Chapter 1: She went through many hardships and survived

In the afternoon of the summer of the twelfth year of Yonglong's reign.

In the back room of the Du family, Su He folded the dried clothes one by one and put them neatly into the closet.

She is already seven years old and can help her father and mother with some simple chores.

Suddenly, a hurried conversation was heard outside the house: "Oh no, something happened. Deshun bumped into the distinguished guest and is being punished in the front yard."

"Isn't today's distinguished guest the son of the Duzhilang family? I heard that the master's business now depends entirely on Duzhilang's care."

"In this case, Deshun has really run into bad luck."

"Shh, keep quiet, let's go over and take a look first."

The conversation suddenly disappeared outside the house.

Su He was stunned when she heard this. Wasn't "De Shun" her father? And she also recognized the voices just now. They were the two maids who lived at the other end of the back house.

Su He hurriedly changed his shoes and went out of the house to the front yard.

The Du family was a wealthy family in Beijing. Their house was huge with winding paths. Even though she grew up in the back room of the house, she was often confused when faced with the numerous corridors that led in all directions.

A quarter of an hour later, she finally arrived outside the front yard gate, then bent down and hid in the flowers behind the screen wall.

Through the open door, she saw her mother kneeling on the steps.

Under the scorching sun, my mother's clothes were disheveled, her hair was loose, and even her shoulders were trembling.

No, mother is not shaking, she is crying.

In the open space next to him, Dad was being held down by two servants, unable to move.

A man stood on the steps, spouting obscenities: "If it weren't for your wife's beauty, I wouldn't be interested in having her on my bed. But," he smiled wickedly, "she's a woman who's given birth after all, and I'm still not satisfied."

Deshun's voice trembled with anger: "Mr. Zhou's actions are really... really too much!"

Upon hearing this, Master Zhou walked down the stairs and stood in front of Deshun. He glanced at him indifferently, then glanced at Su who was standing next to him: "What a pity! After all, a beautiful flower has ended up in a shit pit."

He added, "We are just a pair of ants. I will do whatever I want. What can you do to me?"

Deshun took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "Even if my wife and I are ants, we are still people who live with dignity. For today's humiliation, I will go to the government office to seek justice."

Master Zhou scoffed, sizing up the imprisoned Deshun like he was looking at a pig or a dog. "Just you—a lowly slave—and you think you can sue this young master? You're just daydreaming!"

"If the government doesn't give me justice, I'll go and beat the drum to report it!"

"Okay, then go ahead and knock. This young master is waiting for your 'good news'." Master Zhou turned around with disdain on his face and slowly walked towards the stairs. His unhurried steps were full of arrogance and arrogance.

Perhaps it was this arrogance and arrogance that hurt Deshun. He suddenly burst out with great strength, broke free from the servant who was holding him down, and rushed towards the young master of the Zhou family.

He didn't even think about how to attack the other person, he just clenched his fists and hit the other person's back hard.

Master Zhou was knocked back and almost fell.

But he quickly regained his composure and looked at Deshun with a gloomy gaze. A moment later, he grabbed Deshun's neck with lightning speed. "You're so arrogant! I'll send you to see the King of Hell right now."

The skinny Deshun was pinched like a chicken and retreated repeatedly until he was pressed against the nearby courtyard wall, his face flushed red.

Su, who was standing nearby, quickly crawled over and threw herself at Master Zhou's feet, kowtowed and begged for mercy: "It's all your fault for not knowing how to appreciate your kindness. Please, Master Zhou, spare my husband. Please, Master Zhou, spare my husband."

Master Zhou remained unmoved. Not only did he hold Deshun tightly, he also gave Su a hard kick.

Su was kicked and fell backwards. After getting up, he kowtowed and begged for mercy...

Su He, who was lying in the flowers, watched this scene, feeling both hatred and fear in her heart.

She hated that Master Zhou was too bullying, and was afraid that her father and mother would suffer a great loss.

She never thought they would be bullied like this.

Seeing that her father was about to be strangled to death by that Young Master Zhou, Su He immediately crawled out of the flowers and ran quickly towards the front gate. She wanted to help her father beat the bad guys.

But before she could run into the door, someone grabbed her waist tightly and pulled her back into the flowers.

Su He looked up in surprise and saw Aunt Zhang's face.

Aunt Zhang also lived in that row of back houses and was my mother’s best friend.

Zhang Xiuhua said, "Hehe, we are slaves and cannot fight against those nobles. If you run over now, not only will you fail to save your father, but you will add fuel to the fire."

Yes, they are slaves.

Aunt Zhang and my mother worked in the kitchen of the Du Mansion, and my father was left in the front yard to serve because he was good at making tea.

Her mother once said that when she grew up two years later, she would be able to work in the Du Mansion. By then, she would be a housewife and would definitely live a better life than them.

But slaves are also human beings.

Slaves shouldn't be bullied like this.

Su He refused to listen to Zhang Xiuhua's advice and was still struggling to help her father fight the bad guys.

She cried and said, "Daddy will be strangled to death."

Then he said, "Please, Aunt Zhang, let me go."

Zhang Xiuhua's eyes were also wet with tears, but she tried her best to hold the little girl in her arms.

She said, "Don't worry, He He, the master will be here soon. The master likes to drink the tea made by your father, and he won't let anything happen to your father."

Sure enough, after just a moment, Du Yuting, the master of the Du family, appeared at the door of the main hall.

Su He finally calmed down.

Master Zhou finally released his hand from Deshun's neck.

There was a moment of silence in the courtyard.

Du Yuting was over thirty, in the prime of his life. His usually stern face became exceptionally attentive and attentive when he met Mr. Zhou. "Mr. Zhou, aren't you drinking and resting inside?" He glanced around. "Is...someone displeased Mr. Zhou?"

Before Master Zhou could reply, Deshun spoke first, "Master, Master Zhou...forcibly harmed my wife's body..."

Du Yuting was stunned when he heard this, and then glanced at Su who was still kneeling on the ground.

This Su is quite pretty. His wife Liu arranged her to stay in the kitchen just to prevent her from climbing into his bed. She never expected that she would fall into the hands of Mr. Zhou today.

Du Yuting scolded Deshun: "How can you have the right to speak here?"

Then a smile appeared on his face: "The servants in this mansion lack discipline. I hope Master Zhou will forgive me."

Young Master Zhou turned around and sat in the armchair in the room, saying in a contemptuous tone, "Since the servants in the mansion lack discipline, then this young master will not hesitate to discipline the servants on behalf of the Du family."

Du Yuting choked and was speechless for a moment.

"Why, Master Du, are you unwilling?"

Mr. Zhou's tone was meaningful: "Master Du, don't forget, if I'm unhappy, my father will certainly not be happy either. If my father is unhappy, then the Du family's business will have to fend for itself in the future."

At the mention of the Du family's business, Du Yuting seemed to be suddenly rebuked by a curse, and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him: "It is my honor to have Mr. Zhou take charge of the servants for the Du family. If you have any requests, please tell me, and I will fully cooperate."

Deshun, who was standing by, called out "Master" angrily.

But no one paid any attention to him.

"Master Du is indeed sensible." Young Master Zhou stood up from the armchair and looked at Deshun with a gloomy look. "Since I couldn't strangle you to death with my own hands, let's try something else."

Deshun knew something was wrong and took two steps back: "What do you want?"

"Don't you want to go and beat the drum to report the incident? Then let's see if you have the life to do it."

Young Master Zhou smiled arrogantly, then stopped laughing and ordered sternly, "Fight with the cane until this young master is satisfied."

In just a moment, a servant brought a bench and a stick.

Several guards strode forward and pressed Deshun down on the bench.

Su began to cry and beg for mercy again, begging Master Zhou and the master to let her husband go.

Su He in the flowers was also crying and calling "Daddy". She wanted to break free from Aunt Zhang's arms to save her daddy, but she couldn't.

She said, "Aunt Zhang, you are lying. The master will never save my father."

She said, "They are all bad people, even the master is a bad person."

Zhang Xiuhua was speechless and could only hug the little girl tightly.

The long stick struck down in the setting sun, "crackling" sound, one after another.

Under the sticks, bones were broken and flesh and blood flew everywhere.

At first, Deshun cried out in pain, but then he gradually became silent.

Through the gaps between the branches and leaves of the flowers, Su He even saw the gaze of his father on the bench. That look was desperate and reluctant, like a dying fish out of water.

The sound of sticks continued until dusk.

When Deshun was carried back to the back room, his eyes were closed, blood was flowing from all seven orifices, and there was not a single piece of healthy flesh left on his body.

Su touched his nose with a trembling hand and withdrew her hand after a while.

Her tone was exceptionally calm: "He He, your father is gone."

He was beaten to death before he could leave a last word!

Beaten to death like a dog or a sheep!

Su He knelt down in front of Deshun's body and started crying.

Zhang Xiuhua, who was standing by, also shed tears.

She choked up and comforted Su: "Sister, please accept my condolences. The child is still young and there are still many days to come."

"Thank you, sister." Su looked up at the twilight outside the house and fell silent. Then she stood up and brought a basin of water. She used a wet towel to wipe the blood off Deshun's face bit by bit.

She never cried, as if her tears had dried up in the front yard.

She said, "It's good that Deshun is gone. He won't have to suffer in this world anymore..."

Life is as cheap as grass, it is better to die than to live!

When the steward of the mansion learned that someone had died in the back house, in order to avoid bad luck, he sent people to drag away De Shun's body at night, just like dragging away a dead animal.

In the quiet night, the house where a family of three once lived suddenly became extremely empty.

Su He choked up and asked, "Where will they bury Daddy?"

Su replied: "A mass grave!"

"How are we going to pay homage to Daddy from now on?"

"Your father was penniless when he was alive. Now that he's dead, there's no need to pay homage to him."

Su He lowered her head and wiped away her tears quietly.

Su gently stroked her daughter's head and said, "It's late, He He, go to bed early."

Su He actually didn't want to sleep, but she still lay down on the couch obediently.

Her father was already dead, and she didn't want her mother to worry about her anymore.

When Su He woke up, it was late at night and there was no candlelight in the room.

My mother was still sitting on the round stool, staring blankly at the dark void.

The moon was at its zenith outside the house, and the silver moonlight came in through the window, casting a bright halo on my mother.

In that halo of light, she saw her mother raise the scissors and stab her cheek fiercely...

Su He was shocked and quickly got off the bed: "What is mother doing?"

A blood mark suddenly appeared on Su's right cheek.

She replied: "I am innocent, but I am guilty of possessing the treasure."

Su He didn't understand and cried out, "Mother, I'm scared, I'm scared..."

"Don't be afraid, He He. Mother won't die." Su softened her tone and gently hugged her daughter. "Mother just doesn't like her face anymore, so she wants to destroy it."

Then she said, "Mother has to go and do something. You will stay with Aunt Zhang for the next few days."

"What is mother going to do?"

Su was silent for a while, "Mother wants to try her luck."

Su He still didn't understand, but she didn't dare to ask more.

The next day at dawn, Su, who had not slept all night, left the Du Mansion through the back door.

Zhang Xiuhua from next door came over early in the morning to prepare food and drinks for Su He and clean up the house.

She was obviously a little uneasy, and from time to time she would clasp her hands together and mutter something. Even when she was accompanying Su He to sleep at night, she was praying in a low voice: "Please bless me, please ...

On the third day, Zhang Xiuhua could no longer hold on. After finishing her work, she quickly returned to the back room and said as she changed her clothes, "Hehe, let's go find your mother."

Su He was puzzled: "Where can I find it?"

Zhang Xiuhua replied, "Go look outside the mansion."

The two of them slipped out of the mansion during the lunch break and headed towards the imperial city along the South City Street.

Su He could hear the powerful drumbeats from afar, one after another, rhythmically coming from the street ahead.

There are so many people gathered in front, three layers inside and three layers outside, it’s so crowded that no one can get in.

Zhang Xiuhua held Su He's little hand tightly, rushed left and right, and finally squeezed to the front of the crowd.

Sure enough, there was a drum as tall as a person standing on the steps in front.

A woman dressed in mourning and with a white scarf wrapped around her head is beating a drum with a hammer. With every beat, her whole body trembles, as if she is trying with all her might and will not stop until her death.

Su He recognized the drummer at a glance and was shocked: "Aunt Zhang, that's mother."

Zhang Xiuhua covered her mouth with her hand, then squatted down and whispered in her ear: "Hehe, keep your voice down."

She felt Aunt Zhang's hands were shaking, and even her voice was trembling.

She didn't know what Aunt Zhang was afraid of.

There was a constant stream of discussion among the crowd.

"This drum hasn't been sounded for years, but today it was struck by a woman."

"It's not easy to beat the drum of denunciation. Unless it's extremely unjust and tragic, the person who beats the drum will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane and three years of imprisonment."

"Maybe there really is some strange injustice or tragedy. Let's wait and see."

The drums continued to beat for a long time.

Finally, an officer came out and asked sternly, "Who's beating the drum?"

The drumbeats suddenly stopped.

The discussions around also died down.

Su took a breath and knelt down: "I, Su Xue'er, have been wronged."

"What is the injustice?"

Su's words were powerful: "The son of the Imperial Household Department raped a slave and beat her husband to death. Then Du Yuting, a wealthy merchant in the capital, aided and abetted the murderer. I hope you will enforce the law strictly to punish the murderer and give me justice."

When the officer heard the three words "Duzhilang", his face suddenly darkened.

The crowd started talking again:

"Isn't the Duzhilang family the Zhou family? That Mr. Zhou has indeed done a lot of things to abduct women."

"The Zhou family is also considered a royal family in a roundabout way. Can they sue us?"

"Maybe God will open his eyes this time!"

…

Su He in the crowd was also looking at his mother from a distance.

She hadn't expected that what her mother meant by "trying her luck" was actually going to beat the drum to seek justice for her father, and her heart couldn't help but feel warm.

She felt that her mother at this moment was like a shining female general.

She felt that if her father knew about this, he would surely rest in peace.

Su He saw the officer turn around and leave.

A moment later, another man who looked like an official came out. He had a long sword on his waist, was tall and strong, and his face was harder than stone.

The man glanced at Su and said in a deep voice, "You stand up and talk first."

Su stood up as ordered, but still nodded slightly, maintaining a respectful attitude.

"State your grievances again."

Su repeated with great force, "The son of the Imperial Household Department raped a slave and beat her husband to death. Then Du Yuting, a wealthy merchant in the capital, aided and abetted the murderer. I hope you will enforce the law strictly to punish the murderer and give me justice."

The man was silent, looking at the scars on Su's face.

After a moment, he asked casually, "Where does Madam Su make a living?"

Su said neither servile nor overbearingly: "I am a servant of the Du family."

"Du family?"

"The home of wealthy businessman Du Yuting."

When the man heard this, his stiff expression suddenly softened, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, like sunshine shining through dark clouds, making people feel warm.

For a moment, Su He even thought that this man must be a good official and would definitely bring the murderer of his father to justice.

But just when she was full of confidence, she suddenly saw the man draw his knife with lightning speed and stab her neck fiercely...

The bright red blood spurted out from my mother's neck in a fan shape like a light rain.

Everything happened so fast that everyone was stunned.

Even Su was caught off guard. He raised his hand to cover the bleeding wound, staggered twice, then fell to the ground with a muffled sound, twitching.

The murderer shouted loudly: "It is not a crime of the ten evils. If a slave reports his master, he will be killed."

He sheathed his sword, turned around, and strode away, leaving Su twitching on the ground, gradually losing his voice...

Su He called out "Mom" loudly and then ran towards the high steps.

But she was soon stopped by the guards at the bottom of the stairs, and was quickly caught by Aunt Zhang who was chasing her.

There were bursts of sighs from the crowd. They had thought that beating the drum to report the incident might result in a hundred strokes of the cane and three years of imprisonment, but they had never imagined that they would be beheaded immediately in public.

Some people sighed: "As a slave, we are worse than grass."

Su He was crying loudly and desperately.

She saw her mother's blood flowing down the steps, forming a small stream.

She saw her mother's body being dragged away like a sack, as if her mother had never been there.

She cried until she was dizzy and her voice was hoarse, until she fainted in Zhang Xiuhua's arms.

When Su He woke up, she had returned to the back house of the Du Mansion.

In just two days, she lost her father and mother, and became dull and inert.

Even Zhang Xiuhua became depressed and looked listless.

Du Yuting naturally felt that he could not keep these two people.

One of them is Su's daughter, and the other is Su's friend. Keeping them would be like raising a tiger to cause trouble.

He ordered the guard Zhang Dachang, "Find a way to kill those two and throw them into a mass grave."

Zhang Dachang accepted the order, but couldn't bear to take action against the two men.

After all, his wife and daughter often interact with Su Xueer, and his daughter Tiantian even calls Su Xueer "Aunt Su".

So he let them go while they were not paying attention, and repeatedly told them: "Run away quickly, run as far as you can."

Zhang Xiuhua and Su He did escape, but they didn't get far before they fell into the hands of human traffickers. After being resold several times, they eventually ended up in the Li family, a family of officials.

Su He was eight years old this year.

She went through many hardships and survived death. Like her father and mother, she also became a slave.

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