She was nothing more than one of his many concubines, yet he went to great lengths to prepare these things, using the bright red of a wedding night to decorate their bridal chamber, as if treating her as a wife.
Was his going to such lengths to show how much he valued her first time with him? It has to be said that if it weren't for her memories from her past life, she might have been deeply moved, but now that she has come to her senses, she will not allow herself to be easily swayed.
You Shuyao looked around and said with a faint smile, "I understand."
She sat silently on the embroidered couch, and Chunlu and the other three withdrew outside, leaving her to wait alone for the adults to return.
She let out a slow sigh. In the candlelight, the red hues of the room seemed particularly glaring. Looking at the large red "double happiness" characters and festive decorations everywhere, she realized that such favor was far too extravagant for a concubine. Fortunately, she was only a concubine; there was no need to exchange marriage certificates. If she were the principal wife, it would be much more difficult due to the implications of status and position. When she finally left, she wouldn't cause too much trouble and could depart gracefully, without any regrets!
*** ***
The moon climbed to the treetops, and she waited in the house until late at night. Finally, she accidentally fell asleep on her pillow. When she woke up, it was already dawn, and Huo Jingsha had not returned all night.
"Aunt Yao, you're awake."
"Hmm, where is the master?"
"Uh... I was just about to tell Aunt Yao about this. Last night, the Lord was investigating a case at the office. On his way back, he received an urgent imperial summons and went to the palace overnight. However, he specifically sent General Xu Chang back to inform you. I saw that you were already fast asleep, so I didn't wake you."
So he went to the palace.
While You Shuyao breathed a sigh of relief, she also felt a pang of regret. Looking up at the burnt-out wedding candles on the table, she inexplicably sensed a sense of emptiness.
She frowned, quickly suppressing the inappropriate emotion.
"Okay, help me wash up and change."
After a quick wash and breakfast, You Shuyao, not wanting to stay in the festive room, decided to take a stroll in the courtyard. Suddenly, a group of people approached. Not wanting to run into the concubines, she was about to turn into the corridor to avoid them when she heard one of them say in a complaining tone...
"Have you heard? They sent another woman over last night. Honestly, isn't our backyard crowded enough already?"
"Sigh! What can we do? This is not something we can control. We can only blame our adults for being too capable and outstanding, and for the countless people who want to curry favor with them."
You Shuyao realized that someone had sent another woman.
The Huo family had numerous concubines in their harem, at least twenty in total. There were stunningly beautiful women, skilled dancers, and virtuous concubines proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—a diverse array, surely one to suit every taste. Those who sought to curry favor weren't satisfied, going to great lengths to gather beauties from all walks of life and send them to him, fearing they wouldn't be able to please this Imperial Guard commander.
"So what if they send people? I don't think there's anything to worry about. No matter how many people they send, they'll all be on equal footing with us, just concubines." One of the women scoffed, seemingly indifferent to whether the new bride came or not, her face full of disdain.
Hearing her say that, the others laughed along, and a tall woman even chimed in.
"That's right. No matter how many new people come, they'll become old-timers in three or five days. The first few days are just for novelty. The adults have always treated everyone equally. When have they ever treated us unfairly? Maybe the newcomers can even steal someone's favor, so that vixen will also have to taste the feeling of being alone in an empty room, just like us."
The vixen-like woman they were talking about was naturally You Shuyao.
"Shut up!" Chunlu hissed.
The concubines were in the middle of a lively conversation when they were suddenly scolded angrily. They were so frightened that they trembled. When they saw that it was Concubine Yao and her maids, their faces immediately changed, and they covered their mouths and hurriedly left.
Xia Hong came to You Shuyao's side and comforted her, "Aunt Yao, don't listen to their nonsense. When the master returns, we will definitely report the truth to him and let him reprimand them."
Chunlu and Xiahong were strolling around the garden with their mistress when they unexpectedly overheard the other concubines gossiping about her. They were also worried that Aunt Yao would be upset or unhappy to hear that a new woman had come in.
Actually, their worries were a bit unnecessary. When You Shuyao heard what the concubines said, she immediately thought of the things Huo Jingsha had confessed to her. He had never touched those women in the backyard, at most he would sit in their rooms, so those women were still virgins, kept as gifts to be given away later.
He said he had no interest in women he didn't like. Although I thought he was heartless when I heard that back then, I'm actually very happy now. Because she's constantly pursuing him, is she trying to prove that I'm the woman he truly loves?
Thinking of these words, for some reason... You Shuyao's lips curved into a smile.
Noticing the pleasure she felt, she frowned again, disdainful of her smug reaction.
Who he likes is his own business. Who he wants to touch is also his own decision. She shouldn't care so much, laughing or crying because of his words.
"Xia Hong, thank you for your kindness, but it's not necessary. I shouldn't interfere in the affairs of adults. He will handle it when he returns," Shu Yao said calmly.
Chunlv and Xiahong didn't say anything more after hearing that.
You Shuyao secretly warned herself that she would not be like those women who regarded Huo Jingsha as their heaven and earth, spending every day in jealousy and disappointment, making herself live a repulsive and undignified life!
After that, Huo Jingsha did not return home for another day. She only hurriedly returned to the mansion in the evening. After returning, she went straight to her study and summoned the chief steward and her subordinates to secretly discuss matters.
He didn't emerge from his study until dawn, but instead of going back to his room to rest, he immediately ordered his servants to prepare his clothes for going out and to get his horse ready. In no time, he mounted his horse and galloped away.
According to Chunlu, the master has received a secret order from the emperor to lead a group of Imperial Guards to another place on business. It will probably be several months before he returns.
Huo Jingsha was ordered to leave the city by imperial decree, which meant that his wedding night with her was off. As for anything else... they could only wait until he returned home. You Shuyao was slightly taken aback when she received the news. Knowing Huo Jingsha's personality, he would definitely come to her room upon his return, which showed how urgent the situation was, making him dare not delay for even a moment.
You Shuyao felt relieved on one hand, but on the other hand, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart; in short, it wasn't a pleasant one!
With him gone, her days became completely peaceful. Ever since Aunt Shao deliberately framed her and poisoned her, no other concubine dared to offend or disturb her. The four maids also served her diligently. In this huge Huo mansion, it seemed as if she was the only woman.
Although Huo Jingsha was not present, he had significantly increased the number of guards around her, both overt and covert, so she had no chance to escape.
"Aunt Yao, our master's birthday is coming soon. Have you decided what gift to give him?"
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