Volume 1, Chapter 7: Becoming a Concubine

In her previous life, Yue’er had caused her to suffer two miscarriages, leaving her barren for the rest of her days. In the end, Yue’er had even tricked her into drinking poison, sending her to her death. Chu Yao clearly remembered the cruel, triumphant grin on her face. At the thought of this, Chu Yao’s heart turned cold.

Cheng Jinxi let out a cry and rushed to Yue’er’s side, scooping the child up from the floor. Yue’er was still wailing. A patch of skin on her forehead had been scraped, oozing tiny beads of blood, and her nose was grazed as well. Cheng Jinxi’s heart ached with distress, and the look she cast toward Chu Yao was filled with venom.

"Chu Yao! You were standing so close to Yue’er, you could have easily caught her! Why did you just stand there, completely indifferent?"

"Cousin, I apologize. It happened so suddenly; my reaction was just a step too slow."

"You did it on purpose! You deliberately watched the child get hurt! Yue’er is such a sweet child; she was kind enough to bring you refreshments. She was injured because of you. How can you be so heartless?"

"Cousin, if I want refreshments, can I not get them myself? Why would I need her 'kindness'? Furthermore, what made her think of bringing me refreshments in the first place? I wonder who taught her to do such a thing?"

"Chu Yao! How can you be so cold-blooded?! A child is injured, and you’re still standing there making snide remarks!"

Cheng Wenyuan, who had rushed over in a flurry to check on Yue’er, looked up at Chu Yao, his eyes burning with similar rage. Before he could lash out, Chu Yao said, "Young Master, since the child is hurt, go apply some medicine. Pointless accusations will not help the situation."

"You!"

Cheng Wenyuan felt a stifling pressure in his chest, desperate to curse her. He glared at Chu Yao fiercely, but in the end, he could only coldly order a servant to bring medicine. It was merely a scrape; once the medicine was applied, it would be fine. Chu Yao, too weary to watch the group bustling about the hall, turned and walked out.

...

The following afternoon, after Cheng Jinxi had carefully served tea and snacks to the Old Madam, she lowered her head and asked in a soft, submissive voice, "Old Madam, is there really no way to handle the matter regarding Yue’er?"

"Hmph! What way could there be? You made this mess, and now you want me to clean it up! Chu Yao refuses to have the child registered under her name. What can I possibly do?"

"Old Madam, Yue’er is Wenyuan’s own flesh and blood. No matter what, you cannot just abandon her. Even if Chu Yao disagrees, you must force her to acknowledge the child. If that fails, you could just have the clan leader write Yue’er’s name into the genealogy under Chu Yao’s name. Once it is a done deal, she will have to accept it, whether she likes it or not. Once she is in the genealogy, she won't be able to refuse!"

"How could that ever work?! She is, after all, the legitimate daughter of the General’s Mansion and the mistress of the Marquis’s estate. I cannot force her to adopt a child; you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. Registering her into the genealogy behind her back is even more impossible! The Chu family would come after me with their lives. I never realized Chu Yao had such a temperament; once she makes up her mind, even nine oxen couldn't pull her back. Judging by her attitude, she is absolutely determined not to accept Yue’er. You had better stop pinning your hopes on Chu Yao. How about this: I will find a concubine for Wenyuan in the next few days. Yue’er can be registered under the concubine's name."

"Old Madam, how can Yue’er be registered under a concubine?! That would make her the child of Lady Cheng."

"Why? If she isn't registered under a concubine, do you expect her to be registered under you?" Lady Li glared at Cheng Jinxi. Seeing that Lady Li was angry, Cheng Jinxi hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to speak. After a long silence, she tentatively said, "Old Madam, Wenyuan and I are truly in love. I would never dare to dream of being Wenyuan’s legal wife, but being a concubine... I am, after all..."

"What? You still want to be Wenyuan’s concubine?" Lady Li’s voice rose sharply, her piercing gaze striking Cheng Jinxi’s face like a sword.

Ignoring the heat rising in her face, Cheng Jinxi dropped to her knees before Lady Li, clutching her hands and begging bitterly, "Old Madam, Wenyuan has feelings for me, and Yue’er is our biological daughter. I beg you to grant us this, I am willing to be Wenyuan’s concubine."

Lady Li violently shook off Cheng Jinxi’s hands. "In your dreams! Even if Wenyuan takes a concubine, it will be a clean girl from a respectable family. What are you? Not only did you seduce him while still in the boudoir, but you also secretly bore a child. Furthermore, you are a widow who has already been married! A woman who has lost both her father and her husband is nothing but bad luck! How are you fit to be a concubine for him?!"

Seeing the Old Madam’s fury, Cheng Jinxi began to kowtow, her forehead striking the floor again and again. "Old Madam, it was all my fault before; I truly know I was wrong. I beg you to forgive me, if only for the sake of the child I bore for Wenyuan. Even if I have to work like an ox or a horse for the rest of my life, I will repay you..."

Seeing her kowtowing, the Old Madam felt only resentment for Cheng Jinxi’s lack of sense and the constant trouble she caused, her irritation growing. "Get up. Don't make it seem as though I am mistreating you. You must understand that it is you who has failed me and failed the Marquis’s estate!"

"Thank you, Old Madam." Cheng Jinxi scrambled up, carefully observing Lady Li’s expression, and couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Old Madam, is even being a concubine impossible? The laws of the Great Qi do not forbid cousins from..."

"Enough! Even if the law does not forbid it, it is still not allowed! Marriage between those of the same surname is a violation of natural law and morality. For cousins to marry is incest! You would be impeached by the Censorate. Wenyuan holds an official position; if he takes you as a concubine, it will ruin his career! You would destroy Wenyuan and cause the Marquis’s estate to lose its century-old reputation! Back then, seeing that you were fatherless and motherless, I pitied you and agreed to let the Marquis bring you into the mansion to raise you. How have you repaid us? By seducing your cousin and losing your virtue—do you have any shame left at all? From now on, just stay put and be your widow! Don't even think about being a concubine for Wenyuan. Don't add to my troubles! I will send someone to find a suitable girl to be Wenyuan’s concubine. As for Yue’er, you are to have no more say in the matter. If you dare to mention such inappropriate thoughts again, I will have you married off! There are plenty of widowers outside waiting for a second wife!"

Cheng Jinxi’s heart felt as if it had fallen into an icy abyss. The reputation of the Marquis’s estate was important, and Wenyuan’s career was important. But what about her? Was she destined to be nothing more than mud, trampled underfoot for the rest of her life? She and Wenyuan loved each other, and they even had a child. Why wouldn't the Marquis’s estate grant her even the status of a concubine?! She refused to accept it! Why?

Back at the Qiu Xi Courtyard, Cheng Jinxi remained in a daze, staring blankly out the window. If the Old Madam didn't agree, it didn't matter. Wenyuan loved her. Their union did not violate the law. Why should she care about the opinions of others? Even for Yue’er’s sake, Wenyuan would agree to make her his concubine. Only then could the three of them be together properly and openly. At this thought, a smile finally appeared on Cheng Jinxi’s tense face. The Old Madam looked down on her so much. Hmph. She would show her. She would show her how Wenyuan cherished her and how he would fight for her. She was looking forward to seeing if that old woman’s jaw would hit the floor.

With that in mind, she turned and ordered Xiao Cui, "Go and ask the Young Master to come here."

Cheng Wenyuan arrived at the Qiu Xi Courtyard shortly after. No sooner had he closed the door than he impatiently pulled her into his arms, rubbing his cheek against her soft, pink skin. "Jinxi, I’ve missed you."

"I have missed you too."

"Let me stay with you tonight, shall I?"

"No, Wenyuan. Chu Yao’s temperament has changed drastically these past few days. I suspect she is suspicious of us. At a time like this, we cannot let anyone know you spent the night with me."