The Mad Willow Waist

[The Chase After Losing Her] After Nie Qing's daughter died, everyone said Nie Qing had gone mad, so mad that she no longer recognized her own husband. And who was her husband? Shen Zechuan, the Minister of Justice, with a brilliant future ahead of him! But Nie Qing refused to acknowledge him. She insisted she was merely a maid in Madam Shen's household. Madam Shen had died, so it was time for her to return to her hometown, find a husband, and start a family. Shen Zechuan lost his composure. Why go home and get married? Having a child, though, sounded fine. Nie Qing was forcibly kept at the Shen residence, and went mad once more. This time, she no longer recognized that man at all. She said she had only come to the capital to find her husband. Since she hadn't found him, she should go back. The children and pigs back home were waiting for her to return and look after them. Shen Zechuan lost his composure again. To keep his wife from disappearing once more, he could only watch over her every day. He even had no time to care for the widow of the person who had saved his life. But Nie Qing had only one reason for staying, from beginning to end: to wield madness as a weapon and take revenge on the enemies who killed her daughter! Once the truth was finally brought to light, Nie Qing returned to Mei County and started a new life. Xiao Yu, son of the chief minister, came to Mei County and asked outside the bamboo fence of the Nie household if he might have a sugar painting. Shen Zechuan arrived right behind him, crouched under the fence to mend it, and asked with red-rimmed eyes, “Madam Nie, might I have a bowl of water?”