"Miss Xue, I apologize, but you cannot leave this courtyard." Two guards stood outside, blocking Xue Zi Ning from exiting.
"What does this mean? Am I being placed under house arrest?" Xue Zi Ning asked the guards, her gaze cold and sharp.
"Miss Xue, the young master has given orders, and we dare not disobey," one of the guards said, bowing slightly.
"Where is your young master? I want to see him," Xue Zi Ning stated coldly.
"Miss Xue, I will relay your message to the young master, but you cannot go out now." The guards stood firmly at the doorway, preventing her from taking a single step.
Xue Zi Ning slammed the door shut and leaned against it. She knew she was under house arrest, but why would Hua Yun Jin do this to her? She posed no threat to anyone, nor could she threaten anyone. Why would Hua Yun Jin imprison her? This left her somewhat puzzled. Though the courtyard was small, she had already devised hundreds of ways to escape, but none had succeeded.
Her first attempt was to knock out the maid who delivered food and escape disguised as one. However, the guards outside seemed to possess all-seeing eyes. The moment she stepped out, they recognized she wasn't the food-delivering maid.
Her second attempt was to escape under the cover of darkness. Unexpectedly, dozens of men in black appeared on the roof at some point. Even if one or two were no match for her, dozens certainly were.
Her third attempt was feigning illness, hoping to be taken out to see a doctor. To her surprise, the coarse maids who worked in the courtyard possessed medical skills, rumored to be inherited from Medicine King Valley. It seemed Hua Yun Jin's establishment was truly a place where hidden talents abounded.
"Miss Xue, you are provided with everything you need here, so why do you wish to leave?" Huan'er, the maid whose skills were inherited from Medicine King Valley, was devouring Xue Zi Ning's leftover meal with relish.
"Would you prefer to be a caged songbird or a free-flying bird?" Xue Zi Ning asked Huan'er.
Huan'er chuckled, scratching her head. "Miss Xue, Huan'er hasn't read many books and doesn't quite understand what you're saying."
Xue Zi Ning glanced at her and said slowly, "My current situation is like a songbird kept in a cage. Although I am provided with good food and drink, I yearn for freedom."
Huan'er listened for a long time, then tugged at her hair. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she asked, "Miss Xue, what you mean is like the difference between a domesticated chicken and a wild chicken, isn't it?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Zi Ning realized that further explanation might be too profound for Huan'er to grasp. She nodded, "It's similar."
Huan'er put down her chopsticks, stood up, and walked towards her. "Miss Xue, that's where you are mistaken."
"I'm mistaken?" Xue Zi Ning raised an eyebrow, asking her in confusion.
Huan'er nodded. "Of course. Can a domesticated chicken be the same as a wild chicken? Domesticated chickens don't have to forage for food, nor do they need to worry about being caught and eaten. Why wouldn't you want to be a well-cared-for domesticated chicken instead of a wild one?"
"That's freedom, don't you understand freedom? Besides, domesticated chickens are also killed one day."
"So what? At least they ate their fill before they died, unlike wild chickens who die as starving ghosts," Huan'er said dismissively.
Xue Zi Ning pressed her forehead. She felt that communication with Huan'er was impossible.
"Miss Xue, so don't always think about freedom. I think you've never experienced hunger and don't know the hardship of the outside world," Huan'er said.
Xue Zi Ning was caught between laughter and tears. "I truly don't know much about it."
Huan'er observed, "It's clear you are a young lady from a wealthy family. You don't know that for common folk like us, filling our stomachs is happiness. We don't crave freedom; being kept and given food is enough."
"Huan'er, where is your home?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Huan'er replied, "My home is in Xinzhou. Miss Xue, don't you know about the severe drought ten years ago? So many people died. Back then, people were so poor they sold their children, and all the grass was eaten. I remember thinking that if someone would just give me a meal, I would willingly die afterwards."
Xue Zi Ning was stunned. "Then your family..."
"They all died." Huan'er picked up her chopsticks again and continued eating the leftover food.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know your family had..."
Huan'er waved her hand. "It's fine, I don't have any memories of them anymore."
After a long silence, Huan'er continued, "Actually, it's not that I have no memories at all, but rather that I tried hard to forget them. They wanted to sell me for a single steamed bun. I only knew I was being taken away when someone led me, and realized they sold me to get a steamed bun for my brother."
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback. Huan'er lowered her head, her voice catching. "Actually, I didn't fear them selling me, but even if they had just said a word to me, it would have been something. But they got the steamed bun and ran off to give it to my brother, saying I was worthless. Miss Xue, are we women truly worthless? Are we always inferior to men?"
Xue Zi Ning's gaze sharpened. She stepped forward, took out a handkerchief, and wiped Huan'er's tears. "No, that's not true. We are the same as them; we are all equal."
"Really? Miss Xue, will there truly come a day when we are equal?"
She nodded and said solemnly, "Yes, that day is not far off."
In another residence, several people bowed to the man seated at the head.
"Your Highness, you have finally returned. We have waited for you for so long."
"Lord Zhou, Lord Wu, please rise quickly!" The man stepped down and helped the two lords to their feet.
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
"Lord Zhou, Lord Wu, now that I have returned, I will be entrusting future matters to you both."
"Your Highness, we are willing to do anything for you!"
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two lords emerged from the study and departed.
Hua Yun Jin stood up and gazed at the bright moon in the courtyard. He thought of his thirteenth year, when he admired it in the palace. It was no different from now, just as round and perfect. Alas, everything had changed. He slowly clenched his fist within his sleeve and murmured to himself, "One day, I will stand in that place again. I certainly will."
"Your Highness," Ming Chao walked over and bowed.
He nodded slightly and asked, "Is something the matter?"
"Your Highness, Miss Xue wishes to see you," Ming Chao said.
He frowned slightly, and after a pause, he said, "Prepare the carriage."
"Yes, Your Highness." Ming Chao withdrew.
Xue Zi Ning was quite surprised to hear that Hua Yun Jin was coming. In fact, she had only casually mentioned it, never expecting to actually summon him. She walked out of her room and immediately saw Hua Yun Jin, clad in a dark green brocade robe. He tilted his head slightly, as if gazing at the bright moon in the night sky, or perhaps looking at something beyond it. Hearing her footsteps, he turned around. "They said you wished to see me."