书斋小说网

第 3 章（第1页）

Suyuancarefullypouredthefishsoupintoabowlbeforeputtingitintothewoodenlunchbox。Thebrothwasstillsteaming，andthefaintfragranceofgingerlingeredintheair。Ayaosecuredthelidtightlybeforecarryingitwithbothhands，“becarefull”Suyuanremindedher。Togethertheywalkedtowardthemainhall，theeveningairhadgrownnoticeablycolder。Suyuanpulledhercloakcloseraroundherself，winterroag。Ofallseasons，winterwastheoneshehatedthemost。TheOrchidcourtyardbecameunbearablycoldoncewinterarrived。Theriverwouldeventuallyfreeze，makingitimpossibletoobtainfreshfish。EventhecharcoalsuppliedbytheKhan’shouseholdwasbarelyenoughtokeeptheroomwarm，letaloomaintainthefirethroughthenight。

Wheheyhadenoughmoney，Suyuanwouldquietlybribeoneoftheguardstogetmorecharcoal。Butwhenmoneywasscarce，theonlysolutiontheyhadwastosneakintothemountainforfirewood。Theywouldgatherfirewood，searchforedibleplants，andsometimeshuntwhateversmallanimalstheycouldfind。Themountainwasdangerousbutthecoldwasevenmoredangerousforthem，especiallyforhermother。Suyuanebuthermother’t。

Asshewalked，Suyuan’sthoughtsdriftedbacktotheyearswhenshehadbeenveryyoung。ThetimesbeforeAyaoenteredherlife，backthentherewereonlythreepeopleintheOrchidCourtyard。WhenPrincessShuranfellill，NannyZhanghadbeentheonewhocaredforthemboth。Sheworkedtirelesslyfrommuntilnightfromcooking，preparingmedie，tendingthefireandlookingaftertheyoungSuyuan。NannyZhanghadbeenwiththeprincesssinceshewasyoung，whenShuranwassentawayforthemarriagealliance，manyattendantsrefusedtofollowher。OnlyNannyZhanghadbeentheonlyonewhoinsistedongoing，shehadneversideredleavingShuranbehind。Overtheyears，shehadbeorethanjustaservanttoSuyuan;shewasagrandmother。

Whenhermotherwasbedridden，NannyZhanghadbeenthereandwheneverlittleSuyuanhadanightmareshewouldholdheruntilSuyuanfellasleepagain。Then，SuyuanfoundAyaofromthemountain。SinceSuyuansavedherthetwogirlshadgraduallybeeinseparable，Ayaowasafriendandasister。Togetherthetwogirlslearnedhowtotakecareofthemselves。Theylearnedhowtostartfires，collegherbsaablesfromthemountain。Theyevenlearnedhowtosetsimpletrapsforsmallanimals。TheydiditsoNannyZhangcoulddevoteherselfeocareforPrincessShuran。

SuyuanhadneverfottenwhatNannyZhanghaddoneforthem，norhadshefotteoriestheoldnannyusedtotellher。Thestoriesabouthermother，TheFlowerofXian。Hermotherusedtobeoneofthemostbeautifulwomeniireempirebutbeautyhadneverbeenthereasonpeoplelovedher。Shehadbeele，kindandpassionate。WheneverXiansufferedthroughwar，famine，floodsorotherdisasterPrincessShuranwouldpersonallyinvolveherselfinthereliefefforts。Shewouldreduceherownexpensesbyeatingsimplermeals，lainclothingandusewhateverresourcesshecouldsparetohelpthoseinneed。

NannyZhangusedtotellherthathermotherwouldsometimesrefuseexpensivedelicaciesasshebelievedthemoneycouldfeedmorepeople。AtthattimelittleSuyuanlistenedwithadmirationbutnow18yearslater，shefoundeverythingpainfullyironic。Thewomanwhohadoncegivenfoodtoothers，nowcouldbarelyaffordhotmeals。Thewomanwhohadwornplainclothingsothatotherscouldsurvive，nowlivedinacourtyardwithpeelingpaintandbrokenrooftiles。Thewomanwhotriedsohardtosavepeoplecouldn’tevenreceiveenoughcharcoaltokeepherselfwarm。

Suyuanloweredhergaze，herfiightenedaroundthecloak。Sometimesshewonderedwhygoodpeoplewerealwaystheonewhosuffered?Whydidkindnessbringnothingbutpain?Hermotherspentherentirelifegivingtoothers，receivingsolittleiurn?MaybelittleSuyuanhadbeentooyoungtouandandperhapsshewasstilltooyoungnow。Buttherewassomethingabouthermother’sstoriesthatneversatrightwithher，awomanaslovedandrespectedlikehermothershouldnothaveendeduplikethis。Aprincessshouldnothavetospendherfinaldaysfotteninafnland。

Suyuanlookedatthemainhall，thedoorswereclosed。Afaintthreadofsmokeescapedfromtheey，herexpressionsoftened。Whatevertheanswerwas，sheonlyhopedthatshewouldhaveenoughtimetofindit。Becausefornowtherewasonlyohingthatmattered，hermother。”Miss?”Ayao’svoicepulledherfromherthoughts。Suyuanlookedather，Ayaowasstandingbythedoorholdingthelunchboxcarefullyagainstherchest。Shereachedforthedoor，herofthegirlsnoticedthefaintfigurestandihthedistantcorridor。Nordidtheyknowthatihemainhall，princessShuran’sillnesshadalreadytakenaturnfortheworse。