Chapter 3 Admitting Mistakes
The festive red lanterns swayed in the warm breeze. Li Qu rushed out of the room, crawled to the large water vat in the corner where she usually drew water, scooped up some water from the vat, and began to rinse her mouth.
But just as the water entered his mouth, his stomach churned violently, and he vomited all over the floor.
She couldn't tell if the bitter taste in her mouth was bile or something else, so she could only rinse her mouth with water over and over again.
The nimble summer breeze, carrying heat waves, played with the lanterns, seemingly mocking Li Qu's wild ideas, mocking her for using all her scheming to hide for six years, only to be wantonly humiliated by a man of power.
Footsteps swept past her, and Li Qu gripped the water ladle tightly, waiting quietly for the owner of the footsteps to leave.
It's okay, she's made it through six years, so she won't care about a day or two.
After tomorrow, she will have the identity and reason to leave the Zhou residence.
In the future, her younger brother will be born, her second sister will get married, and she will have money and leisure time, and her life will become more and more comfortable.
She will forget what happened before.
Yes, I'll forget.
She scooped up a ladle of water and poured it over her head, pretending that her tears hadn't welled up.
Only after the footsteps faded into the distance did I feel fresh air filling my chest.
But before she could finish changing half of it, she heard Granny Xu approach her and say respectfully, "Madam, Fanghua Garden has been prepared. Please come and take a look."
She looked at Granny Xu in disbelief, while at the same time feeling that Granny Xu was playing a huge joke on her.
"Auntie!"
From the moment when she was ten years old, when Prince Xiao Cong of Yan suddenly kissed her cheek, she racked her brains to avoid becoming a concubine.
To bring fame to her elder sister, to help her impoverished brother-in-law pass the imperial examinations, and to ask Xiao Cong to help her brother-in-law get an official position, she was escaping the favor of being a concubine bestowed upon her by those in power.
What a worthless thing a concubine is!
Cheap goods sold cheaply!
A body that has no control over its own destiny!
A woman of humble origins but stunning beauty is forced to become a concubine to a powerful and noble man.
Why should I?!
"I am a good citizen! I am a good citizen!"
Li Qu's emphasis seemed pale and powerless on this hot summer night.
But her gaze was so intense that it startled Granny Xu.
Being a concubine to the Third Master Zhou is worlds apart from being a concubine to an ordinary person!
The woman's face was covered in water, but her eyes were so resolute, bright, and unyielding.
I'd rather break than bend.
After a long pause, Granny Xu found her voice again: "Auntie, when Prince Yan's heir, Xiao Cong, sees Third Master, he always bows and addresses him as Uncle."
Wanxian is located in the Yangtze River basin; if the Zhou family wanted to replace the magistrate, it would only take a single word.
Li Qu felt a lump in her throat.
Just as she had manipulated the Chang family mother and son before, Zhou could manipulate her with ease.
Li Qu disagreed.
She was hoping for a breakthrough, and when she looked around, she found that the courtyard was full of kneeling servants, with the Chang family mother and son positioned particularly close to Li Qu.
As if sensing Li Qu's gaze, Madam Chang looked up and then suddenly kowtowed to Li Qu.
"Congratulations on your joyous occasion, Auntie. This is just a small token of my respect."
As he spoke, he took out a red envelope wrapped in red cloth from his pocket.
Li Qu suppressed the resentment and anger at her failed efforts, forcing herself to calm down.
"Why is the concubine unwilling to become the Third Master's concubine?"
"He doesn't deserve it!"
"Whether you're a good match or not isn't up to you to decide."
Yes, Zhou Jin heard what she said to Chang San.
She forced herself to calm down and slowly relaxed her fingers that were gripping the water ladle.
Even horses can stumble, and people can make mistakes.
Li Qu comforted herself.
The mistake has been made; I must be more careful with my words and actions next time.
Besides that, she needs to find a way to remedy the situation.
The Zhou family rose to prominence through military generals, and each generation produced outstanding talents.
Passed down for three hundred years, almost as old as the nation itself, they are a truly distinguished and powerful family.
The eldest son of this branch of the Zhou family entered officialdom through the imperial examinations and is now a first-rank official in the capital, wielding real power.
He had three sons: the youngest was a nobleman, the eldest entered officialdom through patronage, and the second was also an official.
Second Master is a shrewd businessman, and Li Qu had heard of the Zhou family's wealth while in Yan.
She knew Third Master Zhou Jin the most.
Previously, he had served as the third-rank military commander and almost married a princess. Later, he was transferred to Shanxi to suppress bandits. When Li Qu first arrived at the Zhou residence, he heard that Zhou Jin had made meritorious contributions in suppressing the bandits and that the emperor would reward him.
For some reason, he has now returned to Hezhou, the Zhou family's stronghold, to serve as a military commander.
From any perspective, the Zhou family was not a behemoth that she and her brother-in-law could budge.
The crux of the problem lies with Zhou Jin.
Zhou Jin was born into the Zhou family and was the youngest son of the matriarch of the Zhou family. He was born into wealth and had a smooth and successful life, and probably never had anyone humiliate him.
Li Qu knew she had spoken out of turn and was in the wrong. She thought to herself that she would apologize to Zhou Jin and soften her stance.
Men in high positions who are arrogant and complacent are often driven by a desire to prove themselves.
She sincerely admitted her mistake, saving face for him, and being a young woman, there was a high chance that he would be lenient with her.
Moreover, Zhou Jin had no female companions in his room and was not interested in women, so he was not afraid that Zhou Jin might be attracted to her.
Following behind Granny Xu, she had prepared a speech in her mind, but when she arrived at Fanghua Garden, she did not see Zhou Jin.
"I wish to see the Third Master. Could you please pass on my message, Granny?"
Granny Xu shook her head: "Auntie, you will live in Fanghua Garden from now on."
"This place is close to Jinxiu Hall. Third Master will be staying at the mansion for some time this time. When Third Master remembers his concubine, he will summon her to serve him."
"What if I want to see him?"
Granny Xu looked completely at ease.
It's said that no woman can escape the charm of her master.
"Third Master doesn't like sweet or bitter summers. Auntie made the ice bowl for the old lady last time with less sugar. Third Master should like it."
"I'll do it now."
Seeing that the concubine was so enthusiastic, and thinking that the concubine was good at social maneuvering, and that the Third Master had just broken his vows and was probably thinking about the concubine as well, Xu Mama let her go.
Inside the brocade hall, Zhou Jin, who had just taken a cold shower, was reading a letter at his desk when Huai Qiu relayed that Aunt Li had sent over a bowl of ice. Thinking of his body, which had just tasted the forbidden fruit and was not yet fully relieved, he said, "Let her in."
When Li Qu entered the room, she saw Zhou Jin dressed in his undergarments and wearing a red robe draped over his shoulders, leaning lazily against the back of his chair and staring at her. She instantly felt a chill run down her spine.
She suppressed her various emotions, bowed to him, and presented the ice bowl: "This can relieve the summer heat, but it is not advisable to eat too much. Please, Third Master, taste it."
Zhou Jin glanced at the ice bowl Li Qu had placed beside her, then his gaze returned to Li Qu, his tone seemingly sarcastic yet casual: "You're not worthy, are you?"
Having dealt with the Prince of Yan's heir for eight years and knowing the nature of those in power well, Li Qu knew that what he had to do now was kneel and beg for forgiveness.
So she knelt down without hesitation and admitted her mistake: "I was lying before, please forgive me this time."
"This humble woman will erect a longevity tablet for you and serve you day and night without ever neglecting it."
Zhou Jin picked up the bowl of ice.
To be praised by one's mother as a woman from a less privileged background is indeed a testament to her beauty.
From her face to her hair, she was so exquisitely beautiful that she didn't seem like the kind of girl an ordinary family could raise.
At this moment, she was kneeling on the ground, her hands flat on the ground, her upper body prostrate, her clothes hanging down, which accentuated her slender waist and swaying peach-shaped buttocks.
Li Qu heard the sound of the spoon hitting the porcelain bowl and breathed a long sigh of relief.
She straightened up, glanced at the man eating the ice bowl, carefully chose her words, and cautiously said, "I come from a humble background. Even if I serve you without a name or status, it would still be my honor to be here."
Expressing one's stance.
“But I am ignorant and uncouth. If I stand beside you, I will tarnish your beautiful appearance.”
This shows that the two are not suitable for each other because of one's own poor character.
“I caused the old lady to be injured before; it was my recklessness.”
Admit your mistake.
"Fortunately, the old lady is kind-hearted and has already given me a small punishment as a warning. I hope you will also be magnanimous and not hold it against me."
Please forgive me.
Zhou Jin showed no emotion, only taking small bites of the ice bowl. He seemed quite satisfied with the ice bowl she had made.
Li Qu swallowed hard and continued, "After I leave Jinxiu Hall, I will go to the old lady's door to kowtow and beg for forgiveness."
"I have a beauty recipe from a young lady, which I am willing to give to you, old lady, to help you stay young and youthful forever."
"Furthermore, I have heard that Third Master suffers from summer heat, and I am willing to offer you the recipe for ice bowls to relieve your worries."
Offer your sincere remorse.
Gritting her teeth, Li Qu spoke again: "Third Master, you are an exceptional man. It is my great fortune to have the opportunity to serve you tea and warm your feet."
"However, to be honest, my heart already belongs to someone else..."
The ice bowl was thrown onto the desk with a crisp clanging sound, startling Li Qu so much that she trembled and stopped speaking abruptly.
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