Great Yan Dynasty
In a remote little estate south of the capital, inside a mud-brick house at the easternmost end of the village, a mistress and her maid were packing their belongings.
The maid, Hongdou, wore her hair in twin buns. With her round face and bright eyes, she looked extremely adorable.
Her mistress, Lin Qianqian, was dressed in plain robes. Her long black hair cascaded down her back without a single hairpin or ornament. Her appearance was simple and casual.
Hongdou grumbled,
“Miss, people from the residence will come to take us back today. But the Lin Manor is a tiger’s den and a dragon’s pool! You’re clearly the legitimate eldest daughter of the family, yet they somehow found a fake daughter to steal your identity. They insist on calling you the Second Miss.”
Lin Qianqian nodded.
The Lin family was indeed dangerous.
The moment she was born, her biological father had nearly had her killed. Her birth mother had also disappeared because of the Lin family’s schemes.
Now that the Lin family needed her to marry a foolish marquis, they had finally come to bring her back.
Returning to the Lin Manor this time was like knowingly walking into the mountains despite knowing tigers lurked there.
It had rained continuously for three days, turning the roads around the estate into muddy tracks.
Through the drizzling rain, a donkey cart slowly entered from outside the village.
On the cart sat an elderly servant woman and a maid.
The old woman wore a gold hairpin and was dressed quite respectably. One glance was enough to tell she was a senior steward from a wealthy household.
Frowning, she complained,
“Madam deliberately chose weather like this and sent me to bring the Second Miss back. Isn’t she clearly trying to humiliate her? Poor old me, already at my age, yet I’m suffering because of that unlucky Second Miss.”
It truly was unfortunate.
Lin Qianqian was obviously the legitimate eldest daughter, yet she had been labeled the illegitimate Second Miss.
If she still had no value to exploit, the master and madam might have already arranged for her death.
“Mother Sun, please endure a little longer. We’re almost there.”
The maid Xiaotao held an oil-paper umbrella over Mother Sun’s head.
The umbrella was almost entirely shielding Mother Sun, while half of Xiaotao’s own body was already soaked. Her arm was numb from holding it, yet she still comforted the older woman.
There was no helping it.
Mother Sun was one of Madam’s favorites.
Mother Sun spat to the side and declared proudly,
“Since I’ve suffered this misfortune, I won’t let that jinx of a Second Miss have an easy time either.”
Unfortunately, she had no idea that those words would soon come back to slap her in the face.
Mother Sun was a senior servant of the Assistant Minister’s residence and enjoyed Madam’s complete trust.
Normally she lived comfortably, ate well, and traveled in proper horse-drawn carriages.
But this time, simply to disgust the so-called “Second Miss,” Madam had specifically ordered a donkey cart.
The cart didn’t even have proper shelter from the rain, forcing them to hold umbrellas the entire journey.
Fortunately, the rain wasn’t heavy, only soaking their shoes and trouser hems.
Grinding her teeth, Mother Sun thought:
When have I ever suffered like this?
It was all because of that Second Miss.
She became even more determined to make Lin Qianqian’s life miserable.
Upon arriving, Mother Sun climbed down from the donkey cart with Xiaotao’s assistance.
Her bones felt as though they were falling apart.
Her entire body ached.
Damn this donkey cart. It isn’t fit for human beings to ride.
She looked over the shabby courtyard before her.
There were only three low houses built entirely of mud. Green moss grew on the damp walls, making the place look filthy and rundown.
As expected of a remote countryside village.
Even the servants’ quarters in the Assistant Minister’s residence were better than this.
“Xiaotao, wait outside. I’ll go in alone. Keep the umbrella over the cushion I was sitting on. Don’t let the rain soak through it, or I won’t be able to sit on it later.”
“Yes, Mother Sun.”
The door stood open.
Covering her nose and mouth in disgust, Mother Sun stepped inside.
To her surprise, the room was filled with a wonderfully pleasant fragrance.
The scent was elegant, carrying a faint sweetness.
She lowered her hand and took a deep breath.
Wonderful!
Absolutely wonderful!
The fragrance was even more refined than the perfume used by Miss Baozhu in the manor.
Simply smelling it made her feel refreshed, and the dizziness from the bumpy donkey-cart ride instantly vanished.
Still, she thought nothing strange of it.
Country folk often knew unusual flowers, herbs, and fragrances.
Looking up, she saw a young woman seated on a small bamboo couch.
This must be the legendary “Second Miss,” Lin Qianqian.
She had almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, willow-leaf brows, and skin as fair as jade.
She was truly beautiful.
Her long hair flowed freely over her shoulders.
The moon-white robe she wore only emphasized how thick and glossy-black her hair was.
She wore no ornaments whatsoever.
Her appearance was simplicity itself.
Yet her temperament was tranquil and elegant.
Compared to Miss Baozhu, who had been pampered and raised in luxury, she somehow seemed even more refined.
Mother Sun thought:
How could a girl raised in a remote countryside village possibly possess such noble bearing?
She must be pretending.
Hmph! You can keep up the act for a while, but not forever.
After all, you were raised by peasants. Deep down, you must be crude and vulgar.
Miss Baozhu’s maternal grandfather is the current Left Chancellor, while your maternal Jiang family has long since fallen into ruin.
Still, one thing puzzled her.
The bamboo couch Lin Qianqian sat upon was covered with an entire tiger skin patterned in yellow and white.
Such an item was extremely rare.
Mother Sun felt a trace of doubt.
The Lin family had never sent money or supplies here.
She had also heard that Lin Qianqian’s adoptive parents had passed away years ago.
So where did her daily expenses come from?
But regardless of her doubts, Mother Sun still looked down on her.
Lin Qianqian was the legitimate eldest daughter.
Yet she had nearly been murdered by her own father at birth.
Now that same father had designated her as the illegitimate Second Miss.
Her biological mother had vanished shortly after giving birth.
Her adoptive parents had been ordinary nobodies.
She was now a drifting duckweed with no one to rely on.
In the future, she would merely replace Miss Baozhu and marry a foolish marquis.
She could never amount to anything.
Since Mother Sun looked down on her, she didn’t even bother greeting her properly.
Instead, she urged directly,
“It’s getting late. Second Miss, you should get on the road.”
The way she said it sounded more like she was urging someone onto the road to the underworld.
Hongdou burst out laughing.
“My lady is the legitimate eldest daughter of the family. How did she become the Second Miss when it comes out of your mouth?”
Mother Sun laughed as well.
A country girl raised in the middle of nowhere dares call herself a real young lady?
Once she enters the manor, she’ll become Madam’s thorn in the flesh—a lamb waiting for slaughter.
When that time comes, no matter how loudly she cries for help, no one will answer.
She’ll live worse than the servants.
“After entering the manor, Second Miss will have to rely on the elders of the family to survive. I advise you to be obedient and compliant. Otherwise, your ending will be very miserable.”
Lin Qianqian finally spoke.
Her voice was as pleasant as heavenly music.
Unfortunately, her words were not pleasant at all.
“Oh? More miserable than you?”
Mother Sun frowned.
She had finally heard the girl’s voice, only to be cursed by her.
“I’m highly favored in the manor,” she replied coldly. “You’d do well to know your place and not make things difficult for me.”
Not wanting to remain in this poor place any longer, she reached out and grabbed Lin Qianqian’s hand directly.
There wasn’t the slightest bit of respect in her actions.
What she didn’t know was that Lin Qianqian possessed the ability to read minds.
When Lin Qianqian was nine years old, she had suffered a severe fever.
She remained unconscious for three days and nearly died.
After waking up, she discovered she had gained the power of telepathy.
There were folk tales claiming that some people, upon standing at death’s door, witnessed strange visions and awakened supernatural abilities.
Lin Qianqian was one of those fortunate individuals.
The moment their hands touched, she read a fragment of Mother Sun’s memories.
And learned a secret.
“Mother Sun, whether my life turns out well or not is none of your concern.”
Lin Qianqian smiled faintly.
“As for you, last month you stole a jade ornament from the storeroom and secretly sold it to pay off your son’s gambling debts.”
“Wang Shi values money above all else.”
“If she were to find out about this, do you think she’d have you beaten to death?”
The moment Mother Sun heard those words, her legs began trembling uncontrollably.
She nearly collapsed on the spot.
Wang Shi was the “Madam” Mother Sun constantly referred to.
She was also Lin Qingyun’s second wife.
Although Lin Qingyun’s legitimate wife, Madam Jiang, had disappeared, her death had never been officially confirmed.
As long as Madam Jiang still legally occupied the position of principal wife, Wang Shi could at most be taken as an equal-ranking secondary wife.
Back in her maiden family, Wang Shi had been doted on by the current Left Chancellor.
As a result, she had developed an arrogant and overbearing personality.
She was especially ruthless toward disloyal servants.
Whenever she discovered betrayal, she usually had the offender beaten to death.
If Wang Shi learned about the stolen jade…
Mother Sun was finished.