Chapter 1:
"Mistress, do you need anything?" asked a maidservant in a thin dress. Bring a cup of tea.
"I want to go on a walk outside." replied Mao Li
"But misstress it is raining outside..." said the maidservant.
"I'll be alright. I will take an umbrella." replied Mao Li.
The young maid looks at the young woman in front of her. The Li family was known for its scholary background, and their woman was always dressed elegantly and gracefully. Misstress Li was no exception except for her light blue gauze dress, which made her seem somewhat out of place. Misstress Li was very beautiful with spirited and distinct features. Her eyes were as distant as a freshly washed lake after the rain and clear, but unfortunately, she was blind.
Misstress Li was not born blind. It happened six months ago after she married into the Wang family. She suddenly fell ill with a peculiar sickness, experiencing a high fever for three days and nights, and when she woke up, she could no longer see. The Wang family consulted various divine doctors, but all their efforts were in vain. Since then, misstress Li seldom ventured outside. After all, it was all inconvenient for a blind person to go outside. Mao Li walked to the pavilion in the courtyard by the pond.
It's been a year since she married into the Wang family, and she went blind after just six months. During the remaining six months, she had learned to live without relying on her eyes, and she had adapted very well. However, there are many moments when she missed being able to see, like now. She could hear the raindrops, creating ripples and feeling the wind, but she could not see anything. The unseen beauty of spring was the most beautiful, just like an unseen person.
Perhaps she became blind to early, which resulted in her not having a clear memory of Wang Zhiheng's current appearance. She could only recall Wang Zhiheng when he was a fiveteen year old, a young boy in light purple robes, smiling warmly as he extended his hand to hers. Wang Zhiheng would not extend his hand to her anymore. Although he treated her with courtesy and kindness, there seemed to be an invisible barrier between them that Mao Li could sense.
In her youth, after years of living in the military, she learned to interact with men using a male identity, but see, did not know how to be or acted like a woman. So she could only watch her husband Wang Zhiheng be tender and affectionated with her cousin Lady Li feeling both weary and heartbroken. It was better for her that she could not see, as it would spare her from these hurtful scenes, and it granted her a sense of tranquillity.
She sat in silence in the pavilion, suddenly reminiscing about her youthful years, the days when she followed the army. It was a spring day like this, with a light drizzle. She was sitting among soldiers, smiling as she drank a bowl of very strong liquor, feeling her whole body warming up. The heat surged through her body. Mao Li held onto the railing, a sweet sensation rising in her throat, and then she spat out a mouthful of blood. Footsteps approached very slowly.
Mao Li asked. "Wang Zhiheng."
No answer came, and the footsteps stopped. Mao Li furrowed her eyebrows slightly, "Lady Li?"
After a moment, the voice of a woman sounded, "Mistress your hearing is sharp."
In her chest surged a strange feeling, and years of intuition made her subconsciously assume a defensive posture. Lady Li has always been considerate and gentle, and they had not exchanged many words in the Li family mansion. Her sudden arrival, with an underlying tone of satisfaction, made Mao Li uneasy.
"They say the misstress of the house is useless and unusable. I first did not believe it, but I am now seeing you. I see it true." said Lady Li. "How dare you?" asked Mao Li. "I dare! said Lady Li.
Her delicate eyebrows knitted together, and her gaze was sharp despite Mao Li's blindness and even Lady Li held a cold chill down her spine. However, she quickly stedied herself and said , "It is not just me saying it, General Mao Li." At the mention of General Mao Li, Mao Li's scalp tingled. She asked, "What do you know?"
"I know everything I should know, and even things I should not know. General Mao Li, with such a significant secret, how could the Li family and the Wang family dare keep you?"
Twenty years ago, before th Li family had a renowned military General like the "Flying Phoenix General," they were like any Noble family in Beijing, on the brink of decline. At the time, both sisters- in-law of the Li family gave birth. The eldest master's wife gave birth to her brother, Ming Li, and the second master's wife gave birth to Mao Li. The Li family made audacious and daring decision; they had Mao Li replace Ming Li while Ming Li pretended to be Mao Li and sent to be raised in a temple.
Mao Li grew up assuming the identity of Ming Li. Although she was born in the second wife's chamber, she was raised in the main chamber. From a very young age, she always considered herself a boy, enjoying martial arts and military strategies. At the age of fifteen, she left her family joining the Yue Fu army, gaining fame in battles.
At the age of nineteen, she earned the Emperor's appreciation and bestowed the title of the "Flying Phoenix General." At the time, the real Ming Li came back, and she was back as herself Mao Li. Ming Li saw the Emperor and became the "Flying Phoenix General" while Mao Li remains Mao Li.
Everything was not as difficult as imagined. To protect the situation, the Li family had long-established rules; Mao Li used to wear a mask when appearing to others, and no one had seen the real appearances of Mao Li. Mao Li was arranged by the Li family to marry Wang Zhiheng, the current esteemed scholar and a talented young man.
Wang Zhiheng was gentle, handsome, courteous, and considerate. The facade of warmth was torn apart, and the blood-chilling truth was even more difficult to bear than the most challenging battles Mao Li had encountered of the battlefield.
"When you drank the poisoned medicine that blinded you, it was ordered by your elders." " You will die, and bothe the families will breathe a sigh of relief. It is all your fault." said Lady Li.
Mao Li burst in full out laughter.
All her fault. Why is it all my fault? Her fault for replacing Ming Li for the sake of the Li families interested? All her fault for being obsessed with martial arts and military strategies and joining the military? Her fault for achieving military accomplishments and shedding blood on the battlefield. Or is it her fault for letting Ming Li take credit for her achievement?
Is it really all her fault for being a woman. Being a woman, she could not openly make achievements or contributions under her own name. She was destined to sacrifice herself for the Li families and its men. She overestimate the humanity of the Li family underestimate their selfishness in the end. And Wang Zhiheng... she should have gone blind long ago to think he was good.
"Why are you laughing?"asked Lady Li. Mao Li turned towards her direction and said, "I'm laughing at how stupid and ridiculous you are. I will die because of the secret, but do you think you will survive even if you know this secret. Lady Li sneered, " Even at deaths door... You are so stubborn." "Guards."
The guard appeared swiftly and surrounded Mao Li.
"Kill her!"
Willow branches can be turned into weapons. They are flexible and soft. With such a weapon, they could carry an opponent's knife.
Lady Li heard of the "Flying Phoenix General" before. She knew this woman was brave and skilled in battles, unlike any other ordinary girl. It is only when she saw it with her own eyes that she knew the rumours were true. Mao Li might be blind but she could fight 12 opponents at once. She kicked the guards in front of her as I'd she want to break free and leave this mansion. In an instant, se fell like a shot rabbit, crashing down from mid-air. She spat out blood. It splattered on the grass like red liquid.
"You fools, do it now!" Lady Li urged anxiously.
Fists rained down upon her like heavy raindrops striking her body. They would not use swords to injure her, nor leave any evidence of injury on her body. Someone grabbed her hair violently and dragged her towards the pond, pressing her head down into the cold and icy water. Her body sank heavily, but she struggled to come upwards. Accompanied by Lady Li's anxious crying.
"Someone, please help the Mistress are dying."
She wanted to go home and to feel safe, but for her their was no home and no place to be safe.