Bitter Roots, Sweet Blooms

You think you can run? I spent five taels of silver to buy you, and you dare to run! Chunhua, run fast! You still dare to call me? I'll beat you to death! What a dirty thing. Dare to block my way? Uncle, I'm hungry. Can you give me a coin to buy a steamed bun? You filthy thing, why don't you just die? Want money? Let your wicked mother come find me herself. Come on, Zhen'er, Uncle will take you to buy a bracelet. What a beautiful item, I've never seen anything like it before. What are you looking at? You even dare to desire something belonging to our real'er! Looking again, I'll pull out your eyes! Hmm, mother, you're wrong. Uncle won't give me food, but he gave my little cousin such a beautiful bracelet without blinking an eye. But when I asked him for a copper coin to buy a steamed bun, he made you come find him instead. But I'll never see you again.

I haven't eaten in two days, I'm so hungry. Maybe I have to sell myself just to survive. Who are you? Get out, you little beggar, you're so unlucky. I've gone to many shops, but no one wanted me, not even when I said I didn't need wages, just a single meal. Finally, only this place didn't drive me away. Your face is nice, don't look at your pale and thin eyes. Take care of yourself, you might become a beautiful woman in the future. Hurry up, sign it. Signing it means I can eat steamed buns. He thought I couldn't read, tricking me into thinking this was a document that would feed me. But every word on the paper is familiar to me, because my mother taught me to read since I was young. This is a contract of selling oneself. Your uncle looks as despicable as Yang Li, even using the same dirty tactics of luring and then capturing. It really makes me sick. How could the Yang family produce people like you? Selling yourself as a servant, you really came up with that idea. You're even more despicable than your mother. Come on, take me to see your mother. It's really good, I've finally had meat in my life, but unfortunately, it's not delicious at all. Mother.

I’m dead, am I? So he bit into a piece of meat—must’ve been starving. Yeah, if he’d kept starving any longer, he’d have died of hunger. Hmph, starving to death and still complaining? Could it be? Or is he deliberately getting back at me? General, the very first thing I said when I saw you was“I’m so hungry—could you spare me a coin for a steamed bun?” Why aren’t you calling me Uncle anymore? Still craving food, huh? If you’re that hungry, take me to see your mother. Well, I’d like to see what’s so great out there, anyway. You wandered around for nine years without coming home, and now that you’re broke, you’ve come back just to mooch off us. Give me a plain white steamed bun, and I’ll take you to find your mom. Oh, and make sure the bun’s fresh from the oven—no cold, stale ones like that porridge just now; I’ll end up with an upset stomach. Your Honor, let me assure youthis servant clearly lied just to get him some warm saltedeggandpork congee. Just like your mother—can’t hold a candle to her. Look, even after sitting in my belly for a while, that porridge’s still cold. My stomach isn’t made of ice. Who gave you the nerve to defy me so brazenly? I spoiled him too much. Even Yang Li’s daughter would be better off than him—she’d still get treated like royalty. Mom, is that you?

No, she's not my mother. After my mother was sold to my father, she never had a good life. How could she compare to the refined aunt? She really looks like Yang Li, with that seductive and cunning look. Yang Li, that despicable wretch who even seduced her brotherinlaw. Where is she? Give me something to eat, and I'll lead you to her. Hmph. What right do you have to haggle with me? Eat, just don't die in my mansion, it's so unlucky. Do you feel sorry for this bastard? Soft and sweet when eaten, mother really didn't lie, the steamed bun is amazing, way better than the coarse corn bread. Your mother never gave you anything to eat. Mother saved all the good things for me. Then why do you still look so unrefined? You're getting addicted to acting. Let's go, I'll lead you to find your mother. My mother rarely hugged me. She once said she sometimes wanted to kill me because my birth was a mistake. But when she was locked alone in the cellar, the only one who could keep her company was me. He said that Yang family women are no less brave than men. She used to have achievements on the battlefield. If it weren't for being framed, she wouldn't have ended up in such a situation. Can you ride a horse yourself? What did your mother teach you? Are you a failure? You are a failure to me. You, how could the blood of the Yang family produce such a cowardly creature? You shouldn't say I'm your uncle when you go out. Okay! You're a girl, how can you smell so bad?

Green Source gives him a quick wash. Good, good, good, good, good. Huh? Auntie Green. What’s wrong? Sir, please show some compassion for the young lady. What young lady? Does she even qualify? I think my back is covered in tiny knife wounds, but I can’t reach them or see them myself—must look pretty awful. First, clean his wounds. I’ll send someone to fetch a doctor. No need. A poultice of yellow clay will do; it’s always worked before. I just forgot about it these past couple of days while rushing along. Why waste time and money on him? Such a spoiled brat, just like his mother—always trying to pull tricks. Uncle, hug me, hug me, hug me! What are you doing? Can’t you see Qingqing wants you to hold her? I’m tired. Does your mother often mistreat your mother? She’s been very kind to me. She takes more beatings every day than I do. How could that be?