Chapter 1: Cast Aside Like Old Shoes

Chapter 1: Cast Aside Like a Worn-out Shoe

During the Yongyou era, winter arrived, and heavy floods in Guannan Dao resulted in a total crop failure.

Famine-stricken people from Qi Zhou, Qing Zhou, and other regions traveled thousands of miles northward; along the way, the number of those who died of hunger or froze to death was countless.

...

This year, winter seemed to have arrived particularly early. After a night of fine snow, crystal-white frost hung from the leaves of plants and trees, and a thin layer covered the ground.

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

A crowd of villagers stood in a defensive formation at the entrance of Xiaofu Village, clutching wooden clubs and hoes, staring warily at the group of refugees in tattered clothes opposite them.

The two sides pushed and shoved, shouting and clamoring loudly.

Not far from the village entrance, on a dirt slope, several carriages sat quietly to one side. Five or six women were gathered around a small bonfire, sipping tea and chatting quite comfortably.

"If you ask me, in this freezing weather, we shouldn't have come out to receive this Miss Yu," Hongwei glanced at the noisy village entrance and curled her lip in disdain. She then turned around, her expression shifting to a flattering smile as she looked toward a middle-aged woman with an elongated face. "Isn't that right, Nanny? This journey must have exhausted you."

Nanny Hu lifted her eyelids to glance at her, then picked up her tea and took a slow sip. "Don't forget that this 'Miss Yu' you speak of is a legitimate daughter of the Prefect's manor."

"Oh, who doesn't know that?" Hongwei gave a contemptuous laugh. "They say she's the Prefect's legitimate daughter, but her fate is too harsh; she clashed with her parents and was thrown onto a manor to fend for herself for over a decade. If it weren't for the Old Madam's sixtieth birthday and her occasionally mentioning her, heaven knows if she would ever be brought back in this lifetime."

"Indeed," another elderly nanny surnamed Fang interjected, her eyes full of contempt. "She is what the old saying goes: a lady's body with a maid's fate. Her destiny is lowly by nature; she was born to be tormented!"

Hongwei smiled as she refilled the tea for Nanny Hu and Nanny Fang with hot water. "That girl was abandoned at the manor when she was three. Everyone knows there has been no place for her in the manor for many years."

She then gestured with her chin toward the brightly lit village entrance below. "Do you think the girl can handle this?"

Nanny Hu gave a light scoff. "Whether she can or cannot, we'll know once we go take a look. Go, call the manor guards; we'll go down together to watch the spectacle."

A few maidservants giggled as they helped Nanny Hu and Nanny Fang to their feet, heading toward the increasingly chaotic village entrance.

At that moment, many refugees blocking the entrance of Xiaofu Village broke through the temporary fences erected by the villagers and charged into the village like madmen.

"Everyone, enter the village and loot together! We've lost everything, so what is there to fear? As long as we charge, what is there to fear about not getting a full meal?"

"Big Head is right! Charge, everyone!"

The village chief, Chen Funong, led all the able-bodied men of the village, chasing after them in a sweat, shouting repeatedly, "Everyone, calm down! Calm down! Don't act on impulse and do something foolish!"

"Everyone, please!" he screamed hoarsely, but at this critical moment, no one paid him any mind.

The refugees charging into the village had all turned bloodshot in the eyes, following Big Head toward the largest residence in the village.

"Look, everyone! This manor looks the most spacious and wealthy; it must belong to a rich family! Don't be polite with them—take it!!"

When Big Head shouted "Take it," his voice carried the momentum of a mountain-moving force. All the refugees following closely behind felt their blood boil with excitement.

Just as they were about to kick open the main gate, a soft "creak" sounded, and the courtyard gate opened on its own.

In the hazy morning light.

A young girl dressed in plain, light clothing stood quietly, her expression indifferent.

Her black hair was held up by a slender piece of green bamboo.

A faint light flickered within her dark eyes. With just a single, cool glance, the bloodshot refugees felt an inexplicable sense of crisis, and they involuntarily took a half-step back.

Though she was clearly just a girl of average beauty, her mere presence as she stood there watching them gave off an aura of misty mountains and flowing spring water.

It felt as though taking a single step forward would be an act of endless profanity.

Seeing that everyone had frozen, Big Head couldn't help but raise his arms and shout, "What are you all waiting for? Charge!"

"Think before you charge. Do not mistake ignorance for courage." The girl's voice was cold and clear. She raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze falling on Big Head's face and slowly moving downward.

Seeing this, Big Head shrank his neck and hurriedly tried to cover his messy hair over his face, his eyes darting away, not daring to meet her gaze.

Yu Linlang took half a step forward, her gaze shifting to the refugees, and spoke calmly, "By charging, breaking in, stealing, and looting, the nature of your actions has changed completely."

"Before, you were merely displaced refugees. Now, you seek to become bandits and enter the disgraceful ranks of outlaws. Do you intend to challenge the laws of Great Qi and make enemies of the entire empire?"

Her voice was neither high nor low, nor rushed, yet it was like a basin of ice water being poured over the crowd, causing the blood coursing through their veins to chill slightly.

Seeing that the situation seemed heavily unfavorable to them, Big Head quickly tried to incite them again, "You fools, what are you waiting for? Mountains of gold and silver are right in front of you! Meat and fine food are waiting for you to enjoy! You only need a shred of courage; if you want it, everything can be yours!"

"Listen to Big Head, everyone! We're practically starving to death; why bother with all that!"

"The law cannot punish the masses! Why waste words on this little girl? Let's all go at once and take her down first!"

Several lawless men followed Big Head, crowding forward. With flickering eyes, they made a move to pounce on the girl standing before the gate.

The corners of Yu Linlang's lips curled slightly as she called out softly, "Jiujin, hit them! For those ringleaders barking like dogs, break two of their legs first before dealing with the rest."

Suddenly, a young girl with a round face and rosy cheeks jumped down from the roof. Holding a glowing red fire poker, she struck at Big Head and his followers without a word.

The red-hot poker seemed to have eyes of its own, striking only at the legs of the ringleaders who were shouting the loudest.

The searing poker made the skin burst with a "sizzle," causing the men to scramble away in pain, clutching their legs.

In just a few strikes, Big Head and his men were knocked to the ground, and several legs were broken with loud "clangs."

Jiujin swung the fire poker in a whistling circle before delivering a kick to Big Head's chest, forcing a mouthful of blood from him.

Seeing this, the watching refugees scrambled backward in terror, their expressions filled with horror.

"The law not punishing the masses has never been an excuse for breaking the law," Yu Linlang said calmly, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"I know that most of you have been deceived and manipulated by villains, which is why you lost your heads and charged into the village to loot."

"Identify the ringleaders now. Once the county officials arrive, hand over the instigators." Yu Linlang's gaze stared deeply at the many refugees. "Then, this matter will have nothing to do with you."

"Don't listen to her nonsense! This woman is trying to drive a wedge between us!" Big Head, pinned to the ground by Jiujin and unable to rise, could only wail from the side.

"Strip his clothes! Let everyone here see clearly."

Big Head was startled and screamed frantically, "Let me go! Let me go! You dare—you!"

*Rip.* His already tattered outer garment was torn apart by someone, revealing a fine cotton inner shirt trimmed with silk.

(End of Chapter)