Chapter 001

Chapter 001

In late February, the peak of Eastern Ridge on Longxing Mountain was still covered in snow, but at the foot of the mountain, signs of spring's revival were evident, with patches of new green sprouting everywhere.

The wildflowers and grass that couldn't be named were the last to wither and the first to awaken.

Tong Sui followed her memory to a sunny spot. From a distance, she spotted a small patch of tender green scallions, some just poking through the brown soil, others already an inch long.

These scallions weren't wild; Tong Sui had planted them intentionally.

In the past few years, frequent wars had forced Tong Sui and her family to flee into the depths of Eastern Ridge multiple times. Initially, she was only focused on fear, but after running away five or six times a year, she began to have some ideas.

Dry rations were always prepared at home, so the family could pack up and leave immediately upon encountering trouble. However, eating only dry rations was uncomfortable, so Tong Sui took advantage of peaceful times to scatter seeds of vegetables and fruits in various places in the mountains, such as scallions that could be added to flatbreads for flavor and crisp cucumbers.

The Tong family were hunters, and they raised their children equally. Tong Sui was a well-behaved child; her mother sent her to a private school to learn reading and writing, where she studied more diligently than the boys. Her father taught her how to set traps and shoot arrows, and Tong Sui excelled in archery, matching her two brothers in accuracy.

After accompanying her father and brothers many times, Eastern Ridge became another home for Tong Sui. She planted scallions and cucumbers in remote areas, so when fleeing during summer and autumn, she could secretly pick them without being discovered by refugees or bandits, improving the family's diet.

Last year, the wars finally settled down, and it was said that peace would last for at least a couple of years. Thus, this year, they no longer needed to rely on these scallions.

The scallions at home would be left to grow before eating, but Tong Sui decided to dig some from the mountains for a fresh meal at noon.

She selected the ones about an inch long, with green stems and tender white roots. In total, she dug up over twenty, enough for a dish of scallion omelet.

Putting the hoe back in the basket, Tong Sui stood up and headed towards the meeting point agreed upon with her second brother.

"Aman, rabbit! It's heading your way!"

From a distance came Tong Gui's loud shout. The siblings' rapport prompted Tong Sui to immediately put down the basket, swiftly draw an arrow from her quiver, and aim it at the gray rabbit fleeing in panic.

In the brief moment the gray rabbit turned south, Tong Sui shot an arrow, hitting its neck.

"Good Aman, we've been eating plain food for so long; finally, we'll have meat again!"

Tong Gui ran over, pulled out the arrow from the rabbit's neck, wiped it off, and tossed it back into the quiver. He then tied the still-twitching rabbit to his waist.

After finishing, Tong Gui looked up.

His bright eyes filled with joy, and Tong Sui smiled too, influenced by his happiness.

Approaching noon, the warm sunlight bathed everything in warmth. To Tong Gui, his sister, despite wearing rough gray clothes and carrying a bow and basket, had a delicate and gentle face, more like a city girl who never left the house, temporarily helping with the tools.

Such a sister was beautiful but also seemed easy to bully.

Thinking about the Xiao family coming tomorrow to propose, Tong Gui's joy faded, and he sighed, "This might be our last time entering the mountains together."

Tong Sui wanted to comfort her brother, but with the wedding approaching and the bridal gown not yet finished, she couldn't go into the mountains anymore. After marriage, even if she visited during holidays, she couldn't abandon her family to go into the mountains.

"Second Brother, look."

Tong Sui approached her brother and held up the basket.

Seeing the small pile of green scallions at the bottom right of the basket, Tong Gui smiled again, ruffling her hair, "You're such a glutton."

Because of her love for good food, no matter how hard life was, she always found ways to make it better.

"Let's go."

The siblings walked down the mountain side by side.

Taohuagou was a small village with fifty households. Due to the undulating terrain at the foot of the mountain, the villagers built their houses on flatter ground, scattered and dispersed, unlike villages on flat land where houses were built closely together in neat rows.

By the river at the foot of the mountain, women were washing clothes, pounding them rhythmically.

Tong Sui glanced around but didn't see her mother, so she looked away.

The women noticed the siblings and started discussing once they were out of earshot.

"Lingshui Village is twenty miles away. Old Man Xiao used to be a thousand-household commander, a hereditary military official. Even though he's retired, he's still a camel that's bigger than a horse. Why did he come all the way here to find a bride for his grandson?"

"What's so strange about that? Our village may be remote, but Aman is beautiful, and her reputation has spread far and wide. Men are lustful and want pretty wives."

"Not just that, Matchmaker Fang mentioned that Old Man Xiao first heard about Aman's running ability and then inquired about the Tongs."

"Haha, Aman can indeed run. I saw a squad of soldiers chasing her into the mountains one year, over ten of them, and they couldn't catch her."

"Speaking of which, I thought Aman would marry Song Jinshi's son. They grew up together, a perfect match."

"Two consecutive exams failed. What use is that? Better to have strength. The Xiao family has many male descendants, all trained in martial arts, which gives a sense of security."

"Exactly. Even emperors can be dethroned and beheaded. Who can give me a few more days of life, I'll marry them!"

---

Today's lunch at the Tong household was exceptionally lavish. The aroma of braised rabbit wafted into neighboring homes, making everyone envious.

Zhou Qing specially packed half a plate of braised rabbit and half a plate of scallion and egg stir-fry, along with three large pancakes, and told her nephew, "Ah Gui, while the food is still hot, take it to Mr. Song at the private school."

Tong Sui's aunt passed away early, and her two cousins were raised by Zhou Qing, like her own sons, so she naturally asked them to run errands.

Tong Gui readily agreed, took the food box, and ran out, eager to return quickly for the meat.

Tong Sui silently arranged the bowls and chopsticks.

Before the engagement with the Xiao family, delivering meals to Mr. Song was her responsibility. Now, things were different, and she needed to avoid suspicion.

After lunch, Tong Gui went to process the rabbit skin, while Tong Youyu sat on the eastern room's bed, shelling peanuts for spring planting.

Tong Sui and her mother continued preparing her dowry in the western room—a bridal gown, seasonal clothing, and four sets of bedding.

The engagement was only finalized after the New Year, and time was short. The family sold the furs they had been saving for a long time to prepare enough fabric and cotton.

In these times, common folk were poor; many families skipped the step of hiring a matchmaker. A man needed only to offer a modest dowry to bring a bride home.

The Tong family's life in Taohuagou was considered good, and her parents doted on her. Otherwise, not preparing a dowry would have invited gossip.

The afternoon sun was warm, and mother and daughter chatted occasionally, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Suddenly, a violent coughing fit came from the eastern room.

Tong Youyu had once been very strong, but during his military service, he lost an eye in battle. Since then, he often fell ill. Still, being alive was a blessing. Tong Sui's grandfather and eldest uncle died away from home, and her elder brother Tong Rong had been missing for years, his fate unknown.

"You keep sewing; I'll go check on your father," Zhou Qing said with a frown, setting aside her needlework and leaving.

Tong Sui watched the slightly swaying curtain, listened until her father stopped coughing, and then lowered her head again.

In the eastern room.

After drinking some water, Tong Youyu put down the coarse ceramic bowl and asked his wife, "How is the quilt coming along?"

Zhou Qing couldn't sit idle, sitting cross-legged on the other side of a basket filled with shelled peanuts. As she peeled them, she replied, "There's still one and a half quilts left. We'll definitely finish before the wedding."

Tong Youyu nodded and sighed.

Zhou Qing glared at him. "It's Aman's happy day. Why are you sighing?"

Tong Youyu glanced at the closed door and lowered his voice. "The Xiao family sounds impressive, but we've never met them. Who knows if Aman will be mistreated? It would be better if she married Song Zhishi. He's trustworthy and genuinely cares for Aman."

Hearing this, Zhou Qing's hand tightened, and the peanut shells cracked louder than before. "Trustworthy? How did you not see that Mr. Song never intended to become our in-law? What does it matter if his son likes her? After all, he's a jinshi graduate who just happened to fall on hard times and took refuge here. How could we, mere hunters, ever hope to match up?"

Tong Youyu paused, then subconsciously said, "Perhaps we didn't show any interest in the match. Mr. Song might be hesitant because he relies on your help with cooking?"

Zhou Qing's face showed disdain. "Mr. Song is no fool. I always sent Aman to deliver meals to the school; he must have understood. Well, it's over now. For the sake of how he taught Xiaoshan to read and write, let's continue to get along amicably."

---

The mornings and evenings were still cold, and night fell early. Tong Sui soaked her feet for a while before getting into bed.

But she couldn't sleep.

Tomorrow, the Xiao family would come with the betrothal gifts, and her fiancé, Xiao Zhen, would certainly be there—a man who served six years in the military and survived the battlefield.

Matchmaker Fang praised him highly, describing him as having phoenix-like eyes and extraordinary looks. If he were truly so great, why wouldn't he marry someone nearby instead of looking far away?

However, the bravery of Old Master Xiao, a thousand-household commander, was well-known. During the war, he guarded their home with a large saber, deterring bandits and stray soldiers from approaching.

"Tap, tap, tap."

In the dead of night, someone gently tapped on the window.

Tong Sui's heart raced, and she reached under her pillow for the dagger her grandfather had given her for protection.

The tapping continued cautiously.

She calmed down, gripped the dagger tightly, and approached the window. Pausing, she asked coldly, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Aman. It's Song Zhishi."

Even without his self-identification, Tong Sui recognized his voice. Memories of their six years together flashed through her mind, but they were quickly dispelled by the chilly night.

"What do you want at this hour?" Tong Sui's tone remained harsh.

The person outside hesitated, then seemed to make a decision. Pressing close to the window, he said, "Aman, I love you. I know you feel the same. Come away with me. Let's run away together to a place where no one knows us. I can teach students and earn a living. When things settle down, I can pursue an official career. Trust me, I'll give you a good life!"

Tong Sui smiled. Was she some woman of dubious background who needed a scholar to elope with her?

And what about fleeing? Song Zhishi couldn't even fight off a weak deserter. How could he protect her on the journey?

"I don't want to."

"Even if you don't care about Mr. Song, I care about my parents. I don't want them to be ridiculed because of me."

"Just leave. Pretend this never happened, and forget what you said."

Song Zhishi wanted to say more but heard footsteps inside, realizing Tong Sui had returned to her bed.

Tonight was his last chance. Once the Tongs accepted the Xiao family's betrothal gifts, it would be too late.

Song Zhishi raised his hand to knock again, but a larger hand suddenly clamped down on his wrist, gripping it tightly like a vise.

He turned in shock.

Tong Gui stood before him like a small mountain, his face cold, his grip tightening.

Song Zhishi broke out in a cold sweat, knowing he was caught. He didn't bother defending himself.

Tong Gui didn't want to escalate the situation, which would damage his sister's reputation and jeopardize the marriage with the Xiao family.

He released Song Zhishi's wrist and poked him in the forehead. "Get lost. Don't let me see you near our house again, or I'll throw you to the wolves in the mountains!"

Song Zhishi had come with a heart full of passion, ready to sacrifice everything for his beloved. Now, rejected by her and caught by her family, he felt humiliated and stumbled away in disgrace.

To prevent him from returning, Tong Gui followed him sternly.

Tong Sui sat on her bed, listening as both sets of footsteps faded away. Thinking of her brother's warning to Song Zhishi, she hid the dagger and lay back down.