Chapter 1

In the winter of 340 AD, on the north bank of the Yellow River, in the eastern suburbs of Xiyang County.

Inside the lecture hall, a limping old teacher was explaining the rites to his students. There were over a dozen seats in the hall, but only one young man was sitting there, listening attentively. As the snow began to fall in the afternoon, the sky grew darker. The old teacher finished his lesson, put down his book, and waved at the young man, signaling the end of the class.

The young man, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a clear and refined appearance, tidied up his writing tools and approached the old teacher, bowing and speaking, "I have heard that the northern front is tense, and Xiyang is now a precarious place. It is not safe to stay. What are your plans, sir?"

"The old man is near the end of his days and does not wish to leave his homeland," the old teacher replied calmly, shaking his head.

"Sir, the barbarians are cruel and savage, prone to violence and cannibalism. Staying here is very dangerous," the young man said in a low voice.

"If the barbarians want to kill, let them. If they want to eat, let them. As long as they do not mind my old, thin, and sour flesh," the old teacher smiled.

"After I get married, I will move my family south. The sage said, 'A gentleman does not stand under a leaning wall.' I respectfully invite you to come with us. This is also my father's wish," the young man bowed deeply.

"The kindness of your father is deeply appreciated. Please thank him on my behalf, but I do not wish to leave my homeland. It is getting late, so you should go now," the old teacher raised his hand to dismiss the young man.

The young man sighed helplessly upon hearing this. He took out a small package from his chest and presented it to the old teacher with both hands, "Sir, you have taught me for ten years, and your kindness is profound. Please accept this silver to help you in times of need."

"Teaching and resolving doubts is my duty. You have never been lacking in your monthly support. I cannot accept this silver," the old teacher waved his hands repeatedly.

"Please take care of yourself, sir." The young man pushed the cloth package into the old teacher's arms and turned to leave quickly.

"This is not right, Mo Wen," the old teacher said in surprise.

The young man did not turn back upon hearing this. The silver must be left, or the old teacher would have no means to support himself in the future.

"You have read the classics and are well-versed in the virtues of a gentleman. However, in times of chaos, the way of the gentleman may bring harm. In the future, you must discern right from wrong and act accordingly," the old teacher, limping, could not catch up, so he shouted the advice.

The young man turned to bow again upon hearing this and then left the hall. Outside, the snow was falling heavily. A servant in a hemp robe was waiting in the snow. Seeing the young man come out, he immediately put a robe on him and took the writing tools and inkstone from his hands.

The young man's name was Mo Wen, and he was seventeen years old. His father ran the largest pharmacy in the county, and he was the only son. The servant in the hemp robe was a year younger, the child of a family servant. His surname was Wu, but because "Wu" sounded like "none," which was disliked by merchants, the Mo family called him Xiao Wu.

On the way home, Mo Wen stopped at a food shop at the three-way intersection in the county town to buy a bun. When they reached a secluded place, he handed it to Xiao Wu.

"Thank you, young master," Xiao Wu said, taking it.

Mo Wen nodded slightly and continued walking. Due to years of famine and war, food was extremely scarce. Three meals a day were only enjoyed by wealthy families, while common people could only have two meals, and those were often thin porridge.

"Tomorrow is your wedding day. I wonder how the second daughter of the Lin family looks," Xiao Wu said, following Mo Wen.

"A woman's virtue is more important than her appearance," Mo Wen replied. His marriage was arranged by his parents. The bride was Lin Ruochen, the second daughter of Lin Xiang, who owned a silk shop. The Lin family was also a merchant family, and their daughter was very precious, strictly adhering to etiquette and never leaving the house. Outsiders had no way of knowing her appearance.

"Speaking of which, if the second daughter of the Lin family looked like a bun, would you still marry her?" Xiao Wu held the bun he had not yet bitten.

"Ridiculous," Mo Wen laughed and kicked, and Xiao Wu laughed and dodged.

The county town was not large, and the lecture hall was less than five miles from the Mo family pharmacy. After a short while, the two returned to the pharmacy. The people in the pharmacy were busy tying up the herbs and loading them onto carts. Xiao Wu returned the writing tools to Mo Wen and ran over to help. Mo Wen walked alone through the outer hall into the inner courtyard.

The women in the inner courtyard were decorating the new room with lanterns and streamers. Although they were doing festive things, their expressions were anxious and uneasy. The reason was simple: the state of Zhao in the north was about to invade. The Mo family planned to marry Mo Wen and Lin Ruochen before moving south.

The state of Zhao was established by the barbarians, and the current emperor, Shi Hu, was a Jie person, known for his cruelty and cannibalism. Most of the northern regions were under his rule. The state of Jin, established by the Han people, had retreated to the south of the Yellow River. Xiyang County was one of the few remaining counties on the north bank. With the southern campaign of Zhao, the border war was intense, and the villagers were preparing to flee. They would cross the ice when the river froze.

After seeing his parents, Mo Wen's father retained him and carried the sacrificial offerings to the Mo family ancestral temple. Before a man married, he had to offer sacrifices to heaven and ancestors, which was a tradition.

The Mo family ancestral temple was not far north of the pharmacy. After the father and son entered the temple and paid respects to their ancestors, the father did not leave immediately. Instead, he took out eight gold ingots from the bottom of the food box and buried them in the northwest corner of the temple. Mo Wen helped but did not ask. He understood that his father was leaving a way out for the family. Moving south was a last resort, and they would return to their homeland after the war.

On the way back, the sky grew darker, and the wind picked up, lowering the temperature. Despite the cold, the villagers in hemp robes were happy because the colder it was, the thicker the ice on the river, and the sooner they could leave this troubled place.

Even in a hurry, traditions must be followed. After dinner, a sister-in-law brought her seven-year-old child to Mo Wen's bed, as a man needed a male child with both parents alive to sleep with him the night before his wedding, symbolizing many children.

The next morning, Mo Wen put on new clothes, bid farewell to his parents, and rode a horse with a sedan chair to fetch his bride.

"Xiao Wu, why are you sweating?" Mo Wen held a copper goose on the horse.

"Master asked me to check the river," Xiao Wu, leading the horse, turned to answer.

"Is the river frozen yet?" Mo Wen asked.

"Not yet. People can walk, but not carts. It might be ready tomorrow. Young master, you don't look well-rested," Xiao Wu noticed Mo Wen's lack of energy and asked with concern.

"Don't mention it. The child wet the bed in the middle of the night," Mo Wen frowned and shook his head.

"Child's urine is also called golden water. It can remove dampness, reduce heat, and ward off evil. It's a good omen," Xiao Wu turned to laugh mischievously.

Mo Wen glanced at Xiao Wu and did not respond. Although they were master and servant in name, they were friends who grew up together, speaking freely. The difference was that Mo Wen was well-read, polite, and reserved, while Xiao Wu, who worked in the pharmacy, was smooth and talkative.

The pharmacy was only a few miles from the silk shop. They soon arrived at the Lin family. A large crowd gathered around, and upon seeing the wedding procession, they rushed to block the road.

Mo Wen knew the rules. During a wealthy family's wedding, they had to scatter money, also known as "opening the way money." Without waiting for the matchmaker's reminder, he took a bag from the saddle and gave it to Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu scattered the copper coins, and the crowd picked them up, clearing the way.

The groom was a guest of honor, and the bride's parents had to welcome him personally. When Mo Wen saw his future in-laws, he became nervous. Following the matchmaker's guidance, he dismounted, walked forward, and presented the copper goose he had been holding to his future father-in-law. The father-in-law smiled, took it, and handed it to his wife, then led the way.

The main room was filled with open chests, containing the Lin family's generous dowry. There were quilts, tables, chairs, and even cooking utensils. The centerpiece of the dowry was a pair of gold and jade figurines, about the size of wine cups, made of gold, shining brightly and looking adorable. In addition to these items, the Lin family also provided a beautiful maid, known as a "dowry maid," who was very close to the bride and would continue to care for her after the wedding, serving the groom when necessary.

The father-in-law handed the dowry list to Mo Wen, who, following ancient customs, opened the list and checked the items. However, his attention was on the back courtyard, where the Lin family's maids were busy. In the main room of the back courtyard was his future wife, Lin Ruochen, the second daughter of the Lin family.

The matchmaker was a woman in her fifties who had arranged countless marriages and was very familiar with the wedding customs. After the ceremonies, including the exchange of gifts, the farewell, and the thanks, the bride got into the sedan chair, and the wedding procession returned.

Mo Wen still did not know what his wife looked like, only that she had a graceful figure and a soft voice. Such a delicate and gentle appearance suggested that she would not be ugly.

"Young master," Xiao Wu handed the remaining money to Mo Wen.

"Take it as a reward," Mo Wen was in a very good mood.

"We servants cannot use money," Xiao Wu hung the money bag on the saddle.

"Men do not marry at even ages. You are sixteen and cannot marry this year. I will arrange a marriage for you next year and give you the young lady's maid," Mo Wen nodded approvingly at Xiao Wu. He and Xiao Wu had a deep bond not just because they grew up together but because he admired Xiao Wu's innate loyalty. Loyalty was a virtue, passed down through generations, and the Wu family had this excellent quality.

"Thank you, young master," Xiao Wu was moved and slightly trembled. His family had signed a lifelong servitude contract with the Mo family, and servants could not marry without their master's permission.

They returned to the Mo family in the morning. According to tradition, the wedding ceremony should be held at dusk, but due to the urgent war situation, some villagers had already crossed the ice to the south, and the city was filled with panic. For safety, they followed a simplified procedure. After paying respects to the ancestors and the parents in the ancestral temple and thanking the matchmaker in the main hall, they sent the bride to the bridal chamber, which was only in the afternoon.

When they first entered the bridal chamber, the matchmaker was also there, teaching the final rituals. They split a bitter gourd in half, filled it with wine, and drank from it, symbolizing sharing both good and bad times. They each cut a strand of hair and tied it together, symbolizing eternal commitment. After this, the wedding ceremony was complete, and the matchmaker left, leaving the couple alone.

Mo Wen became nervous again because he was about to lift the veil from his wife's face. For some reason, he could not stop thinking about the bun Xiao Wu had held the day before...

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