Taohuaxi

Chapter 1 The Death of Fiancé
"Miss, don't worry, I won't look at your feet."

The man opposite said seriously.

He said he had some medical skills and wanted to help me set my bones.

I quickly spat at him: "Bah! You are a disciple! Who cares!"

The corner of the man's mouth curved into a slight arc: "Oh? So strong? Then you just wait to become a lame beauty."

As he spoke, he made a limp motion.

I was so angry that I wanted to hit him on the head with the steamed bun in my hand.

but--

I can not let it go.

In this wilderness, Xiaoyindai and I don't have much dry food.

I have already counted, and there are four steamed buns and eight flatbreads left.

There is no one more unlucky than me in the world.I took a boat to my husband's house to get married, but I encountered bandits on the way.I finally escaped, but my feet were injured.I also met this fellow who escaped from the passenger ship like me.Follow me wherever you go, but you can't get rid of her.

It was getting late, and the last trace of clouds slipped away like a little tail that couldn't be caught.

The pain in my feet came in waves, and I couldn't bear to make a sound.Xiaoyin cried: "Miss, it's at this juncture. If you want Lao Shizi's reputation... why not let this young master try..."

Xiaoyin is my personal maid.

It is also the only dowry given to me by my natal family, Zhufu.

A bag of dry food, a bag of old clothes, and a maid, they just sent me out of the house.

There is no dowry or anything like that.

My stepmother, Lin Yue, the current wife of Zhu Mansion, waved her hand and said, "Big lady, it's a good trip."

My father, Mr. Zhu, said a few words as usual: "When you get to your husband's house, don't insult the family tradition." After saying that, he and Lin Yue turned back home.

I smiled.

Everyone said that I would rather have a beggar mother than an official father.

Mother's home?

What is natal family?

What kind of natal family does a girl who has lost her biological mother have?
Just as I was thinking about it, the man came to me limping without knowing when.

He caught my foot off guard and twisted it violently.

"Squeak" sound.

The excruciating pain made me take a breath.

He turned his back, raised his head and laughed loudly: "Miss, I really didn't look at your feet."

Xiaoyin leaned next to me and asked nervously: "Miss, how are you? Are you feeling better?"

I moved my ankle.

This disciple is indeed quite capable.

After straightening the bone, the burning and swelling feeling slowly subsided.

Night falls.

The mountain wind blows through the green pine forest.

The man held his chin: "Miss, I cured you, how should you repay me?"

I thought about it and said, "I'll send you a message in return."

"what news?"

"The boy who was with you on the ship was with the thieves."

The man immediately put away the smile on his face.

A pair of eyes seemed to be immersed in ice.

"How did you know?"

"That night when he passed by Yanzhou, he got off the boat to fetch water and whispered to a man with a scar face on the shore. I happened to go out of the cabin to get some air and saw him. The man with the scar face was the leader of the thieves who robbed the ship today."

"You read it right?"

"Absolutely correct."

My grandfather worked as a court painter during the Longqing period, specializing in portraits.His mother learned a little bit about him and became famous in Dongchang Mansion.I have been immersed in paintings since I was a child.At the age of nine, he was able to copy Gu Kaizhi's "Pictures of Admonitions of Women's History".The impression of a person's face is so subtle, how could there be any difference?

I know that when I go out, it is better to do less than to do more.I didn’t want to talk to him.But at this moment, I just want to be clear with him.

I'm never used to receiving favors from others in vain.

Don't want to owe anyone.

The man strode away without saying a word.

I said to Xiaoyin: "Let's go quickly."

"Miss, your feet..."

"fine."

I want to rush to the Cheng family in Yangzhou Prefecture as soon as possible, take out the marriage certificate, and get married as soon as possible.

This marriage was decided for me when my mother was still alive.

She said that the Cheng family is a home for farming and studying. They are diligent and peaceful, and do not care about fame and fortune. It is a good home.

My mother passed away when she was young, but she cared about me all her life.

A drop of clear tears fell on the back of my hand.

The moon sways in the tears.

"Wait a minute!"

Behind him, the man was calling.

"Just now, I went to the small market town by the official road and bought a carriage. You have an injury on your foot, so you shouldn't walk long distances."

There was sweat on his forehead.I think I was in a hurry.

"Fifty miles to the west is the ferry. I have inquired, and there will be a southbound passenger ship passing by at midnight tomorrow."

I hesitated, wondering whether I should get on the carriage.

He said: "Thank you very much, Miss, for telling me today. It has helped me a lot. Outsiders are easy to recognize, but domestic thieves are hard to guard against. That boy is just an introduction, and there may be big trouble later. I need to turn around and go north to do some things. Say goodbye now. Pass!" After thinking about it, I said thank you and got into the carriage with Xiaoyin.

The man said from behind: "Qin Mingxu, do you dare to ask me your name?"

I raised my whip.

"We met by chance. Why do we need to know our names?"

"There will be a period later!"

He waved.

The carriage started running.

He seemed to mutter something again.

The wind blew past my ears and I couldn't hear clearly.

Xiaoyin said: "Miss, I think I just heard Mr. Qin say that Cheng Mansion is very dangerous, please take care of yourself..."

"Nonsense. He doesn't even know my name, so how does he know I'm going to Cheng Mansion?"

Xiaoyin said in confusion: "Maybe this slave heard wrongly..."

When we arrived at the ferry, the night was already deep.

The ripples on the river surface are particularly soft, reflecting the moonlight.

Xiaoyin and I sat at the ferry and waited all night. At midnight the next day, we saw the boat coming.

I sold the carriage on the shore for a little money and got on the ship.

All the way south.

At dusk, I heard someone calling from outside the boat: "Yangzhou Mansion has arrived——"

South Zhili.

Yangzhou Prefecture.

On both sides of the canal, restaurants, restaurants, and shops hang various signboards.The streets paved with bluestones are tight and dense, like pearls on an abacus, chubby and crowded, beating the weight of the world.

What a bustling scene.

Xiaoyin and I walked together, asked questions, and found Cheng Mansion in just a cup of tea.

Guangliang Gate.

Red lanterns hang on both sides.

There are two tall stone lions on the east and west.

More than a dozen officers in Cao army uniforms and swords stood at the door.

I wondered in my heart: My mother said that the Cheng family was a home for farming and studying. Why were there so many official officials outside the house?
Xiaoyin smoothed the wrinkled corners of my clothes with a timid look on her face.

I walked forward slowly. The officials didn't seem to see me. Instead, a disciple walked over arrogantly, looked me over, and said, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

I thought for a moment and said, "Please report back to the old lady and tell me that the Zhu family from Dongchang Mansion has arrived."

My father wrote letters to the Cheng family.

The old lady should know that I have arrived.

When Menzi heard the words "Dongchang Mansion Zhujia", he understood it as if something had been told to him by someone above.

He smiled softly and said: "This way, please——"

He did not welcome me into the main entrance, but went down the stone steps and led me half a circle around the mansion. After a while, I arrived at a dark and narrow door and said: "Please come in-"

Xiaoyin pulled the corner of my clothes and whispered: "Miss, what does this mean..."

what for?

The side door is where the concubine enters the house.

The Cheng family is treating me as their concubine.

I said to the doorman: "I want to see your old lady."

"The old lady took the eldest young lady to the temple to burn incense. I guess she won't be able to come back today." The disciple handed over his hand and said, "I wish you a hard journey, Miss. Please come in and have a rest."

At this time, if I entered this door, I would have implicitly accepted the status of "concubine".

I smiled lightly and said to the doorman: "Since the old lady has gone to offer incense, please tell me that I will not enter the house today. I will go to the Yamen first to talk."

"What are you going to do at the Yamen?"

"The Law of the Ming Dynasty states that a wife is a concubine, and she has a hundred sticks. My maternal grandfather and the old man of the Cheng family were old friends. In the sixth year of Longqing, Mrs. Cheng and my mother made the decision, made a betrothal, and handed over the marriage certificate. Now, with the marriage certificate in hand, Cheng But my family welcomes my wife as a concubine, so I should ask my parents to make an end of it."

Menzi's expression changed.

He entered the mansion.

After a while, he came out and reluctantly led me into the main entrance.

Pass through the winding corridors, pavilions and pavilions.

He took me to a courtyard, said "please" and left.

"Cheng Mansion is really slow to treat others." Xiaoyin said aggrievedly.

I held my luggage and pushed open the door of a bedroom, saying, "Now that you've come, let's make peace with you."

Xiaoyin didn't know that until now, my heart was still shaking.

There is no one in this world fighting for me.

I can only fight for myself.

What kind of person is my fiancé, Cheng Huaishi, the second young master of Cheng Mansion?
Is it right or wrong to come to Yangzhou Mansion this time?

With many questions and fatigue from the bumpy journey, I fell asleep.

In the dream, my thoughts are faint, swirling around the canal.

"Miss, miss, wake up!"

Xiaoyin is pushing me.

I opened my eyes and saw the sky was just getting bright.

"What's the matter?"

There was a cry in Xiaoyin's words: "Miss! I just overheard the conversation of some girls and boys in the Cheng Mansion. Second Young Master, your fiancé has died in Huizhou! They said that the old lady had spoken. Miss, the disaster you brought has killed the second young master, and you are going to beat us master and servant to death. Miss! What should we do..."

(End of this chapter)