Most human fears stem from ignorance. Previously, Yu Cailing's anxiety and melancholy were largely due to her worries about an uncertain future. But after days of eavesdropping, she had mostly settled her mind. Her parents were shrewd and capable, the family was wealthy, and she had several brothers, including her own dragon-phoenix twin. With such a solid foundation, no matter what, she wouldn’t be reduced to too miserable a state.
Once her heart was at ease, she slept exceptionally well that night. Moreover, the medicinal liquid brought by her newfound parents seemed particularly potent—she slept soundly until dawn, and upon waking, she felt her chest and lungs clear, with much less of the previous weakness in her limbs.
Cheerfully turning her head, she saw A Zhu already kneeling by the bed, arranging bowls and cups. Yu Cailing was both surprised and delighted and hurriedly asked for details. Only then did she learn that, under Madam Xiao’s instructions, A Zhu had been appointed as her Mother Fu. The two maids kneeling behind A Zhu also appeared to have been assigned by Madam Xiao to serve her.
Yu Cailing was about to cheer and then ask about A Mei and A Liang when she suddenly sensed something amiss. She quickly said, “Have Father and Mother both returned? And they won’t leave again, right? What about my previous Mother Fu and servants?” Thanks to the Stanislavski method instilled in her by the Salted Fish Society leader, she hadn’t forgotten an actor’s self-cultivation—what good child wouldn’t ask after her parents before inquiring about playmates?
A Zhu’s expression grew solemn. “Young Lady, you’re older now and should understand things. Now that the master and mistress have returned, they will take charge of everything. All those people Aunt previously assigned to you will no longer be kept.”
The implications of these words ran deep. While masking her thoughts, Yu Cailing pretended to sulk, pouting, “If Mother knew Aunt treated me poorly, why didn’t she send someone to serve me sooner? Making me suffer so much.” Playing the role of a petulant little girl was no challenge for her.
A Zhu smiled faintly. “In earlier years, the outside world was chaotic—letters couldn’t even be delivered properly. Besides, with trivial household matters, even if the mistress knew something, she couldn’t intervene in time. Since Aunt was in charge of the household, what use would it have been for the mistress to assign people?” In truth, Madam Xiao’s original words were: Loyal servants are hard to come by, and now is the time to make use of them. Don’t waste them in the petty squabbles of inner household women.
Yu Cailing, sharp-tongued and sarcastic by nature, was tempted to jab a few more words at this “wise and omnipotent” Madam Xiao. But seeing the exhaustion on A Zhu’s face, she felt a pang of reluctance.
Since arriving in this place, no one had been closer to her than this quiet, loyal woman. Back then, A Zhu had been so cautious in her actions that she dared not summon too many servants for help, handling everything herself. When Yu Cailing couldn’t swallow food, A Zhu fed her medicinal liquid drop by drop. To reduce her fever, even in the bitter cold and snow, A Zhu boiled water several times a day to bathe and change her clothes. When the well froze, she had to melt snow, and her once well-maintained fingers became chapped with frostbite. When Yu Cailing complained about the greasiness of meat broth, A Zhu personally dug through snow and soil in the mountains to find mushrooms and vegetables to add to the soup—A Zhu likely hadn’t rested properly all these days. Best to spare her some trouble.
Yu Cailing lowered her head. “I’ll listen to Mother Fu.” If her former attendants were brought back, she might slip up. It wasn’t that she feared being accused of not being herself—she dreaded these superstitious folks forcing her to drink talisman water, claiming she was possessed.
A Zhu, satisfied, proceeded to serve Yu Cailing as she rinsed her mouth and ate her porridge.In truth, if her former Mother Fu and maids were here, they would surely be astonished at how agreeable their Young Lady had become. However, having cared for Yu Cailing all these days, A Zhu had always felt she was a kind-hearted girl by nature, so she found nothing unusual about it.
On the wine-red lacquer wood tray sat three small bowls of the same hue, their sides painted with strange little beasts in dark black. The slightly larger bowl in the center held a steaming, fragrant rice porridge—Yu Cailing recognized it at once as her favorite beef bone and mushroom porridge. The smaller bowl beside it contained pickled vegetables cured with sea salt and vinegar, savory and tangy, a specialty of A Zhu’s. The last bowl, with rounded corners and square edges, surprisingly held two small pieces of sweet milk cake, rich with the aroma of dairy and who knew how much sugar. Yu Cailing knew that sugar was not easily obtained in these times—in the countryside, even two pieces of malt candy could make children drool.
Everything was to her taste, and Yu Cailing ate with great relish. A Zhu watched her with a beaming smile, as if the food the girl was eating had filled her own stomach with satisfaction.
Between bites, Yu Cailing asked about A Mei and her brother. A Zhu smiled and replied, "Thanks to the mistress’s kindness, A Mei will now serve you as well. As for A Liang, it’s unclear which young master he’ll follow. But they’ve grown up wild in the countryside, so Madam Qing Cong is currently finding someone to teach them proper manners." She then introduced the two maids standing behind her.
The round-faced maid, slightly younger at about thirteen or fourteen, was named Qiao Guo. The other, with an oval face, was a bit older, around fifteen or sixteen, and named Lian Fang. According to A Zhu, the "wise and all-capable" Madam Xiao had been searching for loyal and reliable maids for her daughter for years, and these two were clearly the result of meticulous selection.
Yu Cailing twitched her lips. Shouldn’t trusted confidants be cultivated by oneself to be truly reliable?
"Who is Madam Qing Cong?" Yu Cailing asked, nibbling on the sweet cake.
A Zhu chuckled. "She is the mistress’s sworn sister. The mistress has relied on her support all these years. You must treat her with respect in the future."
Yu Cailing nodded. So, she was a sort of aunt.
After the meal, Qiao Guo took the tray away, while Lian Fang quickly retrieved a half-foot-tall lacquered wooden cylinder kept warm in a cotton nest. She mixed hot water into a copper basin for Yu Cailing to wash up. Truthfully, Yu Cailing wasn’t full yet, but A Zhu had only given her seventy percent of her usual portion, saying, "You’ll be taking medicine soon." Once washed, A Zhu dragged Yu Cailing—who had been planning to burrow back under the blankets—out of bed and made her walk in circles around the small room. "It’s cold outside, and the Young Lady is still weak. Best to walk indoors for now."
Yu Cailing was reluctant, but the reality was that the once nimble and fierce Yu, who could split bricks in a fight, was now panting after just two laps. She had been able to take long walks in the countryside before, but now it was like starting from scratch—back to taking medicine and recuperating. Fuming, she walked a little, rested a little, cursed a little, wishing that the master and servant surnamed Ge would trip on their way out, sprain their waists turning a corner, and then run into a smooth-talking swindler who’d cheat them out of money and affection!
By the eighth lap around the room, she was gasping for breath when round-faced Qiao Guo entered with a steaming bowl of medicine. As the thick cotton-padded curtain was lifted, a pungent, bitter scent assaulted her senses.A Zhu helped Yu Cailing sit on the couch and anxiously brought the medicine bowl closer. Yu Cailing had barely taken a sip when a wave of bitterness spread from her tongue to her forehead—bitter yet sour, sour yet spicy, with an underlying metallic tang. The overwhelming assault of flavors immediately brought tears to her eyes. Seeing this, A Zhu quickly reassured her, "This medicine was prescribed by an Imperial Physician from the palace. It may be bitter, but it's incredibly effective. Just one dose yesterday, and Young Lady's fever broke immediately."
Nonsense! If it weren't for the sake of recovering quickly, who in their right mind would drink this cursed, moldy concoction? Yu Cailing silently cursed while tearfully bringing the bowl to her lips again. Just then, Lian Fang's voice came from outside the door: "The master and mistress have arrived."
In the next moment, the door curtain lifted, letting in a faint chill as Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao entered, accompanied only by Qing Cong. A Zhu, who had just been rambling about the rare ingredients in the medicine, swiftly took the bowl from Yu Cailing's hands and helped her kneel on the polished wooden floor. With arms folded in a respectful bow, she greeted, "Paying respects to Father and Mother. May Father and Mother be well."
Looking up, Yu Cailing saw that Cheng Shi had shed his military attire today, wearing instead a loose, dark-colored sleeveless robe embroidered with gold threads, cinched with a black belt woven with silver. No jade ornaments adorned his waist. Madam Xiao, meanwhile, wore a purple Wrapped Robe with large floral patterns, beneath which peeked a light purple underskirt two palms wide. A collar of snow-white fox fur framed her neck, and her hair was styled in a half-updo secured with a golden phoenix hairpin and white jade hair stick. White jade earrings dangled by her ears, enhancing her striking beauty and dignified bearing.
Cheng Shi was delighted to see his daughter looking much better than the day before, though he didn't know how to express it. He simply chuckled and sat on the couch while Qing Cong assisted Madam Xiao to sit beside him. As their child, Yu Cailing had no choice but to remain kneeling on the cushion below, head bowed.
Neither Cheng Shi nor the usually quick-witted Madam Xiao knew how to start the conversation. After a light cough, Madam Xiao finally said, "Are you feeling better, my child?" Yu Cailing lifted her head slightly and replied softly, "Much better." It wasn’t intentional—she just felt uneasy facing these unfamiliar parents, so her voice naturally came out weak.
Had she not looked up, it might have been fine. But the moment she did, Cheng Shi noticed her tear-filled eyes and exclaimed in concern, "Why are you crying, my child?"
He was about to declare, "Now that I'm back, which bastard dares bully my daughter? Just wait till I settle the score!" when his daughter weakly answered, "It's... the medicine. It's too bitter."
Yu Cailing had no idea how pitiful she looked at that moment. Her frail frame, shoulders sharp as if carved, and skin so pale it seemed almost translucent after her illness made her appear fragile. Her slender neck struggled to support her head, and even kneeling seemed precarious, as if she might collapse onto the floor at any moment. Her voice was barely a whisper. Cheng Shi felt that a single swipe of his large hand could crush her like a fledgling bird. His heart softened, and so did his tone. "How about adding some malt sugar to the medicine?"
This earned him a stern glare from Madam Xiao, who admonished, "Husband, don’t talk nonsense. How can we tamper with a physician’s prescription? Bitter medicine is good for you. She can have some sugar after drinking it."
Cheng Shi quickly conceded, "You're right, my lady." Turning back to his daughter, he added, "Listen to your mother. Once you're better, Father will take you horseback riding and to the lantern festival after New Year's Day."From the moment she acknowledged these unexpected parents, this was the most pleasing thing Yu Cailing had heard. Delighted, she smiled at Cheng Shi, her pale skin flushing with a childlike pink, making her as adorable as a jade doll.
Cheng Shi was overjoyed, truly believing his daughter to be the most beautiful young lady under heaven. Even if all the little girls General Wan had sired were bundled together into a bouquet of morning glories, they still couldn’t compare. Next time they drank, he’d have to boast a little and revel in his pride. Madam Xiao, however, still wore a complicated expression upon seeing Yu Cailing like this.
Cheng Shi’s self-indulgent musings weren’t enough, so he turned to his wife with a grin. “Our Niao Niao is quite lovely.” Then he added, “All thanks to you, my lady.”
Qing Cong rolled her eyes skyward. She had always known her master was blind—the Young Lady looked nothing like either parent. In her opinion, while the girl’s features weren’t bad, she seemed pitifully frail and lacked presence. How could she compare to Madam Xiao’s radiant vigor?
The beauty standards of the time favored tall, robust women. Who knew if, with proper care, the Young Lady might grow taller and plumper? Back then, Xiao Laofuren had been delicate, but her figure hadn’t been lacking… Just as Qing Cong was lost in thought, she inadvertently glanced over and saw the little girl watching Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao with keen interest. Her large, bright eyes were lively and spirited, like a young forest creature—wild and full of vitality. Qing Cong froze.
Yu Cailing was currently sizing up the others. From her kneeling position, her gaze naturally landed below Madam Xiao’s chest. She smirked inwardly: According to A Zhu, Madam Xiao had borne seven or eight children, counting those who died young, yet her figure was still this hot—curves in all the right places. Old Man Cheng was a lucky man.
Unaware of what her confidante and daughter were thinking, Madam Xiao frowned at her husband. “…Don’t go spouting nonsense outside. What use is it to boast about a girl’s beauty all day? Cultivating talent and virtue is far more important.” Knowing her husband better than anyone, she saw right through his intentions. Cheng Shi could only chuckle awkwardly.
Seeing him like this, Madam Xiao recalled how eagerly her husband had awaited their daughter’s birth, only to be separated from her for ten years due to his mother’s and wife’s insistence. Now, he was so overjoyed he didn’t know what to do with himself. Her heart softened, and she sighed gently. “Everyone has eyes. Once Yong Er and the boys return with General Wan’s family entourage, we’ll take Niao Niao out to banquets and garden parties. People will see for themselves—no need for us to say a word.”
As the family chatted idly, before Yu Cailing could even get a word in, a shrill yet gruff elderly woman’s shriek echoed from afar. The initial cry carried a touch of anguish, the trailing notes a hint of sorrow, but the main theme was unmistakable indignation—especially the drawn-out “Aaaaaahhhhhhh” at the end, which lasted a full seven or eight seconds without pause.
Yu Cailing felt a bizarre admiration. To maintain such a powerful, sustained cry while conveying such emotional depth—this woman’s vocal prowess was like a mashup of Mama-san Pavarotti and Neighborhood Committee Li Shuangjiang! Then it occurred to her: For such a loud cry to carry so clearly, the Cheng residence couldn’t be very large. So just how well was Old Man Cheng doing, really?
After these random thoughts, she noticed Qing Cong’s expression remained unruffled, while Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao exchanged a knowing glance. Only then did she realize—the show was about to begin.Cheng Mu's cries quickly turned into repeated shouts of "My son, my eldest son... my son..." The voice grew from distant to near in no time, making Yu Cailing increasingly feel that this residence wasn't very large.
After exchanging silent glances, Cheng Shi cleared his throat and stood up to greet Cheng Mu. Meanwhile, Madam Xiao unhurriedly straightened her husband's sash and didn't forget to instruct Yu Cailing, "Don't just stand there. Drink the medicine quickly."
Just as the couple was about to step out, they underestimated Cheng Mu's mobility. Qing Cong, who was walking ahead, didn't even have time to lift the door curtain before being shoved back by a powerful force. Cheng Mu barged in like a wild boar struck by an arrow, nearly tearing the curtain down.
This time, she wasn't accompanied by her usual long procession of maids, only Ge Shi and two other women Yu Cailing didn't recognize. The first was around Cheng Mu's age, with similarly rough features, her face smeared with snot and tears. The other was pretty and shrewd-looking, appearing to be in her thirties, though her makeup was a bit too thick, and she was also weeping.
Cheng Mu looked utterly disheveled—her luxurious robes were torn open at the collar, the thick gold hairpin resembling a fire poker was missing, and only one of her large, wheel-like gold earrings remained. Tears and snot streaked her face as she wailed incessantly, "...You must save your uncle... this is life or death..."
The moment she saw Cheng Shi, she lunged at him with heart-wrenching sobs. Everyone could only watch as Cheng Mu pounded her wine-jar-sized fists against her own robust and ample chest, producing a terrifying thudding sound, all while intermittently swinging at her son with dull thumps. Despite Cheng Shi's sturdy frame, the blows sent him staggering back several steps.
Madam Xiao's lips twitched at the sight, thinking to herself how unfortunate it was that her husband's mother had been born the wrong gender—had she been a man, she would surely have been a fierce warrior. She carefully sidestepped to avoid any stray fists accidentally striking an innocent bystander. But when she glanced aside, she saw her daughter mirroring her exact movements, shuffling into a corner. Yu Cailing even turned to say something to A Zhu, though amidst the chaos, only fragments like "...Grandmother should have been a general..." were audible. Before she could finish, the little girl was hastily shoved behind A Zhu for cover.
Madam Xiao froze.
A Zhu, seeing the chaos, had initially tried to pull Yu Cailing out of the room. But Yu Cailing was far too excited to leave now, utterly refusing to budge.
When A Zhu couldn't tug her away and saw the girl clutching the medicine bowl tightly in the corner, her small body trembling slightly, she assumed the child was shaking from fear. Thinking it unwise for the recovering girl to go outside and catch a chill—and since Madam Xiao hadn't given any orders—A Zhu decided to let her stay. Besides, it was Cheng Mu making a spectacle of herself, so A Zhu wasn't particularly bothered.
While A Zhu was still pondering, Yu Cailing had already pieced together the gist of the situation from Cheng Mu's wails, combining it with the fragmented past A Zhu had mentioned earlier.
—Cheng Mu's maiden name was Dong. During the chaos of the fallen empire, the Dong family had scattered—some fled, others died—leaving only Cheng Mu's youngest brother and his family to survive until Cheng Shi rose to prominence. Since then, the Dong family had relied on the Cheng family for survival.
Unfortunately, Madam Xiao kept a tight grip on resources, leaving even Cheng Mu with little to spare, let alone anything to pass on to the Dongs. Believing it better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish, the "resourceful" old matriarch had Cheng Shi secure a position for Uncle Dong. Sadly, Uncle Dong was neither scholarly nor inclined toward trade, and he found farming too laborious with slow returns. Thus, he repeatedly failed in his ventures outside.Finally, two or three years ago, when the old madam heard that the war at the front was gradually easing, she forced Cheng Shi to secure a military position for Uncle Dong, thinking that with her own nephew looking after him, he would no longer be bullied, and Madam Xiao would have no more excuses.
Indeed, over the past two years, Uncle Dong had straightened his back and earned more money day by day. He could even occasionally pass on news of the rewards and spoils Cheng Shi and his wife received to his elder sister. Cheng Mu grew increasingly smug, frequently demanding money and land from her son—the siblings lived in great comfort.
These past few days, Cheng Mu had been waiting for her brother to return and report on her son’s recent successes. But instead of his arrival, she received devastating news: Uncle Dong had been caught privately stealing military equipment and provisions to sell for profit, and the crime had already been reported.
For such an offense, even with leniency, the punishment would involve confiscation of family property and enslavement of family members as government servants, not to mention the execution of the principal offender by waist-cutting and public display.
Upon hearing the news, Aunt Dong rushed over with her daughter-in-law to plead for help. Cheng Mu nearly fainted from shock, so Da Xiong came looking for the already-married and somewhat disobedient Doraemon.
Cheng Shi summoned the strength that had made him the bravest in the army to forcefully pry open his mother’s grip. He quickly glanced back at his wife and saw a subtle flicker in Madam Xiao’s eyes—a movement that lasted no more than a second but was caught by Yu Cailing, who thought to herself: Here comes the drama.
Taking a deep breath, Cheng Shi shook out his wrinkled sleeves, straightened his posture, and bowed deeply before kneeling stiffly before Cheng Mu. With tears welling in his tiger-like eyes (Yu Cailing silently applauded his acting skills), he let out a sorrowful sigh: “Mother! I heard about this from my subordinates early this morning and intended to inform you, but… but I truly didn’t know how to bring it up…”
Qing Cong once again looked up at the sky in silent despair. She knew her master could pretend to be foolish to the point of actually becoming foolish. He had clearly come to see his daughter first thing in the morning, only to be cornered here because he underestimated how quickly Aunt Dong and her daughter-in-law would act. Couldn’t he at least lie more convincingly? What a waste of Madam Xiao’s efforts in coaching him all night.
Ge Shi, who was supporting Cheng Mu, seized the opportunity to chime in sweetly, “After all, he’s your uncle. No matter how difficult it is, you must save him!” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but glance at the tall and imposing Cheng Shi.
Yu Cailing felt nauseated, thinking to herself: Another one in dire need of a good mirror. You’re at least eighteen Pan Jinlians behind Madam Xiao in terms of figure, looks, temperament, and insight. Just save it.
Madam Xiao immediately stepped forward and said sternly to Ge Shi, “My husband is kneeling before Mother. Why haven’t you stepped aside? Do you also wish to receive such a bow?”
Before Ge Shi could respond, Cheng Mu backhanded her with a resounding slap and scolded furiously, “Why don’t you scram? Are you here to mock my family’s misfortune?!” She had never wanted too many people to know about her family’s disgrace, yet Ge Shi had rushed over as soon as she heard the news. Cheng Mu was well aware of Ge Shi’s scheming nature but had previously chosen to ignore it.
The slap was loud and heavy, leaving a large red mark on Ge Shi’s cheek. Humiliated and furious, she covered her face and ran out of the room without another glance at anyone.
Author’s Note:
Enjoy the meal! Leave your paw prints behind!
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