The Peach Blossom Spring - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I holed up in the ruined temple for three days. Eventually, a beggar couldn’t stand watching me anymore and shared a bit of steamed bun with me.

He told me to go begging with him on the street first thing tomorrow morning.

What a strangely nice person.

Nice, my ass!

He took me to the street and sold me.

In the back alley of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, two burly men grabbed my arms, clamped a hand over my mouth, and dragged me inside.

The beggar took the silver and fawned over the madam. “This girl is pretty and fresh-looking. Madam, why don’t you give me a little more?”

“Fine, fine.” The woman tossed him another bit of broken silver. “If you come across goods like this again, remember to send them here.”

The beggar ran off with the silver.

I was locked in the woodshed at Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.

The madam said she needed to grind down my temper.

But I didn’t have a temper! Give me two bites to eat, and I’ll do whatever you want!

No one asked whether I was willing, either!

After keeping me locked up for two days, the madam saw that I neither cried nor made a fuss, so she let me out and even gave me a full meal.

She had someone wash me clean, then looked me over carefully.

“Not bad. Teach her the rules properly, and in a month she can start receiving guests.”

She was very satisfied with me as a piece of merchandise.

In my heart, I quietly began to calculate.

A month… even if I had to crawl, I could still find a way to crawl out of here.

After nearly ten days at Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, I was assigned to serve the courtesan Liu Feng’er.

One evening, she dressed herself exquisitely, picked up an ancient zither, and was about to head out.

The owner of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion came in person to remind her, “Tonight, the Grand Governor’s Mansion is holding a banquet. Many high officials and nobles will attend. Being able to go there and play the zither for entertainment is a tremendous opportunity. You must seize it.”

Liu Feng’er dipped her head. “This humble one understands.”

She handed the zither to me and bent down to board the carriage.

I was just about to follow when the owner swept his gaze over me. His eyes immediately sharpened. “Stop!”

He strode straight up to me, reached out, pinched my face, and looked me over from left to right. “Who told you to dress like this?”

I said, “Huh?”

The madam also noticed something was wrong and hurried over. “What is it?”

The owner turned and questioned her. “You had her dress up like Commandery Princess Yongning and go to the Grand Governor’s Mansion? Are you trying to get her killed?”

“Everyone knows Commandery Princess Yongning was the Grand Governor’s late wife. Someone once had crooked ideas and tried to find a substitute to send in, but the next day, the substitute was beaten crippled and thrown out. The people who sent her soon vanished from the capital as well.”

“If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you!”

The owner had once seen that Commandery Princess Yongning. At the time, she had only been fifteen. She could not be called a devastating beauty, but she did deserve the word “pretty.”

What left the deepest impression was the little cinnabar mole between her brows.

Seeing the madam look puzzled, he could not help frowning. He pressed his thumb between my brows and rubbed hard.

“Eh?” he exclaimed in surprise. “This mole of yours is natural?”

I touched the spot between my brows that he had rubbed raw and nodded.

The madam finally understood as well. “You mean this girl looks similar to the late Commandery Princess Yongning?”

She had never seen Commandery Princess Yongning before.

“It’s been seven years. I don’t remember very clearly, but she should be similar…”

Otherwise, he would not have thought of Commandery Princess Yongning with just one glance.

The madam pulled the owner aside to speak with him.

I stood beside the carriage, thinking back on what the owner had just said.

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

Grand Governor? Commandery Princess Yongning was his late wife?

Wasn’t Commandery Princess Yongning me?

When I fell into the water seven years ago, I wasn’t even engaged yet! And where had this Grand Governor come from?

Before long, they finished talking and came back.

The madam waved at me. “You get in first.”

“How about…” I was a little scared too. “Someone else goes with Sister Feng’er instead?”

“You’re going.” The madam smiled as she pushed me toward the carriage. “It’ll be fine. Don’t be afraid.”

The wheels began to turn, and the carriage rolled forward.

The madam was still standing where she was, murmuring to the owner.

“If she really does look that much like her, the Grand Governor might not be unmoved…”

“Whether it’s fortune or disaster, who can say?”