The stewardess Li gaped at the faintly glowing charcoal fire, speechless—now she was beginning to feel that the crude and domineering Fourth Miss was familiar again. This was exactly how she used to act when losing her temper and beating servants. But she had never dared treat her like this before. Did falling seriously ill make her bolder?
Yu Cailing stared at her for a moment, then sneered as she set down the hand warmer. Reaching back to adjust her hairpin, she said coldly, "If you dare speak another disrespectful word to me, I’ll jump off this carriage. Whether I live or die, I won’t go back with you." If she hadn’t been tough, a young girl living with her widowed grandmother, fatherless and motherless—even with an uncle—would have been bullied to death by the townsfolk.
"You—you...!" Stewardess Li was stunned. It was common for servants to be scolded by their masters, but Fourth Miss had always fawned over her.
Just as she was about to retort, she recalled the current situation and reluctantly shut her mouth.
In truth, she had already felt guilty when she heard "fell gravely ill and nearly died." This was originally her fault—the madam had never instructed her to take Fourth Miss’s life. The original plan had been to torment the girl over several months, first making her suffer bitterly, then slowly winning her over with warmth and care, ensuring she would be completely obedient before her parents returned. Who could have guessed that the rivals would be so cunning? Their letter had said they wouldn’t return for months, yet yesterday a sudden message arrived saying they would be back in a few days. They were caught completely unprepared. What were they to do now? Stewardess Li was at a loss.
Looking at Yu Cailing’s stubborn face, she could only swallow her anger, silently vowing to let the madam deal with her once they returned.
Yu Cailing ignored her, finding a cushion to lean against as she feigned sleep. Her thoughts drifted to a story she had once heard in the village: it was said that in a previous dynasty, a man was wronged by a powerful local bully. The bully, knowing the victim had no sons or nephews and that his daughter was already married with children, secretly rejoiced. But unexpectedly, the married daughter took up a blade to seek vengeance, eventually hacking the bully to death in a pavilion before surrendering herself to the authorities. The local governor and prefect jointly petitioned the court, praising the woman’s righteous and heroic act. Not only was she pardoned, but a stone monument was erected to honor her deeds.
This was entirely different from the ancient times she had imagined.
In her impression, feudal etiquette imposed strict, suffocating rules on women—from major virtues like chastity and demeanor down to trivialities like how many centimeters a step should span or how high one could lift their head while speaking. Women were controlled to the point of lifelessness, like wooden puppets.
But here, people’s thoughts and hearts seemed so lively and natural, with a sense that anything was possible. In this vast world, nothing was truly forbidden. While demure and virtuous women were praised, bold and daring ones were also celebrated.
Take the Qiu family, for example. Though Eldest Miss Qiu had married multiple times, her decisive and fierce nature meant that whether her brothers were away at war or disabled upon returning, she was always the one leading a group to fight back whenever her family was wronged. No wonder Old Master and Madam Qiu doted on this daughter, and all the children revered their formidable aunt. Aside from bawdy jokes at weddings, the villagers never uttered the usual sour remarks about "a good horse not bearing two saddles."The conclusion was that while gentle and kind women were more likely to marry well, being fierce and domineering didn’t invite the same level of scorn and persecution as it would in later eras.
……
As if to confirm Yu Cailing’s earlier illness wasn’t feigned, she developed a low-grade fever halfway through the journey. The jolting of the carriage caused her to vomit the lunch she had just eaten, and by the end, even bile came up. Frightened, the stewardess Li urged the driver to hurry, so by the time they finally reached the estate, Yu Cailing’s low fever had spiked into a high one. Her head throbbed unbearably, and she was too dazed to even glimpse what the mansion looked like, only sensing the carriage moving deeper into the compound.
Eager to rid herself of this burden, Stewardess Li didn’t bother waiting for the maids to assist when they reached the courtyard entrance. She leapt down herself and hastily dragged Yu Cailing toward the main house. Fortunately, the girl’s slight frame made carrying her no trouble.
Yu Cailing’s cheeks burned with fever as she sneered inwardly: Back in the countryside, Zhu would never let her leave until the morning chill had lifted, and she’d bundle her up tightly before allowing her out. Yet these people had yanked a sick child wearing only a Curved Robe from the warm carriage, all to rush their task. If anyone claimed this so-called Aunt truly cared for the original owner of this body, she’d never believe it. Once she had the chance, she’d make sure these wretches got a taste of her fists!
Half-dragged, half-carried to the main house entrance, she vaguely saw a dozen finely dressed women standing on the steps. Her vision blurred, but she guessed the one in the center, clad in purple brocade and fur with a heavily powdered face, was her ‘dear Aunt.’ The sight almost made her laugh—if Stewardess Li was as thin as a chopstick, this ‘dear Aunt’ was another, and together they could’ve served as a pair of tongs.
Ge Shi quickly asked what had happened. Stewardess Li flustered, “Madam, this is troublesome—the Fourth Young Lady is gravely ill! I’ve been exhausted and frantic the whole way, fearing I’d fail your instructions!”
Ge Shi eyed Yu Cailing’s flushed, plump cheeks—nourished by Zhu’s care—and still put on airs, drawling skeptically, “Surely she’s faking. Children don’t fall ill so easily.” The onlookers in the courtyard thought privately: How odd—children are precisely the ones who fall ill most often.
Suddenly, a calloused hand touched Yu Cailing’s forehead. An elderly voice said gravely, “This is bad—the fever’s fierce. Madam, this could bring trouble.” Then, raising her voice, she called, “Someone, fetch the physician!... The one surnamed Zhang from the southern district!”
“Mother Fu,” Ge Shi said, displeased, before reaching out to feel Yu Cailing’s forehead herself. The heat startled her. “Heavens, she’s burning up! Quickly, send for someone!”
With her last strength, Yu Cailing lifted her gaze to see a white-haired old woman standing beside Ge Shi—then darkness swallowed her vision, and she knew no more.
What followed was the familiar ordeal of forced soups and medicines. Yu Cailing had no idea how long she slept, only that she’d swallowed countless doses in her haze. This time, however, the treatment was far better. The bedding beneath her was softer and more fragrant than in the little courtyard, the room evenly warm and well-ventilated. Even the hands that undressed and wiped her down were many—though none as gentle as A Zhu’s.As soon as she regained a bit of strength, Yu Cailing was lifted up to take medicine again. She absolutely detested this bitter, nauseating taste. Thinking that she had almost recovered before, only to be made ill again by these so-called "doctors" who had no idea what they were doing, forcing her to endure the suffering all over again, a surge of anger rose in her heart. She swung her arm and knocked over the bowls and cups beside her, sending them clattering to the ground, the brown medicinal liquid spilling everywhere. This provoked Ge Shi into a furious rage. She wanted to scold Yu Cailing but knew she needed the girl to recover quickly, so she had to suppress her anger.
Unexpectedly, after several days of doctors coming and going and taking medicine, the fever still hadn’t subsided. Seeing the girl’s plump cheeks and body rapidly wasting away, Ge Shi’s anger turned to worry. She dismissed the servants and often sat alone by Yu Cailing’s bedside, fretting over how to find an excuse if the girl really didn’t make it. Coincidentally, on this day, after taking her medicine, Yu Cailing was in a half-asleep state when she overheard the old woman she had seen before and her "dear aunt" talking.
"...Madam, why must you torment such a young child? You just can’t stand Madam Xiao," the old woman said.
Ge Shi said hatefully, "I can’t stand her! A fallen noble, a twice-married woman, yet she dares to put on airs in front of me! My Ge family is wealthier and of purer origins than hers. Why should I tolerate her?"
The old woman seemed to sigh. "The Xiao family was once glorious too. Who could have predicted the chaos in the world, with refugees and bandits everywhere, leading to their downfall? Back in our hometown, she was a well-known female lord, while the Cheng family was far beneath them. In the end, why must you insist on competing with the first wife? There’s no enmity between you."
Yu Cailing had been about to fall asleep, but upon hearing this, she perked up immediately. Praise Buddha, she knew not everyone in the world would be as tight-lipped as Zhu—there were always big mouths willing to spill the past. She pretended to sleep even harder, pricking up her ears to listen carefully, and even her fever seemed to lessen.
"No enmity?!" Ge Shi unconsciously raised her voice, only to be shushed—likely by the old woman signaling her to lower it. Ge Shi indeed lowered her voice and said, "It should have been me marrying the husband’s uncle! I should have been the titled lady, the one receiving honors!"
"That’s not quite right. I watched you grow up—when did you ever take a liking to the Cheng family? As for Madam Xiao, when she married the first time, the family head followed her all the way singing songs. Everyone in the village knew. Later, during the chaos, within a few years, Madam Xiao had a falling out with her first husband’s family. Before the divorce was even finalized, the family head was already helping her left and right. To put it bluntly, even if our Ge family had proposed to the family head, he wouldn’t have agreed."
Ge Shi grew even angrier. "It’s all Father and Mother’s fault for marrying me into the Cheng family!"
Yu Cailing quickly deduced: Hmm, this family’s surname is Cheng, with at least two brothers. The eldest brother’s household is this body’s birth parents, no issues there, and they seem to be doing quite well.The sound of patting could be heard, likely the old woman patting Ge Shi’s shoulder as she said, “You’re talking nonsense again. How the Xiao family fell is common knowledge, just a county away. Wasn’t it because Madam Xiao’s father and brothers all died at the hands of bandits? Back then, the Xiao family wasn’t just wealthy—Grand Duke Xiao was also one of the three elders in the village. To resist the bandits plundering the countryside, he led his servants into battle and wounded many of them. But who knew the bandit leader would hold a grudge? They feigned retreat, waited until everyone let their guard down, then sneaked in at night and slaughtered the entire Xiao family. Luckily, the bandits didn’t know that wealthy families in our area often built underground cellars, so a few women and children managed to hide. But all the grown men and their wealth were lost.”
The old woman seemed to take a sip of water before continuing, “It was chaos back then. Any brute who gathered a few bandits could call himself a king, killing and robbing the wealthy. Women suffered even more. Our Ge family was such a fat target—it was so dangerous. Though the Cheng family was poor, the head of the household had influence in the village. Not only was he capable himself, but he also led a group of tough followers. At the time, our old master said he didn’t dare emulate Lü Taigong’s bet on the Red Emperor’s son—he just didn’t want to become the next Xiao family. Back then, the head of the household had just married Madam Xiao, and the third son of the Cheng family was still young. If you didn’t marry the son-in-law, who else could you marry?”
“You keep going on and on, just to persuade me to bow my head to her!” Ge Shi seemed furious. “Have you forgotten? We married into this family around the same time. In terms of talent and wealth, I surpassed her in every way. But look at the life I’ve had! I used my dowry to support the Cheng family, while she used the Cheng family’s money to support her own family! And she struts around arrogantly every day—how can I stand it!”
“Then let me ask you, madam, has your dowry remained the same over the years?” the old woman asked softly.
Ge Shi fell silent.
Seizing the moment, the old woman pressed on, “In the early years of your marriage, you did use your dowry to support the Cheng family. But it wasn’t long before the general rose to power. After every battle, he sent chests of money and silk home. Your dowry was replenished long ago—probably with more to spare. So what if Madam Xiao took some to support her family?”
Ge Shi sneered, “While the parents are alive, no private property should be amassed. The family hasn’t even divided yet—the elder brother’s money should be managed by his parents, and all three brothers’ households should share it!”
The old woman sighed again. “That’s the principle, yes. But the money was earned by Master Cheng on the battlefield, and Madam Xiao was always by his side—it passed through her hands first. With the chaos outside and wars everywhere, who still follows these rules? Even now, beyond the prefectures under our Emperor’s control, the outside world is still in turmoil.”
The room fell silent, as if neither had anything more to say. Yu Cailing waited patiently, thinking to herself that wars were still raging outside—she wondered how things stood. At the same time, she urged them inwardly: Keep gossiping, don’t stop now.
“So, madam, you’re planning to take Fourth Miss’s life just to spite Madam Xiao?” the old woman asked.
Ge Shi scoffed coldly, “I originally intended to spare that wretched woman. But who knew she’d be so heartless, choosing to leave her child behind just to follow her husband’s uncle! Of course, he sided with her. She’s quite the schemer—she hired a powerful shaman to interpret omens and managed to take all her sons with her, leaving only this daughter behind. Yes, I wanted to corrupt Fourth Miss to shame her, but I never intended to kill her!”Hearing this, Yu Cailing sneered inwardly. It seemed she was simply fated to be without parents—in her previous life, they had divorced, and in this one, though they hadn't divorced, they had still abandoned her.
Yu's mother had been a young educated woman sent to the countryside during her youth. Many local young men had wanted to marry her, including those with tougher fists and brighter prospects, but she had chosen Yu's father alone. She knew very well that substance mattered more than appearances in life. Those other men spent their days leading gangs of brothers, shouting and making a racket, but what use was that when their families barely had a few pounds of grain stored away? Yu's father was different—shrewd and cunning, with a kindly old mother.
Yu's mother wasn't content to remain a small-town accountant. After the college entrance exams were reinstated, she immediately began studying, persevered for years, and eventually passed the exams. She was even assigned a promising position in a big city, where she "coincidentally" ran into her childhood sweetheart, who had been from a family of equal status and had "just happened" to get divorced. What followed was only natural. The only miscalculation, perhaps, was giving birth to her.
While Yu Cailing's thoughts wandered far afield, Ge Shi grew increasingly resentful and said bitterly, "...Aside from neglecting her upbringing, what else could I have done? Don’t you know, Mother Fu, that the moment there was any commotion, that old woman Wan next door would send her maids to check on things? Could I have beaten Fourth Miss, or starved her as punishment?"
The old woman seemed to sigh. "Madam, listen to me. The Cheng family isn’t what it used to be, but our Ge family remains unchanged. Times are different now—don’t fight it. I only came to see you before New Year's Day. In a few days, I’ll be going to Qingzhou with my children and grandchildren. After Your Majesty conquered it, it took years to finally clear out the bandits. There’s so much wasteland that can be farmed now, and the government is posting notices recruiting people to settle there. The taxes are light, and after farming for a few years, the land becomes your own..."
Ge Shi was startled. "So soon? It’s barely past the winter solstice. Why not leave after New Year's Day?" Though she had long known Mother Fu’s family was preparing to move to Qingzhou to establish themselves, she still couldn’t bear the thought of parting.
The old woman chuckled. "Your brother Bao has saved up a bit of money from his small business these past few years and is eager to go. He even found a shaman to divine the matter, who said that when moving far away to establish a household, we must invite our ancestors to come along to bless the family. So we plan to celebrate New Year's Day in Qingzhou, where the whole family can hold a proper ceremony to pray for prosperity and descendants."
Ge Shi was silent for a moment before weeping softly. "Mother Fu, though you’ve mostly lived outside these past two years, I could always see you when I wanted. Now that you’re going to Qingzhou, what will I do? Didn’t I say I’d find a future for your son?"
The old woman smiled. "Qingzhou is a good place. Several of my nephews are taking their whole families there too. With so many of us going together, we won’t have to fear being bullied. Besides..." She paused. "Madam, think about it—have any of our Ge family’s younger generation managed to secure a future these years? They couldn’t even get into the Imperial Academy. What hope is there for an old woman like me?"
Ge Shi said bitterly, "It’s all because of that vile Xiao woman. Husband's uncle just follows her lead."
The old woman smiled and said no more.
Though Yu Cailing was feverish and dizzy, her mind was still sharp. Even without the old woman spelling it out, she could fill in the blanks herself—this brainless aunt only knew how to scheme in the wrong ways. If you spent all your time butting heads with Madam Xiao, how could you expect her husband to lift a finger for your family?!Yu Cailing felt that even her ten-year-old self had been sharper than this. Slapping someone’s left cheek and then expecting them to lick your fingers—Madam Xiao wasn’t some masochist. You really ought to chug two bottles of toilet cleaner to cool off. Now, the only clear-headed person around you is about to bail, probably having given up on your intelligence.
“What does Madam plan to do now? Judging by Fourth Miss’s illness, she likely won’t recover in the next few days,” the old matron said.
Ge Shi pleaded, “Mother Fu, help me think of an excuse. Fourth Miss isn’t well, but unfortunately, her faults are all trivial—quarreling and cursing with other young ladies, even hitting someone at the garden party… If only she’d committed a major offense. I was careless. When she was younger, she couldn’t stir up much trouble, but now that she’s older, I didn’t prepare properly, thinking we had months to work with. That cunning Madam Xiao said she’d return in a few months, yet she’s arriving any day now!”
The old matron sighed again. “Let me think. Ah, I’ve got it. We’ll downplay it. Didn’t Second Miss come back crying the other day about her mother-in-law’s mistreatment? You can say that since the young ladies are all growing up now, soon to be considered for marriage, they ought to be dignified and virtuous. But Fourth Miss remains so unruly, so you resolved to discipline her harshly. Then blame the servants for neglecting their duties—that greedy old woman under Li Zhui’s command, for instance. If pressed, pin it on her…”
Ge Shi brightened. “Excellent idea, Mother Fu. We’ll do just that. If that Xiao woman nags at me, I’ll recount all the outrageous things Fourth Miss has done over the years. Let’s see if she still thinks the child doesn’t need discipline!” After her moment of triumph, she fumed again. “What’s there to fear? It’s not like she can eat me alive!”
No sooner had she spoken than shouts erupted outside. A young maid’s shrill voice pierced through: “Female Lord, it’s terrible! The master and his party have returned! Their carriages are already at the main gate—a dozen large ones! The old mistress is summoning us at once.” A flurry of panicked footsteps and overlapping calls followed.
Ge Shi gasped. “So soon?” She paused. “Wait, that’s odd. Why hasn’t there been any movement next door at General Wan’s residence? I’ve had people watching it! My elder brother always accompanies the general.” Raising her voice, she called out, “Someone, fetch my husband at once!”
The old matron hurriedly supported Ge Shi. “Female Lord, you’re not thinking straight. How could your son-in-law be home now? Never mind that—go out and greet them properly. We mustn’t breach etiquette… No, no, better yet, go to your husband’s mother first and accompany her!”
Ge Shi stamped her foot furiously. “Look at the fine marriage Father arranged for me! My son-in-law spends his days buried in those Confucian classics, while his younger uncle, years his junior, already holds an official rank of several hundred bushels. Years of study, and what has he to show for it? As for my husband’s mother, she plays the fool, caring only for her own comfort…”
Their voices faded as they departed. Yu Cailing struggled to prop herself up and shift her sleeping position, touching her burning forehead. Her body ached, damp with fever, and cold sweat broke out in waves. For now, she had no thoughts except that deep sleep was the best remedy. Otherwise, she’d be doing a disservice to all the pesticide she’d ingested these past days!That damned old hag surnamed Ge, too cowardly to face her enemies head-on, yet bold enough to bully a child—no wonder her husband's a useless wimp. With her pointy face, scrawny frame, and complexion greener than broccoli, she's clearly suffering from hormonal imbalance at night and pent-up rage by day. If she's so desperate to vent, why not find herself a lover to blow off steam? She could keep three young gigolos—one to feed her grapes, one to massage her feet, and another to dance the waltz. Wouldn't that make life delightful? How exactly does harassing your sister-in-law and niece improve your complexion and regulate your endocrine system?! What a brainless twit from eighteen generations of ill-bred ancestors!
Author's Note:
Thank you all for your support, bowing deeply.
Let me reiterate—most characters, including the female lead, are far from perfect and have plenty of flaws.
And yes, the catfights begin after five chapters. Don't say I didn't warn you, lol...
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