Ming Rou was only eight years old, still very much a child and fond of play. Old Patriarch Ming, considerate of her young age, allowed her some time in the afternoons to go out and play with her little friends. Ye Qiuniang, as her closest person now, naturally followed to attend to everything.
Ming Hongxuan was a boy. The Old Patriarch and his grandfather were distant cousins, separated by a few generations, making the relationship neither close nor distant. The Ming clan had several branches in Pingle County, but only Old Patriarch Ming’s branch had prospered. Other branches, seeing his business grow year after year, inevitably grew envious. When Ming Yulan was looking for a son-in-law, some had offered their own sons, hoping that after the Old Patriarch passed on, the family fortune would at least remain in Ming hands.
But Ming Yulan disliked them all, instead setting her sights on the fair-faced Du Xian. Du Xian was tall and handsome, had studied for several years, and became an Apprentice Scholar at twenty. He tried for County Scholar for several more years but never passed, so he abandoned his brush and ink to try other trades. He opened a small shop that folded within two years. Yet by a twist of fate, he caught the eye of the Ming family’s daughter and, in one leap, became the Ming family’s esteemed son-in-law, his life turning completely upside down.
Old Patriarch Ming looked down on Du Xian, but he was helpless against his daughter’s affections. And he only had this one precious child; he couldn’t bear to scold or beat her. Heaven knows what spell Du Xian had cast on Ming Yulan. To marry this man, she had cried, thrown tantrums, and threatened suicide until the Old Patriarch finally agreed.
Du Xian was a master at reading people and playing his part. With Ming Yulan, he had her completely under his thumb. Yet, in front of Old Patriarch Ming, he always wore a mask of complete deference, handling matters flawlessly and leaving no evidence of wrongdoing. The Old Patriarch couldn’t do much about him.
Later, when Ming Rou was born, the Old Patriarch doted on this granddaughter immensely. Ming Rou’s birth distracted the Old Patriarch, leaving him less time to watch the live-in son-in-law so closely. For a while, Du Xian grew a bit arrogant. Riding on Ming Rou’s coattails, even when he occasionally dipped his fingers where they didn’t belong, the Old Patriarch would just turn a blind eye.
As Old Patriarch Ming aged, Du Xian’s boldness grew, almost to the point of bringing outsiders into the household. Ming Yulan heard some rumors and confronted Du Xian, but he feigned complete innocence, denying everything. Without solid proof, and utterly unable to leave this man, she could only sit in her boudoir, shedding silent tears, unable to do a thing.
“My dear wife, those are just envious people, jealous of our Ming family’s success. They’re spreading rumors to sow discord among us. I have Rou’er now, how could I possibly think of philandering outside?”
“But you’re always longing for a son,” Ming Yulan said, aggrieved.
“What difference does a son or daughter make? Didn’t Father only have you, a daughter? Besides, you’re still young. If you want more children, we can still try,” Du Xian soothed.
It had to be said, Ming Yulan’s attraction to Du Xian was mainly due to his face. Like other unmarried young ladies, Ming Yulan had been fooled by this handsome face. Moreover, Du Xian was so skilled at sweet-talking women. So, no matter how great her resentment, the man would soften his tone, say a few words, and smooth things over again.
After so many years of marriage, Ming Yulan had a fair idea of his character. But now, with a child, could she really seek a separation? And besides, wasn’t it normal for men in this world to have Three Wives and Four Concubines? Well, with the exception of her own father. While her old father was still alive, she assumed Du Xian couldn’t stir up any major storms.
If life could just go on like this, plain and simple, it would be fine. At least her child was lively and adorable. Even if her husband strayed outside, at least he still came home. In the eyes of others, their life was harmonious and happy enough.
And those who had missed their chance with Ming Yulan were now starting to set their sights on Ming Rou. Ming Hongxuan was one of them. He was two years older than Ming Rou, from a family of modest means, also ordinary merchants but far less successful than Old Patriarch Ming. Moreover, Ming Hongxuan had two older brothers above him. If the family fortune was divided equally, there wouldn’t be much for each. So, his family hoped to get him in front of Ming Rou to build familiarity.
After all, the Ming family only had this one child. If he could marry her, why worry about the family fortune? Ming Hongxuan was also quite handsome. At a young age, he was already rosy-lipped and fair-skinned, making him popular with girls his age. His family counted on Ming Rou being like her mother, valuing a man’s looks above all else, a sucker for a pretty face. That way, Ming Hongxuan’s chances would be high, and he could follow Du Xian’s path—a poor boy leaping over the dragon gate to become the future power behind the Ming family.
Old Patriarch Ming was well aware of these people’s intentions. Originally, he had planned to take precautions to prevent his granddaughter from following her mother’s path. But upon closer observation, he saw things were different. This little granddaughter of his seemed to have a strong mind of her own. She wasn’t drawn to the powerful, nor infatuated with a handsome face. She was still too young for him to discern her true preferences. But one thing gave him comfort: she loved herself more than anyone else.
So, the Old Patriarch didn’t forbid her from interacting with others. As long as it didn’t interfere with her studies, she could play with whomever she wished. He wouldn’t restrict her. As for later, when Ming Rou, Ming Hongxuan, and the Xu family’s granddaughter, Xu Qionghua, became close playmates, the families let them be. Every child had a few good playmates, didn’t they?
Now, with Ye Qiuniang in the Ming household to look after her, there was even less chance of trouble. But one day, Ming Hongxuan and the Xu family’s Eldest Miss asked Ming Rou to go out and play. Coincidentally, that day, Ye Qiuniang had her first Monthly Cycle and felt unwell all over. She decided to be lazy and not join them.
Who would have thought that by dinner, they still hadn’t returned? And then a torrential rainstorm hit, with thunder, lightning, and fierce winds. The household, frantic with worry like ants on a hot pot, not seeing the Eldest Miss return. Ye Qiuniang had never been separated from Ming Rou for so long. Without her nearby, she felt a vague unease. Watching the lightning streak across the sky, she recalled how the little girl feared thunderstorms more than anything. Her heart jumped to her throat.
Although the Ming family sent people to search, how could she sit still? Ignoring the dull ache in her lower abdomen, she grabbed an umbrella and went out herself. She searched the streets and alleys, the places they usually frequented, but saw no sign of them. The unease in Ye Qiuniang’s heart intensified. She cursed herself for being lazy today, which led to this situation.
The rain poured down, flooding the streets. Ye Qiuniang was almost completely soaked, and her stomach ached terribly. But how could she care about any of that? She searched Pingle County lane by lane, calling Ming Rou’s name to everyone she met. After searching seven or eight alleys with no sign of her girl, Ye Qiuniang was utterly exhausted, shivering with cold. Other servants had long since sneaked off to hide from the rain, but she kept going, knocking on door after door, asking if anyone had seen Ming Rou.
Persistence paid off. Near dusk, at a dilapidated temple on the east side of Pingle County, Ye Qiuniang loudly shouted Ming Rou’s name, calling for the Eldest Miss, then calling “Ming Rou.” Her voice was almost completely hoarse from shouting all afternoon. The umbrella in her hand had long been destroyed by the wind and was useless, now only a walking stick.
To her relief, someone inside the temple responded quickly. It was Ming Rou’s voice, shouting urgently, “Jiujiu—— Jiujiu——”
Tears nearly streamed down Ming Rou’s face at that moment. She stumbled toward the dilapidated temple, about to throw herself into Ye Qiuniang’s arms when she noticed her own damp clothes and abruptly halted.
Earlier, Ming Rou and her two playmates, along with three young maids, had come out to the countryside to fly kites. They were unexpectedly trapped by the heavy rain, hoping it would stop so they could rush home. But it rained endlessly, and thunder and lightning continued, terrifying the two young misses so much they dared not step out of the temple.
The young maids, barely fourteen or fifteen, panicked at the situation. They wanted to go for help but dared not leave their little masters. The floodwaters on the roads also posed a threat, so no one dared leave the temple. Ming Hongxuan, being the oldest, initially put on a brave face and comforted his two younger companions. But as the rain grew heavier and the sky grew darker, he eventually lost his patience and sat silently in a corner.
As night fell, the pampered Xu Qionghua had long since started sobbing. But it was the youngest, Ming Rou, who comforted her instead, saying, “Don’t be afraid. Wait a little longer. Jiujiu will definitely find us.”
And sure enough, Ye Qiuniang came. Seeing Ye Qiuniang, soaked to the bone like a drowned rat, lips colorless, Ming Rou felt both overjoyed and heartbroken. She also noticed the dark brown stain near Jiujiu’s thigh and cried out in alarm, “Jiujiu, are you hurt? You’re bleeding!”
Now that she had found Ming Rou, the huge stone in Ye Qiuniang’s heart finally dropped. Only then did she remember her own situation. She smiled weakly, her face pale. “It’s nothing, just a small injury.”
The maid attending Xu Qionghua had already started her own Monthly Cycle and understood what was happening. She whispered a few words to Ming Rou and Xu Qionghua. The two young girls immediately understood. Ming Rou quickly untied her own outer garment and wrapped it around Ye Qiuniang’s waist. Clinging to her arm, she seemed on the verge of tears. “Jiujiu, we didn’t originally plan to come to this place. It was a last-minute decision…”
Seeing her look so uneasy, Ye Qiuniang mustered a weak smile. “Good girl, we’ve found each other, that’s all that matters.”
By now, the rain was beginning to let up. Sending someone back for help would only delay things further. So, they decided each family’s servants would escort their own little master home.
