It was the depth of winter, and the cold was biting.
The snow on the ground remained unmelted, and frost flowers still clung to the bare branches of the old trees.
A figure knelt in the snow. Thin and frail, the person's back looked so vulnerable that it seemed a gust of wind could snap it.
In front of her stood a woman in luxurious attire. Without mercy, she raised her hand and slapped the kneeling figure across the face. "Useless thing! I sent you to fetch a talisman for good luck, and you couldn't even manage that. What's the use of bringing you back?"
Song Ruotang was struck so hard that her body swayed. She quickly raised her hand to cover her stinging cheek. Her ears were ringing, but before she could open her mouth to retort, her father, Song Zhen, kicked her hard in the stomach.
She slid backward on the snow for several steps and fell onto the ground. The pain in her abdomen spread throughout her body, forcing her to curl up involuntarily.
"If anything goes wrong for your sister on her wedding day, what can your worthless life compensate with?" Song Zhen said in a menacing tone.
Meanwhile, her older sister, Song Wanying, stood beside their mother, covering her face. In a seemingly helpless tone, she said, "Sister, I know you've resented me all these years, but you can't steal Yu Lang from me! He's going to be your brother - in - law!"
Hearing this, Song Zhen grabbed Song Ruotang's hair and slapped her hard again. "Aying is about to marry Pei Yu, the eldest son of the Minister of the Supreme Court. How dare you shamelessly seduce your own brother - in - law? You're truly the most disgraceful thing!"
Song Zhen's eyes were wide with anger. The fingerprints on Song Ruotang's face were already swollen and red. She reached up to hold her father's hand that was pulling her hair. Blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth, but she still firmly retorted, "I didn't!"
It was she who had met Pei Yu first. It was Pei Yu who had first told her he loved her. When her heart and eyes were full of the Pei Yu who had reached out to her, this man who had once sworn to marry no one but her now told her that he would marry her sister and take her as a concubine.
The shameless words of Pei Yu still seemed to echo in her ears. Song Ruotang propped herself up on the snow with one hand, feeling that her heart was colder than the snow.
"Still trying to argue!" Her mother, Nie Rong, slapped her again. "Aying saw it with her own eyes. Can it be false? As expected, the one raised outside is just not presentable!"
"Father, after all, she is my sister. Please show some mercy," Song Wanying said softly.
Song Zhen grabbed her hair tightly and gritted his teeth. "If it weren't for Aying pleading for you, I would have cleaned up this family disgrace long ago. How could I have let you, this shameless woman, do such immoral things!"
Song Ruotang bit her lower lip and stared fixedly at the three people in front of her. They were all her closest relatives, but they had abandoned her in a manor on the outskirts of the capital right after her birth.
The night Song Ruotang was born, a passing fortune - teller came to the Song Mansion asking for water. He said that a celestial star of misfortune had descended upon the Song family that night and that he had come to protect the Song family.
So Song Zhen and his wife sent the premature Song Ruotang to the manor on the outskirts.
Song Ruotang's life in the manor was tough. Because of the fortune - teller's prediction, whenever Song Wanying got sick, people from the Song Mansion would come to beat her up. She had to do all the dirty and tiring work every day, and her food was just leftovers and cold water.
Every time she was beaten, Song Wanying would recover. Song Zhen used to hold a low - ranking official position, but later he was promoted twice. Even Nie Rong believed that Song Ruotang was a star of misfortune. They thought that sending her far away would bring peace to the family.
Over the past decade, Song Ruotang had countless injuries on her body.
Seven days ago, someone from the Song Mansion came to pick her up. Firstly, Song Wanying said that since it was her wedding and many relatives and friends would come, she needed her sister there. Secondly, because Song Wanying was physically weak and afraid she couldn't bear the wedding night, she asked Song Ruotang to go to Qingshan Temple to beg for a talisman for good luck.
There were 3,800 steps in Qingshan Temple. Song Ruotang knelt on the snow and climbed step by step. Finally, she fainted on the steps without getting a single talisman.
She was picked up by a snow - sweeping monk. She thought she was saved, but unexpectedly, the monk almost raped her.
Song Ruotang still remembered that day. There was a charcoal stove in the room. When the monk tore her clothes, the door was pushed open. A cold wind blew in, and the scarlet charcoal fire instantly blew up a layer of white ash, flying everywhere.
Someone walked in from outside. The voice was cold and imposing. "I didn't know that a monk who has cut off worldly desires would have such vulgar desires. It's really interesting."
The monk let go of Song Ruotang and knelt down in a hurry to plead for mercy, but he was soon dragged away. Song Ruotang curled up, trying hard to cover her exposed body.
Her side face showed long, curly eyelashes. Now stained with water, the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint red. Tear drops slowly slid down, making her look extremely pitiful.
The man turned around and was about to leave. Song Ruotang's eyes flickered slightly. She had worked so hard to arrange this encounter with him. How could she let this opportunity slip away?
She gritted her teeth, lowered her eyelashes, looking extremely pitiful. With a trembling voice, she said, "My lord, are you just going to leave like this?"
The man's steps paused slightly, but he didn't turn around. His voice was cold. "What do you want?"
"Although I'm not from a noble family, I'm still a chaste woman. Today, you've seen my body. If my lord doesn't give me an explanation..." Song Ruotang said in a somewhat aggrieved tone.
The man was wearing a bamboo hat, and his body was surrounded by a chill. His voice showed no emotion. "You want me to take responsibility?"
Hearing his words, Song Ruotang's hand holding her clothes trembled, but she quickly calmed down. She felt a sharp gaze sizing her up. She knew he was looking at her.
She slowly turned her head, slightly frowning her willow - leaf eyebrows. Her almond eyes were full of rippling light, and the glistening tears made her look so pitiful. Her long eyelashes were slightly lowered, showing an expression of extreme humiliation.
"Indeed. After today's misfortune, I have no face to face my parents. I shouldn't have dared to speak rudely to my lord. Maybe it's better for me to die..."
Song Ruotang stood up and pretended to hit the pillar in the room. In a split - second, she felt a cold wind sweep by, and then she slammed into a firm but slightly soft chest.
The man took a small step back because of the impact. Song Ruotang looked up and met the man's eyes, which were like a sky full of stars.
He pursed his lips tightly, slightly frowned, and supported Song Ruotang. "I didn't expect you to have such strength. I really underestimated you."
Song Ruotang gritted her teeth, looked up with tears streaming down her face, and said, "My lord, why did you stop me? I've already made up my mind to die..."
The man looked at her face for a long time. Finally, he seemed to sigh helplessly. "Fine, I'll take responsibility for you."
...
Song Ruotang came back to her senses. Hearing the faint voices in the distance, she stared fixedly at the people in front of her. "I didn't seduce Pei Yu."
Song Wanying met her gaze and smiled slightly. Then, she mercilessly slapped her. "Bitch!"
Song Ruotang fell to the ground. Her face was burning with pain. The scarlet blood seeped into the snow, like blooming red plum blossoms.
Song Wanying was very strong. She wasn't wearing much clothes. After being beaten by these three people in turn, when she fell, her collar opened slightly, revealing her round and flushed shoulders.
"Still being coquettish!" Song Wanying's expression suddenly turned cold. She was about to raise her hand again when a servant suddenly reported from outside, "Master, Lord Pei and Young Master Pei are here to visit."
Song Wanying stopped in her tracks. She quickly withdrew her hand and looked up towards the archway. The leading man was dressed in a black robe, which was in sharp contrast to the snow - covered ground. His sword - shaped eyebrows slanted into his temples, his eyes were like stars, and his thin lips were slightly pursed. He seemed to be even colder than the snow on the ground.
It was Pei Zhiyan, the Minister of the Supreme Court, a favorite of the current emperor.
Pei Zhiyan was tall and imposing. As he walked, he exuded a natural aura of authority. He casually glanced at the people in the yard, and his gaze paused for a moment on Song Ruotang on the ground.
There was a willow - branch - like scar on her shoulder. This was the second time Pei Zhiyan had seen it.