01.
How long does it take to fall from heaven to hell? The answer is: one quarter of an hour.
A quarter of an hour ago, I was still a close confidant of the emperor, clothed in supreme glory. A quarter of an hour later, I became a prisoner, my arms and legs cruelly broken.
After we left the prison, Tiểu Triêu still thought I was unconscious. In truth, my mind was perfectly clear—clear enough to hear every word he said.
My father and mother had been forced to drink poison wine and die; the other servants in the household had all been hanged.
The great household of the Marquis of Vệ Quốc had been reduced to ashes in a single night.
I refused to accept it. While Tiểu Triêu was away, I crawled out of the ruined temple, hoping to seek help from my father's sworn elder brother—who was also my father-in-law. I wanted him to intervene and clear the Marquis of Vệ Quốc's household of its false accusations.
But instead, what I found was my fiancée, Yên Nhi, and my sworn younger brother, Thừa Trình, enjoying a tender outing together.
I couldn't stop myself from spitting up a mouthful of blood.
I should have known sooner: people are hard to read. Who in this world would truly help me when I was in need?
The last spark of life sustaining me went out in that instant.
I began to drift through life in a daze. Whenever I wanted to end it all, guilt over Tiểu Triêu would bring me back to my senses.
Until I met Thẩm Mật.
That young woman, whom I had met only once, had my parents properly buried and made sure Tiểu Triêu had new clothes to wear and enough to eat.
At last, I found someone I could entrust Tiểu Triêu to. What could she possibly want from the two of us, after all?
I was deeply grateful that I had given her fifty taels back then. If I could turn back time, I would gladly repay her a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
It wasn't that I had no relatives. I believed my mother must have sent them letters begging for help before she died. And yet, in the end, only a young girl had come from a place a thousand miles away.
I knew she understood that I wanted to entrust Tiểu Triêu to her, but she didn't want to.
So I began to starve myself.
Paralyzed in bed, needing someone to care for me even when I relieved myself—there was no way I could bear a life like that.
Cornered by my desperation, she finally agreed.
2
But afterward, I regretted it.
Still, it was a shame that she had dug that pit with so much effort.
I begged her to take Tiểu Triêu and me away.
After all, the capital was fraught with danger, and there were still people who wanted me dead.
Not long after we set out, I heard that someone under the Third Prince had embezzled military provisions, throwing the whole capital into an uproar. I knew then that someone was deliberately stirring up trouble. Otherwise, how could Tiểu Triêu and I have left in peace?
I guessed it was my cousin's doing.
Her hometown was a remote little town. Many years ago, I had gone there with Nanny Lưu.
At last, Tiểu Triêu and I had somewhere we could stay for a while.
That's right—only for a while. I had never thought I would stay there for the rest of my life.
I worked hard to train my left hand, even when the grindstone scraped my wrist raw.
Whenever I couldn't take it anymore, I would look up and gaze out the window.
Beneath the osmanthus trees, Tiểu Triêu and she laughed and played together. Her laughter rang out like silver bells.
My heart immediately grew calm. When she saw me, she mischievously pushed me out into the courtyard, picked up a bamboo pole, and showered my head with osmanthus blossoms.
In that moment, I suddenly felt reluctant to leave. But whenever I burned incense and paid my respects to my parents, I crushed that thought.
After sending a letter to the Xie family in Jiangnan, all I could do was wait in silence.
That was the first step on my path back.
3
At last, they arrived.
I knew that even if Master didn't come, Oánh Nhi would want to.
After all, I knew she had secretly loved me for a long time.
Ha ha. I truly had to marvel at how shameless I had become.
Master was a man of experience and had long since seen through my intentions. He looked at me and asked whether I was willing to marry Oánh Nhi.
I hesitated, but I couldn't bring myself to say, “I do.”
The image of her back disappearing into the snow as she trudged off to find a physician for me flashed through my mind.
After a long silence, I rasped to Master that I wanted to become sworn siblings with Oánh Nhi and care for her for the rest of my life.
I thought that even if Master refused to treat my limbs, I still had my wits and could still avenge my parents.
I wasn't afraid to wait.
But Master burst out laughing and patted my shoulder, his tone meaningful. “I thought that after such a great upheaval, you had lost your true self. But now I see you're still the Tử Ngôn I know.”
I laughed too.
No. I was no longer the Tử Ngôn of those days.
4
She fell ill while searching for medicine for me.
Sitting beside her bed, I stared at her blankly for a long time.
I wanted to tell her that if I succeeded, I would offer her all my glory—besides that worthless silver hairpin.
And if I failed…
No. I couldn't fail.
My cousin had written to me, saying he had set out for the Northwest.
I left without a moment's hesitation.
Before I left, I broke off an osmanthus branch. From the time it was fresh and flourishing until it withered, it had stayed by my side for many years.
5
I was able to stand again, but I would have to walk with a cane for the rest of my life.
I knew people called me “Thiết Quải Hàn” behind my back. I didn't care, as long as I could have my revenge.
I did something shameless again.
I left people behind in the small town—first, to protect her, and second, to sabotage every marriage proposal that came her way.
Just when victory seemed assured and my cousin had entered the halls of government, she disappeared.
When we met again, she looked at me warily, gaunt and wretched.
In that instant, I thought of a hundred ways to torment the Third Prince.
He curled his lips in amusement and asked me to choose. Did I really need to choose?
At once, I saw the despair in her eyes. She didn't want to die; she only wanted to live an ordinary life.
She didn't dare look up.
“I'll go last.” She stared at me in disbelief, while I found it amusing.
That was only natural. From beginning to end, I had never said a single word to her about liking or loving her.
Because back then, how could I possibly have been worthy of saying the word “love”?
6
At last, she returned to my side safe and sound.
The Third Prince and all his followers were executed. I took the head of the man responsible for everything to my parents’ graves and paid my respects.
But I never imagined she would reject me.
She asked cautiously whether she could go back.
I didn't want her to, but all I could do was nod and agree.
Seeing the obvious relief in her face, I felt both annoyed and amused.
I thought that once everything was over and I had made proper arrangements for little Triêu, I would go find her.
My cousin was born to be an emperor. Before long, he had brought the chaos across the land to an end.
He found my feelings baffling and said, “Mật Nhi is plainly only ordinary-looking, and her family background is nothing special. Why are you so bewitched by her? If you really like her, wouldn't it be enough to take her as a concubine?”
I shot him a look and didn't bother to answer.
That's right. Everyone says she isn't worthy of me. But without her, would any of you even be looking at me now? I would have been nothing but a skeleton in the ground long ago.
A concubine? That would be an insult to her.
My cousin laughed again. “Then all you want is to repay her kindness. That's easy! I'll grant her the title of Commandery Princess as the Marquis of Vệ Quốc's household's adopted younger sister, and award her a thousand qing of good farmland. How does that sound?”
No. How could she be my younger sister? I refused at once, without even thinking.
My cousin shook his head and left again.
When I heard that she had started meeting potential suitors of her own accord, I was so anxious I paced around the house. I wasn't the only one in a panic—even Triêu Nhi was frantic when he found out.
He said, “Older brother, go ahead. It's all right. I'll stay here and shoulder the responsibility.”
I was deeply grateful and resigned from office immediately.
My cousin glared at me angrily, then finally gave me a piece of calligraphy bearing four characters: “May you grow old together.”
I accepted it with a smile.
I returned to the small town. The moment I stepped down from the carriage, my shoulders relaxed.
I knew every little street here, knew everyone in town. I knew this was the place I had always missed.
Later, Mật Nhi asked me curiously when I had first fallen for her.
Holding my daughter while watching my mischievous son play, I suddenly remembered that day when she had carried me on her back like a donkey, pulling me forward through the snow and wind.
With every step she took, she wrote her name into my heart.
-THE END-