It’s rare for me to find a book I actually like on Qidian, so I was happy when I stumbled upon this one.
Reading Warnings / Guide (I haven’t finished translating yet, so I might add more or will change):
- The male lead starts off su!cidal—but weirdly, it came off more funny than tragic to me.
- The story balances plot and romance about 50/50.
- The political elements aren’t too complex, so don’t worry if you’re not into heavy court intrigue.
- The ML’s situation might leave you confused at first—that’s normal. This is a 500+ chapter story, and the truth will slowly unravel.
- The romance develops slowly, but it’s so worth it.
The spring chill was biting, the plum trembled on the branches.
In Xilin Village, a thousand li [\~500 km] away from Shangjing City, cooking smoke curled up in the air.
The sky had just lit up, and Yu Tingwan drilled into the stove room.
She was born fair and clean, dressed like a countryside girl. A triangular kerchief was wrapped around her head, her eyelids drooped all day, deliberately concealing her appearance, unwilling to go out, yet her looks were hard to find even in ten li or eight villages. Eyes like autumn water, lips of rosy red, a tear mole at the corner of her eye added even more charm and seduction.
These days, grain was precious. She didn’t dare put too much, grabbed a few small handfuls of broken rice, rinsed it clean, lit the fire, and cooked congee.
Behind her, Wang-shi \[氏: suffix denoting a married woman] wore a sullen face, eyes picky, extremely harsh toward this niece.
She said with disgust: “The Hu family took you in, not to let you entangle with Erlang. If you want to marry him, you’d better weigh whether you’re worthy or not.”
Yu Tingwan’s movements paused slightly, her expression full of absurdity: “Auntie, why do you say this?”
Wang-shi straightened her back proudly: “Our family’s Erlang is a precious scholar, valued by the teacher. He will surely achieve something in the future. That you want to climb a high branch is no surprise.”
She shot a sharp and contemptuous glance at Yu Tingwan, spat once: “Just give up that idea.”
What use is looking pretty? All seductive and bewitching. Just like that early-dead mother of hers—not a proper person.
The chill drilled into her through the seams of her clothes. Yu Tingwan shivered from the cold.
If her parents hadn’t died early, if she hadn’t considered that the world was chaotic and full of evildoers, with no money on her and too striking an appearance, how would she have come to the Hu family to rely on her uncle, enduring Wang-shi’s constant eye-rolling?
She laughed lightly: “Last time, before Second Cousin went to the academy, he said he had set his mind on me.”
Once these words were spoken, Wang-shi could no longer bear it, anxiously put her hands on her hips: “You must have seduced him! Shameless little cheap thing.”
“He said he has liked me for a long time, and even said he wants to marry me.”
Wang-shi’s eyes widened in rage, her heart blocked with fury, she shrieked: “I absolutely won’t agree!”
She was furious beyond words, grabbed the broom from the stove room, and was about to hit her.
She was furious beyond words, grabbed the broom from the stove room, and was about to hit her.
Yu Tingwan showed not the slightest panic, didn’t even dodge. She concealed the pity in her eyes, her red lips slightly parted, and spat out three words:
“I refused him.”
Wang-shi’s ferocious expression showed hesitation, and the broom stopped mid-air.
“What?”
“But he just won’t give up.”
“Go take care of him.”
Yu Tingwan’s watery deer-like eyes looked at Wang-shi, her attitude sincere: “It’s really quite annoying.”
A fishy sweetness welled up in Wang-shi’s throat—she nearly spat blood from rage. She understood every word Yu Tingwan said, yet somehow felt like she understood none of it.
She actually looked down on Erlang. How dare she?
Wang-shi’s breathing grew rapid, her chest heaving violently, two cold chuckles spilled from her lips: “Still being stubborn with your mouth!”
“Niang!” \[娘: literally “mother”; here likely used to address one’s own mother-in-law or mother]
The heavily pregnant Little Xu-shi hurriedly came in from outside: “I heard from the aunt next door that the road ahead is sealed off by heavy snow. I’m afraid Dalang, Erlang, and Father, rushing on the road, won’t be able to return in the next few days.”
Upon hearing this, Wang-shi grew anxious and began pacing in circles.
“What should we do?”
“With the weather this cold, the nights are even worse. Not only will the farmland likely be damaged, but have there been few who froze to death? The head of the household and Dalang have thick skin, a bit of freezing doesn’t matter. But Erlang is precious—how can his body withstand this?”
This old shrew!
Little Xu-shi was utterly furious.
Only your Erlang is a golden nugget! Everyone else is just grass!
If it weren’t for the scholar returning home from the academy in town, and Wang-shi couldn’t bear for him to walk, insisting that Father and Dalang take the ox cart to fetch him—would her man be suffering this kind of hardship?
But she dared not reveal even a trace of her emotions. Who wouldn’t want to bask in the glory of a scholar?
“Father is a man with ideas. If he sees something’s wrong, he’d never stay put for the night. Most likely, they’ll return to the town and wait for news.”
Wang-shi felt much relieved: “Yes yes yes, you make sense.”
She paced back and forth, brow furrowed: “But the expenses in town are high. Lodging and food—none of it is cheap. And they didn’t bring extra travel money.”
It was nearly New Year, and the academy was also closed. They wouldn’t be able to go in.
If they had to eat in the wind and sleep in the open… How could her Erlang bear such hardship?
Little Xu-shi’s gaze flickered, and she fell silent.
The weather was cold—she even had chilblains on her face. When her man left, Little Xu-shi had gritted her teeth and stuffed him with her private savings hidden for half a year, telling him to buy face cream.
That idiot Dalang—he’d better not turn around and hand the money over to Father for lodging expenses.
While the two of them each harbored their own schemes, helpless in the situation, Yu Tingwan, who was feeding the firewood, spoke lightly:
“They brought it.”
Wang-shi abruptly looked at her.
“How do you know?”
Because she was the one who reminded them.
Yu Tingwan had long known the mountain would be sealed—and for a full month. Before her uncle set out, she had gently advised him that anything could happen while traveling, and since there were no relatives in town, he should bring some extra silver.
Yu Tingwan had long known the mountain would be sealed—and for a full month. Before her uncle set out, she had gently advised him that anything could happen while traveling, and since there were no relatives in town, he should bring some extra silver.
She also knew…
Yu Tingwan slowly lifted her eyes, gaze deep as she looked at Wang-shi.
She also knew that Wang-shi, greedy for money, would take advantage of her uncle’s absence to forcibly marry her off to the sixty-year-old gentryman Dong \[董乡绅: “Dong xiangshen” – xiangshen means a rural gentry or landlord, often wealthy and influential in the village].
To say marry was too kind—it was more like sell.
Xilin Village was remote, located in a land of extreme poverty, without so many rules.
As long as the betrothal gift was accepted, a few tables of wedding banquet were held, the groom’s family could take the person away.
Sure enough, Wang-shi’s eyes moved—sharp and greedy.
She was fed up with the head of the household always defending Yu Tingwan.
Might as well just…
Wang-shi suppressed her wildly beating heart, gritted her teeth, and went to the locked cupboard to take out two chicken eggs. As she passed by Yu Tingwan, she found her an eyesore and gave her a heavy shove.
Who would have thought Yu Tingwan had already sensed it, turned her body and dodged to the side.
She pushed at air and almost twisted her waist.
“You!”
Yu Tingwan: “Oh, my mistake.”
Say her attitude is good? But her tone was perfunctory.
Say her attitude is bad? But she apologized very eagerly.
The flustered Wang-shi had a mouthful of air stuck in her throat—it wouldn’t go up or down. Her whole face turned red from holding it in. She shot a fierce glare at Yu Tingwan, then strode outside.
Once she left, only Yu Tingwan and Little Xu-shi were left in the stove room.
Once she left, only Yu Tingwan and Little Xu-shi were left in the stove room.
Such a stingy and penny-pinching person, yet she actually stuffed eggs into her pocket and went out!
Little Xu-shi was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. Gone was her timid obedience in front of Wang-shi. Now she puffed up arrogantly with her big round belly: “Do you know where Mother went?”
Yu Tingwan gazed at the flickering firelight inside the stove.
The moment she closed her eyes, what came to her mind was the image of her panicked, helpless self kneeling before Wang-shi, bitterly begging.
【“Auntie, have mercy, I won’t marry, I won’t marry him.”】
She was groveling low, yet the other party still held her nose high in the air, trying to crush her hopes.
【“I’m doing this for your own good—could I possibly harm you? Why can’t you appreciate it, Wan-niang? Yes, Master Dong’s grandson is the same age as you, but older men know how to cherish women.”】
Then there was Little Xu-shi, touching the gold hairpin given by the Dong family, smiling with unrestrained delight.
【“What good snow this is. The mountain’s sealed—Father can’t return. No one can save you. Even if you don’t want to marry, you’ll have to marry.”】
【“So what if you’re pretty? You’re just like your mother—meant to be ruined by men.”】
These two—there wasn’t a single good one among them.
She felt as though a foot had stepped into an ice cellar, her whole body frozen numb and stiff. Her arm had been seized; the balding gentryman Dong threw a pouch of silver to Wang-shi and dragged her away.
She struggled desperately, resisted fiercely—but it only enraged gentryman Dong, who raised his hand and slapped her hard.
【“Believe it or not, I’ll take you right here.”】