DBB – Chapter 9: Jinrong

As the end of the year approached, the household grew more festive. Paper-cut decorations adorned the windows, red lanterns were hung high, and offerings of fruits and vegetarian dishes were placed before the ancestral shrine.

Every morning, Jinchao first went to pay respects to her father, then spent the entire morning with her mother, chatting with the concubines and younger sisters. In the afternoon, she practiced embroidery, and in the evening, she read for a while before retiring to bed.

In the past few days, her father had only visited her mother once, leaving in a hurry.

Her mother, however, seemed unbothered, her expression calm and indifferent. Yet Jinchao couldn’t help recalling the past—how, when she was little, her mother would hold her close and tell her stories about her father.

Back then, her mother’s eyes carried laughter, and her youthful face seemed to glow. “When your father first passed the imperial examination and came to the Ji family to propose, your aunts deliberately made things difficult for him. They demanded a grand gift, making him so flustered that he turned as red as a young maiden…”

Jinchao found it impossible to picture her stern, rigid father as an awkward young scholar, blushing like a girl.

It was time for embroidery practice. She sat in the western side chamber, where sunlight streamed through the carved begonia lattice windows, casting intricate patterns onto the black lacquered rosewood table. A woven bamboo basket rested atop it, neatly arranged with silk threads in various hues. Jinchao stretched a piece of plain silk taut across her embroidery frame, stitching a delicate cluster of four-season orchids.

Behind her stood Liuxiang and Qingpu.

Madam Xue, the embroidery instructor, clicked her tongue in admiration. “Young Miss, your progress has been remarkable. This pattern is rather unusual, though.”

Jinchao smiled. “It’s merely a wildflower from the mountains. You don’t see it often in the North, but it’s common in the South.”

Madam Xue examined the embroidery closely before nodding in approval. “Your stitches carry the essence of Shu embroidery—meticulously even, yet soft in tone. Look at the edges of the leaves, so naturally formed, as if painted.”

Madam Xue specialized in Su embroidery.

Jinchao thought to herself—It seems I still couldn’t fool her.

Shiye was from Sichuan and excelled in Shu embroidery. Her mother had been a renowned embroiderer in Sichuan, intending to pass down her craft, only for fate to lead her daughter into servitude in Beizhili. Unlike Su or Xiang embroidery, Shu embroidery¹ followed stricter traditions and was less widely known in the North. Jinchao had spent over a decade refining her skill, yet the abrupt transformation from a clumsy needleworker to an embroidery prodigy was bound to raise suspicion. She had already adjusted her stitches to be sparser, mimicking Su embroidery, but a master like Madam Xue still noticed the difference at a glance.

So Jinchao simply said, “I was inspired by Mother’s Goldfish Frolicking Among Lotuses screen and practiced in secret.”

That screen, a Shu embroidery masterpiece, had been a wedding gift from the Duke of Dingguo’s estate and was well-known throughout the household.

Madam Xue had never liked Gu Jinchao. The young miss had once loathed needlework, finding it tedious and pointless, and had been indifferent toward her teachings. Sometimes, half a month would pass without a lesson. But now, Jinchao was diligent and startlingly talented—she grasped every technique with effortless ease. This newfound enthusiasm softened Madam Xue’s opinion of her.

“You’re naturally gifted, Young Miss,” she said with a smile.

After sending Madam Xue off, Liuxiang gathered the embroidery supplies. She beamed at Jinchao. “I know nothing about embroidery, but the flowers you stitch look so real—I can almost smell their fragrance.”

Jinchao merely smiled.

A while later, Stewardess Tong arrived. Jinchao set down her embroidery hoop and gestured for Liuxiang to bring tea, inviting Tong Mama to sit.

A few days ago, she had asked Tong Mama to discreetly investigate her elder brother’s preferences. The reply had been that he had no particular fondness for anything—except for collecting calligraphy from renowned masters. Jinchao wondered why Tong Mama had come today.

Tong Mama took a sip of tea, glanced around to ensure they were alone, then said, “Young Miss, I have looked into what you asked of Liuxiang.”

So it’s about Liuxiang… Jinchao immediately straightened.

“Liuxiang was sold into the estate at nine years old for twenty taels of silver. She first served in Concubine Du’s quarters before being transferred to the outer kitchen. At fourteen, she was assigned to the tea room and, half a year later, was sent to serve you.”

Tong Mama continued, “I also made other inquiries. During her time in the outer kitchen, she had poor relations with the other maids. A girl named Qiuluan told me that Liuxiang often left her post, yet the stewards never punished her. Because of this, the others resented her. Some even said she had sticky fingers—there was an incident where she was caught taking a fifty-year-old ginseng root from the kitchen and was beaten for it.”

Jinchao frowned. “She isn’t sick, so why would she need ginseng?”

Tong Mama shook her head. “That, I don’t know. Perhaps she took it for someone else.”

So Liuxiang had once served Concubine Du? Jinchao hadn’t known that. But given the short timeframe and the need for secrecy, Tong Mama had only been able to uncover surface-level information. Perhaps she should send someone outside the estate to investigate further.

Changing the subject, Tong Mama reported, “The Eldest Young Master has returned this afternoon. The calligraphy you requested has been framed in zitan wood. Should I have it delivered to Jingfang Pavilion?”

Jinchao shook her head. “No need. I’ll take it myself.”

Tong Mama nodded in acknowledgment.

Just then, Qingpu entered. Her complexion had improved in recent days, no longer waxy and sickly. She walked lightly to the window and shut it. “The wind is strong. Miss has only recently recovered; you shouldn’t catch a chill.”

Jinchao glanced at her—there was no wind outside.

Tong Mama chuckled. “It’s good to have Qingpu back at your side. A childhood servant always understands her mistress best.”

Jinchao agreed warmly, “That’s true.”

After Tong Mama left, Jinchao spoke to Qingpu, “I thought the sunlight was warm just now, and the breeze was pleasant.”

Qingpu hesitated, her fingers lightly touching the gilt bracelet on her wrist. She murmured, “Walls have ears.”

Someone was eavesdropping?

Jinchao’s gaze fell on the bracelet—one that had once belonged to Liuxiang. She recalled how, on the day Qingpu returned, she had worn no jewelry at all.

Jinchao said, “I have a pair of white jade bangles on my dressing table. Take them. Gilded ones look gaudy.”

Qingpu quickly refused. “Those are Miss’s. A servant like me cannot accept them.”

Jinchao sighed inwardly—Qingpu had always been like this. What belonged to her mistress remained her mistress’s; no one could take them away.

She didn’t insist, instead deciding to have Tong Mama send some appropriate jewelry to Qingpu’s quarters later.

Meanwhile, the Eldest Young Master, Gu Jinrong, had returned. He would surely visit Mother first. Jinchao decided to go wait in her mother’s quarters.

She changed into a snow-blue gown embroidered with twining branches and layered it with a dianthus-colored silk jacket adorned with cranes and deer.

At Madam Gu’s side, she soon saw Gu Xi and Gu Yi arrive, followed by Concubine Guo and Concubine Du. Song Yiniang², of course, was already there, tending to Madam Gu.

Not long after, a voice called out—

“Mother!”

A tall, slender youth strode in, his features delicate yet striking, his complexion fair. He wore a stone-blue silk robe, and behind him, a servant boy carried several red-lacquered boxes.

Jinchao observed her younger brother. He bore a striking resemblance to their father and was already nearly as tall as her.

As he greeted everyone with impeccable etiquette, he barely glanced at Jinchao, offering only a cool, “Elder Sister, I hope you are well.”

It seemed their sibling bond had long faded.

1. Shu (蜀绣), Su (苏绣), and Xiang (湘绣) embroidery are three of the most renowned traditional Chinese embroidery styles, each originating from different regions and known for distinct characteristics. Shu embroidery, from Sichuan, is recognized for its vibrant colors, smooth stitching, and auspicious patterns, often used for decorative household items. Su embroidery, from Jiangsu, is famed for its delicate and refined craftsmanship, featuring subtle color gradients and highly realistic images, frequently used for fine art and luxurious textiles. Xiang embroidery, from Hunan, is distinguished by its bold, expressive needlework and strong contrasts, commonly depicting animals, landscapes, and historical figures with a lifelike quality. ↩︎
2. Yiniang was a formal title for a concubine in noble and affluent households during imperial China. While holding a higher status than servant-concubines (tongfang), a yiniang was still subordinate to the legal wife (zhengshi) and had no official standing as the household’s matriarch. The children of a yiniang were considered legitimate members of the family but ranked lower than those born to the main wife. Their social status depended largely on their father’s favor and the influence of the primary wife. ↩︎