Chapter 1

“Ding ding ding ding ding!”
“Ding ding ding ding ding!”

At dawn, the sharp ringing echoed outside. A pale, delicate hand reached out from beneath the quilt, groping by the pillow, then suddenly stiffened.

The silk blanket was tossed aside as Song Yuli emerged from beneath it.

She wore a snow-white silk robe with a crossed collar, her long hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, only a few strands of hair framing her forehead were disheveled.

Before her eyes were wooden doors, windows, and furniture. Beyond the papered window, the sky was a dark blue—the time just before dawn. In the modern world, she would be getting ready for work by now; here, she should be opening the door to sell breakfast.

She sighed softly. She had been transmigrated to this unknown ancient era for over two years. She had almost forgotten her previous life, but recent upheavals brought a sense of temporal disorientation.

There was no need to rush to rise now. She had married seven days ago; her husband was a wealthy merchant from the capital. Yet on their wedding night, she had not even seen his face before he left.

Three days ago, he sent a letter saying that business in the capital would be delayed for a long time and asked her to come there. The household servants said they would leave immediately, and she had been traveling these days.

Though she did not want to wake early, once awakened she found she could not sleep again.

She threw back the covers and walked to the window. Sliding the wooden latch, she opened a narrow crack and saw a stable hand in a short brown hemp tunic hammering horseshoes in the backyard.

So the ringing came from there. The stable hand was about to swing his hammer again when a man clad in a deep black robe approached.

“Stop. Do not disturb the lady,” he said coldly. The stable hands nodded respectfully and moved aside.

The man turned toward her window. Yuli quickly closed it.

She touched her chest, heart pounding. For days now, she had not dared face them. The guards of a merchant family were frightening, and she had long sensed something unusual.

This marriage was forced upon her—her father had accepted an exorbitant bride price, then locked her away and bound her into the bridal sedan chair.

Others who transmigrated often had gifts from fate; at worst, they were daughters from wealthy households, never worrying about food or shelter.

But her fate was different. She had landed in a poverty-stricken family that valued sons over daughters. Song Zhu arranged her marriage primarily to gather a dowry for his younger brother.

This Mr. Xie was a wealthy merchant in the prefectural capital, extremely generous in his gifts. The bride price alone could make the Song family the richest in Xihe County.

Her father was nearly faint with joy, declaring that even if she starved to death, he would marry her off nonetheless.

Yuli would never starve herself. Even if she were to die, she would eat her fill and choose a painless end.

The intermediary who came with the bride price said her husband was as handsome as Pan An, unmatched in beauty, and she would be satisfied marrying him.

Having lived with anti-fraud campaigns, Song Yuli did not believe in free gifts. She knew that fate’s blessings came with a price.

Sometimes fate gave only a little but demanded everything in return—like her bald boss in the modern world who paid her scant wages but worked her like a beast of burden.

Perhaps this Mr. Xie was already ill and destined to die, and she was meant to be a lucky charm. Or worse, he had bought her to claim her life...

Though the Xie family’s intentions might be sinister, at least for now they were keeping up appearances.

As long as she was not mistreated and could negotiate, then be rendered unconscious before being taken away and allowed to die without suffering—that would be the best outcome.

What frightened her most was this terrifying uncertainty, which bred endless fears in her mind.

Lost in thought, a knock came at the door.

She had just woken and had been seen by Song He, the head guard, when someone arrived. Their vigilance was strict; any chance to escape on the road seemed slim.

Yuli opened the door. Two maidservants wearing brocade robes and gold hairpins entered, smiling kindly. They bowed respectfully before setting down basins and other items—clearly from a wealthy household.

Behind them was her personal maid, Xiyun.

Xiyun was purchased at great expense by Song Zhu with the bride price. Originally a county magistrate’s daughter’s personal maid, she had been sold to the Song family for a high price.

Her simple cloth clothes and wooden hairpin were much like Yuli’s former attire. Upon seeing Xiyun, Yuli felt a bit more at ease.

Yuli was not used to being served. She took a cloth to wipe her face and rinsed her mouth. When the two Xie family maids left, she pulled Xiyun aside and whispered, “Is this really the road to the capital?”

After being sold to the Song family, Xiyun had thought she was simply changing masters. But after arriving in the prefectural capital and seeing the exceptional bearing of the Xie family’s maids, even the county magistrate’s daughter was not so dignified. Coupled with the oppressive presence of the guards, Xiyun felt something was wrong.

Having left Xihe County, and after much wandering, Xiyun and Yuli had grown close, relying on each other.

Seeing Yuli so unsettled these days, Xiyun nodded firmly. “Yes, this is the way to the capital. I once accompanied the lady there. This is the official post station. Back then, it housed nobles. Even with the master’s official rank, we could not stay here. We lived across the way—I remember it well.”

Yuli asked no more. She feared that if she were truly brought to be killed, she wanted to try to escape but could not tell Xiyun. If discovered, Xiyun would be unaware and might avoid blame.

Yesterday, Song He told her they would arrive at the capital by evening. She had less than a day.

Now, just before dawn, was the perfect time to run. Yuli glanced at Xiyun. In period dramas, the lady being held captive knocks out her maid, swaps clothes, and escapes.

Without hesitation, Yuli raised her hand and struck the back of Xiyun’s neck with a palm strike. Xiyun cried out softly, clutching her neck, eyes wide with shock and confusion.

Yuli: ...

Xiyun smiled knowingly. “Miss, you don’t mean to knock me out and run away, do you?”

Yuli scratched her fingers awkwardly, clearly guilty.

Suddenly, Xiyun grasped her arm. “Take me with you!”

Yuli’s heart pounded. She nodded decisively.

Quickly dressing in her bridal clothes—ornate but uncomfortable with embroidery rubbing her neck—Yuli paid no mind to discomfort.

Two walked ahead, two behind as they exited the room. Two maids stood outside the door; when Yuli appeared, they saluted and followed. At the staircase stood two guards, eyes straight ahead. She descended, the guards trailing behind the two maids.

Yuli claimed she needed to use the restroom, but they followed her closely.

Once outside the post station, only Xiyun remained behind her, while six others silently trailed.

Yuli glanced at the four guards patrolling outside the station’s fence and exchanged a hopeless look with Xiyun.

She had to return to the room. Everything that had just happened seemed to vanish. She prepared herself as usual and boarded the carriage, surrounded by twenty guards and maids, heading toward the capital.

The closer they got, the more uneasy Yuli felt.

Xiyun was no better. Though unspoken, they both sensed a great conspiracy.

Some thoughts alone sent shivers down their spines.

After noon, when everyone was weary, Yuli asked the group to stop, saying she needed to relieve herself—a request no one could refuse.

Song He stopped the procession and allowed two maids to accompany Yuli and Xiyun into the woods.

Early spring still carried a chill. The ground was littered with fallen leaves and withered grass. Some branches had buds but no greenery yet.

Yuli wore a pale vermilion dress, not conspicuous among the trees. Xiyun wore a light green jacket, more noticeable.

Far from the main road, out of sight of the carriage and guards, Xiyun assumed the manner of a lady’s personal maid and signaled the two maids to halt.

They exchanged wary glances but obeyed.

Having lived many years in the capital, they regarded Xihe County as rural. The Xie family maids considered Yuli’s bridal clothes gaudy and outdated, the fabric cheap and impractical. They looked down on Yuli and Xiyun, feeling superior.

Though ordered not to lose sight of the lady, relieving oneself outdoors was unfitting for a capital lady. The maids were glad not to follow.

The two maids stopped.

Yuli and Xiyun walked side by side a long distance, stopping when they were barely visible over the trees’ tops. They feared going too far would arouse suspicion.

Yuli squatted but did not intend to unfasten her skirt. Xiyun whispered,I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.