Guangde Ward, Imperial Capital
Dusk had fallen. Down the quiet, secluded Sweetwater Lane came the sound of footsteps. A broker’s assistant led a young woman deeper into the alley, glancing back at her with pity as they walked.
“Madam, this is the only lodging I could find for you for now. One string of copper coins a month is already extremely low—you’ll hardly find anything this affordable in the entire Imperial Capital.”
The woman’s clothes were rather plain and old-fashioned, and she held a small child in her arms, yet her voice was soft and pleasing to the ear. “Thank you very much.”
The assistant, feeling sorry for her predicament, quickly shook his head. He helped her unlock the door and carried in all her few bundles and belongings.
“Thank you, kind sir.” She handed him one string of coins, her heart twinging a little at the expense.
Only two months earlier, she had suddenly learned that Crescent Moon Town, where she had lived her whole life, was not her true home. The Lin couple who had raised her were not her biological parents either!
Her real father, it turned out, was the Marquis of Northern Garrison, a high-ranking noble in the capital.
Before Lin Shanyue could even come to terms with this revelation, messengers from the marquis’s estate arrived to bring her to the Imperial Capital. But it was only later that she discovered the truth: the family had taken her in, taught her music, painting, calligraphy, and the etiquette of high society, all to mold her into a substitute daughter—someone who could marry in place of the false heiress.
More than half a year before, the Emperor had issued an imperial decree betrothing the marquis’s household to the Prince Regent. Everyone in the capital knew the story: the Prince Regent’s face was disfigured, his temperament was said to be strange, and rumors claimed he was prone to violence. The Marchioness could not bear to send her precious daughter, Jiang Wan’er, into such a marriage. Upon hearing that there was a biological daughter living far away in the countryside, she acted immediately. While the Marquis was away leading troops on a southern campaign, she brought Lin Shanyue back, renamed her Jiang Shanyue, and prepared her to be the bride.
The cruel joke turned her heart ice-cold. Lin Shanyue had intended to confront the Marchioness and demand an explanation. But before she could, an elderly woman arrived at the estate, carrying a two-year-old child in her arms.
This was the same little boy Lin Shanyue had rescued by chance while traveling north. How the old woman had tracked her here was a mystery. Worse still, the woman spoke with such a thick country accent that the servant girl at the gate mistook the word “child” for “son.” The maid’s expression changed instantly, and by the end of the day, the rumor that Lin Shanyue already had a son had spread throughout the entire household.
That very evening, her so-called mother threw all her belongings out of the door. “You shameless thing! If I’d known you’d already lost your virtue and borne a son, I never would have wasted time bringing you back!”
And so, she was cast out of the marquis’s estate.
Was she disappointed? Perhaps a little, but mostly she felt only bitter irony.
Little Bao was an abandoned child the old woman had found. Since she was leaving to search for her long-lost family, she had no choice but to entrust the boy to Lin Shanyue. The woman’s sincerity and helplessness reminded Lin Shanyue of her own foster parents… In the end, her soft heart won out, and she agreed to take the child.
It was the dead of winter, and Lin Shanyue could not possibly travel again with a toddler in tow. After much thought, she decided she must settle here first.
The assistant accepted his payment, exchanged a few polite words, and closed the gate behind him.
Lin Shanyue took a careful look around the courtyard. There was a well outside, and beside it stood a simple bathing room and outhouse. The main room itself was small, and the roof looked worn and drafty—hardly enough to keep out the wind and snow in this freezing weather. Yet it was the best she could afford right now. Gently holding the boy close, she stepped inside and cleared a space to settle down.
The child was around two years old, with delicate, fine features far more handsome than any other toddler she had ever seen. Looking at him filled her heart with warmth.
But as for where he came from… Remembering how hastily the old woman had handed him over, she paused for a moment, then shook her head and let the thought go.
She herself had been rescued by a rural couple on just such a freezing winter night, and that kindness had allowed her to grow up safe and healthy. This child was just as unfortunate as she had been. *Very well,* she thought. *I will take care of him for now.*
As she sorted through her meager belongings, her hand brushed against something hard and smooth.
She pulled it out.
It was a silver mirror!
She was astonished. It looked quite valuable, decorated with intricate patterns and fine carvings. Though small, it was just the right size for a dressing table.
After a moment’s thought, she placed it on the cabinet beside the bed. She was desperately short of money, but this might have belonged to Little Bao’s family and could prove useful later. She had no intention of selling it.
Once the room was tidied, she returned to the yard to continue cleaning. It was already growing dark; she needed to finish quickly so they would have a place to sleep for the night.
Meanwhile, the little boy had been curiously observing his new surroundings. Suddenly, his gaze locked onto the silver mirror. He scrambled over on hands and knees, and as he lifted his face, the mirror began to change.
“Who are you?”
A man’s voice sounded from within, clearly startled by the sudden appearance of the child.
But Little Bao was not frightened at all. If anything, hearing the voice excited him. He babbled happily, pointing his chubby finger at the glass. At the same time, a face appeared on the surface of the mirror—
It was a young man wearing clothes that clearly did not belong to this era. He stared out from the mirror, looking at the boy and then around the room with obvious confusion.
“Where is this? A movie set?” he muttered, glancing around. “The details are pretty realistic.”
Little Bao squealed and clapped his hands in delight. The man continued, “Who left such a tiny kid all alone here? That’s so irresponsible! Where are his parents? Is this some kind of reality show? And why does it look like there’s a tablet inside my mirror?”
Of course, Little Bao could not answer. Instead, he stared intently at a biscuit in the man’s hand and whimpered, sucking on his finger.
*Hungry… want to eat…*
“Ea-eat…”
The man finally caught on. “You want this?” He hesitated for a moment, then, curious and doubtful, held the biscuit toward the glass.
And the biscuit passed right through the mirror and landed softly on the floor in front of Little Bao!
“Whoa! That actually worked!” The man was stunned, realizing he was witnessing something impossible. Before he could try sending more items through, Lin Shanyue walked back into the room.
She had just fetched water and swept the yard; a thin layer of dust dusted her fair, delicate face, yet it did nothing to dim her beauty. Not noticing what Little Bao was doing, she sat down at the table and took out her account book and money pouch.
Warm water was heating in the kitchen, and she began calculating her funds while planning their next steps.
“Ten strings and three hundred coins… spent one string…” She counted carefully, laying out every copper coin she owned.
She had to think about their livelihood from now on. Both she and Little Bao needed food and shelter; she could not survive forever just by spending what little she had. She had to find a way to earn more.
“There’s a small plot in the yard—maybe I can plant vegetables there. But first I’ll need seeds… The kitchen is completely empty, so tomorrow I must buy rice, flour, oil, and salt. And since there’s nowhere to gather firewood near the capital, I’ll have to pay a farmer to deliver some…”
As she listed every expense, her fine brows drew together in concern.
Closing the account book, she turned to the bed. “Little Bao, what are you up to?”
Stepping closer, she spotted the biscuit lying on the floor before him. She had never seen such a thing before. Curious, she picked it up and turned it over. “Hmm… where did this come from? Did the previous owner leave it behind?”