Chapter Forty-Six: The Beauty, Mi Zhen

“Is there any connection between the richest man in Xuzhou, Mi Li, and the young lady?”
“There are many people with the same name in the world, but... I do actually know this richest man in Xuzhou, and we’re quite close. He’s my eldest brother.”
Thinking of her brother, Mi Li, Mi Zhen couldn’t help but smile foolishly. She was surely another little sister spoiled by her brother’s affection—a natural beauty difficult to resist, chosen to stand by the ruler’s side. Zi Fan’s heart fluttered as he watched her.

As for the richest man in Xuzhou, Mi Zhu, he was practically a father of wealth. While others found making money hard and exhausting, for him, it was effortless—his wealth and grain were legendary, famous throughout the land, a commercial tycoon whose fortune could rival kingdoms. With his far-sighted mind, money flowed to him like rain and wind, countless beyond measure. Mi Zhu’s family had been merchants in Xuzhou for generations, managing land and cultivating, keeping nearly ten thousand servants and retainers, with assets worth billions. Truly, he was as rich as a nation.

In the era of the Three Kingdoms, Mi Zhu became a key advisor under Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty. When Liu Bei was destitute, Mi Zhu gave him tremendous support, helping him recover, providing substantial financial assistance, and marrying his own sister to Liu Bei, enabling the imperial uncle to rise again. After Liu Bei took control of Yi Province, he appointed Mi Zhu as General of Han Stability, placing him at the head of his ministers. Mi Zhu was gracious and scholarly, gentle and refined, skilled in riding and archery. Though he never commanded troops, Liu Bei always treated him as an honored guest.

Elegant in conduct and sharp in debate, Mi Zhu was a rare talent; otherwise, Liu Bei would not have treated him with such respect.

Zi Fan was still lost in thought when he heard again the sound of miserable crying. He looked closely and saw Mi Zhen quietly weeping at the side.

In this remote wilderness, not a single intact house remained in the valley. Her clothing had been torn to shreds; had Zi Fan not found her in time and rushed to her rescue, she might have lost her innocence and purity. Moreover, it was the harshest winter, heavy snow falling outside, bitter cold enough to kill. It seemed impossible to leave this cursed place today. The thought made Mi Zhen’s heart ever more desolate, tears glistening at the corner of her eyes.

“All troops, remain here and rest!” Zi Fan leapt onto a large boulder, standing there to shout his command to the Youzhou army scattered throughout the gorge.

His words were like a great stone, crushing Mi Zhen’s spirit. She curled up, face pale, trembling all over, tears sparkling in her eyes, yet unable to cry out.

As a daughter of wealth, she had never suffered such indignity. In the empty gorge, the smell of blood still lingered, making it impossible to sleep.

...If only she had listened to her brother. He told her not to come, but she mischievously followed anyway, sneaking out. Now, everything was gone—first kidnapped by villains, then losing all her treasures. She sobbed, regretting bitterly, “Why did I come to this cursed place?”

Mi Zhen had her own little plan in coming here. If she succeeded in escorting the caravan, she wouldn’t be known merely as a rich girl relying on her brother, playing all day and doing nothing. She wanted to prove herself, show that, though a woman, she was not inferior to any man, and could support herself without relying solely on her brother.

Snowflakes swept down in a wild dance, the bitter wind howling, the world frozen in ice, mountains shivering with cold, rivers locked in stiffness, the very air seeming to solidify.

In the biting wind, the last warmth of her fur coat slowly drained away. Mi Zhen wrapped herself tightly in the wolf-skin cloak, but it could not keep out the fierce cold. Her hands and feet were numb, her forehead burned as if scorched by fire, her lips blue with frost. Her clothes, pressed against her skin, were stiff as seaweed, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

After a while, she could bear it no longer. The light faded at the corners of her eyes; then, all went black as she collapsed, unconscious.

……………………………………………………………………………………

It wasn’t long before Mi Zhen slowly opened her eyes, regaining consciousness, her fingers twitching as she realized she was lying in a large bedroom. The bed was covered with thick quilts, the blanket draped over her, a nearby stove glowing red-hot, the room filled with a subtle fragrance, making her feel unusually comfortable. Everything felt so familiar.

Suddenly, her expression turned anxious. She remembered being in the frozen gorge only a moment ago—how could she suddenly return to this familiar place?

In the midst of her confusion, Mi Zhen sat up abruptly, pulling back the blanket in disbelief.

A scream echoed through the house.

At this moment, her clothes were stripped away, her delicate skin exposed to the air. Looking under the blanket, she found herself completely naked, and her first thought was that her innocence was lost—she must have been violated.

Mi Zhen screamed, wrapping the blanket tightly around herself, scanning the room and grabbing a bright pair of scissors from the nightstand. She surveyed the chamber; it still had the familiar scent of home. Yet, how could she be so exposed, and how did she return from the snowy wilderness to her own house in the blink of an eye?

Suddenly, the door was pushed open quickly. Mi Zhen clutched the scissors, staring fiercely at the entrant, not daring to relax for a moment.

“Miss, what happened? Is something wrong?” a maid hurried forward.

Mi Zhen looked at the maid and asked urgently, “What happened to me? How am I here? How did I get home so quickly, and who brought me?”

One of the maids replied, “Miss, I heard that Sima Zi Fan from Youzhou brought you back to Xuzhou overnight, not stopping for a moment—he delivered you here... Miss, you’ve been unconscious for five days...”

Stunned by the news, Mi Zhen’s grip on the scissors slowly loosened.

“Where is my brother now?” Mi Zhen steadied herself and asked.

“Oh, I forgot to inform the master that the young lady has awakened! The master is in the parlor, having a lively conversation with the general...” With that, the maid bowed and hurried off to report.

“Wait, I’ll go myself. Come, help me.”

Supported by her maid, Mi Zhen walked slowly to the front hall, where Mi Li and Zi Fan noticed her immediately.

Seeing his sister’s frightened, haggard face, Mi Li’s heart filled with sorrow; he blamed himself for not being able to protect his only sibling.

Thankfully, Zi Fan had rescued her with courage, and their earlier conversation only deepened Mi Li’s admiration. Zi Fan was truly heroic, full of patriotic spirit—a real hero. Looking at his beautiful sister, Mi Li began plotting: if his sister could be with Zi Fan, it would be a match of talent and beauty, a fine marriage. If not, befriending a powerful general was no loss. After all, merchants had always been rich but low in status—something wealth could never remedy.

For thousands of years, rulers prioritized agriculture over commerce to secure their power. Throughout China’s dynasties, the policy of “valuing agriculture and suppressing commerce” prevailed. The theory was that merchants lived by buying and selling, not producing, and relied on speculation. Thus, their status was ranked lower than even craftsmen (scholars → farmers → artisans → merchants). The highest were scholars, officials, and literati, followed by peasants and landlords, then artisans and craftsmen, and lastly, merchants.

Furthermore, the Han Dynasty forbade merchants from wearing silk, riding carriages, taxed them twice as heavily, denied them private land, and barred them and their descendants from holding office, often relocating them to remote border regions. Later dynasties continued these policies, subjecting merchants to social humiliation and restricting their activities.

Confucian thought further bound society; rulers used it to shape minds. Confucianism emphasized honesty and sincerity, but business inevitably involved shortchanging, and sometimes even harming others for profit, creating a deep conflict—“no merchant without cunning.”

“Girl, why aren’t you resting? What are you doing here?” Mi Li feigned annoyance, truly worried about her.

“Brother, I’m fine now... Please don’t worry.”

Mi Zhen glanced at Zi Fan, feeling guilty, and offered a deep bow to thank him for his repeated rescues.

Mi Li quickly replied, “This is my little sister, raised with care since childhood. If she has offended the general, please forgive her, and thank you for saving her life.” He spoke cautiously, fearing his sister might have offended Zi Fan, and hoping for his understanding.

Zi Fan smiled gently and returned the bow. “Saving lives hardly deserves thanks. It was nothing, please don’t concern yourself, Miss Mi.”

“General, your kindness is unforgettable. Without your rescue, my innocence would have been lost and my life in danger. I will remember your great virtue forever.” Though mischievous by nature, Mi Zhen spoke with the spirit of a heroine. She understood the principle of repaying a life-saving grace.

She bowed deeply to Zi Fan in gratitude, and he, seeing the delicate yet weary Miss Mi in plain dress, hurried to help her up.

As they conversed, Mi Li led his sister and Zi Fan to the hall for a meal, and the conversation soon turned to the state of the court. Now, the whole government was in chaos, Dong Zhuo ruling with terror, slaughtering at will. Loyal ministers who tried to dissuade him were thrown into prison one by one, and the rest, fearing his power, chose silence.

Hearing that Zi Fan had been expelled from Luoyang by Dong Zhuo, Mi Zhen’s face turned serious, standing up for him, endearing herself even more.

“General, you need to raise troops quickly. Though I lack talent, my family has ample funds. I am willing to donate a portion of our wealth in the name of my clan, and hope you will accept it. I believe you will achieve great things.” Mi Li cautiously offered his support, aligning with Zi Fan’s ambitions.

The richest man in Xuzhou was indeed bold—at a gesture, he offered countless treasures. Zi Fan’s eyes shone; he had never seen so much money, not in two lifetimes, though he tried to appear calm, inwardly delighted. “Thank you, Brother Mi, for your generous help. If ever there is anything you need, I will surely repay you.”

“With the world in turmoil, why not let your army be stationed here in Xuzhou? It would bring peace, and my clan’s youngsters have long admired you—perhaps you could train them?” Mi Li spoke quickly, determined to keep Zi Fan close.

“Haha... Very well! When one takes another’s wealth, one must help in return...”

Thus, as men often do, their camaraderie deepened through conversation, and before long, the two were arm in arm, like brothers in spirit.