Red Crossing Chapter 13

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Wu Xuemei was born in Wujiabao, more than 20 miles from the county seat. Her father, Wu Yuanji, was a retired military general who owned considerable land and businesses. Wu Yuanji was known for his generosity and philanthropy, always providing relief to famine victims in the surrounding villages during years of disaster, earning him great prestige in the area. He had two wives, who gave birth to a daughter and a son around the same time. Xuemei's mother, the first wife, died young less than two years after giving birth to Xuemei, suffering from depression due to her husband's neglect. Fortunately, her father's second wife was a virtuous woman who treated Xuemei, her stepdaughter, fairly well. Xuemei's half-brother, Wu Xuefeng, was only two days younger than her. Her brother was very intelligent, and Wu Yuanji had high hopes for him, demanding a great deal from him. Besides passing on his martial arts skills to his son, he spared no expense in hiring learned tutors to teach him to read, write, and compose poetry and essays, hoping that Wu Xuefeng would grow up to be a pillar of the nation, capable of both literary and martial prowess. Wu Yuanji was extremely patriarchal and had a bad temper. He not only forbade his daughter Xuemei from learning martial arts, but also forbade her from reading and writing, confining her at home every day to learn needlework. He believed that a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent. For a woman, gentleness and virtue were paramount; nothing else mattered. Besides, a daughter was ultimately meant to be married off, and as long as she married into a good family, that was enough. Unfortunately, Wu Xuemei had a rebellious personality from a young age. Her intelligence was in no way inferior to her younger brother's, and coupled with her natural boldness and generosity, the children in the Wu family all respected her as their leader. The only person she feared was her father; as soon as he left, she did as she pleased, and no one could control her. She often hid outside the study to eavesdrop on the teacher instructing her brother, thus learning quite a few characters. However, her ambition was to become a heroine like Mu Guiying and Hua Mulan, so she was particularly dedicated to learning martial arts. Of course, she could only learn in secret, afraid to let her father know. Wu Yuanji was polite and courteous to outsiders, but a complete tyrant to his own family, always having the final say. Whether it was his wife, son, or daughter, anyone who made a mistake would be severely reprimanded or even subjected to family punishment. Wu Xuemei had been stripped naked and beaten on the buttocks with rattan canes and wooden boards by her father since childhood. Unfortunately, she was naturally wild and untamed, and no amount of beatings could change her. When it was time to bind her feet, Xuemei resisted fiercely, crying her heart out, a truly earth-shattering cry. At that time, Wu Yuanji happened to be away on a large business deal, about six months away from home. Her stepmother (who was also the biological mother of her younger brother Wu Xuefeng) pitied her for losing her mother at a young age and couldn't bear to force her, thus delaying the foot-binding. When Wu Yuanji returned home after finishing his business, his stepmother, fearing her husband's scolding, didn't mention that her daughter's feet hadn't been bound, hoping to keep the secret for as long as possible. Wu Yuanji had never paid much attention to his daughter, and the servants dared not offend their mistress, so he was kept in the dark for several years until Xuemei turned ten. Enraged, Wu Yuanji personally subjected his wife and daughter to severe punishment. His poor wife was beaten so badly she couldn't get out of bed for days, and his daughter Xuemei fared even worse; her thighs and buttocks were mangled and bloody, taking over two months to heal. Fortunately, by this time, customs in rural China were gradually changing, and bound feet were becoming commonplace. Besides, his daughter was older, and forcing her to bind her feet now would cause extremely serious harm, possibly even lifelong disability. Therefore, Wu Yuanji stopped insisting. He was completely unaware that in his daughter Xuemei's heart, her former fear of her father had transformed into a deep-seated hatred. The Wu family had a maid named Huiyun, a servant brought from Xuemei's maternal home by her birth mother. Later, Wu Yuanji married her off to an elderly gatekeeper in the mansion, who had raised Miss Xuemei from childhood. After the old gatekeeper died, she stayed with the Wu family because she had no daughters, helping with chores. Xue Mei still called her Yun Niang, just like when they were children. Yun Niang was very dissatisfied with Master Wu's favoritism towards his sons over his daughters, but due to her low status, it wasn't her place to speak. When she learned that Xue Mei was secretly practicing martial arts, she quietly called Xue Mei aside and told her many stories of the past. Xue Mei's mother's surname was Wen, and her family was from Wuzhou, Guangxi. According to Yun Niang, her father, Wu Yuanji, was originally a penniless man who returned home empty-handed after serving in the army. He became wealthy thanks to the substantial dowry that Xue Mei's mother brought from her family. She also said that Xue Mei's maternal grandfather, Master Wen, came from a family of martial artists and had passed the martial arts examination in his youth. The girls in the Wen family didn't have to bind their feet and could learn martial arts from their fathers and brothers; even Yun Niang, who was a maid, had practiced martial arts and weapons for several years. Unfortunately, her maternal grandfather had long since passed away, and the Wen family had fallen into decline. Xue Mei's mother was one of the most beautiful women in the area. She married Wu Yuanji through a martial arts contest. Yun Niang said that everyone in the Wen family watched the contest, and she believed that her daughter had held back. With her daughter's skills, she could have easily defeated Wu Yuanji. Perhaps she deliberately lost to him because she thought he was a decent person. Sadly, Wu Yuanji betrayed her daughter's true feelings. Less than two years after their marriage, he fell in love with his friend, Magistrate Pang's cousin, and married her as well. Xue Mei's mother was always depressed and died the year after giving birth to Xue Mei. But, since Xue Mei's mother was beautiful and gentle, why did her father neglect her? Yun Niang said she didn't understand the reason at first. It wasn't until her daughter was on her deathbed that she learned that Wu Yuanji discovered on their wedding night that his wife was no longer a virgin, and therefore began to neglect her. However, the young lady never revealed the identity of her first love until her death. It seems there were no major arguments between the couple about this. Yunniang only remembered that on the morning of the second day of her marriage, the young lady woke up with red, tear-filled eyes, refusing to say a word, which broke Yunniang's heart. Furthermore, when Xuemei was born, her father hired a Taoist priest to tell her and her brother's fortunes. The priest said Xuemei's fate was unlucky, bringing misfortune to the men around her, including her father, brothers, and husband. This was one of the reasons Wu Yuanji disliked them. Upon hearing Yunniang's stories, Xuemei immediately pressed her, asking if her biological father was someone else. If she wasn't Wu Yuanji's biological daughter, then his coldness towards her would be explained. She resolved that if that were the case, she would run away from home to find her real father. Helpless, Yunniang told Xuemei that she was indeed Wu Yuanji's biological daughter. She also said that in the six months before the young lady's marriage, she and the young lady were together almost every day, and her every move was observed. She had never seen the young lady fall for any man. After marrying Wu Yuanji, a tyrannical husband, she was confined to the house all day. When she occasionally went out, she was always accompanied by maids and servants, making it impossible for her to seduce other men. The young lady was gentle and virtuous, with dignified and generous manners. She was warm and generous to others but never overstepped the bounds of propriety. She had many fellow students and cousins in her hometown, so naturally, many men were attracted to her. However, her interactions with them were all normal, without anything out of line. So, how exactly did the young lady lose her chastity? Section 2: Hatred. The mystery wasn't solved until ten years after Xue Mei's mother's death. One day, a woman nearing fifty came to Wu Family Fortress looking for Xue Mei's mother. She had a full head of white hair and wore tattered clothes, as if she had walked a long way. Wu Yuanji and his second wife happened to be away, so Yun Niang received her alone. The woman said she had come all the way from Wuzhou, Guangxi, begging for food. She and her husband used to run a business in Liuzhou. More than ten years ago, her husband passed away, and she sold their shop, taking her elderly father-in-law and daughter back to their hometown in Wuzhou. However, they were ambushed by a group of bandits on the way, who robbed them of their valuables. Her father-in-law, clinging tightly to his money bag, was hacked to death by the bandits. The bandits then attempted to rape her and her daughter, who was not yet thirteen. At that moment, the third young lady of the Wen family (Xuemei's mother) happened to be passing by. Hearing her cries, she rushed over with a knife to save the mother and daughter, completely disregarding the danger she faced. That year, Miss Wen had just turned sixteen. Miss Wen quickly engaged the bandits in battle. In the first round, she wounded two of them with her steel knife. Caught off guard, perhaps stunned by her beauty and martial arts skills, they didn't overwhelm her with numbers. She seized the opportunity to rescue the woman and her daughter, leading them out of the grove. Later, the bandits, regaining their senses, chased after them, brandishing knives and guns and shouting. The woman and her daughter couldn't run fast and were about to be caught. Miss Wen told them to go first, and she herself, knife in hand, turned back to fight the bandits. The woman and her daughter ran to a village at the foot of the mountain, knelt on the ground, and cried out, begging the villagers to rescue the righteous Miss Wen. Finally, more than twenty young men from the village picked up hoes and carrying poles and followed her up the mountain. By the time they reached the grove, the bandits were already gone. Miss Wen had been slashed more than a dozen times on her back and arms, covered in blood, and lay unconscious on the ground. She had also been gang-raped by the bandits, and her clothes and skirt had been torn to shreds.She was naked, her crotch stained with blood and men's filth. The villagers carried Miss Wen back to the village, where she stayed to recover from her injuries for over twenty days. When she left the village, not only the woman and her daughter, but the entire village, young and old, wept as they saw her off, saying she was the merciful and compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves people from suffering. The woman later settled down in that village. Her daughter grew up and married someone from the same village, and she lived with her daughter and son-in-law. In the past two years, feeling that she was getting old, she decided that she had to see her benefactor, Miss Wen, one last time before she died. She learned that Miss Wen had married into Yudong County in Hainan, so despite her daughter and son-in-law's objections, she traveled alone, begging her way there. When she heard from Yunniang that her great benefactor had passed away ten years ago, she ran to Madam Wu's (Miss Wen's) grave and wept bitterly, then continued begging her way back to her hometown of Wuzhou. Yunniang, utterly disillusioned with Master Wu, never mentioned the old woman and her past stories to him and his second wife after they returned home. Hearing Yunniang's words, Xuemei hated her father even more. She vowed never to learn the Wu family's martial arts again, demanding Yunniang teach her mother's family's martial arts so she could one day make a name for herself through the Wen family's skills. Yunniang secretly taught Xuemei martial arts for a while. Xuemei's skills quickly surpassed Yunniang's, and she could no longer teach her. So she suggested a plan: a Guangxi merchant named Zhang Wenqing lived in a small town not far from Wu Family Fort. He was Xuemei's maternal grandfather's direct disciple and Xuemei's mother's senior brother. Yunniang said she could ask Zhang Wenqing to pass on his martial arts to her out of respect for her junior sister, and then she would return to teach Xuemei. Xuemei thought this was a good idea and urged Yunniang to do it immediately. Zhang Wenqing had always admired his junior sister, but unfortunately, he hadn't asked someone to propose marriage to his master and mistress in time, and Wu Yuanji beat him to it. Later, his junior sister died young, and he was heartbroken when he heard the news. Although he knew Wu Yuanji, he didn't like him because of his junior sister, and they usually didn't interact. When he met his junior sister's maid, Yunniang, a tender feeling arose in his heart, as if he were seeing his junior sister. Hearing that his junior sister's daughter was not loved at home, he felt great sympathy for her. Therefore, he agreed to Yunniang's request without hesitation. Thus, with Yunniang as the matchmaker, Xuemei practiced martial arts diligently for nearly five years, learning all the family martial arts of her mother's family. Later, because Zhang Wenqing's father was seriously ill and there was no one to take care of him, he moved his family back to his hometown in Guangxi. Because her father strictly forbade her to go out, and even if she had to go out, she had to be accompanied by a maid he appointed, Xuemei never saw her master, Zhang Wenqing, even once. Because of Yunniang's cover-up, and because her stepmother always turned a blind eye to Xuemei's secret practice of martial arts at home, Wu Yuanji remained unaware. Her younger brother, Wu Xuefeng, was strictly controlled by their father and rarely had time to care for his sister. Furthermore, being a man of few words, he didn't speak much even when with Xuemei. However, he knew about his sister's martial arts training. He tried his best to help his mother conceal it, lest his father become angry and cause unrest in the family. When Xuemei turned seventeen, Wu Yuanji began to consider finding her a husband. Aside from being a bit wild, Xuemei was exceptionally beautiful, though much taller and stronger than most girls. Everyone who met Xuemei praised her highly, and suitors came in droves. Wu Yuanji ultimately decided to marry his daughter to the son of his old friend, Magistrate Pang, as his second wife. He considered this marriage excellent and never considered discussing it with his wife, nor did he tell his daughter beforehand. Wu Yuanji's current wife was Wu Xuefeng's biological mother, Magistrate Pang's cousin. Magistrate Pang's family was a scholarly family, renowned for their business and farming in Yudong County since his great-grandfather's generation. Magistrate Pang himself shared similar interests with Wu Yuanji, and their sons had even studied together in their childhood. Therefore, he believed that marrying his daughter into the Pang family was a natural and auspicious arrangement, strengthening family ties. Unfortunately, as Xuemei grew older, her hatred for her father did not diminish at all. She had now blossomed into a beautiful young woman, and thanks to Yunniang's guidance, she had gained considerable knowledge about matters of the heart. Driven by extreme hatred and distrust of her father, she absolutely refused to let him arrange her marriage. She privately told Yunniang that even if she married a peddler or a farmer, she would never want to be a concubine to Magistrate Pang's son! Xuemei had never met Magistrate Pang's son, only hearing that his name was Pang Guoqiang, that he had studied abroad, and that he was now a businessman in the provincial capital. He enjoyed discussing national affairs with restless young scholars and had even given himself the nickname "Qilinzi" (meaning "unicorn son"). She had also heard that he was a womanizer, frequently visiting brothels and quite famous among the local courtesans. Xue Mei disliked such a man. Although she had never met him, his father, Magistrate Pang, had visited her home several times, and Xue Mei had seen him. Although Magistrate Pang was an upright official with a good reputation in the area, he was extremely ordinary-looking. Xue Mei thought that his son probably wasn't much better. The key was that Xue Mei didn't want her father to make decisions for her. She resolved to run away from home, to walk her own path, and to find her ideal husband. Of course, she had no idea that her departure would lead to countless grudges, love affairs, and bloodshed! Chapter 3: The Beggar Girl Three years later, at the end of April, the weather was fine and sunny. Because the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching, and it was market day, the north gate of Yudong County was bustling with activity. Small merchants and vendors from all over the country, as well as villagers from nearby areas, were bringing grains, vegetables, and other goods to the county town, hoping to make a profit at the market and also buy things they needed for their homes. These days were also good days for beggars, because with the festival approaching, people were in high spirits, making begging much easier than usual. If they were lucky, they might even be hired to do some light work, earning wages they rarely received, at least enough for a decent meal. In recent years, northern China had been plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities, resulting in a surge of beggars and people selling their children. In Yudong County and several neighboring counties, most beggars were from out of town; few were locals. Some had even fled from Henan and Shandong provinces with their families. In a teahouse near Beicheng, a young man in a greyish-white long gown sat drinking tea, watching the vendors and people passing by on the street, and the beggars shouting excitedly. His face was tanned dark, and his eyes were bright and piercing. This man was none other than Wu Xuemei, a woman disguised as a man. She had been away from home for three years. She toyed with a glittering gold ring and an unremarkable iron plaque in her hands. Normally, she kept these two items tucked close to her chest, only taking them out to play with when she was alone and lost in thought. The iron plaque was a keepsake from her mother; one side was engraved with the characters "Qiuping," which she knew was her mother's given name. The other side also had two characters, but they were worn away and illegible. The gold ring was something she had stolen from a wealthy young man. She had run away from home one night three years ago. Yunniang had prepared enough money for her journey, along with dry food and a change of clothes the night before, instructing her to take a boat from Haikou, then travel to Wuzhou in Guangxi to seek refuge with her two uncles. The iron plaque was also given to her by Yunniang; she didn't know its origin, only that her mother had always worn it. However, because she had never left home before and had no experience in the ways of the world, her luggage and travel expenses were stolen before she even left Yudong County, leaving her with only some pocket money. Although Wu Xuemei had never lacked food or clothing since childhood, she possessed a resilient character and had not acquired any of the spoiled airs of a wealthy young lady. She was determined never to return to bowing to her father, even if it meant becoming a beggar. She needed to raise money; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to go to Haikou, and even if she did, she wouldn't have enough for a boat ticket. Even if she was lucky enough to board a ship, she would starve to death before reaching her uncle's house. She dared not ask relatives or acquaintances for help, fearing her father would find out and send men to arrest her. Besides her martial arts skills, she knew nothing else and could only rely on begging to earn money. Becoming a beggar was easier said than done, and she quickly learned three major lessons in life. The first lesson was: bustling, brightly lit places are not necessarily safe. Sometimes, staying in a secluded, desolate, dark corner is safer. Because she was a fully grown woman who hadn't suffered much hardship in the past, she didn't look like a beggar. Wherever she went, there were men with ulterior motives who coveted her. Those men were either thugs or human traffickers. If she hadn't been strong and healthy and hadn't learned martial arts, she probably would have been stripped naked and raped countless times. Even so, she still suffered a lot. Her breasts and buttocks were grabbed and pinched by strangers many times, and even her groin was touched by several men. Those disgusting guys made her constantly on guard, causing her to be afraid of crowded places. She usually chose to spend the night in secluded corners or in other people's livestock sheds. Dark and cold places had fewer people, and even if there were, they couldn't see her clearly, which actually made her more vulnerable.It was safer. After getting used to the darkness, she wasn't so afraid anymore. However, she remained highly vigilant while sleeping at night, always holding either a stone or a stick, ready to fight at any moment. The second lesson was: never be clean when you're starving. Although she wasn't favored by her father at home, she had no worries about food and clothing, and bathed frequently. Her clothes, while not made of expensive silk or brocade, were not something a poor girl could afford. She soon discovered that going begging dressed clean and smelling fragrant was practically suicide. Not only did the rich men harass and take advantage of her, but even the poor thought she was easy to bully and wouldn't let her go easily. Xue Mei was an extremely clever girl, and she learned and mastered various survival skills very quickly. In just a few days, she learned how to conceal her beauty and avoid attracting the attention of those despicable men. She cut her hair short, dirtied and blackened her face, and changed into a set of men's clothes that she had stolen from another beggar. In the blink of an eye, she became a filthy beggar, indistinguishable from the other beggars running around the streets. The third lesson is: never easily trust anyone, and never recklessly extend a helping hand. On the second day of Xue Mei's begging, she encountered a young woman with a child. Her daughter, only five years old, was emaciated and looked as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Her son, less than a year old, huddled in his mother's arms, crying incessantly, a heartbreaking sight. Xue Mei had two copper coins left and hadn't been willing to spend them. Seeing the woman's pitiful state, she secretly gave her the two coins and also gave the woman's daughter half a dry, hard sweet potato bun that she had just picked up from the ground. However, after walking less than two blocks, Xue Mei suddenly found herself surrounded by more than thirty beggars of all ages. Among them were elderly men in their sixties and children in their teens, all staring greedily at her as if she possessed gold, silver, or delicacies hidden beneath her clothes. She felt uneasy under their gazes, goosebumps rising all over her body. Seeing them closing in, Xuemei picked up a two-foot-long dry branch and swung it around to keep them away. Then, she found an opportunity and suddenly broke through the crowd, running towards the outside. The beggars chased after her relentlessly; their leader was a man in his late thirties, who threw stones at her as he ran. Xuemei, unable to bear it any longer, turned and fought back, striking the man with the dry branch until his head bled. The other beggars then scattered in fear. This incident greatly shocked Xuemei, because the next day she heard from other beggars that the man who had chased her and thrown stones was actually the husband of the poor woman she had given alms to! There was no one else around when she gave her the two coins, so she was certain that the woman had instigated her husband to chase her. However, she didn't go back to confront the woman. It was obvious; everyone was driven to desperation by hunger. Steal if you can, rob if you can. There's nothing she wouldn't be ashamed of doing, even to those who have been kind to her. When she first cut her hair short, she had no other clothes and was still wearing her old women's clothes, looking quite out of place. An elderly beggar told her he was willing to trade his own clothes for hers. Her own clothes, though somewhat dirty, weren't torn yet and could be pawned for a few coins. The old beggar's clothes were not only tattered but also smelled terrible. But Xue Mei had no other choice; it was too dangerous for someone so young to wear women's clothes all the time. She had no choice but to follow the old man to a secluded corner and obediently strip naked. The old man's eyes lit up at the sight of her body. He grabbed her, his thin hands groping her breasts, attempting to rape her. Enraged, she pushed him away, sending him tumbling. Seeing he was no match for her, the old man got up, grabbed her clothes, and ran. Fortunately, Xuemei had learned her lesson after several mishaps and was now more cautious. She chased the man naked for a long distance before finally catching him. This time, she showed no mercy, pinning him down and beating him mercilessly until he cried out for mercy, "Sister! Sister! Dear Mother! Dear Grandmother!" She stripped him of all his clothes, including his underwear, and put them on herself. Then, carrying her own clothes, she strode away, leaving the old man squatting naked in the biting cold wind, groaning in pain. Strangely, this time she didn't find the old man dirty; his tattered clothes actually made her feel happier and more comfortable wearing them than new clothes at home. She took her old clothes to a pawnshop, exchanged them for two coins, and then sat down at a small pancake shop to have a hearty meal. Section 4: The Thief As the saying goes, gold always shines. Wu Xuemei had been a beggar for less than two months before successfully switching professions and becoming a thief. Although being a thief was dangerous, it was much better than being a beggar; at least she wouldn't lack food or clothing. The incident began when she had several fights with other beggars in the streets and alleys over stolen goods. Her strong physique and agile skills caught the eye of the leader of a small gang of thieves. The man, named Chai Gui, was the eldest. Chai Gui was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, of medium height, and had a refined appearance; you would never guess he was a thief. It was hard to imagine that he had been doing this since he was fifteen, accumulating nearly twenty years of experience. Chai Gui first treated Xue Mei to a large bowl of braised pork at a small restaurant, then proposed that she join his gang. The braised pork was poorly made, tough like old sow meat, and the hair on the skin hadn't been properly scraped off. But Wu Xue Mei ate it with relish, as if it were a delicacy. After months of hardship, all she could think about was survival; she had long since given up her dreams of being a heroine. She agreed to join Chai Gui's gang; it was a choice she had no other option. At this point, how could she still be picky about her "profession"? Fortunately, Chai Gui didn't need her to steal anything herself; her role was lookout and cover. She tried her best to imitate a man's every move, though her voice was still difficult to conceal. She figured that Chai Gui, this seasoned veteran, would definitely tell she was a woman, and the other accomplices probably would too, because they all looked at her strangely. Chai Gui didn't seem to be a womanizer; he only recruited her to use her skills. Xue Mei didn't tell Chai Gui her real name, and he didn't mind. For convenience, he gave her a nickname: Silver Fox. She liked this nickname because she always favored white. When she was a young lady at home, many of her clothes were white or white with blue flowers. Chai Gui's own nickname was Lone Wolf. To show respect, Xue Mei called Chai Gui Brother Chai. He was very pleased with this. Xuemei, with the large sum of copper coins Chai had advanced her, first bought a clean set of clothes, then found an inn and took a thorough bath, washing away all the grime. She was even somewhat reluctant to throw away the dirty, smelly men's clothes she had changed out of. However, she later asked the innkeeper to put them in the stove to burn. She then slept soundly in her room at the inn. That night, she and her accomplices went out to commit crimes. There were five of them: besides her and Chai Gui, there were Monkey, Night Owl, and Mouse. The skinny boy nicknamed Mouse was responsible for picking locks. Monkey and Night Owl's task was to follow Mouse into houses to find valuables and then carry them out. Lone Wolf Chai Gui was responsible for planning, scouting, and selling the stolen goods; he and Xuemei also shared the responsibility of lookout and cover. Their first few robberies were against small households, and while they were close, the loot was minimal. On one occasion, after they succeeded in their theft, Monkey disappeared. It turned out he was too greedy and had sneaked into the room of the elderly woman's house, intending to steal some jewelry. He kicked over the chamber pot placed by the bed, making a loud noise. The old woman, sleeping in bed, was awakened and began to scream. Monkey stumbled out of the house, jumped over the wall, and ran away. By the time the neighbors arrived with sticks, they had vanished without a trace. This time, they only stole some old clothes; they found no gold or silver jewelry or other valuables. In his panic, Monkey tripped and fell, hitting his head and getting a large bump. He also had a bloody scratch on his face from the old woman. After hiding for half a month, they went to commit another theft at the estate of a wealthy man, a place Chai Gui had already scouted. They hadn't dared to come before mainly because they were afraid of the dozen or so guards and thugs employed by the family. Having gone a long time without any decent profits, Chai Gui and his accomplices couldn't hold back any longer and decided to risk it all on a big heist. Under the cover of darkness, they approached the large courtyard built of blue bricks. Xue Mei, like the others, was dressed entirely in black, her face covered with a black cloth. But this time, their luck was terrible; they ran into trouble almost right from the start. Monkey first threw a piece of cooked meat over the wall into the gate; the meat was laced with...Poison. The family's guard dog ran over and ate the piece of meat. A few minutes later, it lay on the ground, groaning weakly, and then stopped moving. Chai Gui had already confirmed this during his previous scouting trips; the family only kept one guard dog. Therefore, Monkey, Mouse, and Night Owl confidently climbed over the wall. Suddenly, a huge wolfhound roared and pounced on them. It turned out the family's son-in-law had just brought his wife to visit his parents-in-law. He had studied abroad and worked as a comprador for a foreign firm in the provincial capital. The large wolfhound was the one he had brought. Monkey quickly threw another piece of meat at the wolfhound. But the wolfhound ignored it and lunged at Monkey, biting his leg. Monkey screamed in pain. At this moment, there was movement inside the house, followed by a series of shouts of "Thief!" Mouse and Owl rushed over to help Monkey escape the dog's clutches, but the dog was a good three feet tall, fierce and agile, with protruding canine teeth almost an inch long, looking terrifying. It seemed the theft was out of the question; escaping alive would be a miracle. Owl and Mouse each took out a sharp knife and a short stick, and the two fought the wolfhound with all their might. Monkey, taking advantage of the situation, dragged his injured leg over the wall and jumped over. Chai Gui and Xue Mei, who were waiting outside, had already heard the commotion and knew the plan had failed; they were anxiously waiting. Seeing Monkey jump over the wall, they rushed over to check on him. Monkey was truly unlucky this time. The dog bite on his right leg was relatively healed; although bloody, it didn't hinder his escape. The real problem was that he had jumped too quickly from the wall and injured his left leg upon landing. Chai Gui examined his leg and determined it was either broken or a joint injury; he definitely wouldn't be able to walk on his own. What could they do? The dozen or so thugs guarding the compound would probably be chasing after them soon, and Rat and Night Owl were still trapped inside. He was sweating profusely with anxiety. Just then, Xue Mei said to him, "Brother Chai, don't worry. You take Monkey and go first. I'll stay behind to help Rat and Night Owl!" Chai Gui hadn't expected this newcomer, the Silver Fox girl, to risk her life and volunteer to stay behind to help her two brothers. His heart warmed, and he said to her, "Okay, good sister! Monkey and I will go first. Remember, wait for them outside the wall. Don't go in. Otherwise, you won't be able to save them, and you might get caught too!" With that, he carried Monkey on his back and quickly disappeared into the night. Since joining the gang, Xue Mei hadn't made any money, but at least she could eat her fill, had a place to stay at night, and slept relatively soundly. It was much better than before, when she was filthy, hungry all day long, and had to sleep with one eye open. Although she had accompanied them on the previous burglaries, she hadn't really contributed much, and felt a pang of guilt. Therefore, without hesitation, she offered to stay and help out Rat and Night Owl. Little did she know, it would be a good thing if she never needed to be there. Otherwise, it meant they were in dire straits. In these times, thieves caught were almost always tortured to the point of near death, and even if they were beaten to death, the authorities wouldn't care. She waited outside the wall for a while, but Rat and Night Owl still didn't appear, and she grew increasingly anxious. This was because it was her first time encountering such a situation, and she lacked experience; in fact, she had only been waiting for less than two minutes. The commotion and shouts from the courtyard grew louder, making her even more uncertain. She thought to herself that if she just waited foolishly, Rat and Night Owl would never come out. So, she steeled herself and leaped into the courtyard. She carried a wrought iron bar as a weapon. Because it was inconvenient to climb over the wall, she had to leave the iron bar outside. When Xue Mei entered the courtyard, she found it in complete chaos. It turned out that Haozi and Yemaozi were being entangled by the dog and couldn't break free. They were quickly surrounded by a dozen burly men who had arrived. Seeing that climbing over the wall was impossible, they had a sudden inspiration and desperately broke through the encirclement, rushing towards the brightly lit main hall without a second thought. The women of the household, along with their maids and servants, had already been awakened by the commotion and heard the shouts outside. They had heard that a thief had been caught. They were about to come out to see what the thieves looked like when the two thieves suddenly burst into the brightly lit main hall, causing them to scream in terror. Two women even wet themselves on the spot. Haozi and Yemaozi were not good-looking to begin with, and with their stubble and black clothes, they looked quite menacing. The guards were dumbfounded. The courtyard housed women, and many of the rooms were off-limits to them; these two petty thieves had actually broken in. Fortunately, they quickly came to their senses, splitting half to protect the women while the other continued to apprehend the thieves. The son-in-law was also a bold man; he had arrived with three strong followers. Naturally, he couldn't stand idly by while his father-in-law's house was robbed, so he and his three followers grabbed door bolts and benches as weapons, helping the guards catch the thieves. By this time, the main gate was sealed shut, and the rat and the owl were simply scurrying around the house and yard; their capture was only a matter of time. Xue Mei was a clever woman. Seeing the still chaotic yard, filled with cries and screams, she knew that at least one of the rat and the owl hadn't been caught. So she slipped through the backyard towards the more crowded area. Suddenly, three dark figures pounced on her. Xue Mei, a seasoned martial artist, had sharp eyes and quick reflexes. She saw the one in the lead holding a foot-long dagger, aimed directly at her chest. She dodged, and the man missed his target, tripping over Xue Mei and falling to the ground with a thud. At that moment, two more dark figures arrived, each wielding a wooden stick. However, they didn't attack Xue Mei, but instead pounced on the fallen man. Two solid blows landed on the man's body. He yelled and wildly swung his knife. The two pursuers quickly retreated, raising their sticks to block. Seeing that Xue Mei was alone and unarmed, the man turned and thrust his knife at her again. Xue Mei didn't think twice; she grabbed the man's knife-wielding arm with her left hand and twisted it forcefully, while her right hand struck his neck. He groaned in pain and fell to the ground, the knife falling from his hand. The other two were stunned by Xue Mei's skill, their eyes filled with admiration. One of them picked up the knife that had fallen to the ground and handed it to Xuemei. He also untied a bundle of rope from his waist and handed it to her, clasping his hands in a fist and saying, "Brother, you're quite skilled! Please tie up this thief. We'll treat you to drinks after we catch his accomplices." Xuemei returned the gesture, deliberately speaking in a rough voice, "You're welcome." Just then, shouts of killing came from the other side of the courtyard. The two of them didn't delay any longer and hurriedly ran in that direction. Xuemei looked down and saw that the person lying on the ground was her accomplice, Haozi. Actually, she had felt something was wrong earlier, but Haozi was desperately stabbing her, and she couldn't see his face clearly, so she could only subdue him first. Unexpectedly, this led the two guards to mistake her for someone else. They mistook Xuemei for one of the three attendants brought by the son-in-law. At this moment, Haozi also came to his senses, staring blankly at Xuemei, wanting to say something but unable to speak. Xuemei said, "We can talk later, let's go out first!" She helped Haozi up from the ground and pulled him towards the wall. Haozi had exhausted himself in the running and fighting, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't climb over the wall. Xuemei had to let him step on her shoulders, then use her hands to support his bottom and lift him up, before she climbed over herself. After landing, she carried Haozi on her back, picked up an iron rod from the ground, and ran towards the nearest woods. Once in the woods, she felt temporarily safe and put Haozi down to rest. Only then did Haozi believe that he had escaped death. He was very grateful to Xuemei; if it weren't for her risking her life to save him, he would most likely have lost his life in this manor. After catching her breath, Xuemei said to Haozi, "You can walk by yourself now, right? Go and meet up with Brother Chai and Monkey first, then I'll go back and see if we can rescue Night Owl. Can I borrow this knife for a moment?" She turned to leave with the knife, but Haozi grabbed her arm. She struggled but couldn't break free. Haozi said to her, "Silver Fox, I will forever remember your great kindness to me. You absolutely cannot risk it again. There are too many of them, and they're all on guard. Going in again will definitely mean certain death!" Seeing that she didn't answer, Haozi continued, "Those of us in this line of work risk our lives, living one day at a time. If we fail this time, even a god can't help us. Even if you don't go to rescue Night Owl, he won't blame you." Xuemei saw that Haozi's tears were almost flowing, and knew he was speaking from the heart. But she still didn't want to give up. Stubborn and headstrong since childhood, she had endured so much hardship after running away from home, and her heart was filled with pent-up anger with nowhere to vent. She forcefully shook off Mouse's hand and said, "Mouse, you don't need to say anything more! Go find Brother Chai and Monkey. I'll come find you after I rescue Night Owl." With that, she disappeared into the night, leaving only the echoes behind her.The rat cried out hoarsely, "Silver Fox Sister!" Meanwhile, the master of the house, though robbed, hadn't had much stolen; instead, he'd caught a thief. He was overjoyed and couldn't sleep. He ordered torches lit everywhere, illuminating the courtyard almost as brightly as day. He wanted to personally interrogate the thief, to see who he was and how he dared to steal from his house. At that moment, the blood-soaked owl was brought in, bound hand and foot, and tied to a thick pillar in the main hall. Five or six guards stood beside him, all armed. The two guards who had chased the rat were among them. They now realized they'd mistaken him for someone else, letting the knife-wielding thief and his accomplice escape right under their noses. Fearing the master's wrath, they kept it a secret, only saying that the thief had disappeared while they were chasing him. The master's son-in-law was clearly a man of principle. He figured the two thieves might still be hiding somewhere in the courtyard, so he took his three attendants and several guards to search for the escaped robbers. After the commotion caused by Rat and Owl, they were all on edge, only daring to search the courtyard and not daring to go out and chase the thieves. "What's your name, thief, and where are you from?" the master asked Owl, sitting solemnly in a grand chair. He enjoyed watching plays, and these words and mannerisms were learned from them. Seeing that Owl didn't answer, he was about to order the guards to whip him when suddenly a servant rushed in from outside, shouting, "Master, Master! Something terrible has happened! Another robber has come, and the young master has been subdued with a knife!" "Ah!" The master was so startled that he fell backward, but fortunately, two maids standing behind him rushed forward to support the collapsing grand chair. "Quick, tell me what happened!" the master shouted. The servant continued the report, saying, "The young master was leading his entourage and several guards searching around when suddenly a robber jumped out from the shadows. Before anyone could see what was happening, he held a gleaming knife to the young master's neck. He said... he said..." "What did he say?" the master asked urgently. "He said he would trade the young master's life for his accomplice's. Now he's surrounded by our men under the big banyan tree in the courtyard; he definitely can't escape." Before the man could finish speaking, a young woman standing beside the master, watching the commotion, burst into tears and collapsed to the ground. This woman was extremely beautiful, dressed in magnificent clothes. She was the master's beloved daughter, the young master's new wife. The old lady and several maids rushed forward to help her up and comfort her. "Go and tell them, under no circumstances should they make any rash moves!" the master roared. His son-in-law was of very high status; if anything were to happen to him, it would be disastrous. The master was now sweating profusely, completely losing his earlier elegance and composure. Under the large banyan tree in the courtyard, Xue Mei had one arm around the waist of a handsome young man from behind, holding a knife to his neck. A dozen or so burly men armed with various weapons surrounded her; one held a crossbow, another a rifle, and the others wielded wooden clubs, spears, and broadswords. Xue Mei knew that with so many people at such close range, she couldn't possibly handle even those with broadswords and spears, let alone the crossbows and rifles. As the saying goes, "Even a hero can't fight four hands, and a fierce tiger fears a pack of wolves." Her martial arts skills were quite good, but fighting so many people head-on, she knew she wouldn't stand a chance, and her life might very well end there. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but regret her recklessness. Her only bargaining chip was the young man she was holding. This young man… he’s so handsome! Xue Mei hugged him, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She wondered if, in the end, she could bring herself to take his life. What was infuriating was that this young man seemed completely unafraid of her. Since she had captured him, he had remained calm, a slight smile on his face. That smile seemed to melt Xue Mei’s heart; it was utterly despicable! This young man already knew that the kidnapper was a young woman. Perhaps due to nervousness, she was sweating profusely, her clothes soaked through. The smell of her sweat was wonderful. She wrapped one arm around his waist, holding him tightly to her chest, completely unaware that his back was being massaged and pressed against her firm breasts. If it weren’t for the knife in her right hand against his neck, he would have groaned loudly in bliss. Xue Mei suddenly felt something strange on her leg. Looking down, she saw that the young man’s hand was outstretched, gently stroking her thigh. Touching her was one thing, but his hand slowly moved towards her inner thigh. Her face flushed, and she wanted to reprimand him, but with so many people present, she felt embarrassed. Besides, she enjoyed his caresses; the tingling, numb sensation quickly spread throughout her body. Just then, the master arrived with several attendants, followed by his wife and daughter, supported by a large group of maids. His daughter's eyes were red from crying, and his wife was constantly comforting her. The master whispered a few words to the head guard, who put down his large knife, stepped forward, and said to Xue Mei, "Brother, we can grant your request and release your accomplice. But you must release your son-in-law first." "Do you think I'm an easily fooled child?" Xue Mei sneered, brandishing the knife in her hand. According to Haozi, this knife was passed down to him by his father and was extremely sharp. It originally belonged to a prince, which his father had stolen while committing a crime in the prince's mansion. His father was also a habitual thief. The leader and the master exchanged a glance and said, "Alright! We can release him first." With a wave of his hand, two burly guards pushed the untied Night Owl over. Night Owl was lucky; although he had been beaten and bled a lot, he wasn't seriously injured and could still walk. Xue Mei was a little bewildered that they had released Night Owl so easily. It was the son-in-law she had subdued who spoke up. He pointed at the guards and said, "All of you, put away your weapons and step back twenty paces, quickly!" The men, unsure whether to obey, all turned to look at the master. The master shouted, "Do as the son-in-law orders!" At this moment, Xue Mei had already helped Night Owl up and slowly retreated to the wall behind the banyan tree. The son-in-law, without her permission, followed her to the wall. Night Owl, enduring the pain all over his body, used Xue Mei's shoulders to climb over the wall. The master and the guards were too far away to see clearly, so they assumed the young master had been forcibly dragged there by her. Xue Mei didn't understand why this young master was cooperating so readily, but she had no time to think about it. She tucked the knife into her belt, placed her hands on the wall, and prepared to leap up. Suddenly, the man behind her hugged her waist, pressed his face against her neck, and whispered, "My name is Yu Lin. What's yours?" The moment the man's body touched her, Xue Mei felt her throat go dry and her body go weak. She blurted out involuntarily, "My name is Xue Mei." Since running away from home, she hadn't told anyone her real name, not even her close friends like Brother Chai and Monkey. Faced with this handsome man named Yu Lin, she seemed to have lost all reason and resistance. The man named Yu Lin took advantage of the situation, hugging her and leaning in to kiss her lips. Only then did she suddenly come to her senses and gently pushed him away. She hated herself for being so spineless; how could she let her mind wander at a time like this? Blushing, she softly said to Yu Lin, "Until we meet again." Then, she leaped over the wall. She felt a warm hand support her hips, helping her to the top. Sitting atop the wall, she turned and saw the handsome man walking towards the large group of people beside the master, catching a stunningly beautiful woman who rushed towards him with outstretched arms. Xue Mei's nose stung with tears, and she gritted her teeth, jumping over the wall. Her mouth felt like it had just tasted a green plum—bitter and astringent. After returning to the grove with Ye Maozi, she gave him a quick bandage. It was almost dawn, and they dared not delay any longer, immediately setting off to find Brother Chai and the others. They finally met up with Chai Gui and the other two the following evening. The meeting point was an abandoned, dilapidated temple. Chai Gui and Monkey Mouse had been waiting there for most of the day; if they hadn't arrived soon, they would have assumed Xue Mei and Night Owl had been captured. Xue Mei, exhausted from working for a full day and night, was completely worn out. Before this, she and Night Owl had eaten some dry rations and drunk some cold water. Xue Mei took a large gourd of liquor from Brother Chai, tilted her head back, and drank half of the strong liquor inside. Then she handed the gourd to Night Owl, collapsed into a corner, and soon fell fast asleep, snoring loudly. The remaining men stood there, stunned, sizing up this "Silver Fox Girl," their eyes gleaming.An unusual light. Chapter 5: Who Knows the Heart of a Heroine? Xue Mei woke up at noon on the third day, her stomach growling loudly. Chai Gui and the others had also rested, but judging from their listless appearance, they hadn't managed to get anything good to eat or drink to celebrate their escape. Their little group hadn't had any income for a long time, and if things continued like this, they would have to break up and find their own way. Suddenly, Xue Mei remembered something, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a silver ingot, throwing it into a worn copper dish on the offering table. The ingot weighed at least five taels, making a crisp sound as it struck the copper dish. The four men's eyes were immediately drawn to it, and Xue Mei could clearly feel everyone breathe a sigh of relief. The silver ingot was what Xue Mei had found on the young man named Yu Lin whom she had kidnapped the night before last; she also had a gold ring that she had taken from his hand that she hadn't taken out. Without her permission, the monkey and the mouse immediately took the silver and went out. About an hour later, they returned from the nearby market town with a lot of cooked meat and sesame cakes, as well as a large jar of white rice. The gourd of wine had also been refilled. Last night, while Xue Mei was asleep, they had discussed some things and made a decision. Chai Gui gave the others a wink, and they all knelt down at Xue Mei's feet. Chai Gui held up the gourd of wine and said to her, "Sister Silver Fox, we brothers discussed it last night. From now on, we will respect you as our leader and follow you. We will go through fire and water without flinching! If you agree, please drink the first sip from this gourd of wine." "Yes." "Yes." The others echoed. Seeing these men, much older than her, kneeling before her and calling her "Sister," Xue Mei was quite unaccustomed to it. She glanced at them and asked, "From now on, whatever I do, will you all listen to me?" Mouse and Night Owl replied, "Our lives were saved by you, Big Sister. You can take them back whenever you want. We've sold ourselves to you for life!" Chai Gui and Monkey chimed in, "Big Sister Silver Fox's benevolence shines through the ages, and her superb martial arts are truly admirable. We brothers are completely convinced to follow her!" They stared intently at Xue Mei's face, afraid she might refuse. Xue Mei slowly brought the gourd to her lips and gulped down the first mouthful. The men in the room cheered and jumped up to drink their second. And so, Xue Mei became the leader of this gang of thieves, seemingly drifting further and further away from her childhood dream of becoming a heroine. Actually, when Brother Chai first recruited Xue Mei, Mouse and Monkey were resentful, thinking Brother Chai had made a mistake by taking in a useless person. Later, they all discovered she was a woman, and their attitudes and behaviors subtly changed. Whenever Xuemei was around, they stopped arguing loudly and used far fewer foul words. Their eyes were always fixed on her, and they always thought to save some food for her. In subsequent operations, although Xuemei didn't have the chance to demonstrate her strength, her calm and collected demeanor was evident to everyone. Then one morning, while taking a urination, Haozi accidentally saw Xuemei practicing her boxing alone, and he was astonished. This woman's kung fu was truly remarkable; even the four of them combined probably couldn't defeat her. It seemed Brother Chai had a good eye. Haozi went back and told Monkey and Night Owl about it. They admired Xuemei even more and vied to curry favor with her. As thieves, they were certainly nomadic. Often, they would sleep in the same room. These young and strong men naturally longed for women at night, and there was such a woman before them—an exceptionally well-developed young woman! Xuemei was unaware that her soft snoring and the rise and fall of her chest while she slept were driving her male companions almost mad! Chai Gui, sensing the restlessness in their hearts, had once warned them harshly in private: "If you want to find women, go to a brothel and pay for it yourself. Silver Fox is no ordinary woman; having her around is a blessing for us all. Don't even think about making any bad plans with her, or don't blame me for being ruthless!" Now that Silver Fox was their leader, Monkey and the others breathed a sigh of relief: since none of them had a chance, they didn't have to worry about someone else getting there first! Silver Fox quickly proved to her men her extraordinary talent for banditry and her almost invincible luck. The next few raids went smoothly, bringing in a considerable income. Their lives suddenly became much more comfortable. In addition, she won two battles with other bandit gangs, successfully killing their leaders, and her gang suddenly grew to more than twenty people. Because the two men she killed were notorious criminals, infamous among the local people, she unintentionally earned the title "Silver Fox Heroine." This title spread like wildfire throughout the martial arts world, growing ever more renowned. She herself had heard countless ordinary people curse those who bullied them: "Don't be so arrogant, one day the Silver Fox Heroine will come and deal with you!" No one knew the "Silver Fox Heroine's" real name, but this didn't stop her from being listed as one of the most wanted criminals by the imperial court. In popular culture, however, she was portrayed as a stunningly beautiful woman, chivalrous and righteous, with unparalleled martial arts skills, often robbing the rich to help the poor. To say her beauty was breathtaking would be an exaggeration, but she was indeed the most beautiful bandit leader in all of Hainan, because all the other bandit leaders were burly, unshaven, and smelly men. However, the formidable Silver Fox Heroine also had her own troubles. Now that she had enough money, she should have gone to Wuzhou, Guangxi, to join her uncles. But with so many brothers obeying her and following her through thick and thin without hesitation, she felt she couldn't abandon them. Later, she met a man from Wuzhou and learned that both of her uncles had passed away a few years earlier due to poverty and illness, and her aunts had remarried, taking their children with them. She finally gave up the idea of going to Wuzhou. She knew that her title of "Silver Fox Heroine" was entirely fabricated; she hadn't actually done many noteworthy acts of chivalry. Of course, she wasn't willing to spend her life as a bandit; it was too far removed from her childhood dream of becoming a heroine. She didn't know that the Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying she admired weren't real people; their heroic deeds were all fabricated by the common people, just like her own "Silver Fox Heroine." Even in the plays, Mu Guiying was the female leader of Mu Ke Village before surrendering to the Song Dynasty. Mu Ke Village opposed the government; in other words, she was a bandit leader. It's incredibly difficult for anyone to truly act as a chivalrous hero in the real world, robbing the rich to help the poor. First of all, it's unclear who should be robbed and who shouldn't. Xue Mei herself comes from a wealthy family. Although she hates her father, putting herself in his shoes, if she were still living at home and robbers came to rob her, she'd definitely fight them to the death! She's also tried using her own money to help the destitute. But she quickly realized that method was completely ineffective. The destitute were easy to find, but there were simply too many of them. Even if she could steal and rob day and night, she couldn't fill that bottomless pit. Back when she was at home, her father, Wu Yuanji, would set up soup kitchens to help refugees during years of famine. The soup was usually very thin, so thin you could almost see the bottom of the pot. She despised her father for this, considering him nothing more than a hypocritical opportunist. Now she finally understands some of the difficulties involved. The Silver Fox Heroine spent each day in a state of inner conflict. To support her men, she had to lead them on robberies. Yet, she strictly disciplined them, forbidding them from committing heinous acts such as indiscriminate killing, kidnapping, murder, or rape. She knew her men would inevitably do bad things behind her back; her discipline was nothing but self-deception. But she was powerless to change it. Ironically, the more she blamed herself, even to the point of despair, the more renowned her chivalrous reputation became. She had truly become a ray of hope for the poor people in the area. She knew very well that while robbing and plundering might provide a temporary life of luxury, it was a dead end. Sooner or later, she and her men would commit an unforgivable mistake: either betrayed by their comrades or lured into an ambush due to underestimating their enemy. Then they would have to face the overwhelming forces of the government, ultimately either dying in battle or being captured, humiliated, tortured, and executed by a thousand cuts. As a female bandit, her fate would undoubtedly be far more tragic than that of all her accomplices. She was absolutely certain of this. Another thing troubling our Silver Fox Heroine was men. She was already twenty years old, a fully mature woman. She desperately needed a man, but where was her ideal husband? Ever since she saved Night Owl, the handsome young man named Yu Lin's image and voice had been imprinted in her heart. Whenever the night was quiet, she would think of him, and the thought would make her feel hot all over. When she couldn't bear it any longer, she would...She would caress and play with her own body to find a little satisfaction. She kept the gold ring she had taken from his hand. The ring was engraved with the words "Meng Gu," and she guessed that Meng Gu was probably the name of his beautiful wife. She sewed a small cloth bag to keep the gold ring close to her chest, never letting it out of her sight. Sometimes, lying in bed, she would take out the ring and rub it against her nipples and clitoris, imagining it as that man's finger. How wonderful it would be if one day such a handsome man could hold her as she slept. When she longed for men intensely, some utterly absurd thoughts would pop into her head: next time she led her brothers out to rob, why not rob a good man? She knew that many bandits not only robbed money and goods, but also often robbed women. Why couldn't she, the famous Silver Fox Heroine, rob a man for herself? Of course, these were just thoughts; she would never actually do such a thing. She also vaguely regretted her decision to run away from home. Perhaps she should have obeyed her father's wishes and obediently married Magistrate Pang's son as a concubine? She didn't know about other men, but if Magistrate Pang's son had been as handsome as her brother Yu Lin, she might have agreed to be his concubine without hesitation. It was just a pity that Yu Lin's wife was even more beautiful than her; perhaps he had long forgotten her. Whenever she saw the image of the couple embracing and whispering sweet nothings in her mind, she couldn't help but shed tears of bitterness and grievance. At this moment, she sat in a teahouse at the entrance of the county town, lost in thought, waiting for someone. Someone who might change the fate of her and her brothers. [To be continued]

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Red Crossing Chapter 13

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