Chapter 1

Chapter 1

February arrived, bringing a biting spring chill that seemed to freeze both young and old to their very bones. It was another late spring cold snap; the clear weather had abruptly turned gloomy and cold. Snow had fallen throughout the night, and the morning frost was so severe it felt cold enough to freeze the nose off one's face.

In the icy, snow-covered landscape, the entire village of Shijia turned out to witness the burial of Old Lady Zhou. Two Taoist priests chanted and beat drums, their ceremonial display so elaborate that an outsider might have mistaken the occasion for the funeral of some important dignitary.

It had been a long time since the village had seen such a grand ceremony—the last one was for the previous village chief. Men and women clustered together, lingering even after the priests had left, gesticulating and commenting around the fresh grave.

A Man knelt there, oblivious to their chatter, and devoutly kowtowed. "Grandma," she whispered, "wherever you are now, I hope you are happy."

Kneeling in the snow, her mourning clothes merged with the whiteness. In the newly dug grave before her lay the grandmother she had depended on since childhood, the only family she had ever known.

Seven days earlier, after a long struggle with illness, her grandmother had finally breathed her last. A Man had exhausted every means to save her, but in the end, she couldn’t hold on.

From the moment her grandmother passed, A Man was left utterly alone in the world.

Kneeling before the grave, she neither cried nor made a sound. She simply gazed quietly at the mound of earth, her small frame standing erect, like a plum blossom in winter—aloof and solitary.

Some of the onlookers, those easily moved to tears, couldn’t hold back at the sight. "With Old Lady Zhou gone, how will this young girl manage all by herself?"

"Exactly. Old Lady Zhou was ill for three years—it drained the family’s savings completely. Now she’s gone, leaving this orphan behind. Ah, what a pity."

Old Lady Zhou was an extraordinary figure in the village. Thirty years earlier, she had arrived alone with her daughter and settled in Shijia Village. Through sheer determination, she managed to raise her daughter, Yue Niang, in a ruthless world.

Zhou was skilled in embroidery, and Yue Niang inherited her talent, becoming a renowned embroiderer in the county. At one point, the stream of suitors nearly wore out their doorstep.

Everyone assumed Yue Niang would marry into a good family. But to everyone’s surprise, she insisted on becoming the concubine of the eldest son of the Zhang family. Old Lady Zhou tried everything—beatings, scoldings, even confining her daughter at home—but Yue Niang refused to change her mind, even if it meant death or starvation.

The matter caused quite a stir. Eventually, Zhou declared that if Yue Niang insisted on marrying him, she would sever mother-daughter ties. Yue Niang, heartless as it seemed, abandoned her mother for the sake of a man. During that time, Old Lady Zhou aged visibly, becoming reclusive and rarely leaving home. Villagers who went to the county occasionally brought back news of Yue Niang, but Zhou refused to listen.

This went on for three years, until one snowy day. Yue Niang appeared at the door, heavily pregnant. She explained that the Zhang family’s eldest son had a change of heart, took a new concubine, and allowed his wife to humiliate her. Unwilling to let her child be born into such an environment, she had fled.

In the end, a mother’s heart softened, and Zhou allowed her daughter back home. Not long after, Yue Niang gave birth prematurely to a daughter, named A Man. But due to the depression that led to illness she had endured during pregnancy, Yue Niang passed away soon after.

When the Zhang family learned of this, they sent someone to check on the situation. Seeing that only a girl had been born, they showed no interest in claiming her. Later, it was said that the second son of the Zhang family had become an official elsewhere, and the entire family moved away.

Though growing older, Zhou still had her embroidery skills. Relying on them, she managed to raise A Man single-handedly. Just as A Man reached marriageable age, Zhou fell ill again—this time for three long years. A Man was filial through and through, enduring countless hardships to care for her grandmother. But life and death are merciless; when the time comes, no one can hold on forever.

"Ah!" The women sighed in sympathy, though some were dismissive. "Stop pretending to care. Did you see the scale of this funeral? It’s almost as grand as Old Master Chen’s in town. And look over there—those people waiting under the tree are here to take her away to a life of comfort."

Following her gaze, the crowd saw several women standing beneath a tree. The leader was a middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties, her hair styled in a bun, wearing wide-sleeved robes—clearly not an ordinary commoner.

But everyone knew the truth: Zhou had no money for a burial. To give her grandmother a dignified funeral, A Man had agreed to their terms and signed a contract of servitude.

"Just becoming a servant in a wealthy household—that’s hardly a life of comfort," someone remarked.

The critic sneered. "Servant? I heard clearly—she’s to become a *tongfang* for the young master. Called a maid, but if she gets pregnant, she could become a mistress. Why do you think Zhou didn’t teach her needlework but made sure a country girl like her could read and write? It was all to marry her into a rich family."

She went on relentlessly. "Zhou was shrewd. Her daughter didn’t make it, so she pinned her hopes on her granddaughter. Pity she didn’t live long enough to see it through."

As her words grew increasingly harsh, someone nearby clamped a hand over her mouth. "Did you eat dung this morning? How can you speak ill of the dead right after the burial? Aren’t you afraid she’ll haunt you at night?"

Muffled, the woman continued to curse under her breath.

A Man heard the commotion but paid it no mind.

Her grandmother had always said that reading and writing were meant to enlighten the mind. A Man believed her mother had been deceived precisely because she was illiterate and unaware of propriety. As for embroidery, her grandmother had tried to teach her, but A Man was all thumbs and could never master it.

She saw no need to explain. Her grandmother had told her that some people only hear what they want to hear and believe what they want to believe. Explaining would only bring unnecessary trouble.

In the end, they were just pitiable souls.

Seeing that it was time, A Man kowtowed three times heavily, then stood up and bowed deeply to the crowd. "These past days, I’ve troubled you all, uncles and aunts. Thank you."

The villagers, who had watched her grow up, felt a pang of sadness seeing the well-behaved girl now destined for servitude. They wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came.

In these hard times, everyone struggled to get by. Even if they wanted to help, they lacked the means.

Picking up the bundle beside her, A Man dusted it off and, under the reluctant gazes of the crowd, walked resolutely toward the women under the tree.

Nanny Zhang had grown somewhat impatient, but upon seeing A Man approach, she managed a kindly expression. "Is everything settled?"

"Yes," A Man nodded.

"Is there anything else you need to bring?"

"Nothing," A Man adjusted the bundle on her shoulder. "Everything is here."

The bundle was wrapped in gray, wrinkled, and somewhat shabby cloth. It seemed to contain very little, appearing almost empty.

Judging by its shape, it likely held only clothes. Nanny Zhang thought to herself that such ragged items were unnecessary—the Marquis’s residence had plenty. But she held her tongue.

Better to let her keep them as mementos.

Yongzhou was far away. It was unlikely she would ever return.

"Let’s go. Madam is probably waiting."

It was A Man’s first time riding in a carriage. The mountain road was rugged and winding, making for an uncomfortable journey.

Fortunately, Shijia Village was not far from the county town. In about half an hour, they arrived at the best inn in the area—the Ruoshui Inn.

Nanny Zhang led A Man inside, where a waiter hurried to greet them. "Nanny, you’re back. We’ve kept a meal for you. When would you like it served?"

"Has Madam eaten yet?" Nanny Zhang asked.

"Yes, yes, Madam ate well and took a nap at noon. She’s just woken up."

"We’ll eat later. I’ll see Madam first," Nanny Zhang said.

They went upstairs, A Man following quietly as they rounded the corridor and stopped at the door of the best room. Nanny Zhang knocked gently. "Madam, it’s me."

"Come in," a woman’s voice replied, soft and gentle.

Nanny Zhang pushed the door open. A large screen, occupying half the room, blocked the view, preventing anyone from seeing inside.

Passing the screen, A Man finally saw the legendary Madam. She appeared to be around forty, with her hair styled high, her face beautiful and seemingly untouched by age. Her clothes, though not overly ornate, were exquisitely embroidered and clearly expensive.

The room was faintly scented with a woody fragrance, subtle yet carrying an air of authority—much like the lady before her.

A Man didn’t dare raise her head, only stealing glances.

Madam Fu looked up from her book, her red lips curving slightly. "You’re back."

Her eyes lingered on A Man, scanning her from head to toe, then back again. She nodded in clear satisfaction. "So you are A Man?"

"Yes," A Man replied softly.

"Lift your head and let me see."

A Man raised her head, meeting Madam Fu's delicate features, then instinctively averted her gaze.

"Slender figure, well-proportioned, with delicate features—she's quite suitable." She asked, "I heard they say you are skilled at caring for others and have some knowledge of medicine?"

"I... when my grandmother was seriously ill, I cared for her at her bedside. I just know a little, not enough to call it expertise," A Man said.

"What 'I'? In front of Madam, you should refer to yourself as 'this servant'," Nanny Zhang interjected promptly.

"It's alright," Madam Fu waved her hand. "She can learn these formalities in time."

She looked at A Man with gentle eyes. "You must be tired from your journey today. Go eat something and rest well. We will set off for Yongzhou early tomorrow morning."

Nanny Zhang called for the waiter and instructed him to take A Man to eat first, then show her to her room afterward. After closing the door, Nanny Zhang noticed Madam Fu seemed lost in thought and stepped forward to ask, "Madam, are you dissatisfied with this girl?"

"Compared to the previous ones, she's the best we've seen. It's just that Yun Xiu's status... a peasant girl, after all, is beneath his station."

"Eldest Master Fu is noble and distinguished, like a jade tree in the wind. Even the noble ladies of Yongzhou may not be worthy of him. But... a peasant girl has her advantages—at least she is sturdy and likely to bear children easily," Nanny Zhang said.

"Sigh, if it weren't for this, I wouldn't have resorted to such a measure." In the blink of an eye, Yun Xiu is already twenty-three. According to the physician, the poison in his body makes it impossible for him to live past twenty-five. If he leaves no heir, I, as his mother, would feel deeply remorseful.

She sighed and instructed Nanny Zhang, "You should rest early too. We’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning."

It had been three or four days since they left, and she wondered what Second Madam had been saying about her behind her back.

As this was not a matter of pride, Madam Fu had not brought many people with her. Aside from the coachman, only A Man and Nanny Zhang accompanied her. The two maids who had been with Nanny Zhang earlier were also borrowed from the inn.

The three of them rode in the same carriage early the next morning. The carriage was spacious, and the road was smooth, so the journey was uneventful. Along the way, Nanny Zhang told A Man about the Fu family's eldest son.

The Fu family's eldest son is named Fu Yunxiu. He is the legitimate eldest son of the Marquis' household, exceptionally intelligent and outstanding. Unfortunately, he has been frail since birth due to an illness. The household took every precaution to care for him, but when he was ten, he was poisoned by Second Madam, who was still a concubine at the time, and nearly lost his life.

The physician exerted all his efforts for three days and nights to save him. However, the poison was too complex to fully eradicate. The physician used silver needles to confine the toxin to his legs, saving his life but leaving him disabled and reliant on a wheelchair.

At twenty, the poison flared up again, and the physician declared he would not live past twenty-five.

Unwilling to burden his family further, he moved to a separate residence and has lived there for three years.

"Miss A Man, some words may be harsh, but I must speak plainly. Eldest Master Fu, due to these successive blows, has become moody and unpredictable. He is aloof and solitary, they say, and at times he may speak harshly. But as servants, we must endure grievances. Please bear with him. Of course, if you are truly capable of bearing a son, you'll be rewarded with wealth and honor."

Nanny Zhang's earnest advice barely registered for A Man. Ever since hearing Fu Yunxiu's story, A Man had felt a pang of sympathy in her heart.

To fall from being a heaven's favored son to a disabled man who would not live past twenty-five—such a reversal would crush anyone.

In a way, she and Eldest Master Fu were in similar circumstances, both alone in the world. The difference was that Eldest Master Fu still had a mother who loved him and cared for his well-being, while her own grandmother was gone.

Strangely, A Man found herself eager to meet Eldest Master Fu soon.

Author's Note:

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