Just as these sudden relatives were about to take me away, Hu Zi and his father returned. Seeing that I was being led off, Hu Zi immediately tried to rush forward, but his father caught him. All the boy could do was bite his lip and glare from behind Uncle Laixing’s legs.
Uncle Laixing knelt before me and asked with great care, "Child, are these people truly your family?"
Looking into his honest eyes, a warm wave of emotion surged through me. Though I had only stayed with this family for a few short days, the thought of leaving felt strangely bittersweet.
Fu Sao stood to the side, smiling broadly. "Sir, this is indeed our family’s Third Miss. There is no mistake."
Uncle Laixing remained serious, waiting for my answer. I thought for a moment and said honestly, "I don’t know. I really don’t remember."
Uncle Laixing sighed and stood up, addressing the man beside Fu Sao. "The child suffered a great shock. She was unconscious for many days before she finally woke. I fear her mind may have been injured. If she is not the one you seek, I hope you will find it in your hearts to bring her back to us."
The man with the sharp, imposing aura stared blankly at Uncle Laixing for a long time. Finally, as if snapping back to his senses, he cupped his hands in a respectful salute. "I am Baofu, the head steward of the household of Master Ji Wenze, the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. This is indeed our Third Miss, Wuchao."
Uncle Laixing still looked half-skeptical, yet resigned.
I didn't know what to say. Ji Wuchao’s home might not truly be mine, but Hu Zi’s home certainly wasn't either. Aside from going with them, I didn't seem to have any better options. Moreover, Baofu clearly knew martial arts; whether I wanted to leave or not, the choice was likely no longer mine.
I gave Hu Zi’s cheek a firm squeeze and whispered, "Come visit me if you get the chance. I’ll keep teaching you then." Hu Zi just stared at me blankly, likely too overwhelmed by the parting to even get angry about me pinching his face.
Even after we had traveled a great distance, I could still see a small black silhouette on the mountain ridge, jumping up and down in our direction, shouting something I couldn't quite hear.
Once the carriage reached the official highway, I realized the landscape at the foot of the mountain was already deep in the hues of autumn.
Through the bamboo curtains of the carriage, I could clearly see the maple forests blanketing the mountains on both sides of the road. Under the bright autumn sun, the reds and yellows intermingled like a magnificent, burning sea of fire, drawing gasps of admiration from me every now and then.
Inside the carriage, Fu Sao—the plump woman sitting opposite me—watched my exaggerated expressions and said with a giggle, "It’s no wonder. You siblings were all born in the west; you’ve truly never seen the scenery of the east."
"What do you mean by 'the west'?" I asked.
She shook her head, smiling. "The place where we used to live, of course. There were deserts and mountains outside." Seeing my confused look, she continued, "Xiping Prefecture. The Master was demoted to Xiping and served as a petty official for ten years. But things are better now; we’ve finally returned." She let out a long, sentimental sigh.
I nodded, beginning to understand. Fu Sao and Baofu were likely loyal servants who had followed their master to the desolate western frontier for ten years of hardship. Now, the imperial court had remembered Ji Wenze and issued a decree summoning him back to Zhongjing to serve as a Vice Minister in the Ministry of Rites.
I couldn't help but wonder, though—if Ji Wuchao’s father was merely a civil official, how had he managed to win the loyalty of someone as skilled in martial arts as Baofu?
He was likely no simple man. I found myself growing quite curious about him.
As I was thinking, the carriage swayed slightly and came to a halt. Baofu’s deep voice sounded from outside. "There’s a small tavern in the woods. We’ll make do with a meal here. If we look for another place to stop, we likely won't find one until Hejia Village."
Fu Sao answered and stepped out of the carriage first, then reached out to lift me down. I wasn't at all used to being carried around like this, but for some reason, every time she reached for me, I felt as though I couldn't dodge her. Did she know martial arts too?
I studied her curiously: she was tall and plump with a round, perpetually smiling face. Her bright, circular eyes sparkled with life when she laughed. She must have been a beauty in her youth.
While I was lost in thought, the little maid who had been dozing in the carriage, Yingxue, was also lifted down. She stumbled over to take my hand, rubbing her eyes with the other. She was just a child; I truly couldn't bring myself to order such a thin, small girl around.
Baofu had already gone into the tavern to make arrangements, while Fu Sao stayed by the carriage to tidy our belongings. Yingxue held my hand as we stood by the carriage, taking in the view.
Though the tavern was small, the surroundings were exceptionally serene. Many carriages were already parked along the highway, and several drivers and servants were resting by the roadside. It was quite a lively, bustling scene.
Suddenly, a small black figure rushed toward me with great speed. I started—even in such a picturesque place, there were pickpockets?
I jerked my hand out of Yingxue’s grasp, stepped aside to dodge the collision, and reflexively grabbed the boy's wrist, twisting it behind his back. The lad let out a sharp "Agh!" of pain.
However, his reactions were quick. He twisted his body while his other hand lunged to grab me. I swept a kick toward the back of his knee, intending to bring him down. But I hadn't accounted for the fact that I was wearing a skirt; the kick tripped me up instead. In my urgency, I used the momentum to drive my knee into his lower back, and we both tumbled to the ground. The boy was agile, but he lacked combat experience; once he hit the dirt, he had no follow-up moves, leaving him at my mercy as I pinned his hands together.
Lacking handcuffs, I simply yanked off the little thief’s belt and bound him tight.
As I hauled the thief to his feet, I realized a large crowd had gathered around us, everyone staring at me with bizarre expressions. The scene felt strangely familiar; I remembered similar tableaus from my past life when we would ambush drug dealers in the streets.
I looked at myself, then at the thief, and couldn't help but sigh. He was just a child, about the same age as Hu Zi, dark-skinned and thin. I had probably tied him too tightly, as his eyes were welling with tears.
"What were you trying to steal from me?" I asked crossly. "Couldn't you have just asked? You're so young—why use such underhanded tactics?"
The boy’s tears began to fall in earnest. Once he started crying, I lost my edge. I looked back at Yingxue, who was staring at me from the crowd in a daze. I beckoned her over. "What do I have on me that’s valuable?"
Yingxue hesitated for a moment, then reached down to my waist and unclipped a small silk pouch adorned with silver beads.
I held the pouch up to the little thief. "What did you want this for?"
The boy kept his head down and remained silent.
I gave a cold laugh. "Staying quiet, are you? Are you from..." I caught myself just in time, swallowing the words "which school are you from?" and changing it to: "If you don't speak, I'll hand you over to the authorities and have the magistrate throw you in the dungeon."
I didn't actually know what the officials were called here—perhaps the Yamen? But he surely understood the concept of a magistrate.
Sure enough, the child’s face filled with fear.
"Yingxue?" I called out, feigning authority. "Go into the shop and ask for directions to the local magistrate's office."
The dark-skinned boy panicked, shuffling forward a step. "I'll talk... I'll talk..." He sniffled, ignoring the crowd. "My grandfather is sick."
Oh? A filial grandson? My heart softened slightly. "Is there no one else at home?"
The boy shook his head.
"Is that the truth?" I was skeptical. Was my luck really so good that the first thief I caught happened to be a devoted grandson?
A teenager in the crowd spoke up. "It’s true. He and his grandpa live right next door to me. His grandpa really is sick."
I glanced at Yingxue, who was looking at the boy with a face full of sympathy. I sighed and untied his belt, then pressed the small silk pouch into his hand. "I don't have anything else of value. You can have this."
The boy clearly hadn't expected me to let him go so easily. He froze for a moment before turning and slowly walking away.
With the protagonist gone, the spectators naturally dispersed. Yingxue grabbed my hand, chirping excitedly as she asked what kind of moves I had used to catch the boy. Suddenly, I noticed Baofu and Fu Sao standing on the tavern steps, watching me. Baofu had a pensive expression, while Fu Sao’s eyes were shining as if she had discovered a hidden treasure.
Had I slipped up? Had they realized I wasn't their young miss?
Just then, a waiter from the shop came out to greet us. Having witnessed the scene, he hesitated before saying, "That little rascal spends all day here tricking people. This young miss has fallen for his act."
I stared at him, dumbfounded, and protested indignantly, "Surely not? Someone nearby said his grandfather really is sick."
The waiter shook his head. "Those two are in cahoots; of course he’d take his side." As he poured us hot tea, he added, "Those two hoodlums are known as Big Hei and Little Hei. Everyone around here knows them; they only target travelers." Seeing my darkening expression, he quickly amended, "But the young miss is kind-hearted. Just consider it an act of charity. Good deeds bring good rewards."
My first instinct was to rush out, find that little hoodlum, and give him a proper lesson. But then I felt a wave of deflation. Since they were well-known rascals, they were likely long gone by now.
Unbelievable. To think I, of all people, was swindled by a child.
As I sat there gnashing my teeth, a warm, large hand covered mine. I looked up into Fu Sao’s sparkling round eyes. I couldn't help but ask, "Your eyes are so bright—how old are you, exactly?"
Fu Sao burst into laughter. "I’m two or three years older than your mother!"
I gave a wry smile. I wanted to ask how old my mother was, but I bit my tongue.
Fu Sao looked at me and shook her head with a smile. "Back in Xiping Prefecture, you used to follow the guards around every day, playing with their weapons. We always thought it was just a child’s mischief, but it turns out you actually learned a thing or two." She patted my braids with pride. "In another two years, we'll have Uncle Baofu give you some pointers as well."
My eyes lit up instantly. So Wuchao had a penchant for such things? It seemed we finally found a point of commonality. My gaze shifted to Baofu, my eyes practically beaming. In ancient novels, there were always hidden masters; perhaps Baofu was one of them. The more I looked at him, the more he fit the part.
Seeing my intense gaze, Baofu immediately looked away uncomfortably and gave a forced chuckle. "Miss Wuchao is a high-born lady. How could she spend every day learning such things?"
I laughed inwardly, though I made sure to let a look of disappointment cross my face. Wuchao was still young, wasn't she? I had plenty of time. As the saying goes, with enough persistence, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle.
However, thanks to Fu Sao’s intervention, the flicker of suspicion in Baofu’s eyes had completely vanished. I could tell that this plump woman truly loved Wuchao. Her mention of Wuchao learning from the guards was less of a compliment and more of a deliberate attempt to cover for me in front of Baofu.
Realizing this, I felt a surge of genuine warmth toward the steward’s wife.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 记文则 | Ji Wenze | The protagonist's father in her new life. |
| 礼部侍郎 | Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites | A high-ranking government official position. |
| 宝福 | Baofu | The Ji family's head steward. |
| 舞潮 | Wuchao | The protagonist's new given name (Ji Wuchao). |
| 西平府 | Xiping Prefecture | The remote location where the Ji family lived for ten years. |
| 中京 | Zhongjing | The Central Capital. |
| 福嫂 | Fu Sao | Baofu's wife, a senior servant/nanny figure. |
| 迎雪 | Yingxue | A young maidservant. |
| 河家集 | Hejia Village | A geographical location mentioned on the journey. |
| 侍郎 | Vice Minister | A high-ranking official title. |
| 礼部 | Ministry of Rites | One of the Six Ministries in imperial China. |
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