High-class Spring Joy

In a world covered in white snow, only hoofprints and wheel tracks remained, with the rest buried under the endless white snow.

Snow is a very crystalline and white substance in this world. It falls from the sky with a soft patter, but once it touches the temperature, it immediately melts into a drop of water.

Yet it is precisely this kind of thing that, when falling in heaps and mountains, can conceal the vast majority of traces in this world.

As for Mohan City, it was submerged in ice and snow. It was unclear whether this was because there were too few people in the place, or because neither people nor wild animals were often seen there, making it too unsuitable for habitation.

As a border city of a country, it should naturally be guarded even if it is not suitable for human habitation.

Mohan City is such a place.

Originally a remote and silent city, it now stands quietly in the snow and ice, its dark gray color sending chills down one's spine, making one feel that something is about to happen.

Qinghe and Princess Jing'an finally found a farmhouse not far from Mohan City.

This farmhouse was really hard to find. If they hadn't been there and smoke was rising from the chimney when they arrived, they probably wouldn't have been able to find it even if they had found it right in front of them in this freezing weather.

There was only an old woman and her young grandson living in this farmhouse.

When they saw Princess Jing'an and Qinghe appear together, they were frightened. The grandmother and granddaughter were so frightened that they quickly backed away. The old woman was so scared that she grabbed a stick from the side and was about to hit them.

"Where did you all come from? What are you trying to do here??? Let me tell you, we're very poor. Even if you rob us, you won't get anything. But if you really attack, you won't gain anything either. Don't think that just because I'm an old woman and can't fight anymore, I can't fight you to the death. I'll definitely take a bite out of you!!"

The old woman was terrified, as if she had been frightened by similar incidents countless times. She was panicked, as if she had encountered something that threatened her life, and tightly protected her little grandson behind her, like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Princess Jing'an, Qinghe, and the four guards who were protecting her all sensed something was wrong when they saw the old woman's obvious reaction.

While it's true that the sudden appearance of these unfamiliar people in this desolate wilderness should cause alarm and fear, there's no reason for such panic and fear. They must have experienced something far more terrifying, or something similar, before.

Princess Jing'an and her companions exchanged glances, then quickly stepped forward. They took out some silver from their hands and tried to soften their tone as they spoke to the old woman, attempting to appease her.

"Grandma, please calm down. Don't be too afraid. We're not bad people, nor are we bandits as you think. We're just passing through, but it's getting late and cold, and we haven't brought enough warm clothes. So we're looking for a place to rest. Grandma, don't panic. How could two women like us do such a heinous thing? If you still don't believe us, you can accept our money first. We can use it as payment for the next few days' lodging. Please accept it, Grandma."

The old woman was initially very wary, but when she saw that Princess Jing'an was indeed beautiful and didn't seem like the kind of person who would scheme, plus what Princess Jing'an said made sense, and most importantly, the silver ingot that Princess Jing'an gave was indeed quite a lot.

The old woman looked at Princess Jing'an, then at Qinghe beside her, and saw that the two girls were indeed pretty and didn't seem like they were up to anything bad.

But when the old woman's gaze fell on the four guards behind her, her guard, which had just been lowered, immediately rose again, and she even took two steps back while holding her little grandson.

Princess Jing'an was a very clever person. As soon as she saw the old woman's shifting gaze, the direction she was looking, and her movements, she realized that Tianyi and Tiansi and the others were carrying weapons and were probably going to frighten people.

Princess Jing'an glared back, and the four guards behind her were immediately frightened into putting away their weapons and standing there obediently. These four men, who were usually highly respected by the imperial guards in the palace, now stood there obediently like children who had done something wrong.

Qinghe couldn't help but smile.

Princess Jing'an then took out a small purse from her sleeve and stuffed all the silver inside into the old woman's hand:

"My wife asked if I was worried. We're actually young ladies from a wealthy family traveling. We have some money, so we wanted to travel around the country while we're young. We just got lost and ended up here. These four men, though they look fierce and are carrying weapons, are actually guards protecting my sister and me. They're not bandits. If they were bandits, they would have attacked us long ago. Why would I need to explain to you? Right?"

Princess Jing'an spoke gently yet persuasively. She naturally possessed an aura that made people feel happy, and her gentle tone at that moment made her very convincing.

The old woman was suspicious, but after hearing Princess Jing'an's words, she dispelled many of her doubts and accepted the silver from the princess. However, upon weighing it, she realized it was far too much and quickly declined, saying, "Young lady, you've given far too much. Our place is a remote, humble dwelling. Look, this house is just made of mud and stones; of course, it can't compare to the two young ladies' homes. The nicer places you used to live in the city are far better than this. At best, this house can only guarantee it's not drafty. And while you and your sister can squeeze into one bed, what about the four guards? This place is too small; there's simply no extra room for them. Besides, they're carrying weapons, and I'm not entirely at ease with them. My family usually only has me and my grandson; there's only one other bed, barely enough for the two young ladies to squeeze in. If these four really want to stay, they can only bring two cotton-padded coats and make a makeshift bed on the floor. In that case, there's absolutely no need for so much silver."

"It's alright, Mother-in-law, don't worry. The four of them will handle things themselves. You don't need to worry about them. Just find a place for me and my sister to stay. Especially my sister, she's frail and weak, so please try your best to take care of her."

The old woman didn't say much when she heard Princess Jing'an say that. Instead, she welcomed Princess Jing'an and Qinghe inside. As for Tianyi and the other men, although the old woman was worried about them, she couldn't bear to leave them outside in the wind and snow.

A pile of firewood was burning inside the house, crackling and popping. The old woman, holding her grandson, sat to the side, poking at the fire with tongs to make it burn brighter.

The little grandson looked to be only five or six years old. He was rather short and thin, with a pair of dark eyes that darted around, constantly scrutinizing Princess Jing'an, Qinghe, and the four people huddled by the door, his eyes revealing caution and wariness.

Tianyi and his three companions did not come up. They were satisfied with getting a little bit of anger from the doorway. As guards, they naturally could not easily sit on equal footing with the princess.

It was Qinghe who broke the ice first: "Grandma, this icy, snowy place doesn't look like a habitable place. We've only been here for a day and we're already freezing. How have you two, grandmother and grandson, managed to survive in this wilderness for so many years? Why don't you move away? Also, I only see that you two are living a very hard life here. Why don't the child's parents care? Or is there some hidden reason?"

"My two young ladies, you may not know this, but this place is indeed very remote. If you miss our lodging today, you'll have to continue north to Mohan City, which is ten miles away, if you want to find another place to stay. As for why it's just the two of us here, it's because... well, it's a sad story, and I didn't want to mention it. But since you two have asked, and considering that in these remote mountains, if it weren't for you two, this old woman probably wouldn't have been able to find anyone to talk to for years."

As the old woman spoke, she got up, poured two cups of hot tea, and handed them to Qinghe and Princess Jing'an:

"Living here wasn't what I truly wanted. Who would want to live in such a remote place? It's just that my grandson's parents passed away a long time ago, and their two lonely graves stand right next to this house. I have no other children or other attachments in my life; my only attachment now is my little grandson. So I stay here to guard the graves of my poor son and daughter-in-law. I'm old and don't earn much money, so I can't afford to send my poor grandson away. Fortunately, my grandson is sensible. I originally wanted to go to the city to find a job, at least to make a living, but who knew that the city was sparsely populated, so there weren't many jobs available. I found a job washing dishes at an inn, but it closed down not long after because there were no customers. Now, I can only eke out a living here with my grandson."

Although the old woman didn't mean to play the victim, her calm and casual words made both Qinghe and Princess Jing'an feel uneasy. They subconsciously frowned, exchanged a glance, and remained silent for a moment.

They were originally in Bianjing City. Although they knew that the common people had it hard and that they didn't care about their suffering, they still knew that the people in Bianjing City were naturally better off than those in these other places.

Princess Jing'an had heard her father and several brothers talk about the suffering of the people since she was a child, and that their goal was to ensure that the people had enough to eat and wear.

Princess Jing'an had visited various parts of the country during times of disaster and witnessed the suffering of the people. However, when she arrived in this place, she realized the profound meaning of the phrase "the suffering of the people." It was not something she could have witnessed by visiting just one or two places. There was only suffering, and no end to it.

For example, the old woman and her grandson they see now—the breadwinner of their family died long ago, and the old woman and the young boy have no way to earn the money and food they need to make a living on their own.

Even if they wanted to, few people would be willing to take them in; that's the coldest reality.

While thinking about this, Qinghe kept looking around the small house. The house was very small, and the ground was uneven, all mud and earth. The walls were made of bricks made of earth and stones, and you would get covered in dust as soon as you passed by.

The contents of the room were quite clear. There were two small beds, and no extra rooms. The beds were arranged like a large dormitory on the left and right sides of the room. On the table not far away, there were some bowls and chopsticks, but only two or three. Most of the bowls and chopsticks were chipped, indicating that they had been used for a long time but there was no way to replace them.

In the far right corner of the room was a broken rice jar. Through the hole, you could vaguely see that there wasn't much rice left inside; it was almost empty. Not to mention, there were no vegetables or anything like that in the entire room.

As expected, Qinghe and Princess Jing'an were right. When the old woman cooked dinner for them that evening, the two of them realized just how strapped for cash the old woman and her grandson were.

The old table, which had been in disrepair for many years, had many cracks on its surface, and one could vaguely see the original red paint that had been applied.

Perhaps because of its age, the red lacquer had already cracked and fallen off. Princess Jing'an and Qinghe were not disgusted by the table or the environment, but they felt a little sorry for the old woman in front of them, who was pale and thin, and for the short-statured grandson. However, when they saw what was in the large black iron pot on the table, they felt even more sorry for her.

The big black iron hook looks big, but inside it is just some watery white porridge. The rice grains are cooked until they bloom, but there is so little of it that it is more like rice water with some rice added than porridge.

To be honest, this old woman and her grandson probably only survive on this rice porridge every day. Perhaps it was because they saw them coming that they gave them money and even added extra rice to the porridge.

Tian, ​​who had originally come over intending to have a few sips, was stunned when the 14 people saw what was on the table. It wasn't because they looked down on them, as they weren't exactly pampered people. It was just that in such a short time, if the four of them, all grown men, drank it, there wouldn't be much left for the old lady and grandson, let alone Princess Jing'an and Qinghe. Tian gave the other three a look, and the four of them obediently sat back down, huddled by the door.

The old woman wasn't stupid. Seeing the troubled expressions on their faces and their reactions, she guessed what was going on. She smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry to have troubled you all. We really can't find any other food around here. This rice is all we have left. My grandson and I usually eat wild vegetables and fruits we find around here. But these days it's snowed heavily, and I'm old and have trouble walking, so this is all we have to eat for now. Please don't mind."

Princess Jing'an smiled, took two spoonfuls of porridge, and drank a mouthful: "Grandma, what are you saying? Although this porridge is different from what we used to eat, it's a blessing for us to be able to eat such sweet porridge in this place. If we hadn't been lucky enough to meet you today, we would probably have frozen to death in this snow soon. What more could we ask for?"

Princess Jing'an said this, and Qinghe quickly followed suit, which eased the awkward atmosphere at the table and made it feel warmer instead.

Qinghe took a couple of sips of porridge and found that her mouth felt strange. She didn't know what she had bitten into, and she almost broke her teeth. When she looked down, she found that there were pebbles mixed in with the porridge.

The old woman noticed Qinghe's unusual expression and was about to ask her what was wrong, but Qinghe immediately waved her hand and changed the subject, also asking the question they had been wanting to ask: "Grandma, the Mohan City you mentioned is about ten miles away from here, right? It's already very cold here; if we go another ten miles north, won't we freeze to death?"

"Yes, Mohan City is even colder than here. It's probably the coldest place in the whole country. There's nothing we can do about it. Mohan City is a border city designated by the higher-ups. Even if it's a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, someone has to stay and guard it. Normally, it's fine, but these days I've noticed something's off over there. At this time of day, there's no smoke rising from the chimneys. It's like it's become a dead city."

The old woman suddenly realized she had gone too far and quickly waved her hands, saying, "No, no, no, ladies, please don't misunderstand. I just feel something's different than before. I've lived here for decades, and I know exactly when smoke rises from the chimneys of Mohan City, when it quiets down, and when the lights are lit. I've watched it day after day, year after year, how could I not know? But lately, things have been strange. When the lights should be on, it's completely dark, and when smoke should be rising, it's completely still. Perhaps it's just that I'm getting old and overthinking things, but I feel something's not right. There seems to be a deathly stillness in the distance, and I feel like something's about to happen. So, I think if you two ladies have had enough of your travels, you can stay with me for a few days until the snow stops and then head back. If you go any further into Mohan City, you might encounter some unknown danger."

Then, her grandson immediately added, "Not only that, but at night there are often strange roaring sounds, and there are always some noises that keep me awake."

Sold into the Prime Minister's mansion as a slave for ten years, Qingyuan took on a job to produce an heir for a death row inmate in order to redeem herself.

"Miss, please read the contents of this booklet carefully. Remember the tips for serving men. I'll also take this opportunity to talk to you about the rules."

"My young master is aloof and arrogant. No matter how he reacts, you don't need to concern yourself with it. Just do your best to serve him well."

"Just spend one night with the young master and you will receive one hundred taels of silver. If you can truly bear a child for my young master, you will receive one thousand taels of gold."

"..."

After reciting a long list of rules, Granny Jiang's gaze fell on Qing Yuan in front of her.

Qingyuan was chosen by Granny Jiang from a dozen or so girls with innocent backgrounds.

Her appearance could only be described as that of a girl from a modest family, but she was delicate in the right places and had a full figure in the right places, making her look like she was good at bearing children.

Most importantly, she has a personality that allows her to go all out.

Qingyuan responded with a "yes," then looked down at the booklet in her hand, which was filled with drawings of bedroom scenes.

Her pretty face flushed red, and even her fingertips turned red as she looked at it, but her gaze never left her, as she wanted to write down as much as possible.

Soon, night fell.

Qingyuan was taken to the prison with her face covered. Only after she was pushed through the door were the black cloths pulled off her face.

Inside the cell, only a single, finger-thick white candle burned, making it very dim. In the corner, a broad figure sat in the shadows.

Before Qingyuan could even stand still, a cold, deep voice came from the corner—

"go out."

Being kicked out as soon as you enter is really not a good start.

Qingyuan wouldn't leave easily without paying that hundred taels of silver.

Qingyuan, clutching the handkerchief in her hand, moved a little closer to the corner. Although she still couldn't make out the face clearly, she should be able to hear the voice:

"Young master, please don't misunderstand, I am not a bad person."

The tall figure in the corner remained silent, and the cell fell into complete silence.

That's a bit awkward.

After a long silence, Qingyuan touched her nose and sat down on the ground next to her. It wasn't the cold stone slab she had imagined; it was just the right firmness and not cold at all.

She reached out and touched it, only to find that it was padded with a thin, soft cushion.

When Qingyuan was a child, she went to prison with her mother to visit her father who had been sentenced to prison. She remembered that the prison was dark and gloomy, with the smell of blood mixed with various rotten and damp odors.

It was completely different from what she saw before her.

In this world, the rich and powerful even have to go to jail in such an unusual way.

As Qingyuan was thinking, that cold, sharp voice rang in her ear again: "Get out!"

Qingyuan snapped out of her daze and looked at the corner: "I was sent here to carry on the young master's lineage. I can't leave until my mission is completed."

The person in the corner seemed taken aback by her directness, their tone tinged with surprise: "You?"

Qingyuan continued to look at him, seemingly unconcerned: "Did I say something wrong?"

The man was silent for a moment, his tone still cold and somewhat unnatural: "You... how can a young lady who hasn't even married yet... how can you so casually utter those four words?"

Which four characters?

Qingyuan paused for a moment before realizing that he meant the phrase "to carry on the family line".

She not only has to talk about it, but she also has to do it later.

She didn't argue with him: "If you don't like it, young master, I won't say anything."

As a maid, you should talk less and do more; just do your job well and get paid.

The man seemed to sense her disapproval: "You seem to have an objection?"

"I dare not."