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The Favored Daughter's Tale
墨書 Inktalez
In the deep of night, the clouds gradually dissipated, and the bright moon began to appear. The night wind howled, blowing into a dense forest outside the Suburbs of Beijing. A withered leaf on a tall sycamore branch could no longer hold on and fell. It brushed against a lifeless, cold horse, and suddenly the wind picked up, causing the withered leaf to spin in the air before finally landing in a pool of thick blood.
Amidst the scattered corpses, a woman whose neck had been severed suddenly moved slightly. Moments later, a petite girl of about four or five years old crawled out. Her face and body were smeared with dirt and blood, making it impossible to discern their original colors. Only her eyes were clear and bright, filled with confusion as she surveyed her surroundings.
—What was this hellish scene of slaughter? How did she end up in this place?
And why could she hear the howling wind in her ears… after so many years of being unable to hear or speak?
Using the moonlight, Qing Wu looked at herself and her surroundings in disbelief. Just as she was about to take a step forward, she suddenly heard a sound. A chill ran down her spine, and her body froze. Slowly turning to the side, she saw a beast staring intently at her.
It was a wolf.
It licked its tongue and moved forward slowly, its heavy breaths visible as white mist in the cold air. When it saw Qing Wu crouching down, the Gray Wolf paused for a moment. But soon, it raised its front paw again and took a step closer.
Qing Wu knew she couldn’t run. If she did, it would pounce on her, leaving her with no escape. She tried to appear calm, bending down slowly to search for something heavy to throw at it—a large stone or any other “weapon.”
But there was nothing.
All she could touch was the thick blood mixed with dirt and dry grass roots stuck to the ground.
In this lifeless place, fear crept up from within her heart. Afraid that the beast would sense her panic, Qing Wu quickly lowered her eyelids to hide her thoughts and frantically considered how to escape with her small stature.
In a flash of thought, she reached into her pocket, intending to pull out something long and hard to fight back when it got close. Suddenly, hoofbeats echoed sharply, startling the watchful Gray Wolf. The sound sliced through the night sky. The Gray Wolf let out a low growl before collapsing, an arrow embedded in its side, blood gushing from the wound.
Hoofbeats approached, and before Qing Wu could react, her arm was tightly gripped, and she was lifted off the ground, soon falling into an undeniable embrace.
“There may be a wolf pack nearby; we need to leave quickly.”
The boy's voice was cool and distant, like Jade Spring in winter, carrying a bone-chilling coldness. This kind of aloofness would typically cause others to lower their heads in respect and retreat, but it slowly calmed Qing Wu, who was anxious and uneasy in this unfamiliar place.
As if to confirm his words, faint howls of wolves echoed in the distance.
The boy tightened his grip on Qing Wu's arm, his brow slightly furrowing.
With him holding her securely, Qing Wu realized his predicament—he had one arm around her and the other holding the reins, leaving him unable to urge the horse to gallop. And the wolf pack was quickly approaching.
Feeling anxious, Qing Wu searched her body until her fingertips finally rested on the hairpin hidden in her bosom.
It was something she had taken from the woman before escaping, kept for self-defense since she couldn't be sure if any threats were still nearby. She had initially intended to use it to stab the Gray Wolf.
Qing Wu handed the hairpin to the boy and pointed at the horse. Then she leaned closer to him, gently shifting her body to signal that he could loosen his grip and not worry about her falling off; he could confidently pull the reins and spur the horse. If worse came to worst, she could use the hairpin to stab the horse and increase its speed for an escape.
The moment she tightened her embrace around him, the boy shuddered slightly and almost froze. Upon realizing her intention, he couldn't help but smile faintly, a very subtle smile forming at the corners of his lips.
—This place is far from the capital; if he truly injured the horse, how would they return?
Although the girl's action was somewhat difficult for him to accept at first, it certainly made things easier for him.
The young man tightly wrapped his left arm around the girl, holding the reins in his left hand while urging the horse forward with his right. The horse let out a long whinny and galloped away quickly. Before long, they had already covered a considerable distance. The young man did not dare to be careless and continued onward until he confirmed that they were far enough away to ensure they would not be pursued by the wolf pack, at which point he slowed the horse down. Looking around, they had reached the edge of the forest and were about to exit the dense woods.
He stopped the horse, allowing the girl to lean against his left arm and sit properly again. After gauging the direction they needed to head in, he set off once more.
At another edge of the dense forest, it was much quieter. There were no wild beasts around, only the sound of rustling leaves.
In this silence, hoofbeats gradually grew closer, startling the birds that had been resting in the trees and awakening the Heroic Youth who had been napping under a tree at the forest's edge.
He yawned and listened carefully, recognizing who was approaching, and hurriedly stood up. He took off his cloak, brushed off the dust, and was just about to put it back on when an unexpected itch in his nose made him sneeze, causing tears to spring from his eyes.
"Is it really that bad... I just sat for a moment and fell asleep?" Qin Shuying had not yet managed to rub away the mist from his eyes when he vaguely saw a person and a horse stopping right in front of him. He patted the restless steed tied nearby, then cupped his hands in salute to the newcomer before turning to wash his face at a stream nearby.
"Your Majesty, weren't you going out for some fresh air? Why are you back so soon? As long as you don't miss morning court and aren't discovered by Zheng Daren and the others, it shouldn't matter."
The cold water instantly woke him up. The battle-hardened General Qin immediately sensed something was off.
—Was there a hint of blood in the air?
He suddenly turned around, squinting in the moonlight to discern what was happening. Only then did he notice that under the shadows of the trees, the White-Clad Youth held the reins with one hand while his left arm was completely covered by a cloak. However, that cloak which should have been pure white was stained with dark spots.
It was clearly blood!
Qin Shuying was taken aback. He shook off the water droplets on his hands and hurried a few steps forward to check on the young man's injuries, but he was gently sidestepped by the other party.
The two had grown up together for many years; although they were lord and subject, they were like brothers. When had he ever been so deliberately cautious around the youth? Qin Shuying felt increasingly uneasy. He glanced at the bow and arrows hanging by the horse's side; one arrow was missing, and there were bloodstains on the bow.
Qin Shuying made up his mind and, without waiting for the other to prepare, struck like lightning towards the area covered by the cloak.
The youth's eyes suddenly sharpened. He remained still on the left side while his right hand flicked out a sword from his sleeve, its brilliance flashing before his left arm in a firm defense. Qin Shuying reacted quickly, retreating just in time to avoid the sword's aura.
The two faced each other for a moment, and as Qin Shuying was about to speak with a self-deprecating smile, the youth had already sheathed his sword. With a slight movement of his fingers, he cautiously lifted half of the covering cloak.
Beneath his left arm, a girl was clearly asleep. She was about four or five years old, her face and body smeared with dirt and blood. At that moment, she curled up obediently, nestled in the youth's embrace.
...
As dawn broke, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.
This was the first snowfall of the year in the capital. The sudden drop in temperature made it impossible to withstand such harsh cold even with thick cotton clothing. The Liu Residence, while not particularly wealthy, never neglected its servants in this regard. Early that morning, Lady Liu had instructed to provide heating coals and cotton clothing throughout the house.
The doorman had just assigned who would go to manage things when he heard loud banging at the front gate. The noise did not sound like someone knocking but rather like someone kicking the door.
Who would kick down their door so early in the morning? Although their master was not extremely renowned in the capital, he had fought alongside General Qin on the battlefield; how could they allow anyone to bully them?
Several doormen disregarded their tasks and rushed out to see which fool dared to act so brazenly. When they opened the door and looked outside, they were all stunned.
—Covered with a thin layer of snow and raising a foot to kick at the door was none other than their own master!
"Why are you standing there? Hurry up and open the door!"
Liu Fangyi shouted, and everyone snapped back to reality, quickly opening the door to let him through.
Zhang Guan Shi rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Seeing that it was Liu Fangyi who had caused such a stir, he was quite surprised. "Didn’t the master just go to the yamen? How could he be back so soon?"
Liu Fangyi tightened his grip on the cloak he was holding, his serious face filled with concern. He casually replied and then asked, "Where is the lady and the Young Masters? Are they all inside?"
"They're all here. With such heavy snow, the lady didn’t let the Young Masters go to school; they’re all in the house."
Before Zhang Guan Shi could finish speaking, Liu Fangyi had already said "Good" and strode inside.
When the He Family arranged for additional supplies, he had jotted down some notes. Once that matter was settled, he noticed his arm felt a bit cold. He was already wearing a cotton coat, and adding more layers would be too cumbersome and restrict his movement. So, he took a hand warmer to hold. Just as he began to feel warm again, Mama Huang hurriedly lifted the curtain and rushed into the room.
"Madam, the master has returned and is on his way here."
"What?"
The He Family was quite surprised and quickly set down the hand warmer to prepare to go out and greet him, but Mama Huang stopped them.
Mama Huang had not been at Liu Residence for long and was unsure if what the master said would upset the lady. However, she didn’t know the situation at Liu Residence well enough; if she carelessly altered the master's intentions, it might cause more trouble. She could only relay Liu Fangyi's earlier words exactly as they were to the He Family.
"The master said that since it’s snowing today, the lady must not go outside. If she catches a chill or gets sick, it would be troublesome to call a doctor, get a prescription, and take medicine. It’s better to stay inside and wait for him to arrive."
Liu Fangyi, coming from a military background, spoke his mind without paying attention to his words. He Family, having been married to him for many years, understood his temperament and knew that he was only concerned about her health and not truly bothered by the trouble.
He Family then set aside her earlier thoughts and instructed the maidservants to prepare hot tea. She picked up a book from the table nearby, casually flipping through its pages while waiting for him.
Seeing this, Mama Huang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Watching the maidservants work in an orderly manner, she quietly stepped out.
When Liu Fangyi entered the room, He Family had just read three pages of her book. Upon seeing him come in, she set the book aside and walked over to help him take off his snow-covered outer coat. After taking a few steps, she realized something was off.
"This cloak doesn't seem to belong to you," she remarked. Moreover, given the cold weather, it shouldn't be held close like this.
Liu Fangyi chuckled, "This is General Qin's." He slowly pulled the cloak away while repeatedly saying, "Don't move around, don't move around." As he spoke, the girl who had been struggling in his arms revealed herself.
He Family noticed that the girl seemed unwilling to stay in Liu Fangyi's embrace and quickly took her into her own arms.
Suddenly leaving the extremely warm cloak, even though she was now held by He Family, the girl continued to shiver uncontrollably.
He Family felt a pang of heartache and, disregarding the dirt on her clothes, carefully held the girl's hands in hers and sat down with her. The girl leaned against her chest and became quiet, no longer struggling.
Liu Fangyi was greatly surprised and walked around them a few times, puzzled. "What a strange thing. Why won't she let me hold her but is willing to be held by you like this?"
He Family gave Liu Fangyi a helpless glare. "You wrapped her up so tightly; she must feel suffocated and just wants to come out for some fresh air."
Liu Fangyi was taken aback; his usually stern face turned slightly red as he awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled.
He Family held the girl a little tighter, then found the opportunity to ask Liu Fangyi, "What exactly happened?"
Liu Fangyi glanced at the girl's clear eyes, covered her mouth with her hand, and whispered in He Family's ear, "This child was saved by General Qin. Her family was killed by Bandits, and she is the only one who survived. The General wants to find a suitable family for her, so for now, he has entrusted her to me until we can locate her other family members. I thought ever since Sister Lan that we have been wanting a girl, so I spoke with the General. He handed this little girl over to me."
Upon hearing her husband mention their deceased daughter, He Family's tears fell immediately. She hurriedly took out a handkerchief to gently wipe them away and then reproached him a bit, "What will happen when we find her family? Won't there be another separation?"
"Who knows if there is even anyone left? This world has only just settled down after a few years, and now Girl has encountered such a tragedy. It pains my heart to see," Liu Fangyi sighed as she looked at the girl. "Look at her, such a well-behaved child. Truly endearing."
He Family looked at her and felt fondness in her heart. Wiping the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief, she said, "No more of that. Let's first wash the child and change her into clean clothes." She then called for someone to prepare hot water.
Liu Fangyi asked, "How about we get some clothes we prepared for Sister Lan and let her wear those?"
He Family shook her head. "There are still many new clothes prepared for Feng Ge'er that haven't been worn yet; let's use one set for now. We'll have someone make a new outfit today and change her into it first thing tomorrow morning."
Liu Fangyi looked at He Family in confusion. He often found it hard to understand the thoughts of his delicate wife from a scholarly family.
He Family had someone bring over a basin of warm water and began to wipe the girl down with a cloth while saying, "Since she has come here, she is my dear Daughter, and she will not be a substitute for Sister Lan."
Upon hearing this, Liu Fangyi's eyes lit up with surprise as she exclaimed, "Are you agreeing? Oh, you and I—this Girl is so obedient; even the General praises her. You will definitely like her."
The girl quietly listened to their conversation, slowly gathering light in her eyes.
Liu Fangyi noticed this and couldn't help but smile at He Family, saying, "Look, our Daughter is quite clever. It seems like she understands us."
"Well. A child who has experienced suffering is the most perceptive."
He Family sighed, wiping the girl's hands and face clean. They looked at the girl carefully.
Her features were very beautiful, with a hint of sorrow in her eyes, delicate and endearing.
He Family felt a softness in their heart and tentatively asked her a few questions, such as "Do you remember where you are from?" and "What is your name?" The girl opened her mouth but ultimately couldn't say a word, only shaking her head gently.
Liu Fangyi understood his wife's confusion this time and quickly said, "She hasn't spoken before either. The General, she must have been frightened by the horrifying scene she witnessed. She should be fine soon."
He Family then remembered that even when she was shivering from the cold or when Liu Fangyi held her too tightly, she still clenched her teeth and didn't make a sound.
He Family had heard of such situations before. In recent years, countless children had become orphans due to the chaos of war, many of whom would exhibit temporary issues after being frightened. With proper care, they would gradually recover.
He Family's heart ached even more for this child who had witnessed her family being harmed. They gently stroked the girl's cold face and held her tightly.
While embracing her, He Family glanced down a few times and finally noticed the clothes the girl was wearing. Just as they were examining them closely, footsteps suddenly came from outside.
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