The manor consisted of three generations. My grandfather, a former great general, and his wife—he never had any concubines—thus all of their children are of lineal descent.
They had three children: Chuo Shang, the eldest, is a lieutenant general; Chuo Yun, the second born, is a rank 4 official; and the only daughter, Chuo Mie, was married into a dukedom as a second wife. My father, Chuo Shang, is usually out on the border and would only come home around six to seven months, enough time to settle whatever unrest there is on the border.
I am in my room by myself, thinking of the thousands of probabilities of being reborn, and I always end up concluding that it is close to zero. It is simply unbelievable. I did not, in any way, despise being able to be alive once more, but just how fascinating can the world be?
I'm not even sure if it was real—a vision or a dream—a forewarning of what could possibly happen if I am not careful. But the thing is that I am bearing the scars of the pain of yesterday. So I know it is real.
I had a dream about a lake when I was unconscious, just before I was reborn. Its deep hue acts as a poetic soundscape as the winds dance ruffles in the sky. It was sparkling with serenity from its core, and all living things that basked in its splendor may have had an eternal effect.
I was able to live on two different timelines. In the future, when I was a daughter of the minister, a food connoisseur, and a jeweler who enjoyed traveling to new places and countries to try fresh delicacies and explore new adornment designs for my maternal business.
I once lay on a mattress of pain in a place that was rife with sorrow and anguish. I entered the yellow spring carrying a heavy heart of hatred. Perhaps the king of the underworld took pity on me and allowed me to go back once more, and levy all the animosity I have towards the world.
Having a safe space, with more than a thousand seedlings, a magical silver basin, a lake that could enrich one's fortitude, basically a supplement to all living things, a memory of both the future and the past, is perhaps a cheat, but what can I do? I am one of the immortals' favorite human beings.
I cheekily smiled at the bronze mirror in front of me. Great Han should get ready for this cheat that could overturn heaven and earth.
Chuo Yun, my second uncle, has two daughters from the main wife, Chuo Hanying, a twelve year-old with the same age as mine and Chuo Fei; there are also two concubine daughters and a son as well.
Evaluating my family was a bit complex. There are more than one person that would betray my family in the end; I, however, died without knowing the rest. I am not particularly the favorite, as the ancients placed more importance on sons. I also cannot say that I am not the favorite, as I am also put on a pedestal.
I let my mind wander into my safe space. If I were to choose which time to live, I would definitely choose the future, with all the foods and spices. I am a big foodie; how can I not be? Food makes everything better. It is already noon hour and it is not in our family's custom to eat together during lunch as our lunch is usually served in our courtyard.
Spices during this era are not that diverse; spices from other nations are not yet introduced. The food is mostly boiled in a li or steamed in a yan.
Being the eldest daughter and granddaughter also gave me an advantage; my courtyard has its own kitchen.
I went to the kitchen. Two or three servants were outside chattering. I just smiled at them and headed towards the kitchen to look for ingredients that I could cook. However, there is not much.
"Eldest Miss, are you in the mood to cook?" My servants all knew my love for cooking, so it is not new for them to see me cook.
"Yes. Are there no new ingredients yet?" I mildly asked, maintaining the elegance of a first child.
"The ingredients are still in the main kitchen, Eldest Miss. I could go to the main courtyard now and ask for a share." A rank four maid asked.
"No need. Please proceed with your work," I said, smiling before leaving back to the courtyard. The temperature is now getting warmer.
Not long after, the main courtyard had already sent my fair share of food. which includes a main dish and a side dish. It is rather bland and did not really stir my appetite.
How nice could it be to be able to start planting these seedlings in my safe space? The main crop during this dynasty was millet, with a small production of wheat.
However, there is so much to think about. First, where could I plant it? I need a rather ample amount of agricultural land to plant them. Secondly, where could I get the money to acquire land? There's so much to think about that it's making my head hurt.
The Great Han Dynasty was one of the earliest dynasties ever recorded in history. It was called great though because of its discoveries of silk, the development of calligraphy, the advancement of bronze technology, and the use of chariots for warfare.
There were four social classes during this era. The emperor, social bureaucrats and gentry, and the working class, including peasants, workers, and merchants. Merchants are considerably the lowest among the working classes, and at the bottom of the hierarchy are the lower classes, including slaves, prostitutes, and entertainers.