Chapter 1, My hands are dirty

With this force, she sprang upward, twisting her damp hair in the water—this lake water had dissipated all the heat within her body, making her feel light and clear-headed, so comfortable that she didn't even want to leave

Feng Zhiwei suddenly took away the broom

Feng Zhiwei tilted her head slightly and smiled at her.

Feng Zhiwei smiled humbly, retracting her hand into her sleeve

Feng Zhiwei swallowed hard and touched her suddenly rumbling belly

"How can such menial work be assigned to the esteemed niece?" The woman, in her twenties, had an exquisite appearance, with slightly upturned eyes and a touch of light silver-red blush, showcasing the most fashionable "flying blush" makeup of this winter in the capital. "If your uncle were to find out, I wonder how heartbroken he would be."

The glint of the scissors flashed on the emerald lake surface, a strand of black hair gently fell onto the water, each strand distinctly drifting away.

Aunt Wu cast a glance at her, feeling a stir in her heart... This girl, if it weren't for her poor complexion, would truly be beautiful; no wonder some say she resembles that person...

The bone-chilling lake water instantly enveloped her entire body, causing her to shiver, thinking she would be frozen stiff immediately. However, after the initial cold passed, a surge of persistent warmth within her suddenly erupted, flowing throughout her body like a fountain. When it collided with the external cold, it neutralized into a temperature as suitable as that of a hot spring, coursing and stretching through her veins and meridians. To her surprise, she felt warm and comfortable, as if she were soaking in hot water.

The fifth aunt swam over for the third time. This woman surprisingly exhibited a fierce and ruthless temperament; she no longer attempted to grasp the stones on the shore, but suddenly seized the broom, wrapped her body around it, and forcefully pulled down.

Suddenly, a sound of jingling ornaments came from behind, accompanied by a rich and fragrant aroma of incense. Feng Zhiwei did not turn around, but casually pressed the broom in her hand down flat, causing some frozen beads of ice to roll smoothly across the ground ahead.

"Oh, isn't this Miss Feng from my family?" A voice from behind carried a laugh, laced with a condescending chill. "What are you doing so early in the morning?"

Feng Zhiwei was caught off guard and was suddenly pulled into the lake by her

Feng Zhiwei squatted by the shore, calmly observing. This place was already remote, and with matters happening early in the morning, it was even less likely for anyone to come by. It was truly reckless for Fifth Aunt to pass through here in her state of madness.

Indeed, your uncle holds the important positions of the Commander of the Five Armies and the Chief of the Flying Shadow Guards, and as the foremost military general of the Tian Sheng Dynasty, he truly has no time to attend to the matters of the household. You understand the boundaries, and your aunt will certainly need to take more care of you. The fifth concubine of the Qiu family, who has long fallen out of favor, looked with satisfaction at Feng Zhiwei's and Shun's lowered faces. This girl has always had a good temper; no matter how much she is pressed, she never gets angry. It is unexpected that the disgraceful Qiu family elder sister could give birth to such a gentle daughter.

"Creak."

In late autumn, the ripe red persimmons, having been frozen by the first snowfall of early winter, are enhanced with a touch of exquisite honey from Jiu Niang. Served in a Jingfeng thin-walled snow porcelain cup, they appear crystal clear and rosy like glazed glass. Taking a sip, the cool sweetness glides smoothly like jade into the lungs, soothing the lingering discomfort and heat within her.

Feng Zhiwei smiled gently, lowering her eyelashes

Feng Zhiwei watched as the woman glided past, slowly drawing her hand back into her sleeve, and gently said: "No, my hands are dirty"

The broom handle was icy, still covered with a bit of frozen snow. To an ordinary person, it would feel cold, but Feng Zhiwei held it comfortably, finding the chill truly refreshing and invigorating.

Unfortunately, that seems to be a pleasure from a past life

She lifted her face, let out a cold snort, thinking of the Prince of Chu, who was reputed to be the most handsome and charming in the Tian Sheng Dynasty, and considering that she could finally escape the lonely days of the Qiu residence. Her brows and eyes were filled with joy as she stepped away.

Aunt Wu, amidst the chaos and disorientation, cried out in panic: "Help me! Help me!"

Thud

Caught in a moment of emptiness, the fifth concubine could no longer hold on. Her head briefly surfaced above the water, then she silently sank down.

The sound of a body falling into the water was merely a faint splash. Feng Zhiwei smiled, took a broom, and walked to the shore. Surprisingly, Fifth Aunt could swim; she struggled and floundered in the water. The water was too cold, and her face instantly turned a ghastly shade of blue. Her slick hair fell loose, wet and clinging to her face like writhing black snakes. It seemed she was too frozen to cry out, yet she also appeared to know that Feng Zhiwei would not save her, desperately swimming towards the shore.

The twelfth year of Changxi, winter

It was also a heavy snow day, colder than today. She knelt behind her mother, watching as the wash water froze bit by bit in her mother's hair. Afterwards, her mother had a high fever for three days and nights, nearly losing her life

Feng Zhiwei gazed upward with a sense of longing, letting out a barely audible sigh. She lazily waved a broom, sweeping the accumulated snow from the path into the artificial lake at the roadside

My uncle is extremely busy with his daily affairs; how could I trouble him with such trivial matters? Having my fifth aunt care for me is sufficient

The capital of the Tian Sheng Dynasty, the Imperial Capital

Suddenly slipping beneath her feet, she stepped on a ground covered with small, slippery ice beads. Lady Wu could not maintain her balance and leaned backward, letting out a startled cry. Instinctively, she reached out with her hand, her fingers almost touching a broom that was stuck in a snowdrift nearby

This illness ... ? ... has probably worsened. ? I don't even feel the cold of the winter lake.

Feng Zhiwei extended her broom and pushed Fifth Aunt out.

It is indeed the case that after studying in a private school for a full five years, I have yet to memorize the "Three Character Classic"

Thud

This one is for herself

Suddenly, her scalp tightened, and the woman beside her grabbed her hair. Feng Zhiwei turned her head and saw a face already showing signs of death, with a pale and sinister smile. The fingers, like vines, tightly entangled her hair, attempting to drag her down into the depths.

As you can see, Feng Zhiwei turned around and gathered the broom, "sweeping the snow."

Early in the morning, a faint mist lingered in the air, floating coolly between heaven and earth. It settled on the bright crimson glazed tiles of the Autumn Mansion in Xihua Alley, creating a delicate layer of pale pink. The deep red, covered by the snow-white frost flowers, lost some of its brilliance and gained a touch of warmth and charm, resembling frostbitten fruits.

A drenched person swam over, and just as their trembling fingers were about to touch the shore, Feng Zhiwei gently swept them away with a broom.

That year, the mother brought her siblings back to the Qiu residence, kneeling in front of the door for three days and three nights. On the third day, the door opened, and a basin of foot-washing water was suddenly splashed out. Behind the door, holding the basin, was the maid of this Fifth Concubine.

"Don't! Your hands are dirty!" Fifth Aunt snapped her hand open, casting a disgusted glance at her fingers smeared with snow, then looked at the unusual flush on her face, stepping back as if to avoid a plague.

Feng Zhiwei placed a foot on her head, pushing her down further—since death was inevitable, it might as well come swiftly

Feng Hetushu.com.com was momentarily taken aback, instinctively touching her chest. She had suffered from an inexplicable internal heat condition since childhood, often feeling restless and burning as if on fire, with a strong desire for coolness. The doctor had declared that she would not live past the age of twenty, and in the eyes of others, she was merely a dying person

But what good is beauty? With such a notorious background, and being a frail creature destined for a short life, a beautiful face is merely a fleeting flower, doomed to wither in the mire.

She coldly smiled, feeling that she had spoken enough with this girl today. In the past, she would not have had the mood to deal with her. If it were not for His Highness the King of Chu coming and inviting her to a private meeting in the back courtyard, making her overjoyed, she would not have cared about this girl's lifelong affairs.

Aunt Wu swam over for the second time, the lake water stirred up large ripples, her movements had slowed considerably, and her fingers, stiffened, attempted to grasp a stone at the shore

"How can Aunt have no one to attend to her?" Feng Zhiwei set down the broom and reached out to support Fifth Aunt, saying, "I will assist you."

Frozen fruit

I just don't know which unfortunate soul has arrived

None of these posed a problem for her. After a while, she reached out to grab a stone on the shore in preparation to come ashore, when her eye inadvertently caught a glimpse of the water's surface, causing her body to suddenly stiffen

Aunt Wu fell to the ground with a thud, landing on a thin layer of floating snow over a sheet of ice, which was extremely slippery. As soon as Aunt Wu hit the ground, she slid away, and ahead of her was the ice lake, chilling to the bone under the harsh winter.

Feng Zhiwei hung her head, her face expressionless. The customs of the Tian Sheng Dynasty were open, and the royal family and ministers were particularly indulgent and extravagant. It was common for them to share beautiful courtesans and exchange concubines in their daily interactions. The Qiu residence had many concubines, and although Fifth Aunt's beauty had not faded, her affections had waned. Living in the Qiu residence was lonely. Early this morning, she quietly dressed up and went to the front courtyard alone, likely having heard that some noble or scholar had arrived, hoping for a "stunning encounter" or something similar, wishing for a chance to turn her fortunes around and change her circumstances.

Thus, she soaked in the water, pondering the aftermath of this incident—how to conceal the traces left on the shore, and how to explain to her mother the sudden shortening of her hair and her drenched clothes

"Why is Auntie out here alone today?" Feng Zhiwei humbly stepped aside, the broom held at an angle, simply omitting even the word 'five'.

Feng Zhiwei continued to smile, her smile growing ever more gentle and serene. On her slightly yellowish complexion, a pair of eyes shimmered with a hazy allure, gradually giving rise to a hint of enchanting beauty and charm, like flowing light dancing in the air

This group, for the mother

A slender reflection of a fluttering garment is mirrored on the glass-like surface of the water

Liu Guan Shi is a distant relative of Fifth Aunt, who had set his sights on her early on. Initially, he sought to marry her as a secondary wife, but after being rejected, he then sought her hand for his foolish son, clearly intending for both father and son to share one woman. The mother made a fuss about this all the way to her uncle, which caused the father and son to quiet down somewhat. However, just a few days ago, Liu Guan Shi cornered her in an abandoned old house where no one went. If she hadn't been carrying scissors with her, Feng Zhi Wei would either have become the wife of both father and son or, due to losing her virtue, been driven out of the Qiu residence.

You are already fifteen years old; it is not appropriate to stay in this backyard all the time. Aunt Wu stood by the snow pile, casting a sidelong glance at her, and said, In the future, I will discuss with the lady about arranging a match for you. You know, the son of Steward Liu in the front yard seems quite good to me.

Upon hearing this title, Fifth Aunt felt quite pleased. She lazily rested her delicate fingers on her lips, the bright red of her nail polish accentuating the sparkle in her eyes. With a smile, she said, "They say someone has arrived ahead, perhaps they will need my assistance... Hmm, you need not ask any further."