In 403 BC, after the partition of the Jin State by three families, the Warring States period began. In 265 BC, a truce was called between the states of Qin and Zhao, and Gongzi Yiren was sent to the State of Zhao as a hostage.
261 BC, Handan, State of Zhao.
“Sister!”
Zhao Xuwan was sitting on the threshold, pondering what to eat, when she heard a voice from not far away. She looked up. “Didn’t I tell you not to come anymore?”
The youth’s face flushed red. Keeping his head down without a word, he stuffed the basket in his hand into Zhao Xuwan’s and ran off.
Zhao Xuwan looked at the eggs in the basket. Before she could even speak, her brother had already disappeared.
“Sigh.” She let out a long sigh. Although she knew her brother was doing this for “atonement,” if he brought her eggs every day, would the rest of the family have anything to eat? Her mother was in poor health, and her younger siblings were still small. Yet, he brought her eggs all the time, leaving her at a loss as to how to face them.
Zhao Xuwan sighed again. In her previous life, she had only lost her job, she hadn’t killed anyone. To suddenly cross over due to an accident was hard enough, but it was even harder that she had ended up in the pre-Qin period.
As someone who was essentially a history novice, when she realized she hadn’t landed in one of those popular time-travel eras but in the pre-Qin period instead, she nearly wanted to bash her head against a wall.
By the time she gained mobility, she was about three years old. Looking at the younger brother she held by the hand and the younger sister still in swaddling clothes, Zhao Xuwan seriously considered whether she should just jump into a river.
However, her fear of death stopped her. But a severe illness caused her already frail mother to collapse completely, and the family’s savings weren’t enough to hire a single physician.
Zhao Xuwan was in despair. Faced with such a fragile body and family, she eventually gathered her few belongings and left with a merchant amidst the heart-wrenching cries of her siblings.
Her mother was saved, and the family didn’t have to sell any more children. Zhao Xuwan felt that things couldn’t get any worse.
She had been prepared to die, but unexpectedly, the merchant had no intention of touching her. He simply had a maid change Zhao Xuwan’s clothes and gave strict instructions to raise her well.
Zhao Xuwan understood. After all, if a pig is to be sent to market, it must be well-prepared.
It was just a bit difficult for the maid. After all, Zhao Xuwan had spent the first seventeen years of her life hungry, with a sallow complexion; she looked more like a refugee than an actual refugee.
Finally, the merchant presented her to a Gongzi. The Gongzi had not yet taken a wife, so Zhao Xuwan became his wife.
To be honest, after Zhao Xuwan found out, many unpleasant thoughts crossed her mind, but she eventually suppressed them.
She was merely a commoner, a pawn in the merchant’s hand to be discarded at any time. Her parents and siblings were essentially in his grasp. Her greatest value lay in being obedient; there was nothing else to think about. At worst, it was just one life.
Zhao Xuwan carried her small bundle to the Gongzi’s residence. There was no banquet and no guests.
The Gongzi’s explanation was that he was unwell and not suited for crowded, noisy places.
Zhao Xuwan nodded. She understood, she really did.
In truth, what her brother was doing couldn’t exactly be called atonement. After all, Zhao Xuwan had been the one to insist her parents sell her. If they hadn’t, the family might have turned to cannibalism.
However, she had raised her siblings since they were young, and their bond was deep. When she, a perfectly healthy person, was suddenly sold, her siblings cried for days until their voices went hoarse. In the end, her brother declared he would join the army to redeem his sister.
Zhao Xuwan was quite moved, but being moved didn’t put food on the table.
“Oof.” Zhao Xuwan supported her waist as she stood up. In this era, there were no chairs or tables. Usually, one had to sit cross-legged to eat. Zhao Xuwan found it uncomfortable and sometimes preferred sitting on the threshold.
The Gongzi had gone out again today, likely to discuss some business. Only she and an old servant were at home. The old servant was a Mute servant; it had taken Zhao Xuwan nearly a month to understand what her gestures meant.
Carrying the eggs into the kitchen, she saw the Mute servant sitting behind the stove. She smiled and held up the eggs. “An extra dish for tonight.”
The Mute servant also smiled and gestured with her hands. Zhao Xuwan understood—the woman thought it was a good idea.
The Mute servant felt Zhao Xuwan was too thin and needed nourishment. Moreover, the master provided plenty of money, so their daily meals were naturally better than those of ordinary people. However, in the pre-Qin period, there were no seasonings and limited cookware; the food they made was… an acquired taste.
In her past life, Zhao Xuwan was a working girl accustomed to takeout. Coming here so abruptly, when she lacked food and warmth, her only thought was filling her stomach. But now that she was fed and clothed, she could think about how to improve things.
“I’ll be the chef today; you be my assistant,” Zhao Xuwan said, rolling up her sleeves.
The first time she wanted to cook, the Mute servant had been terrified, bowing repeatedly and begging her not to. It was only after Zhao Xuwan spent a great deal of effort explaining that the Mute servant reluctantly agreed.
The Gongzi did not like having many people around. There were only two or three servants in the house: a gatekeeper, a cleaner, and a cook. It was only after Zhao Xuwan arrived that the household gained some liveliness.
Though Zhao Xuwan had many questions, she always remembered what the merchant had told her before she was sent over: if the Gongzi doesn’t speak, don’t ask.
At dinner time, the Gongzi had not returned as usual. Zhao Xuwan and the Mute servant finished preparing the meal together.
Her dinner was chicken soup noodles with two eggs. The servants naturally didn’t eat this; they were quite satisfied with boiled beans and chicken broth that had been filtered who-knows-how-many times.
Zhao Xuwan had previously thought about improving their meals, but the moment the thought occurred, the Mute servant stopped her. The Mute servant was strict with herself and others; she wouldn’t let Zhao Xuwan do it, her expression very stern.
Zhao Xuwan’s greatest virtue was probably being a good listener, so she obediently dropped the idea.
Late into the night, Zhao Xuwan lay in bed waiting quietly. A faint movement came from outside, and soon the door was pushed open gently. After the rustling sound of changing clothes ended, Zhao Xuwan felt a chill beside her as a slender body pressed close.
Zhao Xuwan couldn’t help but shiver.
“Cold?”
A gentle voice reached her ear.
“It’s okay.” Zhao Xuwan kept in mind the principle of “submitting to the one whose roof you live under” and compliantly turned to hug the Gongzi.
He seemed to give a light chuckle, his palm slowly resting on Zhao Xuwan’s waist. “Shall I warm you up?”
Well, “warming up” between adults is always full of the indescribable.
Truthfully, most of the time they just slept under the covers. There might only be a few intimate moments a month. If she hadn’t confirmed that the Gongzi had no major physical issues, Zhao Xuwan would have seriously suspected there was something fishy behind this marriage.
Afterward, Zhao Xuwan lay on the bed, not wanting to move. At this moment, she no longer cared about “submitting to the one whose roof you live under.”
The Gongzi seemed somewhat helpless. He personally brought water over. Zhao Xuwan forced herself up and wiped herself down haphazardly with a cloth.
She hadn’t felt it before, but why was she exceptionally tired today? Clearly, the Gongzi hadn’t improved his stamina that much.
Muttering to herself, Zhao Xuwan’s eyes closed, and she fell straight asleep.
The next morning, Zhao Xuwan was surprised to see the Gongzi sitting at the low table.
Doesn’t he usually leave very early?
“Gongzi,” she greeted him, her movements a bit sluggish.
“Go wash up,” the Gongzi said succinctly.
Zhao Xuwan suddenly realized she was speaking to the fully dressed and groomed Gongzi while looking disheveled.
She turned and left, rushing as if someone were chasing her.
When she sat down for breakfast, the Gongzi had already finished and was currently staring at her as she ate.
“You’re too thin. You should eat more,” the Gongzi said suddenly, startling Zhao Xuwan while she was drinking her porridge.
“I’m alright,” Zhao Xuwan said softly. “I’ve been eating eggs and meat every day lately.”
The Gongzi frowned. “You need to eat even more. Otherwise, you’re all bones when I hold you.”
“Cough, cough!” This time, Zhao Xuwan really did have a world-shaking coughing fit.
She covered her mouth and coughed violently, and not just coughed—she gagged.
Weren’t ancient people supposed to be very refined? Who was this bold person?
A handkerchief and a cup of water were promptly handed to her. Zhao Xuwan wiped her mouth and finished the water.
“Go fetch a physician!” the Gongzi said to his attendant, Ze. Ze bowed and went out.
Zhao Xuwan was stunned and waved her hands hurriedly. “I just choked; it’s no big deal.”
“Better to have a look,” the Gongzi said with some hidden meaning. “In case…”
Zhao Xuwan understood the unspoken words. She looked down silently at her flat belly. It couldn’t be…
The husband and wife sat in silence for a moment. The servants, having seen what happened, hid outside and didn’t dare enter until the physician was brought in.
“Congratulations, Gongzi! The Madam has been pregnant for nearly three months!”
The physician smiled and bowed in congratulation. Zhao Xuwan’s mind went blank. She had only been married for a little over three months; was the Gongzi that potent?
Her eyes involuntarily drifted toward the Gongzi’s robes.
The Gongzi didn’t notice. A smile appeared on his face as he had Ze reward the physician. After taking the medicinal prescription, he turned to look at Zhao Xuwan.
“Wan, we have a child.”
Zhao Xuwan looked up blankly, unable to believe a child had arrived just like that.
“What’s wrong?” Seeing her face turn pale, the Gongzi was puzzled.
“Ding-dong! System 001 is at your service.” Zhao Xuwan saw the Gongzi’s confused gaze and was about to make an excuse when those words suddenly popped into her head.
In her shock, she looked at the Gongzi and even forgot what she was going to say. The Gongzi had only asked casually, but seeing her face turn white, he quickly supported her.
“What is it?” Now he was truly anxious. The Gongzi helped her sit in a chair.
“I… I’m just a little scared.” Zhao Xuwan gritted her teeth and leaned directly onto the Gongzi’s not-so-broad shoulder, acting like a delicate flower. “It hasn’t been long, yet I’m already going to be a mother. I am truly afraid.”
The Gongzi was also stunned. Aside from being intimate in bed, they didn’t usually talk much.
“Don’t be afraid.” The Gongzi’s expression softened, and his voice became gentle. “I am always here.”
Zhao Xuwan nodded repeatedly. After fooling the Gongzi and seeing him off, she found an excuse to return to her room.
It was hard to say whether she was more angry or confused. After sitting by the bed for a long while, she finally squeezed a sentence through her teeth: “Whatever-your-name-is 110, where are you? Come out!”
“Ding. Hello, System 001 is at your service.”
Zhao Xuwan clenched her hands, restraining her emotions. “Why didn’t you show up when I crossed over? You didn’t show up when I was about to be sold. What’s the point of coming out now?”
“Ding. Sorry, your question is too complex for this system to answer.”
“Then don’t ever answer anything again!” Zhao Xuwan threw back the covers, climbed into bed, and closed her eyes.
Whatever happens, happens. She had lived perfectly well for over ten years without a system. So what if she had to eat grass and tree roots? It was no big deal.
Author’s Note:
Zhao Xuwan: No, really, even a person this weak can manage it?
Qin Wang Zichu: Vindicated!
On the surface: “It’s just grass and tree roots, no big deal.”
In secret: “Quick, give me fried chicken, burgers, fries, chocolate, cola, milk tea…”
Starting a new story! I’ll randomly send out red envelopes for comments. Thanks for your support, babies.
Guide to Reading:
1.
This is an original historical novel. The author is not a scholar; I prefer using plain language. If you can’t accept that, please bow out now, as many historical details are fictionalized.
2.
It’s mainly a “child-rearing” story; there won’t be much focus on war or court politics.
3.
Many readers talk about what Zhao Ji was like in history, or what she looked like. This is an original historical novel; many things are fabricated, fake, and not strictly following history. People say Zhao Ji was beautiful, but there seems to be little evidence. Moreover, there’s a term today called “capitalist’s ugly children,” which shows that rich people aren’t necessarily good-looking. Also, I’m not saying the Zhao Xuwan I wrote is ugly; I’m just saying her skin is bad because she was a commoner for over ten years, exposed to the elements. Can your skin be good under those conditions? But bad skin doesn’t mean she’s ugly. The same goes for Yiren; as a hostage, his first ten years weren’t great either. I didn’t describe their specific looks because I didn’t think it was necessary.
4.
One last important point: I have a bit of a “purity complex” regarding emotions. So if he’s defined as the male lead, regardless of the real era, in my story, this male lead is “clean” (virgin/loyal). (Important things said three times).
5.
Don’t curse, don’t fight, don’t be toxic. Thank you.