In the dead of night, a heavy snow was falling, with the north wind whipping up swirls of fine, icy flakes.
The Imperial Prison, standing in a corner of the Capital City, had stone walls eroded by time. Its mottled surfaces appeared eerie and mysterious in the wind and snow.
A carriage approached in silence.
Xie Qiqi was asleep when she felt herself being moved. She opened her eyes, only to have a hand abruptly clamped over her mouth.
"Qiqi, be a good girl. Don't make a sound..."
Dazed and confused, Xie Qiqi opened her eyes wide and recognized her mother’s face just before she was carried out of the carriage.
A man emerged from the shadows, carrying another person whom he placed into the carriage, before taking Xie Qiqi into his arms. The pungent stench of sweat radiating from him jolted her wide awake. She struggled violently, clutching her mother’s hand in terror.
"Mother..."
Where was this man taking her? Was Mother abandoning her?
Xie Qiqi gripped her mother’s hand so tightly that, as she struggled, her small body slipped from the man’s grasp. She scrambled on the ground, crawled over, and latched onto her mother’s leg, crying piteously.
"Mother, Qiqi will be obedient, I’ll be good... please don’t leave me!"
Yue Huijuan, Qiqi’s mother, clamped a hand over the girl’s mouth. She whispered nervously, "Be good, Qiqi. Be sensible and don't make a scene. Mother has no choice..."
Tears streamed down Yue Huijuan’s face. Her own family, the Yue clan, was to be executed tomorrow. As a daughter married into another house, she could not save them, but since Qiqi and her niece, Yue Yue, were both only six years old, swapping Qiqi for Yue Yue would not draw attention.
"Qiqi, the Yue family is full of loyal heroes. A bloodline must be preserved. For you to die in Yue Yue’s place is an act of supreme righteousness and noble character..."
With tears in her eyes, Yue Huijuan cruelly pried Xie Qiqi’s fingers off one by one.
Xie Qiqi was too young to understand what "supreme righteousness" meant; she only cried and reached for her mother’s leg again.
Yue Huijuan stepped back and said hurriedly, "Qiqi, consider it a debt I owe you! If there is a next life, you can be my daughter again, and I will surely compensate you tenfold for what I owe you in this one!"
Unable to bear looking at her any longer, Yue Huijuan climbed quickly into the carriage.
"Mother..."
Xie Qiqi cried out, wanting to chase after it, but the man clamped his hand over her mouth. He tucked her under his arm and carried her into the Imperial Prison.
The towering stone walls of the prison, like a giant monster, instantly swallowed the young Xie Qiqi and the snowstorm into its gaping maw.
...
Eight years later.
Crown Prince's Mansion, Jiangxue Pavilion.
Today was a plum blossom viewing banquet hosted by the Crown Princess, who had even brought out her treasured "Plum Blossom Painting" by Master Sikong for the guests to admire.
The guests were all noble young ladies invited by the Crown Princess, and they were currently gathered around the painting, sharing their opinions.
Xie Qiqi stood in a corner, feeling somewhat constrained, her gaze complex as she watched Yue Yue, who stood gracefully by the Crown Princess’s side, looking beautiful and composed.
Years ago, when Xie Qiqi had been pushed onto the execution block, she had luckily encountered the Emperor's general amnesty. She escaped death but was reduced to a government slave. She spent eight years in servitude until a year ago, when the new Emperor ascended the throne and the Yue family was exonerated. Only then did her parents bring her back home.
However, lacking an education for those eight years, Xie Qiqi was illiterate and her manners were crude, making it impossible for her to integrate into the circle of these noble ladies.
She was lost in thought when Yue Yue suddenly walked over, taking her hand and smiling warmly. "Sister, why are you standing here alone? Come and admire the painting with us!"
Pulled to the table, Xie Qiqi had barely caught a glimpse of the painting before she heard a "rip" sound. Yue Yue shoved the painting into her hands, feigning shock.
"Sister... how could you be so careless? This is a work by Master Sikong, worth ten thousand pieces of gold..."
The exclamation drew the attention of the surrounding noble ladies and the Crown Princess herself.
Xie Qiqi, terrified, scrambled backward, blurting out, "It wasn’t me... Yue Yue, you were clearly the one who tore it. Why are you pushing the blame onto me?"
Xie Qiqi trembled. The painting was so precious that if the Crown Princess were enraged, she would certainly not be lenient!
Lin Xiaojing, the daughter of the Minister, said indignantly, "Xie Qiqi, we all saw the painting torn while it was in your hands. You’re trying to frame your sister? You are truly vicious!"
The daughter of the Sima family sneered as well, "Sister Yue is pure of heart and virtuous. You are just jealous that she is better than you, so you use these base tactics to frame her. You are as ugly inside as you are outside!"
Xie Qiqi was thin and small, wearing half-old clothes, looking timid and unrefined. If it weren't for the sake of the Xie Residence, these ladies would not bother with her at all.
Xie Qiqi stammered in her defense, "No, I didn’t frame her. She really was the one who tore it... Big Brother, Second Brother, you must believe me..."
She looked at her older brothers standing to the side, seeking help.
Her eldest brother, Xie Wenyuan, fixed her with a gaze as sharp as an ice blade and reprimanded her: "Xie Qiqi, if you make a mistake, you should own up to it honestly. You actually want to push the blame onto Yue Yue? Is this how I’ve raised you?"
Her second brother, Xie Wentao, eyes flashing with disdain, barked, "Xie Qiqi, this is the third time something like this has happened since you came back! Do you think we’ll fall for your tricks again?"
"Get on your knees and apologize to the Crown Princess!"
Standing in the pavilion, the extravagantly dressed Crown Princess looked at Xie Wenyuan with a half-smile. Xie Wenyuan instinctively looked away when their eyes met. The Crown Princess’s smile stiffened, and she turned a cold, sinister gaze toward Xie Qiqi.
"Xie Qiqi, I will give you one more chance. Will you admit your mistake or not?"
Xie Qiqi, terrified, fell to her knees, crying helplessly, "Crown Princess, it really wasn’t me. Yue Yue is the one who tore the masterpiece..."
The Crown Princess looked mockingly at Xie Wenyuan. "Magistrate Xie, the Xie family is known for its strict discipline and etiquette. Your sister has been caught red-handed tearing my painting, yet she refuses to admit it. What do you say..."
The Crown Princess was deliberately embarrassing Xie Wenyuan. It was common knowledge that she had been fond of him years ago, but Xie Wenyuan had always brushed her off, claiming he did not want to marry. Desperate, she had married the Crown Prince. If only Xie Wenyuan would beg her, she wouldn’t care about a mere painting!
Xie Wenyuan knew the Crown Princess’s intent. But he was a man of strict self-discipline and justice; how could he condone Xie Qiqi when he knew she was at fault?
He lowered his eyes. "Xie Qiqi refuses to admit her wrongdoings, and I am ashamed to have such a sister. Crown Princess, please punish her as you see fit."
Hearing Xie Wenyuan’s words, Xie Qiqi felt a sharp pain in her heart. She looked at her eldest brother with a mix of loss and confusion. Why did everyone side with Yue Yue? No one believed the truth she spoke. Others she could understand, but her older brothers were her own kin, while Yue Yue was only their cousin. Why did they believe everything Yue Yue said, while her explanations were dismissed as nothing but lies?
The Crown Princess glanced at Xie Wenyuan once more and gave a cold laugh. "Someone, throw Xie Qiqi into the lake. She stays in until she admits her mistake!"
*Xie Wenyuan, let’s see how long you can keep up that arrogance!*
Two elderly maids stepped forward, grabbed Xie Qiqi’s arms, and dragged her toward the lake.
As soon as she neared the water, the bone-chilling cold of the lake seeped into her marrow, making her tremble violently. Imperial Physician Wang had told her that eight years of slavery had left her body severely depleted and that she had developed consumption, leaving her with at most a year or two to live. He had said that with proper care, she might live a bit longer, but without it, a severe cold could take her life.
In the middle of a snowy day, the lake was like an ice cellar. Could she possibly survive being thrown in? She didn't want to die!
"Big Brother, Second Brother, save me..."