Chapter 18 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Chapter Eighteen
Pei Zan didn't have a sweet tooth; after the age of seven, he rarely ate sweet cakes.
Pei Zan is cautious by nature and will not reveal his food preferences to others. If there are cakes or dishes, he will try a bite, but he will never overeat.
To prevent malicious individuals from noting his tastes and later using them to poison him by hiding drugs in his favorite dishes.
Today, the fact that Pei Zan was able to serve Lin Rong two extra pieces of sweet cake that she brought was already a sign of respect for her.
Pei Zan took a sip of tea to dispel the cloying sweetness, then took a handkerchief to wash his hands and wipe away the powder from his fingertips.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Pei Zan glanced to the side, where he and Zheng Zhiming had been sitting on the floor discussing matters around a table. Lin Rong also knelt down to the side, bowing her head and waiting for her master's orders and commands.
It was only then that Pei Zan noticed how thin and petite Lin Rong was, with thin skin on the back of her neck, revealing her bones when she looked down. She tried her best to minimize her presence, tiptoeing and squeezing her shoulders together, shrinking into a corner of the room, silent and still, like a dimly lit floor lamp.
Lin Rong's long, thick eyelashes drooped downwards, her eyes not daring to wander, staring at her small hands covered in chilblains, she was incredibly obedient.
Pei Zan stared at her for a couple of breaths, then looked away.
He seemed certain that a timid girl like Lin Rong would remain in this room forever, like the bronze lamp by his pillow or the idle books on his desk, always within his reach.
Pei Zan is not the type to be fickle; since he has shown Lin Rong kindness, he will naturally treat her well.
As long as Lin Rong is obedient, loyal to him as before, treats him as her heaven, and keeps his words firmly in her heart.
In this way, even if Pei Zan is not the kind of fool who favors his concubine over his wife, he can still promise Lin Rong that even if a high-ranking matriarch who is in charge of the household marries into the Pei family in the future, Lin Rong will still have a place in his backyard.
Seeing that Pei Zan had finished his snacks, Lin Rong glanced at him cautiously and said, "Young Master, if you've finished your snacks, then this servant will take her leave?"
Pei Zan: "Go."
After receiving permission, Lin Rong quietly cleared away the dishes, bowed, and left.
The moment she closed the door, Lin Rong realized that she had deliberately packed slowly, as if she was intentionally reminding the young master that she was leaving and wanting to see if he had anything else to say.
But Lin Rong herself didn't know what Pei Zan was expecting her to say. Surely he wouldn't... explain his talk of a "wife's position"? Was it just an excuse, or was he really going to get married?
But upon closer reflection, Lin Rong felt a chill run down her spine.
Who is she, a person of such rank, to dare interfere in the marriage of the Grand Commander of the manor?! She deserves to lose ten heads!
Two days later, Pei Zan led his troops away from the Pei residence.
I heard that a war broke out in Yuzhou and many people died, but fortunately Jiangzhou is still relatively peaceful. However, the number of soldiers guarding the city has increased, and the process of checking the travel permits for those entering and leaving the prefecture has become more stringent.
It is unclear whether Pei Zan's hasty departure was due to an imperial decree to lead an expedition or to report to the capital in accordance with an imperial order.
In short, Pei Zan did not take Lin Rong with him when he left this time.
This was unexpected for Green Pearl. She thought that since the young master was so kind to Lin Rong, he would definitely take her away from the Pei residence!
When Green Pearl thought about how Pei Zan had taken Lin Rong's body and then abandoned her, she couldn't help but feel a burning hatred in her heart, cursing him as a heartless and fickle man!
Lin Rong, on the other hand, breathed a huge sigh of relief.
She didn't want to follow Pei Zan, nor did she want to be a maidservant or a concubine.
Being a concubine in a grand mansion is very difficult. Once you enter a side courtyard, you basically never have the chance to step out of the moon gate again.
If a concubine displeases the mistress, she can be sold off at will, and even her husband won't have to worry about it.
After Lin Rong had raised enough money to redeem herself, she went to the eldest daughter-in-law, Madam Shen, to beg for a favor, hoping to redeem herself from her slave status and escape her lowly status.
Seeing that Lin Rong had previously won Pei Zan's favor and was even given a place in the old house, Shen's desire to win over her son faded.
Generally, wealthy and powerful families would follow the government's "calculation of labor service" law, which meant that if the wages earned by slaves working for their masters were enough to mortgage the debts of selling themselves, they could redeem themselves from slavery and return to their free status.
In order to maintain the Pei family's reputation for benevolence, Madam Shen did not make things difficult for Lin Rong. She gave her a signed letter of redemption and ordered her maid to send Lin Rong's release contract to the government office for application, seal, and completion of the release procedures.
By the time Lin Rong received that thin piece of paper document registering her citizenship, she had already transformed from a slave into a citizen.
Lin Rong almost cried tears of joy.
Lin Rong felt a stinging sensation in her nose, a burning sensation in her chest, and a pang of sadness in her heart. She kept wiping away tears.
She can now recognize about a hundred characters. She is no longer blind. She has examined the name on the paper more than once, silently reciting the two characters "Lin Rong" to confirm that this is not a fleeting dream.
Lin Rong knew that the document was genuine, stamped by the government, and that she was no longer a slave to be beaten and scolded at will.
She'll need to go to the yamen later to get a travel permit for visiting relatives and traveling, then she can leave Jiangzhou.
Lin Rong was so happy she didn't know what to say.
In the afternoon, after the government issued the travel permit, Lin Rong carried the bundle containing old clothes to a second-hand clothing shop.
After being redeemed, Lin Rong only had five qian of silver left, but fortunately she still had two sets of clothes given to her by Uncle Feng. They were made of dark-patterned silk and expensive embroidery. She sold them and actually got two taels of silver.
Lin Rong was startled. She figured the shopkeeper was just trying to rip her off because she didn't know the value of the goods. If she bargained a bit more and talked it over for a few days, she might be able to get it for five taels of silver.
Lin Rong carefully put the two taels of silver into a small pocket sewn inside her old coat. That way, unless a thief stole her clothes, the money wouldn't be lost.
Jiangzhou is located in the south. Stone bridges span the river, and houses are situated near the water. Waterways are well-connected, making boats the best option for long journeys.
In February, spring arrived.
The setting sun casts its rays on the riverbank, willows sway along the banks, and peach and plum blossoms bloom.
Although it wasn't snowing, the weather was still cold and chilly, and it got dark early.
Lin Rong planned to leave the Pei residence early the next morning.
Lin Rong did not plan to travel far by night boat with few passengers. It would be better to take a boat during the day, first leaving the main city of Jiangzhou, then going to Luzhou, and finally settling in Meixi Town.
When Lin Rong was young, her neighbor was an old lady from Meixi.
Grandma said that Meixi Town has four distinct seasons and is a very livable place. If she hadn't married into Jiangzhou, she would have liked to stay in Meixi Town, Luzhou for the rest of her life.
Lin Rong just wanted to leave the nightmarish Jiangzhou and get far away from the Pei family. She hadn't decided where to go or what to do yet; she would just take it one step at a time.
Lin Rong stood on tiptoe and looked around.
In the distance, at the ferry crossing, boats lined up one after another. There were incense boats for banquets, lake boats for nobles to enjoy sightseeing, and even towering boats resembling exquisite mansions.
The wharf was lit with flickering candlelight, which illuminated the water with scattered gold dust, creating a river of gold leaf.
Lin Rong found a boatman and inquired about the departure time and price. After getting all the information, she went to a pancake stall and bought some baked flatbread, some dried meat, and even a sheepskin water bag.
The ferry will stop at various locations, and other necessary food can be purchased slowly after the ferry docks.
Tonight, Lin Rong wants to bid farewell to the servants in the mansion and have a good meal one last time.
She reluctantly took out three qian of silver and bought some river shrimp, fish, meat, and a few kinds of seasonal vegetables.
When she returned home, Granny Zhao, upon hearing that she had brought back groceries, complained, "What doesn't the public kitchen have? Why did you have to buy your own groceries? You don't have much money on you, why don't you save it..."
As he spoke, he remembered that Lin Rong had already been redeemed and was about to leave the manor, and he felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.
Granny Zhao cupped Lin Rong's face in her hands, scrutinizing her closely, as if she couldn't get enough of looking at her.
"If you ask me, you shouldn't go out. You're just a poor, lonely girl with no land and no place to live. Even if you try to make a living outside, your monthly allowance won't be as much as the Pei family's. At least our family can provide you with food and lodging."
Granny Zhao was afraid that if Lin Rong went far away, she wouldn't know if she got sick or had a fever, and if she was bullied, there would be no one to support her.
Lin Rong was met with a lot of complaints, but she wasn't angry; instead, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She knew that Granny Zhao was concerned about her!
Sure enough, before dinner was even cooked, Granny Zhao went to get a small bundle and mysteriously stuffed it into Lin Rong's hands.
When Lin Rong opened it, she found several ointments for treating frostbite, as well as a few taels of silver.
Lin Rong was startled and hurriedly refused, saying, "You can't do that!"
Although the old woman in charge of purchasing for the household had a high monthly salary, plus other income and tips, she could also earn some extra money by helping the maids with rouge and powder, so she lived a very comfortable life, much better than a cleaning maid like Lin Rong.
No matter how good it is, it would take a year or two to save up three taels of silver. How could Lin Rong take her grandmother's money?
Lin Rong turned her back and refused to accept it.
Old Lady Zhao knew the little girl was stubborn, so she glared at her and took two taels of silver: "This is all the money you have. Take it, or I won't feel at ease."
Lin Rong felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She accepted the money and handed the rabbit fur back brace she had prepared earlier to Granny Zhao: "Grandma, this is for you. I know your back is bad, so I sewed it especially for you. It's so cold, your back can't get cold, or it will hurt even more."
"You silly girl, you even brought me things..." Old Mrs. Zhao's eyes were filled with tears. "Alright, I'll accept it. You're young, it's good for you to go out and see the world. If you can't make it, come back to Jiangzhou. I still have fertile land in the countryside. When I get old and leave the Pei family, you can come and stay with me in my old age."
While Granny Zhao said that she wanted Lin Rong to take care of her in her old age, she actually wanted to provide Lin Rong with a place to live. If all else failed, she could live with the old man and not end up sleeping on the streets.
Lin Rong did not refuse and nodded with a smile.
When they had dinner that evening, Green Pearl, Fugui, and Chunhua all came. Even Mingzhu and Mingyu from the second wife's side came over to see what was going on when they heard that Lin Rong was leaving.
Since it was a farewell, it wouldn't look good if she didn't bring anything with her, so each of the maids and servants prepared a gift for Lin Rong.
There were rabbit-shaped cakes to eat on the road, hot water bottles to warm the body, and ointments to relieve itching and swelling...
Knowing that Lin Rong was traveling far away, they sent her only practical gifts.
Lin Rong not only accepted gifts from Sister Lüzhu and Fugui, but also from Mingzhu and Mingyu. Tonight, no matter how many past grievances there were, they were all wiped away with those few drinks.
That evening, Lin Rong brought Fu Gui a pair of new boots that fit him well, and also gave Lü Zhu a box of sweet cakes she had steamed.
Green Pearl wanted to sleep with Lin Rong for one night, but she had already returned to the main house's Frost Courtyard and couldn't wander around. She could only give Lin Rong one last piece of advice: "From now on, when you live your own life outside, you must be careful in everything you do. You are beautiful, so remember to use cream or powder to cover your face when you go out, so that no one will have designs on you."
"I understand, sister, go to sleep." Lin Rong had prepared blackening ointment in her bundle, which could thicken her eyebrows and darken her skin so that she wouldn't attract attention.
Green Pearl turned back every few steps, bit her lip, and cried out, "Rong'er, you must live a good life!"
"Yes, I will." Lin Rong smiled at her and turned to go back to her dormitory.
That night, Lin Rong slept soundly and deeply, without any worries.
As dawn broke, Lin Rong got up feeling refreshed. She put on a plain cotton jacket and skirt that had been starched and washed many times, carried a bundle containing her daily necessities, and accepted the hot meat buns that Fu Gui and Granny Zhao had brought her.
After greeting the gatekeeper, Lin Rong straightened her back, took a deep breath of fresh air, and walked out of the majestic, secluded, and lifeless mansion.
Lin Rong walked down the street, looking around and finding everything new and interesting.
The market was filled with vendors and laborers selling vegetables from carts.
The baked buns in the oven were ready. The shopkeeper broke open two steaming hot buns and invited people to try them. The aroma wafted for miles around.
Peddlers carried their wares on shoulder poles, hawking toys like tumbler toys and roly-poly toys for children along the way. Some elderly women, who were out early in the morning, would gather around the stalls to buy food for their wives and pick out clam oil and osmanthus-scented dew.
The bustling traffic and lively atmosphere were so captivating that Lin Rong couldn't take it all in.
If she hadn't been preoccupied with the ferry's departure time, she would have definitely stopped to explore further.
Lin Rong squeezed through the bustling city and ran along a quiet alley towards the dock.
Before she could cross the dark, narrow alley, a blue-curtained carriage suddenly blocked the entrance.
The only sliver of light that peeked through the road was blocked off by a carriage, causing Lin Rong to frown for a moment as darkness fell over her.
Feeling frustrated, she was about to squeeze past the carriage when the carriage door suddenly opened, and the thin curtain hanging down was gently lifted by a fair, jade-like hand.
With long, slender fingers and fair skin, it was truly a wrist bone of exceptional beauty and grace, a demeanor that ordinary people could not cultivate.
When Lin Rong saw that exquisite jade bone, her mind went blank for some reason, and her heart pounded wildly.
She instinctively felt that something was wrong.
The man stepped out of the carriage, his shoulders and back straight, his figure tall and elegant.
She wore a round-necked robe with a bamboo-green base, its wide sleeves flowing gracefully, exuding an ethereal beauty. Her black hair was half-tied up with a bamboo-bone jade hairpin, cascading down her waist like silk, making her even more elegant and charming.
Only his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes held a sinister and fierce intensity, as if brewing a ferocious rage that no mortal could bear.
He seemed to know that Lin Rong was right in front of him, and he slowly walked towards her.
The person who arrived... was none other than Pei Zan!
Lin Rong swallowed hard.
In the past, Lin Rong would have happily greeted Pei Zan. But on the very day she was leaving the manor, Pei Zan arrived early in his carriage to intercept her, which was rather strange.
As she watched the tall, imposing man approach, her throat tightened, her spine tingled, and she instinctively took two steps back, her heart filled with the urge to flee.
"It's alright... I'm no longer a servant of the Pei family."
"It's alright, I've already redeemed myself..."
Lin Rong reassured herself not to be afraid or panic. She was from a respectable family and was no longer Pei Zan's slave!
Lin Rong was covered in sweat, and she wished she could run away as fast as she could.
But she still held a sliver of hope that perhaps Pei Zan was just passing by and happened to bump into her.
Perhaps Pei Zan simply felt a connection with her, which is why he condescended to get out of the carriage and stroll towards her.
She absolutely must not lose her composure!
But all of their plans were shattered the moment Pei Zan sneered and spoke.
Lin Rong heard Pei Zan's clear yet cold voice approaching from afar.
"Lin Rong".
"Now that you've shed your slave status, how about I elevate you to the rank of concubine?"
At this moment, Lin Rong's almond-shaped eyes filled with tears, finally trembling with fear.
From then on, Lin Rong understood Pei Zan's plan.
...He was clearly allowing her to redeem herself and leave the manor.
Because Pei Zan was arrogant and conceited, he didn't want a maid or concubine! He wanted to take a virtuous concubine!
Lin Rong's redemption and departure from the manor was exactly what he wanted!
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"She Changed Her Heart in the Third Year of Our Marriage" by Yizhi Nenliu
With the wedding date approaching, her elder sister suddenly fell seriously ill, and Pu Jinyu, who had been raised in the countryside for many years and forgotten by everyone, was finally brought back to the capital.
With her stepmother threatening her with the life of her aunt, she had no choice but to change her appearance and study her elder sister's words and actions to marry into the Yan family in her place. She only needed to wait for her elder sister to recover from her illness so that this marriage, which had been a deception, could be returned to her.
Unfortunately, her elder sister fell seriously ill and succumbed to her illness.
The Yan family was a powerful and influential family with strict rules within its deep courtyard. She bore the appearance and name of her elder sister, and lived in constant fear, serving her parents-in-law and sisters-in-law with trepidation. She racked her brains to deal with her aloof and unapproachable husband, daring not to slack off in the slightest. Her stepmother, angered by her elder sister's death, took her anger out on her and subjected her to all sorts of difficulties.
She eventually succumbed to heart failure and died in childbirth at the age of twenty-nine. Her soul and body remained trapped in the Yan family's ruthless and treacherous mansion for the rest of her life, under the name of her elder sister, Pu Wange.
Only after her death did Pu Jinyu learn that her elder sister had not died of illness, but had faked her death to escape in order to follow her lover.
Her most trusted and beloved concubine was never coerced in any way. Instead, for the sake of her own bright future, she used and then abandoned her daughter countless times to consolidate her position and enjoy wealth and glory.
Pu Jinyu looked back on her life. She was born as a concubine's daughter and was forced to dress as a man to please her biological father. Unfortunately, the fake could not become real. As she grew older, her identity could no longer be hidden, and her aunt did not hesitate to devise a plan to send her to a dilapidated remote area.
At that time, seeing her aunt's teary eyes, the young girl did not understand the meaning of rejection and truly believed that they were full of love and care for her.
It's just a pity...
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back in the third year of her substitute marriage, looking at the red bricks and green tiles of the Yan family's house, and the soft, gauze curtains.
She lowered her eyelashes with a cold smile, revealing a pitiful expression that concealed the turbulent emotions churning within her.
***
The Yan family had a glorious history of over a century, ranking first among the most prestigious families in the capital. Its eldest son, Yan Chiyun, was outstanding and handsome, and at a young age, he had already reached the highest position in the government, making him someone that others could only look up to but never reach.
The Yan and Pu families had been betrothed since their early years. When he reached marriageable age, Yan Chiyun, following the advice of his elders, married the most impeccable noblewoman in the entire capital.
After marriage, he was restrained in his sexual relations and busy with political affairs, leaving early and returning late. Although the two rarely met, they treated each other with respect and lived like guests. They lived like this for three years without interfering with each other. If nothing unexpected happens, he will be a good wife and mother until the end of his life.
Therefore, he really couldn't understand why his wife, who had always been well-behaved, obedient, and gentle, would betray her kinship.
Even when he caught her, she remained unmoved by his stern questioning. She slowly dressed and got out of bed, looking coldly into his eyes, and casually replied, "Since you've seen it all, then let's get a divorce."
He was so furious that he laughed in a deep voice, looking at the profile of his wife, who was as serene and beautiful as a gardenia.
Suddenly, he realized that he seemed to have never truly known this woman.
A self-disciplined and aloof beauty falls for love, driven to madness and resorting to force and coercion.
Reading Guide:
A restrained, polite, and abstinent head of household vs. a beautiful and resilient mistress
Arranged marriage, love blossoms, the old house catches fire, the unattainable beauty turns out to be incredibly attractive, the man goes crazy for love and even has to cremate his wife – a happy ending.
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