Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 2
by Little PandaA Phoenix in Misfortune
The Su family has posted a notice seeking a husband for the young miss to counteract misfortune.
Speaking of Young Miss Su Yi, she has always been a topic of conversation in Fengcheng.
It is said that the Su family head is the daughter of a certain marquis’s concubine-born daughter. The marquis had many daughters, and his concubine-born daughters also had many daughters. According to the Grace Extension Edict established by the former female emperor, by the time it reached the Su family head, she became a major landlord in Fengcheng. Though her power was limited, when she spoke, even the governor of Fengcheng had to show some respect. When the family divided their assets, she received quite a few fields, several shops, and some silver.
The Su family head was beautiful in her youth. Though idle and unlearned, she still managed to marry a cultured and refined husband based on her looks. After marriage, their loving relationship was envied by others. Unexpectedly, after a few years, when the Su family head was pregnant, misfortune struck. The Su family husband somehow fell into water while offering incense and passed away. The Su family head was shocked, gave birth prematurely to the young miss, and couldn’t stop grieving. She hemorrhaged continuously and almost lost her life. The doctor barely managed to save her, but she could no longer bear children.
The Su family head had no time to grieve over her inability to conceive again, as she became completely occupied with her daughter’s matters.
The Su family young miss, being premature, had always been weak, and seemed unwell from birth, constantly sickly. In previous years, there were rumors that she was near death, though she was later saved, her complexion remained poor.
However, the Su family young miss wasn’t discussed because of her illness, but because of her appearance.
A beauty capable of causing the downfall of a nation.
None of the young ladies or young lords in Fengcheng were as beautiful as her.
Especially when she was ill, holding her chest with one hand, the sight made many women who had seen her beauty exclaim they couldn’t take it. If she were a young lord, surely people would have worn down the threshold of the Su family’s gate.
Therefore, early in the morning when the marriage notice was posted at Fengcheng’s city gate, it drew all entering the city to investigate the situation, creating such a crowd that people could barely squeeze through the entrance.
The onlookers, besides speculating about how ill the Su family young miss must be to need a counteract misfortune marriage, were lamenting the Su family head’s marriage conditions.
“Why only seeking young lords? With Miss Su’s condition, wouldn’t a strong and robust woman be better suited to care for her?”
“Give it a rest. Though Miss Su is exceptionally beautiful, you’re really treating her like a young lord? Better go home and sleep it off.”
The onlookers immediately became very disappointed, “Tsk tsk tsk, what a pity, truly a pity.”
In a remote village several dozen li [1 li = 0.5 km] from Fengcheng, villagers were resting under a big tree after finishing their farm work, chatting.
“Ah, the conditions offered by the Su family are really good.”
Li Tiezhu [ζιζ± | LΗ TiΔzhΓΉ], who often went to the city to sell firewood, clicked her tongue, “They say the chosen young lord’s family will receive three hundred silver taels, twenty mu [approximately 3.3 acres; 1 mu = 0.165 acres] of good farmland, dozens of bolts of cloth, and the Su family will even provide gold and silver ornaments. Where else can you find such good conditions?”
“Of course you’d say that since you don’t have a young lord at home,” someone sneered at her dismissively. “That Su family young miss is said to be barely breathing. Marry in just to become a widower?”
This single comment immediately dampened the enthusiasm of many families who had been eagerly listening, hoping to send their sons.
Thanks to the capable new governor, Fengcheng had enjoyed good weather these past years, and even small village households like theirs had some surplus grain. Any family with a conscience wouldn’t want their sons to suffer.
The government decreed that men who lost their wife masters must perform service duties – maintaining waterways, reclaiming wasteland, building tombs, and constructing palaces.
Rich families’ children were exempt, of course. If their maternal family could pay the sky-high ransom, the rule didn’t apply, and they could remarry as usual.
This law was used to control children from poor families.
Every day upon waking, they would be moving lumber, beaten and cursed by guards, eating only coarse grain mixed with grit and stones – it wasn’t a life fit for humans.
If they couldn’t bear it and ran away, three generations of their family, regardless of gender, would be forced into service. Under such layered punishments, these common men served their wife masters devotedly, fearing they might be arrested if anything happened to them.
“Is the Su family young miss really dying?”
“Must be true, otherwise why would the Su family head suddenly arrange a counteract misfortune marriage for her precious daughter?”
“But this Su family young miss is truly beautiful.” Someone licked their lips with lingering interest, “I was fortunate to see her from afar a few times. That appearance, tsk tsk tsk, I dare bet that neither man nor woman in several cities around could compare.”
Wang Erfeng [ηδΊε€ | WΓ‘ng Γr FΓ¨ng], with his hunched back and pockmarked face, snorted, “What use is it for a woman to be so beautiful? Good health is what really matters.”
Others looked at his pockmarked face, thinking: you’re a man with decent health, yet how come you haven’t been married off yet?
“It’s a pity I don’t have a young lord at home, otherwise we could really try.”
Among the chatting people, quite a few were interested, and amid the sighs, someone suddenly remembered something. “Hey, didn’t the little mute in the western village rescue a young lord from the mountains a few days ago? I saw the notice says that if you don’t have one at home but can recommend a willing young lord for the counteract misfortune marriage, you can get thirty silver taels if they’re chosen.”
“Is that so?” Wang Erfeng’s eyes lit up, immediately forming a plan.
In a dilapidated thatched cottage in the western village.
Ji Qingchi [姬εΏθΏ | JΔ« QΔ«ngchΓ] moved her left shoulder. She could move it, but any movement still pulled at tendons and bones, instantly surrounding her with intense pain. Fortunately, no vital areas were injured; with some rest, she should fully recover in a month or two.
A flash of hatred crossed her eyes.
Ji Qingxuan [姬εΏη | JΔ« QΔ«ngxuΓ‘n].
She had been repeatedly tolerant, unexpectedly becoming someone others saw as easy to push around. During a hunt, they set a trap forcing her to fall in, killed her personal guards, aimed several crossbows at her, clearly determined to end her life. If she hadn’t relied on her martial arts skills to escape at the risk of death, she would probably have ended up like her loyal guards, pierced by countless arrows.
She clenched her fist – if this revenge went unpaid, she would not live as a human.
“Creeakβ” The thatched cottage door was pushed open, and a girl around fourteen or fifteen years old entered carrying a basket of wild vegetables. Seeing her get up, the girl’s face went pale, and she frantically tried to pull her back to the only relatively intact broken bed in the cottage.
Ji Qingchi quickly pressed down on her bony hand, “I’m fine, much better now. Thank you for your care, Miss Ye.”
Ye Shui [εΆζ°΄ | YΓ¨ ShuΗ] was somewhat skeptical. When she found this person, they were covered in blood; how could they recover so quickly?
“I really am fine.” Ji Qingchi smiled. Though her lifesaver couldn’t speak, she was sincere and kind, better than many normal people.
Fortunately, when she was severely injured, she met this unsociable young girl. If she had met anyone else, her female-disguised-as-male secret would certainly have been discovered.
Seeing Ye Shui’s worried and doubtful expression, Ji Qingchi smiled at her, “I’m really better. If I feel unwell, I’ll tell you, alright?”
Ye Shui nodded with a red face. Due to her family’s poverty and inability to speak, she had grown up with very little interaction with men. This was the first time she had met a young lord like Ji Qingchi who didn’t look down on her.
Seeing her with the wild vegetables, Ji Qingchi knew she was going to cook and reached out to take them, “Let me help you.”
Ye Shui shook her head, pointing at her arm. Ji Qingchi smiled, waving her right hand, “It’s fine, I can still sort vegetables.”
Ye Shui hesitated before handing her the basket and walking outside.
Curious about what she was doing, Ji Qingchi followed her to a stove made of earth bricks nearby. She watched as Ye Shui took out a bamboo tube, carefully opened the lid, and after pouring for a long time, only managed to get out a handful of rice, so few grains you could count them.
Ji Qingchi sighed. Her lifesaver’s life was truly difficult, but Ji Qingxuan’s people were probably still searching for her everywhere. Her injuries hadn’t healed, and she couldn’t reveal her identity. She could only trouble her host for now, waiting until she could reconnect with her shadow guards and restore her identity before repaying this kindness.
Ye Shui finished pouring the rice and turned around happily, but seeing her rescuee leaning against the doorframe watching her, her face reddened. She hugged the rice in her hands and gestured, “Only this much, sorry.”
“I’m already fortunate that Miss Ye was willing to save me,” Ji Qingchi said with a smile. As expected, Ye Shui’s face reddened again.
She found it amusing – her lifesaver really did like to blush.
The two of them carried the rice and vegetables, and after washing them, just as they were about to put them in the pot, sudden shouting came from outside.
Could it be Ji Qingxuan’s people had come looking for her? Ji Qingchi’s expression changed as she pressed firmly on the flexible sword hidden in her belt. She hadn’t expected that even though she was disguised as a man and had changed her appearance, Ji Qingxuan could still find her. Could there be a spy among her people?
“Ye Shui, is Ye Shui here?”
Hearing that they were calling for Ye Shui, Ji Qingchi relaxed and lowered her guard.
Ye Shui put down the rice and was about to go out when Ji Qingchi grabbed her wrist, “I’ll go with you.”
Ye Shui glanced at where she held her wrist, her heart beating faster, and nodded with a red face.
When Wang Erfeng brought people over, they saw a fair-featured young lord coming out together with Ye Shui, their intimate posture surprising many present.
Li Tiezhu whistled at her, “Ye Shui, you haven’t already shared a room with this young lord, have you?”
Ye Shui was so angry that veins popped on her forehead as she gestured, “You’re talking nonsense! You usually bully me without consequence, but I won’t let you slander this young lord!”
“Stop making random gestures, we can’t understand anyway.” Wang Erfeng snorted, his gaze falling on Ji Qingchi beside her. The appearance wasn’t much, barely qualifying as fair-featured.
But his face was smooth, unlike his, which was covered in pockmarks.
Wang Erfeng had been sick as a child, and though the doctor had saved his life, his face was left covered in pockmarks and scars. He particularly despised men with smooth skin.
Seeing Ji Qingchi’s fair skin now, he immediately burned with anger and said to Ye Shui, “Ye Shui, there’s a government notice forbidding the abduction of people. Since you and this young lord are innocent, you should let him leave.”
Ye Shui was furious, but unable to speak, she could only stamp her feet with a whimper. Ji Qingchi, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, patted her reassuringly and gave her prepared explanation, “My family and I fled here from floods, but we encountered bandits on the way. My family was killed, and I alone escaped to the mountains where this young lady rescued me. Now I have nowhere to go and can only stay at Miss Ye’s home.”
“But according to government rules, unrelated men and women cannot share a room for long without betrothal, or they’ll face the pig cage punishment [ζ΅Έηͺη¬Ό | jΓ¬n zhΕ« lΓ³ng | drowning punishment]. If you want to stay here, you must marry Ye Shui.”
Wang Erfeng snorted, making the pockmarks on his face quiver, “Are you sure you want to marry Ye Shui? She’s a mute, think it through.”
Ye Shui instantly froze, her heart both nervous and joyful, occasionally glancing at the person beside her.
She knew she was born deficient and her family was poor. Forget about husbands, even normal young lords wouldn’t spare her a glance. But this young lord she saved was different – he was kind to her and didn’t look down on her.
But would he be willing to spend his life with her?
Seeing Ji Qingchi’s silence, Ye Shui’s heart cooled somewhat, self-mockingly thinking she shouldn’t have such unrealistic dreams.
Wang Erfeng had anticipated this and smiled, “If you won’t marry Ye Shui, we’ll have to send you to the officials for placement. Of course, if you don’t want to see officials either, there’s a third option. The Su family in the city is looking for someone to counteract misfortune for their young miss. If you apply, you could naturally stay in the city. How about it?”
Ji Qingchi gave a cold laugh – after all that talk, this last bit was probably the real purpose.
Wang Erfeng’s mother was the village head, and his second aunt was the local administrator. His family’s word was law in this village. Seeing his aggressive approach, the group exchanged glances, none daring to speak.
Ji Qingchi looked at him, seeing his smug satisfaction, and thought of Ji Qingxuan’s similarly arrogant manner, instantly feeling disgusted.
But he had mentioned the Su family. As far as she knew, there was only one Su family in Fengcheng – that of Su Ming, granddaughter of Marquis Pingyang Su Ban [εΉ³ι³δΎ―θη | PΓng YΓ‘ng HΓ³u SΕ« BΔn], who had received land according to the Grace Extension Edict established by the third female emperor of this dynasty.
Though this Su family had declined, Su Ming was still the granddaughter of Marquis Pingyang, who held some prestige at court. Ji Qingxuan’s people probably wouldn’t search for her there yet. If she could hide there and reconnect with her shadow guards, she should be safe.
After several turns of thought, Ji Qingchi nodded, “Very well, I’m willing to apply for the counteract misfortune marriage with the Su family young miss.”
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