Volume One, Chapter Three: Master, She Cannot Stay

Ming Shu reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. “Once I have the money, I’ll redeem it back. Come on, let’s go see the other rooms.”

The remaining four rooms were even cleaner than the main room.

One was a simple washroom, another had just a stove and could be used for cooking, and the other two were bare walls on all sides.

Ming Shu recalled how Uncle Zhao had said, “Come to him if you need anything,” implying he wouldn’t come on his own.

She still needed to buy rice, noodles, meat, vegetables, and some charcoal.

She wasn’t even sure if the money from the bracelet was enough…

Clearly, the urgent task now was to figure out a way to get money.

Ming Shu pondered deeply.

*

Night fell, and Ming Shu and Muxi managed dinner before going to bed early.

In the middle of the night, Ming Shu suddenly woke up with a start.

Ever since she had killed those two soldiers, she had been plagued by nightmares every night.

She always felt as if someone was pressing down on her chest, suffocating her, intending to do her harm.

All was silent except for the wind rustling the treetops and Muxi’s steady breathing beside her.

But as a feng shui practitioner with a keen sense, Ming Shu sensed a deadly intent in the cold air.

She immediately grasped the scissors beside her pillow—her only affordable means of self-defense.

Just as she hesitated whether to wake Muxi, a faint voice came from outside:

“Master…”

“Did I tell you to kill her?”

Ming Shu’s heart jolted—it was the voice of Fu Zhixun!

“The Eastern Palace forces have their eyes on the Hou Residence, Master. She can’t be left alive!”

“A wedding given by day, a corpse by night. I shall mourn her for a year starting tomorrow. You sure know how to make arrangements.”

“The subordinate dares not…”

“If you have time for this, go keep a close watch on the Eastern Palace agents!”

Fu Zhixun and his men left.

Ming Shu’s eyes widened in the dark, her body stiffened.

She was still too young—how could a man of power be so simple?

Even his subordinates thought she should die; he knew better that she obstructed his path.

He didn’t kill her today, but what about next month, or the one after that?

To survive, there were only two paths:

One, kill Fu Zhixun;

The other, win over Fu Zhixun, so he would abandon his murderous intent and even protect her.

Clearly, both paths were fraught with difficulty.

But comparatively, the second seemed just a little less daunting.

*

After all, he was a man, and she was a woman—one with peerless beauty.

Late into the night, Ming Shu ran through all the tales of femme fatales from history and novels.

Her conclusion: cater to his desires.

Then the question arose: what was Fu Zhixun lacking?

Early next morning, dark circles under her eyes, she asked Muxi seriously.

Muxi answered just as seriously, “Judging by the Hou Residence’s utter poverty, he lacks money.”

Ming Shu forced a dry laugh: great, she had none either.

The two stared at each other when a burly nanny entered.

Ming Shu studied her face and felt a chill: this woman was no good.

“I am Nanny Tang from the Old Madam’s quarters. The Old Madam worries the Third Young Madam doesn’t know the way, so she specially sent me to escort her.”

Ming Shu paused before realizing that by ancient custom, the second day after a wedding was for paying tea to the in-laws and acknowledging family members.

Since she was still dependent on others, she had to give them some face. She could only nod, “Thank you, Nanny Tang, for guiding me.”

Passing by Fu Zhixun’s courtyard, Ming Shu slowed her pace.

Officials had ten days of wedding leave; it was still before dawn, so he was probably inside.

But by the time she leisurely left the courtyard, not a single soul appeared.

It seemed she was to face the Old Madam alone.

*

Yet, she didn’t even get the chance to face her.

Nanny Tang said, “The Old Madam is still asleep, Third Young Madam, please wait a moment.”

She wasn’t even allowed inside—only to stand in the courtyard.

The sky was gloomy; soon, fine snowflakes began to fall, cold winds blew in waves, and the warmth Ming Shu had carried melted away quickly.

Her legs felt heavy, aching, and painful; her hands and feet were numb from the cold.

Her dry, itchy throat forced her to cough twice, drawing Nanny Tang out from somewhere, her face as cold as death.

“Don’t disturb the Old Madam’s rest.”

Ming Shu understood—today wasn’t about tea or family recognition, but punishment by standing.

She looked around, pondering how to leave without harm, when two round heads peeked in at the gate.

Two robust boys, about four or five years old, with identical faces—they must be twins.

“Is she being punished by Grandmother?” one asked.

“Yes. She’s the reason our Hou Residence is doomed!”

“Is she a bad woman?”

“Didn’t you hear Mother? She’s a prisoner. She was supposed to be locked up, but she stubbornly insisted on marrying Third Brother. The Emperor took pity and agreed, and now our Hou Residence is cursed!”

“What curse?”

“Mother said Third Brother is our family’s hope. If she marries him, Third Brother is finished, and so is our Hou Residence… You only know how to eat; don’t listen to Mother?”

“Mother says so much every day, which part am I supposed to listen to?”

“Ah, you’re so dumb!”

The boy picked up a stone and threw it hard at Ming Shu. “Bad woman!”

Muxi shielded Ming Shu and dodged the stone.

After holding back anger all day, it finally exploded. She pointed at the boy, “Throw one more, and I’ll beat your parents until they don’t recognize you!”

Ming Shu pulled her back coolly, “Don’t stoop to the level of a child who’s still wetting the bed.”

The boy yelled back, “You’re the one wetting the bed! Your whole family wets the bed!”

Another boy was upset. “I don’t wet the bed; it’s you who does… Fourth Brother, how does she know you wet the bed last night?”

The boy roared, “She’s lying!”

Ming Shu smirked challengingly, “Not only do you wet the bed, but today you’ll eat dog poop and be stuck on a kite!”

Furious, the boy charged and butted her with his head. Muxi hurriedly pulled Ming Shu aside. The boy couldn’t stop and tripped on the step, falling to the ground.

“Wah—” Before he could cry, something foul and salty fell into his mouth.

“Wah—Fourth Brother, you ate dog poop!” The other boy’s eyes widened.

Muxi was speechless; she hadn’t even noticed the dog poop in the corner.

“Enough noise!” Nanny Tang scolded, glaring at the two boys with her sharp eyes.

“Fourth Brother, run!” The boy grabbed his brother, who was still trying to spit out the poop, and they bolted from the courtyard.

“Wah—dog poop… so disgusting…”

The boys’ belated cries echoed on the wind.

Nanny Tang’s triangular eyes chilled as she stared at Ming Shu. “Third Young Madam, you were only asked to wait a little, yet you have to make the Old Madam lose her peace?”

Ming Shu instead stared at the half dog poop left on the ground. “Nanny Tang, have you seen where the Old Madam’s dog went?”

“The servants took it out for a walk… Don’t drag me into this—”

“The dog’s dying. Look to the northwest. If you hurry, you might save a life.”

“Snowball is fine. How dare you curse it?” Nanny Tang’s brows twisted in fury, her face fierce.

Ming Shu stood tall. “Then forget I said anything. Nanny Tang, please continue your scolding.”

She added casually, “Anyway, the feng shui here is bad. Living things can’t stay—plants die, cats and dogs die, and as for people…”

Nanny Tang’s expression changed abruptly. “What did you say?!”

Ming Shu smiled faintly. “Nothing.”

Nanny Tang raised her voice, “Third Young Madam, remember your status now. Think carefully before you speak!”

She stormed off angrily.

Muxi rubbed Ming Shu’s hands, frozen like blocks of ice. “What status? Why can’t she think before she speaks? Like a powder keg ready to explode!”

Ming Shu sneered coldly. “Maybe I struck a nerve and embarrassed her.”

Muxi hesitated, then cautiously asked, “Princess, were all the things you just said true?”