Chapter 109: Heading Home Together

Hearing this from Wu Wei, Embroider Maiden realized that Dongfang Rui was in dire straits this time. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Dongfang Rui was one of the few imperial officials Embroider Maiden knew. She was straight out of a storybook—a sharp-eyed enforcer of justice with a face like polished jade. And she wasn’t from some noble family, either. Years ago, the Han Princess Consort had picked her up as a street urchin from the common folk, which naturally gave her great prestige among the people.

Wu Wei finished reading the last page of the dossier and rubbed her brow. She had watched plenty of public police interrogation videos back home, but she wasn’t a criminal investigation expert. It would take her some time to sift out anything useful.

Moreover, Wu Wei knew full well that a single person’s testimony couldn’t be taken at face value. Everyone was limited by their own perceptions, biases, and emotions—especially someone like Gao Ningxue, whose admiration for Dongfang Rui had reached the point of blind devotion.

Wu Wei found a suitably sized piece of cloth, carefully rolled up the stack of xuan paper, wrapped it securely, and tucked it under the pillow. Turning to Embroider Maiden, she said, “Let’s sleep. It’s getting late. Tomorrow, once we get the list of attendees, we can head home.”

There was a soft rustle of fabric as Wu Wei slipped off the clothes Gao Ningxue had given her. Clad only in her undergarments, she crawled into bed and lay face down. Embroider Maiden picked up the discarded garments. The fabric felt cool and silky smooth to the touch. She couldn’t resist pinching it between her fingers. This kind of material was rare among common folk—even for someone like her, who worked with embroidery every day, it was her first time handling anything like it.

Embroider Maiden shook out the clothes carefully, smoothing every wrinkle before hanging them on the rack. She stood there for a moment, studying the craftsmanship and embroidery techniques. Her thoughts were simple: there were still a few bolts of top-quality fabric from Gao Ningxue back home, with a similar feel. Once they returned, she would make a few outfits just like this for Weiwei.

Farm families rarely made such flashy, impractical garments even if they could afford them. But they looked so good on Weiwei.

The set wasn’t a perfect fit. Embroider Maiden’s mind flashed to the image of Wu Wei in clothes tailored just for her, and she smiled quietly to herself.

“Embroider Maiden~?” Wu Wei called out, seeing that she still hadn’t come to bed.

“Coming.” Embroider Maiden blew out the candle on the table, sat on the edge of the bed, and undressed in the dark. She folded her clothes neatly and placed them at the foot of the bed before slipping under the covers.

A faint floral fragrance filled the quilt. Embroider Maiden sniffed, her nostrils flaring appreciatively. “It smells so good.”

“Oh, I took a flower-petal bath earlier and added a few drops of Hundred Flowers Dew. If you like it, we can pick some wildflowers when we get back. I’ll make some for you. It’s pretty simple. With Hundred Flowers Dew, we could even upgrade our soap into scented bars—maybe even mugwort-flavored ones.”

Having escaped her ordeal, Wu Wei was in high spirits. She spoke in a light, cheerful voice.

But Embroider Maiden rolled over, reached out, and ran her hand along Wu Wei’s lower back. The skin there was smooth now—the injuries from a month ago had fully healed.

“Does it still hurt?” Embroider Maiden asked softly.

Wu Wei turned her head to look at her, forcing a casual tone. “Thanks to the old gentleman’s salve, and you always bringing me fresh bedding and clothes, all my wounds have healed up ages ago.”

Hearing this, Embroider Maiden felt her nose tingle. Others might not notice, but she had lived with Wu Wei long enough to know her inside and out. She could read every word and gesture.

After her release, Weiwei’s steps had slowed. The subtle changes in her expression when sitting or standing hadn’t escaped Embroider Maiden’s notice. Even if everyone sugarcoated things in front of her, Embroider Maiden knew the dangers Wu Wei had faced. Zhang Kuan had tried to kill her outright—how could such injuries heal in just a month?

Seeing Embroider Maiden fall silent, Wu Wei understood and explained calmly, “I think I bruised some bones, but it’s nothing serious. I’ve got a strong constitution. Another month at home, and I’ll be right as rain. Don’t worry.”

Embroider Maiden scooted closer, basking more fully in her warmth. Only then did her heart settle a bit. She nestled into the crook of Wu Wei’s neck and murmured, “Weiwei, once we’re back, let’s move our household registration to Clear River County. Brother Zhang Cheng is the new magistrate there. We could live in Clear River—no more worrying about being thrown in jail at a moment’s notice. The house, the fields… I don’t care about them. We can sell them for silver or hand them over to Sister Li to manage. Whatever works.”

Wu Wei was stunned. She could hardly believe such words were coming from Embroider Maiden—the woman who had always dreamed of a simple home, a few fields, some animals, and a steady life. And now she was willing to give it all up… for her sake!

To Embroider Maiden, this was no small decision. It weighed as heavily as Wu Wei’s own choice to abandon any hope of returning to Blue Star.

Gritting her teeth against the ache in her lower back, Wu Wei rolled onto her side and pulled Embroider Maiden into her arms. Resting her chin on the top of her head, she said tenderly, “You were terrified, weren’t you?”

“I’m afraid I couldn’t save you.”

Wu Wei’s heart melted, a mix of emotion and heartache swelling within her. She pinched Embroider Maiden’s soft earlobe and whispered, “Silly little fool.”

“Silly fool? What’s that… some kind of melon? Do you want to eat one, Weiwei?” Embroider Maiden’s eyes glistened at the corners. She stared at Wu Wei in wide-eyed confusion, utterly adorable.

There was no light in the room, save for the bright moon hanging in the night sky. Its silvery glow filtered through the window lattice into the modest chamber. Embroider Maiden’s silhouette was hazy, but to Wu Wei, her features were crystal clear.

Wu Wei’s heartbeat faltered. She stared at Embroider Maiden in a daze as a primal urge stirred inside her. Without thinking, she leaned in close—until their breaths mingled. Then she stopped herself abruptly.

Wu Wei could accept the idea of two girls together, but that didn’t mean Embroider Maiden could…

This was a slow-paced world, where lifelong fidelity was the common ideal. Wu Wei had the courage to spend her life with Embroider Maiden. But too many uncertainties still hung over her.

Like the transmigration—she had been forced here. What if she was forced back one day? Like in that dream?

Or Zhang Kuan, racking his brains to destroy her. Until she brought him down, stability was a pipe dream.

Most importantly, what did Embroider Maiden want? Could she accept two women together? Did she feel the same way?

Embroider Maiden had suffered enough misfortunes. Wu Wei didn’t want to be the next one.

With that, clarity returned to Wu Wei’s eyes. She silently pulled back, creating space between them. “The silly little fool is you. Think you could eat one?”

Embroider Maiden’s cheeks flushed. She balled up her delicate fist and lightly pounded Wu Wei’s shoulder a few times. They bantered playfully for a bit before returning to the earlier topic.

Wu Wei said to Embroider Maiden, “We definitely need to transfer my household registration. Zhang Kuan won’t let me off the hook. It has to go to Clear River County. But yours stays put.”

“Why?”

“If we both move it, we’ll have to sell the courtyard and the fields for real. The financial loss wouldn’t matter much, but this spot we live in now? I chose it carefully—it’s a blessed place.” An image of the Wind-Fixing Stone at Little Locust Village flashed through Wu Wei’s mind, but she couldn’t explain it to Embroider Maiden.

She continued, “We’ve only just put down roots in Zhang Family Village. We can’t make it on our own—we need our neighbors’ support. Sister Li, Second Sister and her husband, all the folks in Zhang Family Village… these are hard-won treasures. Sure, having a county magistrate watching over us is great, but officials rotate every three years. If Zhang Cheng gets transferred, coming back here won’t be so simple.”

“You’re right. I didn’t think it through.” Embroider Maiden agreed.

“Worry clouds the mind. It’s late—let’s sleep. We’ll head home first thing tomorrow.”

“Okay… Oh, right, Weiwei!”

“What is it?”

Embroider Maiden told Wu Wei about Liu Cuicui and Old Lady Liu staying at their house. Wu Wei asked, “Your eldest sister hasn’t been bullying you, has she?”

“No, we bicker every day, but with Sister Li watching out for me and Er Ya being so quick-witted, she hasn’t gotten the upper hand.”

“That’s good. Tell me, Embroider Maiden—what’s your take? Do you want Old Lady Liu to stay longer, or should they go back?”

“I don’t mind either way on my own. I’ve long since gotten used to my eldest sister’s temper. But I won’t let her badmouth you. We’re divided from the family now, after all—it’s not right for her to stay indefinitely.”

“I get it. I’ll handle it when we get back.”

“Mm.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t put Old Lady Liu in a tough spot.”

“I know.”

The two of them fell asleep locked in each other’s arms. If there had been one silver lining to her month’s long stint in prison, it was that Wu Wei had quickly adapted to the sweltering summer heat of this era. Now, even while holding Embroider Maiden close beneath a thin quilt, she no longer found it unbearable. Even her appetite had improved, and food tasted better than before.

The next morning, maids helped Embroider Maiden and Wu Wei finish washing up before leading them to the dining hall. Gao Ningxue’s face was etched with exhaustion, but her eyes brimmed with hope as she handed a wooden box to Wu Wei. The two women exchanged a glance—no words were necessary.

After breakfast, Gao Ningxue arranged for a carriage to take Wu Wei and Embroider Maiden home. She sent along two large chests packed with thank-you gifts, a formal expression of gratitude for their life-saving efforts in the past.

One chest brimmed with bolts of colorful fabrics. The other held clothes specially made for Wu Wei—nothing too lavish or against sumptuary laws, but featuring hues and styles rarely seen in the countryside.

Nestled among the gifts was a small wooden box. Inside lay twenty silver ingots, each worth five taels, neatly arranged with a letter resting on top.

Wu Wei unfolded the letter and read it. Gao Ningxue’s words were earnest and pleading: she hoped Wu Wei could uncover clues to overturn the verdict, as she had no one left she could truly trust. The hundred taels of silver were a small token of her appreciation. Should Dongfang Rui ever find herself stranded here in the future, she begged Wu Wei to shelter her and offer whatever aid she could. At the end, Gao Ningxue provided an address within Taizhou Prefecture—somewhere reliable where Wu Wei could send word in the future if needed.

Several spots on the letter showed smudged ink, evidence that Gao Ningxue had wept while writing it.

Wu Wei let out a sigh, committing the address to memory. Then she soaked the paper in tea until every trace of writing had vanished. She tore the sodden scraps to bits and tossed them out the window.