"Auntie, were here!" A tired and hoarse womans voice startled Zhang Qi, giving her a fright.

  Seeing this, a woman in her 40s with a round face and white skin asked anxiously: "Miss, are you uncomfortable again?"

  Thirteen-year-old Zhang Qi shook her head, stretching out her small hand which was slightly pale due to malnutrition. She lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked outside, "How much longer until we reach Jiankang?"

  "Itll be soon, in about two days."

  "En." Zhang Qi nodded, she didnt expect to return to Jiankang. Over the past month, she had been recalling some things bit by bit. From those fragmented memories that were unclear whether they were dreams or illusions, she saw her not-so-beautiful life.

  With her hands clasped together and gently twisting, Zhang Qi thought to herself: That husband of mine, no matter how hard I try to recall, I just cant remember his face or his name.

  That fragmented memory seems to have a problem. Many key things were lost, and what was remembered clearly were some insignificant scenes.

  She took a light breath, and Zhang Qi no longer dwelled on memories. She lowered her head to look at her pale and tender hands, thinking to herself: No matter what, I just need to be more careful and try not to repeat the same mistakes again.

  Thirteen-year-old Zhang Qi was still not fully grown, with a pale and tender face, although her features were delicate, they couldnt be described as stunning. At present, she was just a private-born daughter who had been brought back from her hometown by her fathers arrangement.

  Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, the customs of the people have been open. "The Song of Zi Ye" sings: "Cold birds rely on high branches, withered forests mourn the wind. For joy, all worries are exhausted, how can one get a good face?" The young girls who have just opened their hearts, regardless of their character, are willing to follow their beloved husbands and seek a nights pleasure. Zhang Gui is the product of this nights pleasure.

  Her mothers family was also well-off, but because of those few days of indulgence, her mother paid with her life. After getting what he wanted from her, the man patted his butt and left. But her mother had to bear the reputation of being pregnant out of wedlock from then on. The naive little girl didnt understand until now that life is just life - since she was pregnant, she couldnt get married, going out would only lead to people pointing and staring, staying at home also made her brothers and sisters-in-law unhappy.

  When she was about to give birth, without mentioning other things, just the expenses of inviting a nanny and others made her mother suffer not a little white eye.

  These solid difficulties have nothing to do with the romantic and interesting things. On the contrary, they are extremely heavy and trivial. Her mother, who was proud of her beauty, would no longer see those young and vigorous boys coming to ask for marriage, but rather some widowed old men.

  Perhaps in history, there were widows who became empresses and women who had children but achieved perfect marriages. However, those are extremely rare cases that would never happen to her mother.

  Years after Zhang Gui was born, her mother died of depression. The father who gave her life recently learned about Zhang Guis existence and had someone bring her back to the old mansion in Jiankang.

  She is now on her way back to the old mansion.

  After thinking wildly for a while, Zhang Qi fell asleep again.

  She didnt know how long it had been when she let out a soft cry and struggled to sit up.

  Upon hearing her cry, the plump woman approached again and asked, "Miss, whats wrong with you?" Her tone was still concerned, but her eyes revealed a hint of impatience. Since she had arrived at that rural place and picked up this young girl on the road, the girl had been startled and frightened multiple times, which even made the plump woman, who considered herself to be soft-tempered, feel annoyed.

  When the white-haired woman asked, Zhang Qi shook her head and said softly: "Im fine." She stretched out her head and glanced outside the car.

  Outside the car, apart from this stout woman, there was a middle-aged man and a thin man in his thirties. These three were sent by her father to take her back to her maternal grandparents home; her paternal family couldnt spare more people to send off this illegitimate daughter.

  Looking at these three people, Zhang Qis hands were tightly clenched together again.

  If her memories were true, then one of the three had already contacted a thief to kidnap and sell her into a brothel. In this era, nobles indulged in pleasure and rich people took pride in keeping beautiful concubines and songstresses. Some brothels collected talented young girls from all over, taught them music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and after dressing them up, they were given as gifts to noble and wealthy families. Due to the large demand, the pimps of the big brothels had to kidnap people everywhere. Zhang Gui was a beautiful girl, worth a high price.

  Although her fathers family was a big one, she was just a lowly illegitimate daughter, so it didnt matter if she died or not, which is why the servant dared to be so presumptuous.

  In her memory, after falling into the hands of thieves, although she was soon rescued by a knight from the north and returned to her family, her reputation was tarnished. From then on, as an illegitimate daughter with a tainted reputation, she couldnt even be considered as a gift, causing her to suffer countless cold glances and endure endless torment.

  No way, no matter what, she has to guard against it, she cant afford that possibility!

  Thinking of this, Zhang Qis voice rose slightly, and she called out clearly: "Wen Ajie." She was calling a middle-aged white plump woman, these three servants were all family servants of the Zhang family, following their master with the surname Zhang.

  A middle-aged white and plump woman turned her head to look at Zhang Qi. Before she approached, Zhang Qi raised her voice and said crisply: "Auntie, I heard that some big families servants like to collude with thieves, dont know if this is true?" Her voice was not low, the three of them could all hear clearly, for a moment, several people were stunned, looking at Zhang Qi together.

  Zhang Qis face was full of innocence, she didnt wait for the few stern-faced servants to scold her, and anxiously biting her lip said: "Ive heard that they like to take advantage of girls my age, Im afraid!" She widened her bright eyes, looking at Wen Yu with a mixture of tension and confusion.

  Such a Zhang Qi, with a pitiful and helpless look that makes ones heart ache. Warmly, she softened her tone and couldnt bear to blame her. She frowned and scolded: "Who told you such nonsense? My Zhang family is also a big family in Jiankang, and we would never have the audacity to do such a thing!"

  "Thats great!" Zhang Qi really smiled, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons. As she smiled, she glanced at the lean man in his thirties.

  Just now when she said this, the man was obviously a little flustered. Zhang Qi secretly felt shocked: looking at the mans appearance, he was clearly guilty, was it him who wanted to make a move on her?

  "Hmph! This fellow is just a servant of the Zhang family, his life and death are all in the hands of Master Zhang. If no one pursues it, then so be it, but if he arouses suspicion, hell be doomed!"