The July heat in the capital was almost unbearable.
Mingyi had been taking an afternoon nap when the commotion outside woke her. She asked her maid, “What’s going on out there? Why is it so lively?”
Her quarters were in a secluded part of the estate and usually quiet, but now she could hear people chatting and laughing. Something joyful must have happened at the Zong Residence.
“Lord Zong is coming back!” Yuegui said excitedly.
Mingyi looked puzzled. “Which Lord Zong?”
“Second Master Zong[1]“Second Master” is a household title identifying the second son of a prominent family. It reflects family seniority rather than an official government rank. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });!” Yuegui set the chestnut cakes on the table. “Second Master has been away from home for half a year. He’ll arrive in the capital tomorrow, and everyone’s busy preparing to welcome him back to the residence!”
Mingyi sat there in a daze, thinking that she had already spent more than half a year living under someone else’s roof at the Zong Residence.
Yuegui continued, “I hear Second Master is so handsome he looks like a being from the heavens. He’s the ideal husband in the hearts of many young ladies. Will you go see him tomorrow, Miss?”
Mingyi’s expression changed at once. She said sternly, “I’m not going, and neither are you.”
Yuegui blinked, but didn’t ask why. She only murmured a sullen “Oh.”
Sitting before her dressing table, Mingyi gently ran her fingers over her hair and gazed at the porcelain-white, lovely face in the bronze mirror. It looked somewhat like the face she’d had before.
She was seventeen this year. By her reckoning, it had already been seven years since her soul transmigrated[2]Transmigration is a common Chinese web-novel concept in which a person’s soul or consciousness enters another world, time period, or body. Unlike reincarnation, the character typically retains … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); into this other world!
Back then, she’d merely been slacking off at work, hiding in the restroom to read a novel. She’d accidentally fallen asleep, and when she opened her eyes, she’d found herself inside a political intrigue novel she’d picked up at random—transformed from a young woman in her prime into a ten-year-old girl.
Worse still, not long after she arrived, war broke out. The land was ravaged, her parents died, and all she had left were a sickly younger brother and a useless maid.
Born in peacetime, she had seen dead people only on television. To survive the wars of ancient times had been no easy feat.
Later, the court sent people to put down the conflict. She made it home alive, only to nearly be bundled off by her original self’s relatives and sold to an official as a bedchamber maid[3]A tongfang was a female household servant who could be required to share her master’s bed. Unlike a principal wife, she held no formal marital status, and her position was generally lower than … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
With no other choice, Mingyi fled to Jiangzhou with her younger brother and maid and sought refuge at the Xie Residence, home to an upright scholarly family. She became Eldest Young Master Xie’s child bride[4]Tongyangxi was a traditional arrangement in which a young girl was brought into a household to be raised as the future wife of one of its sons. Her marriage was generally expected to take place when … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, and at last her life was safe and peaceful for several years.
Later, Xie Huaiyu passed the imperial examinations[5]The imperial examination system was the traditional Chinese method of selecting candidates for government service through examinations, particularly on Confucian learning. Successful candidates could … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); and brought them to seek refuge with the Zong family. They had been staying here for half a year.
The Second Master Yuegui had just mentioned, Zong Xian, was the great hero who had put down Prince Zhao’s rebellion[6]“Prince Zhao” is a princely title rather than a personal name. In Chinese historical settings, such titles could be granted to members of the imperial family or other high-ranking nobles, … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); six years ago.
He had been barely in his twenties when he achieved such great feats. Who wouldn’t call him a promising young man?
Yet this formidable power broker would meet a gruesome end. Even the entire Zong household would be casually wiped out by the new emperor.
Mingyi hadn’t read the whole novel. She’d skimmed the table of contents and jumped around, so she knew only the broad outlines of much of the plot.
She hadn’t even paid attention to the original character she now inhabited, but she was certain of one thing: Zong Xian was definitely not the male lead.
Thinking of the Zong Residence’s eventual fate, Ji Mingyi shuddered.
She couldn’t stay here much longer. She would have to make new plans.
Later that day, a senior maid serving Madam Liu, the mistress of Zong Residence, came to summon Mingyi.
“How strange,” Yuegui said. “First Madam[7]A household form of address indicating a married woman’s senior position within her generation or family branch. Such titles distinguished members of large extended households according to … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); doesn’t often call for you. What could she want at a time like this?”
Mingyi felt inexplicably uneasy.
Once she was dressed, she set out with Yuegui from her secluded Shuangxu Garden. They took several turns along a shady path, passed through several hanging-flower gates[8]Known as chuihuamen, these traditional decorative gateways often marked the boundary between the outer areas of a Chinese residence and its more private inner courtyards. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_8').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_8', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, and reached the inner garden.
Pavilions and towers stood throughout the grounds, with halls rising one behind another. Rockeries were scattered among lush trees. The scenery was secluded yet orderly, and every blue-gray brick beneath their feet seemed steeped in the aura of power.
When a maid saw Mingyi, she respectfully greeted her as “Cousin Miss[9]Biaoguniang is a respectful form of address for a young woman connected to a household through extended family relationships. It does not necessarily mean she is a literal first cousin. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_9').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_9', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });,” but the respect did not reach her eyes.
Once Mingyi had gone, the maid watched her retreating figure and whispered to the others,
“Why is she coming this way? What bad luck.”
“They say her ill fortune killed her parents[10]This accusation reflects the traditional superstition of ke, the belief that a person’s fate or destiny can bring misfortune or death to relatives. Such claims were sometimes used to stigmatize … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_10').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_10', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Look at her sickly brother—who knows, maybe her ill fortune will kill him someday too!”
“Come on, Sister Chuntao[11]“Sister” can be used as a familiar or respectful form of address for an older or more senior woman, including among household servants. It does not necessarily indicate a biological sibling … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_11').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_11', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, don’t say so much. Whatever else she is, she’s still half a mistress…”
The maid in pink gave a soft “Pah.” “What kind of mistress is she? Has Young Master Xie even married her? She has no name or status, yet she clings to someone else’s household. I’ve never seen anyone so shameless.”
Mingyi naturally couldn’t hear their gossip. Even if she had, she wouldn’t have cared. She’d heard worse.
As she walked, she considered her escape routes.
The laws of this dynasty didn’t allow women to establish households in their own names[12]Household registration historically affected taxation, property, family obligations, and legal standing in China. Women’s ability to register as independent household heads varied by period and … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_12').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_12', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Though she had a younger brother, he was underage and couldn’t set up a household independently either.
What’s more, a pack of rapacious relatives were lurking, waiting to pounce. Alone and powerless, she couldn’t fight them off; all she could do was marry Xie Huaiyu and seek his protection.
Fortunately, Xie Huaiyu was upright and had always treated her well. He would make a suitable husband, and he now held an official post, so marrying him wouldn’t be a bad deal.
But he was still in mourning for his father[13]Traditional Chinese filial mourning required children to observe a prescribed mourning period after a parent’s death, often affecting official duties, celebrations, and marriage arrangements. … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_13').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_13', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); and had been sent away on official business, so their marriage would have to wait.
Before long, she arrived at Magnolia Garden.
Only after a servant announced her did Mingyi step inside.
First Madam Liu sat on a red sandalwood couch, dressed in a deep purplish-red brocade overjacket woven with gold in a flowing-cloud pattern. Her dignified bearing carried the authority of the household’s mistress.
Ice had been placed on the table, keeping the room pleasantly cool, while two young maids fanned her.
After a few pleasantries, Madam Liu got straight to the point. “Tomorrow is the banquet to welcome Second Master home[14]A traditional welcome-back banquet was known as a xichen yan, literally a feast to “wash away the dust” of travel. It was held to honor someone returning from a journey or an extended absence. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_14').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_14', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Everyone in the residence is making preparations, and the most important thing is the food. Unfortunately, the cook responsible for the soups has caught a chill. We certainly can’t let him prepare food for the masters.”
As she spoke, Madam Liu glanced lightly at the young woman before her.
Mingyi wore a plain skirt and jacket without any elaborate adornments, yet her radiant, striking face shone like a pearl set apart from the world. People couldn’t help overlooking her simple clothes.
“Old Madam[15]A respectful form of address for the senior elderly woman of a household, usually its matriarch. It indicates her authority and seniority within the family rather than an official government title. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_15').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_15', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); says you’re especially good at making soup, and that yours is rich and delicious. Second Master usually prefers light dishes. Do you know how to make lotus-root and pork-rib soup?”
Mingyi looked hesitant. “I do, but my skills are rather humble…”
Madam Liu waved a hand. “If Old Madam says you’re good at it, then you must be. I’ll leave this to you.”
After that, Mingyi had no way to refuse. She could only agree.
After Mingyi left, the maid beside Madam Liu massaged her shoulders and asked, puzzled, “Welcoming Second Master with a banquet is a major affair. If the kitchen is short a cook, they could easily hire one from outside. Isn’t it rather careless to entrust this to her? If anything goes wrong, Old Madam will…”
Madam Liu glanced at her. “Do I need you to teach me how to handle things?”
The maid immediately lowered her head. “This servant[16]A humble first-person expression traditionally used by household servants when addressing their masters. Rather than saying “I,” a servant could refer to themselves by their subordinate status to … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_16').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_16', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); wouldn’t dare.”
Madam Liu said, “I’m only finding her something to do. It wouldn’t do to forbid her from going out tomorrow, would it? People would complain.”
Only then did the maid remember that tomorrow wasn’t just a welcome-home banquet for Second Master. It was also the day the family would be assessing prospective brides for him. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong!
Madam Liu lifted her teacup and used its lid to gently move the foam floating on the surface. Then she said slowly, “That girl is far too beautiful. No matter how well-behaved she is, her looks alone are a liability. I simply don’t want anything to go awry tomorrow, so she’ll have to bear this slight for now.”
The next day, before dawn, the servants of the Zong Residence were already bustling about.
In the main courtyard on the other side of the estate, voices gradually rose.
The members of the household arrived one after another, speaking softly among themselves.
Madam Liu and the two concubines of the first branch[17]In a traditional extended household, the “first branch” generally referred to the family line of the eldest son. A concubine, or yi niang, held a subordinate domestic position to a principal … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_17').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_17', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); arrived early. The young masters and ladies, dragged from their sleep, were also there, waiting in proper order. Old Madam Zong was the last to arrive, supported by a maid.
Once the sky was bright, a steward hurried over and bowed. “Old Madam, Second Master is at the gate!”
The courtyard fell silent at once. A tall figure stepped into view, striding through the morning light.
Zong Xian wore a deep reddish-purple official robe embroidered with dragon-like python motifs[18]The mang, or python-dragon, was a traditional decorative motif associated with prestigious ceremonial and official robes in certain Chinese dynasties. Its use could signify high status, but the … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_18').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_18', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. His features were refined yet sharp, his complexion cool and pale, his thick, sword-like brows sharply defined, his lips a little pale. His expression was composed and stern.
He strode forward, his voice steady, and cupped his hands in greeting[19]A traditional Chinese gesture of respect, commonly called gongshou, in which the hands are held together before the body. It was used in formal greetings and other courteous exchanges. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3723273_1_19').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3723273_1_19', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. “Mother. Sister-in-law.”
Old Madam Zong’s eyes brimmed with tears as she examined him from head to toe.
Madam Liu, too, was deeply moved.
Old Madam Zong reached out to help her second son up, her face full of affection. “It’s good to have you home. It’s good to have you home. Did everything go smoothly?”
References[+]