Chapter 1 Dust rises. The day is about to change.
Midsummer of the sixteenth year of the Jiahe era, in the seventh month.
As usual, Yue Yining got up early to consult the oracle, which was also her 1,999th divination in her life.
The hexagrams are different.
The woman sitting on the bamboo bed had her black hair loose. After seeing the divination result, she stopped in her tracks.
In the sunny courtyard, green vines meandered leisurely, and several stalks of green bamboo swayed in the sunlight. The maid Fu Yao walked briskly through the corridor bathed in the morning light. As she entered with tea, she saw her mistress holding a copper tray, sitting on the edge of the bed, interpreting divination.
She quickly went over and lifted the bed curtains. "Miss, why are you starting to tell fortunes as soon as you get up? You haven't even washed up yet."
Yue Yining stroked the patterns that rippled out from the center of the bronze plate.
Her skin was fair and delicate, and she casually rested her head on the edge of the plate, like a reclining cloud.
With slender fingers holding a roughly carved brass plate, she lifted the lid, and three copper coins rolled over the totem of the twelve zodiac animals, stopping at the positions of the snake, ox, and dragon, each slightly off-center.
Yue Yining suddenly spoke up: "Yaoyao, is the tea in the house almost used up?"
Fu Yao looked surprised: "Miss, how did you know! You could even calculate that?"
"I glanced at the container of Xuchuan Longjing tea when I was making tea this morning, and it was almost empty. I was just about to tell you about it."
Yue Yining put down the bronze plate, offered no explanation, and simply smiled, "That's perfect then."
"I'm going out today and will also go into town to buy some tea."
After washing up, Yue Yining sat on the edge of the bed in her undergarments. Fu Yao picked out clothes for her to wear out that day while nagging, "Since summer started, the weather has been getting hotter every day. I see that the bamboo in the yard has turned yellow and withered from the sun."
Following her words, Yue Yining looked towards the door.
Her bedroom faces south, and when the windows and doors are open, she can see the entire courtyard.
The courtyard is surrounded by bamboo and trees, their verdant canopies standing tall and graceful. At this time, the morning sun is just beginning to rise, and the daytime is peaceful and serene. The green locust trees and tall bamboos intertwine and grow so densely that they block out the sun. Looking into the distance, all one can see is a verdant expanse, with lush grass and pine trees everywhere, and the cicadas chirping softly.
She and her maid Fu Yao arrived in Jiulian Town at the end of last summer and have been there for almost a year.
The mansion was bought from a local gentry in the town. It was in a remote location, and the house and furniture were old and dilapidated, so the asking price was very low. Even so, Fu Yao still thought it was too expensive and bargained with the gentry again and again. In the end, Yue Yining was very happy when she bought it, feeling that she had gotten a great deal.
Fu Yao didn't understand what she was so happy about. While moving things, she kept muttering that the paint on the wooden door of the house was almost completely peeling off. It was really a case of a heartless family meeting a sucker.
Yue Yining also felt it was old-fashioned, but she really liked the courtyard of the house.
The green plants grow abundantly and lushly, and the bamboo and trees in the yard surround the wooden houses. You can touch the leaves as soon as you open the window, so even in the sweltering summer, you don't feel the heat.
In response to Fu Yao's mutterings, Yue Yining simply smiled and said, "Yellow? I think you've taken good care of these trees, Yao Yao."
"This bamboo doesn't need much attention; it can live even if left unattended, and it grows very fast. However, it's been hotter these days, and it hasn't rained in a long time, so it needs some watering."
Fu Yao rambled on and on, but received no response.
She turned around, still holding the clothes, and saw Yue Yining looking at the bronze plate again.
The morning sun bathed the bed in golden light, its rays shimmering into wisps of gold along the bamboo-patterned bed frame. The entire bedroom was immersed in a sea of gold, and Yue Yining sat in the center of this sea of gold, her eyes lowered, her expression focused.
Yue Yining stared at the bronze plate, her thoughts surging like tides, when suddenly a hand reached out and blocked her view. She looked up and saw Fu Yao, who was holding her coat, grinning at her.
The young maid squatted down, tilting her chin up with an expectant look: "Miss, could you bring me a few books when you come back? I've finished reading the ones I bought last time I went to town..."
Yue Yining recalled that last night, before she turned off the light and went to sleep, she heard Fu Yao cursing in the next room for the evil mother-in-law in the book who broke up the lovers and caused the male and female protagonists to have a falling out.
She chuckled, "Okay, I'll buy it for you."
There weren't many people when we walked into the town.
There was an inn in Jiulian Town, where Yue Yining always rented mules whenever he went to town. The innkeeper was a plump woman with a bold and imposing appearance, somewhat resembling the northern Xiongnu people.
The shopkeeper was working on his abacus when he caught a glimpse of a figure in a blue robe slipping in.
She recognized her immediately: "Oh, it's Miss Yue!"
Yue Yining raised her hand and waved, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Manager Yang, I'm here to rent a mule again."
Manager Yang put away the abacus, but instead of leading her to the stable with a beaming smile as before, he did not do so.
She said, "Miss Yue, are you going to Jinling again?"
“You probably don’t know, but the security in Jinling has been very tight lately. The roads for carriages and horses to enter the city are strictly controlled. Without an official permit, they’re not allowed to enter.” There were quite a few people in the shop, and Manager Yang lowered his voice and winked at her. “But I’ve inquired and found out that you can still enter the city by using the sidewalk, it’s just that the queue is long.”
Yue Yining suddenly realized and bowed, saying, "I see. Thank you, Manager Yang."
Shopkeeper Yang: "Don't thank me, I just saw you're a regular customer."
“Miss Yue, I see you go to the city all the time. Why don’t you just live in the city? There’s nothing good to eat or do in our town. It’s so remote and boring.”
Upon hearing this, Yue Yining laughed: "What are you saying, shopkeeper? I only have enough money to buy a house in this town. If it were in Jinling City, I couldn't even afford a dilapidated thatched hut."
Jiulian Town, where Yue Yining settled, is one of the several towns under the jurisdiction of Jinling City.
Jinling, located in the southeast, is the largest, most populous, and most economically prosperous prefecture city near Yanjing.
Jinling City is not far from Jiulian Town. Yue Yining kept traveling and soon arrived at the city gate. However, the city gate was heavily guarded, and it was unclear what they were checking. The queue moved extremely slowly.
The grass was scorched yellow by the sun, the soil cracked like an old man's hands, and the trees by the city wall drooped listlessly, as if they would fall over at any moment. The sun was blazing, the heat was scorching, and dust and sand swirled in the air.
As Yue Yining moved forward with the group, she saw rows of heads and hunched backs.
A few meters away, a procession of carriages lined up at another gate leading into the city. Yue Yining looked up and saw the beaded tassels hanging from the carriage roofs, swaying in the breeze. Gold threads crisscrossed the fabric, shimmering in the hot wind, and the intricate and gorgeous embroidery on them made her click her tongue in admiration.
This piece of land alone is probably enough for her to buy another dilapidated house.
Suddenly, several screams erupted from the group. Yue Yining turned her head and saw a man carrying a basket swaying, his arms and body convulsing and spasming. He stumbled a few steps and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.
A large crowd gathered, and a great commotion arose. The city guards not far away immediately ran towards them.
When Yue Yining heard the guards say, "It's a fainting spell caused by the heat; move the person to a shady spot first," several more guards stepped forward to maintain order in the ranks.
In front of Yue Yining was a woman holding an infant in her arms and leading a little girl by the hand. It was unclear how far they had come from. The girl's hair was soaked, and her face was covered in sweat. When she shook her face, the sweat flowed down like a river, and the dust on her coarse linen clothes was soaked by the water.
Yue Yining heard the little girl's voice. She was breathing heavily, as if just maintaining her breathing was difficult enough: "...Mother, I want to drink water."
The woman's forehead was also covered in beads of sweat, like a spiderweb. She squeezed the girl's hand and coaxed her gently, "Good girl, there will be water to drink once we get to the city."
The originally noisy discussions gradually subsided under the guards' stern shouts.
Yue Yining followed the flow of people into the city.
The city gates opened, and a city draped in white mourning clothes came into view.
The city of Jinling was just as hot as the city outside, only there were more carriages and people. The streets were bustling and noisy, but the original vitality was almost completely worn away by the white strips of cloth that could be seen everywhere.
Despite the sweltering heat, Jinling City felt as if it had been blanketed in snow.
Colors symbolizing mourning and taboo fluttered in the bright sunlight, and the white cloth, soaked in sunlight, shone like a snow blade. Yue Yining looked towards the sun, her eyes slightly squinting from the glare.
She first went to a bookstore in the east of the city.
This is one of the liveliest places in Jinling City. It has four floors. The second to fourth floors are bookshelves filled with all kinds of books for people to choose from. The first floor is a teahouse. The beams of the middle floors are open, and a wooden platform is built there. Storytellers often tell stories about unofficial histories and famous books here.
Yue Yining arrived at just the right time, just as someone was starting a lecture.
The teahouse was packed with people. On the stage, a man held a folding fan and gently waved it, speaking in a loud voice: "Today we're going to tell the story of Emperor Xiyuan, the founding emperor of the Dongxi Kingdom who went down in history."
"After Emperor Xiyuan founded the country, he worked diligently to govern, readily accepted good advice, and also reduced taxes and levies, practicing frugality and benefiting the people. Throughout history, he can be regarded as a model of diligence and love for the people. His eldest son was also virtuous and talented, and was made crown prince at the age of twenty. Emperor Xiyuan loved him very much and gave him the title 'Dexin'."
"Emperor Xiyuan did not hesitate at all when he appointed the crown prince."
“Take a passage from the unofficial history, ‘Biography of Emperor Xiyuan of Dongxi’: During Emperor Xiyuan’s reign, the Xiongnu were a constant threat. Emperor Xiyuan launched several expeditions to the north. During this time, he entrusted all state affairs to Crown Prince Dexin and assigned his most trusted confidants and ministers to assist him.”
"One can imagine how deep this trust is! The relationship between the emperor and the crown prince has always been delicate; if they advance, there is suspicion; if they retreat, there is dissatisfaction. But for this son alone, Emperor Xiyuan gave him his all, not only valuing and educating him, but also showing a fatherly love far exceeding that of ordinary imperial families. People at the time commented that the extent of his favor was such that even if Crown Prince Dexin had asked him for the throne, Emperor Xiyuan would have gladly given it up!"
"However, fate is cruel to the talented. No one expected that on the day of Crown Prince Dexin's twenty-seventh birthday, he would suddenly fall ill in his bedchamber in the Eastern Palace and die before the imperial physician could arrive."
"On the day of the funeral, Emperor Xiyuan held the coffin and wept uncontrollably. On that day, the entire city of Yanjing was covered with white cloth, which fluttered for a hundred days."
"In the following twenty years, Emperor Xiyuan deposed and installed three crown princes, neglected state affairs, and became increasingly incompetent and tyrannical. The most widely circulated shocking story during this period was the 'human skin drum'."
Historical records state that in his later years, Emperor Xiyuan took in many dancers to the palace, killed them, skinned them, and used their skins as drumheads to make music. Hundreds of dancers died tragically in the palace. During the darkest period, the southern border of Dongxi suffered three years of floods, resulting in no harvest. The court was filled with wine pools and meat forests, and people in the alleys exchanged their own children to eat.
"In the thirty-first year of the Xiyuan era, Emperor Hongwu led his troops into the palace and killed his father, thus ending this nightmare of widespread suffering."
"Alas! How tragic! The once wise and powerful emperor, who governed with great vigor and skill, changed drastically in his old age due to the loss of his beloved son, leading to such an end. It is truly a cause for our deep regret..."
Yue Yining's gaze swept over the restless crowd below. The storyteller on stage was speaking vividly, and the guests sitting at the tea tables were discussing it animatedly.
History is repeating itself!
"Who would have thought that His Highness the Crown Prince would suddenly die in the Eastern Palace overnight... It is said that His Majesty fainted on the spot upon hearing the news!"
"It has been almost a month since His Highness the Crown Prince passed away. According to the rites, after the death of the Crown Prince, the entire city of Yanjing should be covered with white cloth for seven days. But now, not only Yanjing, but even Jinling City, which is located at the foot of Yanjing, has not taken off the white cloth. I don't know how long this national mourning will last."
"Tell me, did His Highness the Crown Prince truly die from overwork, or is there some other conspiracy behind it? Otherwise, how could someone in the prime of life, without any illness, just suddenly pass away...?"
"His Highness the Crown Prince is the son of the late Empress. Although His Majesty treats His Highness the Crown Prince well, his most favored concubine is Consort Li, the birth mother of the Fourth Prince."
“Consort Li is the daughter of General Gu. The Gu family has produced many famous generals and held military power for decades. Who dares to say that they have not harbored any disloyalty? If you ask me, His Highness the Crown Prince’s death was definitely not an accident.”
"It's a pity. If His Highness the Crown Prince could have ascended the throne, he would surely have been a wise and benevolent ruler. Four years ago, when the Yellow River flooded, he personally went to the ferry crossings of the five prefectures to supervise the construction and work together. He also made several suggestions to revise the laws, advocating for leniency and eliminating cruel punishments. It was also his proposal to establish girls' schools in various places and promote free lectures that led to the remarkable achievement of many common women entering officialdom in the past decade."
"His Highness the Crown Prince ascended the throne, which was the will of the people and the expectation of all! It's a pity that Heaven is blind and took him away so early!"
"Many areas near Yanjing are currently suffering from severe drought. This spring, northern China has also experienced little rainfall. As summer deepens, the drought is likely to worsen. Several families I know say that if this continues, they fear there will be no harvest this year..."
"Man-made disasters have befallen us, and natural calamities continue to strike. The fate of the Eastern Xi Kingdom is already showing signs of decline!"
"How dare we common folk discuss matters concerning the imperial family? Shut your mouths!"
Tea smoke, sighs, whispers. A torrent of speculation converged. The city, gradually drying under the scorching sun, was shrouded in a pristine white cloth wrapped in filthy sand. Hundreds of miles away, within the capital city of Yanjing, amidst a cacophony of rumors, a turbulent and unpredictable storm was brewing.
This day is about to change.
Amidst the bustling noise, a woman in a bamboo hat and blue dress leaned against the railing. In a corner of the pavilion, verdant greenery flourished.
Just as Yue Yining was listening intently, the waiter arrived with three bundled books: "Miss Yue, I've brought you the books you ordered earlier. Please check if the titles are correct."
Yue Yining quickly reached out and took it: "Hey, thank you for your trouble."
The waiter continued talking: "There are three books in total: 'The Tragic Love Story of the Western Chamber,' 'The Runaway Wife of the Prince's Heir,' and 'The Strange Tale of a Concubine's Daughter'..."
The waiter spoke with a strong voice, and his shout carried far.
"Hey! Don't read it out loud!" As soon as these names were read, Yue Yining felt embarrassed for her maid who loved reading melodramatic novels, and quickly interrupted the waiter, "I can read it myself."
The waiter slapped his own mouth and chuckled, "I understand, I understand."
Yue Yining took the book and bought tea, thus completing two important tasks before entering the city.
She stepped out of the bookstore, took off her straw hat, and shook it while exhaling, trying to create some cool breeze.
It was the afternoon, the hottest time of day, and even her thin blue shirt was almost soaked with sweat.
To escape the summer heat, Yue Yining deliberately slipped into the alleyways and walked south of the city along the shadows of the houses.
After a short distance, they would reach the main road leading out of the city. Yue Yining was pondering this when her attention was suddenly drawn to the shouts and curses coming from the roadside.
"You damned bastard, you good-for-nothing! I'll teach you to run again!"
Suddenly, a figure fell to the ground in front of her. Yue Yining's eyes widened, but before she could even make out who it was, the cursing was already getting closer. A burly man was walking over aggressively, holding a bamboo whip in his hand.
Yue Yining's gaze involuntarily lingered on the bamboo whip. The polished bamboo strip, which should have been a glossy sky blue, was now covered in dark bloodstains.
The man didn't care that it was by the roadside and lashed the person lying on the ground with his whip. With a muffled thud, Yue Yining heard the person at her feet groan in pain, and blood immediately seeped from under their clothes.
The man was still cursing: "You bastard, may you be struck by lightning, you dare to run away! I'll beat you to death!"
Yue Yining couldn't bear to see this scene. Seeing the man about to pull down his weapon again, she instinctively reached out to block him, saying, "No, you mustn't! Let's talk this out. Don't hurt people in the street!"
The man's whip, which he had been holding high, stopped in mid-air. He must have gotten a good look at Yue Yining's face now; his fierce expression vanished instantly, replaced by a smile.
"Oh dear, you've misunderstood. This is just a slave! I'm disciplining him. If I don't punish him, he'll dare to run away again! I spent a fortune to buy him back; if he runs away, I'll lose everything!"
The man's expression changed drastically. When he looked at the slave, his expression immediately changed again. He spat fiercely, "You worthless thing, get up right now and get back inside!"
Yue Yining could also tell that this was probably a slave trader, and the person lying at her feet was a disobedient slave who had failed to escape and had been caught.
She awkwardly lowered her hand: "...So that's how it is."
In Dongxi, the slave trade was legal, and slaves were considered private property. Slaves were considered of low social status, and their masters could kill them at will; how much more so could slave traders? Even the government had no say in how others disposed of their property.
Yue Yining knew she had been meddling, so she touched her nose, put on her straw hat, and was about to leave.
The man's curses were piercing, and the dull thud of the whip striking flesh continued. Her expression remained unchanged, as if she hadn't heard a thing, but she quickened her pace.
The shops in the alley were very close together. Two women leaned against the door chatting, and their voices drifted into her ears, "Tsk tsk, how long has this slave been here? He's almost tortured to death."
Yue Yining stomped her foot, but the two of them didn't notice and continued talking.
"When this slave was first delivered, Brother Wang was thinking he could make a fortune and showed off to me. I didn't believe him, but after taking a look at him, I was completely convinced. His appearance was truly top-notch; he could sell him to any of those VIPs who wanted to have their hands on him!"
"No chance! This slave is incredibly audacious. The nobleman wanted to see his face, and he dared to bite the nobleman's hand!"
"If you had such backbone, why didn't you commit suicide when you were reduced to slavery?"
The two men, who also appeared to be slave traders, leaned against the doorframe and chuckled.
Yue Yining couldn't walk any further. She stood there, gritted her teeth, and turned back.
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