The Magistrate's Daughter

Everyone living in Fulu Lane was a minor official in the capital.

Among them was the Ning family, whose head held the modest post of Secretary. Their rank was low, their family standing unimpressive, and for seven generations their ancestors had all scratched a living from the soil.

Lord Ning was honest and good-natured, and copied books in his spare time to support his family. His wife, Madam Zhou, was fierce and sharp-tongued, and made money brewing wine as a private business.

They were both over thirty before they finally bought a house in Fulu Lane, where minor officials clustered together.

With their household established, they prayed to the gods and buddhas, and were delighted when a daughter was born. They named her Ning Pu'er.

Pu'er was frail from birth and grew up cherished and spoiled at home.

But the Ning family held such a low post, and Pu'er was so beautiful, that whenever she went out, her parents sternly warned her: Never accept gifts from strangers, never tell them her name, and always be careful, because there were many powerful people in the capital. If all else failed, she could play dumb, but she must never make an enemy of anyone.

Pu'er committed their advice to heart.

During the Lantern Festival, a disturbance in the lantern market separated her from her maid.

Pu'er was kidnapped. Someone handed her a pastry and asked her name and where she lived.

Pu'er thought, This person must have noticed my fine clothes and kidnapped me to extort money from my family. So she had a bright idea and pretended to be an idiot. She crossed her eyes, clutched her candied hawthorn skewer, and stuffed her mouth until syrup smeared her face. She just giggled foolishly and refused to answer any questions.

*

Emperor Yongzhao had been on the throne for ten years. He was diligent from dawn to dusk, and even though court was dismissed for the first month of the year, he continued to attend to state affairs.

As the Lantern Festival approached, his attendants could not bear to see him work so hard. They suggested he leave the palace to view the lanterns at the Star-Picking Tower. Before they reached their destination, however, they encountered a stampede in the lantern market.

Moved by compassion, the emperor casually rescued a foolish girl. The little fool was terrified of him. She sat there meekly, clutching half a skewer of candied hawthorn, waiting for someone to take her home.

Before long, the disturbance subsided, and the little fool's parents came running, crying and calling for her.

At the sight of them, the little fool's eyes stopped crossing, and she quit pretending to be stupid. She jumped up and greeted them with delight.

The couple thanked him profusely, then led their little fool away.

His hearing was excellent, and he could still hear the woman calling back as she walked away:

"...I told you to play dumb, not to act like an idiot!"

*

That night, the Xuanlin Guards presented a stack of papers at the emperor's desk.

Ning Pu'er, sixteen years old. Her father, Ning Buwei, was from Ningjiang in Huizhou and currently served as a Secretary in the Ministry of Works. Her mother, Zhou Qiaoyun, was also from Ningjiang and excelled at brewing wine...

That very day, Lord Ning, who had gone ten years without a promotion, was appointed Director in the Ministry of Works. The tavern supplied by Madam Zhou informed her that some palace noble had taken a liking to her wine, and from now on it would be served as tribute to the imperial household.

The sudden windfall left the whole family trembling with fear.

They had not offended anyone. When someone offers a favor for no reason, it must come with a hefty price.

*Older man/younger woman, eleven-year age gap, both virgins.

*An emperor whose old flame catches fire again vs. a clever little fool who thinks she's smarter than she is.

*Cozy everyday family life, full of the little things.

Theme: I'm not here to break up this family. I'm here to join it.