Volume One, Chapter Four: The Blessing of the Lucky Star

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The elder Madam Xia and a few others fled in panic to the Bi Sheng Courtyard. The birds seemed suddenly disoriented, flying chaotically in all directions, yet none could enter the courtyard. Nurse Li exclaimed with joy, “Fortune’s star is protecting us! Fortune’s star is protecting us!”

Elder Madam Xia was both astonished and delighted. She marveled at how a misfortune star could attract calamity so fearfully, yet rejoiced that the fortunate star had so swiftly come to shield the Xiahou residence. At that moment, Shen Qi’er approached slowly, cradling the baby. “Grandmother, what has happened?”

Elder Madam Xia hurried over and took the child into her arms. “Ah, truly the grandmother’s precious blessing, how remarkable.” She then turned to Shen Qi’er, “No more calling me 'Grandmother'; call me 'Mother.'”

Shen Qi’er’s heart lifted, but she voiced her concern, “Madam, how can I call you the same as my elder sister?”

“Hmph! She’s born a calamity star. Once Huai’an returns, I will have him dismiss her!” Elder Madam Xia ground her teeth.

The infant in the swaddling clothes frowned. “System, how long can this barrier hold?”

“As long as you remain here, it will endure. If you leave, the barrier will fail,” the system’s cold voice echoed inside her mind.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

Ha! In her previous life, because of the so-called fortunate star, she was abandoned by her own father, and her grandmother constantly threatened to drown her. They were both daughters by blood, so why was one favored by the whole family while the other was treated differently?

And then there was the Jiang family, feigning kindness but full of deceit. Last life, they caused her mother to be cast aside, leaving their family destitute, starving to death on a bitter winter’s night. In this new life, she vowed to bring her mother and brothers into a life of wealth and honor, making those who wronged them taste the humiliation they once suffered.

Inside Bi Luo Courtyard, Mrs. Jiang held the child tightly, eyes fixed on the door, never relaxing for a moment. Elder Madam Xia would not let this go easily; only when Huai’an returned would mother and daughter be safe.

Anxiously, she asked, “What time is it now?”

“At the hour of Shen, Madam,” the senior maid answered respectfully.

“By Shen hour, he should have returned. Why is he still not here?” Mrs. Jiang questioned.

“What else could it be? Surely he is with that fox spirit,” the maid Xiaochun murmured, pouting.

The senior maid shot her a glare. “Nonsense. Master must be tied up with urgent matters. He and Madam share a deep bond; how could he go to that fox spirit first?”

Mrs. Jiang’s gaze darkened.

Suddenly, a shadow darted swiftly before Mrs. Jiang.

Xia Ziheng’s skin was dark, but his eyes shone brightly. “Little dumpling! Little dumpling! Where is she? Let brother see her!”

Mrs. Jiang frowned instinctively. “Only a few days and he’s already so tanned? Always out playing, not acting like an elder brother at all.”

Xia Ziheng pouted. “Mother, I came to see my little sister, why are you lecturing me again?”

Mrs. Jiang shook her head helplessly.

Her youngest son had lately taken to spending all his time with disreputable friends, out having fun. He had once been a well-behaved child, excelling in his studies and praised by the tutor as a promising youth.

But suddenly, he had fallen in with bad company and stayed out late.

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Had she not known he had a little sister, he might never have come home.

“Your father has long disapproved of your friends. If he saw you this tanned, he would surely scold you again.”

Xia Ziheng covered his ears, ignoring Mrs. Jiang’s words. Leaning over the swaddling, he saw a fair, chubby little baby, sucking on her hand and glaring at him with round eyes.

Xia Ziheng grinned foolishly. “Ah, my sister is just so adorable!”

“Guess what gift brother brought you.” As he spoke, he pulled out a paper packet from his pocket.

“Hehe, brother brought you candy. Brother didn’t want to eat it himself, so he brought it just for you.”

Xia Qianshan wrinkled her nose, eyes instantly wary.

My foolish third brother…

That’s not candy! It’s poison! In the book, it’s called Five-Stone Powder.

One taste and it’s addictive; prolonged use makes one irritable and violent, ultimately transforming into a living corpse.

In the original story, third brother was led by the illegitimate Xia Ziyi to deliberately consume Five-Stone Powder. Before long, he became a madman who would even attack his own father.

He was completely abandoned by his father and eventually driven out of the Xiahou residence, beaten to death by a mob.

“Hehe, young master is so thoughtful, even bringing candy for the young lady,” the senior maid remarked.

“Unfortunately, the young lady is too small to eat candy now. Young master, you should keep it for yourself.”

Xia Ziheng clicked his tongue. “Such a hassle!”

He opened the paper, dipped a finger in, and was about to put it in his mouth.

Xia Qianshan suddenly cried out and slapped him across the face.

Xia Ziheng clutched his cheek, bewildered. “Sister, you hit me?”

“Ah… pfft… ah!” Xia Qianshan’s tiny hands scrambled toward the candy packet, trying to snatch it away.

Mrs. Jiang paused, then laughed. “Hehe, look how greedy you are. You’re too little to eat that.”

“Ah, but I’m not trying to eat it!”

Xia Ziheng extended his finger coated with white powder toward her mouth. “A little won’t hurt; just taste it.”

Before he could reach her lips, his hand was slapped again.

“Ah… pfft!” She spat a mouthful of water onto his hand. Foolish third brother was too stupid!

She was so anxious. If only she could speak!

Suddenly, a crow flew over and perched on the swaddling.

“Where did that bird come from? Shoo!” Xia Ziheng, seeing its sharp beak, recoiled in fear, worried it might peck a hole in his sister. He tried to chase it away.

Mrs. Jiang stopped him. “It seems to be bringing us something.”

The crow placed something wrapped in paper on the swaddling and nudged it forward.

It looked much the same as what Xia Ziheng had brought.

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“Where did you steal that candy from?” Xia Ziheng exclaimed in shock.

“Ah—ah—” The crow tugged at a string, trying to undo it.

“What is it trying to do? Does it want us to open it for it?” the senior maid asked.

Mrs. Jiang nodded. “Help it open it.”

The senior maid stepped forward and opened the packet. Sure enough, it was granulated sugar.

“It really is candy. You’re quite resourceful to steal candy like this.”

In ancient times, sugar was a rare delicacy.

Even the wealthy and powerful seldom had the chance to taste it.

“Go ahead and eat,” the senior maid encouraged, pushing it toward the crow.

Unexpectedly, the crow stepped back several paces, refusing to eat. It stretched its neck, looking alternately at its own candy and Xia Ziheng’s.

After several glances back and forth, Mrs. Jiang sensed something was wrong.

The candy the crow brought was granulated, but the one Xia Ziheng had was powdered.

Her expression hardened. “Do you mean Ziheng’s isn’t actually candy?!”

Under everyone’s shocked gazes, the crow nodded in a human-like manner.

If it’s not candy and it’s making such a fuss, then it must be something harmful.

She recalled the substance whispered about among the wealthy young masters in the capital and gasped. “Is it Five-Stone Powder?”

The crow nodded again. “Ah—”

“Impossible! This was given to me by Li Shaoqing; we are best friends. How could he harm me?” Xia Ziheng’s eyes widened, utterly convinced.

“Ah… ah…” Xia Qianshan kicked and flailed her arms and legs, affirming it was him!

Mrs. Jiang instructed the senior maid to take the substance Xia Ziheng brought away. “Take some and feed it to the wild rabbits to test.”

“Yes.”

The senior maid caught a wild rabbit and fed it a small portion.

Before long, the once-docile rabbit became extremely agitated, its eyes bloodshot, furiously gnawing at the iron cage as if trying to break free to tear them apart.

Xia Ziheng was frightened by the scene and instinctively took two steps back. “How… how could he do this… why would he harm me…”

Suddenly, the crow called out excitedly, “Ah—ah—ah!” Flapping its wings, it glanced back at Mrs. Jiang. Seeing she wasn’t following, it turned and returned.

“Madam, is the bird signaling for us to follow?”

Mrs. Jiang’s heart pounded like a drum, her brow twitching. “You go and see.”

“Yes.”

The senior maid and the crow’s figures quickly vanished into the depths of Bi Luo Courtyard.