At this moment, the ever-loving Shao Shang stood at the street corner, gazing up at the sky. The fine snowflakes drifting down landed on her face and neck, chilling and damp, leaving her heart in a daze.
Half an hour earlier, her elder brother Cheng Shao Gong had taken her to the brothers' quarters to hide temporarily before running back to Nine Dapple Hall to gather news. While Shao Shang crouched by the fire pit, Fu Deng entered the room after finishing tidying Cheng Song’s arrows and bowstrings.
Reuniting with an old friend naturally led to conversation. From Fu Deng, Shao Shang learned that Fu Liang had already been assigned to serve their youngest brother Cheng Zhu. In turn, Fu Deng heard from Shao Shang that A Mei had grown another two inches taller. Then, Fu Deng couldn’t help but ask why Shao Shang was there. Upon learning the reason, his concern deepened.
"The Female Lord has never failed to punish those she intends to," Fu Deng said with a troubled expression. "Having followed my father in the lord’s service for years, I’ve seen it time and again—whenever the Female Lord decides to cane a young master, no matter where they hide, she always finds them and carries out the punishment."
At this, Shao Shang could no longer sit still.
Under her eager encouragement, Fu Deng earnestly described how the caning was administered, the extent of the injuries it caused, the frequency of the young masters’ screams, the speed of their recovery, and their physical and mental state afterward.
Fu Deng’s intention was to make the Young Lady understand that hiding was only a temporary solution—resisting stubbornly was worse than admitting fault sincerely and reconciling with her mother.
Little did he know, Shao Shang’s reasoning was: "Confess and face hard labor; resist and go home scot-free."
To be honest, she still cherished her own skin. It would be a shame if, after escaping Yin Xu'e’s blows, she ended up suffering under Madam Xiao’s hand. Panicked, she decided to flee and lay low for a while, just as she had done as a child.
At first, Fu Deng was horrified and tried hard to dissuade her. But seeing the Young Lady’s determination, he had no choice but to escort her out. The two slipped out through a side gate of Cheng Residence. In their haste, Fu Deng at least remembered to bring two horses. Yet only after walking fifty or sixty paces did Shao Shang realize how ill-prepared they were.
First, she didn’t know how to ride a horse.
Second, she wasn’t wearing an outer fur coat, and her feet were still clad in those light green embroidered soft-soled Turned-Up Toe Shoes.
Third, the temperature outside was below freezing, and it had started snowing again.
Lastly, this wasn’t like the alleyways of her hometown—where there were wonton stalls at the corner, fried dough stalls along the street, stinky tofu stalls at the end, and just a few steps farther, the video parlor run by the neighborhood boss.
Now, dusk was approaching. Smoke rose from rooftops near and far, and the streets were nearly deserted. The eateries and inns where they could take temporary shelter were only found within designated wards—unlike in later times, where such places lined the streets.
She and Fu Deng stared at each other in dismay, and Fu Deng was deeply ashamed of his lack of foresight.
Shao Shang didn’t blame him. Fu Yi and A Zhu had raised their son to be a soldier, not a young master’s personal attendant. Hesitating, she wondered if she should just go home obediently—even a beating was better than catching a cold.
Come to think of it, she had grown accustomed to having maids attend to her. In her past life, she wouldn’t dare leave home without keys or money. But now, whether it was wind, rain, or snow, there was always a maid behind her, hastily holding an umbrella, draping a cloak over her shoulders, and fussing over her comfort.
Truly, it was hard to return to frugality after luxury.
Shao Shang smiled wryly at herself and was about to surrender and head home when she heard the familiar jingle of carriage bells—
"Cheng Shaoshang!"—followed by an even more familiar young man’s voice.Shao Shang looked up to see Yuan Shen, draped in a fur-lined cloak, leaning halfway out of the splendid Yuan family carriage. His snow-white face was tinged with a faint flush from the cold. The moment he spotted Shao Shang, his expression brightened with joy, but then quickly turned concerned. "Why are you dressed so lightly? Come inside the carriage at once!"
Fu Deng hesitated slightly. He had seen Yuan Shen during the Cheng family banquet the other day and knew he wasn't a bad sort, but still...
Shao Shang paid no heed to such concerns. She hurried forward, climbing swiftly into the Yuan carriage. Yuan Shen smiled and moved aside to let her in. The driver seated at the front thoughtfully tossed a felt cloak to Fu Deng, who silently accepted it, draped it over himself, then mounted his horse. Leading another horse by the reins, he followed slowly beside the carriage, worrying about the Young Lady's health. He still remembered how hard his mother had worked months ago to save her life.
Shao Shang's condition wasn't great. This body was frailer than she'd expected, and after just this short exposure to the cold, she felt frozen from fingertips to heart. Fortunately, the carriage of a noble young master wasn't just lavish on the outside—inside, it was fully equipped with a writing desk, armrests, a lambskin wall lamp, and a small, exquisitely carved brazier made of white iron and paulownia wood. Even the walls were lined with soft brocade velvet. Sadly, Shao Shang's fingertips were too numb to appreciate the luxurious texture.
Yuan Shen frowned as he studied her. The small girl was shivering violently, her hair slightly damp from melted snowflakes. Though with her face bruised from the beating, it was hard to tell her actual complexion.
He moved his arm slightly, tempted to drape his own fur cloak over her, but hesitated, fearing it might be too forward. Before he could decide, Shao Shang had already grabbed a fleece blanket from the carriage wall and wrapped it around herself.
Yuan Shen fell silent, releasing the edge of his cloak. "Where do you want to go?"
"Mother was going to beat me, so I ran away," Shao Shang said glumly, edging as close to the brazier as possible. "But I didn't bring anything with me. Maybe I should just go back."
Yuan Shen frowned. "Don't go back yet. Let's ride around for a while." If necessary, he did have a few estates where she could take refuge—though that might not be proper...
Shao Shang nodded eagerly. She needed time to figure out her next steps too.
Yuan Shen picked up the iron poker beside the brazier and gently stirred the coals. "...Your 'self-injury scheme' worked quite well. Before I left the Yin residence, I'd already heard that Lady Yin felt unwell and didn't appear at the banquet." Actually, he'd made a point of inquiring.
Finally catching her breath, Shao Shang flatly denied it. "What self-injury scheme? I'm young and hot-tempered—I couldn't stand Lady Yin's provocations and lost control. Young Master Yuan should watch his words."
Setting down the poker, Yuan Shen hesitated for a moment before retrieving a wide-mouthed lacquered wine flask with a blackbird design from the warming compartment behind him. After a brief pause, he poured half a cup of warm rice wine and handed it to Shao Shang.
Irritated by his cautious demeanor, Shao Shang took the two-handled cup with one hand while keeping the fleece blanket tucked around her with the other. With a flick of her wrist, she downed it in one gulp. A girl determined to be a delinquent had to know how to drink. Before middle school, she'd already sampled beer, rice wine, baijiu, and counterfeit wine mixed with sugar—this weak rice wine was nothing to her—
"Cough... cough...!" Shao Shang erupted into violent coughing, tears nearly springing to her eyes. Right. She'd forgotten again.
Yuan Shen was torn between exasperation and amusement. His fingers flexed, but he resisted the urge to pat her back."...Since you know that harming the enemy a thousand would cost you eight hundred of your own, why resort to such an inferior strategy?" he said softly. "That Lady Yin may have been punished, but do you think you emerged unscathed?"
Shao Shang coughed violently, raising her head with a cold smile. "'Emerging unscathed' is something only those with backing can say. Young Master Yuan, do I look like one to you?" She refused to believe someone as calculating as Yuan Shen wouldn't have inquired about her circumstances.
Yet Yuan Shen merely replied indifferently, "Not everyone in this world is blessed with parental bonds. Since we're born into this world, we must strive to live well."
Shao Shang felt frustrated: She had lived well! Whether as a delinquent or a top student, she had worked hard every day in her past life. Just as her future seemed bright, the heavens made her start all over again!
Noting her silence, Yuan Shen said gently, "What's past is past. This incident wasn't entirely wrong either. From now on, unless they have grievances with your Cheng family, few would deliberately make things difficult for you."
Shao Shang nodded reluctantly before asking, "By the way, why were you at my doorstep?" Her home wasn't in a marketplace—her neighbors were either wealthy merchants or newly promoted officials.
Instead of answering, Yuan Shen changed the subject: "Actually, I had something to tell you today. My mother originally planned to invite the Cheng ladies to our residence for a plum blossom viewing in a couple of days, but..."
"Plum blossom viewing? Your mother never involves herself in mundane affairs," Shao Shang exclaimed in surprise.
Lady Yuan was indeed one of the Capital City's wonders. As the titled wife of a first-rank High-ranking regional official, with both her maiden and marital families being prominent clans, she had for some reason declared her intention to withdraw from worldly affairs to cultivate Daoism. She neither received guests nor hosted banquets, even skipping palace feasts under pretext of illness. Apart from unavoidable occasions like receiving imperial rewards, almost no one ever saw her. Her reclusive lifestyle was only slightly less extreme than that of the otherworldly Yan Divine Immortal.
To exaggerate slightly, the last major banquet the Yuan residence hosted for outsiders was for Elder Young Master Yuan's first birthday. Over the years, apart from small family gatherings for relatives, even Yuan Shen's coming-of-age ceremony was held at his teacher's home.
Yuan Shen frowned. "No manners—how rude to interrupt when someone is speaking." Glaring until Shao Shang sheepishly closed her mouth, he continued, "Originally, my mother intended to invite your mother for a visit, but His Majesty is touring east the day after tomorrow and has urgently summoned my teacher and me to accompany him. It will have to wait until my return..." He casually watched for the girl's reaction.
Unexpectedly, Shao Shang's train of thought took an odd turn: "Huh? Just because you're leaving, your household can't host? ...So you're the one managing your household affairs?"
She wondered silently whether Old Man Cheng's career prospects were so promising that even the Yuan family sought connections. Pointing at the young man before her, she teased, "Since your mother dislikes managing affairs, why don't you marry earlier to avoid such inconveniences?"
Yuan Shen thought to himself: It wasn't that there was no one to handle things. In his childhood, a Yuan Aunt had assisted with household matters, but after a few years, her ambitions grew—not only did she become dishonest, but she also dared to privately establish connections with other noble families.
After expelling that Aunt, he took over household management at a young age—appointing new stewards and establishing new protocols. It wasn't particularly difficult. However, as he gradually gained prominence in court, the increasing demands of social interactions indeed became inconvenient.Yuan Shen feigned mild anger, saying, "Do you think choosing a wife is like picking vegetables or melons at the market? Beyond uniting two families, my future wife will be the matriarch of the Jiaodong Yuan Clan. Naturally, she must be dignified, virtuous, compassionate toward the weak and elderly, not to mention capable of presiding over ancestral rites and social gatherings, leading all the junior wives..."
Seeing his picky expression, Shao Shang silently retorted: Your own mother is a clan matriarch too. She's been practically living as a hermit near the imperial capital for over a decade, almost attaining immortality through Taoist practices, and she's doing just fine. Though she knew in her heart there must be hidden circumstances behind Madam Yuan's situation—with the decades of chaos the world had endured, who knew what had truly happened.
"Fine, Young Master Yuan. Since you're so noble and precious, your bride must naturally be the absolute best in the world. Take your time choosing," she said coolly.
Yuan Shen glared at Shao Shang and emphasized, "...Most crucially, she must be wise, benevolent, and capable of distinguishing right from wrong—absolutely nothing like you, who resorts to fists at the slightest disagreement! What if she ends up driving away all our guests?"
Shao Shang initially wanted to retort but then sensed something amiss—was this flirtation?
Before she could figure it out, loud cries of "Shao Shang! Shao Shang!" came from outside. She froze momentarily before recognizing the voice and exclaiming, "It's Second Brother!"
Realizing Cheng Song had come after her—meaning there must be a resolution regarding the family matter—Shao Shang was overjoyed. Without waiting for Yuan Shen's reaction, she clumsily scrambled out of the carriage. Riding alongside, Fu Deng also looked relieved (he truly hadn't known how to handle a runaway Young Lady) and called out, "Second Young Master, we're here!" while signaling the driver to stop.
With both feet firmly on the ground, Shao Shang turned back to Yuan Shen, who had leaned out of the carriage, and curtsied with a smile. "Thank you for rescuing me, Young Master. Otherwise, by the time my brother found me, I might have frozen to death!"
She turned to leave, but Yuan Shen stopped her, retrieving a small white jade container from his robe and handing it to her. Softly, he said, "This is Purple Jade Ointment, made by our family's physician. Apply it... to your injuries..."
This time, before the girl could bid farewell, Yuan Shen gave a quiet command, and the driver urged the horses onward.
Shao Shang stood frozen in place, cradling the jade container that still carried his warmth—so he had deliberately lingered near the Cheng Residence to give her medicine and say goodbye?
Soon, Cheng Song followed Fu Deng's voice and arrived.
When Shao Shang looked back, her face lit up—her brother truly was reliable. Cheng Song had thoughtfully forgone riding and instead brought a small comfort carriage.
"You foolish girl! Venturing out in such cold weather dressed so lightly—you'd have been better off staying home to endure Mother's scolding!" Cheng Song scolded loudly, exasperated. He draped Cheng Shao Gong's mink coat over Shao Shang and instructed the attendant by the carriage, "Go inform Eldest Brother and Third Brother that I've found the Young Lady. Tell them to return home reassured."
"A-Deng, you're just as foolish! Don't you know the Young Lady can't ride?" Cheng Song slapped Fu Deng's back, then asked curiously, "If Shao Shang can't ride, how did you two get so far?" He examined his younger sister's complexion—she didn't seem frostbitten.
Fu Deng parted his lips but didn't dare speak, instead glancing at his Young Lady.Shao Shang cheerfully draped the padded jacket over herself, casually tucking the white jade jar into her bosom, then said with an indifferent expression, "...Not long after leaving home, I ran into Young Master Shanjian's carriage. He was kind enough to give me a ride... If Second Brother doesn't believe me, ask Fu Deng—it's true!"
Cheng Song turned his head, and Fu Deng quickly nodded in confirmation. Cheng Song was puzzled: "Young Master Shanjian is this enthusiastic?"
Having put on her jacket, Shao Shang began climbing onto the carriage: "You even doubt someone's kindness. Tell me, what could he possibly covet from our Cheng family? My looks?!" She pointed at her swollen, pig-like face. "Go ahead and tell everyone then."
"Forget it! It's better not to let Mother know about this." Cheng Song felt a headache coming on at the thought of another mother-daughter battle. Other families had one tigress at home, but his had two—given the slightest opportunity, they'd pick a fight over the smallest pretext.
Since Madam Xiao couldn't be told, it was best not to mention it to the other elders either. After some thought, Cheng Song decided to only inform his tight-lipped eldest brother, Cheng Yong.
Perched in the driver's seat, Shao Shang asked ingratiatingly, "Second Brother, has Mother cooled down? Let's go home."
Ignoring the question, Cheng Song countered, "Where were you planning to go in the Yuan family's carriage?"
"To Dehui Ward to find a food stall, eat something, and wait it out. Maybe if Mother saw I'd run away, she wouldn't hit me."
Cheng Song rolled his eyes: "Relax. Mother never intended to hit you—this time, she's punishing you by making you write!"
Shao Shang was speechless. Director Xiao truly never gave up. She sighed, "...Fine, I'll go back and write..."
"Write what?" Unexpectedly, Cheng Song flicked the reins, urging the horses forward. "Eldest Brother sneaked a peek at Qing Yimu's place. Mother prepared hundreds of wooden slips, each as big as a pottery basin, densely lined with half-inch squares. You have to finish them in three days! And they have to be well-written, or there might be more punishments!" That's how they'd been treated as children.
Shao Shang was horrified: "That many?! I can't finish them!" And this was brush calligraphy—if Madam Xiao wasn't satisfied, she'd wash the slips clean, dry them, and make her start over.
"Then what should we do?" She sidled up to her brother, looking pitiful.
Cheng Song glared at her: "What else can we do? Hide for a while. Let Father talk to her first. If we can avoid her these few days, Mother might give you some extra time!"
"Where should we hide?"
"The Wan family!"
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