Chapter 1

Floods had plagued Qingzhou without end. After the floods came a plague. Refugees, dragging along their families, began fleeing toward the mountains to escape famine.

Soon, even wild herbs and tree bark were no longer enough to stave off hunger. In desperation, people began to sell their sons, daughters—and themselves.

Xiao Wanling lay weak and dying in the grass, her stomach burning as if on fire. She was starving.

Her head throbbed in fits, the memories of this body’s original owner and her own interweaving chaotically.

Xiao Wanling had once been a food blogger who died suddenly from staying up too late editing videos. Now, she had transmigrated into a fictional world.

The original owner’s family sold tea. After their hometown was flooded, plague followed. While fleeing the disaster, the original owner had died of hunger. That was when Xiao Wanling arrived in her place.

She had barely regained consciousness when she felt someone prying open her eyelids roughly.

By her ear came the gut-wrenching wail of her mother, Mrs. Ge. “Fourth Daughter, don’t blame your father and mother—we truly had no other choice!”

“We raised her all the way to this age and found her a husband—what more could she ask for? On such an auspicious day, don’t cry and wail like that! It’s bad luck!” That was the father, putting on his patriarchal airs.

Mrs. Ge’s crying abruptly ceased. Not even a sob remained.

Xiao Wanling had no strength to open her eyes, but she felt herself being hoisted onto an ox cart.

She guessed she had ended up just like her eldest and second sisters—sold off to poor households to become someone’s wife.

The oxcart jolted violently, but at least, when she grew hungry, food was stuffed into her mouth.

Two days later, Xiao Wanling finally opened her eyes and drank half a bowl of rice porridge.

Her muddled thoughts gradually cleared, and only then did she realize there was more than just the blue-clothed girl taking care of her on the cart.

There were three other girls, all around fifteen or sixteen, huddled in a corner, arms wrapped around themselves, visibly terrified.

What kind of family bought five brides at once?

They were moved into a spacious, three-sectioned residence. Two meals a day of bean rice, hot water for bathing, and thin gauze dresses to change into.

It was early summer, and such clothing wasn’t odd for the inner residence. But when they were taken into the front courtyard, a sense of dread crept into Xiao Wanling’s heart.

In the center of the courtyard sat a middle-aged woman, her hair adorned with fresh flowers, her face painted ghostly white.

On either side of her stood two stout, thick-armed women. Under the arch gate and crabapple tree were guards wielding wooden sticks.

From her high seat, the woman—clearly the madam—swept her gaze coldly over the five girls. Three trembled like leaves in the wind. Worthless! How were they supposed to please customers like that?

The blue-clothed girl was too headstrong. The one in green was dull and spiritless!

Madam Xun fumed as she thought of the fifty taels she had spent. Her voice rang out, sharp and shrill. “Earn back your selling price like good girls, or else—hmph!”

The blue-clothed girl sneered. “Give me back my things, and we’ll call it even!”

Madam Xun arched her brow and slapped the armrest of her chair. “What things? Once you’re here, even a strand of your hair belongs to me! Men, come!”

The guards charged forward aggressively. The three timid girls screamed and huddled together in fear.

“Aaah—!”

“Don’t hit me!”

The blue-clothed girl raised her chin and glared. “You’re forcing good girls into prostitution!”

The guards instinctively looked at Madam Xun, only to hear her cold command: “Beat her.”

They raised their sticks to strike.

The blue-clothed girl kicked one guard squarely in the gut. He had been holding back, so with a loud “oof,” he fell to the ground.

“Useless!” Madam Xun stood up furiously, cursing. “Good-for-nothing! Get out of my sight!”

The guard scrambled up and retreated to stand under the crabapple tree, hugging his stick.

Xiao Wanling had been watching the scene unfold with interest when someone suddenly stepped in front of her.

Madam Xun gave her a sidelong glance. “What were you laughing at just now?”

This woman was trying to make an example out of her.

Xiao Wanling opened her mouth in surprise. “Me? Did I laugh?”

Only now did Madam Xun take a proper look at her. Thin as a reed, but with a pair of bright, clever eyes—she had almost misjudged her.

After a moment’s thought, she unfurled the contract of sale and declared, “You are now of the servile class. The sale is registered with the authorities! If you try to run and get caught, you’ll be dragged back all the same.”

The blue-clothed girl rolled her eyes. “You forged that sales contract. I don’t acknowledge it.”

Xiao Wanling glanced at the glaring “twenty copper coins” marked on the contract and barely resisted shouting, Am I really worth so little? Instead, she asked dryly, “My parents said I was to be married. Are you a man?”

Someone snorted with laughter but quickly bowed their head at the sight of Madam Xun’s darkening face.

Madam Xun lost her patience. “You little sluts! You’d rather die in a mass grave than live a good life? And you—getting married just means serving a man, taking care of his whole family, and staying up late spinning and weaving. What’s so great about that?!”

The blue-clothed girl stiffened her neck and replied, “You’re not us. Don’t impose your beliefs on us.”

Madam Xun’s face twisted in rage. She trembled and spat, “Take them away! Send them to Lord Huang’s estate in three days!”

Two women appeared at their sides, speaking softly as if from experience, telling the five girls about the difficulties of being a wife and persuading them to accept their fate.

Xiao Wanling, meanwhile, focused on eating and resting to regain her strength. Only with health could she have the leverage to negotiate.

She began planning to make a few signature dishes—let Madam Xun see that there were other ways to live besides serving men.

But she was tricked and locked inside the bridal chamber.

Behind her, Lord Huang spread his arms wide and lunged toward her. The stench of alcohol and his foul breath was nauseating.

Xiao Wanling ducked and ran to the side.

Only then did she clearly see the man before her: bloated belly, graying hair, and a face like tree bark.

Lord Huang, drunk and slow to react, first thought the beauty was playing coy. But when his stamina faltered and frustration rose, he grabbed his wine jug to force it down her throat.

Cornered by the table, Xiao Wanling watched him pucker his lips to kiss her. In desperation, she grabbed a porcelain wine cup and smashed it against his head.

With a dull thud, a large bump rose on his forehead. Lord Huang howled in pain, “Help!”

His servant burst in, saw the scene, panicked, and bound Xiao Wanling tightly before throwing her into the woodshed.

It took Madam Xun a long string of words to finally pacify the furious Lord Huang and send him away.

As the footsteps faded, silence fell over the shed. The air was thick with mist and dust.

When Xiao Wanling was thrown in and bumped into a soft body, she knew there was someone else in the woodshed.

“Let’s escape!” a girl’s voice whispered behind her. In the faint moonlight, a bruised, swollen mouth gleamed.

Xiao Wanling, still shaken, asked, “Can we really make it?”

Suddenly, a bundle was thrust into her hands.

The blue-clothed girl flung a fire striker into the woodpile.

She untied the ropes on Xiao Wanling’s wrists, uncovered a dog hole in the back, and crawled out.

As the fire spread through Madam Xun’s residence, chaos erupted. Someone soon realized two girls had fled.

Xiao Wanling, panting heavily, climbed halfway up the mountain. Looking back, she saw a crowd with torches chasing them.

Her heart pounded, ears ringing, both girls hiding behind a large tree, too exhausted to run any farther.

Xiao Wanling gripped a rock. The blue-clothed girl clutched a golden hairpin, ready to defend.

In the distance, orange torchlight danced. Shadows stretched across the ground. The sound of footsteps grew louder.

A young servant approached, muttering, “Strange… it should’ve been this way,” holding a strip of green fabric.

His legs felt like lead. He collapsed onto a boulder, panting.

Suddenly, pain shot through the back of his head. He turned to see the blue-clothed girl hoisting a rock, ready to strike.

He shrieked, “They’re here!”

The cry echoed far. Two other servants behind trees scrambled to pull up their pants and rushed toward the sound.

The one in front let out a scream and fell, clutching his neck.

The second one’s legs gave out. He collapsed, shouting, “You won’t get away!”

Branches whipped their faces as they pushed deeper into the forest.

At sunrise, Xiao Wanling and the blue-clothed girl were cornered at the edge of a cliff.

The servant with the neck injury glared viciously. “Run again if you dare!”

Others pleaded, “Miss, the master said if we don’t bring you back, he’ll break our legs. Please, just come back. Just beg the master for forgiveness, and it’ll all be over.”

Xiao Wanling thought they couldn’t keep stalling. “I want to see your master. I have a way to make a lot of money.”

The servants exchanged wary glances. “What trick is she playing now?”

Before they could answer, they heard screams—then saw the two girls, hand in hand, leap off the cliff.

Xiao Wanling cursed in her mind—she hadn’t meant to jump; she had been dragged off the cliff.

The blue-clothed girl died. Her blue robes turned dark purple with blood.

Before dying, she handed Xiao Wanling three items, speaking clearly, “I can’t let these fall into the hands of my enemies. You must live on in my place. Find Shen Qing.”

And then she died—without even giving Xiao Wanling a chance to refuse.

Xiao Wanling buried her.

She was filled with doubt. The girl had the same name as someone from her past life. The cheap parents who had sold her had called her a “dead girl.”

She looked down at the oil-paper-wrapped bundle, a golden bird-headed hairpin, and half a piece of a white jade pendant.

Who was Shen Qing? And where was he?

She could only take things one step at a time. Changing into the cotton clothes in the bundle, she packed everything up and guessed that Shen Qing might live in the mountains—so she headed into the forest.

When thirsty, she drank dew. When hungry, she ate wild grass roots and berries.

The next day, she spotted a man in coarse robes. Just as she was about to call out, he vanished.

Lifting her skirt, she chased after him—only to find herself surrounded by a group.

A servant glared. “Where’s Mudan? Where are you hiding her?” He closed in step by step.

Xiao Wanling stepped back. “Mudan’s dead! She fell!”

The bandaged servant pushed her to the ground and strangled her. “Liar! If she’s dead, why aren’t you?”

Xiao Wanling fought back on instinct, stabbing blindly with her hairpin.

The servant cried out, bleeding from his hand, and let go.

Coughing violently, she barely escaped death by seconds.

The hairpin was snatched from her. She scrambled up, trying to get it back. “Give it back!”

The servant sneered. “Even if I don’t kill you, I’ll teach you a lesson. Please me, and maybe I’ll return it.”

The others laughed. One tried to stop him but was dragged back.

The servant tore at her clothes. Xiao Wanling slapped his hands, shouting, “Help!”

Secretly, she grabbed a stone—eyes locked on his face.

Suddenly, his body convulsed and collapsed, chest bloodied—an arrow in his back.

Everything happened in a flash. Xiao Wanling raised the rock but paused when a tall figure blocked her view. He held the bird-headed hairpin—it was the one that had been stolen.

With a loud and clear voice, he ordered, “Get lost.”

Fear and shock crossed the servants’ faces. One of them snapped back, “She killed someone! Come with us to the magistrate. Whether she lives or dies, she’s ours!”

The man’s fist clenched, veins bulging. Through gritted teeth, he growled, “I’ll skin you alive.”

He charged, grabbed the servant’s collar, and let his fists fly.

Cries of pain echoed far. More servants rushed over and froze in shock at the sight.

One servant tried to explain, holding Xiao Wanling’s sale contract. But the man didn’t listen. “She’s my fiancée. I saw you steal from her—beasts!”

Xiao Wanling blinked.

This man… was Shen Qing? What fiancée?

This was going to be a big misunderstanding.