The Creekside Shadow Tower (The Deer and the Cauldron)

Xiying Tower was founded in the thirty-fifth year of the Kangxi reign. It sold fine clothing and jewelry, and taught makeup and dressing techniques. Unexpectedly, within a few days, it had become the wardrobe of choice for noblewomen. After two prosperous years, paintings of beauties were hung in the tower. Self-styled gallant young nobles wanted to collect and admire them, while ordinary folk hoped for a glimpse. Three years later, the tower began selling new Western goods, surpassing even its former splendor. This was Xiying Tower as the world saw it. This is a mysterious, fallen family. They have upheld their faith for centuries. No one knows what they have accomplished; they simply pass their efforts down from one generation to the next, so their descendants can continue the work. They wield a hidden power, but it has no name. The arrival of Xiying Tower gave them a “home” and a foothold. This is Xiying Tower as the hidden-power family sees it. Story background: A transmigration story set in Jin Yong’s novels, beginning with his first short story, The Sword of the Yue Maiden, and ending with his final work, The Deer and the Cauldron. There are countless transmigrated women, but only a limited number can exist at a time: whenever one leaves, another appears to take her place. The women who transmigrate have different personalities, and it is difficult for them to encounter another ally in the same era. (Only women transmigrate. History has been altered slightly, but the emperors remain unchanged.) Story: The heroine transmigrates as a baby. She intends to take life as it comes, but her grandfather schemes against her and raises her as a boy. (There are only two people in the family, grandfather and granddaughter.) The events before Xiying Tower is founded serve as the setup. After the person she loves dies, she has no choice but to inherit the family business to distract herself. Who knew that after four years, her love would only grow deeper, along with her longing? She returns to the capital to live with her grandfather, the only family she has, but someone cannot stand to see them doing well. She discovers the family curse and learns she can still see Shiyi. Just as she is overcome with joy, her grandfather dies. Alone, she travels to the ancestral home, following her grandfather’s last words. As she reads through three hundred years of family history, she feels the weight of it all pressing down on her... until a relative’s words make her see clearly: it isn’t her fault, so why should she bear the burden? In the Kangxi era, she is the wife of Shiyi, a woman who should never have existed. “My love, why can we meet only in our dreams? Why can’t you come out and see me? What stands between us?” To be continued... Important PS: This story has many mysteries, so please don’t jump to conclusions too soon. The answers will come in the story. This is a Qing-era transmigration story disguised as a fanfic, featuring legends, conspiracies, and a family with a century-old legacy. This is my first time writing a story. If you don’t like it, click the cross in the upper-right corner. Please be gentle with criticism. I’m not very good at handling harsh comments. O(∩_∩)O Background music: “Love Curse.” If you have time, help me catch typos. 75472826 is the Xiying Tower group. To verify, just fill in something related to Xiying Tower. Recommended stories: A little unlinked image, to celebrate my new project~~o(≧v≦)o~~ Updates are slow these days. If you get tired of waiting, click the link above to pass the time ↖(^ω^)↗ This is a short story I wrote before, now reorganized. My author page~~o(≧v≦)o~~Click here~~ Theme: