In October, the osmanthus blossoms have all faded in Suzhou. Su Wan, daughter of a Suzhou medicine merchant, carries half a page of blood-soaked accounts and travels north to the capital by imperial decree, where she is to marry the regent for good luck. He has been coughing for twelve years and is not expected to survive the winter.
Everyone in the capital laughs that she is going to accompany him to the grave.
No one knows that on the half-page of handkerchief tucked into her sleeve, only four characters are written: "Yan returns. Ask Xiao."
An account only counts when it is read aloud to the person concerned.
Theme: No grand cause can outweigh a human life. Every individual deserves to be remembered and loved.
