Chapter 19

 

Seeing the three thugs dragged Madam Zhu into a deserted alley, Li Zhi immediately set down her wooden basin and ran after them.

Jusheng, alarmed, quickly followed behind.

In the dim alley, the three ruffians had already shoved the pale and trembling Madam Zhu to the ground, clearly intent on forcing themselves on her.

The sight ignited a surge of fury in Li Zhi, making her blood boil.

“Stop!” she shouted, her face livid.

“Who the hell are you?” one of the thugs snarled impatiently. But as he turned and caught a clear look at Li Zhi’s face against the backlight, he immediately dropped Madam Zhu and leered, his eyes lighting up as he walked toward Li Zhi.

“Well, well, not only are you a righteous little thing, but you’re quite the beauty too. Never saw you around before. Were you exiled here with this old hag? Come with me, and I guarantee you’ll have a much better life,” he said, his tone slimy.

“I’m from the Duhu Mansion,” Li Zhi retorted sharply, her voice cold and commanding. “Touch me, and you’ll regret it!”

Jusheng stared at Li Zhi in shock, astonished that she had so quickly learned to wield the name of the Duhu Mansion as a shield on her very first day.

The three thugs froze at her words, their expressions darkening. They exchanged uneasy glances, then scrutinized Li Zhi closely. Her tone and demeanor made them doubt whether she was bluffing.

“Shit,” one of the men spat angrily, spitting on the ground.

Grumbling among themselves, the trio reluctantly turned to leave. However, the leader, as he passed Li Zhi, deliberately locked eyes with her, his gaze full of malice, as if silently warning her, this isn’t over.

Li Zhi met his gaze steadily.

The stare-down, initiated by the thug, ended with him being the first to look away.

Mingyue Tower, situated on the frontier, was a melting pot of different cultures, with a much more rugged and lawless atmosphere than the capital. The women here were often tough and wild—like tigers, like black bears. But none of them had the elegance and danger of a beautifully patterned snake.

The leader of the thugs couldn’t explain why he felt so unsettled. But he decided to trust his instincts and quickly led his lackeys away from the alley.

After the men disappeared, Jusheng let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “Thank goodness they were scared off by the Duhu Mansion’s reputation. You’re so bold, though—what if they hadn’t backed down?”

“Just a few petty thugs. Not worth worrying about,” Li Zhi replied.

She hurried forward and helped the disheveled Madam Zhu to her feet.

Madam Zhu’s face was ghostly pale. She stared at Li Zhi, her lips trembling, and finally broke down into tears.

“Madam Zhu, how did you end up entangled with those men?” Li Zhi asked, frowning.

“I… I…” Madam Zhu stammered, glancing nervously at Jusheng.

“I’ll go check outside,” Jusheng said tactfully. “Our basin is still out there.”

Once Jusheng left, Li Zhi gently patted Madam Zhu’s arm, her gaze calm and reassuring. “Don’t rush. Take your time and tell me what happened.”

Madam Zhu hesitated a moment longer, then finally lowered her guard. Tears streamed down her face as she tightly gripped Li Zhi’s hands, her voice shaking.

“I thought… I thought those awful days would end once we reached Mingyue Tower. But even here… even here, they still won’t leave me alone…”

Her words were vague, but Li Zhi understood the implications.

“It’s not anyone else’s fault,” Madam Zhu said bitterly. “It’s my own disgraceful behavior. For a bite of food, I was willing to do anything. My reputation is ruined. How could my poor children, Xiangsheng and Cien, have a mother like me…” Her voice broke, and she began sobbing uncontrollably.

“Madam Zhu, this is not your fault,” Li Zhi said firmly. She grasped Madam Zhu’s thin, trembling hands, forcing her to meet her eyes. “You didn’t steal. You didn’t rob. You only did what you had to in order to keep yourself and your children alive. The ones truly at fault are those who exploited and coerced you.”

“But I… I threatened you. I stole your rations…” Madam Zhu covered her tear-streaked face, the anguish and shame twisting her features.

“It doesn’t matter. I forgive you,” Li Zhi said softly.

She reached out to tuck Madam Zhu’s tear-damp hair behind her ears, her voice gentle and full of empathy.

Madam Zhu clung to Li Zhi’s hands even tighter, as if afraid that letting go would send her frail body spiraling into an even darker abyss. She shut her eyes tightly, her lips pressed together, but the sobs racking her body escaped in muted, strangled cries.

Tears flowed down her face like a river breaking through a dam.

Though she had been born to a wealthy merchant family, Madam Zhu was no ordinary merchant’s daughter. The Zhu family, prosperous for generations, was as wealthy as a prince’s household, and Madam Zhu had received the refined education of a noble lady.

She had understood the rules of decorum, had known what she should and should not do. Yet, she had crossed those lines.

On the road of exile, her two children had been barely clinging to life. Every night, she had feared that by morning, their little eyes might never open again.

She had closed her eyes and allowed herself to be violated by other exiles. She had closed her eyes and taken the rations from Li Zhi’s hands. Each time, it had felt like her soul was being torn apart.

[Exiles is a word used for exiled people.]

There had been countless nights when she had wanted to end it all.

But then she had thought of her children.

They had done nothing wrong. They deserved to live.

Even if she were to fall into the deepest depths of hell, Madam Zhu’s two children—pure and innocent—should not follow her into despair.

Li Zhi helped the sobbing, exhausted Madam Zhu to her feet and asked gently, “Aunt Zhu, where are you staying? Let me take you home.”

Fortunately, Madam Zhu’s house was close to the river where the Duhu Mansion’s laundry was washed. However, calling it a “house” was generous—it was little more than a crude shack cobbled together with wooden planks.

“I’ll go ahead and start washing the clothes,” Jusheng said considerately, excusing herself to give Li Zhi and Madam Zhu privacy. Li Zhi gave her a grateful look.

As they approached the shack, the sound of their arrival stirred movement from inside. A small, rosy-cheeked face peeked out, cheeks red from the cold. Recognizing her mother and Li Zhi, the child’s face broke into an innocent, radiant smile.

“Aunt Zhu! Big Sister Li Zhi!” cried Li Cien, hopping out of the shack like a lively little rabbit.

Despite the hardships she had faced, Cien’s smile remained untouched by gloom, her cheerful energy undiminished.

Li Zhi affectionately patted her head and asked with a smile, “Where’s your brother?”

“Brother went to gather firewood,” Cien replied brightly.

As if summoned by their conversation, a thin, gaunt figure emerged from the other side of the river. It was Xiangsheng, carrying an armful of firewood. The boy froze for a moment when he saw Li Zhi and the unfamiliar Jusheng near their shack. His expression showed surprise, but he said nothing.

“Xiangsheng—” Li Zhi greeted him warmly.

He glanced at her but quickly lowered his head, hugging the bundle of firewood closer to his chest as he walked past her into the shack. Li Zhi caught a fleeting glimpse of a bruise on his face.

“This child has become more aloof since we arrived at Mingyue Tower,” Madam Zhu murmured, choking back tears. “Please don’t mind him—it’s my fault.”

“I don’t blame him, Aunt Zhu. Don’t worry,” Li Zhi reassured her.

She glanced around but realized she had nothing to give to the family. Feeling a pang of guilt, she said, “Now that I’ve made sure you’re safely home, I should go finish washing the mansion’s clothes.”

“Don’t let me hold you up, my dear. Please don’t get in trouble because of me,” Madam Zhu urged, clearly anxious.

“I’ll visit again tomorrow,” Li Zhi promised. “I’ll bring some food and supplies for you.”

As she turned to leave, Madam Zhu suddenly pressed something into her hand. Li Zhi looked down and saw it was a small wooden token engraved with the character Zhu (朱).

“I’m already old. I know I won’t see the capital again in this life,” Madam Zhu said, her eyes filled with a pleading light. “I have a favor to ask of you. This is my only possession of value. If you ever return to the capital, could you deliver this token to my father?”

Li Zhi hesitated for a moment before nodding solemnly. She accepted the token and said, “If I ever make it back to the capital, I will personally deliver this to the master of the Zhu family.”

Overcome with emotion, Madam Zhu dropped to her knees in front of Li Zhi.

“Your kindness is beyond words. I can never repay you in this life. But if there’s a next life, I would gladly be a bird under your eaves, bringing you blessings every morning,” she said tearfully.

“Aunt Zhu, please get up. We’re family—there’s no need for such gestures,” Li Zhi said, rushing to help her stand.

After much reassurance, Li Zhi finally left the small shack. She turned back once, seeing Madam Zhu standing before the makeshift shelter, watching her with deep sorrow and gratitude.

When Li Zhi returned to the riverbank, Jusheng had already washed half of the clothes that were supposed to be Li Zhi’s responsibility.

“I’m so sorry for troubling you… I’ll help you wash tomorrow,” Li Zhi said guiltily.

“It’s no trouble at all. Before you arrived, I was washing all of Xuan Zhi Courtyard’s clothes anyway. I’m used to it,” Jusheng said with a cheerful laugh.

Determined not to burden others, Li Zhi diligently scrubbed the remaining clothes in her basin.

The winter river water was frigid, biting into her hands until they turned red and swollen. Each gust of icy wind cut her face like a blade. Yet, compared to the endless hardships of her exile journey—eating poorly and sleeping out in the forest—this was a marked improvement.

“You’re not washing them properly,” Jusheng said patiently. “Use more soap beans, then slap the clothes against the stones like this.”

“Thank you for the advice,” Li Zhi replied with a grateful smile.

Jusheng’s cheeks flushed red from the cold, and as she watched Li Zhi awkwardly and earnestly following her instructions, she tilted her head and asked curiously, “Are all the girls in the capital as pretty as you?”

Li Zhi looked up and smiled back at her. “Every place has its own charm. Someone like me wouldn’t even draw a second glance in the capital. But you, Jusheng—if you went to the capital, you’d surely stand out as a true beauty.”

The younger girl laughed, clearly flattered and slightly embarrassed.

“People from the capital have come to Mingyue Tower before,” Jusheng said. “But they were all so stuck-up, only speaking with others who came from the capital. Not like you—you’re so approachable.”

After a pause, she added with a grin, “And prettier than any of them.”

Li Zhi laughed. “They say those who stay near cinnabar are stained red. Won’t that make you even prettier by association?”

Jusheng’s laughter rang out, clear and bright, blending with the shimmering ripples on the river’s surface. The two girls, close in age, continued chatting casually as they worked.

At some point, the thin clouds above parted, revealing the sharp, snow-white peak of a towering mountain.

“That’s Xian Naiyue Sacred Mountain,” Jusheng said, noticing Li Zhi’s gaze. “There’s a shrine on the mountain that blesses Mingyue Tower with good weather and harvests. But the shrine is closed to outsiders. We have to go to the Nuwa Temple in town to offer prayers.”

Li Zhi listened attentively as Jusheng described the local customs and rules of the Duhu Mansion. Once Jusheng seemed at ease, Li Zhi casually brought up Xie Lanxu.

“…I haven’t seen the royal grandson since you guys arrived. But I heard he lives in the Bamboo Courtyard on the eastern side. They say his legs don’t work well, so he rarely shows himself. The people who’ve seen him claim he’s as handsome as the sacred mountain itself,” Jusheng said, rolling her eyes. “I don’t believe he’s that handsome. They’ve probably just seen too few people.”

Li Zhi silently memorized the name “Bamboo Courtyard”, resolving to investigate when the opportunity arose.

By the time the two girls finished their laundry and began the walk back to the Duhu Mansion, the sun had already dipped below the horizon.

Li Zhi could never have predicted that this would be her final meeting with Madam Zhu.

The next day, Madam Zhu was found in the river, having taken her own life.

—

Translator’s Note: – What do you guys think about Madam Zhu’s choices?

On one-hand I feel she could have used her intelligence and education acquired as a merchant daughter to gain upper hand during the exile while on the other-hand I feel she may be right in her decision as a good mother can do anything for her children.