Chapter 6: She’s Truly Fortunate

After hawking their wares all morning without a single customer, Su Yi’an and Mother He were surprised when a buyer finally appeared just as they were taking a break.

Mother He nodded eagerly. “Look at the fabric of this garment—it’s top-quality, and it even has embroidered patterns.”

The woman ran her hand over the cloth, seemingly satisfied. Without asking the price, she pulled out half a tael of silver. “I’ll take the basket too. Is that enough?”

Su Yi’an couldn’t shake the feeling that something was odd about this woman. Normally, someone buying used clothes would haggle. But since this customer was practically throwing money at them, Su Yi’an wasn’t about to refuse.

She took the silver and handed over the bamboo basket. “There’s also a pair of embroidered shoes inside. I’ll include them for you.”

The woman accepted the basket without even glancing at the shoes. She slung it over her arm and walked away.

Mother He stood beside Su Yi’an, unable to contain her curiosity. “This person… Yi’an, do you recognize her?”

Su Yi’an shook her head.

“Then why would she be so eager to give us money?” Mother He wondered aloud.

Still, whoever she was, the important thing was that they had sold the clothes and gotten silver for them.

Before leaving home, they had estimated the garment might fetch three or four hundred cash at most. While the fabric was good and the embroidery intricate, it was still used clothing. Wealthier families buying secondhand clothes would never settle for someone else’s cast-offs.

Now, with half a tael of silver in hand—far exceeding expectations—Su Yi’an and Mother He were genuinely delighted.

Their trip wasn’t just about selling clothes; they also needed to pick up medicine for He Yunhuai on the way back.

Yesterday’s herbal medicine had been the last dose. Mother He, clutching the prescription, planned to get a few more days’ worth. After all, now that his fever had subsided, there was still hope he might regain consciousness.

Two doses of medicine cost three qian of silver.

It was indeed difficult for the poor to afford medical care. How long would a family like theirs have to save three qian of silver?

Su Yi’an pulled out the half tael she’d earned and was about to hand it over when Mother He stopped her.

Puzzled, Su Yi’an looked at her. If she wouldn’t let her pay, did that mean they could get the medicine on credit?

“I still have the silver you slipped me yesterday. Use this first,” Mother He said, handing over a broken half tael of silver.

Su Yi’an froze. The silver looked familiar—it was the same piece she’d given to Mammy Li yesterday.

But Mother He claimed she had given it to her…

A thought flashed through Su Yi’an’s mind, and suddenly everything made sense.

She turned abruptly and hurried out of the shop. But the street was crowded with people; there was no way to find the woman who had just bought her wedding dress.

“Yi’an, what’s wrong?” Mother He, seeing her sudden departure, assumed something urgent had come up and hurried after her with the medicine.

Su Yi’an shook her head, a hollow feeling in her chest. “It’s nothing, Mother. I just realized I gave the basket to that woman earlier. It’ll be hard to carry our purchases back without it.”

Mother He visibly relaxed. “This small amount of medicine doesn’t need a basket. I can carry it.”

At the corner of the street, the woman who had purchased Su Yi’an’s wedding dress hurried into the Huai’an Town inn.

She found the last room and knocked. Mama Li opened the door from inside.

“Was everything taken care of?” Mama Li asked.

“How could such a small task go wrong? I gave them the silver, and they took everything back.” The woman handed over the basket.

The embroidery on the wedding dress was her own handiwork. Mama Li glanced at it and took the basket.

“Thank you for your trouble,” Mama Li said, counting out twenty copper coins from a cloth pouch and giving them to the woman.

Twenty copper coins just for running an errand! The woman’s face lit up with delight. She wished she could have such luck every day.

After the woman left, Mama Li took out the items from the bamboo basket.

Besides the red wedding dress, there were also the embroidered shoes Su Yi’an had worn the day before.

Mama Li’s heart ached with pity, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. Having visited the He Family, she knew how impoverished they were, but she never imagined she would see her young mistress selling her belongings in a back alley.

The girl she had watched grow up—though life in the Su Family had been hard—had at least been fed and clothed.

Now that Su Yi’an had married into the He Family, it was unclear whether this was a blessing or a curse. Still, compared to becoming a concubine, it was undoubtedly the better fate.

Mama Li carefully bundled the items and prepared to depart. They had spent the night at an inn, and today they needed to continue their journey, determined to return to the Su Family before nightfall.

Their master was waiting for news.

Just as Mama Li suspected, the Su Family was indeed awaiting her return.

After Mother He’s disruptive visit, the Su Family had been forced to marry Su Yi’an into the He Family to save face.

Their original plan—to offer Su Yi’an as a concubine to the prefectural magistrate and curry favor—had fallen through. Madam Su seethed with resentment.

Ever since her own elevation from concubine to legitimate wife, Madam Su had maintained an iron grip on the household. Over the years, Master Su had not fathered a single illegitimate child.

The family consisted of two sons and two daughters: the pair left by the late first wife, and Madam Su’s own two children.

No matter what, she would never push her daughter into the clutches of powerful figures, let alone allow her to become a concubine.

“Madam, please don’t fret,” Mama Wang, her longtime servant, said soothingly as she massaged her temples. “Even if Mama Li doesn’t return today, she’ll surely be back tomorrow. The real concern is what the Eldest Young Master will say when he returns…”

The “Eldest Young Master” referred to Su Yi’an’s elder brother, Su Zhengmo, who had been away studying for two years.

Madam Su raised her eyes and glanced at a letter on the desk. It was strange, she thought, that Su Zhengmo hadn’t written for some time. Yet just after they married off Su Yi’an, a letter arrived.

It explained that Su Zhengmo couldn’t return this year due to preparations for the imperial examination. At the end, he expressed concern for his younger sister.

“He’s a caring elder brother, but what good is that if he’s not here?” Madam Su said, averting her gaze.

Though she disliked the children of the first wife, she had always maintained the facade of propriety.

Even the plan to send Su Yi’an to the prefectural magistrate had originated with her—though it was Master Su who had made the final decision. After all, what was a merchant family compared to an official?

“Even if he did return, what could he do? Master Su doesn’t care, so why should we?” Madam Su dismissed Su Zhengmo entirely, confident he wouldn’t interfere.

Her frustration stemmed from feeling that Su Yi’an hadn’t been properly used. “That little bitch has such good fortune,” she muttered. “After all that, she still ended up in the He Family.”

“This hardly counts as good fortune,” Mama Wang agreed. “After that scandal with the He Family, marrying into them would only bring suffering.”

Madam Su’s anger subsided slightly, but her unease lingered—until Mama Li returned.

Mama Li, once a servant in Su Yi’an’s courtyard, had shown her loyalty. When she offered to escort the bride to the He Family, Madam Su had reluctantly agreed, mindful of appearances.

Ultimately, Mama Li was a Su Family slave, her indenture safely held. Yet her prolonged absence stirred anxiety. What if something had gone wrong?

Madam Su was still lost in thought when her own daughter, Second Miss Su Pingxi, strode in with a displeased expression. Without the customary greeting, she flopped into the bamboo chair beside her mother.

“What’s gotten into you today?” Madam Su chided. “Such a lack of decorum.”

Though she indulged Su Pingxi, manners were still expected. Alone, this breach might go unnoticed, but if word got out, it would tarnish their daughters’ reputation.

Su Pingxi pursed her lips, voice tinged with resentment. “Mother, why did you let her marry into the He Family?”

The match had been arranged during Su Yi’an’s late mother’s lifetime. But after her passing, Madam Su had hoped to shift the engagement to her own daughter. Su Pingxi had secretly observed Second Young Master He and found him strikingly handsome, like a figure carved from jade.

“Do you know why the He Family came to call?” Madam Su asked, gesturing to Mama Wang to pour tea.

“What else? They were afraid we’d look down on them and break the engagement,” Su Pingxi said, sipping without noticing the tea’s fragrance.

Madam Su chuckled. “We should’ve told you sooner, but your parents would never harm you. If the He Family were truly a good match, would I have let her marry into them?”

After a pause, she added, “Second Young Master He is gravely ill. He likely won’t make it. They came seeking a chongxi bride.”

The word struck like thunder.

“He… he’s dying?” Su Pingxi’s hand trembled, spilling tea onto her dress.

Madam Su was about to scold her when a servant announced Mama Li’s return.

“Go behind the screen,” she instructed. “Don’t let anyone see you.”

As Mama Wang ushered her away, Mama Li entered, dusty from travel. She bowed and waited.

Madam Su feigned concern. “How is An’er? Did the He Family mistreat her?”

Having seen through her long ago, Mama Li played along. “Madam, the He Family… not only did no one come to greet the bride, they’re so impoverished they even sold Miss Yi’an’s wedding gown.” She produced the bundle.

Madam Su raised an eyebrow. How had the gown ended up in Mama Li’s hands? Though puzzled, she asked evenly, “What about Second Young Master He?”

“He likely won’t last more than a few days.” Mama Li hadn’t seen him herself, but the gossip painted a grim picture. “I saw his mother selling the dress and had someone buy it. I took the liberty.”

Hearing of Su Yi’an’s hardship, Madam Su’s resentment finally melted.

Still, she wore a mask of sorrow. “Poor An’er. But this marriage was arranged by her mother. Though the He Family has fallen on hard times, they came to us with sincerity. We couldn’t refuse.”

Mama Li nodded and was dismissed with a reward. Madam Su instructed her to take the dress with her.

Once the room was quiet, Su Pingxi emerged from behind the screen, trembling.

Still not yet sixteen, she was overwhelmed with relief at what she just heard.

Thank goodness I didn’t marry into that family, she thought. The He Family’s bleak future is terrifying.

She had no desire to become a living widow.