After the second wave of battle cries, Pei Ying waited anxiously for the third surge of chaos. But following the muffled thunder-like rumbling, everything fell silent.
Time passed indeterminately until, as dawn fully broke outside, the sound of a night watchman’s clapper suddenly echoed through the streets.
"Clang—clang—clang—"
Three heavy strikes of the gong jolted awake those still lost in dreams and sent shivers down the spines of those already roused, fretting over the situation outside.
Meng Ling'er belonged to the former group. Startled awake, her body stiff from hiding behind a wooden cabinet all night, she cried out, "Mother!"
"I'm here, don't be afraid," Pei Ying soothed, massaging her daughter’s rigid neck.
"By the decree of His Majesty, the Heaven’s Stratagem General and Governor of Youzhou has led troops to reinforce Beichuan! The bandits have been executed—the people may rest easy!"
"By the decree of His Majesty, the Heaven’s Stratagem General and Governor of Youzhou has led troops to reinforce Beichuan! The bandits have been executed—the people may rest easy!"
The proclamation, delivered in a booming voice, alternated with the gong’s strikes, spreading throughout Beichuan County as the crier moved from street to street.
"Mother, the Youzhou army is here? They said the bandits are gone—does that mean we can go out now?" Meng Ling'er perked up.
Yet Pei Ying recalled the words of the "bandits" from the day before—they had clearly spoken of Bingzhou’s forces, so how had Youzhou’s army intercepted them? Had their plans been leaked?
Regardless, caution prevailed. "Let’s wait a little longer. We still have food; there’s no rush."
At first, everyone remained holed up in their homes. But gradually, some citizens could endure no longer. A few ventured out cautiously and found the streets in disarray but devoid of corpses. Patrols of soldiers now maintained order, and everything appeared methodically arranged.
More and more people emerged, and the streets slowly buzzed with noise.
Pei Ying waited until noon. When the clamor outside showed no signs of fading, she concluded that the watchman’s announcement was likely true—Beichuan’s siege had been lifted.
"Ling'er, Shui Su, let’s go out too. If it’s truly safe now, we must secure the main gate." Pei Ying made her decision.
The "bandits" had broken in earlier, and she doubted they’d bothered to close the gate behind them. Though the bandit raid hadn’t left every house empty, many had perished. An open door might invite looters seeking to plunder the dead.
Meng Ling'er and Shui Su obeyed without question. The three made their way to the front courtyard, but as soon as they passed the moon gate, they collided with three men entering from outside.
All three wore black robes and headscarves, with short knives at their waists—typical attire for constables. The man in the middle bore slightly finer accessories, marking him as higher in rank.
"Who are you?!" Shui Su stepped forward, attempting to shield Pei Ying and Meng Ling'er with her body.
Hao Wu froze, his gaze locked onto Pei Ying, eyes widening in awe. He had long heard of the county magistrate’s wife’s beauty, but this was his first glimpse of her. The lady of the house was known to be reclusive, seldom seen in public. Moreover, the magistrate neither kept concubines nor visited brothels. Often spotted buying pastries favored by ladies on his way home, he had earned a reputation for deep respect toward his wife—so much so that her famed beauty had become secondary in local gossip.
Yet now, faced with the stunning, graceful woman before him, her delicate hand clasping her daughter’s, Hao Wu felt his heart nearly leap from his throat.
It wasn’t just her beauty that stirred him—it was the dazzling prospects now laid before him.
Beautiful women weren’t rare, but the finest were as scarce as phoenix feathers. And this magistrate’s wife carried herself with a gentle, watery grace, the very type powerful men adored—soft, vulnerable. Now widowed, with a daughter just blooming into womanhood...
In a flash, Hao Wu’s mind raced, and his decision was made. He bowed respectfully. "Madam, I am Hao Wu, a constable of Beichuan County. I came to inform you that the magistrate has fallen in the line of duty. The departed are beyond our reach—may you and the young lady grieve with restraint."
Though she had harbored a foreboding, hearing of her father’s death turned Meng Ling'er’s face ashen. "How... how did my father die...?"
Hao Wu feigned sorrow. "The bandits stormed the county office first. Aside from myself and two brothers who were patrolling outside, all others fell to their blades."
Meng Ling'er swayed as if struck by lightning, her legs giving way. Pei Ying and Shui Su caught her on either side.
The two constables beside Hao Wu exchanged glances, their eyes flickering with confusion and darker intentions.
They knew the magistrate had sent word home before his death. They had assumed his family fled in haste, leaving valuables behind.
They had come for plunder.
But now, confronted with the magistrate’s widow and daughter—still inexplicably at home—their greed twisted. Wealth was no longer the sole prize.
Hadn’t the bandits’ invasion already shattered countless families? Hadn’t countless virtuous women been defiled? What difference would one or two more make? Why bother with pleasantries? Why not simply take what they wanted?
Hao Wu sensed their thoughts and subtly restrained them with a hand each, inwardly cursing their shortsightedness.
Pei Ying noticed Hao Wu’s gesture, her unease deepening. She only wanted them gone so she could comfort her daughter. "Thank you for the news, Constable Hao. The house is in disarray—we won’t keep you for tea."
Hao Wu’s gaze darted past the moon gate, taking in glimpses of the inner courtyard. Seeing no other household members despite their prolonged presence, he drew conclusions. "This morning, you must have heard the gong. The Governor of Youzhou himself led the troops to crush the bandits. Beichuan now rests securely in the general’s grasp—a man of unparalleled heroism. You and the young lady must look to the future."
Pei Ying nodded absently, barely listening, silently willing him to leave so she could tend to her daughter.
Taking her nod as agreement, Hao Wu smiled. "Since Madam admires the general, I will do my utmost to arrange a meeting. Given the magistrate’s sacrifice for the people, the general may extend his protection to you."
The words were veiled in courtesy, but their meaning was clear. Pei Ying, who had missed it earlier, now understood.
Her jade-like cheeks flushed with anger. "Unnecessary. The general and I are strangers—there’s nothing to discuss. Leave."
The other two constables finally grasped Hao Wu’s scheme. After a moment’s deliberation, the allure of lasting wealth won out over base desires, and they chimed in:
"Second marriages are common in our dynasty. A wise bird chooses its branch—the general is in his prime and rules Youzhou. With his favor, Madam need never want for safety or luxury again."
"Get out!" Meng Ling'er trembled with fury.
Her father had just passed away, and yet these people came to persuade her mother to remarry... No, not remarry—to become someone’s concubine.
How outrageous!
Pei Ying stepped forward to shoo them away. "Please leave. The Meng residence does not welcome you."
Shui Su couldn’t bear to see Pei Ying confront them empty-handed, so she grabbed a broom from the front yard. "Get out, or don’t blame this broom for having no eyes!"
The broom’s head was filthy, and Hao Wu and his two companions recoiled in disgust. With every step they took back, Pei Ying and Shui Su advanced, driving the three men all the way to the gate.
"Madam, don’t be angry. I only have your best interests at heart," Hao Wu said as he retreated. "No matter how much you cherish the memory of the late magistrate, the dead cannot return. You still have a daughter and servants to support—you must live in the present. And in these chaotic times, how can a household survive without a man? A great general like him is a rare opportunity. Don’t let stubbornness cloud your judgment."
Pei Ying stood at the gate, her peripheral vision catching sight of two cavalrymen turning onto the street. She clenched her fingers, deciding to take a gamble. "The great general issued a proclamation to reassure the people after taking the city—he must care about appearances. Do you think those cavalrymen would help a poor widow and her orphaned child if I called for aid now?"
The clip-clop of hooves grew closer.
Hao Wu was indeed intimidated. With a final bow, he said, "Since Madam refuses, I won’t press further. But my words were sincere. I hope you’ll reconsider."
The only response he received was the slam of the courtyard gate.
Inside, the moment the gate closed, Pei Ying’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Madam!" Shui Su gasped, dropping the broom in alarm.
"It’s fine... Just give me a moment. Just a moment..." Pei Ying patted her chest, her voice trembling. She had lived in a civilized society before—how could she have ever imagined facing such coercion?
"Mother, they won’t come back, will they?" Meng Ling'er clung to Pei Ying, terrified that her mother might be taken away in the blink of an eye.
Pei Ying murmured, as much to reassure herself as her daughter. "Most likely not. The great general has only just entered the city—they wouldn’t dare break the rules."
......
"Brother Hao, are we really giving up? Letting her stay a chaste widow?"
"Chaste widow? Hah! In times like these, do you think she can hold out?"
Hao Wu, walking in the middle, raised his head to the sky. The red sun hung high—it was just past noon. "Why abandon a task halfway? The great general is hosting a small banquet this evening. After the feast, well... spring nights are worth a thousand pieces of gold."
"But it’s only a single afternoon. The madam might not come around so quickly."
Hao Wu scoffed. "You fool. If she won’t come around, we’ll make her. Knock out the mother and daughter, abduct them, then slip them some Joyous Spring Powder. Once the deed is done, they’ll have no choice but to accept it."
"Brother Hao, you’re truly resourceful."
Hao Wu stroked his beard. The houses lining the street ahead seemed to vanish abruptly, the road widening before him as if the cracked cobblestones had smoothed over. The future was boundless.
