Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My first year with the Xie Family.

Xie Rujue loved ordering me around.

He sent a servant boy to deliver a message, insisting I bring his riding clothes to the horse track. If I refused, he would tear up my books.

So I went.

The moment I arrived, the crowd started jeering.

“She actually came. See? I told you this girl had impure intentions. Give her the tiniest chance, and she comes running.”

Xie Rujue had, in fact, already changed into his riding clothes. He had only wanted to embarrass me, to make me see clearly that I was not worthy of him and should give up on him as soon as possible.

Sitting high on a chestnut horse, he looked down at me and said, “Li Caicai, have you ever seen anyone ride a horse before?”

Then he spurred the horse away. It had just rained, and puddles covered the ground. As the horse galloped past, its hooves splashed muddy water all over me.

Everyone burst into laughter and followed after him.

I hurried to dodge, but I still ended up covered in mud from head to toe.

I stood there in a sorry state, my eyes burning as I stared at Xie Rujue’s agile figure.

Grandmother once told me that the secret to her long life was never swallowing anger. She told me I should swallow less of it too, or I might die young.

I went to the stables, secretly thinking over what I could do to make Xie Rujue suffer.

A voice suddenly sounded beside my ear.

“What wicked thing are you planning?”

I looked up and saw a handsome young man with fine, elegant features.

He wore plain, simple clothes. His fingers lightly stroked a pure white horse, his brows and eyes languid, as if he had no bones. Yet his bearing was proud and pampered, like a bad-tempered cat.

I disliked his questioning tone.

Grandmother once told me that when someone questioned me, I should not rush to answer. I should question them back.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

The young man did not answer my question either. Instead, he said bluntly, “I saw them bullying you. You want revenge. You want to feed the horses croton seeds.”

I sneered. “A vile person sees vileness in everything. The horses are innocent. I would never feed them croton seeds. Besides, do you know how expensive croton seeds are? If I had that money, I might as well buy myself a basket of meat buns. Hmph!”

I went into another room and, while no one was around, dug out the food Xie Rujue had brought with him. Then I ate to my heart’s content.

I would eat all his food and make him go hungry.

The young man followed me in and picked up a chicken drumstick.

“If you don’t let me eat, I’ll tell Xie Rujue. If you let me eat, I’ll keep your secret.”

“…Despicable!”

“Right back at you, little thief.”

“…”

And that was how we got to know each other after a fight-or something close to one.

After we finished eating, he smiled and said, “So this is your way of getting revenge? Xie Rujue won’t miss one meal. If he eats a little less, he’ll only be clearing out his stomach. Come on. I’ll take you to get proper revenge.”

We found two black robes and wrapped ourselves up tightly.

Then we bundled a pocketful of sand and dirt in a piece of cloth.

He rode the horse, and I sat behind him, hugging his waist tightly.

When we caught up to Xie Rujue’s horse, we shook out the bundle.

Dust billowed everywhere, blotting out the sky.

Behind us came a chorus of spitting and coughing.

Xie Rujue cursed furiously, “You two little thieves, don’t run!! Cough, cough, cough…”

I held back my laughter, terrified Xie Rujue would recognize me.

The young man burst into loud laughter, smugly whipped the horse on, and galloped away.

Later, I learned that he was Prince Chen-Zhao Shi.

But at the time, I only thought he was a little stable boy watching the horses for his master-Ah Shi.

Madame Zhou sat in the round-backed armchair, unable to come back to herself for a long while.

Her eyes reddened, and her voice turned strained.

“In other words, Prince Chen already knew about Ah Jue three years ago?”

I nodded.

That’s right.

Three years ago, Prince Chen already knew how awful Xie Rujue was.

That was why Xie Rujue could not rely on the protection of his ancestors’ name to scrape together even a minor official post. He could only remain a wastrel and a libertine.

His retribution had actually come very early. He simply had no idea.

Madame Zhou opened her mouth, probably wanting to blame me. But when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back with difficulty.

I said calmly, “Madame Zhou, do not do unto others what you would not have done unto you. And once you have done it to others, you must be prepared for retribution to come. Isn’t that right?”

Madame Zhou left in a daze.

I felt a little sorry for her.

But not much.

If they believed that because I was poor and lowly, I deserved to be humiliated,

then they should also accept that because her status was low, she deserved to suffer this humiliation too.

People always say: do good deeds and do not ask about the road ahead.

But if you do evil, you had better remember it clearly-lest you forget exactly when you lost your future.