“Cluck, cluck, cluck—, cluck, cluck, cluck—…”
A hen emerged from the nesting box in the chicken coop, cackling loudly. Lin Fang’s eyes lit up for a moment, but her excitement quickly faded. Naturally, hens stop laying eggs by late summer, and if the weather is warm, they might continue into early autumn. But now it was winter—how could any hen still be laying eggs? She must be starving to the point of delusion.
“Cluck, cluck, cluck—, cluck, cluck, cluck—…”
Yet the hen stubbornly continued its cackling, a sound that typically announced to its owner the proud delivery of an egg.
With great effort, Lin Fang pushed herself up from the ground. Whether it was true or not, she might as well check. If there was nothing, so be it—she wouldn’t be disappointed. Step by painful step, she made her way to the coop and reached into the nesting box. Instantly, her face lit up with joy. Not only was there a freshly laid, still-warm egg, but she also felt several cold ones nestled inside.
Now, Lin Fang forgot all about the pain in her feet. She checked every nesting box, and each one held at least five eggs. For now, she and Granny Liu wouldn’t starve to death.
—
In the county magistrate’s office, Guo Mian was presiding over a court session when Lin Wu stormed in. He charged straight to the magistrate’s seat, grabbed Guo Mian by the front of his official robe, and yanked him to his feet. The plaintiff or defendant—whoever had been pleading their case—suddenly fell silent, as if choked by fear at the sight. The bailiffs shouted and moved to intervene, but they were no match for the men Lin Wu had brought with him. They could only watch helplessly from a distance.
“Guo Mian, you dog! Where have you hidden my sister? Give her back to me!”
Guo Mian, of average height, dangled in the air, his toes barely touching the ground as the towering, furious Lin Wu held him. Though uncomfortable, he remained calm. “Lin Wu, let go. This is a courtroom. If you have grievances, we can discuss them elsewhere. Do you know the consequences of disrupting court proceedings? It’s not worth landing yourself in jail over this.”
“I don’t care about your courtroom rules! My sister vanished from your residence, and my family is devastated. If you don’t find her, I swear I’ll make your life a living hell—even if it costs me my own life. If I die, you’re coming with me!” Guo Mian’s attempt to reason only fueled Lin Wu’s rage, and he lifted Guo Mian even higher.
“Alright, alright, you’re right. But what good does holding me achieve? Instead of causing a scene here, why not focus your efforts on finding Miss Lin?” Guo Mian quickly changed his tone, not daring to provoke Lin Wu further. He knew full well how chaotic the Lin household must be after Lin Fang’s disappearance. If things escalated, Lin Wu might just kill him on the spot.
With a thud, Lin Wu flung Guo Mian back into his chair and roared, “We’ve turned Duoling County upside down and still found no trace of my sister! If there were any other way, do you think I’d waste time here? Hmph! If anything happens to her, I’ll make sure your mother pays the price!”
At those words, Guo Mian’s composure shattered. He leapt to his feet and seized Lin Wu’s collar, his voice trembling. “Don’t you dare involve my mother! She has always respected your family and reminds me constantly of the debt we owe the Lins. She prays daily for your family’s well-being—how could she ever harm Miss Lin? My mother doesn’t even know about her disappearance. She’s blind, nearly deaf, and frail. If she gets upset, it could kill her. Please, don’t frighten her!”
Since the day Lin Fang disappeared during Liang Feng’s poetry gathering, Guo Mian had been tormented. Though his marriage to Liang Feng was in name only, she was still his wife. Lin Fang had vanished under his roof—privately, he bore responsibility, and publicly, as county magistrate, finding missing persons was his duty. Coupled with the history between their families, he had been searching tirelessly for Lin Fang. But after nearly half a month, there was still no news.
Whenever Lin Wu’s frustration and grief boiled over, he took it out on Guo Mian. A scholar with no martial prowess, Guo Mian could hardly withstand Lin Wu’s strength. Yet endure he must. Now, with Lin Wu threatening his mother, Guo Mian was terrified. He and his mother had relied on each other since childhood—he couldn’t bear the thought of her suffering. If kneeling or sacrificing his dignity would keep her safe, he wouldn’t hesitate.
“And what about my sister? She’s just a child, barely left the house, frail since birth, and has brushed death multiple times. Surviving this long was a miracle. Now she’s out there somewhere, suffering who knows what!”
Guo Mian’s words only enraged Lin Wu further. With a roar, he grabbed Guo Mian and hurled him across the room like a ragdoll. Still seething, he moved to attack again but was restrained by his own men, who urged him to focus on finding Lin Fang. Reluctantly, Lin Wu stormed out, leaving the bailiffs to crowd around their unconscious magistrate.
—
Back at the magistrate’s residence, the haggard Li Cuimei questioned the exhausted Liang Feng once more. “Liang Feng, go over that day’s events again. Was there anything unusual?”
“Yes, Madam Lin.”
Since Lin Fang’s disappearance, wealthy families with daughters treated everyone from the magistrate’s household like bandits, avoiding them at all costs. Liang Feng had suffered the most—her husband’s cold fury, Sima Rusu’s frequent outbursts, and Li Cuimei’s daily interrogations. The only saving grace was that her mother-in-law, nearly deaf and frail, remained unaware of the situation. If she were disturbed, Guo Mian might cast Liang Feng aside entirely. Then how would she survive?
Like reciting a memorized script, Liang Feng repeated the events of the poetry gathering.
Though married, Liang Feng was only in her early twenties and loved social gatherings. With no real marital relationship with Guo Mian, she dreaded discussions about married life, so most of her guests were unmarried youths. The older or married attendees were either close to the Guo family or there to curry favor with the magistrate.
That day, the early arrivals were thrilled to hear that Miss Lin Fang would attend—especially the young men. Rumors of her extraordinary beauty and talent in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and poetry had spread far and wide. Her rare appearances at social gatherings left admirers longing for a glimpse of her.
Lin Fang and Sima Rusu were usually inseparable, so everyone expected them to arrive together. While Sima Rusu’s talents were slightly lesser, she was still exceptional. Lin Fang’s sweet, melodic voice contrasted with Sima Rusu’s crisp tones, making their joint performances a delight.
But that day, only Lin Fang appeared, explaining that Sima Rusu was busy overseeing the winter fungus harvest—a critical task for supplying the imperial court. The crowd sighed in disappointment.
As usual, Lin Fang outshone everyone in chess, played unique melodies on the zither, and surpassed all in calligraphy and painting. Her poetry left the self-proclaimed scholars speechless, humbled by her brilliance. The young ladies’ reactions ranged from admiration to envy, with some even sneering that “a woman’s virtue lies not in her talents.”
Liang Feng marveled at Lin Fang’s poise and grace in handling the mixed reactions—hardly typical for a fifteen-year-old. Little did she know, Lin Fang was a reincarnated soul, merely humoring the gathering for the sake of appearances.
In both her past and current life, Lin Fang loved reading and had a photographic memory. Though her previous life lacked the means to study the arts, she had later immersed herself in them. Reborn into privilege, she honed her talents effortlessly, making her unmatched among her peers.
With her rare beauty, Lin Fang remained the center of attention, though she herself seemed disinterested. After a while, she excused herself, citing fatigue, ignoring the whispers of arrogance.
Knowing Lin Fang’s delicate health from her husband’s accounts, Liang Feng took no chances and had her personal maid escort Lin Fang to the finest guest room.
The elderly woman Lin Fang called “Granny Liu” never left her side, which Liang Feng found odd—why assign such an old servant to a young mistress? Meanwhile, the sprightly maid Bo’er was constantly running errands, boiling water or reheating snacks, never staying long enough to attend to Lin Fang directly.
“After Miss Lin retired, the focus shifted to Master Shi. As she put it, he was the idol of many young ladies—wealthy, talented, and handsome. Even he held Miss Lin in high regard, which only deepened the others’ envy.”
Exhausted, Liang Feng sipped her tea slowly. Li Cuimei waited patiently, knowing that repetition would eventually wear down even the most meticulous liar. It was a technique Lin Zhongsi and Tong Shi had taught her—daily retellings would eventually reveal cracks in the story.
(To be continued…)
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