A love that is forcibly kept cannot last long.
Ximen Qing stayed at home for only two days before rushing off anxiously to meet Pan Jinlian again, leaving his wives and concubines to seethe with jealousy.
With the master of the house in a foul mood, the servants naturally dared not cause any trouble, each of them keeping their heads down. Zhao Chunmei took advantage of this lull to cram on knowledge about the Northern Song Dynasty, from trivial matters like daily necessities to major issues like the national situation and political landscape. After several days, she finally gained a rough understanding of the current dynasty.
Much like in the official history, this was the twilight years of the dynasty, with the country facing internal and external troubles. The reigning emperor, Emperor Huizong of Song, was solely devoted to pleasure. Under his indulgence, corrupt officials everywhere extorted wealth from the people. In the few months since Zhao Chunmei had time-traveled here, she had seen minor officials from the county government come to demand money to gather the local “Grain Tribute.”
In the Song dynasty, a “gang” referred to an organized transport unit. For example, in the Jiangnan region, the fleet specifically tasked with transporting exotic rocks and flowers for the emperor was called the “Flower and Rock Gang,” the one for transporting horses was the “Horse Gang,” and the one for delivering birthday gifts was the “Birthday Tribute.” Yanggu County, located in the Central Plains, had no special products and could only contribute grains and miscellaneous foodstuffs. Even the Ximen Family, a prominent household in the area, was subjected to such exploitation by the government, making it easy to imagine the lives of ordinary people.
Sighing, Zhao Chunmei felt troubled.
To be honest, which time-traveler doesn’t dream of waving a hand, exuding an aura of dominance, and having historical figures from the books bow at their feet? Especially since, according to the course of history, in eight or nine years, the Jin people would march south, triggering the Jingkang Incident—a millennium-long nightmare for the Han people—where half the country would fall, and everyone from nobles to commoners would suffer slaughter and devastation.
The problem was that she hadn’t brought any “Golden Finger” cheat ability with her when she time-traveled. Yanggu County was just a tiny speck of a town in the Northern Song Dynasty. Forget about her—even Ximen Qing, the master of this body, was nothing in the capital, Tokyo.
Thinking of Ximen Qing, Zhao Chunmei felt another headache. Trying to survive under this lustful devil meant she could escape temporarily but not forever. As for buying her freedom, she had learned that the Ximen Family had originally bought her for sixteen taels of silver, and now the price would likely have doubled.
Taking stock of the assets left by the original owner, she had a total of twelve strings of cash at most, ten of which were rewards she had received after arriving. A delicate gold bracelet and two plain silver hairpins—that was all she had. Pressing her lips together, she knew she had to find another way to make money.
Just as she was pondering this, suddenly, shouts from the servants came from not far away: “Oh no! Master is back! Master is injured, and his clothes are covered in blood!”
After the incident with Ma Liu’s visit, everyone had become even more certain of Ximen Qing’s pivotal role in the household. Now, whenever something happened to him, the entire household would immediately grow tense, with maids and servants running around in panic and fear.
Shaking her head, Zhao Chunmei stood up. First, she sent a few young maids to fetch a basin of hot water and bring it to the inner room. Then, she went to find the physician who was staying as a guest in the house. Only after leading him inside did she manage to rescue Ximen Qing, who was already surrounded by people.
After a careful examination, it was quickly determined that the man was not seriously injured—the blood on him belonged to someone else.
“I already said I’m fine. What’s with all this crying and wailing?” Ximen Qing took the cloth towel handed to him by a servant, wiping himself off while complaining.
Wu Yueniang and the others, still shaken and unable to speak after being scolded, remained silent.
Amid the disarray filling the room, Zhao Chunmei stood out with her calm expression and perfectly undisturbed hair. Upon learning that she had even summoned the physician, the man raised an eyebrow, his heart stirring slightly.
Early the next morning, as soon as Zhao Chunmei had finished washing up, Ximen Qing took her away. The two headed west and soon arrived at Wang Po’s tea stall.
As soon as they entered, they saw a strikingly beautiful woman sitting by the door—Pan Jinlian, whom they had met once before. Her face lit up with joy at the sight of Ximen Qing, but it soon turned to sorrow, her eyes brimming with tears as she said, “You’ve brought me such misery, sir. Perhaps we should end this, for it seems fate has no place for us.”
Ximen Qing hurried forward to embrace the woman, speaking softly, “How could I bear to part with you, my dear?” The two began to caress each other affectionately.
Forced to become part of their play, Zhao Chunmei: “…”
It was then that Wang Po emerged from the back door. Seeing the intimate pair, she covered her mouth and chuckled, “Oh, my dear sir, you come as you please, but why bring your maid along? My humble place is small, and we’ll soon have no room to sit.”
“Naturally, I wouldn’t dare trouble you, Wang Qianniang,” Ximen Qing replied leisurely, releasing the woman. “I gave that scoundrel a beating yesterday and worry Jinlian might face trouble, so I thought she could stay with you for a while. As for feeding and tending to Wu Da, I’ll leave that to my maid here.”
With that, he casually tossed a bag of silver over. Wang Po weighed it in her hand, quite satisfied with its heft, and smiled. “That’s no trouble at all, sir. Rest assured, I’ll make sure Lady Pan stays comfortably.”
Ximen Qing nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Zhao Chunmei. “Chunmei, you’re clever. I trust you with this task. You know what to do.”
What else could Zhao Chunmei say? She could only nod. By now, she finally understood the source of the blood on Ximen Qing’s clothes the previous day. She sighed inwardly, thinking how pitiful it was that Wu Dalang had been severely beaten instead of catching the adulterers in the act.
The two lovers, likely wanting more time alone, dismissed the others early.
Resigned to her fate, Zhao Chunmei left the tea stall and crossed over to Pan Jinlian’s home. Pushing the door open, she was met with a strange odor mingling blood and medicinal herbs. No fire had been lit in the stove, and a cold wind seeped through the cracks in the windows. Shivering, she first found the stove, lit a fire, and brewed the prepared medicine, finally feeling a bit warmer.
Perhaps hearing movement downstairs, a man’s hoarse cough suddenly sounded from upstairs.
“Wife… is that you? Have you returned…”
Hearing this, Zhao Chunmei hurried upstairs. Wu Da lay in bed, his face as pale as gold paper, clearly in a dire state.
Upon seeing the young woman, Wu Da was first startled, then furious, trying to sit up. “You! What are you doing here? Did that scoundrel Ximen Qing send you!?”
Zhao Chunmei stepped forward, ignoring his struggles, and firmly pressed him back into bed. After tucking the quilt around him, she faced the enraged Wu Dalang and said helplessly, “He did send me. If I hadn’t come, no one would look after you. Whatever the case, you must recover first. Here, drink this medicine. We can deal with the rest later.”
Wu Da glared angrily and turned his head away, ignoring her.
“Ah, why must you be so stubborn? If you don’t take the medicine now and end up dying, won’t you miss the chance to see your brother Wu Er?” With a sigh, Zhao Chunmei continued, “I know you’re aggrieved, but as you said before, I’m just a maid. This is all I can do.”
Her attitude was gentle, her words soft and soothing. After much persuasion, Wu Da was finally convinced and, with the young woman’s help, reluctantly drank the medicine.
In the following days, Zhao Chunmei stayed there, setting up a small bed with planks downstairs. Though life was a bit harder, truth be told, it was much more comfortable than in the Ximen residence—at least she didn’t have to deal with all the scheming and social maneuvering.
Having been chronically ill in her past life, she had become well-versed in nursing and health preservation. Under her care, Wu Dalang improved significantly in just a few days, at least enough to struggle to his feet.
On this day, heavy snow fell. Zhao Chunmei used the remaining flour at home to make a bowl of noodle soup, adding two eggs to it. After preparing it, she brought it to Wu Da. Through these days of interaction, the two had gradually grown familiar.
Wu Dalang was naturally honest and taciturn. Even though he knew the young woman was associated with his enemy, he still felt deeply awkward in the face of her care.
“Quick, put it down quickly. In a couple of days, when I can get out of bed, I won’t trouble you anymore, Miss Chun.”
Zhao Chunmei shook her head and was about to speak when she heard Wang Po shouting loudly downstairs, “Master Ximen Qing, why have you only come now?”
The old woman’s voice was high-pitched and shrill, as if she wanted the whole street to hear. The two froze, both feeling awkward.
Wu Dalang smiled bitterly. “They can’t wait for me to die. Just wait until my brother returns…”
“And what then?” Zhao Chunmei couldn’t help but interject. She found a chair and sat down, facing Wu Da. “I hate to say it, but the county magistrate is relying on the Ximen Family to provide grain and funds for the court. No matter what, he won’t dare to touch them. Even if you lodge a complaint, it might just come to nothing in the end. If Constable Wu loses his temper and resorts to violence, your family will still suffer.”
“So we just let it go?!” Wu Da slammed the bowl down heavily.
Zhao Chunmei said softly, “What else can you do? Your wife has always been restless. I heard you moved from Qinghe County because of such matters. Now is a good opportunity to part ways and avoid further trouble.”
Wu Da fell silent. His marriage to Pan Jinlian was indeed somewhat shameful to speak of. Pan was originally a maid in a wealthy household in Qinghe County. Because she resisted the master’s advances to the death, she was eventually given to Wu Dalang as a wife. Perhaps feeling hopeless about marrying such a man, Pan Jinlian began leading a promiscuous life, often flirting with others back in their hometown. Unable to bear the gossip from neighbors, Wu Da moved his entire family to Yanggu County. Yet, not long after arriving, she reverted to her old ways.
Zhao Chunmei sighed. Originally, these matters had nothing to do with her, and getting involved could bring trouble. But remembering the bond between Wu Da and his brother that had moved her a few days ago, she ultimately intervened. In the end, it was a tragedy of the times. If Pan Jinlian were in the modern era, she would never have ended up like this. Now that she had encountered this situation, she might as well help where she could.
Thus, Zhao Chunmei appealed to both emotion and reason, persuading Wu Dalang until he finally began to soften his stance.
Being cuckolded yet still willingly handing over one’s wife—such a thing would be nearly impossible in the 21st century. But this was ancient times, and Wu Dalang was a man of that era, more adapted to its rules than Zhao Chunmei. So, no matter how cruel, reality was just that.
Seeing Wu Da’s ashen face, Zhao Chunmei patted his shoulder. At least his life was spared.
After offering a few more words of comfort, Zhao Chunmei turned and went to the tea shop. There, she told Ximen Qing about her plan to arrange a separation and seized the opportunity to say, “That Wu Da is a coward at heart, unlikely to dare contend with Father. I offer my congratulations to you in advance, Father.”
Upon hearing this, Pan Jinlian was overjoyed. She could finally leave that ugly creature behind and marry into the Ximen Family to live a life of luxury.
As for Ximen Qing, he first breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned slightly and scolded Zhao Chunmei, “Who told you to act on your own? If you dare do such a thing again, watch your skin!”
Baffled by the sudden reprimand, Zhao Chunmei soon realized what was on his mind.
Ximen Qing probably had no intention of marrying Pan Jinlian.
In hindsight, it made sense. Looking at Ximen Qing’s household, apart from his second wife, Li Jiaor, who came from a brothel and was bought in his youthful folly, the rest of his women all brought him some benefit. A woman like Pan Jinlian, though to his taste, was merely a passing fancy. Now that she was separating from Wu Dalang, wouldn’t she cling to him?
While Ximen Qing remained silent and Pan Jinlian hadn’t yet grasped the situation, Wang Po, who had been observing their expressions, understood perfectly. Seeing that Ximen Qing’s interest had waned, she worried that if the two parted ways later, she would gain nothing. Her eyes darting, Wang Po spoke up, “With such beauty as Madam Pan possesses, how can I believe Wu Da would willingly let her go?”
Pan Jinlian hesitated, “Didn’t he just say…”
“Tsk, what a foolish woman!” Wang Po slapped her thigh heavily, her tone full of exasperation. “The words come from his mouth—whether he speaks or not is up to Wu Da. His younger brother, Captain Wu, is the one who can kill a tiger with his bare hands. If he finds out about this, not only will you and I suffer, but so will Ximen Qing!”
At the thought of Wu Song’s imposing and mighty figure, everyone present shuddered.
Ximen Qing quickly asked, “Then what do you suggest, Godmother?”
Wang Po had been waiting for this. Narrowing her eyes, she said fiercely, “Only the dead keep their mouths shut.”
At this point, Zhao Chunmei could no longer stay seated. She hurriedly interjected, “Father, why dirty your hands for the sake of Wu Da? If this is discovered, won’t it give others leverage?”
“Nonsense! Only the four of us are here. Heaven knows, earth knows, we know—who could ever catch the master red-handed?” Wang Po sneered, then turned to Pan Jinlian. “Besides, the master need not lift a finger. I’ll find some arsenic for you, Madam. After poisoning Wu Da, we’ll drag his body out and cremate it, then tell Wu Er his brother died of illness. As for you, Madam Pan, you can move directly into the Ximen residence.”
“As the saying goes, a woman’s first marriage is her own choice, but her remarriage is decided by her family. Since ancient times, a brother-in-law and sister-in-law cannot share the same household. Once you enter the Ximen Family, Wu Er won’t be able to see you. Even if he suspects something, there’s nothing he can do.”
Hearing this, Zhao Chunmei’s heart sank. This was bad.
Sure enough, Pan Jinlian had initially been somewhat hesitant, but upon hearing that she could enter the Ximen Family estate, she immediately changed her mind. Turning back, she gazed affectionately at Ximen Qing and said, “My lord, I wish to live with you forever.”
Two of the three had already harbored murderous intentions, and Ximen Qing himself was no good man to begin with. After just a few words of persuasion, he was convinced. Since he didn’t have to participate directly, he left a large sum of silver for Wang Po and washed his hands of the matter.
Before leaving, worried that Zhao Chunmei might ruin the plan, he ordered her to return home.
Zhao Chunmei did not try to persuade them further, knowing it would be useless to speak up now. She had been too naive, thinking that knowing the plot would allow her to easily change the course of events around her. Today, Wang Po’s cunning schemes had taught her a harsh lesson.
Taking one last look at Wu Dalang’s two-story house, Zhao Chunmei turned and left without looking back.
…
Arsenic, being a deadly poison, was strictly regulated by pharmacies, with every sale recorded to prevent its misuse. However, since the medicinal herbs in Yanggu County were almost entirely monopolized by the Ximen Family, Pan Jinlian had little trouble obtaining some.
To ensure Wu Da’s death, she used a heavy dose. After brewing the poison, she tremblingly carried it upstairs.
When Wu Dalang saw that it was his wife, not Zhao Chunmei, bringing him the medicine that day, he found it strange but didn’t ask questions. Having already decided to divorce her, he felt there was nothing left to say. He took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
After finishing, he smacked his lips in confusion. “This medicine… why does it taste different? It has a strange flavor.”
Seeing that he had drunk it all, Pan Jinlian breathed a sigh of relief and replied somewhat uneasily, “What’s so strange about it? Perhaps a few extra herbs were added to induce sweating. I’ll go downstairs to tend the fire. Call me if you need anything.” With that, she hurried away.
As soon as she reached the ground floor, she heard Wu Da cry out in pain, “Ouch! My stomach hurts terribly! It feels like my guts are tearing apart! Jinlian! Jinlian, save me!”
Pan Jinlian trembled and sat downstairs for a long while. Only when dusk began to fall did she knock on the wall to summon Wang Po. By then, an hour had passed since Wu Da’s cries for help, and he was surely dead beyond doubt.
Indeed, as soon as they went upstairs, they found Wu Da’s corpse lying in the middle of the room, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Summoning their courage, the two checked his breath and, confirming he was dead, immediately carried him into the prepared coffin. They then hired someone to transport it to the public mortuary.
Yanggu County was small, and whenever someone died, it was customary for the coroner, He Jiu, to examine the body. Ximen Qing, with his far-reaching influence, had already bribed him with a substantial sum of silver.
He Jiu had served diligently as the county coroner for decades. Although the profession was often looked down upon, he was respected by the neighbors for his integrity and caution, earning him the nickname “Uncle Jiu.” Seeing the large sum Ximen Qing offered, he immediately knew Wu Da’s death was suspicious and tried to refuse. However, after being sternly rebuked, he reluctantly accepted the money.
During the examination, he asked a few perfunctory questions before signing the cremation documents as requested by the family.
On the day of the funeral, Pan Jinlian wept uncontrollably before the burning pyre. Those who knew the truth nearby looked on with disdain or disgust, but seeing Ximen Qing in his fine robes and belt not far away, they could only sigh.
Life and death are fated, and grudges vanish with them. One could only blame Wu Da for his unfortunate fate!
Cremation cannot completely burn a person to ashes. As a coroner, He Jiu was responsible for collecting the bones after the onlookers had left, tidying them up, and finally handing them over to the family.
Holding the earthen jar containing the ashes, he did not return home. Instead, he took a detour to the suburban charity cemetery. After making sure no one was around, he coughed lightly twice and said, “It’s all done. Come out.”
Soon, two figures emerged from behind the curtain—a spirited young woman followed by a short, stocky man.
Looking up, who else could it be but Zhao Chunmei and Wu Dalang?