NCA

Posted by Wedrz, Released on March 1, 2026

Chapter 1: Peony (2)

“What will you do? Tell me.”

Liu Chang finally lowered his hand. He looked at Moran’s face, flushed with a mix of fear and anger, with a look of contempt. However, when he noticed her eyes trembling with genuine terror, he suddenly broke into a laugh.

At that moment, Uha’s frightened voice called out from the doorway. “M-Mistress? Y-Young Master?”

How amusing, Liu Chang thought, both the mistress and the maid are stuttering. His mood lightened. He flicked his sleeves and turned around to leave. Uha quickly pulled back the door screen and gave a clear, crisp greeting as he exited. Liu Chang shot her a cold glare and whispered a chilling promise:

“Know this—one day, you too will be mine.”

Tears welled up in Uha’s large eyes, and her nose began to run. She sniffled piteously, staring at him as if she might burst into sobs at any second, clutching her skirt. “M-my mother will beat me to death!”

Everyone knew Uha’s mother was the personal maid who had followed Moran’s mother, Lady Zhan, into her marriage. She was a rough woman, skilled in swordsmanship and possessed the strength of a giant. Even Lady Zhan couldn’t scold her when she was stubborn. Lady Zhan had promised that Uha would be released when she came of age, rather than being forced into concubinage. If Liu Chang touched her, that formidable woman would surely storm the gates. It wasn’t worth the scandal for a plain-looking girl.

Disgusted by the sight of Uha’s runny nose, Liu Chang practically fled the courtyard. Uha immediately dried her eyes, wiped her face, and stepped inside with a scowl. Moran was back to her previous task, standing on her tiptoes to reach the “Wei Purple” peony outside the window.

“Young Mistress, what are you doing!” Uha knelt to pick up the fallen shoe and put it back on Moran’s foot.

Uha found it strange. When the Mistress was ill, she had constantly prayed for the Young Master to visit. After recovering, she had waited every day for him to share her bed. But back then, Liu Chang never came, and Moran’s weeping pleas had only brought her humiliation. Now that she no longer cried or begged—now that she was actively pushing him away—he was the one trying to force his way in.

Finally, Moran reached it. She let out a soft sigh, gently holding the stem with one hand while using a silver hairpin to extract a tiny insect hidden in the petals. She was incredibly careful not to bruise the flower.

“Mistress, you cherish these flowers so much,” Uha noted, “why don’t you go outside to catch the bugs instead of straining yourself like this? You might snap the stem.”

Moran smiled. “It’s fine. I’m being careful. Besides, this allows me to stretch and exercise my waist. This body is too frail; I must exercise.“

Seeing Moran’s calm smile, Uha couldn’t hold back. “What are you thinking? You are fully recovered now. You shouldn’t let others trample on you anymore. You must give birth to a son!”

Moran said nothing, but inwardly she was cursing. Me? Carry the child of such a vulgar man?

She had been reborn into this body and inherited its memories. Liu Chang—the man who treated his devoted wife like a weed and drove her to an early grave. What right did he have to ask for a child?

Sharing a bed? Liu Chang might think he is granting a favor, but she had no intention of spending her life with him, nor did she want to shed a single drop of blood for his sake. Since he viewed her as a weed, she certainly wouldn’t treat him as a treasure.

Reborn into this prosperous and open world, she intended to seize every chance to liberate herself. Seeing Moran’s determined expression, Uha realized she couldn’t persuade her.

“Uha,” Moran asked, raising an eyebrow, “what do you think I can do?”

Unlike the treacherous Udong, Uha was loyal. She blinked, surprised to be asked. Moran continued:

“I am miserable too. This family disapproves of me; everything I do is ‘wrong.’ Even if I luckily bore a son, his father wouldn’t love him. He wouldn’t be the eldest legitimate son, so he would grow up treated unfairly. If they do not cherish me, why should I stay? I do not want to live my life depending on anyone.”

The Mistress is thinking of a ‘Huari’ (divorce by mutual consent)! Uha’s mind raced. In this open society, women could be heads of households and make their own decisions. From princesses to village girls, many divorced and remarried.

“But will ‘they’ agree?” Uha asked hesitantly, referring to the elders of the Liu and Ha families. Both families believed Moran had recovered because of this marriage; they wouldn’t easily discard such a “lucky charm.”

Moran winked playfully. “They will eventually.”

Uha sighed and mentioned that the bold Princess Qinghua would be at tomorrow’s banquet, and the elders had even summoned courtesans for entertainment. “If you dislike it, Mistress, we could use the old method [to avoid it]…”

“No, I want to go,” Moran said. She had spent six months preparing to blend into this world. She couldn’t stay locked in this small courtyard forever.

Uha was delighted and brought out four camphor wood chests filled with spring clothes. Moran chose a thin pink silk top and a light purple skirt embroidered with deep purple peonies.

“Perfect,” Moran said, yawning. “I’ll take a nap now.”

While Moran slept, a young maid named Seo-a, barely twelve years old, stood guard. She had the kind of features Liu Chang favored—a sign she might be forced into concubinage in a few years.

Suddenly, a loud commotion broke out at the gate. Seok-ha, Liu Chang’s young manservant, arrived with several laborers carrying ropes and poles.

“This is the place,” Seok-ha announced pompously, mimicking his master. “This is the Young Mistress’s residence. Do not loiter or wander, or you will be punished.”

“We know, we know!” the laborers laughed.

Seok-ha barked, “Be careful! If you damage these precious plants, you couldn’t pay for a single petal even if you sold yourselves into slavery!”

Hearing the noise outside her mistress’s door, Seo-a threw down her sewing and ran into the courtyard, her face flushed with anger.