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Volume One, Prologue, Edge of Silver Jade Leaves

On a bright spring day, the banks of Daming Lake in Jinan were bustling with crowds. Old Master Zhao, holding a purple clay teapot, sat in front of his mansion built by the lake, watching the lively scene of thousands of people enjoying the spring lake with a smile.

Everyone in the martial arts world knows that "Mengchang the Second" Old Master Zhao's favorite thing in his life is to drink tea and bask in the sun, and it must be in a lively and bustling setting, the more lively the better.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Old Master Zhao turned around and saw a maid from his wife's room.

"Master, Madam is asking whether you will attend the birthday banquet of Chief Escort Fu of the 'Zhongyuan Escort Agency' tonight."

Old Master Zhao waved his hand and said, "No! It's always about this镖头 (bodyguard/escort) or that 庄主 (manor lord), either celebrating a birthday or having a new grandchild. I don't have the energy to deal with all that..."

Before he could finish speaking, shouts of surprise came from afar, one after another, almost immediately approaching, seemingly faster than the wind.

Old Master Zhao suddenly stood up, only to see a luxurious carriage pulled by four horses speeding towards him.

It was springtime, and the roads were already crowded with tourists. With the addition of various street vendors, the roads were even more congested. The carriage was moving at breakneck speed, and several times it seemed about to hit pedestrians, but it managed to avoid them in an instant. The driver's skill was truly amazing.

When Old Master Zhao looked at the driver, he was greatly surprised to find that he was a child of only eight or nine years old. He was dressed in white silk, had a handsome face, and his skills in pulling the carriage and riding the horse were in no way inferior to those of an adult.

The boy suddenly shouted a clear rebuke, and without pulling the reins, the four fine horses stopped at the same time, bringing the carriage to a steady stop in front of the Zhao residence.

At this moment, most of the tourists were attracted, and everyone was guessing the origin of the carriage, the child, and the person sitting in the carriage.

The car door opened wide, and two beautiful young women with bright eyes and white teeth stepped out. The girl on the left looked like the shadow of the one on the right, and the one on the right looked like the mirror image of the one on the left. They were actually twin sisters.

Everyone watched with envy and wonder, when the two sisters bowed respectfully to Old Master Zhao and said, "Jin Zhao and Yu Cui, two maids from the Luoyang Palace, pay their respects to Old Master Zhao."

The crowd erupted in uproar, never imagining that such stunning twins were merely maids, and that the young horse-riding boy was of such lowly status that he didn't even have the right to speak.

Old Master Zhao stroked his beard and laughed, "I wondered which family had such a grand display, but it turns out to be the Gong family of Luoyang. It's not surprising." His smile suddenly vanished, and he said, "When your master passed away, I was unable to attend to his funeral due to important matters, and I still regret it to this day. Alas, it's a pity that my brother Gong, who dominated the business world all his life, left no male heir!"

The two maids replied in unison, "Master Zhao, please don't worry. After a year of mourning, our young lady has already taken over the family business and will definitely not let the Gong family's century-old foundation be destroyed in one day."

Old Master Zhao sighed, "Although Jade is intelligent and clever, she is still young. Can she shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"

“Miss has been by Master’s side since she was a child and has been influenced by him. She is not a novice. Moreover, she has the assistance of Chief Steward Feng. Master Zhao has no need to worry.”

Old Master Zhao raised his long eyebrows and laughed, "Yes, I had forgotten that the Gong family also has the rare talent of 'Purple Cornelian Cherry Fragrance' Feng Qiansu! With her assisting, Emerald should not have too much trouble."

The two maids said, "Master Zhao is a distinguished person with many affairs to attend to, and we dare not disturb him for long. We have come here to deliver an invitation to our young lady—this year's Spring Treasure Exhibition will be held as scheduled, and we hope that the old master will do us the honor of attending."

After speaking, the young horse-riding boy stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and raised a brocade box he was holding.

When Old Master Zhao opened the box, he was immediately struck by its luminescence. A finely carved green jade leaf, edged with silver, lay quietly on the black velvet lining. Bathed in the afternoon sun, it appeared even more vibrant and verdant. On the front was an inscription: "Invitation to Mr. Zhao, by the silver and green jade leaf, on the seventh day of the first month of spring in Luoyang. We await your arrival with a sweep of flowers."

What a unique invitation!

There are probably very few people in the world who could refuse this invitation, perhaps not even one.

Volume 1, Chapter 1: The Grand Gathering in Luoyang (1)

Section 1: Slowly Scented Fragrance of Cornelian Chrysanthemum

The black thread pierced through the white silk, taut, while the silver needle remained cool to the touch at the fingertips.

With his left hand gently stroking the silk, the embroidery of "Mulberry by the Roadside" finally came to an end.

Riding on rainbows and crimson clouds, I ascended the Nine Doubts Mountains and passed through the Jade Gate. Crossing the Milky Way, I arrived at Kunlun, where I met the Queen Mother of the West and paid homage to the Lord of the East.

Cao Cao was a man of great talent and ambition, unmatched by anyone in the Three Kingdoms period. However, he was unlucky in his timing. Although he held the emperor hostage to command the other lords, he ultimately earned the label of a thief.

He paused slightly, then cut the black line shortly after.

The first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the window lattice onto the silk, revealing black characters on a white background, the characters bold and rugged, as if they had been torn from the silk and flown out.

Three years.

I studied embroidery for three whole years.

This incident frightened many people. In their eyes, I, Feng Xiansu, am not a woman at all, and certainly not a woman who embroiders with a needle.

Because no woman could become the head steward of the Gong family, the richest family in the world; no woman dared to refuse the marriage proposal of the Marquis of Dingyuan; and no woman was willing to ruin her beauty.

So when I became the head steward of the Gong family at the age of nineteen, people praised this woman as truly remarkable; when I refused to marry the Marquis as a concubine, people were surprised, wondering if this woman had gone mad; when I tested poison on myself and my beauty faded prematurely, people said—this woman, she is not a woman.

She is Ziyu Xiangman.

The fragrance of purple dogwood, a poison I created myself, has become my synonym.

Once, after I was refining poison, I suddenly found my hands trembling and unsteady, and I became restless and irritable. I went to visit the famous doctor Mu Huaizi. After examining me, he pondered for a long time and prescribed only five words: "Practice calligraphy or embroidery."

"What's the meaning?"

"Practicing calligraphy or embroidery are both good ways to calm the mind and cultivate one's character."