Song Xinlan married Han Xiuzhe when she was eighteen, and died at the age of twenty-one.
She was born into a wealthy merchant family. Her parents were childhood sweethearts, and she was born the year after their marriage. They named her Xinlan.
She inherited her mother's asthma while she was still in the womb, so she was frail and sickly from a young age.
Fortunately, the Song family has no shortage of money, so it doesn't matter if he is weak; they just need to take good care of him.
Although she was the daughter of a merchant, she had always enjoyed the best of everything from childhood, no less than the daughters of officials.
Song Xinlan has an ordinary appearance, but fortunately her skin is fair and delicate, and she can be described as pretty at best.
Her parents loved her dearly, and she had two maids who had grown up with her since childhood. Her family was wealthy, and she lived a very happy life.
As Song's father's business grew, the family soon moved to the capital.
When Song Xinlan was ten years old, her mother became pregnant again, and everyone in the family was very happy, including Xinlan.
She hopes for a lively and healthy younger brother, so that her parents will have someone to rely on in the future.
She also gave her younger brother a name: Song Xingchen.
In the end, it was indeed a baby boy who was very healthy, but Song's mother died of postpartum hemorrhage.
Song Xinlan and her newborn brother lost their mother just like that.
The death of his wife caused Song's father great pain, but looking at his young daughter and his infant son, he managed to pull himself together.
His children are already pitiful enough without a mother, so as their father, he must take good care of them.
Mr. Song devoted himself to his business and raised his two children without remarrying, fearing that his children would suffer at the hands of a stepmother.
He treated his brother and sister equally. When he heard someone say behind his back that his son was a jinx to his mother, he hired someone to put a sack over his head and beat them back.
After her mother passed away, Song Xinlan took on the responsibilities of an elder sister.
Her father was busy with his business, so she took good care of the family and her younger brother so that her father wouldn't worry.
Fortunately, my younger brother is very well-behaved and sensible, and he has inherited his mother's good looks and his father's business acumen.
At five or six years old, they could use an abacus skillfully, calculating accounts quickly and accurately, even better than the accountant.
He was incredibly quick-witted, and after his early education, he could remember everything he read.
The lively, cute, and sweet-talking Ah Xing often makes his sister and father laugh heartily.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, women reached the age of fifteen when they came of age to be married. Many were already engaged by the age of thirteen or fourteen and would get married within a year after their coming-of-age ceremony.
However, Song Xinlan was still unmarried when she turned seventeen.
The people of the Great Zhou Dynasty took pride in having many children and good fortune. Her frail health meant that, for the ancients who valued the continuation of the family line, it likely meant difficulty in having offspring.
In addition, she was not particularly attractive, so she was not considered by respectable families with power, nor by wealthy playboys like Song's father.
The idea of hiring a son-in-law came only to find a bunch of scoundrels after the Song family's wealth, and they were all beaten out by Song's father.
Fortunately, Mr. Song was optimistic. His daughter was in poor health and had a gentle nature. Although she was intelligent, kind, and filial, what man doesn't care about looks?
Rather than marrying an unreliable man and suffering mistreatment, it's better for him to support her daughter for life; it's not like we can't afford to.
"It's alright, Lanlan. It's better not to get married. Our family has plenty of money. Daddy will support you for the rest of your life."
Song Xingchen also said, "Sister, I will earn money to support the family in the future. You can stay at our home and enjoy your life. I won't go anywhere else."
Song Xinlan thought this was fine, but her father might be laughed at by others.
Her father said that everyone in business has a thick skin, so she should laugh it off.
So Xinlan gave up the idea of getting married and devoted herself to managing the household, taking care of her younger brother's studies, and helping her father run the shop in her spare time.
Life is busy yet fulfilling.
One day, after she finished checking the accounts at the shop, she was riding home in a horse-drawn carriage when the horse suddenly spooked and threw her out of the carriage.
She happened to be on the arched bridge at the time, and the swing threw her into the river below.
Red Bean and Green Pearl couldn't drink water, so they cried out for help in desperation.
Just when she was about to give up, someone jumped into the river and carried her ashore.
She suffered an asthma attack from choking on water and quickly passed out.
When she woke up, she saw that her father and younger brother had red, swollen eyes from crying.
According to Green Pearl and Red Bean, she fainted that day and was carried ashore by a man with her clothes disheveled.
In front of a large crowd, the two, soaking wet, pressed tightly together, and everyone watching saw it.
The man's name was Han Xiuzhe. He was a fourth-rank military officer, handsome in appearance, and unmarried.
People who used to laugh at her for not being able to get married now say that the old maid of the Song family, who no one wanted, has had a stroke of good luck and is about to rise to a higher social status.
The social hierarchy was based on scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Even the wealthiest merchants couldn't compare to court officials, and everyone thought the Song family would definitely take the opportunity to curry favor with them.
However, Song's father personally brought several cartloads of lavish gifts to express his gratitude, only saying thank you to General Han for saving his life, without mentioning anything else.
After that, it was Han Xiuzhe who kept running to her house, saying that he had touched her body and tarnished her reputation, and that he wanted to marry her.
Song Xinlan refused many times.
Han Xiuzhe was still unwilling to give up. He went to see her every day, waiting at her door, blocking the road, and bringing her things. The things weren't valuable, but they all showed his thought and effort.
Seeing that she remained unmoved, Han Xiuzhe finally blushed and stammered that he liked her and wanted to marry her and treat her well for the rest of his life.
Throughout her life, apart from her parents and younger brother, no one had ever told Song Xinlan that they liked her.
She was plain-looking and was ridiculed as an unwanted old maid, a "sand woman".
Only he said she was gentle and virtuous, the best girl in the world.
If Qi An or Ata were present, they would definitely tell Song Xinlan, "Silly girl, when a man praises you for being gentle and virtuous, it means he's treating you like a treacherous child."
Unfortunately, she wasn't there, and Song Xinlan didn't know either.
Despite her outward strength, Song Xinlan still harbored feelings of inferiority.
Even in today's open-minded society, older single women are not understood, let alone in feudal times.
Looking at the sincere and handsome face of the man in front of her, she blushed and nodded in agreement.
After that, Han Xiuzhe would stick to her whenever he had free time, showing concern for her well-being, being gentle and attentive, and escorting her wherever she went, saying he was afraid she might be in danger.
Mr. Song did not approve of their relationship, but seeing his daughter happy, he did not object.
He prepared an enormous dowry for her and sent her off to get married when she turned eighteen.
On their wedding night, Han Xiuzhe was rough and rushed through the act, causing Xinlan to cry in pain.
He apologized afterwards, saying that he just liked her too much and that's why he lost his sense of propriety.
Xinlan believed it.
The next day, news came of an emergency at the border, so he left home for the battlefield, wearing clothes that Xinlan had sewn for him, and over which he wore armor that she had bought at great expense.
"Lan'er, I'm leaving now. When I come back, I will definitely earn an official title for you. I'm leaving the family and Mother in your care."
Xinlan said, "I don't want an imperial title. The battlefield is dangerous. I just want you to be safe. Don't worry about the family. I'll take care of things at home."
Han Xiuzhe was gone for three years, and Song Xinlan endured the harsh treatment from Han's mother for three years.
After marrying into the family, she realized that the Han family was just an empty shell, with no real assets.
Han Xiuzhe's meager salary was barely enough to maintain a normal life.
Since she married into the household, all expenses have been covered by her dowry.
Han's mother went from barely making ends meet to living a life of luxury, wanting the best of everything.
It's one thing to just pay money, she has plenty anyway; what's truly disheartening is that Han's mother spends her money while simultaneously showing her disdain and oppression.
“My son is a general, and he’s handsome and dashing. You’re an unwanted, ugly woman, and a sickly one at that. You only have a few stinking coins left.”
"You, a merchant's daughter reeking of money, are incredibly lucky to have married him. Your ancestors must have been blessed! You should cherish this good fortune."
She felt wronged, but didn't want her father and brother to worry, so she always only reported good news and never bad.
What good would it do to say it?
In this feudal era, it was considered natural for a woman to obey her husband after marriage and for a mother-in-law to discipline her daughter-in-law.
Even her own father couldn't control her.
As long as her husband is sincere to her, she can endure everything else.
She waited and waited, hoping and hoping, until finally he brought back a woman.
“Song Xinlan, the person I love is Yan Yan. I have no feelings for you at all. I only took responsibility for you out of desperation.”
The woman said, "Did you hear that? Brother Ze doesn't love you at all. You'd better get out of here."
She raised her chin and smiled dismissively: "The one who isn't loved is the third party."
"I heard that Brother Ze is your savior. Heh, there's a saying where I'm from: if someone is good-looking, repaying a debt with one's body is called repaying a debt. Someone like you..."
"Hahahaha..." she laughed loudly, "That's called repaying kindness with enmity."
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