Ties of Love, Ruan Wan

Suddenly, I remembered my great-grandmother's saying, "When the red thread breaks, a new destiny begins."

Does this mean we have to change direction from now on?

I used to think that I would spend the rest of my life in these mountains, that a simple life is the best, but it seems that fate does not want me to live that way.

Mother's last wish must be fulfilled; we'll deal with the rest later.

After putting the silk back into the hairpin and burying her mother, Ruan Wan kowtowed three times to her mother, thinking that she might never come back.

After changing into men's clothing and carrying a bamboo basket, Ruan Wan headed down the mountain. She didn't know what awaited her there, but she had no choice.

In the imperial court, the Emperor of Great Xia, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, leaned back on the dragon throne with one hand on his head, his face languid, and he closed his eyes to rest.

He looks only forty years old despite being fifty, and judging from his features, he must have been quite handsome in his youth.

A white-haired eunuch standing to the side shouted at the top of his lungs, "If you have something to report, speak up; if not, leave the court."

Seeing that no one stepped forward, the emperor returned to the palace, and the officials below knelt down to see him off before retreating out of the main hall.

They walked and chatted in small groups of two or three.

Xia Changfeng was chatting with Lou Qianyuan and a group of officials when he suddenly heard someone shouting loudly in the distance, "Seventh Prince, you're in such high spirits!"

Approaching them were Prime Minister Zhang and his son, Zhang Encheng, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Officials, especially those of higher rank, always named their sons by flattering the officials.

The officials hurriedly bowed and paid their respects.

Xia Changfeng stepped forward. "Prime Minister, you jest. How can it compare to the Prime Minister's imposing presence?"

For a moment, all the officials on the ladder of heaven focused their attention on the two of them. At this moment, Lou Qianyuan stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I recently heard that the Prime Minister's ancestral graves were dug up. I wonder if the villain has been caught?"

"What is this all about? I have never heard of such a thing. Perhaps Vice Minister Lou has misunderstood." Zhang Encheng was about to step forward but was stopped by his father.

"Oh, that's true. Forgive me for believing the rumors and letting these filthy words reach the Prime Minister's ears. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."

Changfeng pulled Lou Qianyuan back, saying, "Prime Minister, please wait. I have to go first." With that, he walked away with Lou Qianyuan.

Behind him, Zhang Lucheng respectfully saw off the Seventh Prince.

After they had gone some distance, the two walked slowly, and Zhang Encheng said in a low voice, "These two brats have really gone too far. We should find an opportunity..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Lucheng glanced at him sideways, and Zhang Encheng stopped him, saying, "You're not young anymore, how can you still be so impetuous? The Seventh Prince is the master, and we are his subjects. Don't say such things again."

"Yes, Father, I understand."

"By the way, how is Xuan'er?"

"Xuan'er is doing very well in the desert frontier. This child has always been reassuring since he was a child. He will be able to return to the capital to report for duty in two more years."

"Ok".

At the Seventh Prince's residence, Lou Qianyuan, fanning himself, laughed heartily, "Today is truly delightful!"

Xia Changfeng shook his head. "Why did you provoke him? What's the use of just talking back?"

"It's good to irritate him; it'll make me feel better. But today, look at Zhang Encheng—he's bloated and reckless, nothing like his old fox father."

"Speaking of which, Zhang Encheng could be a breakthrough point. Perhaps we can start with him, but this matter needs careful planning. We need to carefully lay a wide net so that he has nowhere to escape."

"We need to find someone to keep an eye on them. But Zhang Lucheng's two grandsons, the brothers Zhang Xuan and Zhang Ming, are quite difficult to deal with. And then there's Consort Zhang in the inner court. It seems we'll have to play a big game to bring down the Zhang family."

At the foot of the mountain, looking at the town in the distance, Ruan Wan felt a little scared.

Having grown accustomed to living in the mountains, I would occasionally go down to buy necessities, but the thought of going to the bustling capital always filled me with apprehension.

Ruan Wan casually grabbed a handful of mud and smeared it on her face. Although she had changed into men's clothing, she was still quite conspicuous without makeup.

I took a deep breath and strode down the mountain.

Penniless, he had no choice but to take the medicinal herbs to a pharmacy in the city to sell. They were all acquaintances, and the pharmacy owner was quite kind, always delivering medicine there whenever he had it.

The boss looked at the ginseng with great joy but also with regret. Looking at the ginseng that Ruan Wan had pulled bald, Ruan Wan could only smile bitterly.

The shop owner didn't haggle much before paying, saying that if he had any more good stuff like this next time, he should keep it safe and send it to him so he could sell it for a good price.

Thinking to myself that there would be no next time, I simply thanked them and left.

Ruan Wan went out and bought a sesame seed cake, munching on it as she walked. Looking at the surrounding buildings, she realized it had been a long time since she had come down the mountain.

When they arrived, they wondered what era they were in. They asked the villagers, who only knew that they were in the Xia Kingdom, but they had never heard of any particular era.

I've never heard of Ruan Wan.

I was initially worried about whether what my great-grandmother taught me would be useful here, but thankfully it's still on this land, maybe it's some kind of historical break.

Anyway, knowing which dynasty it was didn't matter. Ruan Wan only knew that such a dynasty existed, and knew nothing else. It was her friends in the village who went to school who taught her that.

This is in a remote town, with only ordinary brick and tile houses. The occasional large mansions are the residences of officials and gentry.

Although the street markets weren't very bustling, they were still much better than those in the mountains.

Based on the vague images in my mind, Ruan Wan was still young at that time, so I don't remember very clearly.

Ask around and tell people to go with caravans or beggars, and to avoid going alone as much as possible. Find a stable at night or sleep in a tree. If you only have the money you need to sell medicine, you don't know what to do when you get there, so try to save it.

The journey was relatively smooth. The scenery along the way became increasingly prosperous.

Five days later, they finally arrived at the foot of the imperial city.

Looking at the majestic city gate before me, I couldn't help but sigh. Although modern skyscrapers are magnificent, the scene before me, though not as grand as modern buildings, is still a different kind of splendor.

Soldiers stood tall atop the city gate, spears in hand. The gate, made of green bricks and red tiles, rose abruptly from the ground. Below the arched gate, two rows of soldiers, swords at their sides, carefully observed and questioned passersby.

Originally, it would only take a day to return by following the path from which the person fell off the cliff, but climbing up the precipice is incredibly difficult, and walking around the mountain offers a different kind of scenery.

Without taking a closer look, I followed the crowd and stepped onto the city wall.

Following my memories, I walked through streets and alleys, passing by towering buildings, ordinary people in plain clothes, and wealthy people in fine clothes, all moving about in the market, with shouts and calls of vendors filling the air.

There was no time to look closely; by the time I found the path of the past, the sun had already set.

Looking at the house in front of me, the tall plaque with the words "Ruan Mansion" in vermilion clerical script reads "Ruan Mansion," and the vermilion gate is tightly closed.

"Looks like this is the right place. How do we get in?"

Ruan Wan first circled the entire house to see if there was a way to sneak in, but the wall was too high to climb over.

Thinking that he might as well sneak in tomorrow pretending to be a helper, find the evidence, put it in Ruan Wan's father's room, and then he could leave.

Privately, I really don't want to stay behind these high walls. Women inside these walls have no freedom. It feels like they're commodities raised by their parents to be sent up higher for profit. Just thinking about it is terrifying. If things go smoothly and I can go back alive, Ruan Wan still wants to return to the mountains.

Just then, a group of people rushed out, grabbed Ruan Wan's hands and feet, and made her unable to move. Just as she was about to shout for help, her mouth was covered, and then she was lifted up.

That's it. The whole plan was arrested before it could even be implemented, and we don't even know who arrested him. His eyes were also blindfolded.

Those people shouldn't be able to tell that Ruan Wan is a woman. Are they human traffickers who want to sell her into slavery?

Ruan Wan could only cry out in her heart, "Heavens, when did I offend you? You don't have to treat me like this!"

They were thrown into a room, their hands and feet were tied, and they had no way to escape.

Just as Ruan Wan was struggling to move her body, she suddenly heard someone outside the door say, "Open the door!"

One person responded with a "yes," and then the sound of the door opening was heard. The person pulled on a rope and dragged Ruan Wan in front of another person.

Then her vision cleared, and the cloth in her mouth was gone. Ruan Wan looked up and saw an elderly man with gray hair, but who looked quite prosperous.

He immediately shouted, "You little thief, you've been loitering around the Ruan residence for ages, are you planning to do something shady?"

Ruan Wan was completely bewildered upon arriving at the Ruan residence. It turned out that she had been mistaken for a thief and brought in by the servants of the Ruan family.

Seeing that Ruan Wan did not respond, the old woman slapped her across the face. The old woman was so strong that she threw Ruan Wan to the ground, her mouth full of salty, metallic taste.

Despite her advanced age, she's surprisingly strong. Indeed, women behind bars often grow more ruthless with age.

Suddenly, the old man's eyes gleamed, and he quickly picked something up from under Ruan Wan.

Ruan Wan recognized her mother's hairpin and exclaimed, "Old man, that's mine! Give me back my hairpin!"

The old woman suddenly grabbed Ruan Wan and pulled her up, tugging at her sleeve. "Where did this thing come from? Tell me now or you'll regret it!"

Looking closely at that deeply lined, oily face, it was quite terrifying.

Ruan Wan thought to herself, "I can't say it's my mother's, I don't even know whose people this old guy is."

Seeing how anxious she was, she must recognize the hairpin. She couldn't just say she found it, so she had to make up a whole bunch of lies.

Ruan Wan has lived for so many years, but she is still too inexperienced. She has no chance of winning against these old monsters.

The old man pinched Ruan Wan's face, seemingly having discerned something, and said to the person next to him, "Bring some water."

A maidservant handed over a bowl of water, which the old woman promptly splashed onto Ruan Wan's face, then roughly wiped her face with her sleeve.

The old woman stared wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief. Suddenly, as if she had seen a ghost, she grabbed the hairpin and ran out.

The maid behind her called out, "Granny Li, Granny Li, what should we do with this person?"

Unfortunately, the old man had already disappeared. The maid then turned to the gatekeeper and said, "Close the door and keep a close watch."

In the pitch-black room, Ruan Wan looked bewildered. Everything had happened so suddenly that she was at a loss.

After a short while, the door opened again, and it was the same old Li Mama who ordered someone to take Ruan Wan away.

Judging from this, Ruan Wan could guess who she was going to meet next.

Passing through corridors and rooms, we arrived at a courtyard where various flowers and trees of different colors complemented each other. We stopped in front of the gate.

Granny Li knocked softly on the door. "Madam, the person has arrived."

That voice was incredible; if I hadn't just thought it was a kind old lady, I would have believed it.

As soon as she finished speaking, a maidservant arrived at the door. She was dressed in a green dress and red skirt, and her hair was styled in a bun with silk flowers in her hair.

Granny Li shoved Ruan Wan inside, and the people outside closed the door.

Looking up, I saw a woman in her thirties sitting down. She wore a purple silk top embroidered with rose-colored peonies, a bright yellow rabbit fur vest over it, and a pleated skirt with large pomegranate flowers. She had delicate features, charming eyes, and her hair was styled in a droopy bun. She was adorned with pearls and jade, and her whole demeanor was incredibly graceful. She must have been a stunning beauty in her youth.

This person was Su Ying. Su Ying was staring at her mother's hairpin, her brows furrowed, looking thoughtful. When she saw Ruan Wan being brought in, she put down the hairpin.

Su Ying walked slowly to Ruan Wan, a half-smile on her face, "It seems you really are my sister's daughter."

Su Ying glanced at it only once, then slowly walked back and sat down, massaging her temples.

Then, Granny Li stepped forward and asked, "Madam, what should we do with her now?"

As he spoke, he looked towards Ruan Wan.

A hint of ruthlessness suddenly appeared in Su Ying's lifeless eyes as she thought she was probably going to be silenced.

Ruan Wan's mind raced as she tried to figure out how to prevent her from killing him.

But Ruan Wan knew nothing about them or her mother, and had no idea what weaknesses she had.

Just as she was sweating profusely with anxiety, the door suddenly opened, and a middle-aged man strode in. He looked to be in his forties. Although he was older, he still had a scholarly air about him. He was very thin, with his hair tied up with a jade hairpin, and he wore a gray-blue robe.

His eyes were filled with desolation.

Granny Li first stepped forward and said, "Greetings, Master."

Granny Li withdrew, and then Su Ying greeted her with a beaming smile, "Master is back!"

The man walked straight to the table, picked up the hairpin, and began to examine it.

Seeing this, Su Ying winked at Granny Li, who immediately tried to take Ruan Wan away.

But the man simply shouted "Stop!" and stared at Ruan Wan's face with the hairpin in his hand. Granny Li stepped aside.

The family was speechless. Even though Ruan Wan was beautiful, it didn't have to be like this.

The man suddenly said, "Untie me!"

Granny Li remained motionless, glancing at Su Ying and then at the master. Su Ying stood aside, gritting her teeth, not daring to utter a sound.

A servant came in and untied Ruan Wan.

"Notify the entire household that the Third Young Lady has returned. Clean up the south courtyard and let her move in."

After speaking, Su Ying swayed forward and said, "Master, this is..."

The man glanced at her and she fell silent. "This is my daughter. And remember who you are."

The man turned and glanced at Ruan Wan. His eyes were strange; they held hatred, but also a hint of pity mixed with a touch of pain.

Ruan Wan felt uneasy. "Oh, Mother, you two star-crossed lovers are waiting for me to rescue you."

The man walked out with the hairpin in his hand, and the servant told Ruan Wan to follow him.

After walking through about three long corridors, the servant led Ruan Wan to the guest room. "Third Miss, the room hasn't been prepared yet. Please make do in the guest room tonight."

The Third Miss, who had inexplicably become the Third Miss, still politely said to the servant, "Um, thank you, but please don't call me Third Miss anymore, it feels awkward. Just call me Ruan Wan or Xiao Wan."

The servant in front of me had a gentle expression. "How can this be? There is a difference between master and servant. My name is Xiao Li. Just tell me what you need. Miss, you can rest now. I'll take my leave."

Stepping into the house, I saw an unfamiliar room with a carved mahogany bed, clean and soft mattresses, a round table and low chairs, white porcelain tea set, porcelain flowers on the tea table, and a bathtub behind four small screens.

Looking at myself, dressed in coarse clothes and cloth shoes, covered in mud from days of traveling, I felt completely out of place here.

At this moment, a maid knocked on the door from outside, "Third Miss, we servants are here to help you with your bath."

As they spoke, they filed in carrying their things. Several of them poured hot water into the bathtub, sprinkled flower petals, neatly arranged their clothes on the screen, placed the bath salts, and then left with their towels, closing the door behind them.