Volume II, Big Summer Dynasty Chapter 7: Yes or Yes
By Xiao Xiang Dong'Er Translated and Arranged by Angel Chua
Edited by Angel Chua, 01 June 2019
At supper, the Jing family children were called out by the maid steward. Xiao Qi and Zhi Xiang were wounded, but they were still called together. Chu Qiao's waist hurt, so she slept in the small room and was left behind. After dinner, the Jing family children, tired, returned to their rooms. The children prepared to climb into bed. Zhi Xiang squatted on the ground, tending to the fire in the Kang hole, gathering firewood. Her face, scarred, had become red and swollen, giving her the look of a vicious snake.
The room was very quiet. The sound of sleeping children could be heard when Chu Qiao, borrowing Zhi Xiang's clothes, climbed into bed. She softly said to Zhi Xiang, "If your face isn't treated, the scar will become permanent."
While Zhi Xiang was working with the Kang hole to keep the fire going, her face had noticeably grown thin, and her eyes looked large and dark. She looked up and said, "Chu Qiao, slaves aren't allowed to receive treatment or medicine. Last time Xiao Qi secretly used some, but we stopped because we don't know the risks. If they find out, we'll be dead, and it will only add to the injury on my face."
As they were talking, Xiao Qi's Kang bed suddenly rang out. The two turned to see that Xiao Qi, who had kicked off her quilt, was sleeping. Zhi Xiang quickly ran over to cover her and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She then returned to the Kang hole to tend to the fire.
Chu Qiao looked at Zhi Xiang. Her lips moved but she said nothing. This child was only ten years old, yet the burden she carried was immense. The room was full of children, with the oldest being ten and the youngest only five or six. This wealthy Zhuge household housed many children, but what do they do with them?
"Zhi Xiang," Chu Qiao said softly, sitting next to her, "have you ever been to the south?"
"Jiangnan?" Zhi Xiang frowned and turned to Chu Qiao. "Where's that?"
"Do you know Huang Shan, or the Yangtze River?"
Zhi Xiang shook her head. "I know about Hong Chuan in the west, and the Red Hills Courtyard with the Red River below it. Why are you asking?"
Chu Qiao, deep in thought, shook her head. "Nothing, I was just curious. Do you know the name of the emperor today?"
"The Emperor is just the Emperor. We're not allowed to speak his name. But I know that the princes in black hoods who often visit our household are the Emperor's sons. One of them is Zhao Che, the seventh son, and the other is the thirteenth son, the youngest crown prince."
A cold, mocking face flashed in Chu Qiao's mind. She narrowed her eyes and repeated, "Zhao…" but Zhi Xiang interrupted her.
"What's wrong with you? You've been acting strange since you returned. Did you speak to Aunt Song? How did she let go of what happened today?"
Chu Qiao turned, smiled faintly, and said, "There's nothing to worry about. Aunt Song fell into the ice lake and drowned. I watched her die. She won't be coming after us anymore, and you shouldn't tell anyone about this."
"Dead?" Zhi Xiang gasped, shocked.
Chu Qiao quickly covered her mouth, glancing around to make sure the other Jing family children were still asleep. Coldly, she said, "I know what happened, and you do too. Don't speak of it again. Aunt Song was a poisonous person, and now she's gone. That's the end of it."
"You didn't kill her, right? She fell into the lake by accident, didn't she? Aunt Song's son is a former official of the Consulate. If we stir trouble, we won't escape unscathed," Zhi Xiang whispered.
Chu Qiao's smile turned wicked as she remembered Aunt Song's cruelty. The woman had insulted and cursed the children, calling them "cheap nest embryos." Chu Qiao pointed at Zhi Xiang's chest and said, "Do you think I killed her? Don't think too much about it. She did evil, and even if no one killed her, fate would catch up with her. Now, let's get some rest."
Zhi Xiang quickly shook her head. "No, I have to keep the fire going."
"I'll be fine. I'm not hurt. You can rest tomorrow. Go ahead," Chu Qiao urged.
Sitting quietly on a small bench, Chu Qiao tended the fire, occasionally adding wood as the flames crackled. Her face turned red from the heat. She glanced at the children around the room, her heart heavy. What could she do for them? She had mysteriously arrived in this unknown dynasty, trapped in the body of a small child. Her martial arts skills were gone, and she was left with a lowly status. How could she think of saving others when she could barely take care of herself? She needed to leave immediately.
Chu Qiao slowly closed her eyes and said to herself, "A man must do what he can."
Twilight was approaching when Chu Qiao finally left the room.
As the rooster crowed, marking dawn, the Jing family children got up on time, dressed in their servant clothes, and began preparing for the day's work. Chu Qiao watched them, some smiling, others looking sad.
Chu Qiao went out, intending to steal some food. She glanced at Xiao Ba, still lying unconscious in bed, and then turned away.
Although her martial skills were gone, her mind remained sharp. Chu Qiao, though not an elite agent like Agent 003 or Action 009, had been professionally trained as a national soldier. The Zhuge household was vast, but for someone small and logical, with a strong sense of space, it was like an undefeated playground.
In less than half an hour, she quietly exited the military hall and arrived at the former Court. The security was stiff and tight, with guards patrolling, armed with knives. The Zhuge household was not an ordinary family, especially with the royal connections of Zhuge Huai and his brothers. Chu Qiao straightened her back, adjusted her clothes, and pressed on.
"Do you want to die?"
A tall figure suddenly approached. Half of the person's face was exposed, the other half concealed. Chu Qiao stopped and looked up, her small face pale but cute, her black and white pupils clear. In a sweet voice, she softly said, "Big Brother ordered me to go to the old man's house. He gave me an hour before he returns."
The guard frowned, eyeing Chu Qiao up and down. "This is an illegal route. The old man's tastes have changed? He prefers little girls now? Who sent you?"
"I have an address," the child replied, rummaging through her small bag and pulling out a white paper. Her tiny hands gestured as she murmured, "From the house, go out to the third intersection, turn left, then in front of the floating restaurant with the fragrant discotheque…"
"Enough," the guard interrupted impatiently. "Who told you this? No one is taking you there?"
"Aunt Song was supposed to, but she fell from the stone bridge, hit her head on the ice, and sank. I don't think she's coming."
"What?" The guard's eyes widened as he grabbed Chu Qiao's shoulder. "Who fell from the stone bridge?"
"Aunt Song, the main steward," Chu Qiao replied.
The guard slapped his trousers in frustration and waved his hand in her face. "You little brat, why didn't you say so earlier? Come with me, we need to save her!"
Chu Qiao was slapped to the ground, her ears ringing. Watching the chaos as the guards rushed away, she smirked slightly.
This slap, she would remember.
Quickly, she stood up, picked up her belongings, and instead of heading to the door, went another way. She came across a grand, gold-inlaid door, flanked by mighty stone lions. The Zhuge household's name glittered on the plaque above the entrance, resplendent and intimidating.
Chu Qiao marched forward with determination, stepping across the threshold. Outside the door, the sun shone brightly, and the air felt fresh. Life outside seemed like a new beginning. As she crossed the doorway, she reflected on the humiliation and suffering she had endured. She would remember it all—every drop of blood and tear shed—and one day, she would seek revenge.
She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and prepared to leave this wretched place behind.
At that moment, a familiar, harsh scream pierced the air.
Startled, Chu Qiao turned and rushed back inside.
** ACs Afterthoughts Just curious what is a slave Kang beds looks like in ancient china.