Chapter 2: Use these scissors to kill and destroy one of your own hands...

The Li family that Su He went to had an ancestor who had served as a prime minister, but later generations became weaker and weaker. By the time of the current head of the family, Li Taian, he was only the chief officer of Zhongzhou.

But after all, they are a family of officials with generations of experience. Even if the official position is small, the family foundation is still there. Their food, clothing and other expenses are many times better than those of the Du family.

Su He was the same age as Li Shuli, the eldest daughter of the Li family, so she entered the boudoir to serve.

Zhang Xiuhua, because of her strong physique and great strength, went into the kitchen to do odd jobs like fetching water and chopping firewood.

After finishing their work during the day, the two would occasionally meet at night and have a brief chat.

Zhang Xiuhua asked, "Can He He still handle it?"

Su He replied: "Don't worry, auntie, I can handle it."

"Is the lady of good character?"

"fine."

"Did she ever beat or scold you?"

"No."

Su He's answers are always very concise.

Since her parents passed away, she seemed like a different person. The innocent and lively girl before has now become silent and taciturn.

Zhang Xiuhua saw it with her own eyes and felt heartbroken, but there was nothing she could do. Fortunately, although the two had gone through hardships, they had never been separated. This was a blessing in disguise.

As long as we can take care of each other in the future, life will not be so difficult.

The days passed by, year after year.

Su He also grew up slowly, and also changed from being Li Shuli's maid to being her close maid.

Although Li Shuli's temper was not very good, it was not bad either. When she was happy, she would reward her servants with food and drink, and when she was unhappy, she would scold them casually. There was nothing wrong with that.

Li Shuli's personality changed drastically in the year she came of age.

This year, the fact that her father Li Taian had a concubine and a child with her was exposed. The child was even two years older than Li Shuli.

His mother, Guo, fell ill in anger and died soon after.

Seeing that his wife had died, Li Taian decided to go all out and openly married his concubine's daughter He Manyun as his second wife. He then brought his concubine's son into his mansion in a grand manner.

Li Shuli was devastated by this and stayed in her room for several days. She screamed and smashed cups and bowls in the house like a madman, and even cut all the clothes in the closet into pieces.

If any maid dared to speak out to dissuade her, she would slap her in the face.

If any maidservant did something not to her liking, she would insult and beat her at the very least, or cruelly abuse her at the worst.

One maid accidentally pulled out two hairs while combing her hair, so she cut off a finger with a pair of scissors; another maid was stabbed in the face with a hairpin because she did not make the bed in time, leaving a bloody mess.

Suho was naturally not immune.

Just because the tea she served was too cold, Li Shuli grabbed her hair and slammed her against the wall until she fell to the ground with blood all over her head.

Afterwards, Zhang Xiuhua applied medicine to her swollen forehead, cursing softly as she did so: "This Miss Li has truly gone mad. She has no humanity at all."

Finally, he sighed, "I don't know when these days will end."

Su He was silent for a long time, and suddenly said: "Aunt, life will always have an end. As long as you live, you will see that 'end'."

Zhang Xiuhua's eyes were filled with tears as she said "hmm" heavily.

Sure enough, Li Shuli soon got into big trouble.

She actually put arsenic in the mung bean and lotus root soup prepared by He Manyun. Fortunately, He Manyun was lucky enough to share the lotus root soup with her cat first, so she escaped the disaster.

The head of the family, Li Taian, was shocked and furious. He locked Li Shuli in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights, and then told her to pack up her bedding and move to another courtyard. She was not allowed to return to the Li family without his permission.

It was a cloudy day when Li Shuli left. The cold wind cut her face and made her feel chilled.

One carriage contained all her luggage, and the other was used to carry people.

She only brought two guards, two maids, and a cook with her on this trip.

Unfortunately, Su He became a maid in the same group.

The other maid was the woman whose face was previously stabbed by Li Shuli, her name was Chunlan.

Zhang Xiuhua didn't have to go, but she didn't want to be separated from Su He, so she asked her master to show mercy and let her go along.

The group walked out of the city gate along Zhuque Street and headed towards the West Mountain outside the city.

The Li Family Villa is located at the foot of Xishan Mountain. The environment is secluded and quiet, and usually few people come here.

But today the mountain road was crowded with people, and someone suddenly fell to the ground while walking, followed by a burst of wailing.

It was early winter, and the howling mixed with the cold wind made the majestic West Mountain look even more desolate.

Su He, who was squeezed in the saddle, was puzzled: "I wonder who they are?"

"They're probably starving people." Zhang Xiuhua sighed. "I heard from the servants in the mansion that there's famine all over Liang State right now, and many people have starved to death. These people must be trying to get into the city to beg for food, but... some of them might die on the roadside before they even get there..."

Su He fell silent after hearing this.

She suddenly thought of her father and mother, and the countless poor people in this world, including herself.

They either suffer from mental pain or hunger and cold, and all these struggles and efforts are just to survive, just to survive.

She couldn't help but feel an indescribable bitterness in her heart.

It was already dusk when we arrived at the villa.

Su He and Chun Lan hurriedly cleaned the house and settled Li Shuli down, then served Li Shuli dinner and helped her wash up. It was already the hour of Xu when they finished.

Su He went straight to the kitchen.

Zhang Xiuhua was washing dishes at the stove. When she saw her enter the room, she quickly stopped her work and looked her up and down: "Miss didn't hit or scold you, did she?"

Li Shuli was in a bad mood the whole day, fearing that she would do something weird again.

Su He shook his head: "She's quiet now."

Zhang Xiuhua turned around and continued washing the dishes: "Even if she calms down, don't be careless. If she dares to attack you again next time, just hide. You can always avoid provoking her."

"I understand, Auntie." Su He walked towards the cupboard and pointed to a basket of steamed buns in the cupboard and asked, "Is this what's left over from tonight's meal?"

Zhang Xiuhua nodded and said "hmm".

Su He picked up the steamed bun without any hesitation and turned to walk out of the house.

Zhang Xiuhua called her: "Hehe, what are you doing with all these steamed buns?"

Su He did not hide it: "Anyway, these are leftovers, and the Li family is not short of food and drink. I thought it would be better to put these buns on the roadside to help the hungry people who occasionally pass by."

"Oh my God." Zhang Xiuhua hurried over and lowered her voice: "You really are a tiger's butt that you shouldn't touch, but you insist on touching it. If the lady knew about this, she would definitely eat you up."

"Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know, how can Miss know?"

Zhang Xiuhua suddenly glanced outside the house and said, "Isn't there Mrs. Zheng in the kitchen? She lost a big basket of steamed buns. Do you think she's stupid?"

"Aunt, just say that it was the young lady who wanted to eat it. Mrs. Zheng won't question the young lady in person. Anyway, saving people is important. Sorry to trouble you, aunt." After Su He finished speaking, she turned around and left with the steamed bun.

Zhang Xiuhua stamped her feet in anger, then glanced outside. Fortunately, Mrs. Zheng was stacking firewood in the utility room and didn't notice the commotion. Su He left the courtyard through the back door, carrying the steamed buns.

Outside the back door is a path covered with weeds. Turn left along the path and you will reach the mountain road leading to the capital.

The night was dark, and there were still groups of hungry people wandering on the mountain road. Some were carrying the elderly and children, and some were walking alone.

Su He hurriedly distributed the steamed buns in the basket. The hungry people were extremely grateful and knelt down to express their gratitude, calling her "female Bodhisattva" repeatedly.

She is not a female Bodhisattva at all, she is just generous to others.

After all the hungry people had received their food, there were still a few steamed buns left in the basket.

She put the remaining steamed buns on the roadside so that other hungry people could get food when they passed by.

After doing all this, the night deepened again, and she returned to the villa with an empty basket.

This went on for several days, and Su He would go to the mountain road every night to help the hungry people.

One day, she had just finished distributing the steamed buns when she saw a person running in the darkness ahead, shouting, "Hehe, Hehe..."

It’s Zhang Xiuhua.

"Why is my aunt here too?" Su He asked.

Zhang Xiuhua ran out of breath. When she got closer, she glanced at the empty basket in her hand and said in panic, "Oh no! The lady knows that someone stole the steamed buns."

Su He paused: "How did she know?"

"The drink Chunlan brewed just now was too sweet, so the young lady wanted to eat a steamed bun to relieve the greasiness. However, she discovered that there were no steamed buns in the kitchen. Then, Mrs. Zheng told the young lady that someone was stealing the buns in the kitchen."

Su He's expression remained unchanged: "In this case, she may not know that I stole it."

"Chunlan has come forward and said...she stole it." Zhang Xiuhua almost stuttered. "Chunlan has been called into the main room, the door is closed...She is being beaten by the young lady and is screaming..."

Chunlan and Suhe lived in the same house and they always got along well. She must have noticed that Suhe went to the kitchen to get steamed buns every night, so she stood up to take the blame.

Su He handed the empty basket to Zhang Xiuhua and walked towards the other courtyard, saying as he walked, "Everyone has their own responsibility for their own actions. Chunlan must not be made to bear the blame."

"But what can you do? You're still going to get beaten." Zhang Xiuhua hurried over and stood in front of Su He. "He He, since Chunlan is willing to take the blame, let's let her take it. If you show up now, all the beatings Chunlan received will be in vain. At worst... at worst, we can give her some money as compensation later, okay?"

She came here to give the tip-off, wasn't it just to let Su He be mentally prepared?

Su He asked in return: "If Chunlan gets hurt, how can such a small amount of money compensate her?"

"But what if you get hurt?"

"That's all my own fault." After saying that, Su He brushed past Zhang Xiuhua and hurried towards the back door of the villa.

Zhang Xiuhua stomped her feet hard, turned around and followed.

At this time, the huge courtyard was pitch black, with only the candlelight in the direction of the main room.

The main house was built on a slope. There were steps outside the house, and two guards were standing at the bottom of the steps.

Looking up from the bottom of the stairs, the main house looks like a lighthouse. Cursing and crying sounds can be heard from the "tower" from time to time, adding a bit of weirdness to the cold night.

Su He raised her foot and walked up the stairs.

Zhang Xiuhua grabbed her and said in a trembling voice, "I'll go in with He He."

"No need, don't worry, aunt." She forced a smile pretending to be relaxed, then brushed off Zhang Xiuhua's hand and went there alone.

Su He quickly climbed more than ten steps and reached out to push open the door of the main room.

The room was in a mess, with broken porcelain cups, overturned tables, and spilled food.

Li Shuli was holding a pair of sharp scissors and stabbed Chunlan in frustration.

Chunlan screamed and ran desperately in the house. Her face was red and swollen, and her clothes were disheveled. It was obvious that she had suffered a beating.

Su He's appearance made the two of them stop in their tracks.

The air was silent for a moment.

Then Su He stepped over the threshold and knelt down inside the house: "My dear lady, the one who stole the steamed buns from the kitchen was me, not Chunlan."

Chunlan choked up when she heard this, not knowing how to deal with this sudden change.

Li Shuli looked at Su He who was kneeling on the ground, then stared at Chunlan, seeming a little confused.

After a moment, she put down the scissors in her hand and said meaningfully, "Are you two bitches trying to show your affection in front of me?"

Su He's face remained calm as she answered the question irrelevantly: "I steal a basket of steamed buns from the kitchen every day. I've been doing this for nearly twenty days straight."

Li Shuli gritted her teeth, obviously believing her a little.

"You've been stealing for twenty days. You're so brave." She angrily kicked the porcelain tiles on the floor, making a loud bang, and then went forward and closed the door.

She didn't want outsiders to see her cruel and brutal appearance.

Seeing her closing the door again, Chunlan couldn't help but feel her legs go weak and she fell to her knees with a thump.

Li Shuli paced slowly in the house, stepping on the mess on the floor. The hem of her skirt was stained with food, leaving a winding wet trail.

She asked slowly and calmly, "Why did you steal the steamed buns?"

Su He answered frankly: "To help the hungry people on the mountain road."

"Those lowly people are worthy of eating the steamed buns of my Li family?"

"I have overstepped my bounds. I am willing to atone for my sin to you, young lady."

Li Shuli scoffed: "How do you atone for your sins?"

Su He replied: "I am willing to use my monthly salary to compensate for the buns I stole earlier."

"Are you talking to me about money?" Li Shuli suddenly flew into a rage. She grabbed Su He's hair and slammed her against the small table beside her. "How dare you talk to me about money?"

Su He's body was pressed sideways suddenly, half of his face was pressed against the surface, his chest was heaving up and down, and he was gasping for breath.

Without waiting for her response, Li Shuli exerted force again, grabbed her head and slammed it hard against the wooden cabinet next to her, hitting it many times until she collapsed to the ground with blood coming out of her mouth and nose.

Chunlan, who was kneeling on the ground, was so frightened by the "bang bang" sound that she trembled and tears streamed down her face.

Li Shuli finally vented her anger, turned around and sat in the rose chair next to her, panting and asking, "Why don't you resist?"

Even the timid Chunlan knew to avoid her sharp scissors.

Su He's hair was disheveled, her head was covered in blood, and even her clothes had been torn into a big hole at some point.

She slowly crawled to Li Shuli's feet, lowered her head like an abandoned stray dog, and replied in a trembling voice: "Slave, you cannot rebel against your master."

According to the laws of the Liang State, if a slave rebelled against his master, he would be killed.

Wasn’t my mother Su Xue’er killed because of this?

"He seems to have a clear idea of ​​what's going on." Li Shuli's expression eased slightly, her eyes full of pride. She then straightened her wrinkled skirt and told Chunlan, "Go, pour me a cup of tea."

Chunlan stood up tremblingly and quickly poured tea for Li Shuli.

Li Shuli sipped her tea and said, "I actually like your forbearing nature."

Then he teased, "Lift your head and let me see how badly you're hurt."

Su He raised her head as ordered and looked at the lofty Miss Li.

The way Miss Li looked at her was exactly like the way Mr. Zhou looked at his father back then. In their eyes, people like her and his father were like pigs and dogs, right?

Li Shuli reached out and pinched her chin, looking at her blood-stained face.

"It's just a superficial wound." Li Shuli seemed a little disappointed, and then she said "tsk", "This face is quite pretty, but it's a pity that she was born in a lowly family. It's all in vain." After she said that, she comfortably poured the tea in the cup onto Su He's face bit by bit.

Su He was soaked so much that his eyelashes fluttered and he gasped for breath.

When the tea was finished, she knelt down at Li Shuli's feet again and said, "I don't care what my appearance is like. I just want to serve you for the rest of my life."

"Really?" Li Shuli obviously didn't believe it.

Su He replied: "I dare not speak falsely."

"Then do you know what kind of person I am?" Li Shuli smiled in an ambiguous way and began the conversation slowly, "When I was seven years old, I stabbed a servant to death with my own hands."

With a strange look on her face, she leaned closer and lowered her voice, "Because that maid had wet my shoes, I took the scissors and stabbed them into her stomach. The feeling of the scissors piercing her flesh was truly exhilarating. I stabbed her again and again, making her scream in pain. It was truly entertaining."

He had such bad behavior at the age of seven, and he even described killing as a fun thing. Su He lowered his head, and a chill ran through his heart.

Li Shuli, however, giggled wildly and wantonly. "My father punished me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall for three days. Afterwards, all the servants who knew about it were dismissed. That's how you got the chance to enter the mansion. And now, do you still dare to serve me for the rest of my life?"

Su He clenched his fists secretly and remained silent.

"Are you scared?" Li Shuli's eyes showed disdain. "You probably all think that I became like this because of the misfortune in my family. Little do you know that I, Li Shuli, have always been like this. In the past, I had to endure and hold back in order to please my mother and father. But now my mother is dead, and my father..."

She paused, a gloomy and cruel look in her eyes: "He's almost dead, so I don't have to endure it all the time anymore."

Su He took a deep breath: "I am not afraid, I...don't deserve death." "You are really brave, no wonder you dared to steal the steamed buns."

Li Shuli suddenly threw the scissors in front of Su He and said, "Then I will give you a way to survive today. Use this pair of scissors to destroy one of your hands."

Su He: “…”