Mi Tian Zhen - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The moment the words left his mouth, Song Wendu’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out again.

My heart lurched.

I nearly dropped the porcelain bowl in my hands.

As if unwilling to surrender, his fingertips twitched spasmodically.

I jolted in fright.

Forgetting all about propriety, I leaned close to his ear and, in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, coaxed and threatened him at once.

“Lord… Lord Song, if you move again…”

“Today’s medicine… will have to be increased, you know.”

The man on the bed’s long lashes still trembled in resistance.

“Fine. I suppose I should add a little more.”

Steeling myself, I gripped the spoon and poured two full mouthfuls down his throat.

Only when the last trace of struggle between his brows faded into calm did I finally let out a long breath.

Heavens above!

I was not the sort of person who could keep secrets!

Yet for these six hundred taels of silver, I had hidden the fact that the mighty Chief of the Court of Judicial Review had woken up for half a month.

During this time, wave after wave of physicians had come through.

Even the renowned master physician invited by the Third Prince spent half a day taking Lord Song’s pulse, only to say that his pulse was deep and slow and that he still needed quiet recuperation. He had not detected the slightest clue.

However, lately, signs of him waking had become more and more frequent.

I figured my sleeping medicine would not be able to suppress him for much longer.

It was about time I reported the news to the old madam, asked for my indenture contract, settled accounts, and left the estate.

I had just lifted my skirts and was about to head out when, after only a few steps, I suddenly pulled my foot back.

Something was wrong.

Before he passed out just now…

What he had called me was-

Poisonous woman?!

Which meant…

He had already seen my face?

Once the medicine wore off completely…

Once he remembered the grudge of these twenty bowls of sedative…

With the methods of the Chief of the Court of Judicial Review…

Would I still be alive to walk out of this estate?

The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became.

And the more frightened I became, the closer I drifted back toward the bed.

With shaking hands, I dug into the depths of the medicine pouch I carried and pulled out another packet of Oblivion Powder.

“Lord Song, please don’t blame me. As the saying goes, every grievance has its source and every debt its debtor. If you must blame someone, blame those six hundred taels of silver. They started it.”

“Don’t worry. My medicine is all natural herbs. Green, safe, and pollution-free.”

“At most… at most, it will only erase your memories from the past two years. It won’t harm your body.”

With that, I pried open his mouth.

And poured it all in.

After dusting the powder from my hands, I let out a long breath.

In the next instant, I viciously pinched my own thigh and forced out two streaming lines of tears.

I slammed the door open and stumbled into the courtyard.

Then I shouted at the top of my lungs:

“Someone-!”

“Hurry and report to the old madam!”

“The ancestors have blessed us! My lord… no, my husband, he’s awake!”

“You mean Du’er opened his eyes just now? He could even hold your hand?”

The old madam looked at me, then at Song Wendu lying motionless on the bed. Her voice trembled with excitement.

I lowered my eyes and said obediently, “In reply to Old Madam, it is absolutely true!”

“Though it was only for an instant, my lord’s hand… did indeed move.”

The old madam’s eyes reddened, and she pulled me into her arms.

“Good child, my good child! These past two years have truly been hard on you.”

“You chanted scriptures and prayed for blessings, devoted yourself to studying medicine, and everyone in the household saw it. If not for you tending to Du’er day and night without even undressing to rest, how could he have today?”

“Once his health has fully recovered, I will make the decision and have him raise you to the status of concubine.”

“I will not let you waste your youth for nothing!”

Uh.

But to me, this was only a job that paid a hundred taels a month, included food and lodging, and did not require me to perform any marital duties!

Now that he was awake, he would definitely marry a proper wife in the future.

Once there was a husband who could talk and a main wife who had the final say…

Concubine?

Not even a little bit.

At her words, I quickly pulled free from her embrace and knelt in panic.

“Old Madam, absolutely not!”

“Lord Song is a dragon and phoenix among men, while I am nothing but a woman of ordinary looks. To be able to serve him is already my blessing.”

“For these past two years, you have treated me kindly, provided me with food and clothing, and never once shorted my monthly allowance.”

“If you had not been kindhearted and gone to the Daoist temple to make offerings back then, how would I ever have had the fortune to enter this estate as a bride of compatible birth characters to ward off misfortune? I am already endlessly grateful. I would never dare harbor any improper ambitions.”

The old madam was deeply moved. With a long sigh, she patted my hand.

“You child, how can your heart be so pure?”

“If anyone else came upon such good fortune, they would be eager to use their favor to demand repayment. Yet you have not the slightest greed. You were the one who pulled Du’er’s life back from the brink. As long as I am here, I will never let you suffer any grievance.”

I paused, then spoke in a sorrowful tone.

“My father is already elderly, and at home there are still my young younger brother and sister waiting to be cared for. If Old Madam truly pities me…”

“Could you grant me my indenture contract and allow me to return home to care for my father and my younger siblings?”

As though she had not expected me to insist so firmly, the old madam hesitated in place and did not speak for a long while.

Just as she was about to open her mouth, a man’s weak voice came from beside us.

“…Mother, do not force her.”

“Let her go.”