Embroiderer

Biodata

Background

Shortly after Embroiderer married Qin Ming, his family lost its property to creditors. The couple moved into a dilapidated shantytown shack, where they endured hunger and shared a single padded coat 1 2.

During their honeymoon, Yan Yue-Ren of the Wild Wolf Gang saw Embroiderer and became determined to take her. Scarface later confessed that he had helped engineer the Qin family’s downfall as part of a plan to deliver her to Yan Yue-Ren 9.

Appearance

Embroiderer is a pretty, petite young woman with a gentle appearance 1 44 46.

• Eyes: Large and expressive 14.
• Build: Initially frail and pale from hunger and cold; her complexion and figure improved when the couple’s meals became more substantial 1 5 16.
• Clothing: Qin Ming bought her a pale-blue padded coat that fit her particularly well 25.

Personality

Embroiderer is affectionate and considerate toward Qin Ming. When food was scarce, she offered him her share because he needed strength for work; she also sewed him a thick coat and used the remaining cotton to warm their quilt 2 13.

Despite her frail appearance, she can be resolute under pressure. She refused to reveal Qin Ming’s whereabouts while Wang Shi tortured her, and later stood in front of him when constables tried to seize his belongings 20 43. When Huo Lan subsequently begged her for mercy, Embroiderer rejected the appeal and slapped her 44.

Skills

Sewing

Embroiderer sews clothing and household items 13.

• Made Qin Ming a thick padded coat with a cowhide outer layer to keep out wind and damp.
• Reused cotton from discarded coats and sewed the remainder into the couple’s quilt 13.

Story Role

Scarface’s debt

Scarface threatened to take Embroiderer unless Qin Ming repaid a ten-tael debt. When Scarface and his men came for her, Wang Shun tried to defend her and was injured. Qin Ming arrived, paid the debt, and later killed Scarface after learning of Yan Yue-Ren’s scheme 1 8 9.

Arrest and rescue

After Qin Ming disappeared in the mountains, yamen runners arrested Embroiderer as an alleged accomplice in Butcher Wang’s murder. Wang Shi tortured her for information, but Embroiderer refused to disclose that Qin Ming had gone into the mountains 18 20.

Qin Ming broke into the dungeon to rescue her. Pei Heng challenged the officials to justify her arrest, secured her release, and obtained twenty taels for medical expenses. She recovered at the Eight Trigrams Martial Arts Academy 20 21 22.

Attack on Qingshan Town

While Qin Ming was missing after an escort-party ambush, Embroiderer held out hope that he was alive. During the attack on Qingshan Town, Wild Wolf Gang members seized her from the academy, but Elder Wei killed the abductors before Qin Ming arrived and freed her 31 34.

As the survivors prepared to leave, Embroiderer collected silver from corpses for travel expenses. She later watched Qin Ming fight Yuan Lie and reunited with him after he survived 35 37 38.

Flight to Qingyang County

On the road, Liao Jun threw Embroiderer toward a ghost, but Qin Ming rescued her. After he collapsed from injuries sustained fighting ghosts, she dragged him beneath a tree and defended him when others tried to take his valuables 40 41 42 43.

The group reached Qingyang County, where Wild Wolf Gang members recognized Embroiderer. Yan Yue-Ren sent men to capture her; they drugged her unconscious, and Li Shengnan was gravely injured defending her. A physician said the overdose might leave Embroiderer unable to wake without a miracle or spiritual medicine. Xiong San arranged for a woman to care for her 46 47 48 50.

Relationships

• Qin Ming — Her husband. Protecting her is a major reason for his martial training, and she supports him through their poverty and repeated crises 2 13 20.
• Wang Shun and Wu Shi — Neighbors who helped the couple during their hardship. Wang Shun defended Embroiderer from Scarface, while Wu Shi comforted her and sought help after her arrest 2 8 18.
• Wang Xiaoxi — Wang Shun and Wu Shi’s daughter; she comforted Embroiderer and was knocked unconscious while opposing the looting of her home 18.
• Li Shengnan and Lu Liu — Qin Ming’s fellow academy members, who tried to secure Embroiderer’s release from the yamen. Li Shengnan later defended her against the Wild Wolf Gang 18 20 48.
• Elder Wei — Saved her from Wild Wolf Gang abductors at the Eight Trigrams Martial Arts Academy 34.
• Yan Yue-Ren — A Wild Wolf Gang leader whose pursuit of Embroiderer led to the Qin family’s downfall and repeated attempts to abduct her 9 32 47.
• Wang Shi — Butcher Wang’s wife; she had Embroiderer arrested and tortured her over Qin Ming’s whereabouts 18 20.

Notable Quote

“A wife follows her husband. Brother Qin, if you die, I, Embroiderer, will never live on alone!” 37