The Fourth Lady

Early morning of the next day, when Su Qingyan woke up, she found that the sun was already past the third pole*. After she put on her outer clothing and pulled open the door, she saw Zizhu and the others currently busying themselves in the courtyard. Looks like the once in a year Laba rice porridge festival was almost here.

(*T/N: This is converted to around 9am in modern time; it's also considered to be waking up very late at this time, since ancient people wake up at the crack of dawn, so this phrase both has a figurative and literal meaning in this context.)

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Zizhu opened her mouth with a smile, "Miss, you're awake. This servant saw you were sleeping soundly early, so didn't wake you."

Qingyan smiled, seeing them being busy in the courtyard, "No matter. Besides, I haven't rested like this in a very long time either."

"Miss, quickly go in. Look at this sky, maybe it'll be snowing soon." Baizhi said as she pushed Qingyan into the room. "Miss don't catch a cold."

Qingyan looked to Baizhi and patted her head, "No harm, this Miss's body is very healthy."

"Miss, today the young master even ordered us to make sure Miss keeps warm." Huangcen said as she took down the things hanging from the clothes line. "Young master said, there might even be a huge snowstorm today."

The sky was getting more and more dark, as if it was precisely the calm before the storm. And shortly after, fluttering snowflakes floated about the sky. Afterwards, the snow got heavier and heavier, and in the short time to burn an incense, the ground was already covered in a layer of silver.

"Wah, it really did snow. Thinking about it, the snow this year, seemed to have fallen early." Huangcen stood under the eaves watching the ground get covered in snow, "This servant remembers that Miss used to hate snow the most in the past."

"Qingyan was afraid of the cold, so naturally hated snow very much. But the her now, quite liked the snow, because she once heard her father say that she was born during a snowy day. And that snowy day was exceptionally cold. She survived, but her mother wasn't able to pull through that coldest winter.

"Miss, what are you thinking about?" Zizhu said while she placed a cloak onto Qingyan's shoulders. "If you feel it's cold outside, this servant will go prepare a hand furnace for you right away."

need, I'm fine." She still

promised Yaochi yesterday and looked to Zizhu with a smile. "Zizhu, in a moment, go

in confusion, "Miss, such a cold day, what are

our humble effort." Qingyan said still with a smile on her face. Last night, she'd already used a pigeon to inform them on how she was going to let them

kind heart." After glancing at Qingyan, Zizhu pulled along Qingdai and Chishao to go

to go on foot. Although the General's manor already had people sweep away the snow at the entrance, it was still a bad idea

those commoners look like

saw a bunch of beggars in tattered clothes

you go share with them the food we brought. We didn't bring much, but help

hot buns in the bag for them to eat. Those beggars, when they saw the buns, without even thinking, all went

them like that and could only throw away the bag in her hand. Those people simply were just a bunch that couldn't tell good

her head, "Forget it, why trouble yourself with

slum area of Diqiu. That place, aside from the poor, basically no one else would enter. Even the authorities didn't bother with this place. Reportedly, the mortality of the people here was simply too high to

appeared on the surface. And behind this

There's only a bunch of refugees here." Qingdai looked to Qingyan in a perplexed manner,

the people behind her and shook her head, "No worries, to have come

something to eat. Our family's son is about to starve to death. I'm begging you." A woman grabbed onto Qingyan's sleeve and

an ordinary girl. Else, ordinarily, what wealthy family's miss would be willing to come to this kind of place. Her son had already not eaten anything for days. Seeing someone come, naturally she'd

out a few buns and placed them in her hand, "I want to ask you something. I heard there's three brothers here. The eldest is a habitual thief, the second has a weak body, and the