Perhaps it was because the three loud knocks I made pleased the woman named Hengniang, she reached out her hand and helped me up from the ground, and in a particularly sharp and thin voice, she said, "Oh, Ayin, you silly child, just call me mother. Why are you knocking your head? Look, your forehead is all red. How will you get married if you ruin your appearance in the future?"

Although I didn't quite understand what it meant to marry someone, I knew that this kind of topic shouldn't be casually discussed among us young ladies in the women's quarters. I looked at her with some confusion, and my father lightly coughed to stop the two guards who were still fighting my older brother. I didn't have time to ponder the meaning behind what Hengniang said, so I simply pushed aside her hand and ran towards my older brother.

Father was still angry and only ordered someone to stop hitting Big Brother without untying him before leaving. The woman followed behind father, holding onto a girl named Zhu Zhu. I could clearly see a hint of satisfaction on her face.

For a moment, the spacious courtyard of the Prime Minister's Residence was left with only me and my eldest brother, who was still bound to a tree. His body was covered in fresh crimson bloodstains. From close proximity, I could even catch a faint whiff of the metallic scent of blood. It was extremely cold during this winter noon. I crouched down at my brother's feet, constantly blowing warm air onto my hands that were on the verge of freezing. My brother seemed to let out a soft sigh, and then I heard him say, "Aying, quickly go back. Don't stay here and freeze."

I did not speak. After my hands regained some strength, I stood up from the ground and began slowly untying the rope that bound my eldest brother. The guard had tied the knots quite tightly, so I had to tiptoe and exert some effort to undo the rope. My eldest brother's voice came from above, he said, "Aying, stop untying me, go back. When father calms down, someone will naturally come to untie me. You are weak since childhood. What will you do if you catch a cold in this icy and snowy weather?"

I don't know why, but when I listened to Big Brother speak like this, I felt a slight discomfort in my heart. My Big Brother always considers everything for me, no matter what time it is, he always takes care of me. Yet, I can't even loosen the ropes for him. I hate myself for being so foolish and useless. I looked at the tightly tied knot that showed no sign of loosening. I had no choice but to open my mouth and bite it with my teeth. Big Brother clearly noticed my actions. His face darkened, and his voice became colder as he said, "Ayin, what are you doing? Spit it out! You don't even have a trace of the demeanor of a proper young lady."

I felt somewhat wronged by my eldest brother's words. Suddenly, I remembered how Father looked, smiling and delighted, at that girl named Zhu Zhu. My heart felt a faint bitterness, and with tears in my eyes, I loosened the tightly tied knot. I looked at my eldest brother and said, "What's the use of being a proper lady? In these years, I have diligently studied qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, as well as the etiquette of the women's chamber. I've copied the Women's Rituals, read the Spring and Autumn Annals. But what about Father? He has never once praised me. In his eyes, there is only Zhu Zhu. What's the point of my efforts? Father simply doesn't like proper ladies. He only cares about that Zhu Zhu."

Big Brother obviously did not expect me to say this. He looked at me with a dazed expression in his eyes and a hint of contemplation on his face. After a while, I finally heard him say, "Aying, I'm sorry. It's Big Brother's incompetence that I couldn't earn glory and protection for you."