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Most official slaves were descendants of convicted officials—how low was their status?

In the Great Li Commentary on the Statutes, their status was hereditary, passed down generation after generation, with almost no chance of ever turning their lives around. In the eyes of the law, they were no different from livestock.

The law did not protect official slaves. They could be bought, sold, gifted, or bestowed as rewards at will.

In many tightly regulated estates, official slaves were strictly forbidden from coming face-to-face with their masters and could only perform grueling labor. Even positions as personal maids or attendants to the master would never fall to them.

For that very reason, approaching one's master without orders was a grave offense.

Here and now, silver snow swirled through the air. Chen Lingxi stood outside the octagonal pavilion. Lin Longyue merely glanced at him, and several guards approached from nearby, waiting for her command to deal with him.

Chen Lingxi gritted his teeth and lowered his head.

Lin Longyue took another sip of tea and remained silent, as though waiting for Chen Lingxi to speak.

Several breaths passed. At last, the official slave standing in the snow seemed to gather his courage.

"Please forgive me, Miss!" Though he still kept his head bowed, he spoke. "Chen Lingxi was born into the Chen clan of Linchuan. I have read widely in poetry and literature and am skilled in the art of flower arranging.

"Later, because my mother's family incurred Heaven's wrath, I was demoted to an official slave."

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath, letting icy snowflakes fall into his collar. Though his voice carried a trace of fear, it was clear and steady.

"This official slave has been trapped in the rear rooms for roughly two years and has not dared overstep the slightest boundary.

"Yet yesterday, while clearing the accumulated snow, I happened to see the old locust tree in the garden standing vigorous and strong, and winter plums braving the frost, their white calyxes blanketed in snow. Born amid bitter cold, their integrity did not wither. Their spirit perfectly matched the imagery in the Ode to Snow: 'Only in the coldest years are the steadfast pine and sturdy cypress revealed.'

"I also heard that Miss and the Princess were fond of flower arranging. This slave dared to gather plants from the garden, use wet clay as a base, and attempt this vase arrangement... It was not meant as an offense. I only felt that the vitality of heaven and earth could not be extinguished, and wished to offer this meager skill before the table of honored guests."

He paused slightly. His voice gradually lowered, yet every word was distinct.

"This official slave knows his status is lowly and would never dare evade punishment for this offense, only..."

He suddenly lifted his head. Through the swirling snow, his gaze fell upon those cold eyes within the pavilion.

"Has Miss ever looked closely at those white calyxes?"

Lin Longyue raised a brow and finally looked at him.

Chen Lingxi continued, "The white calyxes grew beneath snowdrifts in a corner by the wall. Their stems were as fine as hairs, their petals as thin as cicada wings. To ordinary eyes, they were no more than wild grass.

"Yet their roots sank three feet into frozen earth. Snow did not make them wilt, and wind could not break them. When this official slave brushed away the snow this morning, their buds were still green. This thing may be humble, but it stirred in me the will to struggle."

He fell silent for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind. "As an official slave, death will come sooner or later.

"Since flower arranging may offer a thread of life, then like those white calyxes beneath the snow... I might as well give it everything and try."

At that, Chen Lingxi abruptly stopped and deeply bowed. "Lingxi asks Miss to punish him."

The pavilion fell quiet for a moment.

The charcoal crackled, while the snow fell without a sound.

Lin Longyue set down her teacup. Its base touched the stone table with an exceedingly soft tap.

Her gaze swept over the guards standing respectfully in the distance before returning to Chen Lingxi.

"You do have some literary talent." Her voice remained cold, but it had lost some of its earlier bone-piercing chill. "Using grasses and trees to speak of integrity, using what is humble to express defiance... No wonder the Princess liked that vase arrangement and said the honored ladies in the palace would like it as well."

She rose. Her crimson cloak brushed over the stone bench as she slowly walked to the edge of the pavilion.

Snowlight reflected across her face, and on that pale complexion appeared the faintest trace of amusement.

"The Chen clan of Linchuan... I know of them. Only a few of the entire family remain." She tilted her head slightly. "Your father, Chen Yanzhi, once served as a Secretary in the Ministry of Rites. He composed the Ode to Cold Plum Blossoms at the Qionglin Banquet, and the Sage personally praised it, saying, 'Its pure bones are worthy of praise.' Is that so?"

Chen Lingxi's shoulders and back stiffened. "...Yes."

"Then do you know..." Lin Longyue's gaze suddenly sharpened like a blade. "A mere official slave must not speak of pure bones, much less defiance."

Chen Lingxi was silent for a moment before saying softly, "This official slave knows."

"Since you know, why risk it?"

Chen Lingxi lifted his face. Snowflakes landed upon his brows and lashes, melting into scattered glimmers of water.

"Because this slave wants to live."

His voice was quiet, yet exceptionally candid. "Steward Zhao uses official slaves to test medicines. Of the eleven official slaves, only two remain alive. There is no other path. If I do not seek life, then when Steward Zhao returns, Chen Lingxi will surely die."

Lin Longyue stared at him.

Several more breaths passed. She suddenly rose, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

She walked out of the octagonal pavilion and came before Chen Lingxi, studying him. "You know that my elder brother and I are at odds?"

Chen Lingxi remained silent.

Lin Longyue asked again, "You know that I have always detested Zhao Yong?"

"You know that in this Baosu Marquis Residence, I alone can spare you from death?"

Chen Lingxi remained silent throughout.

Lin Longyue was half a head shorter than Chen Lingxi, yet she seemed to be looking down upon him. "A mere official slave, living in the rear rooms of the northern courtyard, who ordinarily comes into contact only with the lowliest people in the marquis residence, yet you can see so much..."

"And you possess talent in flower arranging... Even more than that... Wu Zheng, the Princess's guard, used the might of Silver Bones to suppress you, yet you managed to break free... This proves your innate physique is excellent as well. You can practice martial arts!"

"You truly are an exceptionally rare official slave!"

There seemed to be a trace of approval in her tone. Several guards in the distance quietly retreated a few steps.

They likely believed Lin Longyue would no longer punish Chen Lingxi.

But in the next instant, Lin Longyue's face turned frosty, and her blood and qi surged like a tide!

Faintly visible beneath the skin on the back of her hand, crimson streams of light rushed like molten bronze flowing through her veins.

Fine snow drifted down around her, only to scatter and vanish!

An immense pressure descended upon Chen Lingxi!

"But you presumptuously guessed at my thoughts. How do you know... that I will not kill you!"

Killing intent swirled in the eyes of this young lady of the marquis residence.

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath...

"Because Miss has the ambition to manage this household!"

Facing the killing intent roiling in Lin Longyue's eyes, Chen Lingxi's back tightened like a drawn bowstring, yet his words were startling!

"If Miss wishes to kill this slave, it would be no harder than crushing an ant. But even an ant has its uses!"

"If Miss spares me today, I may offer some small assistance in the future. Kill me, and all it would do is leave a bit of filth, staining the snow before the pavilion."

The wind swept up snow dust and blew it into the pavilion. The charcoal fire crackled.

The blood and qi around Lin Longyue slowly drew back, and the crimson radiance gradually faded.

"You do have some courage." She turned and walked back into the pavilion. Her sleeve brushed across the stone table as she picked up her teacup. "From today onward, you will move out of the rear rooms and temporarily reside in the servants' quarters of the western courtyard. I will give you a courtyard so that you may arrange flowers there. You need not concern yourself with Zhao Yong.

"Every three days, send one flower arrangement to my courtyard. The style must be new, and its meaning must be ingenious."

Chen Lingxi's shoulders relaxed, and he bowed. "This official slave accepts the order."

Lin Longyue paused. Her gaze fell upon the wind and snow gradually dying beyond the pavilion. Her voice was still cool, but now carried an unquestionable authority. "In addition... I permit you to go to the Martial Practice Court and have Retainer He Duan select a martial arts manual for you. Practice it yourself for now.

"I want to see whether you truly possess some talent in martial arts. If you are worth cultivating, I may be able to find a way out for you in the future."

Chen Lingxi's heart gave a violent leap. He forcibly suppressed the surging joy within him and gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Miss!"

Even amid his joy, he immediately thought of Liu Changle, who was still trapped in the rear rooms and shared his hardships.

Over these past two years, without Liu Changle's care, even if he had not died, he would have suffered far more.

Only two days ago, Liu Changle had still been brewing medicine and tending to him.

So, seeing that Lin Longyue seemed to be in a tolerable mood, Chen Lingxi gathered his courage and raised his head to speak. "Miss, this official slave has one more request... In those rear rooms..."

"Enough."

Before he could finish, Lin Longyue cut him off without mercy.

She turned around, her gaze sweeping over Chen Lingxi like icy blades. That barely perceptible softening from before had vanished completely.

"Chen Lingxi, you must remember your status. Granting you a thread of life was already an exception. As you are now, you are still not qualified to ask for more."

Her tone was calm, yet it carried an oppressive force that allowed no argument. "Do well what I have ordered, prove your worth, and put away your other thoughts for now."

With that, Lin Longyue no longer looked at him. She merely said lightly to the maid waiting outside the pavilion, "Take him to settle in the western courtyard. Tomorrow at the hour of the dragon, bring him to the Martial Practice Court."

Then she waved her hand, signaling for him to withdraw.

Chen Lingxi swallowed the words he had yet to speak.

The snowfall gradually weakened, and daylight leaked through gaps in the clouds, brightening the sky by several degrees.

Lin Longyue rose and, wrapped in that crimson cloak, walked toward the depths of the covered corridor.

Halfway there, she seemed to suddenly recall something and said to the maid following behind her, "Send some tea and snacks to Guest Jiang Yuan. Do not neglect him."

The two walked away.

Chen Lingxi looked toward the western courtyard and slowly exhaled a breath of white mist.

From the distant bell tower came the evening drum, its deep waves of sound rolling over the marquis residence.

Pain still lingered in his organs, but that deathly chill that had gripped him finally dispersed.

When he returned to the rear rooms of the northern courtyard, Liu Changle still seemed to be at work and had not yet returned.

A maid from the western courtyard was waiting outside the door.

Chen Lingxi looked at the room he had lived in for nearly two years, only to discover that there was nothing he could take with him.

He wanted to leave Liu Changle a letter, but there was neither paper nor brush in these rear rooms.

After considering it for a moment, Chen Lingxi poured out the ashes from the incense burner and piled them into three words...

"Live on."