Before Zhenyi’s fifth birthday, Old Madam Dong personally arranged for her to begin her formal education.
Within just two months of this education, Zhenyi could stand ramrod straight, earnestly placing her little hands behind her back, head held high, reciting the *Three Character Classic* and the *Thousand Character Classic* in her soft, sweet voice. She had also memorized over ten Tang poems, and from the very beginning, she had developed her own preferences, particularly admiring Han Yu and Li Bai.
Wang Shuyi, the eldest daughter of the Wang family, was eleven years old and already possessed a scholarly air. She gently reminded Zhenyi that she should read more books for women and learn to compose poems for young ladies.
Old Madam Dong, however, said, “No rush, let her nurture this rare spark of intelligence…”
Wang Shuyi smiled and replied, “Yes.”
Zhenyi adored her older sister, who was beautiful, spoke softly, walked slowly, and always carried a faint floral scent.
The older sister often held Zhenyi close, teaching her to read.
Restating in her older sister’s arms, rubbing against her clothes, Zhenyi always felt incredibly safe and happy, and somehow would drift off to sleep.
Shuyi smiled gently: “Little lazy cat…”
Ju Zi, who had been dozing nearby, jolted awake, immediately sat up, and meowed, proving the cat’s reputation—cats aren’t lazy!
That very day, after Zhenyi woke up, she didn’t see Shuyi again for the next ten days or so.
Zhenyi asked her grandmother, who only said, “She needs to rest in the house for a while…”
Zhenyi thought, “Is she sick?”
The next day, Zhenyi wrapped the pastries Chun’er had brought in a handkerchief, tucked them into her hand, and quietly ran off with Ju Zi to see her eldest sister.
As she reached the window, Zhenyi heard a soft sobbing sound. She peered through the half-open window, straining to see inside.
Ju Zi tried to imitate Zhenyi’s tiptoeing, but still couldn’t see anything, so she jumped onto the windowsill.
Inside the room, Shuyi sat on a couch, her feet resting on a chair.
Shuyi’s mother, the Third Madam, was also there. A maid was removing the white bandages from Shuyi’s feet. Shuyi gasped in pain, tears streaming down her face, her hands trembling as she gripped the bedpost.
Zhenyi stared intently at her eldest sister’s feet, finding it strange.
The eldest sister’s feet were almost the same size as hers, with toes curled inwards, a high instep, and a deep gap squeezed between the arch and heel, as if folded together.
The Third Madam noticed the small head outside the window and beckoned Zhenyi inside.
Zhenyi entered with some snacks and inquired about the eldest sister’s foot injury.
The Third Madam smiled and corrected her, saying it wasn’t an injury.
Not an injury? Then why are they so small?
Shuyi smiled slightly, “Smaller feet look better.”
The maid, Granny Lu, smiled as well, “The eldest young lady’s feet have been bound since she was five. These past two years, her bones have grown a bit, so they need to be bound again…”
Glancing at Shuyi’s small feet, Granny Lu seemed to be looking at a very satisfying work of art. She then smiled at Zhenyi and said, “The third mistress’s feet were also bound by this old servant. When the second young lady reaches the age for foot binding, just entrust them to this old servant! This old servant will definitely bind a pair of lotus feet that everyone will praise! All the girls in our Wang family must be elegant ladies of Jinling!”
Meeting Granny Lu’s warm and kind smile, Zhenyi subconsciously took a step back.
Granny Lu asked with a smile, “By the way, the second young lady is almost five years old, isn’t she?”
Zhenyi was a little scared, but still nodded honestly.
From that day on, Zhenyi always liked to secretly observe everyone’s feet in the household.
One day, she noticed that her grandmother’s feet weren’t small and reported to her mother, “Mother, my great-grandmother never bound her feet!”
Yang Jinniang: “When the old lady was young, the Emperor, for some reason, once strictly forbade foot binding among us Han people… She missed the age, and after that, it was no longer possible to bind her feet.”
Zhenyi: “But Mother never bound her feet either…”
“Your maternal grandfather was poor; if his feet were bound, he couldn’t work.” Yang Jinniang looked somewhat ashamed, and slowly pulled her feet further under her skirt: “Your third aunt…” “Her family background is much better; they know how to maintain a respectable appearance…”
Yang Jinniang, while envying her younger siblings, patted her daughter’s head, a smile finally appearing in her eyes: “Fortunately, our Zhenyi will grow up to be a respectable young lady.”
“But…” Zhenyi continued, “But Father and Uncle didn’t bind their feet!”
“Silly girl,” Yang Jinniang laughed, “If men also bound their feet, how could they walk around outside?”
Zhenyi seemed to understand, but not quite. Was that why her older sister walked so slowly? She had never seen her older sister run. Bound feet meant she could no longer run, right?
That evening, after bathing, Zhenyi sat on the bed, knees bent, wrapped in a quilt, looking at her feet.
Thinking of her older sister’s curled and deformed toes, Zhenyi couldn’t help but try to spread her ten round toes wide, as if only then would she feel more comfortable.
Lying nearby, Orange stretched out its two front paws, comfortably extending them forward, its furry toes spread wide like blooming flowers.
Zhenyi laughed at this and imitated Orange, lying down and half-covering herself under the covers. Orange reached its paws into the covers, and Zhenyi rolled around in surprise and laughter. Orange pounced on her through the covers, and Zhenyi laughed even louder.
After a playful tussle, before going to sleep, Zhenyi secretly said to Orange, “Orange, I’ve decided, I don’t want to celebrate my fifth birthday…”
She didn’t want her feet bound; she wanted to be like Orange, running fast and steadily, jumping high and far.
As long as she wasn’t five, she wouldn’t have to bind her feet!
Orange meowed, thinking it was a good idea. This way, it could save on a birthday gift; it just wasn’t sure what to give anyway.
In the days that followed, Zhenyi told everyone she met that she didn’t celebrate her birthday, and often tugged at her grandmother’s sleeve, begging.
Adults were always busy, and with the recent hustle and bustle at home, everyone readily agreed to the child’s sudden whims.
Zhenyi didn’t celebrate her birthday, but the Beginning of Spring still arrived on time.
Early on the morning of the Beginning of Spring, Ju Zi ran back from outside, jumped onto Zhenyi’s bed, and nibbled at Zhenyi’s foot through the blanket.
Zhenyi woke up with a start; in her dream, she was being chased by Granny Lu with a foot-binding cloth!
Ju Zi urged Zhenyi to get up, wanting to take her outside to see the excitement.
Zhenyi was more perceptive than ordinary children, and Ju Zi was more perceptive than ordinary cats; having grown up together, the two could always understand each other perfectly.
Chun’er went to fetch water to wash her face. No one else was in the room. Zhenyi hastily threw on a pale yellow fur-collared jacket, slipped on her embroidered shoes, and ran outside with Ju Zi.
Her hair was uncombed; soft, fluffy strands cascaded over her shoulders, shimmering softly in the morning light as she ran. Her large, bright eyes were clear and dark, her long eyelashes drooping slightly. Her fair, round cheeks were flushed slightly by the wind, and puffs of warm breath escaped her lips.
When Ju Zi looked back, she felt that Zhenyi resembled a spirit of the Spring Festival; wherever she went, the surrounding scenery seemed to come alive with vitality.
Zhenyi followed Ju Zi to the back gate, just in time to see the Spring Festival procession passing by.
The Beginning of Spring, also known as the Spring Morning, is a day when the Prefect of Jinling City, along with the city’s officials, would perform the Spring Festival ceremony, marching through the long streets of the city.
The procession for welcoming spring was long. At the head of the procession were yamen runners with colorful ribbons tied around their waists, beating drums and gongs. Behind them were oxen pulling carts, on which sat a clay ox, adorned with colorful ribbons and adorned with spring balls. The prefect, holding a whip, struck the clay ox repeatedly.
The clay from the ox was knocked off and splashed onto the ground, symbolizing taking root.
Along the way, people followed, vying to throw sesame seeds, beans, and rice onto the ox, praying for a bountiful harvest and favorable weather.
A soybean bounced and rolled by. Orange pounced, caught it with a paw, then picked it up with its mouth, and tossed it down, having a great time. At these moments, Orange always felt a pang of regret that the cat couldn’t play for the national football team.
Just as Zhenyi was about to join the lively procession, she was caught and taken back by Chun’er.
The Beginning of Spring, the first solar term of the year, has always been highly valued. The Wang family was bustling with activity. Yang Jinniang made dough balls to offer as a sacrifice to the gods.
The First Madam and Third Madam made many spring pancakes, the children’s favorite part. After the pancakes were cooked, the children eagerly took a bite each, hoping for good luck.
Shortly after the Beginning of Spring, one morning, Chun’er woke Zhenyi early, dressed her, combed her hair, and tied red strings to her two little buns.
Today was the day Master Wang, Wang Zhefu, was returning to Jinling, and the Wang family was all going to the dock to welcome him.
Along the way, Zhenyi was very excited. Firstly, she didn’t have many opportunities to go out, and seeing the bustling city was fascinating.
Secondly, she had been looking forward to her grandfather’s return for a long time.
The Wang family rushed to the dock where the Qinhuai River and Qingxi Waterway intersect. After gazing for a long time, they finally saw Wang Zhefu stepping off the boat.
Wang Zhefu, with his white braids, wore an old royal blue robe and carried a small bundle. Upon disembarking, seeing his grandchildren running towards him, he quickly bent down and stretched out his hands, his face beaming with joy.
Seeing the old man’s happy expression, Ju Zi, squatting not far away, squinted and sighed contentedly, “Not having to work is so wonderful!”
After hugging his two grandchildren, one big and one small, Wang Zhefu nodded lovingly to his granddaughter Shuyi, who curtsied gracefully, then smiled and looked around, “Where’s the youngest?”