Chapter 1 — Red Rope Binds Fortune

On my first birthday, the monk of Thanh Dan Pagoda looked at the pale mole on the corner of my forehead and said: "The eldest daughter has a blessed mole on her forehead. It is appropriate to raise her in a quiet place, less disturbed, less windy, so that she can maintain her good fortune." From then on, my mother raised me next to Tieu Phuc Duong. She said I have a blessed appearance, I can't be too far from the light, and I can't be exposed to too much human breath. When my sister cries at night, she wears my longevity lock. When the elder brother goes to take the test, he will use paper to copy my sutras underneath. When my father was appointed, he took my blood and dabbed it on the seal. Since I was a child, I've heard this saying: "Tri Dan, I'm just borrowing a little blessing from you, I won't take your life." Until a few days before my sister got married, my mother pushed a silver needle in front of me, telling me to take three drops of blood and dab it on the inner layer of her robe. When I lowered my head, I saw that in the robe there was an old handkerchief. At the corner of the scarf is embroidered with a crooked branch of dandelions. That was the fifth thing I was seven years old, I cried and searched all night but still couldn't find it. 1 On my first month, the monk of Thanh Dan Pagoda looked at the pale mole on the corner of my forehead and said one sentence: "The eldest daughter has a blessed mole on her forehead, it is appropriate to raise her in a quiet place, less disturbed, less exposed to the wind, so that she can maintain her good fortune." From then on, my mother raised me next to Tieu Phuc Duong. She said I have a blessed appearance, I can't be too far from the light, and I can't be exposed to too much human breath. When my sister cries at night, she wears my longevity lock. When the elder brother goes to take the test, he will use paper to copy my sutras underneath. When my father was appointed, he took my blood and dabbed it on the seal. Since I was a child, I've heard this saying: "Tri Dan, I'm just borrowing a little blessing from you, I won't take your life." Until a few days before my sister got married, my mother pushed a silver needle in front of me, telling me to take three drops of blood and dab it on the inner layer of her robe. When I lowered my head, I saw that in that set of robes there was an old handkerchief. At the corner of the scarf is embroidered with a crooked branch of dandelions. That was Thursday, when I was seven years old, I cried and searched all night but still couldn't find it. …… When the door was pushed open, I was cutting the wick of the lamp by the window so that the light would dim. Tieu Phuc Duong lights up all year round, the smell of incense seeps into every crevice of the wall, even the blankets are cold and damp. Mother glanced at the lamp and immediately frowned. "Who let me cut the wick of the lamp?" I put the scissors back on the copper plate: "It's already late at night." "These days Linh Nghi is married, the lamp must not be turned off." She raised her hand and the woman immediately laid out the things on the table. A set of robes, a box of silver needles, and a plate of newly ground cinnabar. Blindingly red. Mother sat down at the table, her voice was gentler than usual: "Tri Dan, in a few days your sister will enter the palace. Since childhood, her body has been weak, her liver is also small, as a sister, you should help her one last time." I asked: "How do you want me to help?" She pushed the silver needle box forward: "Take three drops of blood from the tip of your finger, dab it on the inner layer of the robe. The monk of Thanh Dan pagoda once said that you have a blessed appearance, your blood energy can reassure you." It's best. If Ling Yi gets married, then the Tham family will also be okay." Shen Ling Nghi put on a fox fur coat and stood at the door with red eyes: "Mother, it's okay. If you don't agree, it's okay if I don't get married." Mother's face immediately sank. "Is a marriage with a marquis something to be angry about?" She turned her head to look at me: "It's just three drops of blood, it won't take my life." I lowered my head and looked at my hand. There were a few old scars on the fingertips, which under the light looked like broken threads. Last year when the elder brother participated in the test, his mother also said this. It's just three drops of blood, dab it on the poem a little, take it

Where is my life? Before that, my father was sent to Giang Chau, she took my blood and dabbed it on the seal, saying the road was far away and the water and soil were not suitable, so she borrowed a little of my blessings to bless her. Every time she only said a little. I didn't extend my hand, just looked at that set of robes. Where the red silk was turned over, an old handkerchief was revealed, the corner of the handkerchief embroidered with a very small branch of lychee flower, the leaf vein was askew. My breath stopped for a moment. That scarf is something I lost when I was seven years old. That year, I followed my mother to Thanh Dan Pagoda to complete my vow, always holding it in my hand on the way. After returning to the palace, the scarf disappeared, I cried and searched all night. Mother said I didn't know how to appreciate blessings, I couldn't even keep the things around me, so she punished me to kneel outside Tieu Phuc Duong until morning. I raised my hand to touch the inner layer of the robe. My mother immediately pressed my hand: "Don't wrinkle it, Lenh Nghi still has to wear it tomorrow." I raised my head: "Where did this scarf come from?" Tham Lenh Nghi's face turned pale. My mother followed my eyes: "Old things are just used to weigh down his price. Why are you asking about this?" "This is mine." "Mine?" She seemed to have just heard a myth: "The belongings from childhood have been left in the house for so many years, how can they still be considered yours?" I withdrew my hand: "But I've been looking for it for ten years." "Tonight is not the time for me to bring up the old story." Shen Lenh Nghi took a step forward, the hem of his robe sweeping across the steps. door: "Sister, you didn't know that it was yours. Mother said that using this scarf to press down on your shirt could keep you safe, so I..." "You didn't know?" I looked at the red string sticking out of her wrist. On the red string is tied a small silver bell. There is a thin crack on the bell body, a mark of when I dropped it in the past. "So you don't know about this bell?" Tham Lenh Nghi instinctively withdrew his hand into his sleeve. Mother saw it, her face finally became ugly. "That's enough." She slapped the table: "Tomorrow the maids will come to pick up the bride, don't make trouble tonight. Your sister has had many illnesses since she was little, having these old things by her side can make her feel at ease. As a sister, do you still want to fight over these things?" "You don't fight." I looked at her cuff: "I just want to ask, why are they all on you?" That?” 2The room was suddenly quiet. The silver needle box was open, the tip of the needle reflecting the light, cold as water. Mother walked up to me and lowered her voice: "You were born with blessings. The Tham family has served you for many years, never lacking in food or clothing. Your younger sister is about to get married, so why is it so unjust if you share a little blessing with her?" I looked at her. "Provide for you?" Her lips moved slightly but she did not correct her words. I live next to Tieu Phuc Duong, from the moment I remember, outside the window there has been a row of incense burners. On the first and full moon days, replace the red string, add lamp oil, and stick a golden talisman on the door. Mother said it was to protect me. It turned out to serve me. I pulled the scarf out of the rack. Mother reached out to grab it, but I immediately dodged back. She said coldly: "Tham Tri Dan." "Blood, I don't dab." Tham Lenh Nghi's tears immediately fell: "Sister, tomorrow I'm getting married. Do you have to make me feel uncomfortable at this time?" "It's not you that makes me feel uncomfortable." I looked at her cuff: "You guys took my things for too long, to the point of forgetting to ask me." Mother raised her hand and slapped me. Armored nails grazed the corner of his lips, and the smell of blood quickly spread. The woman bowed her head, no one dared to dissuade her. Tham Lenh Nghi covered his mouth, tears still hanging on his face but did not say another word. The mother took a few breaths before saying: "I won't punish you tonight. Tomorrow the servants will come and add makeup, good child."

Be quiet in Tieu Phuc Duong, don't go out and embarrass yourself." She turned around and went out, the two ladies carried the robe rack and the silver jewelry box. Tham Lenh Nghi walked last, and as he passed me, he whispered: "Sister, tomorrow I will return the bell to you." "No need." Her steps stopped. "Something that has been worn by someone else for a long time will have that person's scent, I don't need it anymore." After the door closed, the light in Tieu Phuc Duong stopped. I wobbled a bit. I looked down at the old scarf in my hand. The dandelions branch at the corner of the scarf had been sewn into the robe for too long, the seam had been flattened, only the edge of the leaf was still there. At the corner of the scarf was a hard object. On it were only a few words: "The scarf next to the eldest daughter's body, it's suitable." It was the mother's handwriting busy. The people of the Marquis arrived at the Dragon hour, when Mother Mao sent Mother Trieu to lock the door to my room. Mother Trieu brought breakfast, her eyes not daring to look at my face: "Dear Miss, you said there are many people today, afraid of colliding with people, you should rest in Tieu Phuc Duong." I sat at the table, the corners of my lips were still swollen. "Is the door locked also because of fear of collision?" She put down the food box: "Madam, it's also because Wanting to be good for others." Cutting my hair is because you want to be good for me. Taking my blood is because you want to be good for me. Giving my old clothes to my sister to wear is also because you want to be good for me. Outside, there was a sound of locking the door. I didn't cry out. Tieu Phuc Duong's window latch had been loose for many years, when I was thirteen years old, I was punished and locked in here, using a hairpin to grind little by little. Through the window, I saw red silk hanging from the front yard to the flower-lobed gate. Tham Lenh. Nghi was wearing a light red dress, and was helped out by the maid. Today she was not wearing a cloak, the silver bell on her wrist was exposed. The mother came from the house wearing a dark blue dress, and behind her were two maids carrying a box. Seeing Tham Lenh Nghi, she smiled and said: "The second lady's appearance is not bad." Mother stood next to her: "Last night she was nervous, but today she is nervous again. Okay." The mother's eyes fell on Tham Lenh Nghi's wrist: "This bell looks quite familiar." Tham Lenh Nghi's fingers curled up. His mother immediately replied: "When he was a child, he was given a peace bell at Thanh Dan Pagoda. He wore it for many years, so he couldn't bear to take it off." Through the window, my fingers tightened on the door frame. The mother looked up at her neck again. There was a lock of eternal life. The edge of the silver lock had been sharpened until morning. Shiny, the back is engraved with a small word "Dan". That was what my grandmother gave me. Mother hated that word being exposed so she told the jeweler to add two flower petals next to it, but the last hook line was still there. 3 Ma Ma looked at it for a moment: "This lock is old." Mother smiled: "Old things have the blessing of old things." Shen Lenh Nghi raised his hand to touch the lock and said gently: "Mother said when she was little." The child's body is not good, only by wearing it can he grow up." I turned around and picked up the copper pot next to the wall. The first time I hit the window latch, the wooden block did not come off. The second time, the window paper shook, a layer of dust fell. The third time, the window latch completely broke in half. The maid guarding outside quickly knocked on the door: "Eldest lady, what are you doing?" I climbed through the window and went out, the hem of my skirt was torn by a piece of wood. The laughter in the front yard immediately stopped. Everyone looked towards me. The smile on my mother's face stiffened for a moment, but was quickly suppressed by her: "Tri Dan, why are you out here?"