Chapter 1: Time Travel and Deduction Without a Personal Maid at One’s Side
This was a single-story structure built of mud bricks, shaped uniformly in a straight line and evenly divided horizontally into three rooms. The center served as both a hall and dining room when many people gathered, while both ends were living quarters. Yu Cailing resided in the eastern wing room. The room was quite simple – the walls were plastered with yellow mud and polished clean and smooth. A large square brazier was built into the floor, seemingly made of pottery with an archaic appearance, though its heating effect was adequate. What came next nearly frightened Yu Cailing, usually so composed, into fainting again—
Inside the room there were no bed frames, stools, or chairs. Only against the inner wall was a smooth wooden floor built up like steps from the ground using polished wood, occupying a full third of the entire room. A layer of bedding spread on top served as the bed, with several small round cotton cushions beside it functioning as seats, and another small square table used for eating and drinking. Yu Cailing had watched several of Akira Kurosawa’s old films and felt this resembled the interior construction of impoverished ancient Japanese dwellings.
When she first awoke over ten days ago, aside from a splitting headache, her first reaction was to be so frightened by this conjecture that she fainted again, wishing she could die once more. In truth, her hometown was a small Jiangnan town nestled in mountain hollows along the 1800th tier, where dialects differed every hundred li and languages every thousand li. She had only ever seen two devils who had traveled arduously over mountains and through rivers to reach there. It was only later, when young people who worked in big cities outside returned home and spoke of it, that she learned those with such appearances and dress were devils. The old village head spoke very indignantly about it, causing the villagers to decide that if they encountered any again, they must add some rat poison to the sweet potatoes, red potatoes, and dried radishes they gifted them. Unfortunately, no more devils came, and the rat poison went unused.
It wasn’t until after the founding of the nation, when the government opened mountains and hollows, built roads and bridges, and drilled many tunnels, that her hometown gradually became the only small town among the surrounding mountain villages.
“Young mistress, it’s time to take your medicine.” A middle-aged woman entered carrying a crude wooden square tray, turning to say to the small girl beside her who was lifting a heavy cotton curtain, “A’Mei, put down the curtain, it’s cold outside.”
Yu Cailing hurriedly returned to her senses and sat up properly (actually kneeling). The woman placed the square tray on the small table. On the tray were two pottery bowls, one large and one small. The large bowl contained steaming medicinal soup, the small bowl held three small candied preserves. Yu Cailing lifted the pottery bowl and silently drank it all in one gulp. Immediately bitterness filled her mouth – it was truly harder to swallow than pesticide, though admittedly, she had never actually drunk pesticide.
Then she picked up the sugared candied fruit and slowly sucked on it, while examining the woman kneeling across from her. This woman had Yu Cailing call her Zhu. Yu Cailing was truly unaccustomed to addressing someone by a single character – because this made her think of how the proprietress of the town’s multifunctional comprehensive hair salon coyly called out to her N number of paramours with a collective term – but suffering from not knowing the local customs, she dared not call her anything carelessly. The other day she heard A’Mei speak of a child next door who had nightmares and spoke deliriously, and was force-fed a pot of talisman water by a shaman and nearly lost half his life. Therefore she could only be vague about it, only to later discover that she should indeed just call the woman Zhu.
The woman Zhu had a square face and sturdy build, with a solemn expression, wearing a grayish-white hemp short jacket and deep robe, with trouser legs showing from the knees down, presumably for convenience in working. This was unlike herself – though she also wore not a half-thread of silk, her thick cotton deep robe wrapped fully around her waist once and extended to the backs of her feet. As for the ten-year-old girl A’Mei beside her, her clothing was even simpler – directly a cotton jacket and short gown, exposing thick floral cloth cotton trousers as she ran wildly all over the courtyard.
Over ten days ago, Yu Cailing lay half-conscious and half-awake on her bedding, her eyelids seeming to weigh a thousand pounds. She could only hear a shrill female voice scolding: “…You incompetent foolish old woman, my family’s mistress gave you this position, yet you’ve been so negligent. If the young mistress truly comes to harm, feeding your whole family to the dogs wouldn’t be enough!” Then a mumbling female voice said: “At first it was you who told this lowly one not to pay attention to her, to just let her curse and throw things, saying she was being punished here for committing wrongs and should first have her temperament subdued. Who knew she would develop a fever…” The shrill voice said: “Nonsense! No matter what wrongs she committed, she is still the main family’s young mistress. Is it your place to show contempt?!”
…Yu Cailing drifted off to sleep again in a daze, only feeling someone feeding her medicinal soup. At that time her will to survive was strong, so she strove to swallow. Hazily she heard that shrill voice laughing and saying: “…I won’t hide it from you, this is a hot potato – can’t be handled lightly or heavily. Now that she’s fallen ill like this, even fewer people are willing to take responsibility. But you’re doing well, constantly beseeching me these past days…”
What followed was the woman Zhu’s gentle but slow voice. She laughed: “If the young mistress hadn’t fallen ill like this, this good position wouldn’t have fallen to me either. I only hope to have the main family think well of me, so that in the future my A’Mei and A’Liang will also have prospects.” Then came the sound of clanging copper coins, and that shrill voice said with satisfaction: “Very well then. Since you’ve accepted this position, handle it properly.” Then she departed.
Even burning with high fever, student Yu Cailing, who had nearly perfect marks in logic, could deduce that this body should belong to a young lady from some ancient noble family who had committed wrongs and was currently being punished in the countryside. The previous caretaker’s irresponsibility had led to the young girl’s illness, high fever, and death, thus benefiting her own transmigration.
When she first saw the woman Zhu, Yu Cailing used her extremely shallow knowledge of ancient times to discern, only hoping that what she wore was either a Qing dynasty queue-style Manchu dress or a Tang dynasty breast-exposing outfit – she absolutely didn’t mind marrying a husband with a half-bald head or exposing cleavage in the cold winter! Unfortunately, she completely didn’t recognize what dynasty this type of deep robe clothing was from. Yu Cailing was dejected for three days, until the fourth day when her body had recovered and she followed A’Mei to watch a bride being sent off in marriage, then suddenly became happy – naturally, at that time A’Mei had no idea why the usually melancholy young mistress had become cheerful for no apparent reason.
The woman Zhu was also observing Yu Cailing. For the sake of recovery, the physician had used sufficient ingredients. Even she herself would frown at drinking such bitter medicinal soup, yet the young mistress, except for spitting it out the first time, afterward each time drank it all in one gulp without a single complaint of bitterness. That appearance of clenching teeth and pursing lips was very stubborn and tough. She herself was already taciturn, but hadn’t expected this young mistress to be even more taciturn. Aside from speaking a few more words with A’Mei, often she would go the entire day melancholy without uttering a word – how was this completely different from the descriptions given by outsiders? Zhu felt somewhat puzzled.
After taking the medicine, round-faced A’Mei nestled beside Yu Cailing, saying ingratiatingly: “Young mistress, it’s warm outside today, shall we go out and play?” Yu Cailing was also tired of kneeling and sitting, so she nodded in agreement. The woman Zhu smiled: “Getting some sun would be good too. However, the guard isn’t here today, so you mustn’t go far. Have A’Liang follow along.”
Yu Cailing looked at Zhu strangely. This woman was taciturn, yet today not only was she more talkative, she actually permitted her to go out and play without an adult male in attendance.
A’Mei made a face at her mother, then hurriedly helped Yu Cailing put on thick-soled upturned cotton shoes, then wrapped her in a thick cloak. The two girls happily went out hand in hand to play.
Walking outside, Yu Cailing took a long breath. Facing her was a blast of icy snowy air that completely dispelled the charcoal fire air in her chest, full of fresh crisp breath. Raising her head to look at this northern countryside sky, only then did she feel that the blue sky and white clouds recited in elementary school weren’t lies. Looking at that high and vast vault of heaven, so clean it was like crystal-clear ice water, Yu Cailing felt extremely refreshed.
Turning back to look at this small courtyard, wide fences surrounded the house in a large circle. Though it was a countryside cottage, it was also built with a high-soaring roof. All three rooms inside were broad and lofty, without half a trace of cowering or oppressive atmosphere – such tall and spacious dwellings were completely unlike Japanese style.
Yu Cailing nodded with satisfaction. Leading little A’Mei by the hand while also bringing along a seven or eight-year-old bouncing little boy, she was about to leave the courtyard when she saw two riders dressed in short fighting attire galloping from afar, accompanied by flying accumulated snow and scattered dust. Sharp-eyed A’Mei suddenly said: “It’s Father… and also Elder Brother.” Immediately she raised her voice and waved her arms shouting loudly: “Father! Elder Brother!”
The two riders reined in their horses smartly at the courtyard gate and dismounted. The middle-aged man in the lead immediately clasped his fists and bowed his head upon seeing Yu Cailing, smiling: “Young mistress.” The seventeen or eighteen-year-old young rider behind him also followed suit in clasping fists and bowing.
Yu Cailing nodded, looking up with a slight smile: “Fu Yi has returned.” The middle-aged man raised his bewhiskered face, laughing heartily: “Is the young mistress going out to play? Just now I saw the water shrine ahead performing sacrifices to the stream god. You should go watch the excitement.” Turning to his son he said, “Deng, don’t go inside yet, go along with them.” The youth replied in a low voice: “Yes.” Then he untied the bridle buckle and handed it to his father, following Yu Cailing’s group as they stepped on the crunching thin accumulated snow and went out the gate.
This Fu Yi was the husband of the woman Zhu. Previously there had been two other guards. Yu Cailing heard them call Fu Yi “Fu Tou’er” (Head Fu), so she followed suit, but Fu Yi was very flustered and refused adamantly. When she first met him, seeing him and the woman Zhu behaving intimately, she thought he was the woman Zhu’s paramour and gossiped about it considerably, only to discover he was her lawful spouse.
Leaving the courtyard and walking westward for about ten-plus minutes, they heard the tinkling of stream water and the clamor of human voices. Before them was a small stream about ten-some meters wide with crystal-clear water – the shallow parts were barely half a meter deep, the deep parts only three or four meters. Though just a small stream, its produce was quite abundant, with fish and shrimp year-round, greatly supplementing the villagers’ livelihood. Therefore on the bank not far upstream, the three village elders led the villagers in building a small shrine to worship the gods of the surrounding mountain forests and streams, hoping to receive divine protection and more fish, shrimp, fruits, and vegetables.
As soon as she saw the water shrine ahead, A’Mei pulled Yu Cailing tightly and rushed forward, taking out two five-zhu coins to buy a bamboo tube of homemade incense from the old shamaness at the door, then buying some fruits Yu Cailing couldn’t name from a basket-carrying girl selling them. However, that girl noticed Fu Deng was handsome, tossed him an orange, and looked at him with a grin. Fu Deng’s face immediately turned redder than that orange. But A’Mei laughed: “My elder brother is about to be betrothed!” Yu Cailing teased: “Since you like him, why still charge us money for fruit?” That girl said heartily: “Though he’s handsome, my family still needs to eat.” All the villagers and Yu Cailing’s group laughed heartily.
The so-called shrine was just a large house with two halls stacked front and back. The villagers had seen Yu Cailing’s group several times and only knew she was a young mistress from a nearby wealthy family, so they all made way to let them enter. The front hall was filled with swirling incense smoke. On the high platform stood several oddly-shaped, fierce-looking divine statues – they didn’t look like Guanyin, didn’t look like Uncle Jesus. At the feet of the stone statues were several pools of blood, and beside them were large wooden basins containing three to five chickens and ducks still kicking their legs, eyes not yet closed in death – Yu Cailing shook her head for the Nth time. In this era, divine statues were crafted so terrifyingly and worship methods so primitive and crude – how could believers enter a state of selfless worship emotion and then pour out money and feelings? She wished she could teach these shamans to create several kindly-browed, benevolent-looking divine statues, then place some flowers and goldfish, arrange some chanting and scripture recitation for show, guaranteeing prosperous business reaching across the four seas, abundant fortune flowing to the three rivers.
However, this was obviously only her own thought. The surrounding crowd of women, children, and elderly were clearly very satisfied, each either kneeling or standing solemnly with hands clasped together muttering words. A’Mei hurriedly handed several sticks of incense into her hands, pulling her to kneel on the straw mat cushion.
Yu Cailing sighed with emotion. Her last worship in her previous life was when she climbed a mountain with three roommates. The four young girls very devoutly bowed before the Three Pure Ones’ divine statues. Text Message Sister prayed to win another full scholarship this final exam period. Blog Sister begged that the handsome guy from the adjacent class she secretly loved could quickly break up with his girlfriend and then fall in love with her at first sight. QQ hoped to obtain an internship opportunity with NZND Company early. She herself requested that the 11th version of her Party membership application she’d just written the day before yesterday could pass – Uncle said if she got in, he’d buy her a laptop.
After praying repeatedly, the four together chanted “Amitabha” in unison, then happily went out to play, completely failing to notice the very strange expression of the old woman kneeling beside them.
After bowing, Yu Cailing inserted the incense properly and sighed lightly. From this perspective, that worship session was still quite efficacious. In her previous life she died performing a righteous deed. If she hadn’t died, how could she not have gotten into the Party?! She didn’t know if her three roommates’ wishes were realized. Yu Cailing deeply regretted her bad luck – even a cooked duck flew away – so she sternly refused A’Mei’s call for her to enter the inner hall to hear the shaman explain the latest prophetic diagrams that had been transmitted.
Last time she saw that shaman, he tried to trick Yu Cailing into performing a shamanic ritual to drive away evil spirits, probably having also heard that Yu Cailing was a young lady from a great family who had been driven out by her elders. Bah, did he take her for a fool? Even if she had money, she would rather learn from her callous nouveau riche father and rescue fallen women than spend it on charlatans. Rescuing fallen women could at least contribute to a harmonious society.
“Everyone says that shaman inside is very efficacious.” A’Mei tugged at Yu Cailing’s sleeve. Yu Cailing said with a straight face: “If he were truly that capable, high officials and nobles would have invited him long ago. Why would he still be in this small place?” Actually, later when her callous father’s business grew large, he also began believing in such mystical matters, but the key was to find those with real skill, lest one insert incense in the wrong burner and worship the wrong god.
“That’s hard to say. Mother told us that the Immortal Yan who read the Emperor’s physiognomy back then refused to become an official and is now living in seclusion in the countryside, daily wearing only a fur coat while fishing.” A’Mei was quite knowledgeable.
Fu Deng said disapprovingly: “That Immortal Yan was originally a great master of classical learning. Decades ago his scholarship was already first-rate. Reading physiognomy and interpreting prophecies were merely pastimes he pursued in his leisure. He wasn’t a professional shaman.”
A’Mei could only sadly agree to go play by the stream. Little A’Liang was very happy. Yu Cailing then pulled the siblings out of the temple shrine and went toward the stream’s edge.
The stream bank was indeed full of children and youths, laughing and playing boisterously. At this time folk customs were simple – children’s games were nothing more than skipping flat stones across the water surface, enduring the bone-chilling icy stream water to feel for some slow little crabs and shrimp. The most extravagant was merely using homemade tall wooden clogs to stomp around in the stream water. Watching A’Mei and A’Liang siblings frolicking on the bank, Yu Cailing stepped back several paces and looked around in all directions. Seeing a large round stone dried by the sun, she sat upon it. Fu Deng quietly followed to the side, not uttering a word.
Yu Cailing glanced at him. Zhu was a composed person who absolutely wouldn’t say an extra sentence unless there was important business. Among the three children, probably only Fu Deng took after her – which meant the difficulty of her inquiring about her own situation was extraordinarily great. A’Mei and A’Liang were too young and answered irrelevantly, while those who knew matters were all tight-lipped gourds. Asking too much would alert their mother Zhu.
This was a very superstitious society. Yu Cailing discovered this within just a few days of arriving here.
When her illness recovered, Zhu invited two shamans to sing and dance a bit to thank the gods. When building a new kitchen in the courtyard, Zhu again killed a small lamb and offered several plates of fruit to the Kitchen God. Even the day before yesterday when it snowed heavily, Zhu solemnly offered two jars of winter wine – she didn’t know if it was to request the snow stop quickly or fall even harder. Yesterday when the sun was good and the accumulated snow on the ground gradually melted, making it possible to gather mushrooms and wild vegetables, Zhu happily killed a pair of live chickens and ducks. Although to this day Yu Cailing had never seen human sacrifice, she also dared not casually ask about this and that. Most pitiable was that she still didn’t even know the name of this body she now inhabited.
From ahead came A’Mei’s loud laughter. Apparently a boy had bullied A’Liang, so A’Mei picked up an unmelted ice chunk from the grass and stuffed it down that boy’s back collar to avenge her own younger brother. That boy jumped and shouted like a shrimp. The crowd of children laughed heartily.
Yu Cailing also laughed. In truth she was extremely grateful to Zhu’s family.
Over ten days ago, though she was hazy and confused, she could still feel the surrounding environment wasn’t good. Beneath her was a hard wooden board with thin cotton wadding. The room all around was cold and damp, with an unpleasant smell permeating the air. But since Zhu arrived, the clothing and bedding on her body were all changed to warm and thick good materials. With difficulty, some countryside women were found to jointly move in a large brazier to burn for warmth, baking the entire room warm. After cleaning it several times, Zhu further took lit mugwort and fumigated that large room inch by inch, inspecting carefully, fearing any tiny insects or ants might remain. Afterward she built a stove and piled firewood, daily cooking soup and roasting food to nourish Yu Cailing. Thus her illness improved day by day, while Zhu grew thin from exhaustion.
However, an illness that took one person’s life couldn’t be cured so easily, especially in ancient times with low medical standards. Even today when Yu Cailing’s mood was so good, she still occasionally felt qi deficiency. She couldn’t walk quickly and could only stroll slowly. To make her happy, Zhu even found an ox-drawn cart and had the two guards pull her and A’Mei around walking and looking in the countryside.
Though Yu Cailing didn’t understand ancient customs very well, she also knew that in great households, the servant women in the manor were generally of higher status. But an extraordinary woman like Zhu, so strict, meticulous and capable, was actually only in the countryside – there was definitely a problem with this.
Since she had come, she must make peace with it. People must first survive before they can think about how to live well, and then proceed from being displaced and far from home to feeling lonely, isolated, and cold. Yu Cailing’s nature was selfish and practical to the extreme. Her sentimental cells were nearly endangered species. Right now survival was uncertain and circumstances unclear – where would she have the leisure for lamenting spring and grieving autumn?