Chapter 1 — My Two Sisters Pretended to Be Dead, Two Years Later, They Were Captured by Their Husbands

My father was the number one traitor in the court, and he put me and my twin sister into the Han family, the family of his mortal enemy. The sister pretended to be a virtuous wife for a year, and was finally caught by her husband sitting at the casino. I pretended to be critically ill for a year, but finally my husband saw me carrying a knife and slashing bandits. That night, in the hall, the sister said:

"Die, once and for all."

The next morning, she hung a white silk strip from the rafters, and I spit out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground. They pretended to be dead and fled for two years, but were eventually captured by each person's husband. Father sat on the monk's chair, so angry that his nostrils seemed to be smoking:

"You two girls only know how to lose money, and don't even know how to die well."

My father was originally a pig slaughterer. If this statement was made ten years ago, no one would have believed it, but now everyone in the civil and military court knows that Phung Thiet Nguu, currently a Thai lieutenant, before his death, stood at the Eastern market at the end of the street selling vegetables and slaughtering pigs for fifteen years. Relying on his talent for flattery, he rose from a butcher to the position of Captain, and his mortal enemy was the Han family, all three generations of which were noble, family teachings were engraved right on the wall in front of the yard, even the servants were not allowed to make a sound when walking or standing. My parents are jealous of their family. So he did something that, to this day, every time my sister and I remember it, my teeth hurt: he married her, who was addicted to gambling like her life, to the eldest son Han Chi Thanh of the Han family, and gave me, a person who secretly learned martial arts but had to pretend to be sick, to the second master Han Chi Qua. The night before the wedding day, his father gnawed on his hooves and spoke poignantly:

"Good girl, I've raised you two for sixteen years. I've spent a lot of money, now it's time to repay you. Marry into the Han family, keep causing trouble for me! Make trouble to the point that the whole family is restless, clear away the obstacles for me."

Unfortunately, the Han family's family style is too upright, and the rules are thicker than city walls. Not only can I and my sister not spoil the two young masters, on the contrary, we have to work hard every day to maintain our image, one is dignified and gentle, the other is weak and pitiful. Pretend for exactly a year. The first time I went outside and took a breather, it was revealed. My sister was caught red-handed by Han Chi Thanh right at the casino, while I was cutting down bandits on the mountain and was stopped by Han Chi Qua right on the spot. At this time, my two sisters were kneeling side by side in the Han family hall. The older sister leaned crookedly on the kneeling cushion, muttering in a low voice:

"It's over, that wooden guy Han Chi Thanh will definitely retire."

"He talks about his teachings every day, but his wife is a regular customer of the casino, so he doesn't know where to put his face."

I rubbed my knee and replied:

"Who wouldn't be like that. That closed-mouthed gourd Han Chi Qua keeps telling me every day that bandits are rampant, people are miserable, and no one in the court wants to go to war."

"I'm soft-hearted so I'm leaving."

"Who would have thought that guy was already waiting in ambush on the mountain, just waiting for me to reveal the truth."

Dich raised his eyebrows.

"That's right, he hopes you will give up your seat soon so he can find the lady in his painting."

"That's right. Under his pillow he hid a handkerchief, embroidered with the back of a woman holding it knife. Every time I look at that scarf I'm stunned, it looks like I'm worshiping a Bodhisattva."

I sighed.

"Sister, we can't talk to our father, and the Han family can't live anymore."

Dich suddenly looked serious.

"Instead of waiting for someone else to strike, it's better to do it yourself."

She lowered her voice.

"Run. But before running, you must die once."

I looked straight into her eyes.

"Fake dead?"

"Yes. Once resolved once and for all. Your reputation is already ruined, as a noble lady, it is reasonable to commit suicide out of shame."

The guy looked at me.

"What about you?"

I hugged my chest and coughed softly twice.

"I've been weak and sick since I was a child. It's not unusual for me to suddenly die at any time."

I leaned closer to her.

"I'll go first, and because I'm so sad, I'll follow. The Han family lost two daughters-in-law in a row, the reputation of Grand Master Han Chi Thanh forcing his wife to death had just spread, the Han family was finished."

My sister reached out and patted my head.

"It's true Phung Te, even deeper than his father."

"It's the same for you, Phung Can."

Her face immediately changed.

"If you even dare to call me both your first and last name, you'll turn against me."

"If you want to turn back, go find Phung Thiet Nguu, who told you to name us two like vegetables."

My father came from a profession of butchering pigs, so naming a daughter is like labeling cooking ingredients, one person's name is Can, the other's name is Te, both are things that go into the pot of stew. The sister rested her chin on her hand.

"Before leaving, help my father harm the Han family one more time, as a way to repay him for nurturing him for so many years."