It was the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month in the Jingguo calendar—a bitterly cold day.In the early morning, Qiao Nian finished washing the last piece of clothing. Before she could warm her cold, numb hands, the elderly supervisor of the Laundry Bureau called out to her: "Qiao Nian, hurry! Someone from the Marquis Mansion has come to fetch you!"She froze in place.The Marquis Mansion… What a familiar yet alien term.For fifteen years, she had lived as a young lady of the Marquis Mansion—until three years ago, when she was told she was an imposter.It turned out that the midwife who had assisted with the birth all those years ago had acted out of selfishness, swapping her with the Marquis Mansion's true-born daughter. On her deathbed, the midwife's conscience finally got the better of her, and she revealed the truth.Qiao Nian still vividly remembered the day the Marquis and his wife reunited with their biological daughter. They had hugged each other, sobbing and laughing uncontrollably, while she stood aside, helpless and confused. She couldn't understand why the people she had called "Father" and "Mother" for fifteen years suddenly stopped being hers.Noticing her despair, Marquis Lin had assured her that she would still be considered a young lady of the mansion. He even told Lin Yuan—their true daughter—to call her "sister." Madam Lin had also promised that they would love her as their own.Yet, not long after, they all watched as Lin Yuan broke the Princess's glazed bowl. They watched as Lin Yuan's maid framed Qiao Nian for the crime. They watched as the Princess berated her, and as she was sent to the Laundry Bureau to work as a servant—all while standing idly by, protecting Lin Yuan and saying not a word in her defense.That was when she knew: she could never be their daughter again."Qiao Nian, what are you staring at? Don't keep the Young Marquis waiting!" The supervisor's urgent voice pulled Qiao Nian back to reality.She looked up toward the entrance of the Laundry Bureau and saw a tall, upright figure standing outside. The pale winter sunlight draped over him like a faint glow.As her eyes met that familiar yet unfamiliar face, Qiao Nian's heart—a heart she had thought long numb—twitched sharply. It was Lin Ye, the man she had called "Brother" for fifteen years. He had once traveled thousands of miles to the south of the Yangtze River to find a rare night pearl for her… yet he had also pushed her down a second-floor staircase to defend Lin Yuan.After three years apart, the sense of grievance she had buried deep inside suddenly surged to the surface. Qiao Nian took a deep breath to suppress it, her expression remaining calm as ever.She walked toward Lin Ye, and when she reached him, she knelt and bowed respectfully. Her voice was soft, yet tinged with distant formality: "This one greets the Young Marquis."Before coming, Lin Ye had imagined countless scenarios of their reunion. He had thought she might throw herself into his arms, sobbing about her suffering over the years—as she once would have, in her spoiled way. Or perhaps she would be filled with hatred, refusing even to look at him.He never expected her to approach him so calmly, then kneel.This was the sister he had doted on for fifteen years! Her stubbornness, her willfulness, her pride—he had indulged them all.Why was she now… like this?Lin Ye felt as if an invisible hand was tearing at his heart. He clenched his fists behind his back, his throat tight as if squeezed by a vice. After a deep breath, he finally spoke: "Grandmother misses you. The Empress has granted permission for you to leave here, for her sake."As the words left his mouth, he realized his tone was too harsh. Frowning, he leaned forward to help her up, forcing a gentler tone: "Come home with me, sister."Qiao Nian's lowered eyes trembled violently."Come home with me, sister!"God only knew how long she had waited to hear those six simple words. In her first days at the Laundry Bureau, she had waited almost day and night for Lin Ye to come fetch her. But day after day, hope turned to disappointment—until she had abandoned all illusions of returning to the Marquis Mansion. Yet now, he was here.She stepped back, gently pulling her hand out of his grasp, and bowed again. "This one thanks the Empress and Grandmother for their kindness."Her tone was sincere, her posture respectful—but the cold distance in her words made Lin Ye's discomfort grow.He withdrew his hand, his brows knitting into a frown. There was an unexpected edge of irritation in his voice: "Father never revoked your status. Even though you've been at the Laundry Bureau for three years, your name is still registered in the Marquis Mansion's household. You were never a servant."How could she be a servant? She was the delicate girl he had spoiled since childhood.But Qiao Nian could only feel a bitter irony. For three years, she had woken before dawn every day to wash clothes—working until sunset, until her hands were raw and ulcerated. The supervisors at the Laundry Bureau had beaten and scolded her at will; her status there was lower than that of the lowest slave.Status? Household registration? What use were they?Seeing Qiao Nian's silence, Lin Ye forced himself to calm down, suppressing the 莫名的 anger rising within him. "Everything you need is at home. You don't have to pack anything. Let's go—don't keep Grandmother waiting." With that, he turned and walked ahead.Yet every few steps, he glanced back. He saw Qiao Nian following far behind, her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her, never once looking at him. Remembering how she used to cling to him, chattering and coquettish, his anger flared again—and unconsciously, he quickened his pace.Three years ago, when Lin Ye had pushed her down that staircase, Qiao Nian had injured her ankle. Now, she couldn't keep up. By the time she reached the palace gate, Lin Ye was already sitting in the Marquis Mansion's carriage.The coachman was an old servant of the mansion; he recognized Qiao Nian. When he saw her approaching, he bowed: "This one greets Young Lady."Qiao Nian returned the bow, then climbed into the carriage and sat beside the coachman.The coachman looked surprised. "Young Lady, why not sit inside?"Qiao Nian shook her head. "It would be against the rules."As the words left her mouth, a foot suddenly stretched out from inside the carriage, kicking her to the ground. Lin Ye lifted the curtain, his face furious. "From the moment I saw you, you've acted so cold and distant! If you don't want to return to the Marquis Mansion, go back to that Laundry Bureau and keep being a slave!"Qiao Nian's brows furrowed in pain—her ankle had twisted again. But Lin Ye's voice remained cold: "Or are you wallowing in self-pity, trying to make me feel guilty? Qiao Nian, you lived in comfort for fifteen years, taking Yuan'er's place. Now you've suffered for three years in her stead—what right do you have to complain?""Since you refuse to ride in the carriage, walk back. Along the way, think about your place—and whether you're even worthy of acting so proud! Don't come back to see Grandmother with that lifeless expression of yours; it will only bring her bad luck!"With that, Lin Ye let the curtain fall and snapped coldly to the coachman: "Return to the mansion!"The coachman dared not disobey. He cast a worried glance at Qiao Nian, then urged the horses forward.Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Qiao Nian felt strangely numb. After all, she had been abandoned by her closest loved ones three years ago. Taking a deep breath, she struggled to her feet and limped toward the Marquis Mansion.But before she could go far, another carriage stopped in front of her. A pair of long, slender fingers lifted the curtain, revealing eyes as cold and distant as ice. "Miss Lin?"Qiao Nian froze. Her heart—a heart she had thought incapable of feeling anything anymore—skipped a beat at the sound of that familiar voice. She slowly looked up at the man in the carriage.It was Xiao Heng, the young general known for his valiant spirit—and her former fiancé. Almost instinctively, she knelt: "This one greets General Xiao."Xiao Heng's brows furrowed slightly. His eyes glanced at her injured ankle, his voice cold as he asked: "Miss Lin, are you returning to the mansion?"Qiao Nian stared at her knees and nodded. "Yes."A silence fell. Xiao Heng waited for her to say more—after all, she had once chattered endlessly in his presence. He had never liked noise, but out of respect for their families' friendship, he had never scolded her harshly, though he had made no effort to hide his annoyance. Sometimes, when she grew too chatterbox, he would pull out a box of pastries to silence her. Back then, she would light up like a child—though the reprieve would last no longer than half an hour.Yet now, after three years apart, she had only answered with a single word.Xiao Heng stepped down from the carriage. He did not offer her a hand, but his voice softened slightly: "I have just returned from the palace after reporting on my duties. Miss Lin may ride back with me."Qiao Nian opened her mouth to refuse, but his cold voice cut her off: "There's no need to endure this if you're injured. Even if you don't care for yourself, Miss Lin, you should think of Old Madam Lin." His tone carried the quiet authority of a military commander.Qiao Nian thought of Old Madam Lin—the only one who had ever truly loved her. She realized that if she had been allowed to leave the Laundry Bureau, Old Madam Lin must have begged the Empress personally. If the old lady knew she was walking back with an injured ankle, she would be heartbroken. So she stopped resisting and whispered: "This one thanks General Xiao." She struggled to her feet and walked toward the carriage.As she passed Xiao Heng, her body tensed involuntarily. Compared to three years ago, he had grown taller and broader. She had heard he had just returned from a victorious battle; there was still a faint trace of the battlefield's fierce aura about him—so strong that even walking past him made her heart race.She had once loved Xiao Heng passionately, even though he had never returned her feelings. Back then, she had thought of him as a block of ice—cold to everyone—but believed that if she was warm enough, she would melt him eventually. But later, when she saw Xiao Heng look at Lin Yuan with gentle fondness, Qiao Nian finally understood: in this world, many things do not come to fruition no matter how hard you try. Some people are destined to gain what others can never obtain, without even trying.So on that day, when she saw Xiao Heng protect Lin Yuan and warn her with a fierce glare, she had swallowed back all her defenses. Her parents, her brother, the person she loved most—they had all chosen to stand by Lin Yuan, expecting her to take the blame.In truth, Lin Ye had been right: she had lived in Lin Yuan's place for fifteen years, and these three years of suffering were repayment. But was she wronged? Of course she was. She had done nothing wrong, yet overnight, everyone who had loved and protected her had turned against her. How could she not feel wronged?The carriage was far warmer than the outside. A faint fragrance lingered in the air—the scent of the incense Xiao Heng always used. On the low table beside her, there was a small stove and a box of pastries. Qiao Nian recognized them as treats from Lin Yuan's favorite pastry shop.She remembered that soon after Lin Yuan returned to the mansion, Madam Lin had come to see her, gently begging her to give up her engagement to Xiao Heng and let Lin Yuan have it. It was a betrothal between the Lin family's legitimate daughter and the Xiao family's legitimate son—something that should have belonged to Lin Yuan. Back then, Qiao Nian had refused. But Madam Lin, though gentle in tone, had been unyielding, and in the end, she had no choice but to agree.Now, three years later—had Xiao Heng and Lin Yuan not yet married? A twinge of bitterness spread in her chest. She couldn't tell if it was jealousy or resentment. But no matter what, it always came back to the same thought: "It doesn't matter."Before long, the carriage stopped outside the Marquis Mansion. Qiao Nian climbed down with the coachman's help. Before she could steady herself, a hurried, gentle voice called out: "Nian Nian!"It was Madam Lin—her former mother. Qiao Nian turned and saw Madam Lin walking quickly toward her, supported by Lin Ye and Lin Yuan. Her arms were outstretched, clearly intending to hug her.Qiao Nian's eyes darkened. Before Madam Lin could embrace her, she knelt and bowed: "This servant Qiao Nian greets Madam."Madam Lin froze mid-step. Earlier, Lin Ye and Xiao Heng had called her "Lin Nian" and "Miss Lin"—but they probably didn't know that on the third day after she was sent to the Laundry Bureau, Old Madam Lin had told her the truth: the Marquis had confessed to the Emperor that she was not his daughter. Her surname was Qiao, not Lin. She had been going by Qiao Nian for a long time now.Madam Lin clearly knew this. Whether out of guilt or sorrow, tears suddenly streamed down her face. She helped Qiao Nian up, gently touching her cheek, her eyes filled with pity: "You've grown so thin… so pale." Her daughter—the child she had raised like a treasure—had become unrecognizable in three years."Mother, don't be sad," a soft, delicate voice said. It was Lin Yuan. Compared to three years ago, she had grown plumper and paler. When she looked at Qiao Nian, her eyes were red and shy, filled with unspoken guilt—just as they had been three years ago.Qiao Nian pretended not to notice, keeping her eyes lowered.Madam Lin sighed in relief. "Yes… it's good that you're back. It's good you're home." As she spoke, her gaze fell on the carriage beside them. She recognized it as the Xiao family's carriage. Thinking of Lin Ye's angry expression when he had returned earlier, Madam Lin's heart ached. She shot Lin Ye a sharp look, then took Qiao Nian's hand and comforted her: "That rascal—Mother has already scolded him for you. Don't worry, you'll never suffer again." Her eyes glistened with tears, her sorrow genuine.But Qiao Nian suddenly pulled her hand away.Lin Ye, still angry, couldn't help but snap: "Lin Nian! Don't be so ungrateful!"Qiao Nian only looked up at him, saying nothing.Madam Lin glared at Lin Ye. "Your sister has just come back—why are you so harsh?""Mother! Look at her attitude!" Lin Ye frowned, staring at Qiao Nian. "I told you earlier—if you don't want to come back, go back to that Laundry Bureau! The Marquis Mansion raised you for fifteen years; we owe you nothing. You can be cold to me all you want, but Mother has cried for you almost every day. How dare you act so spoiled?"Spoiled? Qiao Nian sighed inwardly. She was no longer a young lady of the mansion—how could she be "spoiled"?Seeing her silence, Madam Lin's brows furrowed, but she still defended her: "Your sister just needs time to adjust. Don't blame her." She waved to a maid, then turned back to Qiao Nian. "Grandmother has been waiting for you all day. You should go to Fanghe Courtyard first to wash up, then visit her. From now on, you will still be the eldest young lady of the Marquis Mansion. Don't worry—nothing will change."Qiao Nian nodded and bowed to take her leave. But in her heart, she felt only absurdity. "Nothing will change"—yet she knew she would never return to her old courtyard again.
Chapter 1 - Chapter 1 After three years of being a slave
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