Chapter 19: The Whole Story

After breakfast, Wu Wei headed to the Charity Mortuary to pick up the two bamboo poles she had chopped earlier. She sat in the courtyard, splitting them into thin bamboo strips, planning to weave another basket. This skill was something Wu Wei had picked up on her own after transmigrating here. She needed containers to store yellow clay for later and to preserve supplies for winter, and bamboo baskets were perfect for the job.

There was a bamboo grove not far from the Charity Mortuary. Though Wu Wei’s basket-weaving skills still needed work, the sturdy bamboo made up for her shortcomings.

It had been over two months since Wu Wei arrived in this world. Without electronic devices, she discovered she could accomplish so much in a single day. Quitting them cold turkey had been painful at first, but once the habit broke, she felt a deep sense of fulfillment. Gone were the days of lying in bed scrolling on her phone until night fell outside, leaving her hollow and anxious.

As Wu Wei wove the basket, she asked in a casual tone, “Hey, Embroider Maiden?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I remember that fiancé of yours was from a Wu family too, right? Same surname as me.”

“Mm-hmm, he was.”

“Oh. Well… could you tell me about what happened between you two?”

“What?”

“You know, you and that Young Master Wu.”

Embroider Maiden fell silent for a moment, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. Then she answered honestly, “We never even met. I don’t know what he looked like.”

“Oh.” Embroider Maiden’s reply confirmed Wu Wei’s suspicions. This mysterious Young Master Wu matched what she had pieced together from her investigations.

Wu Wei gathered her thoughts and pressed on. “Could you tell me the whole story then? Only if you’re okay with it, of course.”

Embroider Maiden kept her head down, sewing the sole of a shoe, and replied calmly, “It’s not a big deal, really. Even now, I’m still fuzzy on the details. I remember it was a day after the Grain in Ear festival. A matchmaker showed up out of nowhere. Mother was at the market that day, so I was home alone. I went to the fields to call back Father and Eldest Sister. Father, Eldest Sister, and the matchmaker talked behind closed doors in the east room. I stayed in the courtyard, chopping pig feed. Not long after, the matchmaker left all smiles. She took my hand and said I’d live a life of luxury from now on—that I was a girl with great fortune. Then Eldest Sister pulled me aside to the west room…” At this point, Embroider Maiden pursed her lips. Wu Wei noticed keenly that, compared to the late Young Master Wu, Embroider Maiden seemed even more reluctant to talk about her eldest sister.

After a long silence, Embroider Maiden sighed and continued. “Eldest Sister dragged me into the west room and asked how I’d hooked up with Young Master Wu. I had no answer for her… so she pinched my flesh.”

A rush of heat surged to the top of Wu Wei’s head, and her fists clenched tight. There was a saying: an elder sister is like a mother, an elder brother like a father. What kind of eldest sister was this? Didn’t she know how vital a woman’s reputation was in this era? Didn’t she understand what kind of person her own sister was? To splash dirty water on her own flesh and blood like that—what grudge could there be?

Wu Wei held her tongue. Someone as pure and hardworking as Embroider Maiden would never unravel the twists and turns here. She’d have to ask Liu Family’s Second Sister about it later.

Embroider Maiden went on. “Father called us from outside, and Eldest Sister finally stopped. That evening at dinner, Father mentioned he’d arranged a marriage for me that day. The groom was the youngest son of the county’s silk shop owner, two years older than me. Once the horoscopes matched, they’d set a date.”

“And then?”

Embroider Maiden shook her head. “Then he died. Wu family servants came demanding the betrothal gifts back. Eldest Sister chased off several waves of them with a carrying pole. After that, Father’s health failed. Then… the Village Head came. I hid in the cattle shed, scared out of my wits. I only heard him bellow, ‘You can’t keep both the betrothal gifts and the girl.’ Eldest Sister wailed for a bit. The Village Head and his men took the gifts, Father’s illness worsened, and he didn’t make it.”

Wu Wei listened as Embroider Maiden recounted the greatest tragedy of her life in the most matter-of-fact tone. A tightness built in Wu Wei’s chest. In what she called “home” and in this so-called marriage, Embroider Maiden had no say at all. Others arranged everything. She tasted none of the joy and bore all the pain.

Embroider Maiden didn’t cry. She kept working on her sewing. But Wu Wei felt her own eyes grow damp. She’d seen all sorts of misfortunes online, in books, and on the news back home. Yet Embroider Maiden’s story struck her right in the heart.

Wu Wei pieced together the intelligence she’d gathered at the market with Embroider Maiden’s account, and the picture sharpened.

Especially that line: “You can’t keep both the betrothal gifts and the girl.” It was like a key unlocking a secret chamber, linking all the clues.

If Wu Wei’s deductions were right, here’s how it all went down…

There was a Wu family in Qinglu County. Their ancestors had raised silkworms. By the time of Elder Wu—the man who nearly became Embroider Maiden’s father-in-law—they’d shifted to the silk trade and grown wealthy.

With their first pot of gold, the Wu family expanded: silkworm rearing, silk, fabrics, ready-made clothes.

Clearly, that was a full production line from raw materials to finished goods. And the craft that added the most value to silk products? Embroidery.

Elder Wu was a shrewd businessman who coveted Embroider Maiden’s skills. The surest way to claim them was to bring her into the family.

But he looked down on the Liu family’s status, so he had his sickly, reclusive youngest son—Youngest Young Master Wu—marry her. Wu Wei hadn’t dug up much on this Young Master Wu. Folks at the market knew little about him, unlike the other Wu sons they could rattle off. Combined with Embroider Maiden’s words, Wu Wei figured the youngest was in poor health, which kept him hidden away.

The business marriage ended in misfortune. Youngest Young Master Wu died just before the wedding, saddling Embroider Maiden with a “husband-killer” label.

Though the young master was gone, Elder Wu likely still wanted her in the family. The Liu family, however, refused to part with their golden goose—not to mention, they might not have wanted her widowed. Their refusal to return gifts or release her enraged the Wus.

Old Man Liu probably fell ill from the stress, then got scared to death by the Wu servants and Village Head.

The Wu family dominated the supply chain for clothing shops and fabric stores in Qinglu County, nearly a monopoly. The market vendors’ uniform rejection of anything from Third Miss Liu? That had to be a Wu family edict.

Wu Wei thought: The Liu family’s ugly greed was one thing, but at root, the Wus went so far because they coveted Embroider Maiden’s exquisite embroidery. They aimed to force the Lius to cave and send her over. But clever Elder Wu overestimated the brains of the Liu decision-maker. Once Eldest Sister deemed Embroider Maiden worthless, she kicked her to the curb.

And Embroider Maiden? So guileless. Labeled “Broom Star,” she simply gave up her trade.

In Wu Wei’s view, the best way out was to move—leave Qinglu County behind.

Embroider Maiden had the skills. In a distant place, she could open a shop in a few years.

But Wu Wei couldn’t suggest it yet. She couldn’t go with her. Embroider Maiden was too naive—a walking money tree. Alone, she’d be in danger if villains spotted her.

For now, in Qinglu County, Embroider Maiden was safe. Her family was here, Second Sister and Second Brother-in-law watched out for her, the Village Head knew her. It offered some protection.

Plus, Wu Wei didn’t know the local laws or moving procedures. She couldn’t risk turning Embroider Maiden into an unregistered wanderer like herself.

“Embroider Maiden!”

“Mm?”

“How far is Qinglu County from the neighboring county seat?”

“No idea. But I’ve heard the village elders say ours is a big county, even if not wealthy—stretching hundreds of miles. East leads to the Capital, west to Elder Prince Yan’s fief. It’s a real feng shui treasure spot!”

“…Ah!” Wu Wei let out a cry. Her budding hope shattered. Hundreds of miles? Without transport, how long would that take? Selling Embroider Maiden’s work elsewhere wouldn’t work short-term.

“Embroider Maiden, how far is Second Sister and Second Brother-in-law’s place?”

“A half-day by ox cart.”

“Let’s visit them in a few days. Don’t you miss them?”

“Really?” Embroider Maiden’s eyes sparkled. Then worry crept in. “Won’t it delay our firewood deliveries to Hundred Flavors Building?”

“Really. It won’t. I’ll make a few firewood runs first, buy some cotton to make you a padded jacket, chisel a hole in the lake ice for fish to bring them… Oh! How did I forget that?”

“What’s wrong?” Embroider Maiden asked.

“Do you think Hundred Flavors Building would buy wild game? Should I try bringing fish next time?”

“I was wondering about that. In this freezing weather, how do you even catch fish?”

Wu Wei’s smile widened. She felt like she’d just hit on a goldmine money-making scheme…

Master math, physics, and chemistry, and you’ll fear no transmigration!

Wu Wei spent three days crafting a moxibustion basin for the Embroider Maiden. She dried the mugwort on the kang for several days to drive off the excess moisture. Working together, Wu Wei and the Embroider Maiden ground the mugwort into powder, packed it into bamboo tubes, pressed it firmly into shape, removed the molds, and sliced it into pieces. With that, simple moxa sticks were ready.

Lady Luck smiled on them that day, blessing the outdoors with fine, clear weather. Wu Wei stoked the furnace until it roared with heat, then instructed the Embroider Maiden to wrap herself snugly in blankets and settle onto the moxibustion basin for her session. Grabbing her tools, Wu Wei headed out the door.

The lake ice wasn’t too thick yet, so she aimed to haul in a hefty catch of fish. It would serve a triple purpose: stocking up on food to last through the winter, trying her luck at the Hundred Flavors Building, and—most importantly—granting the Embroider Maiden’s quiet wish for a little visit somewhere. After all, courtesy demanded reciprocity. Last time, Second Sister had brought gifts to check on the Embroider Maiden. Now that her life was finally settling into a stable rhythm, it was only right to pay a call in return.