A Pair of Red Cloth Shoes
by Du Xiao
About This Novel
In the third year of Xianping in the Northern Song Dynasty, in the ancient city of Langzhong, Zhao Xiaowan sold herself as a concubine to Tian Lucao to pay off the debt for the burial of her father. Her pipa was a token of love with her fiancé who died young. After entering the palace, because she resembled Tian's old love Yun Niang, Xiao Wan received some attention, which aroused the jealousy of her mistress Zeng. Zeng used a red-hot silver hairpin to disfigure Xiaowan's appearance on the grounds that she "did not understand the rules". Tian Lucao only gave her half a piece of warm jade engraved with the word "cloud" to appease her. When Tian Lucao left home, Mrs. Zeng abused Xiaowan and even threw the white bird she saved to death. Xiaowan cursed in despair, and was imprisoned by Zeng ten days later with the "curse to kill the mistress". Five days later, she was buried alive under the old locust tree in the backyard. Before she died, she carved the word "Guiyun" on the bottom of the coffin. Ten years later, in the 13th year of Xianping, Tian Lucao's niece Tian Guiyun went to Tianfu and found a skeleton, a broken string pipa and half a piece of warm jade under the old locust tree. The jade matched the half piece left by her mother. That night, Xiaowan's soul appeared and told her the story of her murder. Guiyun tested Zeng and found that her sachet was embroidered with a white sparrow. He also overheard her confession and learned that Zeng had killed Yunniang's daughter. The intact jade pendant in Guiyun's hand became hot, and the words "leave Tianfu soon" appeared, and he realized that she was the daughter of Tian Lucao and Yun Niang. Guiyun brought the evidence to find his father. Tian Lucao admitted everything and felt guilty when talking about Xiaowan. Guiyun took his father back to Langzhong for confrontation. Zeng admitted his crime and wanted to kill Guiyun, but was stopped and injured by Tian Lucao. Guiyun played the broken string of the pipa. Zeng fell into a trance and committed suicide that night. Tian Lu Cao Hou buried Xiao Wan, and Gui Yun placed the intact jade pendant and broken string pipa in front of the tomb. When leaving, Guiyun heard the gentle sound of pipa and looked back to see Xiaowan's soul with a peaceful face, turning into blue smoke and liberated. Guiyun knows very well that love can be a sharp knife that hurts others, and Tian's crimes are finally silenced in time.
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