After Escaping Famine, Three-Year-Old Fu Bao Became Everyone's Favorite

In the eighth year of Yongjia, a catastrophic locust plague and a devastating earthquake destroyed the farmlands beyond the northern borders, plunging the region into a severe famine. Desperate families fled southward in search of survival, trading children for food as a grim necessity. Among the refugees was Qingtian, a four-year-old girl who was not the biological daughter of the Shan family. She had been found as a newborn and raised with favor until the Shans had a son of their own, after which she was subjected to relentless abuse, starvation, and brutal beatings. While fleeing, Madam Ye, a childless woman from the prominent Ye family, witnessed Madam Shan beating Qingtian for stealing a few kernels of corn. Madam Ye intervened, but the situation escalated when she discovered Shan Laoda attempting to trade Qingtian to another refugee in exchange for a child to eat.

Driven by maternal instinct, Madam Ye rescued Qingtian and returned to her family. To secure the child, she negotiated with Shan Laoda, trading a precious sack of corn for Qingtian’s freedom. This act caused significant tension within the Ye household, particularly with Madam Guo, the wife of the fourth brother, who viewed the expenditure of scarce food as reckless. However, the matriarch, Old Madam Ye, supported the decision, emphasizing that raising a child with compassion was a virtue. The Ye family, a large extended household of fifteen members, welcomed Qingtian. Despite the harsh conditions of their journey, the family’s fortunes began to change miraculously. Shortly after Qingtian’s arrival, a wild pheasant fell from the sky, followed by the discovery of buried potatoes and wild duck eggs. These events led the family to view Qingtian as a lucky charm, a "Fu Bao," whose presence brought prosperity.

As the Ye family traveled, they maintained a surprisingly good standard of living compared to other starving refugees. They hunted, fished, and ate well, allowing the children, including Qingtian, to regain their health and strength. Qingtian, once traumatized and fearful, gradually opened up to her new family. She formed close bonds with her five new brothers, who protected her and shared their food. The family’s luck continued as they approached Shanhai Pass, a major checkpoint for refugees entering the inner provinces. However, their success attracted the attention of the Shans, who had deteriorated into emaciated, desperate figures. Upon seeing the well-fed Ye family, Shan Laoda and Madam Shan realized they had made a mistake by trading Qingtian.

The Shans followed the Ye family to Shanhai Pass and orchestrated a dramatic confrontation. Madam Shan pretended to be a grieving mother reuniting with her lost daughter, while Shan Laoda claimed they were the biological parents. They created a public scene, hoping to leverage the child’s birthmark and their pitiful appearance to extort food and money from the YEs. The commotion drew the attention of local guards and onlookers. Big Brother Ye initially attempted to resolve the dispute quietly by offering more food, but the Shans’ demands escalated, revealing their true intent to sell Qingtian to a brothel for profit. Enraged by this revelation, Big Brother Ye physically assaulted Shan Laoda, exposing the couple’s greed and cruelty.

The conflict drew the attention of a passing noble carriage, where a young master observed the scene with skepticism. He questioned his servant’s initial assumption that the YEs were the aggressors, noting that appearances could be deceiving. The servant returned to investigate further and witnessed the YEs standing their ground against the Shans’ extortion. The truth became clear: the Ye family had legally purchased Qingtian’s freedom with food, and the Shans were attempting fraud. The young master’s intervention highlighted the moral complexity of the situation, where survival had driven people to inhumanity. The Ye family, united and strong, refused to be bullied, asserting their right to raise Qingtian as their own daughter. The story concludes with the Ye family preparing to enter Shanhai Pass, their bond strengthened by adversity and their future uncertain but hopeful.