2. The Ultimate Punishment: Slicing the Flesh from the Legs (Revised)

The old woman gasped sharply, her hands moving more swiftly as she snipped the cotton cloth with silver scissors, then used a clean handkerchief to blot away the blood. Only then did she carefully wrap the young woman's legs with clean, gauzy cotton strips mixed with medicinal powder.

Perhaps the pain was too much; the woman on the bed's eyelashes fluttered, and she weakly opened her eyes. In the dim, pale light, one could see that her eyes, dark as lacquer, were noticeably larger than most, the stark contrast with the whites making them strikingly clear.

“Nanny…” Her voice was hoarse, so faint it was like the feeble cry of a newborn animal.

The elderly woman with silver hair jerked her head up, joy flashing across her features. She quickly finished changing the medicine and pulled the brocade quilt over the young woman, tucking her in. “I’m here, I’m here, miss. Would you like some water?”

The young woman's gaze roamed the room as she licked her dry lips and asked, “Where am I?”

The old woman, called Nanny Bitter, stiffened for a moment. With a sigh, she poured a cup of warm water and brought it to the woman's lips. When she saw her drink a little, she finally replied, “Yizhou. Miss, we are in Yizhou now.”

Yizhou? The name seemed to cast a spell, and the young woman’s breathing grew heavier. For the first time, a surge of violent anger twisted her delicate features. Yet, when she spoke, her tone was icy calm. “Nanny Bitter, is this heaven’s will? Letting me return to Yizhou, to the place I once came from, so that one day I might avenge my great enmity?”

Nanny Bitter reached out, gently brushing the loose hair from the woman's forehead with pity. “Miss, forget it. Forget everything. From now on, you are only the illegitimate daughter of the Gu family’s Second Master, Gu Jiang. Lost for fifteen years, you reunited with him yesterday and were brought back to the Gu household. Your surname is now Gu.”

The young woman froze, staring blankly at Nanny Bitter before letting out a desolate laugh. “Ha… Gu Fei…”

Her mournful laughter drifted into the wind and rain of the small courtyard, swallowed by the rolling thunder so that no one heard it.

“Gu Fei will do just as well,” she said lightly, glancing at her bandaged legs. At last, exhaustion overtook her, and she gazed coldly at the mosquito net, murmuring, “The name I bore before was a burden of endless blood and hate. To discard it does not mean I will forget. Taking the Gu name is but a matter of expedience. If I can endure the agony of having flesh carved from my legs, what hardship is there in changing my name and hiding my identity?”

Hearing this, Nanny Bitter’s anxious heart finally eased. She let down the embroidered bed curtains and patted the woman’s shoulder comfortingly. “Miss, rest first. The Gu household will not be peaceful in the days to come.”

The young woman sneered, watching as Nanny Bitter blew out the oil lamp. The room was plunged into darkness, the howling wind and rain outside the only sound. She closed her eyes, no longer thinking of anything else, focusing solely on restoring her health as quickly as possible.

As Nanny Bitter had expected, the following day, when Gu Fei first awoke, her body was weak and powerless. She lay motionless, gathering her strength, when a commotion arose outside the room.

Voices of reprimand followed; Nanny Bitter seemed to be explaining something. Suddenly, the door burst open and a crowd of figures swept in, their presence almost dazzling Gu Fei.

At their head was a matron of about fifty, wearing a forehead ornament embroidered with gold patterns and a deep blue robe adorned with winding branches.

The matron entered, wrinkling her brow at the faint scent of blood and the pungent smell of medicine. She waved her handkerchief, covering her mouth and nose in disdain as she retreated to the screen.

Through the mosquito net, Gu Fei could make out that this was clearly a servant woman, though her silk garments and plump appearance spoke of comfort and status.

She glanced toward the bed and asked, “Is the young lady inside called Gu Fei? The one Second Master brought back yesterday… his daughter?”

Gu Fei remained silent. She had never even met this so-called Second Master Gu, and her new identity as an illegitimate daughter left her no room for protest.

She understood perfectly well that her journey from the capital to Yizhou, the sudden appearance of Nanny Bitter, and this carefully arranged background were all orchestrated by unseen hands.

Now, penniless and powerless, her only skill was ink-making, enough for a meager living. She had no idea what scheme was in play, but the truth would eventually reveal itself. Her only choice was to accept everything as naturally as possible, recover her health, and think of the future later.

Or rather, she had no choice at all.

“Nanny, the young lady is unwell and likely not yet awake, so she cannot answer,” Nanny Bitter explained quietly, head lowered but with a dignity that was neither servile nor arrogant.

The matron shot Nanny Bitter a sidelong glance. Disliking the smell in the room, she was eager to leave. “Oh, I don’t deserve to be called Nanny. My surname is Duan. Years ago, I was fortunate to nurse the Lady once.”

She cleared her throat. “The Lady has ordered that your young miss be moved to another courtyard and a physician summoned to see her. All her meals and provisions are to match those of the other young ladies in the household. Given her poor health, special dishes will be prepared for her.”

Delight flashed across Nanny Bitter’s sallow face, and she offered her heartfelt thanks repeatedly.

Matron Duan waved her hand with an air of superiority. “When is your young lady’s birthday?”

Nanny Bitter was unsure of her intent but dutifully recited Gu Fei’s date of birth. Little did she know that the listening Gu Fei’s eyes turned cold.

She had spent most of these past days in a stupor and had never told Nanny Bitter her birthday, yet the answer was exact.

“She’s fifteen this year, the youngest among the Gu family’s daughters and ranked fifth. So, she’ll be known as Fifth Miss from now on,” Matron Duan said indifferently. Before Nanny Bitter could respond, she added, “But the Lady also said, the title isn’t easily borne. When the time comes for a blood test to confirm kinship and enter the family records, if there’s anything amiss, you’ll have to weigh the consequences yourselves!”

The final words carried a sharp warning.

Nanny Bitter was stunned, still gathering her thoughts when Matron Duan turned and left.

Once the others were gone, Gu Fei called softly, “Nanny Bitter…”

Startled, Nanny Bitter hurried behind the screen, lifted the mosquito net, and helped Gu Fei sit up. “Did you hear everything, miss?”

Gu Fei nodded. Her leg wounds had not yet healed, so she leaned weakly against Nanny Bitter. “How did you know my birthday?”

Nanny Bitter did not explain, simply draping a light jacket over Gu Fei’s shoulders as she said, “Miss, have no doubts. I would never harm you…”

Before she could finish, Gu Fei cut her off, “Come to think of it, I never asked about your past. How was it that you appeared at the very moment my life hung by a thread?”

Nanny Bitter forced a bitter smile, her gaze on Gu Fei complex and hesitant. “Miss, when the time comes, I will tell you everything. From the capital all the way to Yizhou, I have cared for you day and night. If I meant you harm, why would I go to such lengths to settle you in the Gu household, just to buy you a chance to breathe and plan for what comes next?”

At this, Gu Fei knew there was no more to be learned. In her current predicament, who else could she rely on but Nanny Bitter? She understood all too well the entangled interests at play. She offered a faint smile. “You worry too much. You know what burdens I bear. It’s only natural I think too much of everything.”

Nanny Bitter understood her perfectly and took no offense. “Just focus on recovering, miss. The blood kinship test in the Gu household won’t be easily faked. We’ll have to plan carefully. I’ll go out and get you a wooden wheelchair, so you don’t have to stay in bed all the time.”

Gu Fei nodded, blinking as she adjusted her quilt. Suddenly she remembered something. “Nanny Bitter, since we’ve arrived at Yizhou, help me find two people. Come closer…”

Nanny Bitter nodded repeatedly to show she’d remember. Only then did Gu Fei relax, curling up under the brocade quilt, turning away to rest.

Only when Gu Fei’s breathing had lengthened did Nanny Bitter tiptoe out of the room. She had no idea that, facing the wall, Gu Fei’s almond-shaped eyes remained wide open, those pitch-black pupils deep enough to swallow all the light of sun and moon.