Three Joys

Chapter 1

In the fourth year of Tai Chu, during the month of June, I was born.

My third aunt once mentioned that when I was born, three joys arrived in our household

First Joy dawned with my father's transfer from Kaiyang to Bianzhou, which, though distant from the capital, was a considerable improvement from our remote village.

The second joy was my elder brother's success in the provincial examination, even though he didn't secure the top rank, it was a notable accomplishment.

The third joy was the birth of my fifth sister.

My fifth sister was born to my father's fourth concubine. My third aunt once said this to me
"I don't know if her life is fortunate or not. She lost her life giving birth to a little princess. What's the use? She couldn't enjoy her good fortune for long."

At first, she wore a mocking expression, but then she hugged me and sighed, "But, in the end, she has earned the master's favor. This fifth sister is destined for a life of wealth and prosperity, and the master will always think highly of her. If she knows from the afterlife, she should be content. It's only my fourth brother who's been wronged..."

These two aunts were indeed blood sisters, both brought into the household by the master, and their pregnancies were separated by only a few days. Less than half a moment after my fifth sister was born, the midwife carried me out, smiling and saying "The master has great joy; it's a little Prince." Her words did not include the terms "xie" or "kao," which was as common as it gets. It is said that my father, upon hearing this, didn't even look at me but turned and walked away.

In less than half an incense stick's time, there was a news from my fourth aunt's place, it was a "kao".

Naturally, my father was overjoyed and quickly wrote a letter to the Shen family in the capital. Once the news of this three joys spread, it even alarmed the Eldest Madam of the house. They urgently sent people and invited several clan elders. They chose the name "Yután" specifically for my fifth sister. This name was derived from "Mountain window with a jade-like maiden, stream doors facing a jade peak. Atop the cliff, two phoenixes soar, in the pool heart, nine dragons lie inverted." The meaning couldn't be clearer; it was a hope for my fifth sister to marry well and bring honor to the family.

In comparison, my surroundings were undoubtedly much quieter. Initially, all the servants who attended to my third aunt were sent to my fifth sister's side. Had it not been for the Eldest Madam sending over people from the capital to care for me, there would have been no need for these rustic villagers, and I might not have even had milk to drink.

Before the age of three, the concepts of 'xie' and 'Kao' eluded my understanding. It wasn't until a tutor within the household provided clarification, saying, Heaven is 'xie' Earth is 'Kao' and we've long recognized that Heaven and Earth together shape the Tao, where Yin and Yang harmonize.

In the world, people are categorized into three groups.

Other than the 'Chang ren' who represent the ordinary people, those in the highest category are referred to as 'xie' signifying pure Yang bodies. They predominantly hail from nobility and are destined for greatness.

On the other hand, 'Kao' is inherently Yin bodied, and both men and women can bear children. However, compared to the former, the latter is a rarer occurrence. It's not just about rarity; what's even more crucial is the union of these two, as their offspring born from this union could be either 'xie' or 'Kao.' For a family to prosper, the union of these two categories is essential.

In the capital, alongside the prominent four families - Li, Qin, Xu, and Xie clans, there are an additional seven notable families: Zhao, Qi, Wang, Lin, Zhang, and Shen clans."