Listening to Xian’er vividly recount the situation of the refugees, Lin Fang never imagined she would encounter such circumstances in this lifetime. In her previous life, she had experienced childhood shortages of food and clothing, even hunger, and had survived several earthquakes. Though those moments were perilous, she had always remained at home, never having to flee as a refugee.
Glancing at Chen Dong, who was diligently embroidering at the opposite frame, Lin Fang couldn’t help but admire her composure amidst chaos. She walked over and covered the indistinct shape—whether a mouse or a rabbit—that Chen Dong was embroidering with her hand, asking, “Don’t you have anything to say?”
Chen Dong pushed Lin Fang’s hand away and continued embroidering, replying, “What is there to say? A living dog is better than a dead lion. Right now, the most important thing is to cure our illnesses. As for the rest, if we can’t help, we shouldn’t add to the trouble.”
In this life, Chen Dong was noticeably slower to learn than in her previous one, struggling with everything. Yet, her determination remained unchanged. To master embroidery, as Lin Fang put it, Chen Dong’s hands had become like sieves, riddled with needle pricks. But she persisted, earning Lin Fang’s reluctant admiration.
As the two chatted idly, Chen Shiyuan burst in, followed by the chubby Lin Wu. Excitedly, Shiyuan called out, “Sister, sister, come quickly! I’ll carry you to the city wall—there’s something amazing to see!”
Seven-year-old Chen Shiyuan had been practicing qinggong (light-footed martial arts) for over a year. Lin Zhongsi had gradually begun adding weights to his training, increasing the load over time. Now, the little boy could carry the petite Chen Dong with ease and loved running around with her on his back. Whenever he was around, Chen Dong barely needed to walk—Shiyuan insisted on carrying her everywhere, much to her amusement and exasperation.
Wiping the mud from Shiyuan’s face with a handkerchief, Chen Dong asked, “What’s so amazing to see? Isn’t it just refugees outside?”
Shiyuan gestured excitedly, drawing a big circle in the air. “So many people! And they’re wearing really strange clothes!”
Since arriving at Lin Manor, Shiyuan had never ventured outside. Though he clung to Chen Dong, he refused to accompany her on trips to town. According to Tong Shi, the boy had likely been traumatized by being abandoned by his family before. Now that he had found safety, he adamantly refused to leave, and it might take a long time for him to recover from this fear.
Having never gone out, Shiyuan’s knowledge was limited, and he struggled to describe things clearly. Lin Fang turned to Lin Wu. “Fifth Brother, what’s really going on?”
Over the past year, Lin Wu and Chen Dong had gone from strangers to familiar acquaintances—now they were like bickering siblings, constantly teasing each other. Spotting Chen Dong embroidering, Lin Wu leaned in for a closer look. Afraid he might make some sarcastic remark, Chen Dong covered her work, refusing to let him see. Left with nothing to do, Lin Wu was relieved when Lin Fang’s question gave him an out.
He answered, “From our city wall, we saw troops surrounding the refugees. The soldiers were wearing armor, which Shiyuan had never seen before. From a distance, he couldn’t make out the details, so he just called them ‘strange.’”
Lin Fang gasped. “Troops? Has it gotten so bad that they need military suppression?”
Lin Wu shook his head. “I don’t know. Father told me to stay with Second Uncle to guard the manor. I didn’t go out. After the troops arrived, Father and our guards withdrew, saying the general ordered everyone to secure their own homes and avoid unnecessary outings.”
“Sister, let me carry you to the wall! Let’s see the soldiers and their armor!” Now that he knew the “strange people” were soldiers and their “strange clothes” were armor, Shiyuan became even more insistent on taking Chen Dong to see them.
Lin Wu urged Lin Fang, “You should come too, little sister. Staying cooped up at home all day isn’t good for your health. I’ll carry you—don’t worry, I’ll be gentler this time. I won’t jostle you like before.”
The last time Lin Wu had carried Lin Fang, he had raced against Shiyuan (who was carrying Chen Dong). Before they even reached the finish line, Lin Fang had vomited all over Lin Wu’s back and felt dizzy for days afterward, as if she were still being jostled. Since then, she had refused to let him carry her again.
Lin Fang shook her head. “You two go ahead. I’ll check on Mother. She’s been exhausted these past few days, looking after Aunt and the others. I’ll see if I can help with anything.”
Truthfully, Lin Fang had little concern for the elderly relatives—she had never lived with them and felt no attachment. But her heart ached for her mother, who was aging day by day. She feared her mother might overexert herself caring for the elders and fall ill.
Though the Lin and Qi families had driven the refugees out of the village, their sheer numbers meant some inevitably slipped through. Seeing the high walls of the Lin estate, some assumed it belonged to wealthy owners and attempted to climb over. Once, a man had already scaled the wall before being spotted by patrolling servants and driven away.
The patrol later discovered that the climber hadn’t acted alone—a group had been waiting outside the gates. Had the intruder succeeded in entering, he could have opened the gates from the inside, inviting disaster for the Lin family. The refugees were no longer just fleeing—some were turning to banditry.
Thus, the Lin household had intensified internal patrols. Every able-bodied man was on duty, and the women remained vigilant. With so much ground to cover, there was always the fear that intruders might slip in during patrol gaps.
Sixth Brother was busy assisting Second Brother, while Yuan Li was occupied with the energetic little Lin Yan. Her parents relied on servants for care. As the matriarch, Li Cuimei took it upon herself to tend to the elderly, especially during this crisis. She also personally looked after Lin Shuzhen and her husband—the aunt and uncle of First Brother—adding to her exhaustion.
With his sister refusing to go, Lin Wu lost interest. “I’ll go with you to see Mother instead. Troops are stationed in Shengcheng—we see them every day. Nothing special about that.”
“Fine. You two go see Auntie. I’ll go with Shiyuan to see the troops. I’ve never seen an army in this life before.” Chen Dong had never seen soldiers in this world—those on TV didn’t count.
Though she said that, Chen Dong also wanted to visit Li Cuimei, whom she revered as a mother figure. But seeing Li Cuimei meant enduring the elders’ company—their endless questions, prying curiosity, and worst of all, their obsession with matchmaking. Pretty little girls like Chen Dong were prime targets. Once, Yuan Li’s mother, Lady Yuan, had even proposed matching Chen Dong with one of her grandnephews, terrifying Chen Dong into avoiding the elders whenever possible.
The siblings first went to their parents’ courtyard. Fortunately, both were present, though their worried expressions suggested something was amiss. When Lin Fang asked, Li Cuimei replied, “The troops are led by your eldest cousin’s subordinate. He relayed a message: your fifth cousin, on her way to the capital, took a few people and disappeared. If Yinwei comes here, we must send word immediately.”
Li Yinwei—that quiet yet strong-willed girl—had always left a good impression on Lin Fang. Why would she leave her family? A twelve-year-old girl, in these refugee-swarmed times, how could she ensure her own safety?
Li Cuimei sighed. “She must have quarreled with your youngest aunt and seized the chaos to run away.”
Lin Fang frowned. “Why would Fifth Cousin argue with her own mother? How could they hold grudges overnight?” She couldn’t bear to upset her own mother, and her mother would never let her suffer.
“I know why!” Lin Wu cut in. “Eldest Brother told me. Youngest Aunt wanted Fifth Cousin to marry into an official’s family in the capital, but Fifth Cousin wanted to manage a farmstead instead—she hates noble households’ strict rules. Grandfather and Grandmother sided with her, forcing Youngest Aunt to compromise. But this time, she must have brought it up again on the road. Fifth Cousin probably feared being trapped in the capital, so she left to force Youngest Aunt’s hand.”
First Brother nodded. “Wu’er is likely right. Regardless, the priority now is finding Yinwei. The messenger said a Li family servant saw her heading west. Given where she disappeared, she might be coming to Baishui Town. We must send people to search immediately.”
Li Cuimei remained pessimistic. “We left Liangping Town five years ago. Yinwei was only seven then. Children change so much—look at Wu’er, he’s practically a different person now. Who knows what she looks like now? Even if we guess based on her childhood appearance, if she deliberately disguises herself—smearing mud on her face or something—we might not recognize her at all. Did the messenger bring a portrait?”
First Brother shook his head. “He only said the message came via military carrier pigeon—just a small note.”
Lin Wu jumped up. “I’ll go get Fourth Sister!”
His words reminded everyone—while their own family hadn’t seen Li Yinwei in years, Second Brother’s household interacted with the Li family daily. How had they forgotten? Anxiety truly clouded judgment.
Five years later, Li Cuihong—only a year younger than Li Cuimei—remained as fiery as ever. After recovering from the journey, she commandeered the Lin kitchen, rallying the female servants to ensure the men were well-fed for patrol duty.
Lin Juan’s personality had transformed completely since their Liangping days, growing more decisive like Li Cuihong yet more meticulous. Lately, she had been a great help to Li Cuimei.
As for Lin Xia, she remained a wild child, just as unruly as before, constantly roughhousing with Lin Wu and teasing Chen Shiyuan—though the boy usually ignored her. Recently, however, Tong Shi had kept Lin Xia close, tasking her with overseeing the household’s health—masters and servants alike—to prevent mishaps during this crisis.
Soon, not only Lin Xia but Tong Shi and Lin Juan arrived. Hearing of Li Yinwei’s disappearance, they urgently pressed First Brother’s family to sketch a portrait. Lin Juan’s drawing skills had improved slightly over the years—though untalented, her portraits were somewhat recognizable. Given the need for multiple copies, hers would have to suffice. Lin Xia’s attempts were mere scribbles, and Tong Shi’s skills were worse than Lin Juan’s, so she stuck to verbal guidance.
By the time the portraits were ready, the troops had quelled the refugee chaos. The Lin family dispatched searchers and posted Li Yinwei’s portraits along the roads, offering rewards for information. They also enlisted Zhang Xiangfa’s troops to screen the refugees, checking for any girl resembling Li Yinwei.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage