactly as they desired. Internal strife within a noble household was nothing more than the art of borrowing the east wind to topple the west.

He Lingyi’s words left Madam Qin feeling rather curious. The He family had no competition between wives and concubines, nor any power struggles, yet He Lingyi was so well-versed in these schemes of inner-chamber warfare. How could that be?

As she looked at He Lingyi, the girl showed no sign of fear. Having dared to offer advice, she was not afraid of being suspected by the Marchioness. She composed herself, returning to her initial calm, and spoke to Madam Qin with impeccable grace, tempered with the appropriate respect for her elder.

Having managed the household for many years, Madam Qin was an excellent judge of character. She sensed that He Lingyi’s nature was pure and good, and that she was simply far more steady and meticulous in her dealings than her own niece. Truly, a girl born into a prestigious family—one could tell at a glance that she had been raised exceptionally well.

Thinking of a certain someone’s age, she could not help but feel that this Miss He was indeed a perfect match. Her smile grew all the more sincere.

After dining at the Marquis’s estate, the two returned to the Vice Minister’s residence before dusk.

No sooner had they stepped into the gates of the Si-Jin Courtyard than they saw the maid, Fudong, looking as happy as if she had eaten three pounds of honey-dates. Chi Wanwan, puzzled, couldn't help but ask, "What is it? Why are you so pleased?"

Fudong’s eyes curved into crescents, looking as if she had just seen a great vengeance satisfied. She recounted what had happened after they left the residence.

"My lady, you didn't see it! When the Second Young Lady returned, her hair and clothes were in tatters, and her face looked like it had been clawed. The maids and matrons of Biyun Courtyard were guarding her, not letting anyone see, but I have a nimble hand and found a perfect spot to watch. I saw it clearly—it was obvious she had been in a brawl, though who she fought with, I couldn't say."

"Who else could it be? When dogs bite dogs, fur flies. It was probably the creditors coming to collect, and she got into a fight with Shen Miaoling," He Lingyi remarked with a gloating tone. Chi Wanwan immediately grew excited.

"They fought over three thousand taels? Hmph, weren't they as thick as thieves usually? Always calling each other 'Second Sister Chi' and 'Sister Shen'—what a joke!"

"Who's to say otherwise!" the maid Fudong added. Like her mistress, she took delight in watching the infighting of such wicked people, but the maid Xianchun, standing to the side, was not so optimistic.

"My lady, there is an old saying: drive a dog into a dead end, and it will surely bite back. Now that those two have fallen out, I fear they will be even more ruthless in trying to deal with us. We should be careful."

No sooner had she spoken than Chi Wanwan felt the displeasure of having her excitement interrupted. He Lingyi, agreeing that Xianchun’s concerns were valid, helped explain.

"One must be cautious to sail for ten thousand years. Xianchun’s words have reminded me. Eldest Sister Chi, isn't the Qiqiao Festival in a few days? Didn't the Qiao family say they would come to present the betrothal gifts then? Just watch, there will be more excitement at the Vice Minister’s residence."

Her words left Chi Wanwan bewildered. What kind of excitement could there be in a simple betrothal? At most, it would just be Madam Guo and her second sister throwing a few barbs her way, so she curiously pressed for an answer.

"What will happen?"

"Just a guess, Eldest Sister Chi, don't take it to heart."

Looking at her mother’s puzzled expression, He Lingyi did not say more. In her previous life, it was on the Qiqiao Festival that her mother’s reputation was ruined by that scoundrel of a father. Following the dual blows of a broken engagement and the loss of her virtue, her mother had been forced into a hasty marriage with the Lu family, thereafter living a life of compromise and grievance.

Madam Guo and Chi Guiying had been clever, seizing the opportunity to replace her in the engagement. Half a year later, they married into the Zhenguo General’s estate with great fanfare—a stark contrast to the miserable circumstances of her mother’s wedding.

This time, she would make Chi Guiying feel the pain of losing her virtue before marriage! She would make her taste the humiliation of being married off under the weight of scorn and public gossip.

With a plan in mind, she chatted a while longer with Chi Wanwan before returning to her own Hanxue Pavilion.

Passing by Biyun Courtyard, where Chi Guiying resided, she heard quite a commotion—screams mixed with curses. He Lingyi let out a cold snort, her eyes filled with disdain.

*Chi Guiying, it has only just begun; are you already unable to bear it? The main performance hasn't even started yet!*

The wind blew without a trace, and the summer trees were lush and green.

In the blink of an eye, it was the seventh month. For the past few days, Chi Guiying had not attended classes at the ladies' school, claiming illness to Matron Zong. As for Shen Miaoling, she had withdrawn from school entirely. Without these two troublemakers, the classroom was much quieter.

Matron Zong had been teaching embroidery techniques lately. This was Chi Wanwan’s biggest headache. Looking at her own slender fingers, she couldn't understand why they lacked dexterity; her mind could envision the patterns perfectly, but each time the needle fell, it was clumsy and slow, resulting in work that was far from presentable.

However, compared to the past, her attitude had improved significantly. Even with a low starting point and lagging behind, she was diligently working to improve.

In the Rongxin Pavilion, each person held a silk fan, embroidering their favorite patterns. Color schemes, stitching techniques, scale, and layout were all important. The best among them was the Miss from the Wang family, known for her needlework. The pair of butterflies she embroidered appeared so vivid that Matron Zong nodded repeatedly in approval.

"Not bad. If the stitches in this area were a bit finer, it would be even more outstanding."

"Thank you for your guidance, Matron."

Though Miss Wang’s words were humble, her pride was impossible to hide. Especially when she glanced at Chi Wanwan, who was still struggling with a messy mess after an hour, she felt incredibly satisfied.

*So what if she has a mother from a Marquis’s house? In all the virtues, appearances, speech, and skills required of a woman—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, embroidery, and wisdom—she is inferior to me in every way. It is only by sheer luck that she managed to get engaged to the Zhenguo General’s estate.* Thinking this, she kept her disdain for Chi Wanwan hidden from her lips, but it never diminished in her heart.

Matron Zong walked over to Chi Wanwan and, looking at the rather unsightly embroidery, frowned but did not criticize directly. She simply pointed out a few areas.

"Take your time. Embroidery is not a skill mastered in a day. Only with a calm heart can one achieve greatness."

"Yes, Matron."

In the past, Chi Wanwan would have thrown her tools down long ago. But now, under He Lingyi’s subtle influence, her patience and temperament had improved greatly. She used her scissors to pick out the messy, disorganized parts and continued to practice in silence.

He Lingyi, sitting by the window, was focused on her silk fan. At first glance, it didn't look like much, but when an expert like Matron Zong saw it, she was startled. She picked it up to examine it closely and asked, "Miss He’s embroidery technique is truly rare. Is it unique to Nanzhou?"

"You flatter me, Matron. There was a seamstress in my family from Nanzhou who was a master artisan. I studied under her for a few years, so I know a little. This technique is indeed unique to Nanzhou and is called 'Cross-Stitch Embroidery.' It involves splitting a silk thread into sixteen strands and then blending them with other threads to embroider, which makes the work more delicate and lifelike."

Matron Zong nodded; no wonder.

"As expected of a family of great scholars, the cultivation of their children is truly meticulous. To have a master artisan as a household seamstress is indeed impressive! I have nothing left to teach you in embroidery, Miss He; in fact, I would like to ask you for some pointers when I have the time."

"You are too kind, Matron. I will certainly share everything I know."

He Lingyi was truly humble. Even though the Lu Yan within her knew nothing, every time she closed her eyes to concentrate, many of the original owner's skills surfaced from her memory. She only needed to follow those impulses.

Only after this comparison did she realize that the so-called "doting" her grandmother and father had shown her in the past was merely an attempt to raise her into an ignorant and incompetent person.

It was truly laughable.