What I Want Is You

The summer sun was at its fiercest, blazing down like a scorching flame that left skin burning. But it wasn't just people who suffered; the porcelain clay under that relentless heat bore the brunt of it as well.

Freshly mined porcelain clay was still damp and couldn't be used directly in the next stage of production. To craft glass, the clay had to endure the blazing summer sun, soak in autumn rains, suffer the cold and snow of winter, and then be warmed and molded by the gentle sun of spring.

Only after all these steps could a single piece of glassware be produced. Zhou Yao had done this before and knew just how hard each piece was to come by. The current glassware designs were simple, and the prices weren't as exorbitant as one might think.

If the glassware sales didn't pick up later, she could improve and refine them. She personally taught the first batch of servants how to select high-quality porcelain clay, breaking down the essential techniques in a simple, easy-to-understand way.

This one step alone took Zhou Yao nearly a month. She then moved on to the second group—the tasks of drying and crushing the raw materials were straightforward, and a quick inspection showed no major issues.

The crucial ratio for glass production was always mixed by her own hands, so even if others learned the steps, Zhou Yao wasn't too worried.

As the weather grew hotter, Zhou Yao worried about the health of the laborers working outdoors. She called Cui Wei over and handed her five taels of gold. "Go to the shops and buy some cooling snacks. Also buy some ice and place it in the servants' quarters—three blocks per person. Count the heads at Golden Curtain Terrace and Nine Kilns, and if you need extra hands, have a few guards from Golden Curtain Terrace accompany you."

"It's hot today, so stop work at noon and go rest." Zhou Yao was giving instructions to Cui Wei when she turned and noticed a young man standing in the corner.

Zhou Yao recognized him at once! But who was he?

He was the boy who had been whispering during her speech a few days ago. Zhou Yao was a bit surprised to see him now—he wasn't in the first or second group, so he must be in the third.

"Th-that..." He scratched his head and frowned, clutching his clothes with anxiety and embarrassment. Hesitantly, he spoke: "Madam, someone in our group has collapsed. Some say he's dead, others say he's just slacking off..."

The boy thought to himself: We're all bonded servants who've signed death contracts, so even if one of us dies, it's just a worthless life. Even if I report it, those nobles probably wouldn't spare a glance. Telling this woman might just waste my breath. And if I mess this up, I'd be in for a beating... This thankless task had to fall to me.

Zhou Yao's heart skipped a beat at the news. It was exactly what she'd been afraid of—she'd just mentioned ice, and someone had collapsed.

She shot a look at Cui Wei, who nodded in understanding. The message was clear: hurry and buy the ice; Zhou Yao would handle this herself.

Cui Wei took the gold and rushed out of Nine Kilns. Zhou Yao then instructed the boy who had brought the news, "Go quickly and fetch a physician, as fast as you can. Don't delay."

Seeing the boy still frozen in place, Zhou Yao impatiently smacked his forehead. "Go!"

So the three went their separate ways—one to buy ice, one to fetch a doctor, and one to assess the scene and steady the situation.

The working conditions for the third group weren't too bad. Although they were outside, Zhou Yao had arranged for the kitchen to prepare plum juice chilled in the well. Still, she hadn't expected anyone to faint.

This was unexpected, and if the crowd's emotions weren't calmed quickly, the stability she'd just built could crumble, becoming harder to manage later.

When she arrived, Zhou Yao saw a crowd gathered around the fallen man, forming a solid, tight circle like a city wall. From the looks of it, no one could get through without a fight.

"Move aside! Don't crowd around him!" Zhou Yao shouted. The chatter abruptly stopped, and the crowd slowly parted.

Out of breath from her hurried run, Zhou Yao paused to steady herself. Everyone's eyes were on her.

She pushed through the crowd to find the man lying slumped on the sun-scorched ground, his clothes dusted with soil, sweat still beading on his forehead.

She reached out to check his breath, rolling up her sleeve—but a man beside her shoved her to the ground.

"Get away! We don't want you here! If you hadn't insisted on making this stuff, he wouldn't have collapsed!"

Zhou Yao didn't want to waste words. She glanced at him coldly, brushed off her hands, and moved to check on the fallen man.

"I said, don't go near him! Who knows what you're plotting? Are you trying to kill him to silence us?" The man's voice was agitated, his demeanor like a frog at the bottom of a well.

Zhou Yao was alone, and the servants were furious; she didn't dare act rashly.

To stabilize them, she spread her hands slightly. "Not a single one of you can help him, so you watch me like hawks and keep your distance. Instead, why not follow my orders from now on? I can guarantee that everyone here will come out of this safe."

They hesitated, exchanging glances, but no one responded.

Zhou Yao pressed on, "I won't do anything to him right now—I just need to check if he's breathing. If we don't act now, even the doctor will be too late."

That was, of course, a half-truth to calm them, though Zhou Yao kept that to herself.

"How do we know if you're lying?! Don't think you can fool us!"

Zhou Yao shot a sharp glare at the speaker, then strode to a corner of the yard, picked up a shard of porcelain, and hurled it at the troublemaker.

The shard grazed the man's neck, leaving a thin red line on his pale skin. If Zhou Yao had aimed even slightly more, she could have killed him on the spot.

She scanned the crowd with a warning gaze, then let her cold stare settle on the man. "From this moment on, anyone who dares to contradict me will not get off so easily."

For a while, no one challenged her or blocked her path.

"I know you're not satisfied with me, but understand this: those of you born into bondage aren't free citizens. Whether you live or die rests entirely on my whim."

She knelt beside the unconscious man and felt the side of his neck. When she sensed a faint pulse beneath her fingers, the anxiety in her heart eased. He was alive—not slacking off, but suffering from heatstroke.

"Those of you who are strong, carry him to the shade. Don't leave him out here in the sun." Zhou Yao stood and looked for the nearest shaded spot.

One or two people still grumbled, rolling their eyes and sneering, "This noble woman doesn't care about us. We've worked all day without a reward. Now someone's dead, and even if she pays more, I'm not working anymore. Slaving away for nothing—this money's probably not even worth earning!"

"Exactly! In this heat, who has the strength to carry him? I'd break a sweat helping, and I'm not doing it!"

Those around them exchanged uneasy glances, wavering. Indeed, the heat had sapped everyone's energy, and no one wanted to deal with this mess, but with Zhou Yao present, they had no choice but to stay.

Zhou Yao was at a loss. Before she could identify the instigator, the boy nearest the heatstroke victim shouted, "Oh no! Oh no! He... he's stopped breathing..."

A dull thud followed—the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Zhou Yao rushed over—the boy who had cried out had fainted, likely terrified by the sight of the supposedly dead man.

"Th-this..." With two people down, any remaining motivation to work had vanished. They just wanted to leave this cursed place.

"Help... help!"

"Nine Kilns is cursed! This woman should stay at Qi Manor instead of parading around and tormenting us common folk!" The man who had started the agitation earlier was now hiding in the crowd, fanning the flames and trying to pin all the blame on Zhou Yao.

Some were swayed by his words, and one man shouted furiously at Zhou Yao, "You wicked woman, using your family's power to kill innocent people! I'll risk my life to drag you to the underworld!"

He clutched a sharp porcelain shard he'd grabbed from the ground and lunged at Zhou Yao.

The space was tight, and Zhou Yao barely managed to dodge his attacks, narrowly escaping cuts.

She gritted her teeth, waiting for the right moment to kick him down, pin his arms, and wrench the shard from his hand.

"Fool! You let a few words turn you against your master," Zhou Yao cursed through clenched teeth. "I won't deal with you now, but once I've settled this, I'll take you back to Qi Manor for punishment! Let's see what the Qi family you long for does with a rebellious slave!"

She drove the shard into the man's palm, severing his tendons.

The man screamed in agony, the sound piercing the sky, audible several streets away.

His wailing grated on Zhou Yao's nerves. "Shut up." She pressed the shard deeper. "If I hear another sound from you, my earlier promise to spare your life is void."

She swept a harsh glare over the crowd. "Anyone who doesn't want to die, stand still and behave!"

That did the trick—at least no one dared to oppose her openly.

This time, she didn't issue general orders but directly named two men. "You two, carry him to the shade. The rest of you, go fetch water from the well now."

"If you refuse, this will be your fate." She gestured to the man writhing on the ground, now unconscious from pain. They complied silently.

Soon, they had brought water from the well to the shade.

Zhou Yao took the wooden bucket and soaked the heatstroke victim's clothes. It wasn't an immediate cure, but it was the fastest way to lower his body temperature.

As time passed, his temperature indeed dropped.

Just as Zhou Yao handed the remaining tasks to the others, she heard hurried footsteps. She turned—the boy she'd sent had returned with the physician.

The white-haired doctor carried a wooden box of medicines, both he and the boy drenched in sweat from their rush. The heat was truly oppressive; even Zhou Yao, who hadn't been out long, felt her lips cracking and her throat parched.

She gestured for a servant to fetch the chilled plum juice and distribute it.

The dark purple juice shimmered faintly yellow in the sunlight. Though it had been chilled in the well, by the time it was brought from the kitchen and handed out, the coolness had already dissipated.

By the time they drank it, the iced plum juice had turned lukewarm.

It was so hot—this weather was truly cruel...

Before Zhou Yao could recover from the heat, the doctor had already taken out silver needles from his wooden case. He inserted them into the man's Hegu point, pricked Shaoshang to let a drop or two of blood, then placed needles at Quze, Neiguan, and Chize on his arm, and used a flying needle technique on the Weizhong point on his leg.

Within half an incense stick's time, the man regained consciousness, startling everyone. These servants had signed death contracts, so it wouldn't matter if one or two died—but Zhou Yao wouldn't stand for it.

Cui Wei finally returned with the ice, out of breath.

Together, they moved the supplies inside. The man who had fainted recovered with the help of the ice.

"You're having three days off starting tomorrow. Rest well. As for the ice, split it among yourselves today, and you'll get some every day from now on. As for food, report what you want to..." Zhou Yao scanned the crowd and noticed the boy standing behind, catching his eye. "Report to him in the future, and have the kitchen make something good. The monthly expenses should go to Cui Wei, and she'll allocate the funds."

Someone hesitantly asked, "Can we really eat anything?"

"Yes."

"Even polished rice and fine noodles?"

Zhou Yao looked at him—he was small and frail—and said, "Yes. You can have meat, polished rice, and white flour. I'll cover all expenses. The only condition is that the work assigned by Nine Kilns must be done well and meticulously. If you work for me, I won't treat you unfairly."

"Summer is hot, and Nine Kilns is harsher than most places. From now on, avoid working during the hottest hours. Rest in your quarters during the noon and early afternoon periods. If you need to go elsewhere, that's fine as well."

"Of course, if anyone dares to act as boldly as today, I'll punish them severely."

She signaled Cui Wei to take the attacker and the instigator to Qi Manor for punishment.

After the servants had left, Cui Wei leaned in and asked, "Madam, these people were so rude to you, yet you spared their lives. Isn't that... too lenient?"

It was only now, with the urgency over, that Zhou Yao noticed a cut on her palm from the porcelain shard, still bleeding.

Cui Wei gasped. "Madam, you're hurt! You said you were fine!" She grabbed Zhou Yao's hand to inspect the wound and moved to fetch the doctor again.

"Don't go." Zhou Yao stopped her. "It's just a scratch, no concern. As for those servants..." I have my plans, she thought, leaving the sentence unfinished. Instead, she picked up a glass cup filled with tea, hiding her intentions behind the gesture.

Cui Wei tilted her head, confused, but said nothing.

——

Since Zhou Yao had given the Nine Kilns workers a break, she'd have to handle the glassmaking herself.

This time, she didn't need to go to the mountains to mine clay and transport it back, but she still had to handle every other step: the upper three processes, the lower three, the mixing...

She started from making the clay body. She took the dried, crushed, and washed raw materials and formed them into mud, placing it in a vessel and repeatedly kneading it.

Through constant practice, Zhou Yao's strength had grown, but when kneading the clay, she had to hammer it repeatedly to increase its stickiness, blending the mixed powders evenly into a fine, smooth paste.

Before she could even mix the coloring powders for the glaze, the wooden door to her courtyard was flung open by Su'er, who rushed in, glancing around frantically, as if being chased. She slammed the door shut and bolted it.

Panting, she leaned against the door and said, "Madam, madam, something terrible!"

"What's happened? Why the rush?" Zhou Yao guided her over and handed her a cup of water to catch her breath.

Su'er took the cup, drank it in one gulp, and said, "Golden Curtain Terrace is surrounded by officials! They say you've been hiding bonded servants, and they're searching for you everywhere!"

She sniffled, tears welling up. "It's all my fault. I'm so sorry for dragging you into this."

"It's probably my father—after I ran away, he reported me to the authorities." She clutched a handkerchief, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Madam, if this causes you trouble, just hand me over. I won't blame you, only my own bad luck. I'm sorry for holding you back."

She made as if to kneel. "Thank you for taking me in and helping me all this time. I'm afraid I can never repay you. The officials are after you because of me... I've wronged you..."

"If I must, I'll atone with my life!"

With that, she slammed her head toward the ground, then stood and ran toward the pillar. Zhou Yao caught her just in time.

Zhou Yao took a clean handkerchief and wiped the dirt from Su'er's forehead. "How did you find me here?"

"I... On my way out of Golden Curtain Terrace, I ran into Sister Cui Wei, and she told me to come to you." Su'er hung her head, not daring to meet Zhou Yao's eyes, standing there silently crying—a pitiful sight.

"I understand. Don't cry." Zhou Yao frowned, mentally calculating her next move, but seeing Su'er's guilt-stricken tears softened her heart.

Ever since she had taken Su'er in at Golden Curtain Terrace, Zhou Yao had also moved Beagle there. Earlier, Cui Wei had mentioned that Beagle was barking 'werwerwerwer' late at night, keeping everyone awake. Su'er, who had been wandering for so long, still couldn't sleep well even here.

Zhou Yao felt a bit guilty about this. She knew she should resolve Su'er's problem, especially since she'd promised to handle her registration.

"Stand up if I tell you to." Zhou Yao reached out to help her. "This is nothing serious. Come with me to Golden Curtain Terrace."

——

By the time they drove from Nine Kilns to Golden Curtain Terrace, it was dusk, though the sun hadn't fully set. From a distance, Zhou Yao could see the torches held by the officers.

As the carriage approached and stopped, it drew the attention of the soldiers and their leader.

Zhou Yao had told Su'er before they set out not to leave the carriage. Now, Su'er had stopped crying and sat quietly, occasionally glancing at Zhou Yao with worry.

Zhou Yao knew words weren't enough to comfort her, so she simply patted her hand. "No matter what, I'll protect you. Trust me."

The carriage came to a halt, and Zhou Yao sat up straight.

"Quite the display of authority! If you want to search someone, then search. But now you dare come to my doorstep?" Zhou Yao said from inside the carriage, without even glancing out the window. "Aren't you afraid of the Qi family's wrath for offending me?"

She reached out to lift the silk curtain—one glance...

And only that one glance was needed.

In that look, Zhou Yao recognized him.

There, at the head, stood a man puffing out his chest with self-satisfaction, strutting like a farm chicken she'd once seen in the mountain forests.

It was Young Master Zhao—the one she had slapped when Golden Curtain Terrace opened.

That day, he had ruined her mood, led to a falling out with Qi Yanhan, and indirectly brought Su'er to her. Now, he was causing another storm.

Seeing it was him, Zhou Yao snorted. "Who did I think it was? Isn't it the realgar powder young master from the opening day? What, the realgar didn't meet your standards? Now you've come back for more?"

She let out a mocking laugh. "By the way, realgar costs money, so I sell it at full price to everyone. For you though... oh, yes, even the collateral branches of the Zhao and Xu families get a 10% discount." After all, cheap goods match cheap goods."

She noticed the officer's face darkening, tilted her head thoughtfully, then shook her head and said, "No, that's my mistake."

There was a long pause before she spoke, leading many to believe Zhou Yao was about to apologize to the officer, cowed by his power. The scene fell silent.

Meanwhile, the officer straightened his back, puffing up to settle the score from that day. But what he didn't expect was...

Zhou Yao stepped down from the carriage, and immediately a guard from Golden Curtain Terrace rushed over to kneel and serve as a footstool.

She stepped off the footstool, but instead of the apology everyone awaited, she only offered another jibe.

"It's indeed unseemly to compare realgar to Young Master Zhao. Realgar is a precious medicine since ancient times, warm in nature, bitter and pungent, famous for warding off insect bites in summer. Yet you, who bought your post with family connections and silver... comparing them only demeans realgar... a pity, truly a pity."

"Hmph! You cheap merchant woman, how dare you mock a court official?! You've got a death wish!" He grabbed a pendant at his waist and yanked it free, brandishing it before Zhou Yao. "Today I'm under orders to seize criminals like you and bring you to the yamen. Let's see you twist words now."

"Who do you think you are?" Zhou Yao said slowly, word by word. "Arrest me? You're not worthy!"

"Hmph, stubborn fool." He raised his hand in a signal, and the other officers with torches prepared to search Golden Curtain Terrace. "Once I find that runaway slave, you won't escape either," he said through gritted teeth. "Today, I'll settle the score from before!"

"Who dares!" Zhou Yao shouted, her voice raised. "All of you dare to harass my place over a mere servant girl? You're the ones courting death!"

She walked up the steps of Golden Curtain Terrace, drawing the sword from a guard's waist as she passed. "If you want to arrest that fugitive, fine. If you want to enter Golden Curtain Terrace, fine. We'll just see if you have the luck and the lives to make it through."

"Tsk, don't try to fool me with that. Think you can stall until that incompetent Qi family comes to save you?" He gave a dismissive roll of his eyes. "Today, the owner of Golden Curtain Terrace has three crimes: hiding a fugitive slave, obstructing official duty, and spewing nonsense to insult court officials."

"Once I take you in, I'll have you hanged—I won't give you an easy death!" He exhaled in satisfaction, then something seemed to amuse him, and his tone lightened. "But if you kneel and beg me, lick my boots, maybe I'll spare your life, considering that face of yours."

Zhou Yao didn't take the bait. "If you don't find this so-called 'fugitive' here today, then I'll have your head!"

She looked down at this arrogant scion of the Zhao family from her elevated position, a private smile curving her lips. "Care to wager?"