Chapter 1 Aman

February arrives, the spring chill is biting, and children and the elderly are frozen stiff.

It's another year of unseasonably cold weather. The clear weather suddenly turned gloomy and cold. It snowed all night last night, and the frost this morning felt like it could freeze your nose off.

In the freezing cold, everyone in Shijia Village turned out to watch the burial of Old Lady Zhou. Two Taoist priests were making a racket, chanting sutras and offering prayers. The spectacle was so grand that anyone who didn't know better would think that someone important was being buried.

The village hadn't held such a grand ceremony in a long time; the last time was when the previous village chief passed away. Men and women gathered around, and even after the Taoist priest had left, they didn't leave, pointing and gesturing at the new grave.

Aman knelt there, ignoring their chatter, and kowtowed devoutly—Grandma, you must be happy over there too.

Aman knelt in the snow, her mourning clothes blending seamlessly with the white. In the new grave before her lay her grandmother, with whom she had grown up since childhood.

Seven days ago, the old woman, who had been tormented by illness for a long time, finally passed away. Aman tried everything he could, but ultimately couldn't save her.

From the moment her grandmother breathed her last, Aman had no relatives left in this world.

Kneeling before the grave, Aman neither cried nor made a fuss, but simply gazed quietly at the mound. Her small body stood upright, like a proud plum blossom in winter, aloof and lonely.

Some people, easily moved to tears, couldn't help but shed tears at the sight. "Now that Old Mrs. Zhou is gone, how will this little girl survive all alone?"

"Who can argue with that? Old Mrs. Zhou was sick for three years, which emptied the family's savings. Now that she's gone, she's left behind an orphan girl. It's a tragedy."

Speaking of Granny Zhou, she's quite a remarkable person in her village. Thirty years ago, she settled in Shijia Village alone with her daughter. In this cutthroat world, she single-handedly raised her daughter, Yue Niang, to adulthood.

Old Mrs. Zhou was skilled in embroidery, and Yue Niang inherited her skills, becoming a famous embroiderer in the county. At that time, the number of people coming to propose marriage almost wore out her doorstep.

Everyone thought Yue Niang would marry into a good family, but who would have thought that in the end, she would become the concubine of the eldest son of the Zhang family. Old Mrs. Zhou beat her, scolded her, and even locked her in the house, but Yue Niang stubbornly refused to change her mind, even if her mother beat her to death or she went on a hunger strike.

The matter caused quite a stir at the time. Old Mrs. Zhou, at her wits' end, declared that if Yue Niang insisted on marrying him, she would sever all ties with her mother. In truth, Yue Niang was heartless; for a man, she truly abandoned her mother. During that period, Old Mrs. Zhou looked much older, became lonely, and rarely went out. People from the village who went to the county would occasionally hear bits and pieces about Yue Niang, but she ignored them all.

Three years passed like this, until one snowy day. Yue Niang appeared at the door, heavily pregnant. She said that the eldest son of the Zhang family had changed his mind, not only taking a new concubine but also allowing the first wife to humiliate her. She didn't want her child to be born in such a place, so she ran away.

After all, she was her own daughter, so Old Lady Zhou eventually let her into the family. Not long after, Yue Niang gave birth prematurely to a daughter named Aman. However, due to illness caused by depression during her pregnancy, Yue Niang passed away not long after.

When the Zhang family learned of this, they sent people to see the baby. Seeing that only a girl had been born, they did not take her back. Later, when they heard that the second son of the Zhang family was an official somewhere, the whole family moved away.

Although Old Mrs. Zhou was old, her embroidery skills remained, and she managed to raise Aman to adulthood. Just as Aman was about to reach marriageable age, she fell ill, and this illness lasted for three years. Aman was indeed filial; she endured countless hardships and sufferings for Mrs. Zhou during those three years. But matters of life and death are always cruel; when the time comes, you can't hold on.

"Oh!" A group of women sighed deeply, but some scoffed and retorted, "Come on, you're the ones who pity others. Didn't you see the pomp and circumstance? It's almost like the funeral of Master Chen in town. And see those people waiting over there? They're all here to take her to enjoy a life of luxury."

Following her voice, everyone looked and saw several women standing under the tree. The one in the lead was a middle-aged woman of about forty or fifty years old, with her hair in a bun and wearing a long robe with wide sleeves; she was clearly not an ordinary commoner.

But they also knew that Old Lady Zhou had no money to bury her after she died, and Aman had only agreed to their request and signed the indenture so that her grandmother could be buried with dignity.

It's just going to work as a servant in a wealthy family; it can't really be considered enjoying a life of luxury.

The man chuckled and said, "What servant? I heard it clearly. They want Aman to be a maidservant for the young master. They call her a girl, but she might get pregnant and become a mistress. Otherwise, why do you think Zhou Shi didn't teach her needlework and embroidery, but instead wanted a country girl to read and write? It's all so she can find a wealthy family in the future."

The man went on and on, "To be honest, Old Mrs. Zhou is quite shrewd. Her daughter didn't get married, so she focused her attention on her granddaughter. It's just a pity she's short-lived and can't handle good fortune."

Seeing that her words were getting more and more outrageous, some people around couldn't stand it anymore and pinched her mouth shut. "Did you eat shit this early in the morning? Your mouth smells so bad. She was just buried and you're already talking about her like this. Aren't you afraid that someone will come looking for you in the middle of the night?"

The woman's mouth was pinched shut, and she made some rather vulgar noises.

Aman heard the commotion in the crowd, but she didn't want to pay attention to it.

Grandma said that she wanted her to read and write so that she would be wise. She always felt that her mother was deceived because she was illiterate and did not know manners. As for needlework and embroidery, Grandma had taught her, but she was clumsy and could not learn.

She didn't want to explain because, as the old woman had said, some people only want to hear what they want to hear and believe what they want to believe; explaining would only add to their troubles.

In the end, they are just pitiful people!

Seeing that it was almost time, Aman kowtowed three times, stood up, and bowed deeply to everyone again, saying, "Thank you all for your help these past few days, uncles and elders. Aman thanks you."

The well-behaved girl they had watched grow up was now going to be a servant in someone else's home. To be honest, they, as her uncles, were a little reluctant to let her go, but after opening their mouths, they ultimately said nothing.

In this day and age, no one is having an easy time; even if they want to, they are powerless to help.

Picking up the bundle placed to the side, Aman patted off the dust and, amidst the reluctant gazes of the others, walked resolutely towards the group under the tree.

Granny Zhang was getting impatient, but when she saw Aman coming over, a kind look appeared on her face. "Is everything taken care of?"

"Mm." Aman nodded.

"Is there anything else I need to bring?"

“No more,” Aman said, adjusting the bundle on his shoulder. “It’s all here.”

The bundle on her shoulder was gray, wrinkled and somewhat worn, and seemed to be empty, with nothing inside.

Judging from the shape, it should contain clothing. Zhang Mama thought to herself that there was no need to bring these tattered items, as the Marquis's mansion had plenty, but she didn't say it out loud.

Oh well, let's just leave her with something to remember us by!

Yongzhou is far away, and she probably won't be able to come back.

"Let's go, Madam must be getting impatient."

This was Aman's first time riding in a horse-drawn carriage. The mountain road was rugged, winding, and bumpy, so it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Fortunately, Shijia Village was not far from the county town. About half an hour later, they arrived at the best inn in the county—Ruoshui Inn.

Granny Zhang led Aman in, and the waiter hurriedly came to greet them, "Granny, you're back! We've prepared a meal for you. When would you like it?"

"Has Madam eaten yet?" asked Zhang Mama.

"I've eaten, I've eaten. Madam ate very well, then took a short nap at noon, and is now awake."

"Please wait a moment while we eat. I'll go see Madam first," said Zhang Mama.

The two went upstairs, and Aman quietly followed her around the corridor. They stopped at the door of room number one in the "Heavenly" section. Zhang Mama raised her hand and knocked on the door, her voice soft, "Madam, it's me."

"Come in," a woman's voice came from inside, low and very gentle.

When Zhang Mama pushed open the door, she saw a screen that occupied most of the room, blocking the view and preventing anyone from seeing what was happening inside.

After passing the screen, Aman finally saw the legendary lady. She was about forty years old, with her hair styled in a high bun. Her face was beautiful, showing no signs of age. Her clothes were not extravagant, but the embroidery was exquisite, clearly indicating that they were very valuable.

Incense seemed to be burning in the room, its faint woody scent carrying a gentle yet authoritative air, much like the lady before me.

Aman didn't dare to raise her head, only daring to secretly peek at them.

Madam Fu looked up from her books, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You're back."

Her gaze lingered on Aman, moving from top to bottom and then back up, before she nodded with great satisfaction. "You must be Aman?"

"Yes," Aman replied softly.

“Look up and take a look.”

Aman raised her head and met Madam Fu's delicate features, then unconsciously looked away.

"Slender and graceful, with delicate features, you are indeed a good person." She asked, "I heard you are very caring and also knowledgeable in medicine?"

“I…when Grandma was seriously ill, I served her at her bedside. I only know a little bit about her, I can’t be considered an expert,” Aman said.

“What do you mean, ‘I’? In front of Madam, I must refer to myself as a servant.” Zhang Mama spoke up at the right moment.

“It’s alright,” Madam Fu waved her hand, “You can learn these things slowly.”

She looked at Aman with gentle eyes and said, "You must be tired after a long day. Go and have something to eat and get some rest. We'll set off for Yongzhou early tomorrow morning."

Granny Zhang summoned the waiter and instructed him to take Aman downstairs to eat first, and then bring her to her room. After closing the door, Granny Zhang noticed Madam Fu seemed lost in thought and approached her to inquire, "Is Madam dissatisfied with this girl?"

"Compared to the previous ones, she is the best, but Yun Xiu's identity... a peasant girl, is ultimately a disservice to him."

“The eldest young master is a man of refined character and handsome appearance. Even the noble ladies of Yongzhou might not be a match for him. But... peasant girls have their advantages too. At least they are resilient and fertile,” said Granny Zhang.

"Alas, if it weren't for this, why would I have resorted to such a desperate measure?" In the blink of an eye, Yun Xiu was already twenty-three. According to the doctor, the poison in his body meant he would never live past twenty-five. If she didn't leave him an heir, she, as his mother, would truly feel guilty.

She sighed and told Zhang Mama, "You should go and rest early too. We'll set off back first thing tomorrow morning."

She's been out for three or four days now, and I wonder what the Second Madam is saying about her behind her back.

Because it wasn't a respectable matter, Madam Fu didn't bring many people with her when she went out. Apart from the coachman, only Aman and Granny Zhang remained. The two maids who had been with Granny Zhang earlier were also borrowed from the inn.

The three of them rode together in a carriage early the next morning. The carriage was spacious and the official road was flat, so they got along peacefully. On the way, Zhang Mama told Aman some things about the eldest son of the Fu family.

The eldest son of the Fu family was named Fu Yunxiu. He was the eldest legitimate son of the Marquis's mansion, exceptionally intelligent and outstanding. Unfortunately, he was born with an illness and had poor health from a young age. The people of the Marquis's mansion took great care of him, but when he was ten years old, he was poisoned by the second wife, who was then a concubine, and almost lost his life.

The doctor spent three days and three nights trying his best to save the man, but the poison he was poisoned with was too complex to be completely eradicated. The doctor used silver needles to seal the poison in his legs, saving his life but leaving him disabled in both legs and only able to move around in a wheelchair.

At the age of twenty, he suffered another attack of the poison, and the doctor predicted that he would not live past the age of twenty-five.

He didn't want to trouble his family anymore, so he moved to another house and has been living there for three years now.

“Miss Aman, although some of these words may be unpleasant, I will still say them upfront. Because of this series of blows, the eldest young master has become somewhat capricious and aloof. Sometimes he may say some harsh words, but as servants, how can we not suffer grievances? Please bear with us. Of course, if you are truly capable of giving birth to a son, you will naturally be rewarded with wealth and honor.”

Zhang Mama's earnest teachings went in one ear and out the other. After hearing about Fu Yunxiu's experience, Aman felt a little bitter.

The fall from grace—from a favored son of heaven to a useless person who won't live past twenty-five—would be devastating for anyone.

Moreover, in some ways, she and this young master Fu were in the same boat, both being all alone. However, the difference was that this young master Fu had a mother who loved him and cared for him, while her grandmother had passed away.

For some reason, Aman was looking forward to meeting this young master Fu soon.

A note from the author:

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I'm back with a new story! Those who comment and add the first three chapters to their favorites will receive a random red envelope.

If you like it, please save it. Don't force me to do a 360-degree Thomas Flair and beg you on my knees, muah~